The Road to be a Pokemon Master: Johto Arc
by FanaticLAguy06
Summary: Sequel to the Orange Islands Arc. After winning the Orange League, Ash and his friends now head off to the Johto Region to compete in the tournaments there. However, an old evil resurfaces once more, and Ash isn't the only one who vows to stop it. Another one has the same goal, but his motives aren't exactly as noble as Ash's.
1. Ruthless Eyes

**A/N: What's up, everyone? I had a nice break, but now, it's time to start with the next arc. I'm really excited about it!**

 **Okay. A few things you should know before you read this is that it will get extremely dark sometimes,(Chapter 3 is a perfect example of that), and have a lot of violence and some scary and deep stuff. SPOILER ALERT ON THE NEXT PARAGRAPH! DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!**

 **XXX**

 **This arc WILL have a character death somewhere, more than one in fact, and I already know who it is (or are) as it was planned from the beginning. (It's not Delia Ketchum. That's overused. She's safe from the doom hammer). It's mostly a minor character, and it may not be someone you expect, but it is an integral part to the story. Just please don't concern yourself too much with it and let it worry you too much that it drags you down from everything else that is in this arc. The death(s) will happen when they happen. I'm not the type of guy who would kill a character pointlessly. I'd only do it if affects another character greatly and helps them grow, or because it opens up a new opportunity for a great mini arc. In fact, I'll just go right ahead and say that every arc from here on out has at least one character death...except for Battle Frontier.  
**

 **XXX**

 **Onto something happier, this arc will have a lot of fun moments, too. I already said this, but we will be introduced to characters like Shauna, Trevor, Tierno, Jimmy, and Marina. I'm really excited to write their characters as they seem like a lot of fun, especially Jimmy and Marina. Calem also returns in a surprise role, and so does Ritchie! A new romance between two characters will form, also! Whether its permanent or not, you'll have to see. In addition to Ash's gym battles and Serena's performances, Brock will have breeder competitions to help with his goal, and of course, there's the Whirl Cup for Misty. I will expand on that a little more in this fic than the anime to give her more spotlight.  
**

 **Now I realize this first chapter is a little short and a rather unorthodox way to start the arc. I believed it was for the best, though, as this chapter lets us get a good look at a major character in this arc. Who else would I be talking about? Silver. He's even under the featured characters for this story.**

 **Well, enough of this author's note people. Get comfortable and enjoy the story as it's going to be a ride. I think it will be the best arc I've done so far! Thanks for all of the support! I'm so glad I have fans like you that love my work, and it's my goal to only keep improving from here on out! Lengthwise, this fic will be about the same as the Kanto arc.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter One: Ruthless Eyes

 _"Boy from Pallet Town Wins Orange League!"_

 _Last week, a trainer from Pallet Town by the name of Ash Ketchum was the first person to beat the Orange League champion, Drake, in five years. It was nothing but short of a fantastic battle on Pummelo Stadium that day with the largest attendance on record.  
_

 _"I couldn't have done it without my awesome Pokemon!" Ash says._

 _The six on six battle had everyone on the edge of their seats in what was probably the most exciting battle in the history of Pummelo Stadium. It even had a showdown with Drake Dragonite against a Dragonite Ash had on his own. It's trainers like Ash that really put Pallet Town on the map! Looking into the records, it was found that the previous trainer who won the Orange League went by the name of Silver Ketchum. Rumors are going around saying that the two are related and…_

The newspaper was abruptly slammed down on the table at those words, startling a few people nearby in the coffee shop. The young man who had been reading the newspaper immediately decided to stop reading once that was read. He actually almost stopped reading when he read the name of who it was who won the Orange League, and even more when he saw the previous winner, which happened to be him.

He was Silver. He didn't have a last name, or at least, not anymore. He had thrown away that last name a long time ago when he set out on his Pokemon journey. He didn't want any ties at all to his life before that. To him, anything before the start of his Pokemon journey was a lie and had one particular awful memory. Therefore, he was just Silver. Nothing more and nothing less.

XXX

" _I'm out of here!" a ten year old boy shouted as he opened the door._

 _He had been waiting for this day forever. It was finally the day when he could officially start his Pokemon journey. Truthfully, he had wanted to leave the house for over a year now, but couldn't because he wasn't of age. Now, he didn't have that restriction anymore. He could finally get out of this house forever and never come back._

" _Silver, wait!" Delia called as she came running from the kitchen. She knew he was going to be leaving today, but it was only seven in the morning. Did he really want to leave that badly?_

" _What?" Silver asked in annoyance as he turned and glared at this mother._

 _Delia was startled by his hostility, but continued nonetheless. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you and wish you luck on your journey."_

" _Humph…whatever," Silver responded as he went out the door._

" _Silver, I want you to know that this is still your home. Anytime you're tired, or when you think you have nowhere to go, you can always come here. Red and I will be waiting for you," Delia muttered, almost in a pleading tone._

 _Silver stopped at those words. He curled his hands into fists before he turned at glared at his mother once more. He was going to make perfectly clear about how he felt when he was here.  
_

" _Like I'll ever come back. You and Red are nothing but liars. All the years I've spent here have been total crap. I'm just glad I don't have to put up with it anymore," Silver said coldly._

" _Silver, please tell me you don't mean that," Delia mumbled, heartbroken that her own son would say such a thing to her._

" _Of course, I do. My life is a complete mess because of you. You slept with some criminal and had me because of it. Do you have any idea what it's like to be the son of someone like that? I lost all of my friends because of you! Nobody wants to be around me!" Silver hollered._

" _That's enough," a firm voice said as a man came downstairs._

 _Red Ketchum came over and rested his hands on Delia's shoulders. The poor woman was ready to cry at her son's harsh words. She sniffed and attempted to wipe her eyes to keep herself from crying. Red then turned and frowned at his adopted son._

" _Look, Silver. It's true that you're the son of Giovanni. We hate that fact almost as much as you do, but we've tried to give you the best life and loved you as much as we could. You even seemed to think so before you found out the truth. Did those eight years before you found out really mean nothing to you? Can you really look your mother in the eyes and say those things?" Red inquired._

" _As if I should listen to you. You aren't even my real Dad," Silver replied with a roll of his eyes as he turned to leave once again._

" _Silver, even with all that's happened, I still love…," Delia started, but Silver cut her off._

" _Shut up!" Silver bellowed as turned to give a hateful glare at her._

 _Delia's eyes watered even more at that. Unable to hold it in any longer, Delia began to cry. Red took her in a comforting hug as Delia sobbed into his shoulder. He was about to scold Silver and give the unruly boy a piece of his mind, but as he turned, Silver was already gone._

 _Red went to the door and saw Silver taking off down the road as fast as he could. Red attempted to go after him, but Delia's voice stopped him._

" _Please, Red. It's what he wants," Delia said between sobs._

 _Silver continued to run as far away from that house as possible. That woman doesn't have the right to say those things to him after what she once was. He was just glad he didn't have to put up with her or Red anymore. Now he could finally become the greatest Pokemon trainer there ever was._

 _What's more? Once he became stronger, he was going to take out the criminal gang his real father belonged to. He hated Team Rocket with every fiber of his being. They were so arrogant and talked tough, but when you got them one on one, they were weak. They were pathetic, and Silver would make sure that they fell. He would have revenge on the criminal man, Giovanni. He still remembered that smirk Giovanni had the night he tried to take him, and Silver hated it. He would wipe that arrogant smirk off the man's face if it was the last thing he ever did._

XXX

Silver frowned at the memory. It had been almost twelve years since then, and he was now twenty two years old. Since the time he left Pallet Town, he had just been training his Pokemon and becoming the best he could be. He competed in the Kanto League his first year, but he didn't get far. It was then he decided to leave Kanto for good. The place just wasn't suitable for him. His parents were there, and Team Rocket thrived there, well, not anymore.

Silver had heard a while back that Team Rocket had been overthrown and disbanded. One would think he would be delighted at the news, but he wasn't. If anything, he was even more disgusted. It turned out a group of stupid kids had taken them down which just proved how pathetic Team Rocket really was. The name of the children weren't revealed to protect them from the public eye, but Silver couldn't have cared less about that.

The point was Silver had a mother who was a liar, and a father who was a criminal and so miserable that he couldn't even handle a kid. His family truly was pathetic, and Silver hated it. Thinking of them always made Silver feel worse than he always did, and that included any reminder of them.

Ever since he left Kanto, Silver had moved to the neighboring region of Johto. It had been his 'home' the past nine or so years. He didn't really have an official home, though. He mainly just slept outside with his Pokemon most nights and only rarely would he sleep inside of a Pokemon Center. He lived life on the road. However, the town he seemed to hang around the most was Azalea Town, which is where he was right now, inside of a small coffee shop.

It was a quiet town with a small population, although the people here were really weird. They seemed to worship Slowpoke, which Silver considered the worst Pokemon one could actually consider as some sort of idol. Still, Silver preferred the few people here as he wanted to associate with as little people as possible. In fact, his Pokemon were the only ones he talked to on a regular basis. Even then, they weren't real friends to him, either.

He considered his Pokemon as…partners who helped each other reach their goals. His Pokemon wanted to be stronger, and Silver helped them reach that level. He wanted to win battles and be the best Pokemon Master, and his Pokemon helped them with that. That was the mutual understanding between him and all of his Pokemon. They had no interest in being friends with each other. They worked together for themselves only. Any type of so called 'relationship' made them weak. If one Pokemon even attempted to be friends with Silver, the cold man would immediately give that Pokemon the boot.

"Would you like more coffee, sir?" a waitress asked Silver upon noticing that his cup was almost empty. Like the others, she had been rather startled by the forceful slam of the newspaper, but she was used to this boy by now. He was somewhat of a regular here, and he always had a bad attitude. Though most people would've banned him by now, he wasn't. True, he was always rather terse, but the waitress could somehow tell that this boy had a bad life. He just seemed miserable so she felt rather sympathetic.

"No, thanks. I'm fine. I'm fixing to leave, anyway," Silver mumbled in response without looking at her.

"Okay. Well, come again," the waitress said politely, though she secretly hoped he wouldn't.

"Whatever," Silver replied as he stood up and left the coffee shop, leaving the unfinished newspaper behind.

Silver stepped outside of the coffee shop, and felt the morning sun on his skin. Despite the weather being perfect today, it never did anything for Silver. The young man walked towards the nearby town park and sat down on one of the benches and watched the day to day activity.

As he watched, he could see happy couples holding hands as they walked along smiling at each other. He could see kids playing games without a care in the world. What disgusted Silver the most was when he saw a family together. They were having a picnic and were clearly having good time with each other. The mother, father, son, and daughter were all laughing merrily while they conversed, and it really bothered the young man. He still remembered his days in Pallet Town when he was a kid when his mother and Red would take him on a picnic in the open fields of the small town. Silver knew he would be stupid to deny that he really enjoyed them, but that was before he knew the truth.

A soccer ball soon roller over and bumped into Silver's feet. One of the boys who had been playing kicked the ball a little too hard past his goal, and it rolled over to Silver instead. Silver picked up the ball and inspected it as the boy came to retrieve the soccer ball. He looked about eight years old.

"Hi! Can we have our ball back, please?" the boy asked politely.

Silver stared at the boy for only a moment before he tossed him the ball. The boy nodded his head at Silver before he turned to leave, but he stopped. He then turned to Silver and gave him a friendly smile.

"Would you like to play soccer with me and my friends? You'd look like you'd be really good!" the boy offered as he gestured to a few other kids behind him.

Play? With kids? That was something Silver hadn't done in a while. Still it brought back bad memories of all the friends he had back in Pallet Town. He would play games and sports with them, too, until they found out he was the son of a criminal. They completely shunned him. After all, who wants to be friends with a criminal's son?

"You don't want to play with me," Silver mumbled. "Not if you knew who I really was."

"Huh? What do you mean?" the boy asked, clearly confused by Silver's statement.

"Tell me something, kid. What if I turned out to be a bad person? Would you play with me then?" Silver inquired.

"I don't know. Maybe not, but you aren't a bad person right? You look a little scary, but you don't look like a bad man," the boy answered honestly.

"Never mind. No thanks. It's best that I don't," Silver muttered.

Silver then stood up from the bench and walked on without giving the bewildered boy a second glance. The young man then decided to contemplate on what he just read in the newspaper. It wasn't because of the fact that someone finally won the Orange League again, though that was reason enough for most people. It was because of the name of the boy who won.

Ash Ketchum.

That was certainly interesting. What was even more interesting was when Silver saw the picture of the kid on the front of the newspaper. Truthfully, Silver thought this Ash kid looked like a dork with how he was flashing his fingers in a V shape on the front page, but that was beside the point. If the boy's name was just merely Ash Ketchum, Silver would've dismissed it without a second thought. It was his appearance that had gotten Silver's attention. He looked just like a combination of two people from his past that he wanted nothing to do with anymore. The worst part was when the newspaper mentioned a possible connection between them. Silver could put two and two together.

So it would seem that he had a brother who was also a Pokemon trainer. It was just too much of a coincidence to think otherwise. The fact that this kid existed proved once and for all that his mom and Red didn't care about him. The second he left, they immediately decided to simply have another kid to replace him, like he was something that could just be lost and replaced. The thing was, however, that this second son's life wasn't a lie like his was. He received all of the love like he should have. Silver gritted his teeth at this. It truly was a good thing left them behind.

Silver clenched his fists. This kid probably thought he was all that because he was the true son of one of the greatest Pokemon trainers and just won the Orange League. He was just another reminder of the life Silver wanted to leave behind, but seeing how this boy was the son of the people he left behind, it only added salt to the wound. It was with that in mind that Silver decided he hated this kid. Well, as long as this Ash kid keeps his butt in Kanto and the Orange Islands like he was supposed to, Silver would never have to worry about him.

Deciding to take his mind off of this revelation, Silver called out one his strongest Pokemon from its pokeball. The pokeball opened up to reveal a rather terrifying-looking Pokemon. It was a large, bipedal, reptilian Pokemon that was primarily blue in color. It had sharp claws and a set of extremely, powerful jaws. To match its scary appearance, this Pokemon's expression was quite menacing. It looked at its trainer expectantly at being called out.

"Feraligatr, it's time to train for today. We're heading to Ilex Forest," Silver said as he turned to leave towards a more isolated part of town. He didn't wait for a response. He knew Feraligatr would come with him regardless.

One would think Feraligatr would dislike a trainer like Silver, but that wasn't the case. Silver had stolen the Pokemon from Professor Elm's lab as a Totodile a long time ago. Though it was initially scared of Silver with how harsh he trained it, overtime, Totodile began to like its trainer's mindset. Why would it want to waste time trying to form a friendship with its trainer when that would just hold it back? It didn't need any love in its life. It was there to win battles and become the strongest. That was its true desire. Like its teammates, they believed they had no time to waste on being friends with each other.

"Hey, you! Yeah, you!" a traveling salesman pitched to Silver as he and his Feraligatr passed by. "Have I got a deal for you! How would you like to have this scrumptious, nutritious, Slowpoke Tail? It's like nothing you've ever had in your life! It can be yours for five thousand pokedollars!"

Silver stopped as he and Feraligatr turned to give the salesman the coldest glare they could muster. It actually sent shivers down the man's back. The young man's eyes were just so hostile.

"Umm…never mind," the salesman squeaked out and immediately turned away from those mean eyes.

Silver faced forward once again and continued on his trek to Ilex Forest. That was actually something new. Who would've thought that this town would start selling Slowpoke Tails? The stupid Pokemon was considered sacred to them so why would they harm it by cutting off and selling its tail? Did they think that if they ate one of these things that they would become just as idolized as a Slowpoke? Wow. These people were stupid. Well, they could do what they wanted. It wasn't like Silver believed it was his business, not that he cared.

"Now you wait one second!" a new voice shouted out.

Silver turned around, thinking the voice was calling out to him, but that wasn't the case. It turned out the voice was shouting to the salesman. An older man in his sixties was running surprisingly fast for his age and looked quite angry. Upon seeing the elderly man, the salesman rolled his eyes and sighed. It was apparent they knew each other.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop selling those Slowpoke Tails?! You're hurting the poor Pokemon of the area!" the old man said angrily.

"And how many times do we have to tell you that we don't care? These things are making a killing for us. If you would buy one from us and try it, you would see why," the salesman said as he held up a Slowpoke Tail in front of the man's face.

"I wouldn't eat a Slowpoke Tail if it was the last edible substance on our planet," the old man retorted.

"Pfft…then just get lost. I don't have time for the likes of you. You're such a nuisance, old man," the salesman growled distastefully.

"This won't do at all! I can't have you bringing trouble to our peaceful town, especially when I have a reason to believe who you really are," the old man asserted.

"Do you?" the salesman asked darkly as he narrowed his eyes at the old man.

"Yes, and if you don't stop, I may have to get the police involved," the old man replied.

"Like they care. It isn't like this is illegal," the salesman said with a roll of his eyes before he gave the man a dark look again. "Still, we can't have you blabbing anything that might give me unneeded attention."

"What are you talking about?" the old man asked before they widened when the salesman reached for one of his hidden pokeballs.

"Hey!"

Both the old man and the salesman turned when they saw Silver standing there. The old man stared at Silver curiously while the salesman looked rather frightened. He thought this kid left a while ago. Why was he still hanging around here?

"What do you want?" the salesman asked, trying to sound brave.

"I think you better just get out of here before something bad happens to you," Silver uttered while his Feraligatr gave a menacing growl for emphasis.

The salesman took a step back out of reflex from this. This dude was really scary and appeared quite strong, too. He doubted his own Pokemon would be able to take him out. Well, whatever. He didn't need to fight right now. It wasn't in his orders to cause too much of a commotion. With that, the salesman then turned tail and ran away, making sure to take the sack of Slowpoke Tails with him. He would just find another part of town to sell these things away from this old coot and that scary kid.

Now that he was gone, Silver turned to leave once more, but the old man's voice made him stop again.

"I want to thank you for that, young man," the elderly man said.

Silver sighed at that. If this guy was just some young guy looking for trouble, Silver would've just left the situation alone. He probably would've deserved whatever the salesman did to him. However, there was no reason to threaten the elderly like that. It was a cowardly and deplorable act that only proved your own incompetence. Silver hated people like that. They talked big and bad and picked on the weak, but the second they saw someone who was better, they fled. Truly pathetic.

"It was nothing," Silver muttered in reply as he and his Feraligatr resumed walking.

"Well, my name is Kurt, by the way. You probably have heard of me. I'm famous in pokeball research. I'd like to reward you by letting you have one of my special pokeballs. It's called a Lure Ball," the old man introduced as he withdrew a pokeball that was blue on top with three yellow zigzags going through it.

Silver frowned. He didn't ask for this old guy's name. Yes. He had heard this guy's name before but never met him despite the fact that they both 'lived' in the same town. So Kurt thought that just because Silver scared off some weakling that they could be buddies? It wasn't likely.

"No thanks. I don't want it," Silver replied.

"Oh. I see," Kurt responded, a little despondent that the young man rejected his offer. "Well, thank you, nevertheless."

"Uh huh," Silver mumbled.

"I don't know if you've heard the rumors, but there have been a few talks floating around that these salesmen aren't what they seem. Officer Jenny has looked into it but has found no incriminating evidence against them," Kurt spoke up.

"You don't say," Silver said in disinterest. He really wished this old man would quit talking and leave him alone.

"Yes. Despite what Officer Jenny has said, I believe they might be from Team Rocket," Kurt whispered.

That actually got Silver's attention. He turned and rose an eyebrow curiously at the old man. That's ridiculous. Did this old coot really believe that? They were disbanded over a year ago because some kids took them out.

"What are you talking about" Silver inquired.

Kurt sighed. "There's a rumor going around that Team Rocket hasn't fully disbanded and that they're secretly working underground. I don't know this for certain, but I think they're in need of money and using these Slowpoke Tails as profit," he responded.

"Then why don't you or anyone else go down to the Slowpoke Well and see for yourselves?" Silver asked.

"We have but found no one down there. It's like they always know when someone is coming," Kurt sighed. "There's a guard at the well who may be in on it."

Silver let out a huff of frustration. Some people really couldn't handle things on their own. Silver would normally just shrug his shoulders and leave the situation alone, but the fact that Team Rocket was mentioned really got his blood boiling. If there was even the tiniest bit of doubt that Team Rocket wasn't truly gone and nearby, he would do everything he could to squash that rumor. Of course, if it turned out to be true…

Without another word, Silver dashed off with his Feraligatr.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" a bewildered Kurt called after him.

Silver paid him no mind, though. He was on his way to the Slowpoke Well. If he found even the slightest bit of the supposed disbanded criminal gang in there, he would deal with them rather quickly. If Team Rocket died once, it should stay dead, and Silver wasn't about to let that miserable gang get away with anything.

* * *

"I'm tired of this, Jessie," James, a low member of Team Rocket, complained.

"Meowth, too," a talking Meowth added.

"Quit your blubbering! If we try to take a break at all, you know what Proton will do to us," their partner, Jessie, replied in aggravation.

The Team Rocket trio had been in the Slowpoke Well near Azalea Town for the past couple of weeks cutting off Slowpoke Tails. It's all they did every single day since they had been there. They were even forced to eat and sleep here by order of the Rocket executives. They hadn't seen sunlight at all since then, and it was starting to take a toll on their appearance. Jessie, James, and Meowth's skin had become ghostly pale, and their bloodshot eyes were now extremely sensitive to any type of light, like a flashlight for instance.

It had been this way ever since they were roped in to go to the Johto region with the executives. They had been stripped of their admin titles and were stuck to doing nothing but grunt work. They were forced to do whatever they could to raise money for their organization, and that's why they had been cutting off Slowpoke tails nonstop recently. It was in preparation for their 'big comeback' as the executives put it. Though Jessie, James, and Meowth somewhat liked the idea of a glorious return, they didn't like the methods of how they were doing it. If their boss was still here, they wouldn't be in this situation.

"My mind is starting to become as blank and empty as these Slowpoke," Meowth muttered as he cut off another Slowpoke tail.

"This is so boring and stupid," James said again as stuffed the Slowpoke Tail Meowth recently had cut off in the bag.

Jessie had to agree with them. This was really stupid. Doing this type of stuff was totally beneath them. Had Team Rocket truly been reduced to cutting off the tails of a Slowpoke in a desperate attempt to raise cash? The Rocket executives said it was their best scheme to date on raising money since they came to the Johto region about a year ago. Jessie, James, and Meowth didn't think so, however. The executives weren't the ones who were cutting off Slowpoke Tails day in and day out. It was just them and a few other grunts who were assigned with them.

The worst part of this operation was the fact that Proton was in charge of them for the task of cutting Slowpoke Tails. Though Jessie, James, and Meowth disliked all of their executives, it was Proton they liked the least. He was by far the meanest and least understanding of all of them. The fact that he hated Jessie, James, and Meowth and took every opportunity to insult or belittle them didn't help matters any. It was through fear of what Proton would do to them if he found them slacking that kept them going.

In truth, ever since their boss left, Jessie, James, and Meowth had wanted to quit Team Rocket. They would have done just that had the executives not found them while they were running away and forced them back in. The trio just believed that Team Rocket had really lost their power since that twerp, along with his friends and parents, had beaten them. Once a name to be feared, Team Rocket now just felt like a joke to them with what they were doing now. They would never tell their executives that, though. It truly was pathetic.

"Do you think these Slowpoke can even feel it when we cut their tails off?" James asked absently in a lame attempt to start a conversation.

"Who knows? Slowpoke are supposed to take a long time to realize they're in any pain. We probably would have already cut off several tails before they realized we even cut off their first one," Jessie replied.

"I don't know about you, but Meowth thinks the way these Slowpoke Tails grow back after a day or two is really freaky," Meowth jumped in.

"It is really weird," Jessie agreed as she snipped off another Slowpoke Tail. As expected, the Slowpoke gave no indication that it noticed what Jessie just did to it.

"I don't see how the people of Azalea Town treat these things as sacred," James said. "I mean, they even have a whole well full of them, and here we are, surrounded by what's probably the stupidest Pokemon ever! What do they see in them?"

"Who knows, but I heard that a Slowpoke's yawn is supposed to bring rain," Jessie muttered.

"That's...different," James responded.

"Well, it is a pretty weird coincidence that it hasn't rained at all since we've been down here. Not a single Slowpoke has yawned," Meowth said as he looked around at the many Slowpoke surrounding them. The dopey Pokemon were just staring stupidly and did absolutely nothing about the predicament they were in.

"Well, as you said, it's just a coincidence. There is no way a dopey Pokemon like this could have the power to bring rain by just yawning…I think," James replied.

Silence then fell between the trio again. They needed to stop talking so they could hurry up and cut off these Slowpoke Tails. Proton had assigned a quota to them of how much Slowpoke Tails they had to cut off per day. If they were under that amount, Proton would make sure they went the whole next day without eating until they made up the amount they missed. Actually now that they thought about it, Jessie, James, and Meowth didn't even feel like grunts right now. Even a grunt was treated better than they were. They felt like prisoners within the very organization they belonged to. Total trash.

"Hey! How are three idiots holding up?!" a voice shouted out to them. "You better not be slacking off!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth grimaced. They knew that Proton was about to pay them a visit. It was funny he was telling them not to slack off considering he was doing nothing to help them and the few others in cutting off Slowpoke Tails. Proton said it was because it was beneath him, and as an executive, he just had to make sure they did their task. Jessie, James, and Meowth just believed it was because he was lazy, but if they even tried to mention this to their other executives, Proton probably wouldn't hesitate to literally kill them.

"No, Sir Proton," the trio called back in monotone.

Proton came out from a nearby corridor a few seconds later. He wore the same evil smirk he usually did that Jessie, James, and Meowth hated so much. It was so arrogant. Proton knew they hated it, too, which was why he showed it to them every time he came to check on them. His look basically told them 'I can treat or do to you however I feel like, and there's nothing you can do about it'.

Proton then walked over to them and crossed his arms impatiently. "Have you met the quota today?" he asked.

"Sir Proton! It's only two o'clock in the afternoon! We haven't had time to, yet!" James whined, but immediately regretted it.

"Don't talk back to me!" Proton roared and promptly slapped James across the face.

James let out a whimper and rubbed his sore cheek. A red hand mark was visible from where Proton had slapped him. James gave a woeful look at Proton before he said his next sentence.

"I'm sorry, Sir Proton. No. We haven't met our quota yet today," he mumbled.

"That's better. All I did was ask you a question, you worthless piece of filth. I didn't ask for a retort," Proton growled.

"I'm sorry, Sir Proton. It won't happen again," James muttered.

"It better not," Proton sneered before he switched topics. "You know, there have been some rumors that have been going around Azalea Town that a few people wearing black uniforms have been hanging around their well. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"No, Sir Proton. We wouldn't," Jessie responded this time. Of course they wouldn't know anything about what's going on in the outside world. They were too busy being slaves in this dang Slowpoke Well.

"Well, a few of our members posing as salesman have mentioned this guy named Kurt who has been a persistent thorn in our sides since we started this operation. Every time he sees them trying to sell a tail, he's on their case and has to deliver some stupid speech," Proton said.

Proton then snatched a Slowpoke Tail from one of the bags. He then took a big bite out of the pink and white-tipped tail and chomped it greedily inside of his mouth. Jessie, James, and Meowth were repulsed by that. It hadn't even been properly prepared yet for consuming. Not to mention, they were supposed to be selling these things. Did Proton think that just because he was an executive that he could munch on their surplus whenever he felt like it?

"I can see why these things sell, though. They are pretty tasty. Too bad you can't have any," Proton sneered the last part while talking with his mouth full.

"Yes, Sir Proton," the trio mumbled.

"Anyway, back to this Kurt guy. He's even started spewing some crap to other people that he thinks Team Rocket is back. We can't have him saying those types of things right now. I don't know who let it slip or who was careless enough to give him that idea, but when I find out who did it, I will personally make sure that they disappear off of this planet for good," Proton uttered darkly.

Jessie, James, and Meowth gulped at that. They didn't want to give the Rocket executive any reason to believe it was them, not that it was. With that, they stayed silent.

"I'm thinking about sending one of our men after Kurt the next time he tries to make a big fuss over the Slowpoke Tails. I'd have a few things I'd like to say to that guy," Proton mentioned as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"Yes, Sir Proton. If you would like, we'll go after him for you," Jessie suggested.

"Huh? Why the heck would I send you clowns to capture that guy?" Proton snarled.

"Well," Jessie continued, choosing her words carefully, "We have been down in this well for some time now, and our health has been suffering because of it. A little fresh air might do us some good."

"I get it. You just want an excuse to get out of this well. Be honest," Proton stated.

"Truthfully, yes. If you want us to continue to cut Slowpoke Tails at an efficient rate, we need to keep up our strength," Jessie said.

Proton crossed his arms as he appeared to be in thought. Jessie, James, and Meowth looked up hopefully at Proton. Of course, they wouldn't really go after this Kurt person. They had no interest in him. They did believe that if they found a way to leave this well and get away from Proton, they could sneak away from this nightmare the Team Rocket organization had become, skip town, and move to another region to make sure they were never found. It was a long shot, but they were desperate to try anything right now. After a minute, Proton gave his answer.

"No. I'll just send one of the grunts to do it," Proton replied, and the trio's hearts sank at that.

"Please! Can't we at least be reassigned somewhere else?!" James cried, unable to take it anymore.

"Be quiet, James!" Jessie warned, but the poor man had enough.

"It isn't fair! Why can't we be assigned to the Radio Tower in Goldenrod City where Cassidy and Butch are?! They're doing something a lot more meaningful there than we are here!" James continued.

"Not to mention, Petrel is in charge there, too! If you reassigned us there, you wouldn't have to deal with us anymore," Meowth added.

"NO!" Proton screamed, which caused the trio to grit their teeth and shut their eyes at the volume. "You want to know why we're not reassigning you? It's because nobody in this organization gives a crap about you or what you think, least of all me!"

"But..," James tried to protest, but Proton cut him off.

"You three are going to stay down here, shut up, cut off these Slowpoke Tails, and you're going to like it! Got it?!" Proton shouted.

"Yes, Sir Proton," the three mumbled.

"Face it. You three are worthless. That's why we have you down here. Cassidy and Butch can at least amount to something which is why they're at the Radio Tower, and you're not. If we reassigned you there, you would just find some way to screw something up. At least when you're down here, it's a task that even your simple brains can handle," Proton growled.

Jessie, James, and Meowth looked down as they felt tears burn their eyes at Proton's harsh words. It looked like they were stuck here forever, and there was nothing they could do about it. They'd consider themselves lucky if they didn't die down here at this rate. They really hated the organization that Team Rocket could become. They really did miss their old boss, Giovanni. He was a scary man, but he treated them a lot more fairly than the executives did.

"Aww! Did I hurt your little feelings?" Proton mocked in a baby voice before it grew serious again. "Too bad. You're in this organization of Team Rocket, and you're going to do what we tell you to do."

"Yes, Sir Proton," Jessie, James, and Meowth mumbled again.

"Good," Proton nodded before he turned to leave before he called over his shoulder. "Don't you ever suggest to do something else again to me or let me catch you trying to get out of this. If you don't like cutting off Slowpoke Tails, then I'll simply cut off your tails and sell them!"

Meowth looked scared at that statement, but Jessie and James weren't quite sure what he meant by that. They knew that if it was a threat coming from Proton, however, it definitely wasn't going to be anything pretty.

Proton then finally left the room, which Jessie, James, and Meowth couldn't be happier with. They hated being around that guy. At least now that he was gone, they could have a break from his verbal and physical abuse of them. The trio sighed sadly before they went back to cutting the Slowpoke Tails.

"Well, it was worth a shot," James muttered.

"Was it?" Jessie rebutted. "All that did was anger Proton even more, and now the truth is out about what he and the other executives really think of us."

"Meowth feels like garbage right now," Meowth said as his eyes welled up with tears.

"Me, too, Meowth. I just want out of this nightmare!" James agreed as the two hugged each other, and a waterfall of tears sprang from their eyes.

"Ugh! Will you two stop? You're giving me a headache," Jessie moaned, but the truth was, she felt the same way.

"Sorry, Jess. We're just miserable. I'd give anything to see the outside world again," Meowth replied as he wiped his eyes.

"I know. It's okay, though. We still have each other, and as long as we stick together, I think we can overcome anything that Proton throws at us," Jessie replied in confidence.

James and Meowth gaped at her.

"Wow, Jess. I didn't expect words like that to come from your mouth. That almost sounded noble and heroic," Meowth stated.

"Humph! What do you think I am? Some goody two-shoes? Please," Jessie snorted before she grabbed a pair of scissors to cut off another Slowpoke Tail.

"Still, thanks, Jessie. That made us feel a lot better. You're right. We still have each other," James said.

For a while none of them said anything after that. They just continued to mindlessly cut off Slowpoke Tails. With as many as they had done, their minds had become completely numb to any pain they might be causing the Slowpoke. This went on for about another twenty minutes before they heard footsteps.

The trio's head snapped back in surprise. Proton couldn't be back already. There was no way he would come to see them after what just went on. When Proton got riled up like that, it took the angry man a good two hours to calm down. Not to mention, the footsteps didn't sound like Proton's, either. They weren't heavy and deliberate. They were rather quiet.

"Who's there?" Jessie called.

The footsteps halted at the sound of the voice. There was no reply for a moment. Jessie would've thought whoever it was hadn't heard her if it wasn't for the fact the footsteps stopped.

"Who wants to know?" a voice finally sneered from the darkness.

Jessie, James, and Meowth put on a look of alarm at that. It wasn't a voice they recognized at all. It was clear this guy wasn't a member of Team Rocket. How on Earth had he gotten down here? Furthermore, what was he doing down here?

"I'll have you know that you better not come any closer! We are dangerous members of Team Rocket so you better beat it unless you want to prepare for trouble!" Jessie warned as she reached for her Arbok's pokeball.

"And make it double," James added as he reached for Weezing's pokeball.

"Meowth! That's right!" Meowth hissed as he extended his claws.

"So it's true. There are still a few of you weaklings left," the voice said, and the trio could've sworn they detected a hint of malice in it.

"Who are you calling a weakling?! We don't know who you are, but you have until the count of three to get out of here!" Jessie shouted.

"Heh. Come at me then. I'll show you just how weak you really are," the voice challenged.

The footsteps then resumed once more. Jessie, James, and Meowth waited until they could see a dark outline finally take shape in the darkness, though it stayed in the shadows. A rather large creature was next to person who spoke to them, though it was a little difficult to tell what kind of Pokemon it was. One thing was sure, neither this boy nor his Pokemon looked the least bit friendly.

"I despise Team Rocket, and everything it stands for. You guys act all big and bad, but when you're all alone like right now, you're weak. It's because of you guys that my life has been a joke," the young man said.

"Wh-what are you talking about?!" Jessie stuttered.

"Team Rocket is nothing but a bunch of pathetic losers. It was proven once and for all when you were taken down by some kid. Please. You think you can stand up to me after that happened?" the man asked rhetorically.

Jessie, James, and Meowth grimaced at that. Yeah. They remembered that twerp and his friends. He was always able to beat them and foil their plans no matter what. How on Earth was he that strong? He even defeated their boss in a full Pokemon battle! Their pride had been seriously wounded that day.

"So what? You think that just because we supposedly disbanded that you can come in here and make fun of us?! We won't stand for it!" Jessie growled.

"Fine. Send out your Pokemon then," the man said.

"Alright! We will! Go, Arbok!" Jessie shouted.

"Go, Weezing!" James shouted, too.

"Feraligatr, you're up," the man stated as a low growl sounded next to him.

Jessie and James weren't deterred by this, however. They had been humiliated enough today. They weren't about to let some stranger tear them down any further like this. He would know his folly for meddling in their business. They were going to teach him a lesson.

"Go, and use Poison Sting, Arbok!" Jessie shouted.

"Use Sludge, Weezing!" James called out.

Both Arbok and Weezing leaped into the shadows at the young man and his Pokemon to attack them. Though it was a little hard to see, there was clearly some commotion and attacks going on. Jessie and James smirked when they thought their Pokemon were beating the snot out of that boy and his Pokemon, but their looks soon turned to one of confusion. The attacks that were being done didn't sound like their own. Even more, they could hear cries of pain from both Arbok and Weezing!

Jessie, James, and Meowth gasped when Arbok and Weezing came flying out of the shadows and landed at their trainers' feet. Jessie and James knelt down to check on their Pokemon, but gave a cry of surprise when they saw their Pokemon were knocked out. What the heck?!

"As I told you, Team Rocket is just a sorry excuse for a criminal gang. All of you are pathetic," the man spat.

"Oh yeah? Well we still have another Pokemon each to take you on!" Jessie shouted as she and James reached for Lickitung and Victreebel's pokeball, respectively.

"I don't think so. Playtime is over. It's time I took you out. Weaklings like you don't deserve to live. I'll teach you to never show your faces again," the man said darkly.

The man then fully revealed himself from the shadows. Wild and long red hair went down to his shoulders. He was dressed in dark clothing and had a very intimidating Feraligatr next to him. The Feraligatr even seemed to have drool come from its mouth as it stared at Jessie, James, and Meowth. It wasn't any of those things that got the Team Rocket trio's attention the most, however.

It was the man's eyes. They harbored no bit of empathy in them. They were so cold and callous. They were so ruthless. It really spooked them. Proton had nothing on this guy with how he looked at them.

"I don't understand! What's your problem with Team Rocket?!" Jessie cried.

"I-I don't know, Jessie. I think we better run away while we can. I don't like the look of this," James stammered.

"Meowth, too!" Meowth added as his legs shook.

"Who are you?!" Jessie shouted, but she was scared, too.

"My name?" the boy asked. "It's Silver, and I'm going to annihilate Team Rocket!"

With that, the Feraligatr lunged forward at the trio with its jaws open wide.

* * *

 **Wow. Did I just kill off Jessie, James, and Meowth in the first chapter? Well, their fates will be revealed in a later chapter. If you couldn't tell, Silver isn't the type of guy who will just let them go away unscathed. He shows no mercy to his enemies. Feel free to guess.**

 **I made Silver darker in this story than he is in the manga or games, but he does have a slight sense of justice to him. Also, this chapter does make him seem like a complete jerk (which he is), but if you read between the lines, you can tell he truly is miserable and rather sad with how his life is. The guy just needs some love and help. Too bad he doesn't accept it from Delia. Whooo. He already hates Ash. You can bet their first meeting will be interesting.**

 **Well, the next chapter will pick back up with Ash, Serena, and the rest of the group. I don't know when it will be released as I haven't established a good update schedule yet. It will probably be some time in early April once I get a little farther along in writing this arc so I can have a comfortable lead. There's one particular section I want to get out of the way first.**

 **Until then, have a good one! Thanks for all the reviews and support!**

 **Chapter Two: A Rivalry Reborn**


	2. A Rivalry Reborn

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back with chapter two! I'm also glad almost everyone was pleased with how I portrayed Silver in this story. Silver and Ash won't meet just yet, but it won't be too far into the story before they do. It will be rather...interesting.**

 **Quite a few people asked this so I'll answer it here. In regards to switching scenes back and forth between Ash and Silver: Yes. I will do that sometimes, but Silver won't have a whole chapter dedicated to him anymore like the first one.**

 **One more thing...about Serena's gift. I think it's over-hyped by you guys, but that's partly my fault, I suppose. It will show up next chapter, but it isn't that big of a deal. It's actually something quite simplistic. I just don't want you guys to set yourselves up for disappointment.**

 **Well, please enjoy this chapter and the obligatory return of Brock...as well as someone else who should be quite obvious by the title's chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Two: A Rivalry Reborn

A hill overlooked Pallet Town. When one was upon that hill, he or she could see all of the small community. They could see small houses, a few businesses, and a large expanse of plains and some farmlands. It was for that very reason, however, why the residents loved Pallet Town. It was just the epitome of a quaint town.

A group was standing atop said hill. It consisted of two boys and three girls. The two boys went by the names of Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Master in training, and Tracey Sketchit, a Pokemon Watcher. The three girls in the group consisted of Serena Gabena, future Pokemon Performer and battler, Misty Waterflower, water-type Pokemon expert, and Leaf Green, whose knowledge of Pokemon from her pokedex use knew no bounds. For the group, especially Ash, Serena, and Leaf, one thought was going through their heads right now.

It was good to be back.

"Ah, Pallet Town. I could never get tired of this view after traveling," Ash smiled.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu added from upon Ash's shoulder.

"I can tell why you all love it here. The air here is so clean, and the view of nature is amazing," Tracey agreed as he took a quick sniff.

"You've never been to Pallet Town, Tracey?" Serena asked.

"No, never, but I've seen plenty of other places in Kanto," Tracey replied. "Now that I'm finally here, I can finally meet Professor Oak! This is so exciting!"

"Just try not to freeze up like last time," Misty warned.

"Oh, don't worry. I won't. I was just in such shock because Professor Oak's arrival was so unexpected. Here, I won't have that problem," Tracey said.

"So what kind of sketches are you going to show to Professor Oak, Tracey?" Serena wondered.

"You know, that's a good question," Tracey said thoughtfully.

The black-haired teen set down his backpack before he unzipped it and took out a huge pile of sketchbooks. He began to sift through and examine each of them as the group stared in amazement. Was Tracey actually going to go through every single one of his sketches?!

"Hmm…maybe this one? Nah. How about this one? No. I don't like the way I drew Scyther's wings on that one," Tracey muttered to himself.

"Uh, Tracey? Why don't we go to my house first so you can do this?" Ash suggested.

"Yeah. We're just as anxious to see our families as you are to see Professor Oak," Leaf added.

"Well, okay. I guess that makes sense. I'll let Marill, Venonat, and Scyther have their input, too," Tracey decided as he put all of his sketchbooks back in his backpack and stood up.

"There you go, Tracey. You can decide while the rest of us eat," Ash smiled.

"Lunch does sound good. We haven't eaten since we got off the ferry this morning," Leaf said.

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Ash shouted as he and the others took off down the hill.

As they went, the group could almost see the elated expressions of their family members awaiting them. Unbeknownst to them, there was also someone unexpected who was waiting for them, as well.

* * *

The group soon reached a fork in the road of Pallet Town. One would lead to Leaf and Serena's house while one led to Ash's house. The group of fives friends looked at each other as they decided their next plan.

"I'm going to go ahead to my house and see my mom and dad. We'll still be back for your celebration, Ash," Leaf told him.

"I'm going to see my mom, too. There are some things she wanted to discuss with me about being a Pokemon Performer," Serena added.

"It's okay. I'm really anxious to see my mom, too. Hey, Misty, Tracey, you guys coming with me?" Ash asked them

"Of course, Ash," Misty replied.

"Sounds good to me, too," Tracey replied.

"Right. So we'll all meet up back at Professor Oak's lab," Ash nodded.

"Okay. See you guys later!" Leaf called as she and Serena went in the opposite direction.

"Hey, Serena! Didn't you say that my surprise was inside of my room?!" Ash called after her.

Serena blushed at that. Yes. She did promise to give Ash his gift, but it wasn't ready yet. She still had to make it. The normally dense boy was doing quite well at remembering things.

"No, Ash. It's not there, yet, but I promise you will get it soon," Serena called back to him.

Ash shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know what Serena had in store for him, but he figured it would have to be something pretty good. As the two girls disappeared from sight, Ash turned towards his other two traveling companions.

"Well, let's go ahead," Ash said.

The three friends soon approached Ash's house, and Ash took in deep breath. He could smell the fresh scent of his mother's garden with all of the beautiful flowers she had planted. She really did have quite the green thumb, and he meant that in a good way.

"I'm impressed, Ash. Your mother sure is a great gardener," Tracey commented as he looked around at Ash's front yard.

"Yep. One of the best!" Ash smiled as they made their way down the driveway.

Ash soon reached his front door and took in a deep breath. He couldn't wait to see his mom. He always looked forward to the pure joy she would have on her face whenever he would come home. She would be even more proud of him now because of his recent accomplishment. His face soon broke out into a wide grin as he pushed the door open, expecting his mom to be right there to greet him, but no one was.

Ash looked around in confusion. He called his mom and told her what time he would be here. If she wasn't here, the door would be locked. Someone had to be here. Still, as Ash looked around, he didn't see his mom, her Mimey, or even his Uncle Riley. Did she just leave the door unlocked so he would be able to get in?

"Hello? Anyone here?" Ash called out.

"Is that you, Ash?" a familiar, yet very unexpected voice, responded back.

Ash's eyes instantly widened at the voice, as did Misty's. The two glanced at each other and then back at the kitchen where the voice had sounded from. Even Pikachu looked rather confused as it watched from Ash's shoulder. It couldn't be, could it?

"What's going on?" Tracey whispered to them.

"Hold on," Ash muttered as he ran towards the kitchen.

As Ash entered, his suspicions were confirmed. Standing at the sink, with an apron tied around his waist, was none other than Brock, his old traveling buddy. The dark-skinned Pokemon breeder turned around and gave Ash a warm smile.

"Hey, there, Ash. Welcome back," he said.

"Br-Brock!?" Ash stuttered in amazement.

"Yeah. It's me," the Pokemon Breeder responded before he rubbed his chin. "How have you been, Ash? Wait. Did you get taller?"

"Umm…uh…," Ash muttered at a loss of what to say. Last time, he checked he was still roughly the same height as Serena and Leaf with Misty having him by half an inch, unless they got taller, too, of course. That wasn't on his mind right now, though. Brock, who he thought had left, was standing in his kitchen!

"Wait, so it is Brock!" Misty called from the living room.

"Hey, Misty! Yeah! It's me!" Brock responded.

A couple of seconds later, Misty and Tracey came into the kitchen, and Misty put on a big smile on her face when she saw who it was. She walked over towards the Pokemon Breeder and embraced him in a hug.

"Brock, it's so good to see you again," she told him.

"Same here," Brock replied as he returned the hug.

"Wait. So is this Brock, the previous traveling companion you guys have told me about?" Tracey asked curiously.

"Yeah. It sure is," Misty replied with a smile. Ash was still too stunned to comment right now.

"Ah, so you must be Tracey. It's nice to meet you. As Misty said, I'm Brock Harrison. Mrs. Ketchum told me that our group had met a new friend," Brock introduced as he walked forward and held out his hand for Tracey to shake.

"Oh. Right. Yeah. I'm Tracey. Tracey Sketchit," Tracey responded as he took the handshake.

"Now that's out of the way, I want to greet you guys with a nice cup of tea. I know to give Misty extra sugar, too, because she likes hers sweet," Brock grinned as he turned towards the stove to set a kettle of water onto boiling.

"Uh, hey, Brock. Don't get me wrong. I'm ecstatic to see you, but what are you doing here?" Ash wondered after finally finding his voice.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Brock asked as he turned from the stove to look at Ash.

"I mean, I thought you were staying on Valencia Island. You loved it there," Ash elaborated.

"Are you just visiting Ash for the party?" Misty asked.

"Well…no. It's not like that," Brock muttered as he looked down slightly.

"So are you still living with Professor Ivy?" Ash wondered.

At that, Brock tensed up tremendously. A weird moaning sound came from his mouth as he suddenly fell down on to the floor and curled up into the fetal position. He shook slightly, and a miserable expression appeared on his face.

"Don't…mention…that name," he uttered.

"What? You mean Professor Ivy?" Ash asked.

"Uggghhh!" Brock moaned.

"Wait. Did you something happen between you two?" Ash wondered as he started to understand the name was taboo.

"I don't want to talk about it," Brock muttered, still in the fetal position.

"Brock? Are you okay?" Misty asked this time.

"No…," Brock replied.

"Will you please tell us what's going on? Did you really leave Valencia Island?" Ash inquired.

"I don't want to talk about it," Brock repeated.

Before the group could inquire about it further, a new voice filled their ears, and it was the one Ash had been looking forward to the most.

"Ash, sweetie! Are you there?!" Delia called from the living room.

"Mom!" Ash cried in excitement as he left Brock and the others in the kitchen to greet her.

Sure enough, Delia Ketchum was standing on the threshold of her home with Mimey next to her. She had a bag of groceries in her hands. Once she saw her son, Delia's face was filled with elation.

"Oh, Ash! It is you!" she cried as she set down her bag of groceries and ran towards him.

"Yeah. It's me!" Ash smiled as he ran towards his mother.

The two then embraced as Delia looked at her son lovingly.

"I'm so happy you're back, and you too, Pikachu," she told them.

"Great to be back!" Ash grinned.

"Pika," the yellow rodent cooed as Delia reached over and gently rubbed its head.

"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty greeted as she came out of the kitchen with Tracey.

"Oh, Misty! It's always great to see you. It's like you've become a member of the Pallet Town group yourself," Delia smiled as she went over and hugged the redhead.

"It's nice to officially meet you, Mrs. Ketchum, since we didn't get much of an introduction on the Orange Islands. I'm Tracey Sketchit," Tracey introduced as he held out his hand.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Tracey! Any new friend of Ash's is a new friend of mine, too!" Delia smiled as hugged Tracey instead of shaking his hand.

"Oh, Mrs, Ketchum. You're back," Brock noticed as he stepped out of the kitchen, seemingly recovered from his earlier episode. "Let me help you with those groceries."

He then went over and picked up the bags of groceries that Delia had set down to bring them to the kitchen. Her Mimey frowned when it saw this but followed Brock into the kitchen. The group raised their eyebrows at this as they turned to Ash's mother.

"Hey, Mom. Has Brock been staying here?" Ash wondered, deciding to get to the bottom of it.

"Yes. He's been staying here for a little over a week. Riley found him just outside of Pallet Town. He recognized him as one of your friends and brought him here," Delia explained.

"So what's the deal?" Ash pressed.

"I really don't know. I fed him and asked him if he was still staying with Professor Ivy, but every time I say her name, he gets seriously depressed and curls up in the fetal position," Delia said as she cast a glance over to kitchen where Brock was.

"He did that with us just a couple of minutes ago," Ash mentioned.

"Yes. So anyway, I've just stopped asking. I then told him he could stay at our house for as long as he needed to which he greatly appreciated. I didn't tell you because I thought it might be a nice surprise for when you got home," Delia smiled.

"I wonder if Professor Ivy dumped him. I mean…he did seem to be in love with her," Misty guessed.

"Who knows?" Ash shrugged.

At that moment, Brock came out of the kitchen and placed a cup of tea in everyone's hands. He then took a broom and dust pan and took them into the kitchen as he prepared to sweep. Mimey watched him very carefully and muttered something under its breath before it followed Brock into the kitchen.

"To show his appreciation, Brock's been a great help around the house," Delia smiled.

It was then the group heard an argument coming from the kitchen. They went towards the source of the noise and saw Mimey and Brock fighting over the broom. The two were glaring at each other and refusing to back down.

"Unfortunately, with Brock here, problems arise when he wants to do the chores that Mimey likes to do," Delia giggled.

The group couldn't help but sweat drop at that. Yes. It was definitely the same old Brock. When he saw a mess, it had to be him to clean it up. A thought suddenly occurred to Ash as he watched Brock fight with Mimey. If Brock was back and waiting for Ash to show up, did that mean he intended to stay with him again? Ash didn't want to jump the gun, but there was something he wanted to ask Brock a little later after the party.

"Well, I could use some relaxing. I think I'll just kick back here until the party starts later," Ash stated as he sat down on the couch.

"Hey, Ash. Not to be rude, but if you're done here, can we…," Tracey began.

"Of course! You're more than welcome to, sweetie! I'm sure you have all kinds of things you want to tell Brock!" Delia said.

"I want to tell Brock what I've been up to, too!" Misty smiled.

"Umm…that's great, but could we do it over at…," Tracey started again.

"Sure! I'll take a break so Mimey can take over. Tell me all about it, you two!" Brock said as he sat down on the couch next to Ash.

Tracey was about to burst. "Please! When are going to meet Professor Oak!?" he blurted out.

Everyone in the room whipped their heads in his direction in surprise. Tracey sweat dropped at that. He didn't want to be rude, but this was a dream come true for him. He did just embarrass himself, though, in his eagerness.

"Okay, Tracey. We can go. We know you've been dying to see him. We'll tell our stories to Brock on the way," Ash answered.

Tracey breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Serena stepped into her house with Togepi in her arms, anxious to see her mother. She smiled as she took in her house. It was just as she left it. Serena couldn't wait to find her room and plop down on the bed to rest up before Ash's celebration. First of all, though, she had her mother to see.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi said in excitement.

"I know! It is great to be back, Togepi!" Serena smiled before she called out, "Mom! It's me! I'm home!"

"Serena, dear! Welcome back," Grace smiled as she came from upstairs. "I've just finished tidying up your room for your return."

"Great!" Serena smiled as she went forward and hugged her mom, which she returned.

"Why don't you come in the kitchen so we can have a cup of hot tea? Tell me all about your adventure in the Orange Islands," Grace suggested as she turned to lead her daughter there.

"Sounds good!" Serena smiled as show followed Grace.

Yes. Tea sounded like the perfect drink for what they were about to discuss. Her mother knew for sure now that Serena had no interest in becoming a Rhyhorn Racer at all. It was out of the question. However, Serena had truly seemed to find what her calling in life was. For that, Grace was happy.

Grace made the tea while Serena waited at kitchen table. Once she was finished, Grace poured a cup and brought it to Serena before she poured one for herself. Grace then brought the tea over to the table and sat down and took sip of the piping hot liquid. She then cleared her throat before addressing her daughter.

"Now, dear, please go ahead," Grace encouraged.

"Well, the Orange Islands were so much fun! We all did so many things, and Ash won the Orange League!" Serena beamed.

"Hmmhmm. Yes. I know. We all saw it on television and are very proud of him," Grace smiled.

Serena took a sip of her tea before he continued on to what the topic was supposed to be about. "Also, I found out what it was I really wanted to do."

"Pokemon Performing, isn't it?" Grace deduced.

"Yeah, but I still don't want to neglect the needs of my Pokemon that are more suited for fighting like Charla or Hitmonlee," Serena answered.

"I see. If you don't mind me asking, dear, what made you decide on this? You weren't very thrilled about the idea of Pokemon Performing when you left here many months ago," Grace wondered.

"Well, the truth is, I wasn't for a while. We all went to a huge island called Mandarin Island, and when we were there, I saw Pokemon Performances for the first time. They were really popular on that Island. I thought they looked fun, but I still preferred battling like Ash, and I also didn't even know where to begin with Pokemon Performing," Serena said.

"Really? Why would you think that?" Grace asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, a lot of my Pokemon didn't even seem to be into the idea. I didn't have a single guide to help me so my friends suggested I do a Pokevision video to capture someone's attention. I thought it sounded fun, but it was also silly to think a celebrity would see it," Serena said.

"Let me guess. Someone did see it," Grace smiled.

"Yeah. I couldn't believe it was actually Aria, the famous Pokemon Performer from Kalos!" Serena exclaimed.

"You met Aria?" Grace questioned, interested.

"Yeah. She was touring the Orange Islands, and I happened to run into her after one of her performances. Coincidentally, I was thinking about my future at the time," Serena replied.

"See? Everything does happen for a reason, after all. I don't think it was merely a coincidence you ran into Aria. You were meant to," Grace told her daughter.

"Hmm…maybe so," Serena muttered thoughtfully.

She contemplated on this for a second. Was the fact that Aria just happened to see her video and just happened to be on the same island as her and just happened to see her out of the thousands of people there more than just a coincidence? Serena never thought about it like that. Was this a sign that she truly was meant to be a performer?

"Anyway, what did Aria say to you?" Grace inquired which snapped Serena out of her thoughts.

"I told her about my indecision between battling and performances, and she suggested I do both," Serena replied.

"And you just went with it like that?" Grace asked.

"Well, no. I thought it sounded silly at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Half of my team is clearly meant for battles while the other half has never been as enthusiastic about it. If I just chose one, I wouldn't be satisfying the needs of half of my Pokemon. I could never do that to them," Serena said.

"Of course. Every good trainer has to find a way to please all of their Pokemon, and I think you've done that," Grace nodded in approval.

"Yeah, and Aria even gave me a new Pokemon to seal the deal," Serena said.

"Oh. That's right! You told me you received a Fennekin! I'd love to meet it," Grace smiled.

"Of course! Come on out, Fennekin!" Serena called as she released the fox Pokemon.

Fennekin appeared from the pokeball and gave a stretch before it looked around at its surroundings. This was a new area. Serena did mention that she would be going home and that she would show it around. Fennekin then saw a woman who was sitting across from Serena and smiling at it. Fennekin put two and two together and figured that was its trainer's mother. The fox Pokemon went over to Grace and rubbed against her leg. Togepi, who was always happy to see the fox Pokemon, followed it.

"Well, you're really sweet and friendly," Grace commented as she reached down to rub Fennekin's head.

"Fennn!" the fox Pokemon cooed in happiness.

"That's right! This Fennekin has a great fashion sense that matches mine. We've been looking through all kinds of magazines to find the best outfits," Serena mentioned.

"Well, that is certainly something I have no doubt that you're good at," Grace told her daughter.

Fennekin was enjoying having its head rubbed as it wagged its bushy tail back and forth. Togepi, meanwhile, had run up to greet the fox Pokemon. Unfortunately, its bushy tail kept rubbing against the front of Togepi's face, and it tickled. The spike ball Pokemon cringed its nose before it sneezed all over Fennekin's tail.

Serena's Fennekin grimaced as it looked at the tiny bits of snot on its fur before it glared at Togepi. The baby Pokemon just stared back innocently while Serena sighed. She didn't know why, but there were more clashes between these two than all of her other Pokemon combined. Togepi was rather messy by nature and never seemed to know that its actions offended Fennekin. Hopefully, the two could set aside their differences one day and be friends. Togepi was already on board with the idea, after all.

"It's okay, Fennekin. Togepi didn't mean to sneeze on you," Serena said in an attempt to quell Fennekin's irritation. Instead, the fox Pokemon have a haughty grunt and turned away from Togepi while the spike ball Pokemon tilted its head in confusion. What did it do?

"Hmmhmm! I never told you this, but I saw your Pokevision Video," Grace mentioned to change the subject.

"You did? Why didn't you tell me?" Serena wondered.

"Did you want me to? Normally, you're really embarrassed when you hear my opinion on something. If I told you that your Pokevision video was great, you wouldn't believe me," Grace told her.

Serena looked down at the tea on the table. She did have a bad habit of not appreciating her mother's opinions. Serena still remembered the first day of her journey how she purposely chose the opposite outfit her mother suggested because she believed her fashion sense was terrible. Looking back at that, Serena figured she had been a bit childish. It wasn't a bad outfit at all that her mother had chosen for her. Serena could've worn it and been perfectly content on her journey. That was just one of many instances when she disagreed with her mother on so many things. She really did need to value her mother's opinion more.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I know that I'm like that a lot and probably would've reacted that way," Serena said guiltily.

"It's okay, Serena. As long as you think your video is great, that's good enough for me," Grace replied.

"You're my mom. Your opinion counts to. I just want you to be proud of me," Serena muttered.

"Oh, Serena. I'm proud of you no matter what. You can be sure of that. I fully support your idea to do performances and battles," Grace said in comfort as she stood up from the table to go hug her daughter.

"Thanks, Mom," Serena replied as she hugged her mother back. For the first time in a while, Serena was happy to hear those words from her mother. Now that she had her mother's approval, nothing was going to hold her back from her dream now!

* * *

Ash, Misty, Brock, and Tracey were finally on their way over to Professor Oak's lab. Ash had called Serena and Leaf on his Pokegear to tell them he was going over to see his Pokemon. The two girls had taken care of everything at their house so they would meet them there. Ash especially told Serena there was a surprise guest with them, and Serena's curiosity was heard over the phone.

As the group approached the fork in the road that would lead to Professor Oak's lab, they could see Serena and Leaf already waiting for them. The two girls turned towards their direction when they saw them coming, and Serena's eyes widened when she saw who the surprise guest was. She took off running towards the group and didn't stop until she reached Brock. The girl wrapped her arms tightly around Brock in an affectionate hug, which he returned.

"Brock! It's so good to see you again!" Serena cried.

"Hahaha! The feeling's mutual, Serena. How's my student been?" Brock asked with a smile.

 _"Student,"_ Ash mused to himself.

"I've been doing great! I finally found what I'm going to do with my life! Well, mostly anyway! You remember how we went to the Orange Islands and I wasn't sure what I wanted!? Well, I did a Pokevision video and the famous performer from Kalos, Aria, saw it! I learned from her that I could do Pokemon Performances and still battle so…," Serena rambled.

"Hahahaha! Slow down, Serena!" Brock laughed. That was something the group would expect from Ash or Leaf, but not Serena.

"Sorry," Serena said sheepishly before she looked back to Brock. "I'm going to be a Pokemon Performer, Brock."

"That's great, Serena! I'm really happy for you! With your great sense of fashion, I have no doubt you'll become famous yourself!" Brock smiled.

At that moment, Leaf had come over and smiled at Brock, to which he nodded back.

"Hi, Leaf. It has been a while," Brock told her.

"Yeah. Ash, Misty, and Serena really missed you. There were a lot of times when you were needed when we weren't around civilization. They often mentioned that camping out just wasn't the same without you," Leaf replied.

"Oh, they did, did they?" Brock asked as he grinned at the three and put his arms around their shoulders. "Well, fear not! The Brockster is back!"

"And he couldn't have come back soon enough!" Ash laughed.

With that, the group resumed their walk to Professor Oak's lab. They arrived there in about five minutes, and Tracey had his hands clenched in eagerness. The group thought he was going to explode if he didn't meet Professor Oak soon. Ash rang the doorbell, and they waited for the elderly Pokemon professor to answer. Instead, it wasn't Professor Oak who answered, but Daisy Oak, his granddaughter.

"Oh, hi, everyone!" she greeted cheerfully. "Grandpa has been waiting for you all day!"

Everyone then gasped when Brock pushed himself in front of everyone and got down on one knee. He then grabbed Daisy's right hand in his own and gave her a charming smile.

"Daisy, my dearest! It's been too long! Actually, it's only been a couple of days since I visited, but it's felt like an eternity to me!" Brock cried.

"Brock…," Daisy began, but she didn't have to finish.

A familiar hand reached over and grabbed Brock by his ear. Brock grimaced in pain as he was yanked back and thrown off to the side. It had been none other than Misty, who couldn't resist even after all this time. Brock still couldn't help himself around pretty girls, and Misty couldn't help herself to stop him.

"Professor Oak almost threw you out of his lab last time you did that. Don't make him do that before you even get inside," Misty muttered in annoyance.

"Pain…," Brock uttered.

Ash, Serena, and Leaf looked embarrassed at that display while Tracey looked confused. With all the things they had told him about Brock, they hadn't mentioned he was prone to something like that. Being compelled to ask, Tracey posed his question.

"Um…does Brock do that often?" he asked.

"You have no idea," Serena grimaced.

"Oh! You're a new face! Are you a new friend of them?" Daisy said brightly, referring to Tracey, and changing the subject.

 _"Wow. She is cute,"_ Tracey thought before he shook his head. "Yes! I'm Tracey Sketchit. I traveled with them all in the Orange Islands! I'm a big fan of Professor Oak and have been dying to meet him! Don't think of me as rude for saying that, though!"

"It's fine," Daisy chuckled. "Come on in. Grandpa's inside researching the G.S. ball, but I'm sure he'll take a break to meet you."

With that, Daisy turned as the rest of the group followed her. Brock sat up and cried softly to himself before he went in last. Some things never changed, for better or worse. It looked like he was going to have to get used to the ear pull again.

As Daisy led the group to Professor Oak, Tracey marveled at everything in the lab. It was as if every single detail, whether it be a computer or even a piece of furniture was some priceless artifact. The group could've sworn they saw stars in in Tracey's eyes as he looked around. The group then entered Professor Oak's main room used for research, and Tracey had to bite his tongue to keep himself from screaming in excitement. Sitting in a chair with a concentrated expression was none other than his idol, Professor Oak.

"Hi, Grandpa. Everyone is here to see you," Daisy said to him.

"Oh. Hello to all of you," Professor Oak stated as he turned from the computer to face him, and Tracey immediately felt stars enter his eyes again.

"Still working on that G.S. ball, Professor?" Ash inquired.

"Yes. I am. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten anywhere with it. I may have to pass the mystery to someone else soon," Professor Oak replied with a sigh.

"Really? You've come up with nothing?" Serena asked, a bit surprised that the G.S. ball was even beginning to stump Professor Oak.

"Grandpa's been studying it nonstop since he brought it back a few weeks ago. I have to remind him to take a break so he doesn't wear himself out," Daisy said.

"Yes. I'm very grateful for my granddaughter and assistant for that," Professor Oak added.

 _"Assistant,"_ Tracey thought.

Professor Oak then noticed Brock. "Oh, hello again, Brock. I just received a message from Professor Ivy. She says not to worry about her and…"

Professor Oak stopped when he saw Brock curl himself into the fetal position once again. Brock rocked back and forth and looked utterly depressed at just the mention of her name. He gave a shudder before he finally spoke.

"Ughhhh. That name…," he moaned again.

"Umm…are you alright?" Professor Oak questioned as he and Daisy raised an eyebrow at him.

"We don't really know what happened," Serena shrugged.

"Professor Ivy probably dumped him," Misty mouthed, to which Daisy and Professor Oak nodded.

"So did you all come to see your Pokemon?" Professor Oak asked them, switching topics.

"Well, yeah. We also have someone whose been dying to meet you," Ash replied as he pushed Tracey in front of them all.

"Ash!" Tracey cried before he turned and froze up when he saw Professor Oak gazing curiously at him.

"Oh? Is that so? Well, it's very nice to meet you. I believe your name is…Tracey Sketchit, correct?" Professor Oak figured.

"Ummm…yes! Yes it is! It's a great honor to meet you, Professor Oak! I'm a Pokemon Watcher so I love studying Pokemon just like you do! It'd be wonderful if you could look at some of my sketches!" Tracey practically shouted from its nervousness.

"Relax, Tracey. Deep breaths," Misty whispered to him.

"Of course. I'd love to look at your sketches," Professor Oak smiled.

"Really?! Th-Thank you so much!" Tracey stuttered as he bowed.

"In fact, why don't you come with me, Tracey. I'll look at your sketches, and Daisy can lead the rest of you all to my Pokemon Ranch," Professor Oak suggested.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash said.

"Oh, by the way, Leaf. May I please see your pokedex? I'd like to take a look at all of the information you gathered in the Orange Islands," Professor Oak stated.

"Sure!" Leaf smiled as she fished her pokedex out of her pocket and handed it to the elderly professor.

"Wonderful. I have some more things to study now. It would serve as a nice distraction from the G.S. Ball. I'll see you all in a little bit," Professor Oak said to them as he turned to leave the room.

"Go get 'em, Tracey. You'll do just fine," Serena told him.

"R-R-Right," Tracey stuttered.

"Remember. Your drawings are great. There's no reason why Professor Oak would dislike them," Ash said.

"Okay. You're right. I can do this," Tracey responded as he took a deep breath and followed Professor Oak out of the room.

"Well, I bet all of your Pokemon can't wait to see you guys," Daisy smiled as she led the group away from Professor Oak and Tracey and instead towards the Pokemon Ranch.

"Daisy, has Professor Oak really not been able to figure anything out about the G.S. ball?" Ash wondered.

"No. A lot of things he said about it is just guesswork. I don't know the reason, but he says he thinks it was designed a really long time ago in the Johto region, but I think he's just basing that on a hunch rather than real discovery," Daisy answered.

"Wow. This G.S. ball just gets more mysterious the more we hear about it. It makes me think if we'll ever figure out what it is," Serena commented.

"It's not that grandpa isn't smart enough to figure it out, but he has so much more to take care of in the lab, even with my help. It's just a lot tougher than he originally thought," Daisy replied.

The group then stepped out onto the Pokemon Ranch, and they looked out at the open expanse of field in front of them. Before they could even take two steps, Serena felt an all too familiar weight on her leg. She looked down, and as expected, Omanyte had attached itself to her leg affectionately. Where on Earth had it come from anyway? It wasn't there when they first got outside. Did Omanyte secretly know Teleport or something?

"Hi, Omanyte," Serena greeted with an embarrassed smile as she bent down to rub its shell.

"Ommmm…" Omanyte muttered in contentment.

"Well, I'm going to see all of our Pokemon! I want to see how they're doing!" Ash stated as he took off.

"Mine, too!" Leaf added as she mimicked Ash.

"I'm curious about Ash's Snorlax," Misty murmured as she hurried after Ash.

"Wait. Ash caught a Snorlax? This I have to see!" Brock said in excitement as he ran off, too.

"Do you need some help, Serena?" Daisy asked kindly, referring to Omanyte.

"No, thanks! I've got it," Serena responded as she hobbled after them, but it was difficult because of Omanyte's tight grip.

* * *

"Hmm…intriguing," Professor Oak muttered to himself as he went through another of Tracey's drawings.

Tracey, meanwhile, was like a nervous wreck. Despite his friends' words of reassurance, the Pokemon Watcher still couldn't stop shaking. The couch he was sitting on was wobbling back and forth terribly because of it. Professor Oak noticed this, of course, but he chose not to comment on it as that would just worry the Tracey even more. The poor boy was scared enough as it was. The truth was, he really did like what he saw of Tracey's work.

"Ah…this one is interesting, too," Professor Oak mused to himself again.

"S-s-soooo? H-how are they?" Tracey stuttered, unable to take the tension anymore.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, they're…," Professor Oak began, but he stopped himself once he heard a door open to his laboratory.

Professor Oak and Tracey turned towards the direction of the noise while Professor Oak tilted his head in curiosity. That certainly wasn't Daisy or any of the other group. They had gone in the opposite direction, and he certainly wasn't expecting a visitor right now. Even if he was, they most certainly would've knocked. Professor Oak frowned before he called out in the direction of the where the door opened.

"Yes? This is Professor Oak's lab? How can I assist you?" the elderly professor asked. Though his tone was friendly, Tracey could tell there was hint of caution in it.

The two soon heard footsteps as whoever opened the front door got closer. Professor Oak, along with Tracey, stood up from the couch as Professor Oak put on a more serious look. Either the person didn't hear him, or they purposely didn't answer him. For some reason, Professor Oak could tell there was some sort of hesitancy in the footsteps which was somewhat odd.

"This is Professor Oak's lab. How can I assist you?" Professor Oak called in a more authoritative voice this time. Tracey reached for one of his pokeballs just in case.

"Ummm…hey, Grandpa," a male voice called somewhat apprehensively.

Professor Oak's eyes lit up once he heard the voice. He motioned with his hand for Tracey to let go of his pokeball before he ran out of the room. Surprised by this, Tracey followed him. As the elderly professor moved more quickly than one would expect, his mind processed the voice he heard. It belonged to someone whose voice he or anyone he knew hadn't heard in an extremely long time. Was it really him?

As Professor Oak went into the front room, he stopped in utter amazement. Despite not seeing the boy in a year, he hadn't changed much. He was a little taller, sure, and a little more disheveled, probably from being hidden away for so long, but the huge brown, spiky hair and resemblance to his father was completely unmistakable. The boy's eyes were cast downward before they slowly looked up and met the Professor's eyes. The boy gave a sigh before he finally spoke again.

"Hey, Grandpa. It's been a while," Gary Oak said.

* * *

"Hey, guys! What's up?!" Ash asked all of his Pokemon as they crowded around to greet him.

The whole group of Pokemon were all wanting to be up first to congratulate their trainer on winning the Orange League. Even if they weren't a part of it, they had their eyes glued to the television screen the entire time.

"Yeah. I get it! You're all happy for me!" Ash laughed. "Still, every single one of you helped me win it, and so you all deserve to give yourself a congratulations!"

"Still seems like your Pokemon love you more than ever," Brock observed as he crossed his arms.

"Yep!" Ash agreed as he looked over in a nearby lake and saw his Lapras. He then made its ways over to it. "Hey, Lapras! How's it going?"

"Laaaaa!" it cried happily at its new 'official' trainer.

"This Lapras was a great help to all of us while we were in the Orange Islands. We originally found it as a baby, but once we found its family, it chose to stay with me so it could be stronger," Ash told Brock. "I don't know where we'd be without it."

"Laaaa," Lapras mumbled quietly and turned away to blush at Ash's compliment.

"I saw your Snorlax as I tried to catch up with you, Ash," Serena panted as she finally caught up to the group. Omanyte was still attached to her leg.

"Don't you think you should go ahead and get Omanyte off of you?" Misty asked.

"I think I might need some help," Serena replied sheepishly.

"I've got you, Serena," Ash said as he went over to help her.

As he did so, he knelt down and reached out to grab Omanyte. As he did so, he couldn't help but notice Serena's legs. They looked…well…great. They were thin and had a nice curve and…

"Ash?" Serena asked when she saw the raven-haired boy had paused.

Ash mentally shook his head of these thoughts. What was wrong with him? Ever since he turned twelve, he was starting to have these really weird thoughts go through his mind that he never would've thought of before. Since when did he ever think of Serena's legs? Brock, meanwhile, noticed this, too, and rubbed his chin in thought.

"Sorry," Ash muttered as he went to pull Omanyte off, only to realize he didn't have to.

A wave of mud came from seemingly nowhere from Ash's right. He had to jump out of the way to avoid it. Unfortunately, the blast of mud struck Omanyte dead on, and the spiral Pokemon toppled off of Serena and fell onto the ground a in daze. Serena shrieked as a lot of the mud had gotten all over her legs and onto her clothes, too. She and everyone else turned to where the mud had come from and saw none other than Serena's Poliwag, who had just used Mud Shot.

"Poliwag! Why did you do that?!" Serena screeched.

Poliwag gave a very fake innocent look at Serena. What did it do wrong? It had heard her say that she wanted Omanyte off of her leg. Poliwag did just that for her. It got it off. The group wasn't fooled by the look, however. They knew that Poliwag was just using that as an excuse. It knew full well its Mud Shot would get all over Serena, too.

"Don't look at me like that! You know what you did! You got mud all over me on purpose!" Serena said angrily.

Poliwag rolled its eyes at Serena before it sprayed a Water Gun at her. Everyone else gasped as Serena was sprayed with the water. The good news was, Poliwag washed all of the mud off. The bad news was that she was now soaking wet. Serena's face turned red as she prepared to scream out in frustration at the Poliwag, but Ash put his hands on her shoulders.

"It's okay, Serena. It's okay," he soothed before he shot a look of disapproval at Poliwag.

"Her Poliwag is nothing like mine," Misty muttered to herself as she thought of how sweet-natured hers was in contrast to how mean-spirited Serena's Poliwag was.

Serena took deep breaths to steady herself as she calmed down. Okay. She wouldn't kill her Poliwag today. It lives. For now. However, just because Serena didn't feel the urge to strangle her Poliwag anymore, that didn't apply to another of her Pokemon. A bone was brought into the air from behind Poliwag, and the tadpole Pokemon was bashed on the head by it.

Poliwag blinked dizzily for a moment before it spun around and saw a very miffed Cubone looking at it. The lonely Pokemon had seen the whole thing and really wanted to teach this unruly Poliwag a lesson for doing that to Serena. They began shouting back and forth at each other before the two were soon locked in an old fashioned fight, Pokemon style.

"Wait! Don't fight, you two!" Serena cried as she ran over to quell the fighting. She felt like she was parenting two children right now.

The others sweat dropped at this, at a loss of what to do. Why was it Serena seemed to have the most disobedient Pokemon out of all of them? First was Scyther, then Fearow, and now Poliwag. Speaking of Scyther and Fearow, even they had noticed the fighting going on between the other Pokemon and had stopped to watch.

It seemed like nothing was going to work until Serena's Hitmonlee showed up. The kicking Pokemon calmly walked over to the still feuding Poliwag and Cubone before it plucked them off the ground, holding one of them in each hand. The two Pokemon were still attempting to swing at one another despite Hitmonlee separating them.

"Leeeee," it muttered to them.

Cubone looked down guiltily before it nodded its head while Poliwag spat in disgust. However, an intimidating glare from Hitmonlee soon rectified that. Poliwag sweat dropped before it looked away and mumbled something what may have been an apology. Hitmonlee seemed to find whatever it said acceptable as it set the two down, and Poliwag immediately darted away. It couldn't believe Hitmonlee, Scyther, or Fearow. They were fearsome Pokemon and still listened to Serena. What chumps!

"Thank you, Hitmonlee," Serena sighed gratefully.

However, she knew that she should learn to train Poliwag herself rather than having to rely on Hitmonlee to quell two fighting Pokemon. It was almost a sure sign of a poor trainer on her part, and with all that she's accomplished, she wasn't about to fall in that category. She managed to win the trust of all of her Pokemon except Poliwag so far. That really needed to be rectified. As much as she wasn't looking forward to it, she knew the answer was to keep the tadpole Pokemon with her as much as possible.

Ash gave her a hug from behind in comfort while Serena leaned in to it. She had all of her friends to support her. She could get through this. One of these days, she would be able to tame that troll…hopefully.

"Hey, Serena. Didn't you say you found my Snorlax?" Ash asked, attempting to take Serena's mind off of her Poliwag.

"Oh. Right. Follow me," Serena said as she ran ahead, and the rest followed her.

Not even two minutes later, the group could hear the sound of chewing and snorting. It didn't take a genius to know Snorlax wasn't too far away. The gluttonous Pokemon soon came into view and was picking several apples off of a nearby tree before swallowing them whole. It appears that its love for fruit hasn't changed at all since Ash caught it.

"Hey, Snorlax. What's up?" Ash greeted as he and the others went over to it.

Snorlax, however, didn't appear to hear Ash or care that he was there. It was too busy chowing down on the apples from Professor Oak's tree. Ash sighed at this. Yep. It really hadn't changed at all. Despite this, Ash still wanted to keep his word to get it to listen to him.

"Hey, Snorlax. I'm sure you love it here at Professor Oak's ranch where you can eat an unlimited supply of fruit…err…legally, anyway. Still, I'm your trainer now, and I'd really like it if we could spend some time together when I travel so we can get to know each other better. What do you say?" Ash tried.

"Lax," Snorlax uttered as it swallowed another apple whole.

"Sooooo is that a yes?" Ash guessed.

At that, Snorlax stood up and turned to Ash with an expressionless look. Ash suddenly got a nervous look on his face as his friends stood back out of reflex. Ash turned to look at them with a flabbergasted expression for abandoning him like that before he turned back to Snorlax. Maybe he shouldn't have tried to talk to it while it was eating. If he recalled, Snorlax really hated to be interrupted.

 _"Please don't use Body Slam. Please don't use Body Slam,"_ Ash thought to himself.

Then, to his great surprise, Snorlax leaned forward and wrapped Ash in a bear hug. Ash coughed as he was lifted into the air and spun around. He was happy that his Snorlax accepted his invitation, but it clearly didn't know its own strength. It was practically crushing Ash in its tree trunk-like arms! The others felt like they could do nothing but watch. Well, at least Snorlax didn't Body Slam Ash. They then heard footsteps and expected it to be just Tracey and Professor Oak, but they had someone else with them. They couldn't believe who it was.

"I'm happy, too, Snorlax, but please let me go!" Ash gasped.

"Hey, Ashy-boy! It seems like your Pokemon still love you more than ever!" a voice sneered behind him, but it was obviously wasn't intended to be mean.

Ash's mouth dropped open in shock when he heard that voice. He craned his neck around towards where the voice came from, quite sure he simply misheard. Still, his eyes proved that his ears weren't lying about who the voice belonged to. Just like he had with Professor Oak before him, Gary Oak stood there with his hands in his pockets as he watched Ash with amusement.

"Gary!" Ash cried as he struggled to get out of his Snorlax's grip.

Snorlax must've realized that this person was important to Ash so it let him go. It then went back to snacking on the apples behind it, but that didn't matter to Ash or anyone else at the moment. Though it was a short distance, Ash ran the whole way to Gary and stopped right in front of him.

"Gary, you're back," Ash stated the obvious.

"Yeah. I am. How have you been, Ash?" Gary asked sincerely this time.

"Well, I competed in and won the Orange League," Ash told him.

"That's really great, Ash. I'm happy for you. It wouldn't do any good if you did nothing while I was gone," Gary replied.

"So…what have you been doing?" Ash inquired.

"I've been doing nothing but training," Gary answered. "I didn't go to any specific place. I just trained wherever I happened to be that day. I know you guys remembered how I left a year ago on bad terms, but I'm different now. I believed myself to be pathetic, and I left on a journey of soul searching to decide why I really was on a Pokemon journey. Was it because of my own ego, or was it because I love Pokemon and had a dream to be a Pokemon Master like you, Ash."

"But…," Ash tried to argue, but Gary held up his hand to stop him.

"I know, Ash. Don't worry. I don't think like that now. I don't believe myself to be pathetic anymore. After long talks with my Pokemon and a bit of soul searching, I realized that I have great friends in you, Serena, Leaf, and my Pokemon. My loss early on in the Pokemon League doesn't bother me anymore as I now believe I've gotten a lot stronger. I can now proudly say I'm glad to an Oak," Gary smiled.

"I've never been so happy to hear words come from Gary's mouth," Professor Oak said as a few tears streamed down his eyes. It was an emotional moment to see his grandson again. He had already phoned Blue and told him that Gary was back.

"Yeah, Grandpa. I'm happy to say that I'll now be a grandson for you to be proud of. I'm going to start again on my journey and be the best," Gary told him.

Gary soon found himself surrounded by Serena and Leaf. They were looking at Gary with a tender expression on their face, especially Leaf. Serena went forward hugged Gary which he returned. He looked up and expected Leaf to join in the hug, but she didn't. Gary thought it was rather weird as the normally bubbly girl would've jumped in his arms by now. The initial surprise gone, Leaf instead hung her head and walked forward to Gary with her hat covering her eyes.

"Gary," she whimpered.

Gary looked away guiltily when he heard Leaf speak like that. He knew that he hurt her the worst of all his friends when he left. He could still remember how she was crying the whole time he left and pleaded to go with him so he wouldn't be alone. Gary rejected her, however, and he had no idea how much that must've stung. He regretted his actions, then, but he couldn't go back .The only thing he could do now was try to make things right.

"I'm sorry, Leaf," Gary muttered, getting the first thing he knew he had to say out of the way.

Leaf said nothing in response. Instead her hands clenched and Gary instinctively recoiled. Was she about to slap him? Well, he would've deserved it, but it still wasn't something he was looking forward to.

"Wait, Leaf," Serena began, as she and the others were thinking along the same lines as Gary.

Thankfully, Leaf didn't beat the living mess out of Gary. Instead, she ran forward and wrapped her arms around Gary in a tight hug. Gary gasped at this but soon relaxed in Leaf's grip. That was more like the Leaf he remembered. Despite this, Gary could still see tears coming from underneath Leaf's hat. Yeah. She was still noticeably upset with him.

"Leaf, I…," Gary started, but Leaf interrupted him.

"Please promise me," Leaf said softly. "Please promise me you'll never do something like that again. If you're ever burdened with something, don't do it by yourself. That's what we're here for. Please promise you'll talk to us from now on. We're your friends, and we care about you."

Gary felt a little tears in his eyes himself at those words, but he quickly wiped them away. He really appreciated those words, and was glad Leaf was the one who told him that. As Leaf turned to look up at Gary to await his answer, the spiky-haired boy could now tell how truly upset she looked. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Gary with a pleading expression. Gary couldn't ever force himself to say no when Leaf was looking at him like that.

"Don't worry, Leaf. I promise you. I promise the rest of you, too," Gary said, referring to Ash, Serena, Professor Oak, and Daisy. "I'm back, and I'm here to stay."

"Thank you, Gary," Leaf said sincerely as she hugged him again.

Serena joined in, too, this time. Gary looked slightly uncomfortable as the two girls hugged him while everyone looked on with a relieved smile on their faces. Despite the emotional moment, Gary couldn't help but tease Ash at least a little bit.

"Don't you join, too, Ash. Otherwise, this mushy stuff will get a little weird for me," he joked, which caused Ash to chuckle.

"Heh, no problem. How about just a handshake?" Ash suggested as he held his hand out.

"That, I can do," Gary agreed as he took the handshake.

As Gary shook Ash's hand, he realized just how much he had missed Ash. That was really strange as he never thought that would enter his mind. Ash had been strong while he had not. Ash had suffered several blows as well, throughout his journey, but he was able to always pick himself back up. Gary had admired that trait in Ash and was now going to strive to do the same. He had great friends to back him up, after all. Still, it was then Gary remembered something. Ash was his friend, but also his rival.

"Ash," Gary spoke up, which grabbed Ash's attention. "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle."

"What?" Ash gasped as he and the others looked in surprise. Gary was actually challenging Ash to a battle?! The shock wearing off, Ash couldn't help but grin and turn his hat backwards. "You got it, Gary!"

Everyone else looked on in interest. A battle between old rivals was definitely going to be an exciting thing to see. It was just like Gary and Ash to want to have a Pokemon battle after the pleasantries were over. The two didn't need to tell each other what they achieved or what had happened on their journeys. That was a special bond between them. They would let their battling do the talking.

* * *

Gary and Ash stood on opposite sides in an open area of Professor Oak's Pokemon Ranch. They eyes were locked on each other as they had interested yet determined looks on their faces. Each one was wanting to see what the other had been up to in the past year. The battle was going to give them that answer.

"You won't beat me, Ash. I've done nothing but train the past year. I'm much stronger than I ever was in the Pokemon League," Gary told him.

"Same here, Gary! I just won the Orange League, and I'm going to prove to you that my win was well deserved," Ash replied.

"Alright then. Say the rules, Grandpa," Gary said.

"Alright. How about a one on one Pokemon battle? Whichever Pokemon faints first will be declared the loser," Professor Oak suggested since he volunteered to be the referee this match.

"Sounds good. One Pokemon is all I need to prove myself," Gary stated.

"Very well. I'll flip a coin to decide who chooses their Pokemon first. Whichever side the coin lands on, that person will choose first," Professor Oak said as he withdrew a coin from his coat pocket. "Who would like heads and tails?"

"Heads," Gary said.

"Tails," Ash answered.

"Very well," Professor Oak nodded as he flipped the coin in the air and caught it. He then looked at the coin and showed them proof. "It's Tails. Ash will choose the first Pokemon."

Ash really wanted to try out his Snorlax, but the gluttonous Pokemon didn't really seem in the mood to battle the last time he checked. Besides, it needed some training before it was ready to take on a no doubt challenging opponent like Gary. Ash then turned to his Pikachu who looked rather pumped for the battle. It had to redeem itself after losing to Drake's Ditto. This was the best way.

"You're up, Pikachu," he told it.

"Chu!" Pikachu said as it ran forward and sparked its cheeks.

"So you're going with your Pikachu? I had a feeling you might," Gary said upon seeing the yellow rodent. "I could make this interesting and send out Blastoise so our starters can battle each other, but I won't. I'm not arrogant enough to think I can win against you with a type disadvantage anymore, even if Blastoise is naturally stronger. You aren't a trainer I can show off to."

Ash felt a bit of pride once Gary said that. It meant that the spiky brown-haired boy was taking this battle seriously and considered Ash a very worthy battle opponent. The rest of the group who watched noticed this, too. If one were to go by Gary's opinion of Ash at the first half of his Kanto journey, he or she never would've believed those words would ever come from Gary's mouth.

"So who will you use then?" Ash asked him.

"I caught this Pokemon about six months ago and have been training it extensively. It's definitely one of my strongest Pokemon and should really give you a run for your money," Gary said as he took out a pokeball and threw it in the air. "Go, Eevee!"

The brown fox-like Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and gave a confident smile. Ash and the others were initially surprised by this. They weren't expecting one of Gary's strongest Pokemon to be an Eevee. However, they knew looks were rather deceiving. One wouldn't think Ash's Pikachu was very powerful by looking at it, either.

Serena happened to notice Gary's Eevee's expression and how different it looked from her own. Her Eevee loved to play and have fun, but this one looked serious and ready for battle. Not to mention it had a really shiny coat and bright eyes. Hers did, too, but the difference was there. It really did look trained well.

"Be careful, Ash," Brock warned. "This Eevee must be super strong, or Gary wouldn't use it in his battle with you."

"Right," Ash nodded. He was going to keep a level head here and not get overconfident.

"This will be a one on one Pokemon battle with no time limit. Pikachu versus Eevee. The battle will start now," Professor Oak announced.

"Use Quick Attack, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Use Dig, fast!" Gary shouted.

Eevee dug a hole much faster than one would expect and was already inside before Pikachu could finish dashing at it. The speed of this Eevee surprised Ash, but he wasn't deterred by it. In fact, he was willing to try something new.

"Follow Eevee into that hole, and use Iron Tail when you get in!" Ash called.

Everyone raised their eyebrows in interest as Pikachu actually dived in the hole Eevee created. It was risky for Pikachu to do that, but it was just as risky for Eevee. Everyone soon heard what sounded like a smack in the ground, and Ash smiled while Gary frowned as Eevee was sent sailing out of the hole with Pikachu after it. Iron Tail had clearly connected.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

"Not so fast! Use Double Team and then Swift, Eevee!" Gary shouted.

Eevee quickly recovered from Iron Tail and split into several images while it was still in the air. Pikachu was a little caught off guard by how quickly it recovered, but it was quick to adapt and shot out its electricity in all directions while Eevee and its phantoms shot out Swift. With Swift's never miss status as well as it coming from all sides, Pikachu knew it was hopeless and would just have to take the attack.

The yellow rodent was struck by several star-shaped beams of energy while the real Eevee was hit with electricity. It was a little under-powered, though, due to Pikachu having to spread it over a large area. Both Pokemon fell to the ground on their stomachs but quickly jumped to their feet. Everyone on the side was watching the battle in interst. Pikachu and Eevee may be cute, but this was already a heated battle.

Gary then frowned when Eevee grimaced in pain as it had bits of electricity run through it. So it was paralyzed now. He still had a remedy for that, though.

"Wild Charge, Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

His Pikachu supercharged itself with electricity before it dashed at Gary's Eevee. The evolution Pokemon still grimaced, but Gary wasn't deterred.

"Use Refresh, and then Mud Slap!" Gary yelled.

What looked like a blue aura ran through Eevee just before Pikachu crashed into it. It hurriedly kicked up a wad of mud which slapped Pikachu right in the face. The yellow rodent let out a cry as it's direction was put off because of the sudden mud in its face. It harmlessly ran past Eevee as Gary made his next move.

"Now use Return!" Gary hollered.

Eevee gave off what seemed like a burst of power before it slammed into Pikachu which sent the yellow rodent flying backwards. Ash frowned when he saw how powerful that attack was. He had heard of the move Return before. It was supposed to be stronger the better the bond between the Pokemon and trainer were. Gary and his Eevee must be super close.

"How are you doing, Pikachu?" Ash asked it.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu said a little tiredly as it got up. That attack really hurt, but it wasn't about to give up yet!

"That's the spirit!" Ash encouraged.

"Heh. Just as I thought. His Pikachu is pretty tough," Gary murmured to himself.

Even though Pikachu was still willing to fight, it still had mud in its eyes. Unlike Kingler and Wartortle had done in the past, Pikachu didn't have the luxury of cleaning its eyes with water. They would have to make do.

"Run up, and use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Use Endure, Eevee!" Gary countered.

Pikachu shot for the stream of electricity as Eevee braced itself. Despite Pikachu's poor vision, it was still able to hit because Eevee didn't move. Eevee gritted its teeth before it charged forward at Pikachu which took it by surprise. That Endure must be allowing Eevee to withstand the pain and attack while Pikachu was busy.

"Use Double Edge!" Gary hollered.

Eevee crashed full force into Pikachu, and the yellow rodent flew through the air and cried out in pain once hit the ground. It panted as it stood up. It took some pretty powerful attacks twice in a row. Ash knew Gary really wasn't lying when he said his Eevee was powerful. Ash then noticed that the excess mud around Pikachu's eyes had hardened by now. While this would normally be a bad thing, for Ash and Pikachu, it was rather good. It meant he could do this. While Pikachu didn't have water, it had its tail.

"Use Iron Tail on you face, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Huh?" Gary questioned and thought Ash had lost his sanity.

Pikachu knew what Ash wanted it to do and glowed its tail at only half the power before it smashed its tail over its eyes where the caked mud was at. The clot of mud burst from around Pikachu's face, and it looked as good as new, save for a few isolated dirt spots that hadn't full dried yet.

"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash praised.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu nodded, glad that it hit its face just right. A few centimeters off could've meant a lot of pain for it.

"Not bad, Ash, but we aren't out of tricks yet," Gary said.

"Neither are we!" Ash yelled. "Use Agility, Pikachu!"

"Use Attract, Eevee!" Gary quickly hollered.

Pikachu dashed at breakneck speed to Eevee, but it had already sent out several hearts at Pikachu. Due to its speed, Pikachu was unable to halt and change direction in time due to the hearts. Ash gasped as the hearts popped all over Pikachu's face. The yellow rodent tried to fight the strength of the attack but soon lost as a dreamy expression filled its face as it looked at Eevee.

Ash furrowed his eyebrows. This tough battle just got a hundred times harder. It was highly unlikely his Pikachu would try to attack Eevee now. If he didn't think of something fast, he would be in trouble.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled, deciding he would test the strength of the attack.

Pikachu made no move to try to attack Eevee, not even a spark. It merely stared at Eevee as hearts seemed to come from it. If Ash didn't know better, he could've sworn Pikachu was drooling. While Pikachu's expression was rather comical, this was still a serious battle. The fact that Pikachu didn't even try to attack Eevee proved the Attract's power. If he knew Gary's Eevee was female, he could've prepared for Gary to try something like this.

Despite the fact that she wanted Ash to win, Serena was taking mental notes about how Gary was using his Eevee. He really knew how to battle with it. Though Serena had won her fair share of battles with her Eevee based on its playful nature, she sometimes wondered if this was how her Eevee would act if it took battling a little more seriously.

"Use Return again, Eevee!" Gary hollered.

"Try to dodge it, Pikachu!" Gary cried.

The same burst of power came from Eevee as it charged forward once again. Unfortunately, Pikachu made no effort to dodge it as it was too busy being infatuated with its opponent. Eevee slammed into Pikachu, and the yellow rodent was airborne once again. It soon hit the ground as a dazed expression filled its face.

"Pikachu," Ash muttered. There had to be something to snap itself out of this. It was difficult, though since it couldn't attack Eevee.

"Let's wrap this up with Double Edge!" Gary hollered.

Eevee charged forward full force at Pikachu. Ash took a deep breath to calm himself. He knew this situation looked bad, but there could still be a way out of this. Just stay calm. As Ash cleared his head, he remembered his match with Drake and how he was able to get out of every bad situation. Just because Pikachu couldn't attack Eevee didn't mean it was helpless. Pikachu's tail helped it get the mud off of its eyes. It just needed a good slap to wake itself out of its fantasy.

"Slap yourself in the face, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

Though it wouldn't attack Eevee, Pikachu had no qualms about attacking itself. It began to slap its face back and forth repeatedly. Ash knew it had to do this quickly, though. Time was running out as Eevee was getting closer.

Finally, at the last second, Pikachu seemed to get over itself and dodged Eevee's Double Edge. Gary had a surprised look while Ash smiled. Now he could attack Eevee while it was distracted.

"Use Wild Charge, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

"Use Double Edge again, Eevee!" Gary shouted, too.

Pikachu supercharged itself with electricity again as Eevee changed its direction and charged at Pikachu. The two small but deadly Pokemon were running full force at each other. A few second later, they crashed into each other head first as a small flash occurred. Pikachu screamed while Eevee let out a surprised expression as the yellow rodent began to push it back. Eevee soon began to get covered with electricity itself due to the force that Pikachu was using. Pikachu wasn't going to lose this one. It wanted to prove its power.

"Oh, no! Eevee!" Gary cried at seeing what was taking place. He knew Ash's Pikachu was powerful, but even he didn't think Pikachu would stand up to his Eevee's Double Edge. They had perfected that move!

Pikachu finally pushed forward with all its might, and Eevee let out a cry as it was blasted off of its feet. Eevee bounced along the ground several times before it came to halt. Eevee panted as it tried to stand up but soon fell forward, knocked out. Pikachu, meanwhile, collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, but unlike Eevee, it was still conscious. That was a tough fight, but it knew it had won.

"Eevee is unable to battle! The winners are Ash and Pikachu!" Professor Oak announced.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief but couldn't help to feel very pleased. That was the first time he had ever won a true battle with Gary, even if it was just one on one. The other times, he either lost or tied. Not today. He finally beat Gary. Practice match or not, Ash was still very happy. He had a strong urge to leap for joy, but resisted it to avoid looking silly. It wasn't like he won the Orange League all over again. Still, beating his biggest rival was still an accomplishment for him.

Gary, meanwhile, had his mouth open in shock. He couldn't believe how much Ash had improved since he saw him last. Gary had trained his hardest in the past year, but it seemed Ash had done just the same. It proved to Gary that Ash winning the Orange League wasn't just some fluke. Gary really recognized Ash had deserved that win. Gary then recovered from his shock and let out a smirk instead.

"Well, what do you know," he muttered.

Gary then went over to his Eevee and picked it up. Ash's Pikachu was one of the few Pokemon that his Eevee ever lost to. It was fine, though. Eevee truly did give its all in this fight, and that was good enough for Gary. He knew that this wouldn't be his last battle with Ash so there would be plenty of opportunities for it again in the future.

"You did excellent, Eevee. I'm proud of you. They really were a tough team," Gary said as he returned Eevee to its pokeball before he looked at Ash rubbing his Pikachu's cheeks.

"That was amazing buddy. We beat Gary fair and square. It was really tough with the mud in your eyes and the Attract, but you pulled through. You're the best," Ash told it.

"Piiii," Pikachu muttered in contentment yet tiredness.

Serena, Leaf, Misty, Daisy, Professor Oak, Brock, and Tracey applauded at the well-fought battle between the two rivals. It was just as they expected. There were several times when the battle could've gone either way. It was never completely one sided. Gary and Ash were definitely around an equal level. It almost made them wonder if Gary would've won the Orange League if he competed in it. They all wanted to congratulate Ash, but instead decided to let him soak in his win for a moment.

"Gary, I'm really impressed. Even though you lost, I can tell that you've come a long way as a Pokemon trainer. You played to Eevee's strengths very well," Professor Oak told him as he went up and put his hands on Gary's shoulders.

"Thanks, Grandpa. As today's loss showed, though, I still have a long way to go. I can't let Ash get too far ahead of me," Gary replied as he leaned forward and stared at Ash.

Ash noticed his look and nodded back. "Right. I wouldn't expect you to," he said.

Gary then walked over to Ash. "You did a great job, Ash! Well done on your victory!"

"Thanks, Gary!" Ash replied as Pikachu gave a V-shape with its fingers.

"Just know that it won't stop here. I'm sure I'll have several opportunities to battle you again. So look out because you can bet I'll be challenging you to a battle the next time we see each other!" Gary stated.

"Count on it! I'll battle you anytime, anywhere, Gary!" Ash smiled.

"So...rivals?" Gary asked as he held out his hand.

"Yeah. Rivals," Ash agreed as he took the handshake.

"Friends, too!" Gary smiled.

Ash couldn't help but smile himself. "Of course! Friends to the end!"

The rest of the group smiled at the scene. It looked as though Gary and Ash had rekindled their rivalry with each other, starting with the battle that just took place. Despite this, the two were still going to be friends, and it made them happy for both Gary and Ash. Gary because he had come back a better person and willingly accepted everyone, and Ash because he had been seeking Gary's recognition from day one. Though Gary had said it before, Ash was able to prove it to himself by winning today. Gary and Ash finally had a friendly rivalry with each other.

* * *

 **Hah! Ash won his battle with Gary! I couldn't bring myself to have Pikachu lose again. Otherwise, it would've undermined Pikachu's determination and Ash's win in the Orange League. Also, I'm skipping the party scene as it would just mostly be a repeat of what happened in chapter one of the Orange Islands arc. Repeating a very similar scene is boring in my opinion. I may redo another one when Ash comes back from Johto, however.**

 **I'll have a new poll up next chapter. It will be rather interesting to get all of your opinions and thoughts on this. It doesn't affect my decision on the matter. It's just to see what you guys think.**

 **One more thing. The next chapter is really...dark and unsettling. It's probably one of the darkest chapters I've written to date. It doesn't have a title like that because it's full of sunshine and rainbows. The next chapter is essential, though, as it's a prologue to two major plot points later on in the Johto arc, as well as one in the series as a whole.  
**

 **I still don't have a set update schedule so I don't know exactly when the next chapter will be up, mainly just because it has to go through a lot of editing to make it flow better. So just until next time, have a good one.**

 **Chapter Three: The Terrifying Tale of Tohjo Falls**


	3. The Terrifying Tale of Tohjo Falls

**A/N: Phew. This chapter was a doozy to edit, but I finally got it done. This serves as two major plot points later on in the series, and another plot in the series as a whole. This chapter is dark and rather graphic in one part, but it's necessary. I don't think it's the worst I've ever done, though.**

 **Please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Three: The Terrifying Tale of Tohjo Falls

The celebration party for Ash had absolutely worn him out. Even more people had come to this party than the last one. In fact, it was almost double the amount. Yellow had traveled from Viridian City to be there, and even Blue showed up. However, Ash believed he had just come to see Gary again, but that was beside the point. Ash was still touched that all of these people had come to congratulate him and cheer him on. Ash truly felt he had done Pallet Town proud with his win of the Orange League. Now, as Ash lay on his bed in his bedroom, one question arose in his mind: What next?

That was definitely a good question. Ash was of course going to travel again, but to where? There were so many places he hadn't seen yet that he would love to visit: Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and others. He had read up on all of the regions, and they all sounded so exciting and would have really interesting Pokemon. It was a difficult decision. Johto was the closest out of all of them, but did that hold enough merit for him to try that place next? It would be more interesting to try some place with an entirely different climate like Hoenn or Sinnoh. The regions themselves would provide a more difficult challenge for him.

"Man, Pikachu. Who would've thought this would be so tough?" Ash mumbled to his rodent partner as he stared at the ceiling.

"Pikaaaaa," Pikachu agreed.

"Is there any region that you would like to go to next? I'm stumped," Ash told it.

Pikachu gave Ash a look that clearly said 'How would I know'? It was originally from the Kanto region, too, and it knew nothing about the other regions. They were all the same to it. Whatever Ash decided was good enough for it.

"Heh. You're no help," Ash smirked as he turned on his side to look out the window.

It was evening now. The party had lasted a good three hours and took up the rest of the day. The sun was almost below the horizon, and it was getting rather dark. Ash did miss the view from his bedroom window whenever he traveled. It would be nice to stay here in Pallet Town for a few weeks before he set off again. It would also give him ample time to decide the best place to visit. However, being a Pokemon Master in training wouldn't allow him to do that. He had to keep moving.

"Hey, Pikachu. I'll try to make my decision tomorrow. If it's okay with the others, that's where we'll go to next. I hope you get some rest because we'll be back on the road again before you know it," Ash said to it.

"Pikachu," Pikachu nodded. It wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

At the Gabena residence, Serena was working diligently at a sewing machine. Ever since the party had ended, she was working on Ash's gift for winning the Orange League. While some of her friends had joked with her that it was something romantic like a big kiss or…something else, it was none of those things. Serena could really do something like that at any time with the exception of the latter. Serena soon found herself blushing at the thought. Talk about embarrassing.

"Toge?" Togepi said as it watched its mommy sew.

"Don't get too close, Togepi. There's a needle here, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt. I have to focus," Serena warned gently.

"Hey, Serena. Still at it, huh?" Misty asked as she came up to the honey-blonde girl. Serena and Grace had offered Misty their place to stay while they were in Pallet Town, which the girl graciously accepted.

"Yeah. Do you think Ash will like it?" Serena wondered as she turned towards the redhead.

Misty looked at the unfinished articles of clothing and smiled. "Yeah. I think he will. With that nice touch you put on it, I think Ash will really feel like a champion."

"That's right. Since Ash is a winner, I believe he should wear the clothes of a winner. His old clothes are getting kind of worn," Serena replied.

"So your reward wasn't something else?" Misty asked with a sly grin on her face.

Serena knew what she was implying and blushed. "Cut it out, Misty. Of course not. There's no way Ash or I would do something like that yet."

"Yet?" Misty inquired.

Serena face-palmed at the hole she got herself into. She walked right into that one. Why were people always teasing her about Ash? To hide her embarrassment, Serena faced forward again and resumed sewing.

"You know, Ash is lucky to have you," Misty suddenly spoke.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Serena wondered.

"I don't think anyone in the world thinks of him as much as you do. You're always looking out for him, and you're always there for him. You always make him feel special. Some people's relationships are only based on what they can get out of each other, but you two aren't like that. It's really like you and Ash are two halves of the same whole. You complete each other," Misty explained.

"Yeah. Even though he and I have fought before because of something I didn't understand, it still felt wrong. I honestly can't picture myself with anyone but Ash. It's always been that way," Serena replied.

"I'm sure he feels the exact same way. You'll be looking out for each other for years to come, wherever you go," Misty smiled.

"Don't count yourself out, Misty. You'll stay with Ash and me while we travel, right?" Serena asked.

"Oh? Me? I guess, at least until I become the best water Pokemon trainer," Misty shrugged.

"And then you'll be with Rudy, right?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah. We still have our promise to each other, and we both intend to keep it," Misty nodded.

"And then when you two get married, I'll be the Maiden of Honor, right" Serena grinned.

"M-married?!" Misty cried as she turned red for a change. "Wh-whoever said anything like that? If anything, you and Ash would get married before me and Rudy did!"

"Wh-what?!" Serena stuttered, now that Misty had turned this around. "She wasn't thinking of anything like that yet!

For a while, Serena and Misty stared at each other, each of them blushing furiously. None of them spoke as they were too surprise by their own words. Then, after a moment, they both started laughing. They were getting way ahead of themselves. Whatever comes will come, and they'll just focus on the current status of their relationships for now. They still so much to accomplish before they wished for something like that.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work, Serena. I'm going to hit the sack. Good night," Misty said.

"Good night, Misty," Serena replied.

As Misty left, Serena resumed work on Ash's new clothes. Ash didn't need cheesy, romantic rewards for having such an accomplishment like a romance novel would have. They were both still young, and sometimes it could be something simple like this which he would appreciate the most. This new outfit would be a symbol of his win and the many wins Ash would have in the future. Once Serena was done, she would quietly go over to the Ketchum residence and ask Delia to put it in Ash's room while he was asleep. That way, he could see them first thing when he wakes up tomorrow. He would look so handsome…

Serena hissed as she almost stabbed herself with the sewing needle. She could worry about that later. For now, she needed to focus. It was quite ironic that she told Togepi to be careful just now and ended up almost hurting herself instead.

* * *

Ash awoke the next morning with a stretch and a yawn. He didn't spend the previous night thinking of the many places he still had yet to travel to like he thought he would. That was for today. In truth, he was out by eight in the evening because he was so tired, and that was the earliest he had ever been asleep in a really long time. As Ash rolled over and turned to his nightstand, something there caught his attention.

Ash slowly climbed out of bed and gave a curious look there. Stacked neatly on his nightstand were a set of new clothes for him. On top of the clothes was a small, folded note. Ash picked up the note and unfurled it before he read what was on it.

 _Here is the reward I promised you, Ash. I made them for you. You're a champion now, and a champion should wear a champion's clothing._

 _Serena_

Ash smiled as he set the note down. New clothes weren't what he was expecting from Serena as a reward, but he was quite pleased nonetheless. So Serena made these. It seems like her sewing skills were just as good as Brock's, though that was something Serena had always been good at with her interest in fashion.

Ash picked up and inspected the clothes. The sleeveless jacket was light red in color with white sleeves. A red official Pokemon league hat was there to replace his old one. There were dark blue jeans to replace his faded ones, and a pair of black tennis shoes. Ash smiled slightly to himself once he realized this was similar to the clothing that his dad, Red, wore. Did Serena do this on purpose? Heh. Probably.

"Check it out, Pikachu. Serena made me a new outfit to travel to the next region with," Ash told it.

The yellow rodent groggily shook its head before it took a look at the clothes.

"Pika!" it said in approval.

"Yeah. I'll try them on right now!" Ash said as he hastily pulled off his pajamas to change.

Once Ash put all of the clothes on, he inspected himself in the mirror. Ash tilted his head in interest when he realized just how much he looked like his dad with these clothes on. While he would've been rather annoyed by this at the start of his journey, he liked it now. His dad was a great man, and a champion, and that's what Ash felt like right now. Serena had done a good job.

Ash soon heard a knock at the door. He quickly peaked out the window and could see Serena standing there with Misty. He grinned as he opened the window and called down to them.

"Good morning, you guys!" he yelled.

By then, Brock had answered the door, still in an apron, and greeted the two girls before he noticed Ash yelling down. He stood outside and looked up at Ash's bedroom and smiled up at him.

"Well, good morning, Ash. I see you got up," Brock yelled.

"I'll be down in just a sec!" Ash called as he left his room and hurried downstairs.

Once he made it to the bottom, Serena and Misty were sitting on the couch with Delia and Brock. Ash grinned at all of them but in particular smiled to Serena.

"Hey, Serena," he said.

"Hey, Ash. I take it you saw what I gave you last night. I spent all evening working on it after the party," Serena told him.

"I know. They're a perfect fit. These clothes will go great wherever I decide to go," Ash nodded.

As Ash took a good look at his own clothes and Serena's clothes, he noticed something. Both he and Serena had on a red sleeveless vest and a red hat. Combined with their pendant, they really did seem to match right now. Serena must have noticed this, too, as she smiled. Ash briefly wondered if Serena had done that on purpose, too. Heh. Well, regardless, Ash was happy nevertheless.

"You two really do look like you belong together right now," Misty commented.

"Oh, Ash. Professor Oak called and said there was something he wanted to discuss with you," Delia spoke up.

"Okay. I was planning on going over there anyway in a little bit. I guess we can all go together," Ash shrugged.

"You three can go ahead without me. I still have some chores to take care of here," Brock said.

"That won't do, Brock," Delia scolded as she placed her hands on her hips. "Ash is back, and I want you to spend some time with your friends. You've done more than your fair share of work around here."

"Yeah. Come on, Brock. I'm sure you could take a break," Ash smiled.

Brock looked back and forth between his apron and his friends. He glanced back and forth a few times and then at Mimey. The imitation Pokemon was slowly nodding its head as if telling Brock to go on, too. Brock chuckled nervously as he knew Mimey would get rather angry at being deprived of its chores again. It loved to clean just as much as Brock. He could let it have the house today.

The group was soon at Professor Oak's front door. Tracey had slept over in Professor Oak's lab so the two could talk about something, though the group had no idea what it was. As they entered Professor Oak's lab to see his Pokemon, they saw Gary and Leaf were already there. The two were on Professor Oak's couch talking with the elderly Professor and Daisy. Tracey was there, too. When they noticed Ash, they smiled and beckoned him over.

"Hey everyone," Ash greeted.

"Hey, Ash. You got some new clothes," Leaf noticed.

"Heh. Yeah. Serena made these clothes for where I travel to next," Ash replied.

"She made them herself? So they have an extra special touch them," Leaf commented.

Serena blushed at Leaf's statement. Yeah. That was her intent. Anyone could buy clothes, but when they were made like that, it made them all the better.

"So does that mean you know where you're going next, young man?" Professor Oak asked him.

"Actually, no. I was going to talk to all of you about it," Ash answered.

"Well, I know where I'm going to next. That's what we were talking about," Gary stated as he crossed his arms.

Ash turned to stare at Gary. The guy just got back after all this time and he was ready to leave already? Well, Ash felt like he was the pot calling the kettle black on that one. He was no different. Gary was a Pokemon Master in training to, and he had to be on the move, as well.

"Where are you going?" Ash asked curiously.

"I'm heading to the Johto region today," Gary replied.

"Johto," Ash muttered.

"That's right. I hear there are some great Pokemon there, and I can compete in the Silver Conference," Gary said.

"What's the Silver Conference?" Ash wondered.

"It's the Johto equivalent of the Pokemon League," Professor Oak answered this time. "It's held once a year for all trainers. To qualify, one must earn eight badges from across the gyms in the region."

Ash thought to himself about this. So the Johto region had a Pokemon League just like Kanto did. The Orange League was slightly different, but here he could try another region. The fact that Gary was apparently going there meant they could start their rivalry anew. If it was all the same to him, it seemed like Johto would be the way to go.

Gary noticed Ash's expression and smirked. "Let me guess, Ash. Since I'm going there, you were thinking about going to the Johto region, too."

"Well, maybe, but I'm going to talk it over with the others first," Ash replied before a thought came to him. "Hey, Gary. If we do go, how would you like to travel together?"

Gary rose his eyebrows at Ash's offer. He certainly wasn't expecting Ash to so willingly want to travel with him. It would have its advantages. They were friends now, of course, and they could look out for each other and see how much the other had improved over time. Ultimately, however, they were still rivals. If they were keeping up with each other's progress all the time, there would be no fun in that.

"Heh. Thanks for the offer, Ash, but if I did that, our rivalry would have no surprises. Besides, I already have one traveling partner," Gary replied as he jammed a thumb in Leaf's direction.

"Wait a second. You're going with Gary, Leaf?" Ash questioned.

Leaf looked away from both Ash and Gary when she answered. "Yeah. I don't want Gary to be by himself anymore so I offered to go with him wherever he went."

"Yeah. I promised Leaf I wouldn't leave her behind this time," Gary added.

Ash nodded his head. Though they never outright said it, Ash sometimes wondered if there was more to Gary and Leaf's relationship than meets the eye. Though they were all upset over Gary's departure, it was Leaf who had been devastated the most. She was basically in depression for many days after that, but someone had managed to pull her out of it. Ash believed it may have been Ritchie, but he wasn't sure.

"Now, Gary, Leaf, I want you two to be careful when you are going to Johto. You have to cross Tohjo Falls to get there, and I'm sure you've heard the rumors," Professor Oak warned.

"Rumors?" Ash questioned

"Yeah. Yeah. I'll be careful, Grandpa. Those rumors don't scare me," Gary replied dismissively as he and Leaf stood up.

"You're leaving already?" Ash questioned.

"Well, yeah. Leaf and I were going to come to you and Serena's place as we were leaving to say goodbye, but there's no reason, too, now," Gary replied.

"Oh. Well, best of luck on your journey," Ash told him.

Gary then walked over to Ash and nodded his head. The two looked into each others' eyes with fierce determination. Though they were parting on friendly terms, the two knew they were starting their rivalry all over again with this chapter in their lives. They were both trying to be the best again. They would be competing for the same thing.

"You, too, Ash. Best of luck. Just don't fall behind. I lost to you yesterday, but you can be sure that won't be the case the next time we meet. You keep training until then, Ash. I'll see you down the road," Gary said as he walked by Ash and clapped him on the shoulder as he went by.

"Goodbye, Gary. It really is good to see you back. I wish you could stay with us, though," Serena said.

"Thanks, Serena, but I'm sure you know all too well, I have to stay on the move just like Ash," Gary replied as the two gave a friendly hug to each other.

"Goodbye, guys. I'll miss you. Promise you and Serena will call me often on your Pokegear," Leaf said as she gave Ash and Serena a hug.

"Sure, Leaf. I wish you were going to be coming with me on the journey," Ash replied before he lowered his voice to a whisper, "But I know Gary needs you more."

"Yeah," Leaf smiled but blushed slightly, glad he understood. She then looked at Misty. "Take care of these two."

"Heehee. They probably won't listen, but I'll do my best," Misty giggled.

"I look forward to both of you letting me know of your progress throughout the region," Professor Oak called after them.

With that, Gary and Leaf left the room. Ash soon heard the door open and shut to signal they had left. So Gary and Leaf just started their new journey, and he wasn't going to be too far behind.

"Oh that reminds me why I called over here," Professor Oak said as he stood up. "Follow me. It may also make your decision to travel to Johto with Gary a lot easier."

The group followed Professor Oak, Daisy, and Tracey out of the room, wondering what it could've been. The elderly Professor Oak clearly had a proposal for them.

The group soon arrived in Professor Oak's main research room. Once Professor Oak made it to his computer, he gave a sigh before took an object out of a scanner. It was none other than the G.S. ball. He then walked over to Ash and placed the G.S ball in his hands. Ash gave him an inquisitive look when Professor Oak did that.

"Soooo…did you figure out its secret?" Ash wondered.

"No. I didn't. I'm afraid that I'm going to need your help again with the G.S. ball," Professor Oak answered. "I could've asked Gary to do it for me this time, but seeing as you and the others were more familiar with the situation, I thought it best to ask you."

"Okay. So what do I need to do?" Ash asked.

Professor Oak walked over to his computer before he began searching through a list of his acquaintances. He scrolled through the menu until he found the one he wanted and clicked on it. When he did, the image of an elderly man around Professor Oak's age appeared on the screen. Professor Oak then turned back to him.

"This is Kurt. He is a famous pokeball researcher. Even despite my best efforts, I wasn't able to figure out the G.S. ball. This is Kurt's specialty, though. If anyone is able to crack the code of the G.S ball, it will be him," Professor Oak explained.

"I gotcha. You need us to deliver this ball to Kurt, but what does that have to do with me following Gary?" Ash questioned.

"Kurt happens to live in Azalea Town of the Johto region. It's also home to one of the Johto region's gyms so it won't even be out of your way. If you do me this favor, you'll be killing two birds with one stone. You can get this ball to Kurt for me, and you can compete in the Silver Conference," Professor Oak replied.

Ash looked back down to the G.S. ball. It did sound like a really good deal. Ash was beginning to get as curious about the G.S. ball as Professor Oak was. However, he didn't want to make the decision all by himself. He turned to Serena, Misty, Brock, and Tracey before he spoke again.

"Hey, guys. I think Professor Oak gave us a good idea. Are all of you okay with following Gary and Leaf to the Johto region?" he inquired.

"Count me in. I hear there is a festival there called the Whirl Cup which is designed specifically for water-type Pokemon. That will be great for me," Misty replied.

"My mom showed me that they are starting Pokemon performances there. Also, that's where Aria was supposed to travel to next. I'm fine with it," Serena stated.

"Actually, count me out. I-I-I'm staying here to be Professor Oak's assistant like Daisy!" Tracey said.

"Wait. You are?" Ash questioned as he and the others looked at Tracey.

"Yes. Tracey and I had a discussion about it last night. It took him a while to build up the courage to ask me. Now I can have an extra hand in case Daisy isn't here. It will be quite a load off of me," Professor Oak smiled.

"I see," Ash said, a little despondent that Tracey wasn't going to go with him. He had come to like the Pokemon Watcher. "Well, that's no problem Tracey. I know it's what you want, and that's good enough for me. The three of us will get along just fine!"

"Wait, the three of you?" Brock asked as he rubbed his chin. "I'm not so sure that will do. There's no telling what's in the Johto region. You'll need someone there to make sure you eat right and sleep right. I guess I'll have to go with you."

"Seriously?!" Ash asked in surprise.

"You betcha! It'll be just like old times! The Brockster is back!" Brock grinned as he grabbed Ash, Serena, and Misty in a group hug.

The others couldn't help but beam in response. Brock had definitely been the big brother figure to all of them when they were in Kanto. They, especially Ash and Serena, had no idea how to properly care for themselves at the time. Brock was just going to start teaching Ash until he decided to stay with Professor Ivy. Now that he was coming back, Ash could learn from Brock just like he wanted. Even though Tracey wasn't coming, it was still awesome that Brock was.

"That's so great, Brock. I'm glad you're coming," Serena smiled.

"Oh yeah. Look out because we're all heading west to Johto!" Brock stated.

At that, Ash turned back to Professor Oak and Daisy. "Alright. We'll do it, Professor. We'll deliver it safe and sound to Kurt! It looks like we're going to the Johto region!"

"That sounds great, but…how do we get there?" Misty wondered.

"Hmm…I actually wanted to mention something about that to you," Professor Oak said as he pulled out a map and lay it across a desk for the group to see.

"This is a map of the Kanto and Johto region," Professor Oak stated. He then pointed to a cave looking structure in the bottom middle of the map. "This is Tohjo Falls. It's a famous landmark that divides the Kanto and Johto regions. You'll need to go through there to get to the Johto region."

"Sounds simple enough," Ash shrugged. "What's wrong with that?"

"Well, up until a year ago, nothing," Professor Oak responded. "However, there have been a lot of strange occurrences there. Some trainers have been reported missing when they enter, only for them to turn up a few days later with their memories wiped clean. They can't remember anything, and some have even had to be put in a mental institution."

"Wait. What?" Ash asked as he and the others got a puzzled look on their face.

"That's right. Not to mention there are several claw marks that have appeared on the cave walls. Some say that a ghost lives there," Daisy jumped in this time.

"Like…a ghost Pokemon?" Ash wondered.

"No, Ash. Not like a ghost Pokemon," Professor Oak replied gravely.

"That's silly! That can't be true! Why in the world would a ghost live in Tohjo Falls?" Misty frowned as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Hold on, Misty. Maybe we should…hear a little about this," Serena said apprehensively.

"You don't actually believe this, do you?" Misty questioned.

"Well…," Serena trailed, and Misty gave a sigh before she turned to Ash and Brock.

"How about you two?" Misty asked.

"Heheheh. I'm not afraid of a ghost," Ash said, though his tone suggested otherwise. "Still, I don't think it would hurt to borrow Professor Oak's car and…,"

"Oh, brother," Misty muttered. She didn't believe in some dumb ghost story. Who ever heard of something as bizarre as a ghost with sharp claws?

"My grandson, Gary, didn't seem concerned when I told him the rumors, and Leaf said she wasn't scared as long as Gary was with her," Professor Oak added.

Ash looked down in thought. There was a chance this rumor was just completely bogus. If that was the case, he would be considered a wimp, and that wouldn't do. If the rumor turned out to be true, however, it would just be another obstacle for him to overcome. He was going to be a Pokemon Master! Like Misty said, he couldn't let a ghost story stop him! They've dealt with worse things than this before.

"Well, we'll just have to be extra careful," Ash stated as he adjusted his cap. "If there really is a ghost there, we'll have our Pokemon to protect us."

"I thought you would say that. Just keep what I said in mind," Professor Oak nodded.

"Right," Ash replied.

Serena, however, wasn't so sure. She wasn't a huge believer of ghost stories like that, either, but she had a bad feeling about this one. If she heard this from someone her age, she wouldn't have believed it. Professor Oak, however, was a highly intelligent man and wasn't the type to throw around a strange rumor like that if he didn't honestly believe it. He must've had someone verify it for him. Whether it was one hundred percent accurate or not, Serena wasn't sure, but deep down, she was sure there was a bit of truth to what Professor Oak told them. She prayed that whatever it was, they wouldn't have to encounter it.

* * *

It was fortunate that the day had such beautiful weather. The sun shone brightly, the temperature was perfect, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. In short, it was the perfect day for one to start their journey again.

Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock stood in a group on one end, and Professor Oak, Daisy, Delia, Tracey, and Grace stood on the other. Delia and Grace had a look of sadness on their face. They wished their kids had stayed for a lot longer, but they understood. It was part of a Pokemon journey. It was what was best, and they had to keep moving.

"Now, Ash, you're going somewhere none of you are familiar with. I want you to be very careful, and if you see any ghosts, come straight home!" Delia told her son. She had been informed of the rumors, too.

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Delia," Professor Oak said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Fine. At the very least, remember to change…," Delia started again, but Ash interrupted her.

"Don't worry, Mom. I got it. I promise I will," Ash chuckled as he shifted his backpack. Same old Mom.

"Serena, I'm so happy you've found your dream. I know you'll do great. You'll be just as famous at performances as I was at Rhyhorn Racing. I look forward to you coming home as a celebrity of the Johto region," Grace said.

"Heheh, thanks, Mom, but I don't think I'll be a celebrity," Serena giggled.

"Now don't say that. I have every bit of faith in you, Serena. It took a while, but you'll do great at anything you set your mind to. Your experience at the Battle Chateau proved that," Grace stated.

"Okay, Mom. I'll do it," Serena replied.

"Also," Professor Oak mentioned as he crossed his arms. "Are you sure you each only want to take three Pokemon with you?"

"That's right, Professor," Ash nodded. "I haven't got spend as much time with Snorlax and Lapras as my other Pokemon so I'm only bringing them along with Pikachu. It will also free up my space to catch some cool Pokemon in Johto."

"Same with me," Serena replied with a smile. "I was only going to take Fennekin and Poliwag, but Cubone begged me to come along, too. I just couldn't say no to that face."

"I see. I understand how you both want to start somewhat fresh as you travel to a new region. Just make sure to not forget your other Pokemon who are here," Professor Oak told them.

"Right. We'll regularly switch our Pokemon out. I can't let them get rusty after all the hard work we did in the Orange League," Ash said.

"I'll need to switch them out depending on whether I'm battling or performing," Serena agreed.

"Alright then. I look forward to hearing about everything you encounter in Johto," Professor Oak nodded before he looked over to Serena. "One more thing, your egg will be relatively close to hatching fairly soon. I'll be sure to call you when that time comes."

"Great!" Serena beamed before she asked, "Do you know what's inside of it?"

"I do, but it wouldn't be fun if I spoiled that for you," Professor Oak laughed.

Serena made a slight pouting face but she understood. She was going to find out what was inside of it soon enough.

"Just please be careful, Ash. Try to stay out of trouble," Delia said.

"Right. I will," Ash replied automatically, but Delia stopped him.

"I'm serious, Ash. I don't know what it is, but you always seem to get into a lot of trouble when you go off on your own, and that worries me tremendously. Promise me that if things get dangerous, you'll stay away from it," Delia said sternly.

Ash looked down at that. She did have a point that he seemed to be a magnet for trouble. He still remembered how his mom had been scared half to death when he was saving the world in the Orange Islands. It was bad enough that she was by herself and had to worry about his dad with whatever he did, but Ash knew that he only made it worse when he got himself into bad situations like that.

"Mom, I promise. I'll stay out of trouble," Ash said but inwardly grimaced. He hoped he could keep that promise.

"Okay, Ash. I trust you," Delia nodded.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Ketchum. They'll have me this time," Brock reassured. "I'll help Ash and the rest with everything. It's the least I can do for giving me a place to stay for a while."

"Thank you, Brock. It was a pleasure having you stay with me and helping out. Still, I know you're better with Ash, and I'm sure Mimey will be happy to take over all of the chores again," Delia replied.

"Well, I guess we better be off," Ash figured as he turned the other way to leave and looked over his shoulder to Tracey. "Hey, Tracey. Make sure to visit my mom and Mrs. Gabena so they don't get lonely."

"You got it, Ash," Tracey responded with a smile.

"Give my regards to Kurt when you see him, too," Professor Oak reminded.

"No problem, Professor. I won't forget," Ash promised.

"I promise to remind him," Misty smirked while Ash frowned at her.

"So I guess it's goodbye for now, Pallet Town," Brock guessed as they set off.

"I'll be back real soon with a trophy!" Ash called.

"You just bring yourself back, Ash! That's the only prize I want!" Delia yelled back as a few tears came to eyes.

"I'm proud of you no matter what you do, Serena. Always remember that!" Grace added as she shouted after her daughter.

"Thank you, Mom. I'll do you real proud at my performances, though" Serena replied as she waved.

The group left as the friends and family they left behind in Pallet Town continued to watch until they were out of sight. Once they were, Delia wiped her eyes. She was definitely going to miss her son, but he promised that he would come home safe and sound. She was so proud of him. When he was compared like that, he was no different from his father or Silver. Based on what Ash told her, Silver was still out there somewhere becoming the best Pokemon trainer he could be. She had a secret fantasy in her heart that the two could meet one day and be best friends.

* * *

"So this is Tohjo Falls, huh?" Ash guessed as he and the rest stood outside from what looked like a large cave structure.

It had already been a day since they left Pallet Town, and it was a little weird for Ash and Serena to think how close the Johto region was to them the whole time. They hadn't traveled long at all, and they were already at the dividing point between the two regions.

Tohjo Falls proved to be quite a landmark, too. It was the tallest waterfall around, and the group had to crane their necks upward to see the top. What parts of the waterfall didn't fall on the inside of the cave instead fell out of a large opening on the outside and spilled into a beautiful lake beside it. They could hear the sound of Pidgey chirping in the trees near them. If anything, Tohjo Falls proved to be rather peaceful, and nothing at all like it housed a ghost.

"According to the guidebook, and the huge waterfall here, yeah. I'd say so," Brock replied as he thumbed through it.

The group couldn't help but smile at that. When Brock was traveling around with them in the Kanto region, he always was the go to person for directions and advice. It appeared he wasted no time in fitting himself back into that role. It was another one of the things the group missed about having Brock around.

"So it's not possible to go around it?" Serena hoped.

"Well, we could, but Tohjo Falls is huge. It would be a good four days out of our way. Two extra days to get to the edge, two more to make a half circle," Brock answered with a shrug.

Serena looked down at the ground when Brock said that. The truth was, she believed the extra four days was worth it as long as they were safe. The others must've known what she was thinking as they all gave her a curious look, even Pikachu and Togepi.

"This isn't like you, Serena. Ever since we started traveling the Orange Islands, you've been just as adventurous as Ash. Do you really think that ghost story that Professor Oak told us is true?" Misty asked while she folded her arms.

"Well…," Serena muttered, not finishing her sentence.

Ash stepped up to Serena and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. As she looked up, he had such a warm smile on his face. Serena's heart always lifted when he looked at her like that.

"Alright, Serena. If you truly are afraid of going in there, we can take the long way. What's a few days out of our way as long as we're safe," he smiled.

"Seriously?! You never did that for me!" Misty suddenly complained.

Serena looked away when Ash said that, unable to meet his gaze anymore. What Misty had just said did hold a lot of truth to it. When they first started traveling with Misty, Ash had opted to just simply leave her behind several times in Viridian Forest since she didn't want to venture any further. Now, here he was, offering to go the long way even though he and the others knew it would cost them precious time. A Pokemon Master always tried to get through places as fast as possible.

Serena could tell that Ash really meant what he said to her. She didn't know if it was because she was his girlfriend or if he had just matured into a more patient person. It could've been a combination of the two, but it didn't ease Serena's guilt. She was being a burden, and she knew it. That's the last thing she wanted was to inconvenience anyone. It was always a weakness of hers…for better or worse.

"No. I'm sorry. I don't want to trouble you guys with my fears like that. There's nothing proving that what Professor Oak told us is true," Serena muttered apologetically as she gripped her shoulders, still not meeting Ash's eyes.

"Serena…," Ash trailed, but Serena stopped him by forcing a bright smile on her face.

"Really, Ash! I'm fine. I have you, Brock, Misty, and all of our Pokemon. There's nothing to be afraid of. Even if there is a ghost, we can handle it!" Serena grinned as she looked at Ash, but he could tell it was forced.

"Well, we're not going to get anywhere if we don't make a decision soon. I'd prefer to make it through Tohjo Falls before dark. What's it going to be?" Brock asked them.

"We'll go through Tohjo Falls," Ash decided as he turned away from Serena to look at Misty and Brock. "Let's just be careful. Serena doesn't get scared over just anything."

"Really, Ash. I…," Serena started.

"It's okay, Serena. There's nothing wrong with a little caution. If we don't run into any ghost, well, all the better! We can have a good laugh later about it!" Ash told her with a smile.

Serena finally nodded her head. "Alright. Thank you, Ash."

"Well, guys. Let's do it! We're taking our first step out of Kanto into a new region once again!" Brock stated.

With that, the group went through the tunnel entrance to Tohjo Falls, and they were immediately greeted by darkness. There was still plenty of light, however, from both the outside and gem stones that were embedded in the rocky walls. They glowed beautifully, and it really gave Tohjo Falls a majestic look on the inside. They could even hear the roar of the giant waterfall off in the distance. The group, even Serena, felt instantly relaxed at this sight and decided to enjoy the scenery.

"Heh. I'm surprised not a lot people come here. It would make quite a tourist attraction," Misty commented.

"It says here in the guidebook that miners used to come here a lot for the gems, but they ultimately stopped because they were hurting the habitat of the Pokemon that lived here," Brock responded, always having a wealth of trivial knowledge.

"It sort of reminds me of what it was like on Mt Moon all that time ago," Misty said thoughtfully

As Serena took in the sight and listened to the casual conversation next to her, she began to realize how silly she had been. They had been to much more dangerous places than Tohjo Falls. If anything, this place seemed the opposite of dangerous and scary. She didn't quite know why she had a bad feeling about this place, but it was gone now. Serena knew that the warning had come from an intelligent man like Professor Oak, but even he hadn't been here to see the rumor himself.

"Feeling better, Serena?" Ash asked her.

"Yes, Ash. A lot better! It's so beautiful in here. Sorry I was thinking about us taking the long way earlier," Serena said apologetically.

"That reminds me of what I said earlier. If I had been the one to not want to come here instead of Serena, would you've listened to me?" Misty inquired Ash as she narrowed her eyes.

"Uh, yeah! Of course! We would never leave you behind now! Your decisions count, too, Misty!" Ash replied, but Misty didn't like the way he said it rather hurriedly.

"Now what just a minute here! What do you mean by that!?" Misty yelled as she got in Ash's face.

"I meant what I said! It's just I had to think for a second!" Ash responded as he waved his hands in front of his face.

"What do mean by you had to think?!" Misty growled before she smiled deviously and grabbed Ash by the arm and began to twist it. "Say, Uncle!"

"Uncle! I was just kidding, Misty!" Ash cried, but he had started laughing by now, though he was in pain

Brock and Serena couldn't help but laugh themselves at Ash and Misty's antics. They fought with each other more than anyone they knew combined, but they were still friends. They were rarely serious in their arguments anymore. It was times like this that they were glad they traveled together. The group had now reached the point where they weren't even thinking about a so-called ghost anymore.

Unbeknownst to them, a figure had been alerted by the noises the group was making. It was far away, but it had excellent hearing. It hissed threateningly and narrowed its eyes. It should take a look to see who had come to disturb its new home. If its instincts were correct, they would pay dearly…

* * *

"This seems like a nice place to have an early supper," Brock commented after a couple of hours.

"I like it. It's right next to the waterfall so we can have a nice view while we eat," Misty agreed.

Brock then set down his backpack and pulled out a large picnic cloth before he spread it out on the cave floor. He then began to set up various cooking utensils to prepare for the meal he was going to cook. Much to everyone's delight, Brock was going to make his famous stew. That was the first meal he promised them that they would eat out on the road.

"I think it's a good time to let our Pokemon get some exercise while we take a break," Ash suggested to which everyone agreed.

Soon, everyone's Pokemon was out of their pokeball which normally wouldn't be a problem if one didn't count Ash's Snorlax now part of the group. Though all it seemed to know how to do was eat and sleep, Snorlax was definitely not stupid. It knew that meal time was approaching when it saw Brock preparing cooking utensils. The fat Pokemon thudded over to Brock before it thumped down and awaited Brock to finish cooking. This made Brock more than a little weary.

"Uh, Snorlax? Could you maybe not watch me so intently? You'll get your share of food…I hope," Brock asked it.

"Yeah. Come on, Snorlax. Why don't you take a nice nap, and we'll wake you when the food's ready," Ash suggested, hoping it would take the Pokemon's mind away from its destructive eating habits.

"Snooooor," Snorlax mumbled as it seemed to contemplate Ash's offer. A nap did sound nice. It gave a huge yawn before it fell over backwards and was fast asleep within seconds. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at that. Ash knew he was going to have to figure out some way to accommodate his Snorlax's appetite. He couldn't use the nap trick forever.

Serena's Fennekin then lit the fire for the stew. Once it was done, it began to look around at the various jewels embedded within the cave walls, and its eyes sparkled at their beauty. It would really love to wear something like that in the future for its performances. Serena took notice of this and smiled down at the fox Pokemon.

"Would you like to take a look around Tohjo Falls with me, Fennekin? I bet we could find some good ideas for designs from the jewels," Serena suggested.

"Fennn!" it cried in delight.

"Great!" Serena replied before she turned back to the others. "Hey, we're going to do a little bit of exploring. We won't go far."

"Alright, Serena. I'll come get you when Brock's stew is ready," Ash told her.

"Sounds good, but you probably won't have to. The great smell will lure me back on its own," Serena giggled as she turned around to leave.

"Cubone bone!" Cubone cried as it ran after her.

"Oh? Do you want to come along, too, Cubone?" Serena asked it.

"Bone!" it nodded.

"Well, you're more than welcome to!" Serena smiled as the group of three turned around, only to find another Pokemon blocking their path, Serena's Poliwag.

The Pokemon gave an innocent look in its eyes as it looked pleadingly at Serena as if asking if it could go, too. This was one of the first times it was traveling around openly with its trainer, and it could use some bonding with her. It wasn't ready to simply listen yet to her, though. Poliwag then sweat dropped when it saw Serena, Cubone, and Fennekin looking suspiciously at it.

"Hmm…I don't know," Serena muttered as she appeared to be in thought.

"Poli?" Poliwag pleaded again as it made its eyes look as adorable as possible. Nobody was fooled by this act anymore.

"How do we know you aren't up to any funny business?" Serena questioned.

Poliwag went to show that it wasn't crossing its fingers or anything of the sort, only to realize it didn't have any yet. It chuckled nervously while everyone continued to stare at it. They clearly weren't amused. After a while, Serena sighed.

"Alright. You can come. Just no funny business," Serena told it firmly.

"Poli!" Poliwag nodded happily before it jumped into Serena's arms and snuggled into her bosom. Serena rolled her eyes while Fennekin and Cubone glared it. The tadpole Pokemon was being such a suck up right now to get what it wants. It truly was an unlikable Pokemon.

"Anyway, we'll be back soon," Serena called to the others as she set off with her group three others now.

As they left, Poliwag took its face out of Serena's stomach and smirked at Fennekin and Cubone. The two Pokemon almost seemed to have tic marks form on their heads. Their fiery tempers really were telling them to pound this troll into oblivion, but their consciences were telling them not to. The two ultimately decided to just turn away and ignore it. They would be keeping a close eye on it, though.

* * *

The group made of one girl and three Pokemon had been walking around for about ten minutes now. They weren't worried about the time as Brock's stew normally took around thirty minutes to make so they had plenty of time. Serena had her Pokegear with her so she could check the time in case she was gone too long. They ended up walking behind the giant waterfall and had discovered a corridor there. Serena then looked at the others.

"It bet there are some really cool gems back here, guys! I say we take a look!" Serena smiled.

The three Pokemon nodded in agreement. They soon went down the corridor to explore some more. They had traveled a rather long distance away from the group, but they weren't lost. As long as they didn't take too many twists and turns, they would be fine. All they had to do was find the giant waterfall, and Ash, Misty, and Brock wouldn't be far.

As expected, the jewels really did seem to become even prettier as they trekked further in. Just like in some movie, all of the best were the ones that were hidden the most. Serena and Fennekin's eyes gleamed as they looked around at them. The two were really getting some great ideas. If they were able to mimic the designs of these gems and put them on their outfits, they would be winners for sure.

"Fenn!" Fennekin called out as it ran over to particularly large lime-colored one stuck in the ground.

"Check that out!" Serena smiled as she and Cubone followed it over. Poliwag stayed behind. It had no interest in that stuff.

Serena knelt down and smiled when she figured out she could actually see her reflection inside the figure. It was so clean and sparkled so bright. Fennekin looked up to Serena and nodded to her.

"So you like this one? Me, too. Let me just take a picture of it with my Pokegear, and we can use it for later," Serena said as she took out the device.

"Bone," Cubone commented

"Heehee! Don't worry Cubone. I'm sure we'll find something super cute for you, too!" Serena said while she and Fennekin giggled.

"Booooone," Cubone replied with a sweat drop. It didn't want to look super cute. It wanted to look tough!

"I'm just kidding, Cubone. I bet Fennekin and I could make you the coolest looking Pokemon around!" Serena smiled.

While all of this was going on, Poliwag made a gagging sound with its mouth and stuck its tongue out. What sissies! All this fascination over looking cute or cool? Who have a Raticate's butt about that?! Poliwag wanted to live life to the fullest and have fun doing it…even it had to tick a few people off in doing so. That's where the tadpole Pokemon found its thrills.

It made Poliwag even sick to look at this stuff. It purposely turned the opposite direction so it wouldn't have to see all of this girly girl stuff going on. It then leaped in surprise when it saw a pair of eyes staring back at it. Was it watching them this whole time? It was too far off to tell what it was, but they were definitely there.

"Poli. Poli," Poliwag called out to Serena, whose back was still turned.

"Hold on, Poliwag. I'm almost done," Serena replied without looking at it. It probably just wanted her to hurry up so they could move on, or so it could play a joke on her.

Poliwag turned back to where the pair of eyes were and saw that it was now moving towards them. A few growls and hisses were coming from the creature, and they didn't sound the least bit friendly. Poliwag grew even more afraid when it saw two more pairs of eyes appear behind the creature and start moving towards them, also.

Okay! It had to get Serena's attention now! Poliwag turned in Serena's direction and shot a Water Gun out of its mouth straight in her direction. Serena shrieked as the cold water splattered her backside, and she spun around to give Poliwag the angriest glare she could muster. Cubone and Fennekin turned, as well, to give Poliwag a piece of their mind.

"Poliwag! What are you…!?" Serena began, but stopped when she saw why Poliwag had done that.

Three pairs of evil eyes were staring back at them, and a fourth had just appeared behind them, and appeared to be the leader. Serena instantly felt fear as she stared back at the creatures. Were these the ghosts that they were warned about? Well, they didn't appear to be ghosts and looked more like Pokemon, but that didn't make them any less scary. Fennekin and Cubone jumped in front of Serena protectively and glared at the four pairs of eyes leering back at them.

"Wh-what do you want?" Serena called out.

She was surprised when a voice sounded from the furthest pair of eyes. There was no hiding of the malice in its voice as it spoke. It didn't answer her question, but it didn't have to with what it said.

"Heheheh. It's been a while, girl" it said darkly

Serena's eyes shot open as wide as they could when she heard the voice, and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. It couldn't be. It was a cold voice that she recognized all too well, despite being over a year. It belonged to someone whom they all thought was nothing but a horrible memory. It belonged to someone whom they thought they would never encounter again. Serena almost didn't want believe her ears as her lip began to quiver in fright. She tried to utter the name the voice belonged to, but was unable to. She was in too much shock.

"What's the matter? Persian got your tongue?" it sneered, and a threatening hiss sounded from one of the pairs of eyes for emphasis.

Cubone recognized the voice, too. It was extremely afraid, but it had to protect Serena. Fennekin and Poliwag weren't familiar with it, but they understood that whoever this figure is was no friend to Serena. They were about to fight, but Serena finally found her voice and screamed out to them.

"Don't fight! Let's just run!" she cried.

She and her Pokemon did just that as they turned and ran away from the horrible figures that were watching them. Serena almost wanted it to be a bad hallucination, and that there wasn't anything there. Soon, she and her Pokemon would be back safe and sound with Ash and the others, and everything would be just fine!

The pair of eyes that the voice belonged to narrowed as he watched them flee. "You're not going anywhere this time," it uttered in a sinister tone.

One of the figures let out an angry hiss and tore after them. It came out from the shadows and revealed itself to be a very powerful-looking Persian. It easily overran Serena and her Pokemon before it leaped in front of them and hissed threateningly. The four skidded to a halt now that their exit had been blocked.

Serena's fear multiplied tenfold when this happened. She began taking shaky and rapid breaths as she looked back and forth and saw there was no escape. A dangerous looking Persian was on one end, and three figures were blocking their path on the other. This wasn't happening. She just encountered one of the beings she least expected to, and in the worst way. Though Serena doubted she had a chance, she knew she would have to fight now.

"Fennekin, Cubone, Poliwag, get ready," she told them, though it was clear she was scared.

"Ha! What do your little cutesy toys hope to do against me?" the voice sneered.

With that, another figure stepped out the shadows and revealed itself. It was a Hypno. It gave a low utter and began to emit psychic waves straight at Serena and her Pokemon. They soon reached them, and Serena, Fennekin, and Cubone instantly felt their eyes droop as if they were going under some sort of spell. They were trying to fight it to the best of their ability, but the Hypno's Hypnosis attack was so strong.

As Serena began to lose consciousness, she began to think about Ash. She thought about the smile that she loved so much. She thought about his eyes and his infectious personality. She thought about Brock, Misty, Leaf, Tracey, and Gary, and what great friends they all were. She thought about her dream to be a Pokemon Performer, and how it would now probably never come to fruition. She was going to die here at the hands of the figure many of them feared the most. She, Fennekin, and Cubone soon fell to the ground, unconscious, and the figure let out an evil smirk at that.

Poliwag, meanwhile, had kept slapping itself with its own tail in a desperate attempt to keep itself from falling under the spell. Once Serena lost consciousness, the Hypno stopped it psychic waves, and the largest figure soon revealed itself, a Rhyperior. It gave a menacing growl as it stomped towards the helpless group.

Poliwag knew the situation was bad and had to get out of here fast! It had to get back to the others and alert them of the danger! Would they even believe it?! Poliwag didn't care! It would make them believe it! Poliwag turned and resumed running as fast as its short feet would let it go. The Persian was caught off guard by this as it watched the tadpole Pokemon run past it. The last figure voice brought it back to its senses.

"After it. Don't let it get away. You know what to do," it uttered.

The Persian sprang into action and pursued the Poliwag. The tadpole Pokemon was frightened beyond words as the Persian chased it. There was no way it was going to outrun this thing. It was the prey and Persian was the predator. The classy cat was out to kill and not simply capture. The Persian was gaining on it fast! It had to find shelter! As Poliwag glanced wildly around for anywhere to escape, its eyes soon found a small opening that was just big enough for it to squeeze through.

Poliwag made a beeline straight for the small opening as it ran for its life. It could hear the Persian's heavy footsteps getting even closer. It was almost there, but the Persian was getting closer! Poliwag began to sweat bullets as it tried its hardest to get there. Come on!

The Persian narrowed its eyes when it saw what Poliwag was doing. It picked up its speed even faster. Soon, it would run this Pokemon through with its sharp claws, and teach it a lesson for trying to get away. It might even make a nice meal.

Poliwag was almost there! It was about to go in, but the Persian was only seconds away, and the classy cat sprang at the Poliwag with its claws outstretched. Poliwag knew its doom was imminent as it saw Persian's shadow cover its vision. No! It couldn't end this way! It was so close!

Poliwag gave an agonizing scream as the Persian pounced on it.

* * *

"Hey, Serena! Brock's stew is ready!" Ash called out over his shoulder.

The raven-haired boy could hardly contain his excitement at tasting Brock's cooking again. It was rather bold of him to say this, but it was just as good as his mom's, and that was saying something. Ash's mouth watered as the aroma of Brock's stew filled his nostrils. He felt like he could have three or four bowlfuls if there was enough. Despite this, Ash's first priority was to make sure Serena heard him. Upon receiving no answer, Ash called out to her again.

"Hey, Serena! Supper's ready!" he said a little louder.

"She's probably on her way back, Ash. You don't have to scare away the wild Pokemon in the area," Misty told him.

"I know. I just remembered Serena saying she wouldn't go far. I thought she would at least be close enough to hear me," Ash replied.

"Serena has her Pokemon with her as well as her Pokegear, Ash. I'm sure she's just fine," Brock reassured as he made a bowl of stew for Ash.

"Pikachu. Can you pick up on Serena, anywhere?" Ash asked it, regardless.

Pikachu perked its ears up and listened to its surroundings. It had known Serena just as long as Ash and could tell her scent or footsteps a mile away. If she was nearby, it would know. The yellow rodent listened for about thirty seconds before it hung its ears and shook its head at its trainer. Ash frowned and stood up.

"Guys, you all go ahead and start. I'll go find Serena," Ash said. He was hungry, but he was more concerned with Serena.

"It's great that you're concerned with Serena, but Tohjo Falls isn't a dangerous place," Misty rebutted.

"Well, yeah. It's just…I don't know. The fact that Pikachu can't pick up on her anywhere has me nervous. I'm sure she just wandered off a little farther than she meant to, but I'll feel better once I know that was all it was," Ash responded.

"We gotcha, Ash. We'll be waiting here to watch our stuff while you're gone," Brock nodded.

"Alright. As soon as I at least know where Serena is, I'll come right back," Ash said before he turned to Pikachu. "Let's go, Pikachu."

"Pika, Pika!" the yellow rodent responded.

Ash then turned to his other two Pokemon, though one wouldn't really care one way or the other since it was asleep. "You want to come, Lapras?"

"Laaaaa!" it nodded.

"Thanks, Lapras," Ash replied as he returned it and Snorlax. "I'll be right back, guys."

"Hey. What's that?" Misty suddenly questioned as she pointed to the waterfall.

Brock and Ash followed her finger and tilted their heads in confusion. Something was flowing down the river quickly, but it was more than just a stick or large rock. Ash squinted his eyes before he gasped when he realized it was a Pokemon. This normally wouldn't bother him if not for the fact that it was motionless. Ash ran closer to the river flowing by to get a better look, and saw it was a Poliwag. Was it Serena's Poliwag?"

"Guys! I think this is Serena's Poliwag!" Ash called over to them.

This alarmed both Brock and Misty as they dropped their bowls of stew and ran over for a closer look. Whether it was Serena's Poliwag or not, it was still unconscious and about to go right by them if they didn't do something. The worst part was there was a trail of red behind it which only made the situation more dire that they retrieved it. Brock knelt down and scooped up the unconscious Poliwag from the tunnel river as it passed and held it gingerly in his arms.

Everyone gasped when they saw what horrible shape Poliwag was in. It had two large, gaping wounds in its backside that were bleeding profusely. It was taking short, rapid breaths similar to someone who had gone into shock. Closer inspection revealed to the group that this was indeed Serena's Poliwag. The worst part of all was that there was no Serena or any of her other Pokemon to accompany it.

"Oh my gosh. Poor Poliwag," Misty muttered.

"I have a Revive and Super Potion with me, but it will take a lot more than that to heal Poliwag with the wounds it has. We'll need to get to a Pokemon Center as soon as we can," Brock said gravely as he went to fetch the items.

Both Ash and Misty watched Serena's Poliwag in morbid curiosity. What on Earth could've done this to Poliwag? Tohjo Falls had proved to be quite a peaceful place so far. It didn't take genius to know that Poliwag didn't just have a simple accident. These wounds were very deliberate and were meant to cause harm to Poliwag or worse.

Brock came back a couple of seconds later with the medicine. He gently set Poliwag on the cave floor and put the Revive on a small spoon and tipped it into Poliwag's mouth. Brock then close the tadpole Pokemon's mouth and helped it swallow before he and the others waited for the results.

A few seconds later, Poliwag began spluttering as the Revive began to take effect. It then began to whimper at the huge amount of pain it was in. Brock immediately applied the Super Potion to Poliwag one he saw it was awake. Poliwag visibly relaxed when the Super Potion took the desired effect. It still felt very weak and was in a lot pain, but it could at least function now. The tadpole Pokemon fluttered its eyes open and saw the faces of Brock, Misty, Ash, Pikachu, and Togepi looking down on it.

"Hey, Poliwag? How are you feeling?" Brock asked it.

"Poliiii," it answered weakly.

"Listen, Poliwag. We need to know. How did you get like this and what happened to Serena?" Ash asked softly, yet his words were still filled with determination.

Poliwag began to think back to the events that had led up to this. It was traveling around Tohjo Falls with Serena and her other Pokemon. They had stopped to ogle at some stupid rock, and four pairs of scary eyes came up behind them. Serena clearly recognized the voice that came from one of them. A Hypno then used Hypnosis on all of them, but Poliwag managed to withstand it and flee for its life. A deadly Persian chased it until it found a small opening, but it just wasn't quite quick enough. It managed to make it into the hole, but not before the Persian had managed to sink its claws into it, which explained the agonizing pain in its backside right now. It then stumbled on along the water's edge as it tried to find Serena's friends, but it lost consciousness from the blood loss, and it just now woke up here. It must've fallen in the water and washed down here when it fainted.

"What happened to Serena? Is she okay?" Ash asked a little stronger this time.

"Easy on it, Ash," Misty whispered.

Poliwag then remembered its trainer's predicament. She had to be rescued. It hopped out of Brock's arms before it landed rather hard on the cave floor. It stumbled and hissed in pain once it did that, but it didn't care. It began to hop up and down and cry out frantically to let them know all wasn't well. Pikachu understood Poliwag and turned back frantically to the group.

"Pikapi! Pikachu!" it cried.

Poliwag then turned around and frantically motioned for the group to follow it.

"Serena's in trouble, guys! Let's go!" Ash called as he and the others took off after Poliwag, though they were moving a little slower than they would've like due to Poliwag's injuries. Whatever happened to Serena wasn't just a little trouble judging by what happened to Poliwag. What kind of trouble could Serena have ran into anyway? Was the story about the ghost true?

* * *

Serena's eyes fluttered open. Her vision was still a bit blurry from being knocked out. How had she been knocked out again? How long had she been out? Her head lolled to the side where she saw Fennekin and Cubone were waking up, too. Good. At least they were okay, but where was Poliwag?

Serena moaned as she sat up from the cave floor. It was then that she remembered that she was in Tohjo Falls, but why was she on the ground? The last thing she remembered was wandering around and doing some exploring. She had left Ash and the others and would be back momentarily. Nothing around here would've caused her to black out like that. Well, something had to. She and her Pokemon wouldn't just pass out for nothing.

A loud hiss snapped Serena out of her thoughts. Her head jerked forward, and she gasped when she saw a terrifying Persian in front of her. Its claws were extended, and it had an evil glint in its eyes like it was going to pounce on her at any given second. Next to it were two other Pokemon, and they were no less scary than the Persian was. One was towering Rhyperior which was menacingly spinning its horn and looked ready to drill Serena and her Pokemon right through, and the last was Hypno, whose eerie expression really sent shivers down Serena's spine. That's when it all came rushing back to her. She knew who caused this. It was..!

"Ah, it seems you're awake now," a cold low voice said.

Serena squinted her eyes as a figure was coming up behind the three Pokemon. He was covered in shadows so it was a bit hard to make out his features. One thing Serena could tell was that he was tall and slender and was wearing dark clothing and a black hat. Despite this, Serena's eyes narrowed as this man didn't need to reveal himself for Serena to know who he was. It was his voice and baleful presence that gave him away. Only one person could ever give off that feeling.

"Tell me, girl. Do you have any idea of who I am?" he asked.

Serena glared at that man in front of her. She heard a slight growl from beside her, and she turned and saw Cubone was gripping its bone tightly as it glared at the man, too. It was clear it recognized him, too. Fennekin didn't know who it was, but it was clear this man was no friend to its trainer.

"Yes. I know exactly who you are...Giovanni," Serena replied lowly.

"Heheh. Good. It saves explaining then," Giovanni said as his evil smirk grew wider.

Yes. It was in fact Giovanni. It was the cruel and evil man who had given the group so much grief while they were traveling around Kanto. He was the evil crime lord of the Team Rocket whom had committed many horrible deeds. He was the man who had tried to kill them on multiple occasions and kidnapped Ash's mother in order to lure them over to his trap. He was the man who was about to succeed in killing them all before Red, Blue, Yellow, and Rose arrived. He had been defeated in battle, though, and he had gotten away, seemingly to have vanished.

"I can't say I ever expected to see you again," Serena muttered, despite the fear she felt at the moment.

"Heheh. I can say the same. However, I know that if you're nearby, your little boyfriend is, too," the man replied.

"So?" Serena spat.

"Are you stupid, girl? In case you've forgotten, I would like nothing more than to see you all dead after what you did to me. It was because of all of you that I'm here, hiding away because I can't show myself in front of my underlings," the man growled.

Serena frowned. Yes. She remembered how Ash had battled this man six on six and won. After that, a fight had broken out between her and everyone else. They had managed to be victorious and was going to arrest him. Now. It was found out where he was this whole time. It was quite a shock.

"So what are you going to do with me?" Serena asked the man.

There was a slight pause before Giovanni gave his answer. "I'm going to kill you."

Serena gasped at that while Fennekin and Cubone sprang into action. They jumped protectively in front of their trainer and looked prepared to attack. At that, the three larger Pokemon growled to and loomed menacingly over the two smaller Pokemon, but they didn't care. They were going to protect Serena at all costs.

"Not yet, though," the man finished, seemingly unfazed by the fight about to break out. "I still need you for something."

"Wh-wh-what's that?" Serena stuttered.

"All you are right now…is bait for the one boy I truly want to see. Ash Ketchum," the man responded with a dark chuckle at the end.

Serena's eyes widened at. So he hadn't killed her yet so he could lure Ash in coming to save her. So she was just some damsel in distress right now? She had sworn to herself that she wouldn't be something like that anymore, yet here she was in front of the worst possible person.

"You won't stand a chance against Ash. He's beaten you once, and he'll beat you again," Serena muttered.

"I think not," Giovanni replied. "You see. I've become much stronger in the past year. I've been training nonstop, and I have a little something in store for you all to make sure he isn't too big of a problem."

"What are you talking about?" Serena asked.

"Ever since I went into hiding, I've been here, away from all society, completely humiliated at what had been done to me. I hated you and your group with every fiber of my being, and I wanted revenge. Who knew that it would come walking up to me just like you did?" the man explained.

He then turned and saw her Pokemon still in a defensive stance. How pathetic they looked to be in front of his own Pokemon.

"You might want to put those little toys of yours away, or something even worse will happen to you," he uttered dangerously.

"Fennekin, Cubone. Just leave it alone. Everything will be fine," Serena reassured.

The two Pokemon stared in surprise at Serena for ordering them to back down like this. Everything most certainly didn't look fine! However, because their trainer said so, they lowered the guard. Serena then gave a cry of horror when the Persian viciously swiped at her Pokemon for a Slash attack. The two Pokemon were caught off guard by this sneak attack and flew through the air before they were knocked against the wall and slumped to the ground.

"Fennekin! Cubone!" Serena cried as she got up to check on them.

The Persian gave another threatening hiss which immediately made Serena stop in her tracks. Serena gave another worried glance at her two Pokemon and wanted to check that they were okay. They were knocked out but at least appeared to be okay besides that. Even so, it did little to comfort Serena. She was now completely helpless.

"Don't worry. They aren't dead…yet," the man said darkly.

Serena's eyes watered at that as her fear began to show. Why was she in this? Why was this happening to her? She slowly sat back down, but didn't take her eyes off of the evil man in front of her.

"Allow me to tell you something interesting while we wait for your boyfriend to arrive," Giovanni grinned evilly to change to subject. "I've been hiding in here, because I've been waiting for something."

"Waiting…for what?" Serena asked timidly as she glanced around to make mental notes of possible escape routes. If she kept Giovanni talking, she might be able to get away when he didn't expect it.

"My little group was destroyed about a year ago. All thanks Ash Ketchum. I've been in hiding here ever since. I couldn't face my underlings after that humiliation. I've felt nothing but shame ever since. We had lost our former glory. Still, a part of me wants to believe that not all hope is lost," the man said darkly.

"What do you mean?" Serena wondered.

"I mean…I have a few…dedicated members of my group. I don't think they will just simply go along with me disbanding us like that. I have reason to believe my subordinates would like nothing more than to reclaim what was lost. If they can prove to me they still have the drive be what we were meant to be…I will gladly reform our group so we can rule over the region with an iron fist," the man explained before he gave a sinister laugh.

"So you're in hiding because you're a coward and want your underlings to do the dirty work before you dare show your face again, right?" Serena spat, though she didn't know what the man was referring to.

"You sure have a mouth on you. That part hasn't changed at least," the man said in disdain. "It's not like it should matter to you. You and your friends won't be around to see it."

Serena gritted her teeth at that as she felt something growing inside of her again. It was something that she hadn't felt for a very long time. A man she thought was never going to show up again had just found her in the most unlikely of places. What's more? It looked like he was still just as evil and crazy as he was the last time she saw him. He hadn't changed a bit. Only now, he had revenge on his mind, and it was directed at her and the others. She had to get out of here.

"You know what might be fun. What if Ash came to find you, only to realize you had no idea who he was?" Giovanni said sadistically.

Serena gave Giovanni a puzzled expression. "What?"

"You weren't the first person to discover me here inside Tohjo Falls, girl," Giovanni uttered. "I've had to take a few…precautionary measures to people who've found me. I couldn't have anyone blabbing that I'm hiding out here. That would give me unwanted attention."

At that, the Hypno came forward and let out a creepy smile. Serena felt another chill down her spine as she backed up against the wall. She soon realized that wasn't a very smart thing to do as she had effectively cornered herself.

Wait a second. Suddenly it all made sense. The so-called ghost of Tohjo Falls had to be Giovanni! She remembered how Professor Oak said some people had gone in there only to return several days later. Even when they did, they had no recollection of their time in Tohjo Falls. It was as if their memory had been completely wiped. If that was true, then…oh no. A look of horror came upon Serena as it dawned on her what Giovanni was about to do.

"I think you know why I have a Hypno, now, judging by your expression," Giovanni said as his smirk grew wider. "What better way to torture you and your group by doing this to you before he founds you. Seeing you as nothing more than a lifeless being before you die, and the hopelessness on Ash Ketchum's face will thrill me," Giovanni smirked.

"No. Don't!" Serena screamed.

Hypno began to emit psychic waves from its pendulum and they fed directly into Serena. The honey-blonde girl tried to look away, but there was some strange force that was forcing her to look. Already, she could fill parts of her mind slipping away, but she couldn't let that happen. There was no way she was going to forget anything!

She began to think and try to remember everything she could to fight the spell. Despite this, Hypno's psychic waves began to fight back even stronger. Serena began to grimace as she tried her hardest to fight it. The energy inside of her felt like it was growing even stronger. Serena then realized it was a feeling she hadn't felt in a very long time. In fact, it was something she hadn't felt since her last encounter with Giovanni. It wasn't long before the psychic waves began to feel like torture, and Serena gripped her temple at the pain.

She unknowingly began to have a blue aura surround her. Giovanni's eyes widened at this. It couldn't be, could it? How could he have been so stupid and forgot!? This girl had psychic powers just like Ash had the power of aura! It was fighting against Hypo's Hypnosis attack! The ground began to shake as Giovanni stumbled a little bit. Bits of rock began to fall from the wall. Giovanni grit his teeth at that? Was this girl causing this?

Serena, meanwhile, had tears come to her eyes as she felt more and more parts of her mind go away. She wasn't about to forget Ash. She could never forget him. He was the most important person in her life right now! He was the reason she was who she was today! There was no way this was going to happen! She couldn't forget Leaf, Misty, Brock, Calem, Gary, her Pokemon, or anyone in her family! She wasn't going to become another victim to Giovanni!

As much as she wanted to believe this, though, her mind was becoming more and more feeble. She didn't even notice the corridor around her was shaking. The power inside of her was reaching its strongest yet, despite this, but rather than be released, it was more like a caged wild Pokemon that wanted out of its prison but had no way to do so.

Serena's breaths became shallower and shallower. She was losing consciousness again, but she couldn't let that happen. If she fainted, it would be all over. She really wished Ash was here right now. He would be able to save her just like he always had done in the past. He was going to come anytime now! She'll see!

However, as the seconds ticked by, it was like an eternity to Serena, and still Ash wasn't here. Why wasn't he coming? Where was he? This couldn't be happening. The pressure inside Serena's head had grown to the point where it felt like it would explode, but it still wouldn't come.

"No," Serena whimpered as she felt the last of her consciousness leave her. It was then a flood of memories came to her, as if pleading in one last attempt to try to stay afloat, and then the energy that had been building inside of her was unleashed.

Serena's eyes shot open as s burst of blue energy erupted from her, which blasted the three Pokemon back. The man let out a cry of rage at that, but Serena couldn't have cared less. She was in so much shock at what had just happened. Did she just cause this? Was that the force she just felt inside of her? Another blue burst of energy came from her and this time struck the evil man. He was blasted off his feet and slammed against the cave wall.

Serena panted at the stream of memories. It was like everything was trying to be taken away from her, but that force she felt inside of her didn't let it happen. She was about to have forgotten everything: her friends, her family, her Pokemon. She would've been another victim.

A low groan caused Serena to glance to her left and saw the man and the three Pokemon slowly stirring. Serena then realized this was her chance. She needed to get out of here right away. Though she felt incredibly unstable with how her mind was acting right now, she could still make coherent thoughts. She jumped to her feet and returned Fennekin and Cubone to her pokeballs. She then gave a slight stumble before she ran as fast as she could away from the evil team.

Her mind was a mess right now, and her head felt like it was about to burst. What was that force that had just awakened in her? It felt oddly familiar, but what had even caused it. Was it because of that Hypno? Did it unintentionally awake whatever that was inside of her? Serena had her eyes shut tight and was covering her head with her hands as she ran through the Tohjo Falls corridor. As she ran, the corridor was beginning to collapse around her.

Unfortunately, Serena was too unstable and distracted to realize she was heading straight towards a drop. She only realized it at the last second and was unable to stop in time. Serena went tumbling over the edge and plummeted towards the water below. She let out a scream as she fell and saw the top of the cliff getting further and further away. She reached her hand up as if making a grab to an invisible place that she could grab on to.

So many things filled her head at the moment. She couldn't even process the situation. Then, all of a sudden, something blue erupted from her, and she had no idea what it was. So many people's faces came to mind, but she was drawing a blank each time. It didn't look like she was going to get that answer. Serena closed her eyes and just decided to accept her fate as her body became enveloped in a purple glow.

Giovanni had made it to the edge of the cliff just as a splash in the water came from down below. The dark man had to admit that what that girl did had startled him. It would appear that her psychic powers had come to her rescue yet again when she needed them most. She was too lucky for her own good. Still, it seemed like Hypno's Hypnosis attack had worked some, but not fully. She did appear really confused at the situation she was in.

The fact that she had gotten away was no loss. No person would've been able to survive that jump to the water below. The force most definitely had killed her on impact, and that was good enough for him. He couldn't have anyone knowing he was here…not yet. There would be a time, though, in the future, when he would have his perfect revenge. Giovanni and his three Pokemon then left the scene and made their way further back into Tohjo Falls. He had another victim to his Hypno.

* * *

" _Weeeee! This is fun!" a four year-old Serena cried in delight._

 _Serena was at her home in Vaniville Town riding her mother's Rhyhorn. Despite being a rather aggressive Pokemon by nature, this one was rather tame and understood to go extra slow and gentle with the young girl on its back._

 _"Are you having fun, Serena?" Grace called her daughter._

 _"Yeah! This is fun! I want to be a Rhyhorn Racer just like you when I grow up. Then I can have this much fun all the time!" Serena said brightly._

 _"Hahaha! Of course you will, dear!" Grace laughed before she added. "Your father doesn't seem to think so. He says you should do your own thing, but I can tell he hopes you'll do what he does."_

 _"He's really smart. Can I be as smart as he is one day?" Serena asked hopefully._

 _"Of course you can!" Grace smiled. "You can do anything you want to do if you really want it, Serena. Whether it's doing your own thing, becoming a Rhyhorn Racer like me, or like your father become a…"_

 _"I'm back!" a deep voice called in the distance._

 _Both Serena and her mother looked and saw Mr. Gabena approaching the driveway. He had a wide grin on his face as he waved to his family now that he was home from work. Of course, the two were elated to see him, but Serena was, especially._

 _"Daddy!" Serena cried happily as she leaped off the Rhyhorn, which earned a grimace from Grace at her daughter's reckless, and ran towards the man._

 _The man knelt down and outstretched his arms as he waited for his beloved daughter to run into them. Serena collided into him with the force of the Rhyhorn she had just been riding and gave him a big hug. He returned it before he picked her up and spun her around._

 _"Hi, princess!" he greeted and gave her a kiss on the cheek._

 _"Heehee! Your big hair is itchy!" Serena laughed. It always tickled when her father kissed her, but it didn't bother her at all._

 _"Welcome home, dear. How was work in Geosenge Town?" Grace asked him as she walked forward and pecked her husband on the lips._

 _"It went fine, Grace. I'm a little tired today so I'll tell you about it inside. I think you'll like what I have to say," Mr. Gabena smiled._

 _"Can I ride on your shoulders, Daddy?" Serena pleaded as she gave her father a cute smile despite the fact that he said he was tired._

 _"Ha! I'm a sucker for that smile! I can't ever say no to it," Mr. Gabena smiled as he placed Serena behind him on his shoulders and grabbed her legs for support._

 _"You really do spoil our daughter," Grace giggled._

 _"Heh. Maybe I do," the man smirked._

 _"I love you, Daddy," Serena said as she hugged his head from behind._

 _"I love you, too, princess," her father replied before the family of three made their way back inside the Gabena household._

XXX

 _"Hi. My name is Ash Ketchum! What's yours?" a seven year old Ash asked._

XXX

 _"Never give up until the end!" Ash said as he held out his hand for Serena to take._

 _Serena stared at the open gesture for a moment before she slipped her hand into Ash's. He then gave a hard tug and pulled Serena to her feet, but ended up pulling a little too hard. This caused Serena to fall against Ash's arms in a hug-like state. As Serena leaned against him, she found herself blushing._

XXX

 _"Hey, Leaf. This is my new friend, Serena!" Ash introduced._

 _"Hi, Serena! It's great to meet you!" Leaf said enthusiastically as she eagerly shook the shy girl's hand._

XXX

 _"So you're the new kid, huh? Well, I'm Gary Oak. You're in the presence of the world's best Pokemon trainer," Gary said arrogantly._

 _"Um…okay," Serena hesitantly replied._

XXX

 _The girl's intense glare softened a little, only a little. "Humph! Fine! My name's Misty," Misty said._

XXX

 _"Are you Brock?" Ash asked._

 _"I'm am," Brock confirmed._

 _Everything became a white light, and then nothingness…_

XXX

"Serena!" a voice called out.

Serena's eyes snapped open at the voice. She was still alive? She almost thought she would've died on impact from the fall to the water below. It was at least a fifty foot drop. Still, as she looked around, she could see Ash staring back at her. Her head was in his lap, and he had an extremely worried and upset expression on his face. Brock, Misty, Pikachu, Poliwag, and Togepi were off to the side and looked equally as concerned.

"Ash?" Serena mumbled.

"Yeah. It's me. Are you okay?" Ash asked frantically.

Serena thought back to the events that had just happened. The last thing she remembered was she was running away from someone. It had been someone who she was frightened of. It was someone who was out to kill her, but who? Her mind was coming up completely blank whenever she tried to picture the man's face and place a name.

Ash noticed her dazed look and continued. "Serena, what happened?" he inquired.

"Ash…I don't know," she muttered.

"What?" he questioned.

Serena sat up and started coughing as she looked at her surroundings. It appeared she was still somewhere in Tohjo Falls. A stream was running beside them, and Serena realized that was where she probably had washed up where everyone found her.

"How…how am I alive?" Serena mumbled to herself before she went into another coughing fit.

"It's okay, now. Just take it easy," Brock said.

Ash didn't like this one bit. Someone had done something to Serena and Poliwag. These were no accidents, and they were definitely connected. They were in too bad of shape for it to merely be a coincidence. There was some type of evil going on here. He had to know what was going on. He just couldn't let this go.

"Serena, who did this to you?" Ash inquired.

Once again, Serena's mind was drawing a complete blank. Why was it she couldn't remember who it was? One would think she would remember someone who was trying to kill her, but for some reason, she couldn't.

"I…I don't know," Serena mumbled as she stared at the ground.

Ash, Brock, and Misty exchanged glances at that. If they recalled, they did remember Professor Oak saying that some trainers who had ventured into Tohjo Falls had their memories completely wiped, but Serena still remembered who they were apparently.

"Can you remember anything at all?" Ash pressed.

"Ash, try not to push her," Misty warned.

"No…I can't," Serena muttered. What was wrong with her?

"We need to leave so Serena can get some rest and some medical attention," Brock suggested as he folded his arms. "Something isn't right about this place. I don't know if this is something as silly as a ghost, but there is definitely something that did this to Serena and Cubone. It's also clear that whatever did this didn't want to be found."

"What are you saying? We can't just let whatever did this to Serena go like that?" Ash stated with hint of anger in his voice.

"I agree with Brock, Ash. We don't have a clue what's back there, and whatever it might be is extremely dangerous. Just look at the state of what Poliwag and Serena were in when we found them. Who's to say the same thing won't happen to us, or worse?" Misty demanded.

Ash was about to argue, but Serena gently grabbed his arm. He turned towards Serena and saw how truly sad she looked at the moment. Her clothes were wrinkled and sopping wet from being in the water, and her long hair was disheveled and clung to parts of her skin. Her beautiful face had drips of water running down it, and her eyes held a very pleading tone to them. It was as if they were begging him not to go. Did whatever back there distress Serena that much?

"Please don't go, Ash. I don't remember what it is, but it was like a nightmare. I didn't think I would make it out alive," she muttered.

"Serena…," Ash started as tears came to his eyes.

"Please," Serena pleaded again rather weakly.

Ash gritted his teeth and wiped his eyes. It took every ounce of his willpower not to embrace Serena and tell her everything was okay now. She was just wanting to keep him safe and not experience what she did.

"Alright. I won't," Ash sighed before he nodded to Serena. "Can you stand?"

"I-I think so," Serena said before slowly got to her feet. She wobbled slightly, but was able to keep her balance thanks to Ash holding her hand.

That was when she suddenly grabbed her head and began screaming. Everyone around her looked in alarm as Serena fell to the ground. They grew even more concerned as her eyes began to glow blue, and an explosion of rock set off next to them. They jumped out of the way as bits of debris showered around them. What the heck was that?!

"Serena!" Ash shouted.

Serena didn't appear to be able to hear Ash, though. Her ESP was going out of control. She had no power of it. The group gasped as another explosion of rock came from them this time, and it felt like the whole room began to shake.

"Wh-what's happening?! What's Serena doing?!" Misty cried.

It looked like the whole room was about to fall around them, but it suddenly stopped. Serena stopped screaming and began panting heavily. Everyone looked on in fear at what had just transpired. What was that?

"S-serena?" Ash questioned.

Serena didn't answer as she continued to pant. It was like a build up of psychic power had built up inside of her and was suddenly released with the force of dynamite. The blue glow suddenly died down as Serena continued to shake in both fear and instability. What was going on? Why was this happening. Furthermore, why did she have those memories before Ash awoke her.

Ash suddenly had knelt down and grabbed Serena by the shoulders. It was hard to tell which of them were more terrified at he moment.

"Serena! What as that? You haven't even used your ESP in over a year. How could it build up like that?" he demanded.

"I-I don't know," Serena mumbled.

"Serena!" Ash shouted. This was not normal and Ash was determined to find out what it was.

"Ash, stop it!" Brock yelled as he pulled Ash off of Serena

Ash turned to glare at Brock before he turned and saw how scared Serena looked at the moment. He sighed at how hard he was being on her, but he was just worried. Ash took a deep breath to calm himself. Brock then sighed himself before he said his next sentence.

"New Bark Town will still be a week away once we leave Tohjo Falls, but there should still be a couple of Pokemon Centers along the way. Serena can rest there," Brock told them.

The rest of the group nodded. They wanted to make it out of this cave as fast as possible, especially Serena, lest what was after her would show itself again. Once they made it through, everything would be okay.

"Fine," Ash muttered before he turned and gave another worried glance at Serena.

"I'm okay now, Ash," Serena reassured.

Things weren't okay, though. Ever since she had woken up, Serena had felt really odd. All of that energy that had built up inside of her was still present. It was as if it wanted to continue to manifest inside of her, and rather than die down like it had when she first used her psychic powers. It was doing the exact opposite. If anything, it was getting stronger. The worst part was, it wasn't the positive kind of stronger. What happened to her?

Ash knew everything wasn't okay, too, and it wasn't because whatever Serena had forgotten what she had run into. He was sure Brock and Misty noticed it, too, but there was something rather off about Serena's behavior. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, though, but he hadn't said anything as she appeared quite a mess right now. Should he ask her about it later? Ash took a quick glance at Serena, and she appeared to have a troubled look on her face. Ash curled his hands into a gentle fist and almost looked ready to cry for her.

 _"Serena…I swear. I don't know what's wrong or who did this to you, but whatever it was, I'll make it pay,"_ Ash thought to himself.

* * *

 **A detailed analysis of Serena's condition will come up later in the arc. The problem is...if a release of ESP happened here in private...what's stopping it from happening in public. Serena may end up like Sabrina did if she lets her ESP take over. Hypno's psychic waves stimulated her mind, but that's only half of it. Serena's memories of the meetings of all her friends are part of it, as well as the what was the first mention of a certain character. What's going to happen now with it? Well...you'll see next chapter...sort of.**

 **The new poll is up! I purposely waited until this chapter to post it so a reveal of an evil character could be confirmed as he's part of the list...Giovanni! Like I said, this poll is really just for fun as I'm curious to see who you all think will die in this arc. It won't change my mind on who gets the most votes as the death has been planned beforehand. I will at least say it's one of the characters in the list.**

 **The next chapter goes into a more lighthearted tone and introduces characters I'm really excited to write about: Jimmy, Marina, Vincent (Jackson), and even Lyra! Crystal will appear as Marina and Lyra's mother, and Gold will appear as Jimmy's father. I think I've captured all of their personalities quite accurately.**

 **Sad to say, I still don't have a set update schedule as my real life is still unorganized right now. You guys will just have to keep a lookout for the next chapter. It should be out in early May. Until then, have a good one.**

 **Chapter Four: New Friends, New Rivals**


	4. New Friends, New Rivals

**A/N: I seriously don't think some people read my story before they leave a review. One that particularly sticks out to me is someone who left a review on the last chapter of the Orange Islands Arc. He told me that Serena is too perfect and needs to get jealous of Ash sometimes and be more indecisive. Seriously? I've lost count of how many times I've had Serena be jealous of Ash. There was even a whole arc about it. As far as being indecisive, take a look at all the chapters that involved her insecurities and fears. She's even been prone to bursts of rage before. Serena is definitely NOT perfect.**

 **With that out of the way, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I get to introduce some cool recurring characters as well as a nice twist at the end. I think I captured all of their personalities quite accurately. Here's to the first official start of the Jotho region with the entrance of New Bark Town! Let's do it!**

 **As far as Serena's illness goes, it will die down...for now that is...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Four: New Friends, New Rivals

It had been a rather rough week for the group with their journey from Tohjo Falls to New Bark Town. Serena's condition had improved ever so slightly the day after their venture into Tohjo Falls, and it continued to get better as the days went by. Despite this, Serena still was tiring out rather easily, and they had to make frequent stops so she could take a break. At the very least, she hadn't burst out into a fit of screams and explosive psychic energy since then. Serena assured them she would be fine, but Ash wasn't convinced. In fact, he inquired her about it one night when it was just the two of them.

XXX

 _"Serena, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ash asked._

 _It was late at night, and Brock and Misty had already gone to sleep. Pikachu was tucking in Togepi so they wouldn't be listening in, either. Ash trusted those two Pokemon with everything, as well as Brock and Misty. Here, though, he just wanted it to be him and Serena._

 _The honey-blonde girl was sitting by the campfire with a blanket around her because it was rather cool tonight. That was another thing that they all noticed was wrong. Serena was a lot more reserved and quiet than normal. It was almost similar to her personality when Ash first met her, but he knew better. This wasn't simply part of her personality. Something was definitely wrong and bothering her. She was a lot better than how she felt at Tohjo Falls, but she still wasn't at one hundred percent._

 _At Ash's question, she turned around and gave him a warm smile. "Of course, Ash," she replied._

 _"Thanks," Ash said as he sat down next to her._

 _"Would you like to share the blanket with me?" Serena asked as she held out a part for him to scoot into._

 _"Heh. No thanks. I'm good right now. The fire's keeping me warm," Ash chuckled. At least she hadn't lost her drive to cuddle with him._

 _"Oh. Okay," Serena replied before she went back to why Ash wanted to speak with her. "So what did you want to talk about?"_

 _"About you," Ash said. "Seriously, Serena. You're different ever since we were in Tohjo Falls, but you aren't sick. Tell me what's wrong."_

 _Serena cast her eyes downward at Ash's question. She should've known that this would pop up eventually. Ash, Misty, and Brock weren't stupid so they all knew something was wrong. It's just Ash had been the first one who had enough, but it wasn't surprising. If something was making her hurt, then he would go through everything to find out what it was and take care of it. That's what Serena was afraid of, however. Still, she couldn't bring herself to lie to him after he asked her a direct question like that._

 _"I really don't know, Ash. I wish I could remember how I became like this, but I can't," Serena sighed._

 _"I know, but I'm not worried about how you became like this anymore. I just want to know what's wrong," Ash stated seriously._

 _Serena sighed again. How should she put this? The night they had left Tohjo Falls, she had startled them quite badly when her whole body glowed blue, and she started screaming and almost caused the cave to collapse. It was a sign that her ESP was awake at the moment, but why? It was different in the case of Ash's aura. This wasn't the comforting kind of blue glow. It looked rather unstable. Then…it was gone just as quickly as it came. Thankfully, it hadn't happened since then, and her conditions been improving, but still…_

 _"It's my ESP, Ash," Serena finally answered. "Ever since I awoke in Tohjo's Falls, I've felt it inside of me, and I've had a really hard time suppressing it. It's like it's trying everything it can to break free and be used, but I don't want to use it. It's been growing weaker and weaker as the week's gone on, but it's just the fact that it won't go away completely that bothers me."_

 _"What on Earth could've done that to you?" Ash inquired._

 _"I don't know…as usual," Serena muttered. "I just don't think it was intentional, though."_

 _"Intentional? What do you mean?" Ash wondered as he got a confused look on his face._

 _"I mean…something evil did this to me in Tohjo Falls, and it succeeded in wiping my memory of who it was, but maybe while it was wiping my memory, it accidentally stirred the psychic power in me," Serena muttered._

 _"Now we're getting somewhere," Ash nodded._

 _"I still don't know what it was," Serena sighed._

 _"No, but we know someone who will know," Ash stated before he gave his answer. "Ms. Yellow."_

 _Serena looked over at Ash. That's right. Yellow was an ESP user just like she was. The woman was close to both of their families so she would be more than happy to help Serena if she was having trouble. It would definitely help to confide in Yellow. Though Serena had no idea what had did this to her, Yellow might have an idea as well as an explanation if it was harmful or not._

 _"Alright. I promise I'll talk to her…just not yet. I'm feeling a lot better, Ash. Really. I bet tomorrow, I'll be back to my old self!" Serena said, and gave Ash a bright smile for emphasis._

 _Ash frowned. It wasn't the answer he was hoping for. Still, he couldn't force Serena to do something she didn't feel like doing. He didn't like this particular decision, but Serena could still make her own decisions. In the end, he still trusted her judgment. If she believed that whatever she was feeling warranted a call to Yellow, she would do it._

 _"Alright," Ash nodded before he added. "Just promise me that if you ever feel weird like this again that you will tell me about it and that you'll find help."_

 _"Okay, Ash. I promise," Serena replied._

 _"Good," Ash responded before he blushed a slight red. "Actually, I am feeling a little cold right now. I could use some of that blanket."_

 _"Heehee. Of course, Ash. I'm more than happy to share my blanket with you," Serena giggled as she opened it up and allowed Ash to scoot in next to her. She then pulled the blanket around him and they were huddled up next to each other in front of the campfire._

 _For a while, they just watched it silently, but they were content with that. They said what needed to be said tonight. Serena eventually let her head rest on Ash's shoulder. As she did so, Ash was once again brought back to what Serena told him. She claimed she was feeling better, but what if it just wasn't to scare him? If she really did feel this way again, would she really tell him and find help or would she bottle it up inside of her? He hoped that wasn't the case._

 _Serena herself hoped this wouldn't happen again. It was so unusual for her psychic powers to want to awaken this badly. Was she just perhaps developing them earlier than expected, or was whatever had done this to her sped things up? It was dying out now, but would it return in the future since it's happened once already? What's more? What if it happened in a public area?  
_

 _XXX_

That had been two days ago, and it seemed as though Serena had told the truth. She was back to her old self and showed no signs that she ever feeling unwell. Brock and Misty seemed to have accepted that and went back to treating Serena normally. Ash, however, was a little more reluctant and had to have a little more coaxing from Serena that she was fine now. Still, he couldn't push away the lingering thought that this wasn't the last time she would be like this. Serena secretly had that thought, as well.

Despite all of this, the group had still managed to keep traveling, and now, they had reached New Bark Town, where winds of a new beginning blow. It made sense, too, as it held the famous Elm Pokemon Lab where new trainers of the Johto region would register for the Johto League and pick out their first Pokemon for their journey.

"Ah, New Bark Town. We finally made it," Ash said as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"We're officially in the Johto region now. Our new adventure is about to begin," Misty stated.

"New goals and new Pokemon," Serena added.

"New ways for me to raise Pokemon…and new pretty girls," Brock uttered as he turned a slight pink at the last statement.

"Well, you sure got over Professor Ivy fast," Misty muttered before she quickly covered her mouth.

"That…name…ughhh," Brock moaned as he assumed the fetal position and shivered.

"I take back what I said. You haven't," Misty said with a sweat drop.

"Ugggghhhh," Brock moaned again.

"Cheer up, Brock. You still have all of us. We'll never leave you, and we love you," Serena smiled as she crouched down and patted the pitiful teen on his head.

Ash, meanwhile, wasn't paying too much attention to Brock's silly quirk right now. He was staring off at the town below them on a hill. So that was New Bark Town. When Ash squinted, he could make out a rather large building among the others which he figured was the Elm Pokemon Lab. That should definitely be their first stop.

Ash smiled in contentment and closed his eyes. He could practically feel all the new and exciting challenges that were awaiting him. He could almost hear the roar of the crowd as they rooted for him at the Silver Conference. It was all going to start here.

"You smell that, Pikachu? It smells like victory," Ash told it.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu agreed as it took a quick sniff of the fresh air.

"Are you ready for the Johto league, buddy? We'll make sure to win first place here just like we won the Orange League," Ash said.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried with a nod.

"Look out, Johto League! I'm here to take you on by storm!" Ash shouted, now that he and Pikachu were pumped up.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, as well.

"Wow. Ash is excited," Misty commented as she watched.

"Of course he is. This will be a brand new experience for all of us," Brock reasoned as he crossed his arms. He had since gotten over the incident with Professor Ivy's name.

Serena had to agree. They had a hard time getting here, but now that they were, good things could only come now. They were away from the terrible Tohjo Falls, and there weren't any other supposed 'haunted' places in Johto that they knew of. Yes. Everything was going to be okay now. They were all going to have fun here and make their dreams come true. It was the start of a new adventure.

* * *

The group had managed to find the Elm Pokemon Lab with little trouble. It was, after all, the biggest building in the city. They hadn't personally met Professor Elm before, but they had heard about him from Professor Oak. He was supposedly one of Professor Oak's best students in his youth and specialized in Pokemon evolution as opposed to Professor Oak's study of Pokemon and human relations and Professor Ivy's study of Pokemon physiology.

"So…do we knock or just go right on in?" Ash questioned as they stood in front of the door.

"Well, this sign does say 'Welcome to Elm Pokemon Lab. Please feel free to come in and hear about my research at any time'," Serena replied as she pointed to a sign on the side of the door.

"It sounds like Professor Elm likes to talk about his research," Misty guessed.

"I'd be interested in them, too. I say we do what the sign says and go in. The door isn't locked," Brock figured as he jiggled the door handle a little to find out.

The group then opened the set of double doors and stepped foot into the Pokemon Lab. The first thing they noticed is that the lab was pretty barren. There were no sounds of anyone or anything going on here. They would've thought no one was here if it wasn't for the fact that the door was unlocked. Surely Professor Elm would've heard them come in or seen them on some sort of monitor.

"Ummm…," Serena uttered as they stepped a little further into the lab and inspected all the gadgets and machines inside.

"Excuse me!" Ash suddenly called out.

"Ash!" Misty scolded.

"What? It's not like we're in a library and have to be quiet," Ash retorted.

"Professor Elm could be in the middle of something really important. I mean…it wasn't like he was expecting us to come," Misty argued.

"It's fine, guys. Let's just take a look around," Brock suggested as he stepped in between the two before a fight could break out.

The group then began to take a look around at everything. As they walked into the next room, something became very apparent to them about Professor Elm. He really liked to read. The room filled with books in this lab was at least twice as big as the one in Professor Oak's lab, and that was actually saying a lot. They looked around in awe at the huge expanse of books. Maybe saying they weren't in a library was a little further from the truth than they thought.

In addition to the huge array of books, there were also several folders crammed into a particular bookcase which looked quite disheveled. There was also a single desk in the room which had several books stacked on top of it with some of them even still opened. That was something else the group could gather about Professor Elm. He didn't seem like a slob like Professor Ivy had been. He was more…disorganized was the best way to put it.

The group suddenly heard shuffling in the room next to them which got their attention. They exchanged glances with each other before they went to inspect the noise that had been in the next room. Once they entered, they saw a young man in glasses sitting in a rolling chair who was intently reading an article. From the white lab coat the man was wearing, he was apparently Professor Elm. He looked so focused that the group soon understood why he hadn't noticed them come in. In fact, he didn't even seem to notice them right now.

"Um…excuse me?" Ash spoke rather awkwardly.

"Ah. You all must be Jimmy, Marina, and Vincent who are here to pick up your Pokemon today," Professor Elm said without taking his eyes off of the article. "Hold on. You're a little early. Not to be rude, but I'll be through with this article in just a second."

The group tilted their heads at that. Clearly, Professor Elm was expecting some people today. However, they weren't the ones he was looking for. Maybe they should've called ahead so Professor Elm wouldn't be caught off guard like this.

"No. We aren't them. I'm Serena. That's Ash. This is Misty, and that's Brock," Serena introduced.

"Hmmm? Your names aren't Jimmy, Marina, or Vincent?" Professor Elm questioned as he suddenly got a puzzled expression.

The young man then grabbed a folder next to the article and thumbed through it. He then inspected it for a little while before he spoke again.

"My new trainer file here clearly says I'm supposed to see three people with those names today," Professor Elm stated before he finally turned to peer at the group. He then got an alarmed expression on his face. "Unless…oh no! I've made a terrible mistake again! I probably got so wrapped up in my research that I completely misheard the names of who was supposed to come today to get their Pokemon! Please forgive me!"

"No! I think your misunderstanding us!" Ash said as he frantically waved his hands in front of his face. "We aren't here to start our journey today. We're already trainers!"

"Huh? You are?" Professor Elm asked.

"That's right. We're from another region and came here so we could meet you and so I could sign up for the Johto League," Ash explained.

Professor Elm stared at them for a moment before he breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew. Thank goodness. I was worried my research had caused me to forget important things again," he said.

"No. It's okay. We're sorry for barging in," Serena smiled apologetically.

It seemed Professor Elm suffered a little bit from absent-mindedness. This guy was clearly a research fanatic. He didn't seem like a bad man at all, though.

"So I'm sorry. What did you say your names were again?" Professor Elm asked as he rubbed his chin.

"Oh. I'm Ash Ketchum. That's Serena Gabena. That's Misty Waterflower, and that's Brock Harrison," Ash introduced this time.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted its name to be included, as well.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi added so it wouldn't be left out.

"And that's Pikachu and Togepi," Ash grinned as he gestured to the two Pokemon.

"Nice to meet all of you. As you may have guessed, I'm Professor Elm. I run the lab here and love me a great book or research article. Of course, as a result of that, I can sometimes get a little carried away and forget things," Professor Elm said as he officially introduced himself.

"Yeah. We noticed that from your huge library," Misty smiled lightly.

"Eheheheheheh," Professor Elm chuckled in embarrassment before he clapped his hands together. "Oh. That's right. I think you said one of you is here to register for the Johto League."

"Yeah. That would be me," Ash confirmed.

"Alright then. Just follow me," Professor Elm said as he gestured for the group to follow him.

"You seem to be really busy with your work," Misty commented as they walked through the lab and noticed things strewn out on desks.

"Yes. I run this lab all by myself. I have a woman named Crystal who helps out here occasionally when I get overwhelmed, but it is rather hard sometimes," Professor Elm responded before he added thoughtfully. "One of the people who's coming today is actually Crystal's daughter, Marina. You may recall me mentioning that name."

They soon walked into a room with a rather large computer against the wall. It reminded the group of the main computer room in Professor Oak's lab. Professor Elm then stood in front of it before he addressed Ash.

"Alright, Ash. May I see your pokedex for a moment?" he requested.

"Sure," Ash replied as he fished out his national dex to hand to the professor.

Professor Elm then inserted Ash's national dex into a slot to the side. An image of Ash soon appeared on the screen. The professor then began to type in Ash's information before the computer spoke up.

"Ash Ketchum. Welcome to the Johto League," a robotic voice said as an 'o.k.' signal came across the screen.

"Here you go, Ash. Congratulations. You're all registered now for the Johto League," Professor Elm smiled as he took the national dex out and handed it back to Ash.

"Great! Thanks, Professor Elm," Ash responded as he received the device.

"You'll also need a copy of this guidebook," Professor Oak said as he held up a book for Ash to take.

"Not to worry, Ash. I'll hold on to it for you so we don't lose it," Brock said as he took the book instead.

Ash frowned but said nothing in response. Things like that were best left with Brock, anyway.

"So if you don't mind me asking, where are you all from? I take it you aren't from Johto as I've never seen you before, and you said you were already trainers," Professor Elm inquired as he adjusted his glasses.

"That's right. We're actually from the Kanto region," Ash replied.

"Ash and I actually got our first Pokemon from Professor Oak. You were his student, right?" Serena added.

"His student," Professor Elm spoke while a flash appeared across his glasses. "Yes. I was at one point, but I now like to think I've surpassed him in his knowledge. I'm always submitting my article to him every time I find something new. Professor Oak never seems to truly praise me, though. I remember I once gave him my research paper at the university. It was a brilliant analysis of the hybridized communicative faculties of Pokemon! It was a truly groundbreaking work!"

"Um…the what?" Ash questioned. He and the others had no idea what Professor Elm was talking about. That vocabulary was a little advanced for their age. This tended to happen a lot when a Pokemon professor got into their research.

"It was truly remarkable!" Professor Elm continued as if he hadn't heard Ash. "However, Professor Oak only gave me an 'A minus' on it because he failed to recognize the genius of my thesis. Although I respect and admire Professor Oak for his scientific achievements, I still consider him my rival! I'm determined to be a better researcher than he is if I can help it! Then he'll have to recognize me!"

Ash, Serena, and Misty stared in surprise. Professor Elm clearly got a little hotheaded when it came to Professor Oak. While Professor Ivy and Professor Oak had friendly relations, things weren't quite as peaceful here. At least on Professor Elm's side. Brock, however, seemed intrigued.

"Hybridized communicative faculties of Pokemon. Do tell," he said.

"You actually understand this, Brock?" Misty questioned.

"I'd be happy, too!" Professor Elm stated, glad that he found someone willing to listen to him. "I actually have the book in the other room. I'll be glad to show you all of my research there. I think you'll find it much more fascinating than something you'll find in Professor Oak's lab! I'll give you an abbreviated version as we walk there."

The young man then began to ramble on about his theses and findings while Brock listened intently. It turned out Professor Elm's version was anything but abbreviated. Ash, Serena, and Misty tried to listen, as well, but soon tuned him out as Professor Elm was getting into some pretty complicated stuff. This guy could really talk when he wanted to. They might as well get comfy because at the rate he was going, they might not get to leave the lab for a few hours. Had they known this, they would've politely declined and suggested Brock listen to it another time.

The group was literally saved by the bell when a ring sounded throughout the Elm Pokemon Lab. Someone had just walked in. The only one who didn't seem to notice was Professor Elm as he was still chatting away about his paper. Even Brock had been a little distracted by the ringing as he wasn't looking at Professor Elm anymore. That's when Serena stepped in.

"Excuse me, Professor Elm. I hate to interrupt you presentation, but I think someone just walked into your lab," she said with a smile.

"Oh? They did? I didn't even notice!" Professor Elm replied with a sheepish smile before he added, "That must be Crystal and the new trainers! I need to go meet with them. Come on!"

The group followed the young professor, who was moving rather quickly, to the front of the lab. When they reached the lobby, they could indeed see a group of four people standing there. One was a woman with very dark blue hair which went into two short pigtails near her shoulders. The fact that she had on a lab coat over her regular clothes proved to the group that this was most likely Crystal whom Professor Elm had already mentioned.

The three kids with her all smiled at Professor Elm when he entered. They all looked slightly younger than Ash and Serena, probably ten, though one looked a little younger, maybe eight. They consisted of a boy with black hair like Ash's. He wore a backwards baseball cap with a huge tuff of hair sticking out from underneath it. He wore a red and white pullover jacket with a black shirt on underneath with yellow shorts with black pockets. The girl next to him looked a lot like a younger version of the woman, except her hair was a much lighter shade of blue with a white beanie on top. She had on a short white jacket, mimicking the woman's lab coat with a pink shirt and lavender shorts. The younger girl looked like the woman, too, but her hair was brown, and she had on a large white hat with a red ribbon on it. She wore a quarter-sleeved red shirt with denim jean overalls over it. They were probably the woman's daughters.

"Hi! I see you all made it on time!" Professor Elm greeted them.

"Well, not everyone," the woman, presumably Crystal, replied. "We're still waiting on Vincent."

"Here I am!" a voice suddenly shouted from outside the double doors.

Everyone in the room turned towards the door where there was suddenly a loud _thud._ Everybody winced at that. Did this guy just seriously run smack into the door? The boy went over to the door to open it while everybody peaked over his shoulder to see who it was.

Another boy who looked about ten was lying there in a daze. He had short light brown hair with a huge cowlick in the middle. He wore a light green polo shirt with gray pants. The boy blinked a few time before he saw everybody staring down at him.

"Uh…hey guys," he said with a sheepish smile.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay, Vincent?" the girl gasped as she clapped her hands over her mouth.

"No need to worry, Marina! It will take more than a door to slow me down! Nothing can get in my way!" the boy, now known as Vincent, replied dramatically.

"You know, you would actually sound a lot cooler if you weren't lying on the ground as you said it," the other boy said as he held out a hand for Vincent to take.

Vincent smiled sheepishly as he took the boy's hand. He was pulled to his feet and dusted himself off. The woman looked on in disapproval while the younger girl giggled. Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock looked on in curiosity. This Vincent guy was a little eccentric. One would think he was related to Professor Elm because they did sort of look alike, but he clearly wasn't.

"Vincent, please try to be more careful. You get in more accidents than Marina, Lyra, and Jimmy combined. I'm always having to explain them to your parents," the woman scolded.

"Right. Sorry, Mrs. Crystal," Vincent replied sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head, confirming the fact the woman was indeed Crystal.

"Well, now that you're all here, I can now finally lead you all to meet your first Pokemon!" Professor Elm announced.

"That's so cool! You all must be really excited!" Ash spoke up.

The other group turned to Ash when he said that, as if just realizing they were there. Ash smiled apologetically before he held out his hand.

"Sorry. My name's Ash Ketchum. I came here to register for the Johto League," he said.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu jumped in.

"Hey! That's exactly what I'm going to do!" the boy smiled and took Ash's handshake. "My name's Jimmy! Nice to meet you, dude!"

"I'm Marina!" the girl said politely as she bowed to them.

"I'm Lyra!" the younger girl said in a bubbly tone and winked at them, in particular at Ash, but he didn't seem to notice.

"My name's Crystal. Marina and Lyra are my daughters. It's nice to meet all of you," Crystal smiled.

"Don't forget me!" Vincent yelled as he stood in front of Jimmy and held his hand out for Ash, too. "I'm Vincent Jackson, and I'm competing in the Johto League, too!"

"Hey, Vincent," Ash greeted and accepted the handshake.

"I'm sorry. Are they your friends, Ash?" Crystal asked, referring to Serena, Misty, and Brock.

"You bet! We're all traveling together through Johto right now!" Ash replied with a nod.

"I'm Serena Gabena!" Serena introduced.

"I'm Misty Waterflower!" Misty added.

"And I'm Brock Harrison. I look after all of them," Brock grinned.

Lyra had a thoughtful look on her face as she studied the new people in front of her. "So Ash, Misty, Brock, and Selena?"

"Hmmhmm! It's Serena, sweetie," Serena chuckled.

"With that, please follow me! I'll introduce you all to your new Pokemon!" Professor Elm proclaimed as he turned to go to the other room, the group following suit.

"So are you guys not here to get a Pokemon?" Jimmy asked the group as they walked.

"Haha. No. You see, we don't live in Johto. We've already been trainers a while and came from Kanto," Ash explained.

"You came all the way from Kanto?!" Jimmy, Marina, and Vincent said at once.

"Yeah! I've already competed in the Kanto League and even made it to the Top Four. We just now finished the Orange League, and I won it!" Ash grinned, starting to get a little carried away.

Jimmy, Marina, Lyra, and Vincent were looking at Ash as if he were some sort of hero. The group could've sworn they even saw stars in Lyra's eyes. In order not let Ash receive all the credit in the group, Misty stepped in, too.

"Right. Did you also know that Serena competed in the Battle Chateau in Kanto and conquered it while I won a water Pokemon tournament not too long ago," she mentioned.

"Wow! You won the Battle Chateau!? You have to be really elegant for that! That's so cool, Selena!" Lyra exclaimed as she clasped her hands.

"Thanks…and it's Serena," Serena corrected.

"So you like fashion, too, Serena?" Marina asked.

"I sure do! I'm here in Johto to compete in Pokemon Performances," Serena replied with a smile.

"Wow! That's exactly what I'm doing!" Marina said.

"Really?!" Serena beamed.

"Yeah! My dream is to be a big, dazzling star like Aria and totally rock the world with music and performances!" Marina stated as she stopped briefly to strike a pose.

"Heheh! No one has bigger star potential than you, Marina," Vincent spoke up.

"Aww! Thank you, sweetie pie!" Marina smiled at him which caused Vincent to blush and turn away.

"Remember, Marina. I have every bit of faith in you, but don't get ahead of yourself. You still need to get you first Pokemon," Crystal told her.

"Right. I know, Mom," Marina replied.

"It seems like you two have already met rivals," Misty said slyly to Ash and Serena.

"I guess so," Ash shrugged.

"Here we are!" Professor Elm jumped in as the group arrived at a room.

The group of ten then stopped around a table with three pokeballs on them that were surrounded by a glass dome. Professor Elm then pressed a button on the side, and the dome split open to allow access to the pokeballs. Ash looked on eagerly while everyone else watched in curiosity. Even though Ash wasn't getting a Pokemon, it was clear he was the most excited of them all. He couldn't wait to see what kind of Pokemon a Johto trainer could choose from.

"Well, it worked out great, as there are three of you, and three pokeballs. Each of you may choose one," Professor Elm told Jimmy, Marina, and Vincent.

"Well, I'm the lady of the group so you boys wouldn't mind if little old me went first, would you?" Marina asked the two other boys and winked.

"Heheheh. Not at all," Jimmy and Vincent replied with a goofy smile.

"They are totally smitten with her," Brock whispered to the Ash, Misty and Serena, who nodded.

Professor Elm then picked up the three pokeballs and released them one by one. The first one he released was a small, pale Pokemon that stood on four legs. It had a necklace of buds on it and a large leaf on the top of its head. The second Pokemon he released resembled some sort of small blue reptile with a set of large jaws and red spikes that ran down its backside. The last Pokemon resembled a mouse with that was dark on top with a cream underbelly. It looked harmless enough until an eruption of fire burst from its back, which caused everyone except Professor Elm to gasp.

"Hahaha! Don't worry! Cyndaquil's just excited to see everyone!" Professor Elm laughed.

"Cyndaquil," Ash muttered as he and Serena brought out their national dexes for the three new Pokemon.

"Cyndaquil, the fire mouse Pokemon. It curls itself into a ball when scared and can also shoot flames from its back for protection. Totodile, the big jaw Pokemon. Totodile have extremely powerful jaws that can crush almost anything. Chikorita, the leaf Pokemon. A pleasing aroma wafts from the leaf on its head. It loves to soak up the sun's rays," the national dexes explained.

"Hey. Pretty neat pokedexes," Jimmy noted.

"Thanks. Professor Oak gave us these late in our journey through Kanto," Ash told him.

"Just another thing Professor Oak has one upped me on again…so far. I'll get him one of these days!" Professor Elm declared. "He won't stay ahead of me in pokedex research forever. I've almost completed my own version so you kids will be receiving one from me before long. Then Professor Oak will finally see that I'm just as capable as him and…"

"It's okay, Professor Elm. We get it," Crystal soothed as she rubbed Professor Elm's shoulder to calm him down.

Professor Elm then cleared his throat before he continued. "Yes. Well, anyway. Please choose your first Pokemon, Marina."

Marina bent down and inspected each of the Pokemon in front of her. They all looked so good it would be so hard to choose. It didn't last for long, however, as the Totodile did a twirl in front of Marina which excited her. Marina beamed as she picked up the Totodile.

"I take it you like to dance, Totodile?" she asked it.

"Dile!" it confirmed with a nod.

"Well, that settles it! I'll choose you! Together we'll totally rock out! We'll make great songs and dances! It will be fabuloso, darling!" Marina said brightly.

"Dile!" it nodded again.

"I'll go next!" Vincent suddenly piped up and went straight for Chikorita.

The Chikorita gave a cheesy grin once Vincent chose it. The light-brown haired boy then gave it an equally cheesy smile, and they both started laughing. The group couldn't help but quirk their eyebrows at this. It was a rather strange way to meet your first Pokemon. Well, at least they'll be happy together.

"You're awesome, Chikorita! I like your confidence! We'll do great together!" Vincent said once they stopped laughing.

Cyndaquil, meanwhile, got a crestfallen expression on its face that it had been the one chosen last. That almost made it feel like nobody had wanted it, or it was the just the leftover. That was until Jimmy walked over to Cyndaquil and gave it a light pat on the head.

"Hey. Don't sweat it, Cyndaquil! I was going to pick you anyway! You rock and you rule!" Jimmy told it enthusiastically.

"Cyndaquil!" Cyndaquil squeaked in delight when Jimmy said that.

"Great! I'll now each give you one of the pokedexes," Professor Elm stated as he handed one to each of them. He then added, "Don't worry. They'll be national dexes before you know it!"

"Thanks, Professor Elm!" the three replied.

"That's so cool! You and your first Pokemon are going to be partners for life just like Pikachu and me!" Ash smiled.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed from Ash's shoulder.

"Wait. You mean Pikachu was your first Pokemon? I didn't know that was a starter Pokemon," Jimmy said as he crossed his arms in thought.

"Well, the short version is there were four people and only three Pokemon to choose from. Since I went last, Professor Oak gave me Pikachu. It's okay, though! I wouldn't have it any other way. Pikachu and I have been through everything together, and we're the best of friends!" Ash explained.

"They really do have a bond you don't see with a lot of trainers," Serena agreed.

"So what was your first Pokemon, Selena?" Lyra asked.

"It was Charmander! I chose it because it loved fashion just like me…and it's Serena," Serena replied.

"I don't want to stay here too much longer! I've got to tell my folks goodbye and get a head start from you all," Vincent announced before he turned to Marina. "Just you wait, Marina! I'll become the best Pokemon trainer out there and win the Johto League for you!"

"That's so sweet! Thank you, darling!" Marina gushed.

"I'm going to try to win the Pokemon League, too, you know," Jimmy sulked from the side.

That's when Vincent turned to Jimmy and ushered the boy in closer. The two then huddled up before they narrowed their eyes at each other. Vincent then noticed everyone else was watching them so he whispered as quietly as he could.

"Marina is my future girlfriend, Jimmy. Don't try to impress her too much," he said.

"Why on Earth would I want to impress, Marina?" Jimmy deadpanned.

"Come on. I'm not an idiot, Jimmy. I know you like her, too," Vincent accused.

"What the…I do not! I'm ending this conversation," Jimmy denied as he looked away from Vincent. Despite what he just said, he was blushing.

"Uh huh. Suuuuuure," Vincent said dully before he dropped it and turned to Ash's group. "It was nice meeting you guys. See you later!"

"Take care, Vincent," Crystal smiled.

"You can't have Marina!" Lyra called out, which caused Vincent to stumble.

"Just ignore, Lyra, Vincent! We have each others' Pokegear numbers so hit me up any time!" Marina said.

"Will do!" Vincent replied before he dashed out of the room.

"Wait! You forgot to sign up for the Johto League!" Professor Elm called after him, but Vincent was already long gone.

"Don't worry, Professor Elm. I'll tell his parents so they can remind him to sign up in the next town," Crystal reassured.

"He reminds me of you when you're about to begin a journey. He's always running places," Misty teased to Ash.

"Har! Har! Har!" Ash laughed sarcastically.

"Hey! If you guys aren't too busy, why don't you come back with us to my house? We can have some snacks before we set off on our journeys," Jimmy suggested.

Ash adjusted his cap and smiled at Jimmy. If there was food involved, he would definitely be there. It helped because of the fact the group hadn't even had lunch yet. The rest of the group each exchanged glances to see if they had any qualms about that, but there weren't any. They then gave the okay to Ash who answered for them all.

"Sounds good to me, Jimmy!" Ash replied with a thumbs up.

"Awesome! I'll introduce you to my dad! He's really cool!" Jimmy said enthusiastically before he and Cyndaquil dashed out of the lab.

"Jimmy! Wait for me!" Marina called out as she ran after the eager boy.

"Me, too!" Lyra cried as she joined them.

The group was then left standing in shock at what had just transpired. Did Jimmy just totally leave them behind? They were under the impression that he would be leading them there or at least give directions. It's not like they knew where he lived. Crystal happened to notice their looks and gave a slight laugh.

"Don't worry. I was going over there, too. I'll happily show you the way," she told them.

"Great! Thanks!" Ash replied.

"Take care, Crystal. Make sure to come back soon. My work pile is starting to get high again," Professor Elm said.

"Of course, Professor Elm. I'll be back later today," Crystal promised.

"Thanks for everything, Professor Elm!" Ash said.

"Oh! You're welcome, Ash. Good luck to you and your friends," Professor Elm replied before he added. "By the way, give my regards to Professor Oak when you speak with him next. Let him know I'm not too far behind him!"

"Heheh. Will do," Ash replied with a nervous laugh as they left lab.

The larger group now stepped back on to the streets of New Bark Town. As they looked about, they could already see Jimmy, Marina, and Lyra almost out of sight. Crystal then turned to the group apologetically.

"Sorry about that. I guess we better hurry if we want to catch up," she said as they set off.

"So what kind of person is Jimmy's father?" Serena asked, remembering that Jimmy called him 'cool'.

"Well…," Crystal said thoughtfully before she sighed and hung her head. "He's an idiot."

"Huh?!" everyone else exclaimed, clearly not expecting her to say that.

* * *

A man stood in front of a pool table with an indestructible cue stick in his hand. He leaned over and closed one eye as he prepared his last shot. Whenever he was playing pool, he always needed the utmost concentration. A Typhlosion stood on the other side of the pool table and watched its trainer carefully. Ever since they retired from their training, the two had become more like rivals at games rather than training, though they did that occasionally, too. One would think someone wouldn't be able to teach their Pokemon how to play pool, but this guy did.

The Typhlosion gave a sigh as it watched its trainer about to win for the umpteenth time. It was no slouch in pool, but it was nowhere near as good as its trainer. Its shorter arms were probably a factor as they made for much more awkward shots. It was okay, though. They still had fun when they had a go at a sport with each other every now and then.

"Eight ball. Corner pocket," the man whispered as he prepared to shoot.

He was just about to fire when the door burst open to his house.

"Hey, Dad! I'm home!" Jimmy called from the other room.

The sudden yell startled the man and caused him to misfire horribly. The cue stick hit the side of the ball, and it spun awkwardly across the pool table, totally missing the pocket and hitting the side. The man hung his head and growled to himself while his Typlosion burst out laughing at its trainer's misfortune. The man narrowed his eyes at his Pokemon before he shook it off.

The two then hurried to other room where the man saw Jimmy, Marina, and Lyra standing there with a huge smile on each of their faces. Upon seeing his son, the man grinned just as wide.

"Hey, son! Are you back from Professor Elm's Lab?" the man asked with a grin.

"You bet, Dad! I even got a Cyndaquil just like you told me to!" Jimmy replied with a thumbs up.

"That's my boy!" the man exclaimed as he and Jimmy high-fived each other.

"Gold, why don't you let Jimmy just choose his own Pokemon? He should feel free to make his own choice," Crystal spoke up as she appeared at the threshold of Gold's house with Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock.

"It's okay, Mrs. Crystal! Like I said, I was going to choose a Cyndaquil, anyway!" Jimmy said.

"Jimmy, you aren't helping," Crystal sighed.

"Hey, Super Serious Girl! My son can choose whichever Pokemon he wants! I just gave him a little boost on which one was the best choice!" the man known as Gold responded.

"Fine. Whatever," Crystal sighed again as she massaged her temple. This man always gave her a headache.

"So what Pokemon did you get, Marina?" Gold asked as he crossed his arms.

"I got a fabulous Totodile!" Marina replied with a grin.

Gold then turned to Crystal and smirked at her. "Seems like a little rebellion to me since you started with a Chikorita, Crys," he told her.

"Excuse me! I told my daughter to get whichever Pokemon she felt like, and she chose Totodile!" Crystal replied heatedly.

"Heheheh," Gold chuckled which caused Crystal's face to turn red before she took a deep breath to calm herself.

"You're impossible," she muttered.

The group couldn't help but quirk their eyebrow at this. Needless to say, this wasn't exactly the sort of exchange they expected between Marina's mother and Jimmy's father. While Jimmy and Marina seemed to get along like great friends, these two…didn't to put it nicely. While Gold didn't seem like an idiot as Crystal had described him, he did seem to be rather loud and proud which is probably what set Crystal off. Their personalities sure did clash. They gave a questioning look at Jimmy and Marina who seemed a little embarrassed.

"They have a love-hate relationship," Jimmy whispered.

Gold then noticed Ash and the others. He then went over to them and extended his hand.

"Hey! I'm Jimmy's dad. You can call me Gold," he introduced.

"Oh. Hi. I'm Ash Ketchum, and that's Serena, Misty, and Brock," Ash replied as he took Gold's hand.

Upon hearing Ash's name, Gold got a surprised look on his face. He then peered at Ash for a moment and rubbed his chin before he followed up with a question.

"Ash Ketchum, huh? You wouldn't happen to be related to Red Ketchum, would you? You do look a lot like him," Gold mentioned.

"Well, yeah. He's my dad. Do you know him?" Ash asked.

"Know him?! Hah! He trained me on how to be a great Pokemon trainer!" Gold exclaimed.

"Wait. He did?!" Ash cried. What else about Red did he not know? Small world.

"He sure did! I was his personal student the first year of my Pokemon journey! He was my senior, and I looked up to him a lot! We had some good times on Mount Silver!" Gold continued.

"Mount Silver?" Serena questioned.

"It's said to be the best place for training in the Johto region due to the harsh conditions and strong Pokemon there. It's actually the site of the Silver Conference," Crystal stepped in.

"Wow! That awesome teacher you keep telling me about who trained you on Mount Silver is Ash's dad!?" Jimmy asked enthusiastically.

"You bet!" Gold replied with thumbs up.

"My dad trained you?" Ash repeated as he turned back to Gold.

"Yep! He was a grade A teacher, too! I heard about him when he first won the Kanto League and had been dying to meet him since! I met him during the Silver Conference almost twenty years ago. Seeing my great talent, he decided to teach me," Gold smirked.

"You mean you begged him," Crystal muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"Uh…that's not important," Gold said before he continued. "The point is Red is a great guy. I even won the Silver Conference the following year after he trained me. If you're his son, you're welcome in my house at any time!"

"Great. Thanks," Ash smiled.

He didn't know his dad had ever taken on students. If he personally trained Gold, how many other people did he teach? Gold also said he won the Silver Conference the following year. Ash wondered if his dad trained him personally, would he win a league? He won the Orange League, sure, but it was on a slightly smaller scale. Well, Red did promise to train him in aura usage when the time was right.

Ash then noticed Lyra staring at him with a dreamy expression on her face. He stumbled slightly at the weird look she was giving him. He then glanced around before he finally addressed the younger girl.

"Hey. What's up, Lyra?" he asked awkwardly.

"You're cute. Will you marry me?" Lyra asked bluntly.

"Wh-what?!" Ash cried as everyone else looked on in shock.

"You're so cool! I want to be just like you!" Lyra declared.

"Um…well…I," Ash stuttered.

"Lyra!" Marina scolded before she gave an apologetic look to Ash. "I'm sorry, Ash. Lyra is a bit of a romanticist and is always dreaming about having a boyfriend and getting married."

"Oh. Eheheheheh. Sorry, Lyra. I already have a girlfriend," Ash said nervously as he pulled Serena close to him.

"Darn! You sure are lucky, Selena," Lyra pouted.

"Thanks, and it's Serena," Serena replied and grimaced that the girl kept getting her name wrong.

"What about that nice boy, Khoury, who lives down the street from us?" Crystal suggested as she appeared in thought.

"But, Mom, he's such a dork! I want someone who is older and mature. The only reason I don't go after Jimmy is because I already know he belongs to Marina!" Lyra whined.

"I don't like Marina!" Jimmy firmly stated until he realized his outburst had everyone looking at him. He then sighed. "Let's just change the subject, please!"

"I agree," Gold said as he cleared his throat and turned to Misty and Brock. "So what about you two? What do you guys do?"

"Well, I'm going to be the best water Pokemon trainer," Misty smiled.

"I'm going to be the best Pokemon Breeder," Brock stated.

"Hmm…a Pokemon Breeder, huh? You know, I hatched quite a few eggs on my Pokemon journey and learned quite a bit about taking care of young Pokemon and drawing out their potential," Gold said as he folded his arms.

"Really?" Brock asked, interested.

"You bet. Come on into the den and I'll share a few tips with you," Gold said as he turned to leave.

"Yes, sir! Please do," Brock smiled as he followed the man and his Typhlosion.

"Come on, Ash! Let me show you my room! I think you'll like it!" Jimmy said as he grabbed Ash by the arm and led him and the others upstairs.

When they got there, Jimmy opened the door and spread out his arms. Ash, and even the rest of the group with the exception of Marina and Lyra, were amazed. Almost everything in Jimmy's room had to do with Pokemon. There was a poster of all the Pokemon native to the Johto region. The bedspread was Pokemon themed. Jimmy then went over to a huge Snorlax stuffed animal and hopped onto it where he made himself comfortable.

"So what do think?" he asked.

"This room is so cool, Jimmy. I take it you love Pokemon just as much as I do," Ash smiled.

"Oh, he does. Whenever we were little, he would even dress up in his favorite Typhlosion outfit every day and want to save the world. It was so cute!" Marina giggled.

"Marina!" Jimmy cried as he blushed.

Pikachu then hopped off of Ash's shoulder and made its way over to a Togepi doll in the corner of Jimmy's room. It then smiled and gestured Togepi to come over and see it. Serena set Togepi down and the young Pokemon waddled over to it. The spikeball Pokemon then looked at the doll in the likeness of it before it laughed playfully.

"So that reminds me…how come your Pikachu and Togepi stay outside of a pokeball?" Jimmy inquired.

"Well, you see, when I first got Pikachu, it made it very clear that it hated being in pokeballs. Besides it prefers to ride on my shoulder anyway," Ash explained while Pikachu smiled at him.

"As for Togepi, we haven't officially captured it yet. Ash hatched it from an egg, and we've been caring for it like parents," Serena added.

"Aww! That's so adorable! Hey, Jimmy! Wouldn't that be so awesome if we hatched an egg and cared for it together?" Marina questioned as she looked at Jimmy and clasped her hands in a pleading tone.

"Not happening," Jimmy answered dully which caused Marina to face fault.

The boy then looked down and saw Togepi had gone up to him and hopped onto the Snorlax doll next to him before it snuggled into its side. Jimmy looked a little uncomfortable with having the young Pokemon next to him, but he soon shrugged it off and put his arm behind Togepi to give it support.

"See? I think you'd make a great parent to a Pokemon!" Marina urged.

"I'll think about it," Jimmy replied. "I love Pokemon, but hatching eggs is my Dad's gift, not mine."

"Speaking of which, I think Togepi needs a nap right now," Serena said as she lifted Togepi off the Snorlax doll and stuck it in a comfortable part of her backpack.

"So Jimmy's dad was a trainer. What did your mother do for a living, Marina? She must be really smart to be Professor Elm's part time assistant," Misty spoke up.

"She captured every Pokemon there is to catch in the Johto region! Well, with the exception of the mythical Pokemon!" Marina said proudly.

"She did?!" the group asked in amazement.

"Yes! Professor Elm nicknamed her the 'catcher' because she has a great knowledge on getting many types of Pokemon!" Marina elaborated.

"Don't let Leaf hear about that. She'd probably make a trip to New Bark Town just to meet Crystal," Serena whispered to Ash, who nodded.

"I wonder if she knows about any great water Pokemon in the Johto region," Misty said thoughtfully.

"I'm sure she does! Come on and let's ask!" Marina said as she grabbed Misty's hand and led her downstairs where Crystal still was.

As Ash watched Misty go, he realized just how good it was they met Jimmy and Marina today. They were definitely likable people and got along really well with their group. They shared common interests with them and were really friendly. Ash rubbed his chin as an idea came to his mind. They were definitely people he'd like to keep in contact with.

* * *

It was now the late afternoon, and it was time to say goodbye to New Bark Town. The group had a blast at Jimmy and Gold's house. Ash and Jimmy talked constantly about Pokemon and Serena and Marina couldn't run out of topics when it came to fashion and performances. Brock had been taking notes from Gold for breeder competitions while Misty learned from Crystal about some of the best water Pokemon in the area. It was the best day the group had by far since they left Pallet Town a week ago. Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock were standing on one side while Marina, Jimmy, Lyra, Gold, and Crystal were on the other side.

"Well, everyone. If you're competing in the Silver Conference, I'd say the best place to start is Violet City. It's the closest," Gold said.

"Right. Will do! Thanks!" Ash nodded.

Jimmy and Marina looked rather nervous about something while everyone was saying their goodbyes. That was when Gold nudged Jimmy in the shoulder.

"Go on, son. Ask him," Gold told him.

"Err…hey, Ash. I was wondering…since we're all starting our Pokemon journey today and leaving at the same time, why don't we travel together for a little bit? I'd love to learn a thing or two about Pokemon training from you. Marina and I could lead you all to Violet City, and we can challenge the first gym together," Jimmy suggested.

Ash grinned broadly at that. That was a great idea. "Sounds good to me! I'd love to have you with us, Jimmy!"

"Great! You rock and you rule!" Jimmy grinned back as they gave each other a thumbs up.

"That's fabuloso, Serena! We can talk even more about good ideas for fashion!" Marina gushed.

"I know!" Serena squealed back.

"Girls," Ash and Jimmy deadpanned, but then smiled at each other upon discovering that their minds worked the same.

"Don't you worry about their safety! The Brockster's got them covered! I'll make sure they'll eat decent meals and get to bed on time!" Brock told the parents as he put an arm around the younger kids.

"It's fine, Brock. You don't have to act like their parents," Crystal chuckled.

"It's what I do!" Brock smiled.

"Just like he did with Professor Ivy," Misty blurted out but then quickly covered her mouth again.

"Ugh…that name," Brock uttered as he resumed the fetal position.

"He'll be fine! We promise!" Serena hurriedly said as everyone was now staring at Brock.

"Yeah. Brock's a professional when it comes to taking care of us. Serena and I are actually learning from him," Ash agreed.

"I'll try to make sure everyone stays out of trouble," Misty said.

"Though you always end up in it, too," Ash mumbled, but no loud enough for her to hear.

"Well, I feel a lot better knowing that you two will be traveling with them the first part of their journeys," Crystal nodded.

"It'll be great, Mrs. Crystal! We'll have a blast!" Jimmy smiled.

"I'll show him the ropes, Mr. Gold!" Ash said to the man.

"Heh. Like father, like son," Gold smiled to himself as he recalled his days with Red.

"Bye, Mom! I love you! I'll become an awesome star! You'll see!" Marina told her mother as she hugged her.

"Just remember that I helped you get ready! Look out because I'll be right behind you when I start my journey soon," Lyra spoke up.

"Oh! I'll miss you, too, darling!" Marina cried as she hugged her little sister.

"I'm going to win the Silver Conference just like you did, Dad! Just you wait!" Jimmy winked as he and Gold high-fived each other.

"You have to get through me first," Ash smirked at him, while Jimmy smirked back. It's true that they were new friends to the group, but they were also new rivals.

"Well, I guess you all you better set off so you can get some traveling in your first day," Crystal sighed.

"Right," Jimmy and Marina agreed as they stared at their parents for a few moments.

Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock knew this feeling all too well. It was the exact same feeling they had when they left their families for the first time to start their own journeys.

"I think we're ready, now," Jimmy said as he and Marina turned back towards the group.

The rest of the group nodded at the statement. With that, they turned around and began to head in the opposite direction to start of their new journey. It was a brand new adventure for each of them.

"Goodbye, everyone! Take care and keep in touch!" Crystal called after them.

"You learn as much as you can from Ash, Jimmy! Then go out and win the Silver Conference!" Gold shouted.

"You bet, Dad!" Jimmy yelled back.

"Bye, Marina! Bye, Jimmy! Bye, Ash! Bye, Misty! Bye, Brock! Bye, Selena!" Lyra called.

"It's Serena, Lyra!" Serena called back.

As Crystal and Gold watched their kids set off, it took them back. Crystal leaned her arm on Gold's shoulder and smiled at him.

"Are you worried about them, Gold?" she asked.

"Them? No. They're in good hands. Jimmy and Marina have everything it takes to make their dreams come true. They'll be just fine on their own," Gold answered.

"Do you think they'll fall in love?" Lyra gushed from the side.

Crystal sighed and rolled her eyes. It as all her youngest daughter seemed to talk about lately.

Once they were out of sight, Gold smiled. "Yeah. They're going to have a lot of fun. It'll be the best time of their lives."

"Just like it was with us when we started our journey," Crystal agreed.

"Yeah. I told Jimmy to make as many bets for money as he could with any Pokemon battle he did," Gold smirked.

"You didn't! I can't believe you, Gold!" Crystal gasped.

"Relax, Super Serious Girl. I was just kidding," Gold replied.

"Ugh. Can't you just stop being you for one moment," Crystal sighed.

Lyra shook her head at this in the meantime. These two were very capable adults when they were by themselves, but if you put them together, they fought just like children. What was she going to do with them now that Jimmy and Marina were gone?

Meanwhile, the group was really excited about the journey ahead of them. They were taking their first steps outside of the first town of many they would travel to in the Johto region. Ash was signed up and ready to take on the Johto League, and everyone in the group was set on what they wanted to do. They even met new friends and new rivals in Jimmy and Marina. It was going to be their best journey yet. They could feel it.

"I'm super pumped for this? You ready, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed as it pumped its tiny fist in the air.

"How about you, Selena?" Ash asked.

"IT'S SERENA!" Serena screamed.

* * *

 **Jimmy and Marina are going to be traveling with the group all the way to Violet City. After Ash and Jimmy's first gym battle with Faulkner, they will part ways and become recurring characters throughout the rest of the arc. This gives Ash and Serena the perfect opportunity to be somewhat responsible for someone else to prepare them for when Brock's not there. Remember, he will only be with the group about halfway through Hoenn and won't be traveling with them in Sinnoh. I won't say why of course.**

 **I'm already done with chapter 6, and I have to say, I like what I'm writing so far. I never had so much confidence in an arc before with what all I have planned from now on. Of course, with each chapter that passes, we get one closer to the obligatory Ash and Silver meeting. It won't be too much longer, but it isn't next chapter as the encounter refers to something else.**

 **Good news, by the way. My schedule just managed to miraculously open up tremendously. Now that I'm not working so much, I might be able to have more time writing. Of course, I can't say how often I'll have an update yet. We'll just have to see. Look for the the next chapter in mid May. With some luck, I may be able to form an efficient update schedule like I was for the previous arcs so you guys will know when one's coming.**

 **I've viewed the results of the poll, and... it's rather interesting...in more ways than one. One of the reasons is one you may not expect. Heheheheheh. Keep the guesses rolling in! Who will the doom hammer fall on? Wow...that sounded rather evil. I think I've been reading too much of 1358456's stories. If you haven't heard of her, she's a super writer who has some of the best Pokemon Special stories out there, whether it be about random, fun activities or an epic adventure story. If you like the Pokemon Special manga, you should definitely check her out.**

 **Until next time, have a good one.**

 **Chapter Five: A Chance Encounter**


	5. A Chance Encounter

**A/N: Not to much to say but enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Five: A Chance Encounter

It had been three days since the group of six left New Bark Town. These past few days had been a new experience for all of them. For Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock, they were in an entirely different region with a slew of new Pokemon around them. For Jimmy and Marina, they were finally starting their journey without the guide of their parents. It had been a great first few days, too, as they all got along so well.

Ash and Jimmy talked nonstop about Pokemon, and Ash honestly couldn't find someone as crazy about them since he met Ritchie a while back. Serena had met Marina who wanted to do Pokemon performances just like her so the two girls constantly went over their likes and dislikes when it came to fashion. Oddly enough, they agreed on a lot of things. Brock and Misty hadn't met their twins yet, but they enjoyed Jimmy and Marina's company just as much as Ash and Serena did.

It was evening time now, and supper time was fairly soon. Needless to say, everyone was excited for Brock's cooking. It only took the first bite of Brock's cooking for Jimmy and Marina to become a fan of his just like the others were. Everyone gathered the supplies such as wood and water before they sat down and chatted while Brock prepared supper.

Jimmy brought out his Cyndaquil while Marina sent out her Totodile. They each then took out a brush and began grooming their Pokemon. It was a souvenir that their parents had given them to keep their Pokemon feeling nice and clean. Though the rest of the group didn't have brushes except for Brock, they had their own methods of keeping their Pokemon in top form, like the massages they had learned from Suzy a long time ago.

"Hey, Cyndaquil. You've been a great partner so far! I'm really glad I chose you!" Jimmy said to it.

"You, too, darling! We'll be the best performers in the world!" Marina told her Totodile.

"That reminds me. You two have worked on a song quite a lot since we started on the journey. Why don't you give us a sample of what you have so far?" Serena suggested.

"I'd love to!" Marina beamed as she and Totodile made their way in front of everyone. "I only have the first verse and chorus down, though, so it won't be much. It's also a little slower than what I'm used to."

Everyone gathered around, and Brock stopped cooking briefly to watch. Jimmy was especially interested in hearing Marina sing, but he was trying his best to look neutral. Serena and Misty couldn't help but giggle at Jimmy's expression as they watched the corners of his mouth twitch constantly. It was like he was killing himself to keep from grinning like an idiot.

"You ready to rock out, Totodile?" Marina asked with a wink.

"Totodile!" it replied.

Marina then took a deep breath and began to sing. The group couldn't help but smile as she was actually really good. Totodile, meanwhile, looked upwards to the sky and shot out a gentle Water Gun from its mouth. The water then broke apart and sprinkles began to fall around Marina, but never on top of her. The serenity of the Water Gun really fit the mood with Marina's singing. The group would've bet a rainbow would form if it wasn't for the fact that it was getting dark.

As Marina sang, Serena began to think to herself about what she could do for Pokemon performances. Marina clearly had a gift for singing, and she had a gift for fashion. She remembered reading that Pokemon performances had a large variety of things and not just fashion. It also involved cooking and singing, and entertainment, too. For Marina's entertainment portion, singing was probably a given with her Pokemon adding to the atmosphere.

Marina finished singing after a minute, and the group broke into clapping for her, even Jimmy. Marina gave a curtsy before she noticed Jimmy clapping, too. She grinned broadly before she sidled over to him. The black haired boy then turned away and gave a shrug.

"What did you think, Jimmy? Did you like it? Come on, you can admit it, even if it was just a little bit," she pressed.

"Ehhh…it was fine, I suppose," Jimmy shrugged again.

Marina put on a pouting face at that while the others let out a nervous smile. As much as Jimmy and Marina got along, they were extremely stubborn when it came to their obvious feelings for one another. They secretly hoped Jimmy would just get a nice kick and tell Marina how he feels. It wasn't like he would get rejected or anything. Marina would probably jump at that opportunity.

Brock then leaned over and whispered in Jimmy's ear. "Jimmy, if you ever want Marina to return your feelings, you have to compliment her singing. Saying that it was just okay won't do."

"Huh? What do you mean by 'return my feelings'?" Jimmy questioned before he blushed. Great. That was out loud.

"Come on, Jimmy. Don't be nervous," Marina cooed.

"Why would I be nervous around you?" Jimmy asked.

Marina then put on finger to her chin in mock thought before she gave a sly grin at Jimmy. "Oh. I don't know. Maybe because you kind of like me."

"Oh, please!" Jimmy suddenly blurted out. "You're singing was awesome, Marina! I enjoyed it. Can we change the subject now?"

Serena couldn't help but giggle to herself. It was almost the opposite with Ash and her before they started dating. Ash was clearly oblivious and Serena always had a crush, but she worked her way up to Ash slowly returning her feelings. Here, the stages were already set, and all that was needed was a confession from Jimmy and Marina. Well, she was sure they would tell each other when they were ready, and not wanting to be nosy, she and the rest of the group would stay out of it.

That was when a small Pokemon hopped out of the nearby bushes. Everyone turned to it with Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty being especially interested. It definitely wasn't a Pokemon one would find in the Kanto region. It must've been drawn to the area by the smell of Brock's cooking. It was a round, brown, owl like Pokemon with stubby wings and a fan-shaped tail. Its eyes were large and red.

"Check it out, Marina! A HootHoot!" Jimmy stated.

"Cool! A Hoothoot," Ash mused as he and Serena took out their national dexes to scan it.

"Hoothoot, the owl Pokemon. Hoothoot is always standing on one foot and has a perfect sense of time," the machines stated.

Ash and Serena smiled as they looked on at the Hoothoot. Surprisingly, it was actually the first Johto-native Pokemon they had seen since arriving here. They had seen plenty of Ratatta and Pidgey, but Hoothoot only came out in the evening and night apparently. Perhaps the further on they got in Johto, the more native Pokemon they would see?

Ash then looked over at Jimmy and nodded towards the Hoothoot. He was excited about the prospect of getting new Pokemon, but it would be a better experience for Jimmy than him.

"Go on, Jimmy. Why don't you try to capture it?" Ash suggested.

"Uh…right! Capture it!" Jimmy nodded as he put on a look of confidence.

That's right. He was a trainer now. He couldn't just idly watch if a wild Pokemon crossed his path anymore. He had to capture them. A Hoothoot would be a perfect first Pokemon to add to his team as they weren't that difficult. Jimmy gave a brief look behind him to make sure Marina was watching before he turned around again.

"Okay, Cyndaquil! You're up!" he said to it.

Cyndaquil must've known what its trainer was planning as it leaped ahead of Jimmy and ignited the flames on its back, ready to fight. The Hoothoot, however, noticed the hostility of the situation and glared at Cyndaquil as Jimmy smiled. This would be his first attempt at capturing a Pokemon.

Ash smiled himself at the impending battle. It brought him back to his first attempt at capturing a Pokemon. It had been a Caterpie which he caught in Viridian Forest. He was so clueless back then. He threw his pokeball at Caterpie without even battling with it first. He was lucky that it worked, otherwise he would've been extremely embarrassed if it broke free and got away like that Pidgey had on his first day of training. Luckily, Jimmy didn't appear he would make the same mistake.

"Remember, Jimmy. Don't try to totally knockout the Pokemon. Just weaken it enough to be captured," Ash reminded.

"Right," Jimmy nodded before he faced his Cyndaquil. "Go, Cyndaquil! Use Tackle!"

The fire mouse Pokemon charged forward at the Hoothoot, but it quickly flew upwards out of harm's way. It then began to flap its stubby wings quickly, and a cloud of dust was kicked up and went towards Cyndaquil.

"Dodge it!" Jimmy ordered, and Cyndaquil leaped out of the way.

Cyndaquil then stared up at the airborne Hoothoot and nodded to Jimmy. The new trainer then knew what Cyndaquil was thinking. It couldn't use Tackle anymore, but it could still attack with its fire at far away distances.

"Use Ember, Cyndaquil!" he ordered.

Cyndquil shot several small bits of fire from its mouth quickly. They all flew through the air and struck the Hoothoot one by one. The owl Pokemon fell to the ground before it gave loud cry which caused everyone to cover their ears. It must be using Echoed Voice. Cyndaquil was grimacing at the painful screeches before it heard Jimmy's voice through it.

"I know it's loud, Cyndaquil, but you're tougher! Use Tackle!" Jimmy shouted.

Urged on by its trainer, Cyndaquil charged forward once more and collided with the surprised Hoothoot. The cries immediately stopped and everyone uncovered their ears now the assault was no more. Jimmy then looked over at Ash.

"Hey, Ash. Is it a good time now to use my pokeball?" he asked.

"Go for it, Jimmy," Ash nodded.

"Alright! Pokeball, go!" Jimmy yelled as he threw the pokeball at the dazed Hoothoot.

The ball collided and sucked in the owl Pokemon. It then fell to the ground and shook a few times. Everyone waited in anticipation to see if the capture would work. They all knew how important this was for Jimmy. Finally, after a few seconds, the pokeball stopped shaking and 'dinged' to show the capture was successful.

"Alright!" Jimmy cheered as he ran over to pick up the pokeball.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil cried as it went over to the pokeball, too.

"Great job, Cyndaquil! You rock, and you rule!" Jimmy said as he gave it a thumbs up.

"Jimmy! That was really good!" Marina told him as she ran over with a big smile on her face.

"Uh…well, yeah. Thanks, Marina," Jimmy said as he turned away.

The rest of the group was happy for Jimmy's first capture. There truly was nothing like one's very first Pokemon they caught on their own. They always held a special place in the person's heart, just like Butterfree did with Ash. Though he no longer had it, he would always remember it.

* * *

It was late at night now, and most of the group was already asleep. Serena was the only one who was still up. Her sleeping bag was between Ash and Marina, and the two were breathing softly beside her.

Serena was still thinking about special talents she possessed. What would make her stand out among the crowd? Aria said she had amazing potential, but how? Yes. She still wanted to be a Pokemon Performer, and she had many qualities of one. She was fashionable and could come up with great ideas for shows, but was she just a jack of all trades, and master of none? What was her one thing that stood out from everyone else?

Before Serena could contemplate on that any further, there was a strange sound that came from beside their camp. Serena opened her eyes as a breeze began to blow through the clearing they were in. Though it wasn't spooky and rather refreshing, it did unnerve Serena a little bit. Serena glanced to her right and saw a mysterious glow coming from deeper into the forest. Serena bit her lip and debated on whether she should check it out or not. It didn't seem dangerous, but…

Serena scooted out of her sleeping bag and crawled over to Ash on her left. Despite the strange occurrences around them at the moment, Ash was completely unaware and was sleeping peacefully. Serena gently rubber her hands on Ash's chest in an effort to wake him.

"Ash, wake up. There's something weird here," she whispered.

"Mmm…and that makes a thousand badges," Ash muttered in his sleep.

Serena sighed and hung her head. Though she didn't want to interrupt this blissful, though extremely unrealistic dream he was having, she wasn't about to check out something that she had no idea about alone. That was just asking for trouble. She then resorted to shaking him slightly to get him to wake up.

"Hmm…what is it, Pikachu?" Ash yawned.

"I'm not Pikachu. I'm Serena," Serena whispered with a hint of annoyance now.

"Sorry. What is it, Serena?" Ash mumbled as he cracked his eyes open to see the honey-blonde girl above him.

"There's something strange going on over there," Serena replied as she pointed to the same mysterious glow coming from the forest.

Ash rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times before he followed Serena's finger. He then saw the glowing that Serena was talking about and got a more alert look on his face. He then shook Pikachu awake and proceeded to wake up everyone else in the camp. Serena sighed as she didn't really want to wake up everyone. What if it just turned out to be nothing? She would be quite embarrassed.

"What gives, Ash?" Brock asked once Ash finished waking him up.

"There's something going on over there," Ash answered as he pointed to where Serena had.

"So? Go check it out," Misty replied, still in her sleeping bag.

"By myself?" Ash questioned. He wasn't even the one who first noticed it.

"Go on, Mr. Pokemon Master. We're right behind you," Brock told him, though the fact that he wasn't moving said otherwise.

"Humph, fine," Ash grumbled before he turned to Pikachu, who was still half asleep. "Let's go, buddy."

"Chuuu," Pikachu nodded sleepily.

"I'll check it out, too, Ash. Who knows what that is," Jimmy stepped in as he came beside Ash.

"I'll come, too. I'm the one who originally saw it," Serena said.

"I can't let you guys go without me," Marina stated.

"Okay. Okay. We'll come," Misty said as she and Brock got out of their sleeping bags. In truth, they were rather curious about the strange conditions going on right now.

The group then cautiously made their way towards the glowing that was coming deep within the trees. As they got closer, they could see the glow was giving off a mysterious blue vibe. The strange noise that they were hearing actually appeared to be humming, and it was quite beautiful. The leaves from the trees rustled as the refreshing breeze passed through them.

The group then made it to the trees and peeked around one of the closer ones. Their eyes widened when they could make out a glowing figure off in the distance with its back to them. It was a little hard to make out, though, as there were many trees obstructing their view. The group glanced at each other and crept a little closer towards it as quietly as they could. Once they were close, they peeked around another tree and could make out its features.

It was definitely a Pokemon, alright, but it gave off such a majestic vibe. A blue aura was coming from it, and it had a large, flowing mane that resembled a polar light. Two white, streamer-like tails came from its back and flowed powerfully with the breeze that was blowing. The group was absolutely stunned. None of them had ever seen a Pokemon like this before.

"It's so beautiful," Misty whispered.

"What is that?" Ash whispered as he and the others looked at Jimmy and Marina. It definitely wasn't a Kanto native Pokemon.

"Uh…I'm not sure. I have a hunch, but I can't believe we're actually seeing one in person," Jimmy muttered back.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked this time.

"It's a legendary Pokemon. It's rarely seen by humans. People search their entire lives for it, only to come up with nothing," Marina answered.

Ash, meanwhile, felt strange. For some reason, he was feeling some type of connection with this Pokemon. Was it because of the blue aura that it was giving off? It almost seemed to match his own aura perfectly. Ash closed his eyes as he attempted to read the connection a little further, but it was abruptly shut off.

There was a collective gasp that came from the group, and Ash opened his eyes and saw the Pokemon was now turned towards them. It didn't look hostile, but it was staring intently at the group. Ash then raised his eyebrows slightly when the Pokemon turned in his direction, and they looked gazes for only the briefest of moments before the Pokemon turned and ran away. It then faded into the trees, and the forest returned to normal.

Everyone stood in stunned silence for a moment, particularly Ash. It didn't take a genius to know that what they had just witnessed was the chance of a lifetime. It was an extremely rare Pokemon, and they had seen it up close.

"Woooow," Brock uttered.

"It was so pretty," Misty repeated.

"And it looked straight at you, Ash," Jimmy spoke, and Ash soon found all eyes on him.

It was really strange now that he thought about it. Why did he feel a connection with that Pokemon? It wasn't like they had ever met before. When it was there, Ash felt his aura flare up slightly. Was it that which alerted the Pokemon to their presence? It could feel Ash's aura with its own. He wasn't sure. Regardless, with how this scene transpired, Ash had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing the last of this Pokemon, whatever it was.

* * *

It was the next morning, and the mysterious Pokemon they saw last night was still on their minds. It had been all they talked about so far. It was by far the most interesting thing any of them had seen on their journey. There were still a few questions that remained after the encounter like why the Pokemon appeared to them? What had drawn it over? For Ash, an extra question as still running through his mind. Why did he feel a connection to it?

"Man! Let me tell ya! If we saw something that cool in just the first few days of our journey, think of what the rest of it has to hold, Marina!" Jimmy exclaimed as he dug into Brock's delicious pancakes.

"It was fabulous!" Marina agreed.

"Have you guys seen anything else really awesome on your other journeys?" Jimmy asked them as he and Marina stared at them eagerly.

"Well…uh…we've seen a lot of neat things," Ash replied with a chuckle.

"Like what?" Jimmy pressed.

At that, Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock hesitated a little. They had seen more than their fair share of legendary Pokemon. Some of the ones that immediately came to mind were Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Mew, and Lugia. They also swore not to tell most of these Pokemon about their encounters with them. Even if Jimmy and Marina looked like they could be trusted, one thing could always lead to another. Besides, the other incident with Ash saving the world wasn't something he was quite ready to tell many other people about yet. He didn't even tell Gary, but he was sure Leaf might have by now.

Jimmy and Marina's faces fell a little once they saw the group's expression. They had been so excited to hear about the legendary Pokemon the group had seen so far on their journeys, but it looked like that opportunity wouldn't come. They both sighed before Marina spoke next.

"We get it. You can't say, can you?" she asked.

"Ummm…," Serena started uncomfortably, but Jimmy interrupted her.

"No. It's cool. Seeing an extremely rare Pokemon is a big deal. We can only imagine that you can't just tell anyone who asks," Jimmy said.

"Thanks for understanding," Ash smiled gratefully.

Jimmy then looked down at his new Hoothoot who was eating up Brock's Pokemon food with Cyndaquil like it was its last meal. It finished and gave a contented sigh.

"Hey, Hoothoot. How're thing going so far?" Jimmy asked it.

"Whoooooo," Hoothoot replied before it gave a slight burp.

It seemed this Hoothoot was a bit of a glutton with how fast it finished Brock's food. The group, especially Serena, was reminded a lot of her Nidorina.

Jimmy then looked over to Marina and rested his hand in his palms. "Just think about it Marina. We're going to have such a great time. It won't be long until you get your first Pokemon, too. We'll see great sights and other legendary Pokmon like last night."

"Totally!" Marian grinned.

"Excuse me! Other legendary Pokemon like last night?!" an unfamiliar voice exclaimed from behind the group.

The group whipped their heads around in alarm at the sudden outburst. What they found was a young man walking quite hurriedly to them. He had light brown hair that was styled rather fancily and had crystal blue eyes. He was clothed in a purple shirt with purple pants with a large red bow tie around his neck. Lastly, he wore a white cape on his back. Marina had hearts fill her eyes while everyone else raised their eyebrows at the man's strange getup.

"Uhhh…do we know you?" Ash asked awkwardly. He wasn't trying to be rude, but this strange man did just totally butt into their conversation and show up unannounced.

"No. I suppose you don't. I apologize. My name is Eusine," the man introduced.

"Ummm…okay," Ash replied while everyone else stared at the man. He still hadn't given them an explanation yet.

The man then cleared this throat before he spoke again. "Once again, I apologize for my rudeness, but I was passing by looking for a certain Pokemon that was said to be here recently. Upon overhearing that you saw a legendary Pokemon last night, I simply had to know if it was the one I've been searching for."

"Well, we don't exactly know what Pokemon it was, and…," Serena started.

"May you please at least tell me what it looked like?" Eusine pressed.

"Hold on just a minute," Brock intervened as he walked up to the man. "We have no idea who you are or what you do. How do we know you aren't some type of Pokemon Poacher or a criminal?"

"Yeah. You look pretty flashy for a criminal, but that can only take you so far," Misty added.

The man then gave a sigh. "I suppose you're right. To prove I have no ill intentions in regards to this matter, I will tell you my story."

Brock seemed satisfied with that answer as he nodded his head and crossed his arms. Having a total stranger ask them out of the blue about a legendary Pokemon kicked in his older brother mode. He promised their families that he would look after them, and being the good judge of character that he was, Brock would be able to tell if this man was truthful or not. Ash couldn't help but be quite impressed with Brock. For all of his goofiness when it came to girls, he could definitely be serious when the situation called for it. There truly was a lot to learn from Brock about growing up and taking care of one's self.

"As I said, my name is Eusine," the man began. "I'm a champion scientist and Pokemon trainer. Ever since I was a young boy, my grandfather would tell me stories of the great legendary Pokemon, Suicune. It is both unique and extraordinary. I've looked for this Pokemon my whole life."

"Suicune? I think I've heard of that Pokemon before," Jimmy mentioned.

"I'm sure you have," Eusine nodded. "Suicune is truly a magnificent Pokemon. It, along with Raikou, and Entei, were said to be revived from three dead Pokemon who perished long ago in a burning building."

"Revived? By what?" Serena asked this time.

"The legend says that they were revived by the master of the Tin Tower in Ecruteak City, Ho-oh," Eusine answered.

"Ho-oh," Ash muttered thoughtfully. If only he knew that he and Serena had already seen this Pokemon once before.

"That's right. That's the legend of Ecruteak City!" Jimmy exclaimed. "Suicune, Raikou, and Entei roam the region of Johto constantly to watch over and protect it from any type of disaster. They are basically messengers to Ho-oh!"

"Exactly!" Eusine nodded.

"Okay. You still haven't said exactly why you're searching for Suicune," Brock frowned. He was impressed by this legend, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this man was trying to dodge his initial question.

"Not just Suicune, but Raikou and Entei, as well. Out of all the three, however, it has been Suicune I've been dying to meet the most. Its beauty knows no bounds, and the way it moves is as graceful as can be. It truly is an inspirational sight to see. Being a scientist, to find a Pokemon so mysterious and lovely would be nothing short of breathtaking. I must experience this," the man explained.

"So do you guys think that's what we saw last night?" Misty questioned, which drew Eusine's eyes over to her.

"Young madam, please. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Suicune, or if you could at least describe to me the Pokemon you saw last night, I would be in your debt," Eusine stated with a bow.

"So what do you think, Brock?" Ash asked him.

Brock rubbed his chin before he gave an answer. "Alright. You seem to be trustworthy to us. Still, just try to watch how you jump into total stranger's conversations next time."

"Yes. Of course. Once again, I apologize for my rudeness. It's just the thought of Suicune being so close to me has me excited," Eusine repeated.

"You know, you're pretty cute," Marina spoke up as she went over to Eusine.

"Why do I have the feeling that this is going to get super embarrassing for me?" Jimmy grimaced.

"I'm sorry, little girl. What was that?" Eusine questioned in a surprised tone.

Marina then began to fiddle with Eusine's cape. She looked absolutely enamored with it. Jimmy gave an embarrassed sigh until he noticed the rest of the group was looking at him funny. He shrugged his shoulders before he gave his answer.

"Marina has a thing for capes," he muttered.

"Wow! This cape is absolutely, positively fabuloso! It's so cute!" Marina squealed as she continued to inspect Eusine's cape.

"Young lady, no one is permitted to touch the cape," Eusine said with an annoyed sigh.

The group gave a nervous chuckle at that. When they first met Marina, she and Lyra appeared to be opposite ends when it came to love. Lyra was extremely forward and outright said if she like someone or not like she did with Ash. Marina, on the other, hand appeared to be stubborn in confessing her feelings. This proved that wasn't the case, however. Marina and Lyra were, in fact, a lot alike.

"Come on, Marina. Settle down," Jimmy uttered as he went over and grabbed Marina by the arm to get her away from Eusine.

"I just want to touch it a little more!" Marina protested as Jimmy dragged her away.

"Yes...well…," Eusine said awkwardly.

"Right. You wanted to hear about the Pokemon we saw last night, right?" Ash asked.

"Please," Eusine nodded.

"Well, I'm the one who first noticed it," Serena replied. "There was this strange blue glow coming from the forest and a beautiful sound that sounded like humming. I woke up the others, and we went to see it."

"Right. The Pokemon did move with a lot of grace. It gave off such a powerful feel. I've never seen a Pokemon so lovely," Marina added.

"It then saw us and disappeared," Ash replied.

"So it was blue and moved with grace and elegance? There's no doubt about it! The Pokemon you all encountered last night was indeed Suicune! The rumors of it traveling around this area recently were true then!" Eusine exclaimed.

"Heh. Check that out, Pikachu. We actually saw a rare and legendary Pokemon after only a few days of being in Johto," Ash grinned.

"Pikachu," Pikachu nodded with a smile, as well.

"This begs the question, though," Eusine started as he folded his arms, "I wonder why Suicune would show itself to you children."

"Well, it did run away when it first noticed us," Misty tried, but Eusine shook his head.

"No. No. I'm certain Suicune knew you all were watching it the whole time. It can sense the presence of anyone in the surrounding vicinity. If it catches even the slightest trace of a human, it will quickly run away. You were able to see it last night because Suicune wanted you to see it," Eusine told them.

The group exchanged glances at that. So they were meant to see Suicune last night? It was a rather strange thing now that they thought about it. Why would they, out of everyone else in the world, be privileged to see Suicune when someone like Eusine who greatly admired it can't? Ash then remembered something he felt last night and decided to ask Eusine if he knew anything about it.

"Hey, Eusine. Is it normal for people to feel Suicune's aura when they're near it?" Ash questioned, which drew the others' eyes on him.

"Ash? Did you…," Serena started, knowing what he was implying.

"No. Not at all. Suicune is a very mysterious Pokemon, and while its aura is extremely powerful, it also keeps it hidden," Eusine answered before he added, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, while we were watching it, I felt like I could actually feel Suicune with me. I felt a connection to it," Ash replied somewhat hesitantly.

"What?! You did?!" Eusine exclaimed as he ran over to Ash and grabbed his shoulders. "Young man, do you have any idea what this means?!"

"Ummm…no, but could you let go of me, please?" Ash asked awkwardly.

"My apologies," Eusine said as he composed himself again. "The fact that you felt Suicune's aura means that it has chosen you for a great role. Might I ask you name, young man, Ash, was it?"

"Yeah. It's Ash. Ash Ketchum," Ash introduced.

"Well, Ash Ketchum, the only reason Suicune would ever allow you to feel its aura would be if you had aura yourself. It wants you to be able to feel its presence should the time ever come," Eusine continued.

"Wait…so you know I have an aura ability?" Ash questioned. It wasn't something that he blabbed about. The fact that Eusine was able to tell just by their encounter with Suicune was impressive. Now that means that two other people who previously didn't know it now know.

"Woah?! You're an aura user, Ash!?" Jimmy cried.

"That's absolutely fabulous, darling! Is there anything you can't do!?" Marina exclaimed.

"Well…ahahahaha," Ash chuckled as he blushed.

"Don't let it go to your head, Ash. It's helped us out a few times, and other times it's gotten us into trouble. He can't fully control it yet," Misty sighed.

"Well, yeah. That's true, too," Ash shrugged. "I'm not some amazing hero. I still have a lot to learn."

"Nonetheless, it must mean Suicune has chosen you for a great role, whatever it may be. I have no doubt that it has reported this incident to the legendary Pokemon, Ho-oh!" Eusine stated.

"So what is the Pokemon called Ho-oh?" Serena questioned.

"I know about that one. Mr. Eusine said it was the master of the Tin Tower in Ecruteak City. It's a legendary bird Pokemon that glows the seven colors of the rainbow, doesn't it?" Jimmy asked.

"Precisely. I think I have a drawing of it somewhere in here," Eusine mumbled as he pulled out his wallet and thumbed through a few pictures. "Aha! Here it is!"

The group gathered around Eusine as he presented the picture to them. In the picture was another rather majestic Pokemon. It resembled a phoenix that as mostly red in color with a white underside, yellow tail feathers, and green-tipped wings. A swirl of fire surrounded it as it seemed to be crying out in the picture which only added to the power this Pokemon apparently possessed. It actually looked more like a painting. Misty, Brock, Jimmy, and Marina looked in awe at the picture. Ash and Serena both studied the picture a moment before they and Pikachu gasped.

"No way!" Serena cried.

"Hmm…is something wrong?" Eusine asked.

"Ash, that's…!" Serena began.

"I know," Ash replied. They both were recalling a distant memory from the first day of their journey.

"We've…it may be legendary and rare, but Ash and I have seen one," Serena said firmly.

"You..you have? Surely you must be jesting or saw some other Pokemon," Eusine told them.

"She's telling the truth. Serena and I both saw that Pokemon on the first day of our journey. It appeared to us and flew over a rainbow just after a thunderstorm," Ash stated.

"Wow. You two never told us that," Misty said in awe.

"Well, at the time, we had no idea what the Pokemon was. We didn't know if it was worth saying or not," Ash responded as he rubbed the back of his head.

"You know, normally if two kids told me that they saw the legendary Pokemon, Ho-oh, I would never believe them. Kids these days will say anything to get attention," Eusine said in slight disdain.

"Hey! Why do you say that?!" Ash cried, a little offended.

"It's because a Ho-oh hasn't been seen in over two hundred years," Eusine replied with a frown.

"Wh-what?" Ash questioned.

"That's right. Even more so than Suicune, people have searched their entire lives for Ho-oh, and never found it. They always died trying," Eusine said gravely.

"We know what we saw," Serena said as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"You misunderstand me, young madam. The fact that you saw Suicune last night actually has me believing that you did indeed see a Ho-oh. You two are apparently blessed in a way I can't comprehend, and you don't even know it," Eusine sighed.

Ash and Serena looked at each other. While Misty, Brock, and Tracey had seen legendary Pokemon along with them, no one besides them had apparently seen a Ho-oh before. Why them, though? What made them so special?

"I'm starting to wonder if we're in over our heads by joining Ash's group," Jimmy whispered to Marina.

"No! Wait! I promise I'm not some god or anything! I'm just a normal kid, Ash Ketchum!" Ash cried.

"Settle down, Ash. We're still your friends, before all. Even if you and Serena do turn out to be some chosen ones, we won't think of you any different," Brock told him as he rested his hands on Ash's shoulders.

"Brock's right. To me, you'll always be the annoying kids who destroyed my bike, but turned out to be invaluable friends. No matter what happens, we'll never treat you any different," Misty nodded.

Ash and Serena felt their hearts warm at Brock and Misty's words. They were all friends through and through. Even if Ash and Serena were destined for something great, though they sincerely hoped they weren't because Ash had already saved the world once, they could always count on them. Gary and Leaf would probably say the same thing.

"Thanks, guys," Ash smiled.

"Then it's settled!" Eusine suddenly shouted as he looked directly at Ash.

"What is?" Ash wondered.

"Young man, you are clearly a remarkable person for Suicune and Ho-oh to appear before you. They have recognized you and that girl. It makes me realize that no matter how much I want to see them that they will never appear to me at the rate I'm going at. I must prove I am great, as well," Eusine stated.

"So what are you going to do?" Serena asked.

"I wish to challenge Ash Ketchum to a Pokemon battle!" Eusine declared.

"What? Why?" Ash questioned.

"Isn't it obvious? If I am able to defeat you in battle, I will be recognized as someone worthy to see Suicune. It has been my dream to meet this Pokemon. You will help me reach that level," Eusine stated.

"Uhhh…," Ash uttered before he composed himself. "You're on. There's no way I can back down from a Pokemon battle!"

"Splendid! I thank you for this opportunity, Ash. It means a lot!" Eusine said graciously with a bow.

"There's just one thing I need to do before I start my battle with you," Ash stated solemnly.

"What's that?" Eusine asked.

"Can I please finish my pancakes? You did sort of interrupt us in the middle of breakfast," Ash said, which caused Eusine and the others to fall over in disbelief. Way to take out the moment, Ash.

* * *

Both trainers now stood on opposite sides of the proposed battlefield. Everyone else stood on the side while Brock was acting as the judge. Jimmy and Marina looked especially excited at being able to see Ash have a real battle for the first time. Eusine looked absolutely determined to win while Ash had a more neutral expression on his face. He didn't have the massive desire to win like Eusine did, but this was still a direct challenge from another Pokemon trainer. Ash would never back down from one. He was still going to give it everything he had in this match. In the back of his mind, though, Ash had a nagging feeling that he wanted to prove himself for Suicune, too.

"Young man, I don't wish to take up too much of your time so I believe we should just use one Pokemon each," Eusine declared.

"One Pokemon sounds good to me," Ash smiled. After all, he had a certain Pokemon he had been really wanting to try out since entering the Johto region.

"Very well, then. Since I initiated the battle, I shall do you the courtesy of choosing my Pokemon first. Go, Alakazam!" Eusine shouted as he released his Pokemon.

A strange, humanoid-looking Pokemon appeared from the pokeball. It had a large mustache and purple plates of armor that adorned sections of its yellowish, skeletal body. It had a large snout and wielded two spoons in each of its hands.

"It's an Alakazam," Ash muttered as he, Serena, Jimmy, and Marina took out their pokedexes.

"Alakazam, the psi Pokemon and the evolved form of Kadabra. Alakazam are said to be one of the smartest Pokemon and has extreme heightened senses so it can perform everything to the best of its ability," the machines said.

Ash grimaced at this. If there was one thing the past had taught him, it was that the Abra line had always given a tough battle, especially Kadabra. He remembered both Sabrina and Luana's powerful Kadabra and how he always had an extremely close match when he faced them. Sabrina's Kadabra was even responsible for Pikachu's broken arm when they first faced it. Now, he was facing an even stronger version of that in Alakazam. This already wouldn't be an easy match.

Despite this, Ash figured the best way to combat Alakazam's incredible psychic powers was use a Pokemon that had incredible physical strength. It just so happened that he had the perfect Pokemon for something like this. Ash turned his hat backwards before he threw his pokeball forward.

"Go, Snorlax!" Ash shouted.

Everyone else looked on in interest at Ash's choice. This would be Snorlax's first real battle. Apparently, Ash didn't feel the need to let it warm up with easier Pokemon first. It probably wasn't necessary, though. Snorlax was able to crush all of their Pokemon back on the grapefruit islands except Tracey's Scyther. It would probably be fine. That was until the pokeball opened up to reveal something everybody was dreading in the back of their heads.

Snorlax was fast asleep.

"Come on, Snorlax! This is your big battle debut! You can't be asleep when I call you out!" Ash cried.

Serena, Brock, Misty looked slightly embarrassed while Jimmy, Marina, and Eusine looked on with a puzzled expression on their face. It was clear Ash hadn't had this Pokemon very long. Jimmy and Marina would forgive him for this as they were sure they would face similar problems down the road. Eusine, however, gave a slight puff of annoyance.

"My apologies, Ash. If your Pokemon aren't ready to have a battle with me, perhaps another time would be better?" he suggested.

Ash frowned at that. He wasn't about to make himself look like a fool. He was way past that part of his journey where he made several rookie mistakes. He was a champion of the Orange League and placed Top Four in the Pokemon League. He was going to show it, too. Rather than get more annoyed at the situation as that would only make him look worse, Ash took a deep breath. He then calmly walked over to the sleeping Snorlax and patted its enormous stomach.

"Hey, Snorlax. I know it's still a little early in the morning, but I need you to wake up. You've shown me that you were interested in traveling around and battling with me. Now's a great time to do so. Wake up and show everyone what you're made of!" he told it.

Everyone continued to watch. Would simply talking to it work like that? Snorlax could only be woken up after many hours of sleep or with a Pokeflute. Surely simply telling it to wake up wouldn't get it to budge. Well, at least he wasn't getting upset so they could credit him for that.

That's when everyone gasped when Snorlax gave a slight groan and scratched its stomach. It then sat up and gave a stretch and a yawn before it looked at Ash. Everyone was absolutely amazed at this, except for Ash, who smiled. This proved it. He was able to stay calm and not get aggravated like he would in the past, and now Snorlax was awake and ready to battle. Of course, he had to use a small dose of his aura on Snorlax to be able to get inside its mind to convince it to awaken, but Jimmy, Marina, and Eusine didn't need to know that.

"Hmmm…it seems I was right about you, Ash. I don't know too many people who can awaken a Snorlax on their own," Eusine stated.

"Hey, there, Snorlax. It's time to battle! Are you ready to win against that Alakazam?" Ash asked it.

"Lax. Snorlax," Snorlax mumbled before it gave a mighty heave to push itself into a standing position. It then gave a nod to Ash to show it was ready to fight.

"Great! Let's do it then, Snorlax!" Ash smiled as he walked back to where he was before.

As Ash walked, he gave a slight wink at Serena, Misty, and Brock and made a motion with his eyes towards his head. Jimmy and Marina looked confused by that gesture, but the others understood what it meant. Yeah. They figured he had used a little bit of his aura for this. At least he could use it in very small dosages when he needed to. Since Snorlax was awake now, it should do very well.

"Well, with that, are both trainers ready for the match?" Brock asked.

"You bet, Brock!" Ash replied.

"I am more than ready," Eusine stated.

"Alright then. This will be a one on one Pokemon match with no time limit. The battle will start now!" Brock announced.

"Alakazam! Use your Psychic Attack!" Eusine commanded.

The Alakazam promptly began to emit psychic waves from its forehead. They traveled through the air and struck Snorlax continually. For all of its power, Snorlax was still very slow and had a hard time dodging quick attacks like this. Ash was expecting this attack to hurt Snorlax a lot, but he smiled when Snorlax seemed to simply absorb the Psychic attack in its large body. Snorlax looked slightly uncomfortable but otherwise okay. Well, he didn't have a hard time catching this thing for nothing back on the Orange Islands.

"Great job absorbing that, Snorlax!" Ash cheered.

"Laaaaax," Snorlax muttered lazily.

"Well, I must say, there aren't too many Pokemon out there who can withstand Alakazam's Psychic attack like that. It appears I need to change my strategy," Eusine said with a flip of his hair.

"Snorlax and I can take anything you throw at us!" Ash said before he called out to his Snorlax, "Use Mega Punch!"

Snorlax began to waddle towards the Alakazam, but Eusine narrowed his eyes. The man knew that Alakazam wouldn't be able to take too many hits from a strong Pokemon like this so he needed to keep it at bay as much as he could. The most he could do was wear it down.

"Use Confusion, and stop that Snorlax in its tracks," Eusine ordered.

Snorlax was only halfway to Alakazam when it suddenly found itself surrounded by a blue glow. Alakazam made a thrust with its hands up towards the sky, and Snorlax was lifted from the ground. Ash was all too familiar with this situation. Even though it seemed like there was nothing he could do, his Pokemon would always find some way to break free. The difference here was that Alakazam's psychic hold was a lot more powerful, and Ash's bond with Snorlax wasn't as strong as his others since this was only its first battle. What to do?

Snorlax waved its large arms and feet around as it struggled n Alakazam's hold. Eusine smirked when he saw this and ordered out his next command.

"Since Psychic doesn't seem to do much, I suggest a Focus Blast, Alakazam," Eusine told it.

Alakazam closed its eyes briefly, and a tremendous burst of energy shot out of its forehead. It sailed through the air and crashed right into Snorlax, exploding upon impact. That attack actually hurt Snorlax as it let out a cry of pain and struggled even more after that.

Eusine seemed to be satisfied with that while Ash looked on with worry. What was something he could do in this situation? He turned around and saw all of his friends watching him intently. It was like they were waiting for him to have another 'crazy Ash idea' moment. At the moment, though, he had nothing. This battle definitely wasn't in his favor so far. Though it wasn't that serious to him, he still didn't want his Snorlax's battle streak to start off on a bad note by losing.

"Hurl Snorlax behind you!" Eusine called with a wave of his hand.

Alakazam threw its arms backwards, and Snorlax followed its motions. It uncharacteristically moved quite fast through the air until it slammed into a tree. Unfortunately, due to Snorlax's weight and the force of the impact, the tree began to topple over.

"Timber!" Misty shouted as the tree fell down and made a resounding crash.

Everyone grimaced at that. They sincerely hoped there wasn't a poor small Pokemon in that tree's path like a Caterpie or a Weedle. They wouldn't have stood a chance. The group would really need to be mindful of Snorlax's weight when it was used in battle. Well, after seeing what just happened, the group was sure Eusine wouldn't be careless enough to hurtle Snorlax into a tree again. Focus Blast, unfortunately, was still always an option.

"Come on, Snorlax!" Ash yelled.

"Use Focus Blast again!" Eusine hollered.

The same blast from before erupted from Alakazam's forehead and sped straight for Snorlax. The super burst of energy exploded upon contact again, and the sleeping Pokemon let out another cry of pain. If this kept up, Snorlax would clearly lose. Though he had recently used his aura to wake up Snorlax, he wasn't going to use it in a practice match like this, to him anyway, even though Eusine didn't feel the same way. It would almost be like cheating. He wasn't sure if he would be able to get it to work anyway. It had failed him on occasions which led to disaster.

Despite this, Snorlax still struggled immensely in Alakazam's Psychic hold. Eusine then looked for a good place to wear Snorlax down until his eyes rested on something suitable. He then smirked and held out his arm again.

"Throw Snorlax into the water, Alakazam! It will be totally helpless, there," Eusine shouted.

Everyone watched as Alakazam expertly carried Snorlax via Confusion over towards the small lake beside them. It then held it just above the water to avoid a tidal wave and dropped it in. There was still a big splash, and Snorlax disappeared from the water's surface. Eusine then nodded his head at Alakazam.

"You have done fine work, Alakazam. It looks like this match is ours. Congratulations to another victory. I'm sure Suicune will recognize us now as a powerful trainer and Pokemon," Eusine told it.

"Alakazam," Alakazam agreed.

"If you'd like, Ash, I will let Snorlax out of the water for you. Unfortunately, the match must go to me," Eusine said as he looked towards Ash

He then tilted his head in confusion when he saw Ash was laughing. Misty and Serena were laughing, too, while Brock, Jimmy, and Marina were looking just as confused as Eusine. Why were those three laughing? They didn't see anything humorous about Snorlax sinking into the lake.

"You…clearly don't know my Snorlax! It won't need help out of the water!" Ash said between his laughs.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Eusine questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

"This Snorlax isn't like others of its kind. It has a unique ability!" Ash said as he finally stopped laughing.

That's when a huge spout of water erupted from the lake beside the group. A wall of water formed from the spout and began speeding towards the edge of the lake. It then smashed into edge and spilled all over the area right where Alakazam was standing. The Psi Pokemon threw its hands outward in an attempt to the control the humongous wave, but it was too late. Alakazam was smothered by the wave while everyone else in the group got a mild splash. The wave then receded, and everyone turned towards the lake and saw a very surprising sight, at least to Brock, Jimmy, Marina, and Eusine.

Snorlax was swimming across the lake at an extremely quick speed. Brock, Jimmy, Marina, and Eusine's jaws dropped open as they watched. They were just as surprised by this as Ash, Serena, and Misty were when they first witnessed this in the Orange Islands.

"No way! His Snorlax can swim!?" Jimmy asked incredulously.

"It sure can!" Serena smiled.

"It does the blubber stroke," Misty giggled as she recalled Leaf's line when they first saw it.

"Great job, Snorlax! Turn that speed into a Rollout!" Ash yelled.

Snorlax reached the edge of the lake and leaped out. It then curled into ball and used the momentum from its swim to tumble towards Alakazam at tremendous speed. Alakazam, meanwhile, was still trying to recover from the wave that had washed over it. The Psi Pokemon blinked a few times before it saw Snorlax coming right towards it.

"Watch out, Alakazam! Use your Psychic attack to slow it down!" Eusine commanded.

Alakazam began to emit psychic waves from its forehead again. Even though the attack wasn't very effective against Snorlax, the main goal was to get it slow down. Eusine and Alakazam gasped when they saw it wasn't doing anything. Snorlax was still rolled like a giant bowling ball towards Alakazam.

"Keep at it, Snorlax!" Ash grinned.

"Use Focus Blast!" Eusine cried.

It was too late, however. Snorlax plowed into Alakazam, and the Psi Pokemon was knocked backwards and soared through the air for quite a while before it landed some distance behind Eusine.

"Alakazam! Hurry and get up!" Eusine cried as Snorlax rolled past him.

"Not so fast! Use Body Slam, Snorlax!" Ash hollered.

Snorlax then leaped into the air and uncurled itself. It used the momentum to keep sailing through the air, straight towards a shell-shocked Alakazam. The Alakazam slowly got up and shook its head. It then looked up, and its eyes widened when it saw the gluttonous Pokemon heading straight for it. It prepared to Teleport out of the way, but gravity won out. Snorlax crash-landed on the Alakazam, and the surrounding area shook with the force of the impact. A few more trees shook, and few Pidgey flew out of them, but they stood and didn't fall over, thankfully. It looked as though Snorlax had unintentionally learned Earthquake in the process.

"A Snorlax like that is definitely what I would expect from someone like Ash," Jimmy commented from the side.

"Do you guys think I overdid it with Body Slam?" Ash asked as he turned around and looked sheepishly at them.

"Hey. A win's a win, I say," Jimmy shrugged.

Ash then turned back to his Snorlax. "Alright, Snorlax. You can get up now," he hold it.

Snorlax gave a huge groan as it pushed itself off of the ground. As it got up, Alakazam was revealed to be in a small crater and not moving.

"Alakazam! Are you alright, my friend?!" Eusine exclaimed as he went over to it.

Alakazam made a small moan from its mouth before it coughed and passed out. Eusine then let out a sigh. It looks like his Alakazam was beaten. Though it was in a somewhat expected way, he lost to Ash Ketchum. With that, Brock raised his hands.

"Alakazam is unable to battle! The winner is Ash and Snorlax!" he announced.

"Hey, Snorlax! Did you hear that? We actually won our first match together!" Ash called as he ran over to it.

Ash was expecting his Snorlax to turn around and wrap him up in a big bear hug like it did in Professor Oak's lab, or at least give him a smile. Instead, Snorlax did none of those things. The sleeping Pokemon gave a huge yawn before it fell over on its back and promptly went to sleep. Ash reached his Snorlax and let out a sigh. Well, at least it battled when it was supposed to and won.

"I guess that battling made you tired, huh, Snorlax?" Ash asked rhetorically.

"Well, Ash, it looks like you could use some more training with Snorlax, huh?" Misty asked him with a smile.

"Heh. Yeah. I guess so. Still, as long as we won," Ash replied as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Young man. I can see now that you are a very powerful trainer. I'm sure whatever role Suicune has in store for you that you will do just fine," Eusine told Ash as he went over to him.

"So you don't consider the match a fluke? Your Alakazam was doing really well," Ash said.

"No. It wasn't a fluke. Your Snorlax never disobeyed you once in your battle, and it carried off your commands flawlessly. I'm still impressed you were able to wake it up from its slumber. That in itself was quite a feat," Eusine responded.

"Heh. Thanks. I'm sure Snorlax would love to hear the praise, too, but I think I'll just let it sleep for now," Ash said.

"That was a great battle, Ash! You rock and you rule!" Jimmy exclaimed with a thumbs up.

"We've been dying to see what you were like in battle, Ash. You're positively awesome! We could learn a lot from you!" Marina added.

"Well…uh…," Ash stuttered as he blushed. He never really considered himself a prodigy, but Jimmy and Marina did appear to look up to him.

"Come on, Ash. Lighten up! You already helped Jimmy catch a Pokemon. Why not also tell him some great battling tips?" Brock suggested as he went over to Ash and put an arm around him.

Ash thought about that request for a moment. He would actually be responsible for another person for a change rather than the other way around. His dad did tell him that the only way he could reach his limit and be ready or aura training was to learn to take care of himself. He was going to request Brock's help soon, but maybe showing a rookie trainer the ropes of being a trainer would be a great first step. Ash then looked over at Jimmy and saw an almost pleading look to them. He chuckled to himself before he gave his reply.

"Sure, Jimmy. I'll be glad to show you what I know. You'll be a league winner in no time!" Ash told him with a smile.

"Awesome, Ash! You rock and you rule!" Jimmy stated with a thumbs up.

"Right back at ya, Jimmy!" Ash responded likewise.

"Hmm...well, I don't wish to intrude anymore. This battle has proven that I am still a long way from the level I wish to be at to receive Suicune's recognition. Nevertheless, I will never stop my search for the wonderful Pokemon," Eusine stepped in.

"Right. We wish you luck, Eusine," Ash told him.

"Thank you, Ash. I know this may sound selfish, but should our paths ever cross again, would you do me the honor of battling me again?" Eusine requested.

"You bet! I'm always one to accept a challenge, sir," Ash replied.

"Splendid!" Eusine said with a bow. He then nodded to the others. "May your journeys continue with good fortune. Farewell for now."

"Take care of yourself, Eusine! Bye! Hope to see you again!" Marina called as the man turned leave while Jimmy looked rather annoyed that Marina was fawning over the man.

As Eusine was leaving, Ash was left to his thoughts. If what Eusine said was true about seeing Ho-oh and Suicune, then it had been some kind of omen. To what exactly, he had no idea. He sincerely hoped it wasn't some world-saving process. He can only do so much of those in a lifetime. Still, Lugia's words from a while back did still ring true in his ears. He was destined for something, and maybe his next encounter with Suicune or Ho-oh, if there was one, would tell him.

"What are you thinking about, Ash?" Serena asked him as she came up behind him.

Ash turned around and faced Serena. Yes. She had seen Ho-oh with him, but didn't have connection to Suicune or Lugia like he did. Why was that? Moltres had noted that she was a chosen one of sorts, and Lugia said to watch out for her, but what was she doing that was different from him? Man. Thinking of all these legendary encounters really gave him a headache sometimes. He should just not worry about it right now. If he sees Suicune again, maybe he would be clued in.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about some things that Eusine told me," Ash replied.

"Right. About how you were able to feel a connection with it?" Serena asked.

"Yeah," Ash replied. He sometimes felt like a legendary Pokemon magnet.

"Well, guys. Eusine is continuing his journey. I say we continue on ours, too. We should reach Cherrygrove City in only a matter of days," Brock suggested.

"Sounds good to me! I always love some civilization," Misty smiled.

"Right. Our first stop in the Johto region. I bet something really awesome is waiting us there," Ash stated as he adjusted his cap.

With that, the group resumed their journey. It had certainly been an interesting one so far. They hadn't even been in the region for a week, and they've already seen the legendary Suicune. With as exciting as their journey had been so far, they couldn't wait to see what the rest of the Johto had to offer them, starting with Cherrygrove City. It would probably be very eventful.

Unbeknownst to them, they were quite right.

* * *

 **This was rather unorthodox for Snorlax's battle debut, but as it showed, Ash will have to be very careful when battling with it. It's hunger and weight knows no bounds and could still cause property damage if he isn't careful. Ash will be able to control its unique fighting style better as the series progresses.**

 **Next chapter introduces two of my favorite Pokemon from the anime. I'm not quite sure when it will be out but it should be up before June. Thanks for all the reviews and support.**

 **Chapter Six: The Hero of Cherrygrove City**


	6. The Hero of Cherrygrove City

**A/N: Here's the next chapter guys! I actually got it out a lot sooner than I thought I would. Maybe that is a sign that I have more time to write now than I used to. Here's to more faster updates!**

 **This has been one of my favorite chapters that I've written in the Johto arc so far. Please enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Six: The Hero of Cherrygrove City

"Hmm…it looks like we finally made it to Cherrygrove City, guys!" Brock announced as he looked up from the guidebook.

Sure enough the group could see a small city in front of them. It had only been a few days since they ran into Eusine and saw Suicune. While the rest of their hike to the city hadn't been nearly as exciting, it was still filled with a lot of good times like talking until well almost midnight or seeing Jimmy and Marina's reactions when they would try some new dish from Brock. Despite all of this, the group was glad to be back in civilization.

"You know, I'd say Cherrygrove City is the one of the prettiest cities in the region of Johto," Jimmy spoke up.

"Oh, the air here is so clean and fresh. It has some of the best city parks in the whole region of Johto. They're perfect for a picnic!" Marina gushed as she clasped her hands together.

"So…is it called Cherrygrove City because it has a lot of groves of cherries?" Ash guessed.

"Uh…no. Not quite, Ash," Jimmy muttered.

"It says here in the guidebook that the cherry blossoms in the parks are always beautiful and add life to the city. Is that why?" Brock tried next.

"Bingo, Brock!" Jimmy praised with a wink and thumbs up. "It's named after all of the trees in the area!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know?" Ash grumbled as the group entered the city.

"Hey, everyone! I just had a fabuloso idea! We haven't had lunch yet! Let's have a picnic in the park!" Marina suggested.

"Oh. A picnic would be lovely," Misty smiled.

"I know, and romantic, too," Serena added as she sidled closer to Ash, which caused him to blush.

"Did you hear that Jimmy?" Marina asked.

"Uh…whatever," Jimmy muttered, which caused Marina to pout.

Before the group decided to do that, however, they figured it would be best to stop by the Pokemon Center first. As they made their way towards the center, they couldn't help but notice something was quite off. A lot of the people they passed by looked really aggravated. Though it would be common in the city to run into a few grouches, everybody seemed to be in a bad mood.

"Man, Jimmy. You would think with how good the lifestyle is here that people wouldn't look so miserable," Misty whispered to him, but not loud enough for any passerby to hear.

"They aren't," Jimmy whispered back. "Being from New Bark Town, Marina and I have been to Cherrygrove City a lot of times. I've never seen the residents like this."

"Do you think we arrived at not such a super time?" Marina wondered.

"I bet so. There's an Officer Jenny right there. We can ask her," Jimmy said as he pointed.

Where Officer Jenny was, there was also a large crowd of people standing in the streets who seemed to be doing a bunch of complaining. Officer Jenny was waving her hands up and down in an attempt to calm people down. Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty thought it was rather funny that the Johto region had their own Officer Jennys, too. They wouldn't be surprised if the same held true for Nurse Joys, as well, but that was beside the point.

"Please, people! Our police force is taking care of this problem as fast as we can!" Jenny shouted through a microphone.

"Come on! If you guys were actually trying, you would've caught these things by now!" a man yelled.

"That isn't the problem, sir. These Pokemon only appear when no one else is around. We've tried waiting around for them all night to see if they would come, but they never do. The area has to be completely empty of people," Officer Jenny replied.

"They would have to appear at some point. Just have somebody there around the clock! They'll show their faces eventually!" another person yelled, to which the Officer Jenny sighed.

"Alright. We'll do what we can," she relented.

That seemed to appease the crowd as they began to disperse. Though they no longer appeared hostile, they still seemed rather annoyed. The group, meanwhile, had no idea what was going on. They did manage to overhear a few mutters among the people, though.

"Man, our beautiful city is turning into a wasteland because of those things," one person uttered.

"I know. Our clean, healthy lifestyle and finances will go out the window if they stay," another person uttered back.

The group figured it would be best not to ask the residents about what the problem was unless they aggravated them further. They knew their anger wasn't directed at them, but something definitely had them frustrated, and it was clearly for a good reason. It would probably be best to ask the Officer Jenny here. The group approached her as she watched the crowd disperse. Once she saw the group of six plus two Pokemon approach her, she gave a tired smile. Brock, meanwhile, got googly eyed.

"Hello. You all don't look familiar. I feel as though I've spoken with everyone in this city," she said.

"I agree. We've never met before. However, I don't know how I could've gotten along my whole life without knowing you! I'd say we get to know each other right now!" Brock cried as he knelt in front of Officer Jenny.

"Excuse me? What are you talking about?" Officer Jenny asked as she raised her eyebrow at Brock.

"I was thinking we could get to know each other over a nice dinner and…yeowwww!" Brock started, but yelled in pain when Misty grabbed him by the ear and yanked him back. Jimmy and Marina stared in shock while Ash and Serena laughed sheepishly.

"Please, Brock. Don't give this Officer Jenny an even bigger headache than the one she already has," Misty muttered in annoyance.

"Uh…that was a change of what we've seen from Brock," Jimmy commented with wide eyes.

"Yeah. I guess we sort of forgot to mention this part about him," Ash chuckled.

"Goodness, Brock! Are you alright?" Marina asked with hands over her mouth as Brock was now lying on the ground from where Misty had thrown him.

"No. The love of my life has slipped through my fingers yet again," Brock mumbled.

At this, Marina and Jimmy gave an inquisitive look to Misty who rolled her eyes. Ash and Serena then mouthed to Jimmy and Marina that Brock would be just fine. With that, Jimmy and Marina decided it would be best to just drop it, and everyone then turned back to a still surprised Officer Jenny.

"Sorry about that. We just arrived here actually," Serena said to take Officer Jenny's mind off of Brock's attempt to pick her up.

"Why is everyone so grumpy?" Misty questioned, getting straight to the point.

"The residents here are actually very friendly, and we'd usually welcome all of you here and tell you to enjoy it, but it isn't really the best of times," Officer Jenny sighed.

"I thought so. I've never seen it like this," Jimmy commented.

"So what's going on?" Ash questioned.

"Well, we have a bit of a bug problem," Officer Jenny sighed.

"B-b-bugs?" Misty stuttered.

"What kind?" Serena asked, her and the others ignoring Misty's comment.

"Well, I'm sure you've all heard that this city is famous for its cherry blossoms as well as healthy trees in general. About a week ago, we've had several Heracross enter our city, and they're sucking our trees of all their sap. While this isn't a problem in a place like a forest, here it is a problem. Not only are they destroying the trees in our park and ruining the image, we're also suffering financial losses because we depend on a lot of these trees to produce the famous Cherrygrove City syrup brand," Officer Jenny explained.

"I use that stuff a lot in my desserts," Brock said thoughtfully. "I actually have a tin in my backpack right now. There really is no quality like it."

"That's right. We think the Heracross were allured by the wonderful reputation of the trees here. While they're normally very peaceful and dislike conflict, they must like the sap so much that they can't get enough of it and refuse to leave," Officer Jenny said.

"So that's why everyone is so upset," Ash realized. "These Heracross are destroying the city's lifestyle and putting their main source of income in danger."

"Great. Just what we need to run into. A multiple version of Ash's Snorlax…in bug form," Misty mumbled as she recalled the grapefruit incident a while back.

"We've tried waiting around for them to appear so we can drive them off, but as I said, Heracross are peaceful and don't like fighting. The Heracross must sense the residents' anger and won't show themselves when they're around," Officer Jenny said.

"Man. I don't really like the sound of this. I say we do something, Marina!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"That's right, Jimmy! These Heracross are being a huge bummer to this city!" Marina agreed.

"I think you're rubbing off on them, Ash. That sounds like something you would say," Misty whispered to him, which caused him to chuckle.

"If you kids would have some idea of how to get rid of them, that would be great," Officer Jenny spoke up.

"I think we do! You said the Heracross won't appear to these townspeople because they can sense their anger. Well, we won't show any hostility since we don't live here so they may appear to us," Jimmy said.

"You know…that actually makes a whole lot of sense," Brock muttered thoughtfully.

"What better to way to show peace than with our original plan for a picnic!" Marina finished.

"I guess it would be like killing two birds with one stone. We can have a great lunch and help the city to boot," Ash smiled.

"We are such goody two shoes," Misty mumbled under her breath.

* * *

A couple of miles from Cherrygrove City, a figure flew high in the air, though it was rather wobbly. It used its sonar to search the surrounding area for any trouble. The reason why was because it always had a desperate desire to prove itself.

It was once part of a gang of its own kind, but they had kicked it out due to it slowing them down. This hurt the Pokemon greatly, but it wasn't going to give up like that. Ever since then, it had been wanting to improve itself by helping others. In short, it wanted to be a hero so no one would continue looking down on it.

One may consider it didn't have the look, per say, about a hero. It was rather clumsy and had a strange habit of winking and sticking its tongue out when it was excited. That's exactly what it was doing right now, actually. Its sonar was picking up on a large group of Heracross in the nearby city, and it could tell trouble was brewing. This would be a great opportunity for it. If it could rid the town of this problem, it might be able to prove itself.

With that, the figure flew into the city. Unfortunately when it did, its sonar got a little crazy due to the tall buildings. Now it couldn't fly properly and was wobbling even more than usual. A few people had to duck as the Pokemon was dangerously close to the ground. It would then give an apologetic look to them before it flew on.

From what it could tell, the problem appeared to be originating in a forested area in the middle of the city. It would head there and see what's going on. With that, the Pokemon made a right in the direction towards the park, but not before clipping a light pole as it passed by.

* * *

About an hour later, the group was in Cherrygrove City's central park. The first thing the group noticed was exactly how barren the park actually was. The citizens here weren't joking at all. Where one would expect bountiful and beautiful trees everywhere, there would just dead trees with bare branches. A lot of them had scraped up and dry patches on them from where the Heracross had apparently eaten.

"Man. I didn't know Heracross could destroy trees at this rate," Jimmy commented.

"There must be a lot of them," Marina tried.

Despite what Marina said, as the group looked around, there were no Heracross, or any Pokemon for that matter, around. This park was completely empty of people, too. It seemed like since the park had lost its beauty that people no longer had a desire to come here. Either that, or they knew it was useless since they wouldn't be able to lure out the Heracross anyway. The group walked a little farther into the trees until they reached a clearing a small distance from the main trail. Luckily, it was one of the places that still had healthy looking trees.

"Well, I'd say this is as good a spot as any. If we hope to see the Heracross, we'll have to use a place that they haven't been to yet," Brock reasoned.

Serena and Misty then began to set up the blanket while everyone else got out the food they would use for the picnic. It consisted of sandwiches made by Marina, Serena and Misty, chips provided by Ash and Jimmy, and a big cake prepared by none other than Brock. Though they ate on the road or out in the open fields between towns all the time, this was actually the first time they had a true picnic inside of a park. At least they could enjoy it in a part that was still beautiful.

Ash, being how he was, had already wolfed down three sandwiches before most of the group had even finished their first. He then gave a swallow and smiled to Pikachu who was licking a bottle of ketchup.

"This sure is nice, huh, buddy?" he asked.

"Hey guys. I just thought of something. I know that we're here to have a picnic, but also to find the Heracross. Wouldn't it have been a good idea to try to find them before we have our picnic so they don't steal our food," Misty suggested and then shivered. "Oooh. A bug Pokemon on my food sounds extremely gross."

"I don't think the Heracross will have any interest in what we're eating, Misty. From what Officer Jenny said, they're just here for the sap," Brock answered as he finished the last few bites of a sandwich.

"Try not to show you're afraid, either. If the Heracross know you're scared of them, they still won't come, and then we'll never be able to help," Ash added.

"I can't help it. It's just bug Pokemon give me the creeps," Misty said with a shudder.

"If it helps Misty, I think Heracross are actually pretty adorable. They're big, but they have such friendly expressions on their faces that you easily look past their strong arms and horns on their heads," Marina smiled.

"H-h-horns on their heads?!" Misty stammered, "And they're big!?"

"Uhhh…maybe I worded it the wrong way," Marina stated as she laughed nervously.

"Okay. I'll just wait at the Pokemon Center while you all take care of this!" Misty declared as she stood up, but Ash pulled her back to the ground.

"Come on, Misty. It's not like these Heracross are hostile. They just like tree sap. They aren't going to hurt us," Ash told her.

That was when Ash was prodded in the side by Pikachu. Ash then turned to his yellow rodent partner. He then saw Pikachu was pointing off towards his right. Ash followed its finger and let out a small gasp as he saw what was staring back at him in the bushes. The others followed his gaze, and it appeared as though they found what they were looking for.

A dark blue Pokemon was staring back at them with a smile on its face. It resembled a large stag beetle with a huge horn on its forehead. Judging by how Marina described them, the rest figured it was probably a Heracross. Wanting to know a little more, Ash and Serena took out their national dexes.

"Heracross, the single horn Pokemon. Though usually docile, Heracross are strong enough to lift and throw an object many times its own weight. They have even been known to topple trees," the national dexes reported.

"Oooh. I don't like the sound of that. I can't stand bug Pokemon," Misty said through gritted teeth.

"Hush, Misty, or you may scare it away," Ash whispered.

The Heracross then tilted its head in curiosity and slowly came out of the bushes. Misty instantly froze and got a terrified look on her face. The others rolled their eyes and stood in front of Misty so the Heracross wouldn't see her frightened expression. Ash then masked his intent with a smile.

"Hey, there, Heracross. Nice day, isn't it?" Ash asked.

"Hera," it replied quickly and scooted a little closer to the group.

"Hey. It is kind of cute like you said, Marina," Serena smiled.

"They're darling!" Marina gushed as she clasped her hands.

The Heracross then looked around the area to see if it could sense anything amiss of the situation. It closed its eyes and then gave an apprehensive look at the group. The others turned around and saw Misty's teeth were chattering, and she looked more scared than ever. Great. The Heracross couldn't see Misty's expression, but it could still sense it.

"Misty," Brock whispered in warning

Understanding that she wasn't helping, Misty forcefully swallowed her fear and put a neutral expression on her face. Despite this, the Heracross still looked rather nervous, and Serena gently nudged Misty in her side. The redhead then forced herself to look at the Heracross and tried to see the good things about it. Well, it was big and had a…large…horn…okay! Don't think about that! Well, its face was cute and didn't look very scary. Maybe if she just focused on that instead of the rest of Heracross' body, then she would be okay.

The Heracross must have sensed the tension had dropped slightly as it visibly relaxed. It then turned around and called out its name several times in the bushes. At this, at least a dozen more Heracross poked their heads out of the nearby bushes. The group wasn't quite sure if this was all of them or just some of them. They just had to keep up this act to see what the Heracross would do.

"Heracross!" the first one suddenly cried.

Everyone was startled when the seemingly peaceful Heracross took flight and made a beeline for nearest cherry blossom tree. Misty screamed and ducked down as the Heracross passed above them. The group the watched as the group of Heracross latched onto the tree and began to tear it up as fast as possible. Once they had torn a sufficient amount of the tree of up, they immediately pressed their mouths against the trees and started to slurp up the sap greedily.

The group was flabbergasted at the Heracross' sudden change in demeanor. When they first came out, they seemed timid and tranquil. Now the group could see for themselves how these Heracross were creating a problem. They were quite ruthless when it came to the trees in this city.

"Hey, Heracross! You can't just go around sucking up all the tree sap! You're hurting the peoples' lifestyle!" Ash shouted at them.

"I don't think they'll listen to reason like that," Brock muttered. It was true. The Heracross didn't even appear to have heard Ash.

"Fine then! We'll have to get them to lead by force! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash told it.

"Pika!" the yellow rodent cried as it leaped into the air. It then launched a Thunderbolt, though not at full power, towards the Heracross. The Heracross saw the attack coming and hastily flew out of harm's the way. They hovered in the air in surprise for a moment before they turned in Pikachu's direction and saw it charging up for another electric move. They all gasped and quickly dispersed into the surrounding park.

The group sighed at that. Well, at least the Heracross tried to avoid violence like Officer Jenny said. They were easy to chase away in that regard. However, as the group looked at the tree in front of them, they discovered it was already beyond saving. How were the Heracross able to destroy the tree that quickly? Their appetites were insane!

"Well, at least they're gone for the time being," Misty said.

"That's true. They flew away as soon as they sensed danger so if somebody is here at all times with a Pokemon, then the Heracross won't come out," Ash realized.

"The only problem is someone can't be here with a Pokemon at all times," Brock frowned as he crossed his arms. "Even after we leave, having a constant guard with a Pokemon in this park twenty-four, seven is bit unrealistic. It's a temporary solution at best."

"Hey. There's still one Heracross left," Serena noticed.

As the rest of the group looked, sure enough, there was still one Heracross who was still merrily sucking away at all the sap it could. Why didn't it flee like all the others? Was it just braver and didn't consider the group a threat, or was it just into licking the sap so much that it didn't notice?

"You know, I think that's the first one that came out of the trees. It must be their leader," Ash stated as he took a closer look at it.

The Heracross gave one last greedy lick before it lifted its mouth from the tree and let out a contented sigh. It wiped its mouth with its arm, and then it turned and noticed the group staring at it with an unreadable expression. Hmm…they must want some of the delicious sap, too. Sensing no hostility, Heracross leaped off of the tree and made its way over to the group. The redheaded girl jumped behind the taller tan boy in fear, but the single horn Pokemon didn't seem bothered by her anymore. She didn't appear as if she would hurt it.

Once the Heracross made it to the group, it grabbed the nearest boy who had a Pikachu next to him, by the hand. The boy and the rest of the group looked rather unsure about what its motives were and just watched awkwardly. It then led the boy over to the tree it had just sucked most of the sap from and gestured to it as if to say 'Help yourself'.

Ash seemed to get the message of what Heracross was doing as he quickly shook his head. He then frowned at the Heracross who seemed to have a confused look on its face. Didn't this boy or his friends want any of the sap? Wasn't that why they were watching it so intently?

"No! No! No! I don't want any sap, Heracross! You shouldn't be having any, either! Don't you know that you're destroying the trees and people's live this way?!" Ash exclaimed.

The Heracross tilted its head to the side. All it and its friends wanted was some tree sap. How was that so wrong? It then noticed something in the sky and got a panicked expression on its face. The group gasped as the Heracross took flight and immediately darted back into the woods. Misty let out slight huff and placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm glad Heracross is gone now, Ash, but I don't think we'll reach it if you yell at it," Misty said.

"Oh yeah!? Well we won't get anywhere if you keep screaming every time you see one!" Ash retorted.

"I don't think that's why Heracross left," Serena intervened as she pointed up at the sky.

The rest of the group turned upward, and the raised their eyebrows. A dark figure was flying down towards them at incredible speed. As it got closer, the group could start to make out its features. It was pink in color with wings and a tail with a stinger at the end of it. The Pokemon resembled some sort of flying scorpion. The group began to get a little nervous as the Pokemon showed no signs of slowing down.

"Out of the way!" Jimmy yelled as he and the others leaped out of its path.

Everyone thought that they were safe from the danger, but the Pokemon gave a slight wobble and lost control of its flying. It gave a sharp turn to the right and started flailing its arms around like crazy. Ash peaked upwards and saw the unstable Pokemon was now heading straight for him. A collision seemed imminent now, and Ash braced himself for what was to come.

He gave a cry as the Pokemon crashed right on top of him, and they both fell to the ground. They both struggled for a moment before the Pokemon scrambled off of Ash. The two then jumped to their feet and stared at each other. Ash had an annoyed look on his face while the Pokemon before him was winking and had its tongue sticking out. This was rather strange behavior. It was a lot like some type of tic movement.

"Hey. You should try to watch where you're going. That kind of hurt," Ash said while he rubbed his aching head.

"Gli! Gli!" the Pokemon responded and winked again.

"Cool! I know what that is! It's a Gligar!" Jimmy said in excitement.

"A Gligar?" Ash questioned as he and Serena took out the national dexes to scan it.

"Gligar, the fly scorpion Pokemon. Gligar fly through the air with a sound as if they were flying. When catching prey, this Pokemon clamps down on the face of its victim and injects poison," the national dexes spoke.

"Do you think this is a wild Gligar like those Heracross were?" Brock wondered as he and the others watched the Gligar bounce up and down on its stinger.

"It must be. I don't see anybody else around who could be its trainer," Serena replied as she looked around.

"Okay, but what's it doing here?" Ash asked.

Pikachu went over to the Gligar and began to converse with it. Gligar got a serious expression on its face before it hopped off its tail and back on its feet. It then pointed to the sky and puffed out its chest like it was trying to be heroic or something.

"Oh! It's cute!" Marina gushed.

Gligar fell over in embarrassment at that. It wasn't trying to be cute! It was trying to be tough! It had come here to take care of a problem. However, as Gligar looked around, it didn't see anything out of the ordinary…except for a destroyed tree. It could've sworn that it heard the townspeople muttering to themselves about Heracross here, but it didn't see any. All it saw were these humans. Were they the threat? Gligar narrowed its eyes and pointed an accusing claw at them.

"Gligar! Gligar!" it said angrily.

"Pikachu! Pikapi!" Pikachu replied, looking rather affronted.

"What's it saying, Pikachu?" Ash asked it.

Pikachu then pointed at itself and Ash before it pointed back to the tree. Ash understood now and glared back at the Gligar.

"Hey! We aren't the ones who are doing this! We're just bystanders!" Ash told it.

The Gligar then looked at the group suspiciously. It stuck out its tongue and gave a wink as it seemed to scrutinize every one of them. After a moment, it smiled and rubbed the back of its head.

"Gli! Gli!" it said apologetically.

"No! It's okay! No harm done!" Ash replied as he waved his hands dismissively before a thought came to him. "Still, I can't help but wonder about this. Why are you worried about what's going on here anyway?"

"I didn't even think Gligar lived in this area. They're much more common in the mountains around Mahogany Town or Blackthorn City," Jimmy added.

Gligar then puffed out its chest again and pointed its claw at the sky. Unfortunately, it happened to look directly at the sun and quickly shut its eyes and looked away. That seemed to take away from the heroic image it was trying to present to the group. It smiled sheepishly and stuck its tongue out again.

"I see. You want to help out and be like some sort of hero," Ash realized.

"Gli!" Gligar nodded enthusiastically.

"That's pretty cool. What made you want to do something like that?" Jimmy asked it this time.

Gligar's demeanor suddenly changed, and it got an upset look on its face. Its eyes welled up with tears as it looked at the ground shamefully. Apparently this particular topic brought up bad memories so the group thought it best to not ask. Jimmy gave a nervous laugh before he said his next sentence.

"You know, it doesn't matter why. The point is that you're trying to be one," Jimmy tried to amend.

"I, for one, think it's adorable," Marina smiled as she knelt down and hugged the Gligar. The Gligar gave a blush and hugged Marina back.

Jimmy rolled his eyes while Misty scooted up next to them. She then gave Jimmy a sly look.

"Don't be jealous, Jimmy. I think Marina and that Gligar are just going to be friends," Misty said.

"Wh-what!? You've got to be kidding me!" Jimmy yelled a lot louder than he intended to.

Gligar then let go of Marina and jumped in front of the group. It then turned towards the woods and seemed to scout the area for any Heracross. Strange. It could sense them, but they must be really good hiders.

"It's okay, Gligar. The Heracross are already gone. You actually kind of scared away the last one," Ash told it.

He was then surprised when the Gligar hung its head again before its eyes welled up with tears. It was trying to stand up to the Heracross, not scare them away! How was it supposed to help if it was going to screw everything up?!

"It's okay! It was a good thing you scared away the Heracross because they were destroying that tree," Serena said this time as she knelt in front of the upset Gligar.

The fly scorpion Pokemon brightened up considerably once Serena said that. It then winked and stuck its tongue out again. The group chuckled at this. The Gligar clearly had a lot of emotional ups and downs. It was quite unique as they don't think they've ever met a Pokemon like this before.

"Well, Gligar, if you really want to help with the sap problem, we certainly aren't going to say no to you," Ash told it.

"Gli!" Gligar responded as it gave a salute.

Even though we have an ally, we still don't know what to do about the Heracross," Brock pointed out.

"Yeah. They're so obsessed with the tree sap that it's like they're tuning out any pleas that tell them what they're doing is wrong," Serena said.

"Well, we've just got to make them leave!" Ash declared as he pounded his fist in his palm.

"How are we going to do that, though?" Misty asked.

"No idea!" Ash replied as everyone else fell over in disbelief.

After everyone recovered, Brock was the first one to speak. He rubbed his chin once he realized something about all of the Heracross' behavior…well, most of them anyway.

"Hey, guys. I think I have an idea," Brock piped up. "I noticed that those Heracross seem to have a leader among them. They didn't even want to come out of the trees until their leader said it was safe."

"So how does that help us?" Ash asked.

"Well, we get their leader to listen to us," Brock continued.

"There's a cache, isn't there?" Serena asked this time.

"That's right. One of us will have to capture it. If we can do that, we may be able to get the leader to convince the other Heracross to leave," Brock finished.

Everyone thought over Brock's plan. It was definitely reasonable and made a whole lot of sense. The Heracross gang was much more likely to listen to their leader than to them. Despite this, there was still a flaw in Brock's plan, and Misty was the one to point it out.

"It's a good idea, Brock, but the problem is we need the Heracross to appear to us again. We can't do that if they're scared. They probably won't be back for a while, and we can't be here all week waiting for them to show up. One of us will still have to be here at all times to alert the others," she said.

That was a good point. They really couldn't be here all week waiting for the Heracross to come. It seemed like they were back to square one. However, they now had a new ally that was more than willing to help, and it made it known, too.

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar spoke up and slapped its claw against its chest.

"Wait. You'll keep watch, Gligar?" Ash asked it.

"Gli!" Gligar confirmed.

"That's awesome, Gligar! Thanks! That really helps us out!" Ash smiled and gave it a thumbs up.

"Aww! Thank you, darling!" Marina gushed as she gave it another hug.

"That's great, Gligar! We'll be counting on you," Serena told it.

Gligar stuck its tongue out as it was happy that it was getting the chance to help. It gave salute to the group to show that it wouldn't let them down. There was no telling when those Heracross would show up, but Gligar would make sure it was there to see them. It would make sure to go get the group once it saw them. It wasn't going to let them down! It was going to be a hero like it always wanted to!

* * *

It was nighttime now, and Gligar was in the park of Cherrygrove City. As it promised, it had dutifully stayed there the entire time to watch out for any Heracross that may appear. It wasn't going to let them destroy anything else. If they were to come, Gligar would make sure it was ready for them.

On the other hand, it had been here for several hours doing absolutely nothing. It was in same spot it had been ever since the group left it. Gligar just sat there, staring at the trees around it. Gligar would occasionally get up and stretch itself, but it was only doing so much. Inactivity was making Gligar a little restless, and a little hungry. Gligar was dedicated to keep its promise, but its nature was making it rather hard to follow.

It didn't really help matters any when Gligar smelled the tree sap. The tree that the Heracross had destroyed still had lots of sap from it, and after sitting out for a long while, the aroma had begun to carry. Gligar's mouth watered at the smell. It couldn't really fault the Heracross for liking the sap so much. It smelled so sweet and delicious. Despite this, Gligar remained firm. If it was to take this tree sap for its own, it would be no better than the Heracross. Everything would be fine. It could fight its hunger. It was a hero! It would just think about other things.

…That was until its stomach rumbled.

Gligar blushed in embarrassment that its own body was betraying it like this. It then managed to catch another whiff of the tree sap, and Gligar's stomach rumbled again. The fly scorpion clutched its stomach in an effort to quell the rumbling, but it was no use. Its stomach now sounded like it had a monster truck going through it. It really wished it had something to eat before it decided to take on this job. It couldn't go to sleep, either, to ignore its hunger as the Heracross could come out at any time. Gligar knew it probably wouldn't be able to fall asleep anyway if it was this hungry.

Gligar was able to smell the tree sap again. Darn it! Why did have to smell so great? Gligar then unknowingly stood up and began slowly walking towards the dead tree. Gligar's tongue was hanging out, and drool came from its mouth as it got ever closer. Gligar had a huge conflict going on inside of its head right now. Part of it was screaming at it to resist temptation and to dutifully keep watch, and that it would undoubtedly destroy any sap that could be salvaged from this tree. That wouldn't be very heroic, and then it may be chased out of the city just like it had with its gang. These people were counting on it, and it would break their trust if it ate any. That would just make it seem like a sneaky Pokemon who purposely made them go away so it could feast on all the sap for itself.

Then again, the other side was telling Gligar that just a few slurps wouldn't hurt. At the very least, its stomach would stop rumbling. It smelled so good, too. To have such a heavenly taste in its mouth sounded so satisfying. The smell was even more intoxicating as Gligar was just in front of the tree right now. Its instincts were screaming at it to stop, but it was ignoring them now. Gligar lifted itself into the air and glided around the tree to look for the spot that had the most sap. It found a good spot after a few seconds.

Gligar latched itself onto the tree and took in another good whiff of the sap. It leaned forward as it prepared to suck away at the tree to its heart's content. Just a little bit wouldn't hurt. No one would find out. No one was here. Gligar was just about to take its first sip when…

"Gligar?"

Gligar fell off the tree in surprise and crashed onto the ground. It then looked in the direction where the voice had come from, and it spotted one of the humans it was speaking with earlier. Gligar believed the boy said his name was Ash, and both he and his Pikachu were staring at it with an unreadable expression on their faces. Uh-oh. It had been caught in a moment of weakness.

"Wait. You were trying to eat some of the sap that you were supposed to protect, right?" Ash asked it.

Gligar scrambled to its feet and began to think of as many of excuses as it was able to. It winked and stuck its tongue out several times as it flailed its arms around. Unable to think of anything, Gligar hung its head shamefully, and tears filled it eyes. It had one job which was to protect the tree sap, and it had failed miserably, even going so far as to try to eat some for itself.

Gligar saw Ash approaching it, and it braced itself for what was probably an onslaught of yelling. What was going to happen to it now? Would Ash call it untrustworthy? Would he call it incompetent? Gligar would probably be chased out the city now it couldn't carry out one task. Well, it wouldn't be anything new to it since it was chased out of its own gang a while back. When Ash reached it, Gligar closed its teary eyes in preparation, but it was surprised with what Ash said to it.

"Man. It must be tough staying here by yourself, huh?" Ash asked it.

"Gli?" Gligar inquired as it looked up at Ash. To its surprise, the boy didn't look angry, and neither did his Pikachu.

"You know, once we all got back to the Pokemon Center, we all realized it was a little unfair to leave everything up to you and figured you could use some help. We also figured you were probably getting a little hungry so I volunteered to come out here and give you some company and a snack," Ash explained as he held out an apple.

Gligar stared at the piece of fruit for a moment before it looked up at Ash hopefully. The raven-haired boy and Pikachu nodded their heads to show it was alright. Gligar smiled broadly and took the apple from Ash's hand before it bit into it. Gligar sighed in contentment with how juicy and crisp the apple was. It took another bite, and already it could fill its hunger pains going away.

Ash took out another apple and gave one to Pikachu before he took one for himself. The two then sat next down together next to Gligar, and the three ate their snack in contentment. Gligar was the first to finish the apple and smiled again. It could still smell the tree sap, but it was able to resist the temptation now that it had food in its stomach. Ash smiled down at Gligar once it finished.

"Yeah. I thought so. Sorry about making you do it by yourself, Gligar. I can only imagine how hard it must be to stay here and do nothing for so long," Ash told it.

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar responded. It was happy to do this. It was just a little difficult as Ash said.

"So tell me, Gligar. You said you wanted to be a hero. What all kinds of heroic things have you done?" Ash wondered.

Gligar sighed and hung its head again. The truth was it hadn't done anything so far. It was still kind of new at this stuff. The task it was doing right now was the first real one had taken on, and it wasn't doing such a stellar job at it.

"Pika Pika," Pikachu said as it patted Gligar on the back, and Ash smiled sympathetically.

"I see. Even if you haven't done anything yet, Gligar, you're doing a great job so far. You're an extremely dedicated and great Pokemon to want to help out a city like this. The citizens here have nothing to do with you, but you're doing everything you can to help them. That's pretty heroic to me," Ash told it.

Gligar looked up once Ash said those words. This boy thought it was great? Even so, it was still failing at its job so far.

"Hey. Don't let the fact that you almost ate the tree sap get you down. I've screwed up in more ways than I can imagine, but you know, things always seem to work out in the end. When I first started my Pokemon training career, I thought I could do anything. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Pikachu didn't even seem to like me a whole lot," Ash continued.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded to show it agreed.

"Still, over time, I actually did start to get better with my training. I made a lot cool friends in Pokemon and even went on to get Top Four in my first tournament and then won the Orange League," Ash stated before he went on. "My point is the same will go for you. Even if you mess something up, there is always a way to redeem yourself. You'll go on to do great things, too, Gligar. Just like me and Pikachu."

Gligar smiled and stuck out its tongue. It felt a lot better once Ash said those words. Nothing was perfect so it couldn't expect itself to be. It was trying too hard. Gligar realized it should just be content with what it could do and not push itself. It would get better at what it was called to do eventually. Therefore, it shouldn't be so hard on itself when it messes up, which was still quite often.

"I think that in a way, you and I are a lot alike, Gligar," Ash told it with thumbs up.

Gligar's eyes shined when Ash finished. It wiped them and was about to respond, but all of a sudden, the two Pokemon and one person heard a noise. They turned towards the direction and saw it was coming from the bushes. They all stood up from their sitting positions in preparation for what was coming.

A Heracross poked its head out of one of the nearby bushes. It was probably the leader again. Ash was a little surprised by this. Even though he knew they had to watch the area at all hours, he still wasn't expecting them to come out near midnight when most people and Pokemon were asleep. Maybe this is why no one was able to get the Heracross to go away, too.

Heracross saw Ash and smiled at him. It then waded itself out of the bushes and approached him, Gligar, and Pikachu. Gligar glared at the Heracross. So this was one of the troublemakers in the city so far? Upon seeing Gligar, Heracross hesitated and seemed a lot more apprehensive.

"Easy, Gligar. Not yet or we'll scare it away," Ash told it, and Gligar's hard expression immediately relaxed.

Heracross took a good look around at the rest of its surroundings. It didn't see anyone else here except the Gligar, Pikachu, and the other boy. It was probably safe to try to get their fill on tree sap again. The scouting had been successful. The Heracross then turned back towards the bushes, and the group braced themselves for what was to come.

"Get ready," Ash whispered.

"Heracross!" the leader called out.

As expected, several more Heracross peaked out from the bushes. That's when Ash suddenly shouted out to the leader. The single horn Pokemon turned inquisitively to Ash at his outburst. It seemed a little worried, but Ash wasn't deterred now that he had his attention.

"Come on, Heracross. You can't just destroy this city's lifestyle just because you like the tree sap here! Don't you know how much damage you and the others are causing? Can't you get you and your friends to leave here? Please?" Ash pleaded.

"Pikachu! Pika!" Pikachu added.

"Gligar! Gli!" Gligar finished.

Heracross recoiled a little at the harsh looks they was giving it. The Pokemon took a good luck at the tree and saw how delicious it looked. It wasn't like it had heard what the boy and Pokemon were telling it, but it had such a love of sweet things. They were all able to suck away at trees to their heart's content in the forest. Why were these guys telling them they couldn't use the trees here which had the best sap? Seeing no reason, Heracross turned back to its gang.

"Heracross!" it cried again.

The Heracross once again took flight and dove after the nearest tree. Ash gritted his teeth as the Heracross latched on to the tree and began tearing it up just like the last one. It seemed like there was no getting through to them if he couldn't reach the leader. It seemed like Brock's idea was going to come into fruition, after all. Ash knew he was going to have to capture the leader.

"Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu leaped in the air and shot out a powerful Thunderbolt from its cheeks. The Heracross sensed it coming just like last time and flew out of the way. They hovered in the air for a moment and stared at Ash. The lead Heracross, however, didn't feel like fleeing this time. This boy had stopped them from licking the tree sap a few times right now. The lead Heracross disliked using its strength, but this boy was endangering them, and being the leader, it was up to it to deal with this threat.

"Heracross!" it cried again.

Ash raised his eyebrows when Heracross did this. It seemed like these Heracross weren't total pacifists, after all. That was fine. Since they weren't fleeing, that made it much easier. It also made Ash feel all the better about capturing one. He stood at the ready with Pikachu and Gligar at his side. They could take on this gang and weaken the leader enough to get it.

That was until something unexpected happened. At least a dozen more Heracross appeared from the bushes and joined the ranks of the Heracross already there. Ash gasped at that. Just how many Heracross were in this gang?! Originally, Ash thought there were only about twelve Heracross, but they were hiding their numbers in case of an emergency. These Heracross weren't playing around anymore, and things just got extremely difficult. Great.

"Snorlax! Lapras! I choose you!" Ash shouted as he threw the pokeballs.

The two pokeballs opened up, and the remaining two Pokemon Ash brought with him appeared. Lapras gave a cry and appeared ready to help its new trainer while Snorlax…was asleep. It was no surprise as it was kind of late. That didn't prove the case for long however. Snorlax sniffed in its sleep, and it quickly sat up and looked around for the source of the smell. It appeared to be coming from that tree. It brought Snorlax back to its days when it was gobbling grapefruit like no tomorrow. It put on a happy smile as it made its way over to the tree.

"No, Snorlax! We don't need you eating the sap! Otherwise, there really won't be anything left of the tree!" Ash shouted.

Snorlax stopped in its tracks and put its hand to its chin. It thought its trainer was letting it out so it could have a nice feast. Snorlax then heard buzzing and turned upwards and saw the several Heracross above it. Ohhhhhh. It was supposed to battle right now and could eat later.

The lead Heracross made an uncharacteristic battle cry, and the whole swarm dive-bombed Ash and his Pokemon. The raven-haired boy didn't waste any time in issuing his commands. He ordered his Pokemon that he and Pikachu would go after the leader, and Gligar, Snorlax, and Lapras to deal with the rest as long as they could.

It wasn't long before there was a huge commotion going on in the park. Attacks were flying left and right, and Ash had to dodge a few himself as he looked for the leader. Unfortunately, for all their power, Gligar, Snorlax, and Lapras were quickly finding themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of Heracross. As soon as they would hold off a few, even more would come to take their place. Things weren't looking good at all.

Ash fought his way through the swarm and ducked down several times when a Heracross would aim for him. One thing he was learning quickly was that these Heracross were extremely formidable and ruthless fighters when they wanted to be. They weren't holding anything back. It wasn't long before a certain Heracross landed directly in front of Ash and narrowed its eyes. Ash and Pikachu quickly put on a defensive stance. It didn't take a genius to know that this was the leader that he was searching for.

Before he battled the Heracross, Ash took a quick glance over at Snorlax, Lapras, and Gligar to see how they were faring. He gasped when he saw how badly they were bruised. The fight had only been going on for a couple of minutes, and they already looked worn out. Should he and Pikachu go in to help them, or should he stay here and fight the leader. It was quite the dilemma. Both options had more cons than pros.

It didn't help matters any when he saw Gligar was knocked to the ground and was soon smothered by several Heracross. Lapras was shooting several Ice Beams, but one of the Heracross had grabbed it by its neck, and another one grabbed Lapras by its snout which immediately halted the attacks. Snorlax was enduring quite well, but sometimes its attacks were little too slow to land a hit on the speedy Heracross so even it was feeling overwhelmed. Ash looked back and forth wondering what he should do. If only he had more Pokemon or his friends were here.

"Ember!" three voices cried.

Several bullet-sized bits of fire soon shot into the fray, and went on to strike the Heracross that were smothering Gligar right now. They immediately backed off which allowed Gligar to catch its breath again. Next, several Water Guns came through into the swarm and struck the ones on top of Lapras. Finally, several Rock Slides and Stone Edges were thrown, which took care of the ones around Snorlax, and a Golbat joined in and took care of any reinforcements.

Ash grinned broadly as he turned in the direction of the attacks and could see Serena, Brock, Jimmy, Marina, and Misty standing there with all their Pokemon out of their pokeballs. They all looked ready to fight.

"Hey, guys! You came!" Ash called out to them.

"Of course, Ash! We were worried about you and Gligar, too, and figured you two could use a hand in case the Heracross did show up!" Serena replied.

"Yeah! It looks we showed up not a minute too late, either!" Jimmy added.

"A couple of minutes earlier wouldn't have been bad, either!" Ash joked.

"Well, we're here now to help you, little budddy!" Brock smiled.

"Sounds good! We can use all the help we can get!" Ash shouted.

"We're on it!" Misty nodded as she ordered her Pokemon to use Water Gun.

Ash nodded back and turned to the leader who frowned now that things weren't going as favorably for it. Now that his friends were here, things were really looking up for Ash. Despite this,these Heracross were pretty resilient. They weren't out of the woods yet. There was still one thing left to do. Ash needed to defeat the leader and capture it.

"Are you ready, buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"Pika!" the yellow rodent responded in the positive.

"Alright! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu charged up its cheeks and shot a Thunderbolt along the ground. Heracross easily flew out of the way into the air. It then flew straight at Pikachu. So it wanted it wanted to stay on the offensive then? That was fine.

"Use Iron Tail, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu leaped forward towards Heracross and charged up its tail. In turn, Heracross wound up its fist. Pikachu then swung its tail forward while Heracross swung its fist. The two attacks smashed into each other, and Pikachu cried out in pain at the more effective attack. Ash frowned as Pikachu was knocked backwards, but they weren't deterred by it.

"Use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu maneuvered its body in air so it would land on all fours. As soon as it touched the ground, Pikachu shot back up into the air and slammed into Heracross' stomach. The single horn Pokemon let out slight gasp from the attack. It then wound up its fist for another Brick Break, but Ash wasn't going to let it this time.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu was already preparing the attack before Ash called it. Pikachu grabbed on to Heracross and immediately let loose the huge amount of electricity. Heracross grimaced at the attack and fell towards the ground, but Ash wasn't done yet.

"Use Iron Tail, Pikachu!" Ash shouted again.

Pikachu charged its tail up its tail while still on Heracross and slammed it into Heracross's midsection, which quickened its descent to the ground. There was an audible crash as Heracross slammed into the ground, but Pikachu flipped off just before they landed so it wouldn't feel the effects. The Heracross was lying on the ground in pain, and Ash pulled out a pokeball. He then turned his hat backwards.

"Pokeball, go!" he yelled and threw it forward.

Heracross saw the pokeball coming and narrowed its eyes. It stood back up and charged its massive horn. As soon as the pokeball reached it, the single horn Pokemon crashed its horn into the pokeball, and the pokeball was actually shattered to pieces!

"Woah," Ash muttered. He had never seen that before. That must've been one Heracross' strongest attacks, Megahorn.

Heracross got into a battle ready stance again, and Ash sighed. It still had plenty of fight left in it. Heracross wasn't going to go down that easily. He and Pikachu then took a brief look at his friends to see how they were holding up again. He saw they were still doing well, but it was preferable that this fight ended as soon as possible so they wouldn't get tired. Despite the odds being evened out a little, the Heracross swarm still outnumbered them slightly.

"It's okay, Pikachu. We can still do this," Ash told it.

"Chu!" Pikachu agreed.

"Use Agility, and turn it into a Wild Charge!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu took off at breakneck speed before it was covered in electricity. It tore along the ground towards the Heracross, but the Pokemon braced itself. Pikachu then leaped at the Heracross. The attack crashed into it, and an explosion took place where Pikachu hit it. Ash was expecting that attack to do massive damaged to Heracross, but that was until the smoke cleared. To his surprise, Heracross had actually caught Pikachu! Heracross looked pretty bruised from Wild Charge, but Pikachu was still at its mercy now.

Heracross then charged its horn before it lightly tossed Pikachu in the air for better aim. Ash gasped as Heracross jammed the Megahorn right into Pikachu's stomach. Pikachu made a slight choking noise as the wind was knocked out of it. The yellow rodent then went flying upwards towards the sky with enough force to seemingly touch the moon with as hard as Heracross hit it.

Gligar saw this however, and briefly quit what it was doing to help. It tore after Pikachu, and it was flying skyward. Gligar started to wobble as its instability was starting to take over, but didn't let it get in the way this time. Gligar gave another burst of speed and managed to get in front of Pikachu. The yellow rodent then tumbled into its chest, and Gligar caught it.

Unfortunately, its clumsy nature made Gligar lose its momentum of flight, and now that it was carrying something, the two Pokemon now began to plummet to the ground. Pikachu and Gligar screamed and held onto each other as Gligar desperately tried to get its wings to work again. It just couldn't find the right air current anymore.

Ash ran after where the two were in hopes he could reach them. With as far away as they were, it didn't seem likely, but he had to try. The others saw the danger Pikachu and Gligar were in, too, but were too busy fighting the other Heracross to help. Ash knew things weren't looking good so he yelled out to Gligar.

"Come on, Gligar! You can do it! Be the hero you were meant to be and fly again!" Ash hollered. "You've already done the hard part and caught Pikachu! Now you just need to keep flight!"

"Gli?" Gligar questioned as it looked down to Ash.

He was right. Flying had never been one of its strong suits. However, this was an emergency, and it definitely needed to work now. If they hit the ground before Ash reached them, things would be seriously bad for them. Gligar began to concentrate as best as it could as it sensed for the correct air current for its wings to catch. Pikachu was shouting encouragingly to it, too, now that it had its breath back again. Ash and Pikachu were counting on it, and Gligar wasn't going to let them down!

Gligar then found the current it was searching for, and it immediately adjusted its wings to it. Before long, Gligar regained its momentum and curved itself away from the ground. It then hovered in midair and smiled proudly at Pikachu and to Ash below. It really did it! It had saved Pikachu. Ash and Pikachu then cheered for it.

"Way to go, Gligar! That was an awesome catch and you even managed to regain your flight!" Ash called up to it.

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar smiled and stuck out its tongue while winking. It was so happy that it didn't mess this up.

The great moment was cut short, however. The three then noticed that the lead Heracross was now speeding towards Gligar. Now that the fly scorpion Pokemon had interfered, Heracross was going after it, too. This was rather surprising to Ash. If he didn't know better, he would've sworn this was a complete personality change from the friendly Heracross he met earlier. It seemed that despite their nature, Heracross were still fierce warriors when it came down to it.

Ash knew this wasn't over yet. If this Heracross wanted to dive in like that, Ash was going to meet it halfway. He knew Iron Tail wasn't going to work if Heracross could just Brick Break it so he had to try something else. It was then one of his crazy ideas came into play once again.

"Hey, Gligar! I need you to throw Pikachu as hard as you can straight at Heracross!" Ash yelled.

Gligar looked down in confusion at Ash for the strange request. Ash wanted it to send Pikachu directly into danger? Seeing its expression, Ash gave it a serious expression.

"Just trust me, Gligar! Pikachu already believes me!" he told it.

Gligar then looked at Pikachu and saw the yellow rodent nod its head. It had been with Ash forever now and knew that Ash was planning on something big. It trusted Ash and would flawlessly pull of whatever Ash wanted it to do. Now all Gligar had to do was believe Ash, too. Seeing that look in both their eyes, Gligar figured that the two must know what they're doing. It had to make snap decision, though, as Heracross was gaining on them. With that, Gligar used both its claws and hurled Pikachu with all its might straight towards Heracross. Now that it was done, the rest would be up to Pikachu.

"Okay, Pikachu! I need you to begin flipping through the air as fast as you can!" Ash hollered before he added. "Once you've done that, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu began flipping through the air extremely quickly. One would think that it would get incredibly dizzy by doing this, but it wasn't. It almost felt natural like it was meant to do this one day. Pikachu then began to let loose its Thunderbolt, but instead of branching out in different directions, the electricity started to wrap around Pikachu. As Pikachu continued to spin, it wasn't long before it had become an enormous ball of electricity that was spiraling through the air. Upon seeing this, Heracross halted its ascent and stared in surprise.

"Let it fly, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu let out a scream and threw forward the enormous ball of lightning that had been charged up. The ball tore through air and collided with the still dumbfounded Heracross. A massive explosion soon followed. Heracross was soon sailing out of the smoke on a one way collision to the ground. Gligar then swooped in and caught Pikachu again, this time still managing to keep its flight.

"Alright, Pikachu! That was amazing!" Ash cheered.

"I think your Pikachu just learned a new attack, Ash!" Serena called out to him.

"Yeah," Ash smiled as he took out his national dex.

"Electro Ball. An electric orb is hurled at the opponent. The move's power depends on the speed of the user and how much faster it is then the target," the machine informed.

Ash smiled at that. So Pikachu just learned Electro Ball. It used a darn good one for its first try, as well. That was definitely an attack to keep in mind for future battles with as powerful as it was. It seemed his crazy ideas came through for him once again.

"Ash, your pokeball!" Brock reminded.

Ash then snapped out of his thoughts and saw the Heracross leader lying on the ground, panting heavily from the super big attack. Pikachu, Gligar, and everyone else was waiting on him, as well. He had to act fast before Heracross recovered. He turned his hat backwards once again and pulled out a fresh pokeball since the last one was destroyed.

"Pokeball, go!" he shouted.

The pokeball soared through the air like before, and this time the Heracross wasn't able to give any resistance. The pokeball hit the single horn Pokemon, and it was sucked inside the device. The capture device then fell to the ground and began to shake back and forth. At this, the rest of the Heracross gang quit fighting and stared in surprise at what had just transpired. The rest of the group and their Pokemon also took a break, and everyone waited in anticipation to see what would happen. Despite all this, Ash was the most eager. This was it. If Heracross broke out again, the fighting would resume, and he knew that they were all getting pretty tired. He said a silent prayer in his head that this was the last pokeball he had to use on it.

Then, to his, and everyone except the Heracross' relief, the pokeball 'dinged' to show the capture was made. Ash ran over to his new capture and picked up the pokeball while everyone else cheered. Gligar and Pikachu both cheered, as well, but Gligar had to catch itself to keep it and Pikachu from falling again. It then winked and smiled sheepishly before it cheered again.

Ash then turned towards the Heracross swarm who was still staring in surprise now that their leader was captured. It was like they were lost and didn't know what to do right now. Taking advantage of this, Ash decided to shout out to the Heracross.

"Hey, Heracross! We need you to leave this city. We know how delicious the sap is, but you're hurting the people's lifestyle!" he called out.

"That's right! We're sure you can enjoy great sap in other places where there are more trees so they aren't all destroyed!" Serena added.

"Won't you please!? Surely you don't seem like the cute Pokemon that would want to hurt others!" Marina cried.

"You guys are surely better than that!" Jimmy yelled.

The Heracross swarm exchanged glances with each other. It was like there was some sort of internal battle going on in their heads right now. Should they really just leave and give up the best thing they ever tasted in their lives like this? They weren't trying to hurt anyone. They just couldn't control themselves when it came to something that good. Upon seeing their indecisiveness, Ash knew they would need a little push. Fortunately, Ash had just the Pokemon for that which was on his side now.

"Go, Heracross!" Ash yelled as he released his newest capture.

The lead Heracross soon appeared from its pokeball. Now that it had fallen to Ash, it now respected the raven-haired boy and his decisions. It knew what it was doing was wrong now and didn't want its friends to cause harm to anyone anymore. The Heracross smiled to them and nodded to show everything would be okay without it. Heracross was in good hands with its new trainer.

"Hera! Hera! Heracross!" it shouted to them and pointed in a direction away from the city.

The Heracross looked sad that they were leaving their leader behind, but they believed that it would be just fine now. There was enough of them that they could cope without it. The Heracross all nodded once to their former leader before they began to fly away. The group watched them go with a smile on their faces. Heracross waved goodbye to all of them and was shouting at them not to worry about it. Heracross could sense Ash was a good person. Once they were out of sight, Ash went over to Heracross and nodded to it.

"Well, Heracross, it looks like you'll be fighting for us now. I bet your leadership will really come in handy, and you'll be a great Pokemon! I look forward to becoming friends with you!" Ash smiled.

"Heracross!" Heracross replied as it turned to its trainer and nodded.

"Gli!" Gligar called as it swooped down next to Ash and deposited Pikachu on the ground.

"That was super, Pikachu! I'm proud of you for learning Electro Ball like that!" Ash smiled as he rubbed its head before he turned to Gligar. "You, too, Gligar! I'm really proud of you! You acted just like a real hero by saving Pikachu and helping out the city."

"It was so fabulous!" Marina said as she and the others joined Ash, Heracross, Pikachu, and Gligar.

"Yep! You're a real hero, Gligar!" Serena smiled.

"Great job!" Misty praised.

"That was well done, Gligar," Brock told it.

Gligar blushed and stuck its tongue out. It then rubbed the back of its head and looked rather embarrassed at all of the praise it was receiving. Nevertheless, it was still very pleased with itself and glad that it was able to help. Its first mission at helping others was a total success. Now it just hoped that its other endeavors would be just as successful.

"Also, I managed to get a really cool Pokemon, thanks to you!" Ash told Gligar with a thumbs up before he motioned to Heracross.

"Hera!" Heracross agreed.

Though Heracross was a little sad that it wouldn't be able to lick up the delicious tree sap anymore, it would be okay for now. Heracross was sure it was going to get stronger and form a great bond with its trainer. Maybe it would be rewarded with other tree sap sometimes, as well. Even if it didn't, that was okay. Though it wasn't as crazy for it as tree sap, Heracross also found certain types of pollen to be especially delicious. It knew one way or the other, it would get its fill from one of the two by traveling with Ash.

* * *

It was now the next day, and the group, along with Gligar, was standing outside in the park with Officer Jenny and several citizens on the opposite side of them. There were a few people who were looking around to see which trees were salvageable from where the Heracross had eaten from and which ones weren't. For the ones that weren't, they would be cut down, and new ones would be planted in their place. Given a while, life would soon return to normal for the people of Cherrygrove City.

"We can't thank you enough for what you've done for our fair city!" Officer Jenny told them. "You've helped us out greatly!"

"Super! Since we've helped you out, why don't you help me out by letting me take you out to a nice dinner?" Brock asked in a goofy voice as he took Officer Jenny's hand.

"He's at it again?" Jimmy questioned.

"You'll get to use to it," Ash whispered back.

"Try not to get yourself arrested after Officer Jenny just praised you," Misty said in aggravation as she grabbed Brock by the ear and threw him to the side.

"And you'll get use to that, too," Serena added to Jimmy and Marina with a chuckle.

"Well, even so, we still thank you," Officer Jenny repeated and put Brock's incident behind her.

"We couldn't have done it without, Gligar, here!" Ash stated as he gestured to the fly scorpion Pokemon.

"Ah, yes. Who knew a wild Pokemon would be so interested in helping others? The city thanks you, as well. It was a brave thing you did," Officer Jenny told it.

"Gli," Gligar replied as it rubbed the back of its head and stuck its tongue out.

"It's sooooooo cute when it does that!" Marina gushed at Gligar's quirk.

Gligar then turned away from the group. It seemed like everything was taken care of here. Now that this was done, it had to be moving on. It was sure it would find something else that needed its help. Now that it was able to complete one task successfully, Gligar had a lot more confidence in itself and was ready to take on new challenges in its quest to help others.

"Oh, so I guess you're leaving, huh?" Ash asked it sadly.

"Gli," Gligar nodded.

"Man. I hate to see you go. You were a really cool Pokemon. I liked you a lot," Ash told it.

Gligar faced Ash again and smiled. It thought Ash was a really cool guy, too. However, duty called out to it. Gligar couldn't stick around for too long. If it did, it could be missing out on some other opportunities to people and Pokemon who needed its help. It then began to chatter animatedly to get its point across to Ash.

"Yeah. I hear ya. The world's a better place with Pokemon like you. You can go out and continue being a hero," Ash agreed.

"Aw, I'm going to miss you, darling," Marina said sadly.

"We know that whatever you do, you'll succeed at it," Brock told it.

"You keep on being awesome! You rock and you rule!" Jimmy said with a thumbs up.

"Keep being a cutie, too," Misty added with a playful smile.

"We wish you the best of luck out there," Serena finished.

Gligar nodded its head as it teared up a little bit. It had managed to make friends with these guys. They were some of the first friends it made since it never really connected with its old gang. It would miss them, too. Pikachu and Togepi each came over to Gligar and shook its claw for helping out.

"Gligar, I believe this won't be the last time we see each other. I bet we'll meet again sometime soon. With you being a hero, I bet you'll be traveling all over the place, and so do we!" Ash told it as he held his hand out.

Gligar stared at the open gesture for a moment before it slipped its claw into Ash's hand. The two then gave a firm hand/claw shake and broke contact. Gligar believed Ash was right. It had a feeling they would see each other again, too, whenever that may be.

"Until then, Gligar, you take care of yourself," Ash told Gligar and gave it a salute.

"Gligar!" Gligar nodded and returned the salute, though a little awkwardly.

With that, Gligar turned around and took flight. It gave one final wave to the group before it flew off towards the west. Ash felt a feeling of sadness as he watched Gligar go. It had a great personality and even helped him capture a cool new Pokemon in Heracross.

As the group watched Gligar fly off, they did think it looked rather cool with the way it glided effortlessly through the air. It was like it was soaring with a purpose and knew what it was doing. Yes. They believed in it. The group couldn't help but think Gligar looked like a real hero as it soared away.

That was until Gligar clipped a building with one of its wings as it passed by. It wobbled and clumsily stumbled through the air before it picked up its momentum again. The group chuckled at the Gligar's antics. Oh well! At least it was trying!

* * *

 **I made a small reference to Heracross' future obligatory meeting with Ivysaur. It hasn't discovered the delicious pollen from Ivysaur's flower...yet.**

 **Also, Gligar appears early! Ash just hasn't caught yet. It still has other things to do. This is also a sign that Aipom is going to appear early, too. Whenever that may be, you guys will have to see!**

 **The next chapter is a very Brock-focused chapter, and it will also feature the return of someone else whom Brock has been longing to see. I think it will be important for Brock's development and also foreshadow how he ends up overall in the series.**

 **Sad to say, I have no idea when the next chapter will be out. There definitely won't be another one in May, however. Maybe between the 1st and 10th of June? I'm just simply dishing out chapters as soon as I finish writing another one. Still, please continue to show your support. You guys are awesome!**

 **One more thing: Ash isn't catching an Ariados. That message is specifically for the person who "reviews" to me four or five times a week about that. No need to keep saying it now. It was almost to the point of spam.**

 **Chapter Seven: The Breeding Competition Caper!**


	7. The Breeding Competition Caper!

**A/N: I think a lot you were under the impression that Brock's past with Professor Ivy would be revealed this chapter. That isn't the case. It's just not time for Brock to want to speak of it yet. He'll eventually get over his spells at hearing Professor Ivy's name, and he'll open up then. This chapter does help him slowly begin to recover, though. I know we all joke about it, but from Brock's perspective, he's actually really hurting...at least in this fic.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: The Breeder Competition Caper

It was the day after the group had taken care of the Heracross problem as well as seeing Gligar off. They spent the rest of the day simply taking it easy and getting to know the newest member of the team, Heracross. It turned out the Pokemon's peaceful nature seemed to win out over its aggressive one as it hadn't shown the slightest bit of hostility since Ash's battle with it. As they knew too well, however, Heracross still packed a lot of power. Ash really couldn't wait to try it out in a real battle.

Now, the group was ready to leave Cherrygrove City. As said several times before, Pokemon trainers couldn't stay still in one city for too long if there wasn't a good reason, too. Before they left, though, Ash still wanted to make a phone call to Professor Oak to let him know of his progress. He was currently sitting at the video phone with Heracross outside of its pokeball to show the professor.

"Hmmm…that's an impressive looking Heracross you have there, Ash," Professor Oak observed.

"Yeah. This Heracross is really cool, and its love for sweet things knows no bounds!" Ash smiled.

"Hera!" Heracross agreed.

"Oh, that reminds me, a lot of your other Pokemon say 'hi', too, Ash. They aren't as used to being away from you for so long," Professor Oak stated.

As if on cue, several of Ash's Pokemon began to try to cram their way into the screen space so Ash could see them. Ash chuckled nervously that they were all so anxious. After a huge struggle, Ivysaur, Wartortle, and Charizard managed to make it to the front with the rest of his Pokemon a little further back. Ash still waved at all of them regardless, though. Professor Oak suddenly looked worn out at having the Pokemon push at him so much.

"Yes…well…as you can see, they are eager to see you…again," Professor Oak panted.

"Hey, guys! How's it going?" Ash asked as a flashed them a V shape with his fingers.

"Pika. Pikachu," Pikachu greeted, as well.

All of his Pokemon gave a cry in response to indicate they were doing okay. Ash knew they thought the lab was nice, but they would much rather be with him. Still, it wasn't time to use them again, but he still wanted to reassure them that he hadn't forgotten about them.

"Don't you all worry! I promise we're all still going to have a lot of adventures together! I just want to have space to catch some new friends so they can have their fair share of battling, like Heracross, here," Ash told them as he gestured to the single horn Pokemon.

All eyes then turned to Heracross, and they all greeted it. Heracross was quick to greet them back, but it noticed something. It tilted its head in curiosity and was suddenly giving a very specific look at Ivysaur. The plant dinosaur noticed this and leaned back a little apprehensively at Heracross's stare. It didn't ease matters when Heracross licked its lips. It could sense something very tasty coming from that Ivysaur, in particular from the blooming flower on its back.

"Hey, Heracross. You okay?" Ash asked it.

"Heraaaaa," Heracross replied absently as it stared hungrily at Ivysaur's flower.

Ivysaur, not liking the look Heracross was giving it, pushed Wartortle in front of it. Wartortle looked offended at first. It now thought Heracross was going to look at it like it was some sort of delicious dinner, but that didn't prove the case. Heracross took a more neutral look and was trying to peer around the turtle Pokemon to see Ivysaur again. It eventually gave up and shrugged its shoulders. Unbeknownst to it, Ivysaur breathed a sigh of relief from behind Wartortle. Someone remind it not to get too close to that thing.

"Anyway," Professor Oak continued after that awkward display, "I understand you've stayed in one spot for a while so you could get acquainted to a new Pokemon, but Gary and Leaf are already almost to Violet City last time I heard. Surely you don't want to start falling behind like you did in Kanto."

"Heheheh. It's fine, Professor. I'll make sure to catch up to them," Ash replied with a sweat drop.

"Hey. Who's Gary and Leaf?" Jimmy whispered to Serena from behind Ash.

"Well, Leaf's a close friend to all of us and aiming to complete the pokedex, but Gary is Professor Oak's grandson and happens to be one of Ash's biggest rivals. They started off on really bad terms at first because Gary was so proud, but overtime, the two have been able to set aside their differences and become great friends. Despite that, their rivalry hasn't changed," Serena answered.

"Poor, Ash. He doesn't show it, but I'm sure that deep down, he wishes he was twice as far ahead of Gary right now," Brock added.

"It's not like it's a race," Misty said. "I believe that you get the most out of your journey if you stop and observe the nature around you like we do. An adventure isn't as fun if you hurry through everything. Ash and Gary don't feel that way, though."

"Well said, Misty!" Serena agreed and then let out a giggle. "I bet Leaf has made it known to Gary that his fast pace gets on her nerves. She's more like us and prefers to take things slow."

"It sounds like you all know each other really well. It's nice to have friends you grew up with on a journey like you, just like Marina, Vincent, and me," Jimmy nodded.

"That's why we'll keep traveling together! Right, Jimmy?!" Marina asked eagerly.

"Heheh. Sure, Marina," Jimmy replied with a smile.

"One more thing, are you making sure to take great care of the G.S. ball, Ash?" Professor Oak asked from over at the video phone.

"You bet, Professor Oak! I still have it right here," Ash responded as he took the ball from his backpack to show the professor.

"Ah, good. I look more forward to learning its secrets every day. I feel I won't be disappointed," Professor Oak smiled.

"Right. I'm actually a little curious myself," Ash replied.

"I see. Well, take care, Ash, and make sure to call your mom sometimes," Professor Oak said with a wave.

"I will," Ash promised.

Heracross went to say goodbye, too, and it tried to get one last look at Ivysaur's budding flower before the screen shut off. It looked slightly disappointed, but it had a feeling it would meet the Pokemon eventually. Heracross licked its lips again at the thought.

"Well, guys, I say we've done all we need to do here. Let's head out to Violet City," Ash declared as he stood up from the chair.

Everyone else likewise stood up from their seats and gathered their things. As they were, Nurse Joy had come out from behind her desk with a folded poster in her arms. Brock instantly went to make a move on her, but Misty saw it coming before he could budge an inch and promptly grabbed him by the ear. Nurse Joy then made her way over to one of the walls of the Pokemon Center and put up the poster before walking back behind the counter. Curious, the group went over to see what the poster was about.

 _Attention, Pokemon Breeders!_

 _If you believe you are the best breeder in the area and are able to bring out the best potential and tame any Pokemon, this is for you! Don't miss the annual Pokemon Breeder Contest here in Cherrygrove City. Register at the local Cherrygrove City Pokemon Center!_

"Breeder competition, huh?" Ash questioned before he and everyone else turned to Brock. "Hey, Brock. Why don't you sign up?"

"Huh? I should?" Brock asked skeptically.

"Yeah, Brock! I bet you'd do great! No one has the skills to care for Pokemon and people like you do!" Misty added.

"Well…I guess…but the people in this competition are probably professionals…and...," Brock started.

"You aren't considered a professional, Brock? No one knows Pokemon like you!" Serena interrupted.

"I'd like to see you in a Breeder Competition, too. With as much as you knew about my Cyndaquil's tastes, I'd love to see what you do with other Pokemon," Jimmy commented.

"Well, guys…don't we have to get to Violet City? Like you said, you already know I'm a great Pokemon Breeder. I don't need to prove myself to anyone," Brock said modestly as he walked away from the poster.

The group exchanged glances with each other. That was rather odd. Why wouldn't Brock want to try out his skills as a Pokemon Breeder in a real competition? He was always rather modest about his skills, but if he didn't ever try to compete in a competition, how would he ever let his talents be known? Well, once Brock found the motivation, they were sure he would do it. Unbeknownst to them, a certain motivation was about to come walking through the Pokemon Center door.

As Brock approached the Pokemon Center door, it slid open, and a somewhat familiar person walked through. As soon as Brock saw who it was, he stopped dead in his tracks. The person, a somewhat familiar teal-haired girl also stopped. For a while, neither of them spoke. The girl didn't speak because she looked surprised while Brock looked like he was in some sort of trance. His face flushed heavily and he didn't move a muscle. Finally, after a moment the girl the spoke.

"Brock! It's so good to see you again!" the girl smiled.

"S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s….," Brock spluttered.

The rest of the group peered around Brock and saw the reason for his sudden wooziness. Standing in front of him was none other than fellow Pokemon breeder, Suzy. It was the girl whom Brock claimed he idolized ever since he became a Pokemon breeder. It was the girl whom he tried so hard to impress back in Fuchsia City. It was the girl whom gave Brock his Vulpix to take care of. It was the girl whom Brock claimed he would do anything for. Though it had been over a year since they last saw the girl, she hadn't changed, and Brock's feelings clearly hadn't, either.

"S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s….," Brock tried again, but failed.

"Take it easy, Brock," Ash consoled as the dark teen had started shaking violently.

"I guess you're surprised to see me, Brock. It has been a while," Suzy chuckled.

"I don't think 'surprised' is the word for it," Misty said as she and the others gave Suzy a nervous smile.

"It's good to see you again, Suzy. How have you been?" Serena asked in Brock's place since he seemed incapable of speaking right now.

"I'm doing wonderful. Thank you for asking. I trust you all are doing well, too," Suzy replied.

"Yes! We are!" Serena smiled back.

"I'm-I'm doing well, too!" Brock shouted, finally finding his voice, though it was a little loud. "I'm glad I can finally study you again! I-I mean…I'm finally glad I can see you again!"

"Oh, Brock," Misty sighed. He was worse around Suzy than he was with Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny.

"Psst…who is this girl that Brock fancies…well…more than normal anyway?" Jimmy whispered to Ash.

"That's Suzy. She's a Pokemon breeder that Brock idolizes. She actually gave him the Vulpix he has now," Ash whispered back, not loud enough for Suzy or Brock to hear.

"I'm glad you're doing well, Brock, and how is Vulpix?" Suzy asked.

"Oh! Vulpix is doing great! See for yourself!" Brock said as he released the fox Pokemon.

Vulpix came out of the pokeball and gave a yawn before it's eyes fell on Suzy. It then smiled and went up to her before it rubbed against her leg affectionately. Suzy bent down and pet Vulpix. She gave it a kind smile.

"Oh, Vulpix. It's great to see you again, too! Brock's apparently taken very good care of you," she said.

"Vul!" Vulpix agreed.

"Th-th-th-thank you for the compliment! I'll never forget it! I promise!" Brock hurriedly commented.

"Brock, don't overreact," Ash whispered in his ear.

"So what brings you all to the Johto region?" Suzy asked as she continued to pet Vulpix.

"We're just continuing on our travels. I'm in the Silver conference, and Serena's going to compete in Pokemon contests. Misty's still going to be the best water Pokemon master, and our new friends, Jimmy and Marina. They're….," Ash started, but Brock interrupted them.

"I'm still trying to be the best Pokemon breeder I can be! I still read your books regularly and want to learn from you as much as I can!" Brock stated.

"That's so sweet! You know, Brock, some of the things I wrote in my latest book I learned from you," Suzy mentioned.

"You-you really? I'm so honored!" Brock replied as he felt tears come to his eyes.

Suzy then noticed the advertisement on the wall for the Pokemon Breeder competition. "I see they're having a competition. I take it you're going to compete, Brock?"

"Of course! There's no way I would miss a Pokemon Breeder's contest!" Brock declared.

"That's not what you said five minutes, ago," Misty mumbled, but Brock quickly covered her mouth.

"That's so wonderful! I look forward to watching you compete. In fact, why don't you take a nice walk in the park with me? I'd love to exchange some more breeder tips with you," Suzy suggested.

"I-I would love that, Suzy! Let's do it!" Brock agreed before he turned around towards the rest. "I'll catch you guys later!"

"Uh, Brock?" Ash questioned.

"I'm good, Ash! Remember, I don't get this opportunity to speak with the world's best and most gorgeous Pokemon breeder very often," Brock reminded.

"Hmmhmm! That's very sweet to say, Brock. I'm flattered," Suzy giggled.

"No problem! I only speak the truth!" Brock declared before he marched out the door with Vulpix by his side.

"Thank you for letting me borrow, Brock. It was nice to see all of you again," Suzy said to the group and gave a polite bow.

"You got it, Suzy. I haven't seen Brock this happy since we started traveling here," Ash replied.

With that, Brock and Suzy were gone. The group stood there, still a little taken aback by the unexpected encounter. Who would've known that they would run into Suzy, of all people, here in Cherrygrove City? Well, because she was here, Brock would definitely want to stay for a while, at least until the competition was over. According to the calendar, it's still two days away. It looked like they would need to find something to do, but it was for Brock so it was fine.

"Man. Brock's really crazy over that Suzy girl," Jimmy commented.

"You have no idea," Ash muttered back.

"So Jimmy? Want to go for a walk in the park with me, too?" Marina asked.

"Uh…no," Jimmy replied, and Marina's face faulted.

Ash, Serena, and Misty shook their heads. If there's one thing they learned, it was one should never turn down an invitation from a person you like. Those two were never going to get anywhere at the rate they were going.

* * *

Brock and Suzy were both walking through the Cherrygrove City park. It was still quite barren from the Heracross incident, but it still made for a nice talk. For Brock, he wouldn't have cared if he was walking through a complete wasteland as long as it was with Suzy. He had now lost some of his tenseness around her and felt on top of the world.

"That's very fascinating, Brock," Suzy told him as they walked. Brock had just shared with her some tips Gold had given him about hatching Pokemon from eggs back in New Bark Town.

"Haha! Thanks! I didn't come up with that myself, though. I learned it from someone who specializes in hatching Pokemon eggs," Brock replied.

"You don't say. Even so, you're just a wealth of knowledge. It should be you that's my idol, not the other way around," Suzy smiled.

"Oh. Eheheheheheh. I could never be and idol. I still have so much more to learn," Brock chuckled.

"That's not true, Brock. I'm very impressed by you. From what I'm told, you also help take care of all of your friends' Pokemon and meet their needs in addition to your own. You're a very talented person," Suzy told him.

"Suzy…I…thank you," Brock replied as he blushed heavily. He even swooned a little. Those were probably the best words he's ever heard from anyone, especially because it was from Suzy.

The two were interrupted by the sound of rustling from one of the bushes. They looked over and saw two odd shaped horns protrude from the bushes. They had a large black bead on each of them which resembled eyes. Though it normally would've looked freaky to any regular passerby, Brock and Suzy were familiar with Pokemon enough to know it wasn't a face.

As if for confirmation, the owner of the horns stepped out of the bushes and revealed itself to be a Stantler. It was a deer-like Pokemon that that was brown in color. The most notable feature on it were the aforementioned horns. Judging by its size and high pitched whimpering that it was giving, Brock and Suzy deduced that this must be a baby Stantler.

"That's strange. I wonder what a baby Stantler is doing here in a public park," Suzy wondered.

"It must've gotten lost," Brock replied as he went over to it.

Upon seeing Brock approach it, the Stantler got a weary look on its face and backed up several steps. Brock noticed the stumbling the young Stantler did as it backed up, and upon further inspection, discovered a wound on its leg. Brock gave a pitiful glance at the Stantler. Here it was, all alone, hurt and scared. He needed to do something to make the Stantler appear more relaxed.

"I think I have a way to get close to the Stantler," Brock said as he got down on his hands and knees.

Brock then began to slowly crawl towards the baby Stantler and licked his hands before rubbing his face. He believed that if he acted like a Stantler, the baby one would be more inclined to let him get close. They did scare rather easily. Despite this, it didn't make Brock look any less strange.

"Don't worry. I'm…a…Stantler…too," Brock said slowly as he crawled towards the injured Pokemon.

The Stantler watched on in curiosity as Brock went over to a tree and began to scratch his back against it. He then gave a smile and a nod to Suzy to let everything was okay. Once he was done, Brock approached the Stantler, who seemed a little less weary, and took out a first aid kit.

"Everything will be okay, Stantler. I'll have your wound treated in a jiffy," Brock told it gently and sat down to get a better look.

The Stantler still seemed to be rather nervous. Brock then nodded his head in understanding. If there was a quick way to get a Pokemon to trust him, it was through food. He took some Pokemon food out of his backpack and held them out towards the baby Pokemon.

"Come here, Stantler. It's chow time," Brock told it.

Unbeknownst to Brock, a strange powder seemed to come out of the pokemon's antlers. Brock took a quick sniff and smiled. Suzy was able to get a quick whiff, too. He knew the smell was coming from Stantler, and it smelled very pleasant. The Stantler must've warmed up to him after all! His imitation worked like a charm! Brock was just about to apply a Super Potion when he heard Suzy gasp behind him.

"Brock! Behind you!" Suzy cried.

"Huh?" Brock inquired as he turned, and as soon as he did, he froze.

A whole horde of Stantler were standing there. There were tons of them! How on Earth did they get here that fast?! It was like they teleported! The worst part was that they all looked very angry. Brock gasped as well and quickly stood to his feet. He then began to back off very slowly.

"Hey. Hey. Hold on a moment. I meant your baby no harm. I was only trying to help it. I promise. See? Here's the Super Potion for proof," Brock tried to show as he brought the medicine into view.

The horde of Stantler didn't appear to hear Brock, however. They all gave a low growl and began to scrape their hoofs against the ground. Brock gritted his teeth and suddenly looked very fearful. He knew that if a Stantler did that, it could only mean one thing. They were about to charge! Brock turned around and gave a warning to look to Suzy.

"Suzy! We need to run for it!" he shouted.

The two Pokemon breeders then ran as fast as they could away from the Stantler. The horde gave what sounded like a battle cry and charged forward. Brock and Suzy grew even more alarmed as they felt the horde getting closer. They were going to run them over at this rate! Did the horde think that Brock was really that threatening to give chase like this?

Meanwhile, the baby Stantler gave a sigh and returned back to the bushes in the park.

Brock chanced a look behind him and gasped when he saw the herd was right behind him and Suzy. He then gave worried look over to Suzy who seemed to be running out of breath.

"Don't look behind you, Suzy! Please just keep running!" Brock shouted.

Suzy began to pant heavily and began to slow down. Brock grew increasingly alarmed as he felt he could almost feel the Stantlers' breath on his back. There was no way Brock was going let a beautiful girl, or anyone, for that matter just be run over like that, even if he had to sacrifice himself to do it! Brock dove to the side and pushed Suzy out of the way. The girl fell off to the side of the path and thudded to the ground.

Brock knew that this bold move probably just cost him his life. There was no way he could pick up enough speed before the Stantler caught up with him nor did he have time to dive out of the way. It looked like it was going to end here. Brock sighed and accepted his fate. At least Suzy was safe, and his friends weren't around so they were safe, too. That was good enough for him.

"Brock!" he heard Suzy cry.

"It's okay, Suzy. As long as you're fine, I'll be fine, too," Brock told her.

"No! I mean…look behind you!" Suzy yelled.

"I know. The horde's coming. I'd prefer not to face them now. I've accepted it," Brock muttered. That's weird. He didn't think he'd have this much time before they ran him over. Maybe he could've jumped out of the way, after all. Oh well.

"Brock! The Stantler are gone!" Suzy cried, not beating around the bush anymore.

Brock turned around inquisitively, and soon found the reason why he hadn't been trampled to death yet. There were no Stantler to be seen anywhere, just as Suzy said! They were completely gone! That was impossible, though. Those Stantler were right behind them. They vanished just as quickly as they came.

"Wait. What?" Brock questioned as he looked around before he turned to Suzy. "Did you see them leave, Suzy?"

"No. I…as soon as you pushed me onto the ground, I turned around, and they were gone," Suzy replied a bit hesitantly.

"Hmmm…," Brock mused as he turned back to where the Stantler were a second ago.

"Are you okay, Brock?" Suzy asked as she got up from the ground.

"Yeah. I'm fine…just a bit puzzled," Brock answered. "We should get back to the Pokemon Center."

As they two Pokemon breeders left, Brock had a few thoughts going through his head. Not only was it strange that the herd of Stantler showed up, but they also disappeared. If Brock remembered correctly, he suddenly heard the sound of pounding hooves completely stop, too. Originally, it was because he thought he had been killed, but it was because they were gone without a trace. Something definitely wasn't right.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash, Serena, Misty, Jimmy, and Marina were walking through the city. Since Brock had left, the five had been wandering around the city trying to find what to do. One thing they did learn was that the Pokemon Breeder competition would be held in the city park. The reason was because most people believed that was where the Pokemon would feel most relaxed. It made sense for a competition like that. The park wasn't at its best since the Heracross incident, but it still had a few untouched parts.

"Man. How long is Brock going to be with Suzy? He's been gone for a couple of hours at least," Ash asked rhetorically.

"Who knows? Suzy actually likes spending time with Brock so they could be gone all day for all we know," Misty shrugged.

"I think it's great that Brock found a kindred spirit like Suzy," Serena spoke up.

"What do you mean, Serena?" Ash asked.

"Brock and Suzy are both excellent Pokemon breeders and show a lot of the same interests. Rather than chasing around Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys all of the time, maybe Suzy is the girl he was looking for this whole time. Once he gets over his infatuation, he's able to act completely natural around her," Serena explained.

"Hmm…you're right," Ash replied as he thought about it. The only other person who had that effect on Brock was Professor Ivy, but things apparently didn't work out.

"Run away!" someone suddenly screamed.

The group looked up in alarm at those words. To their surprise, a group of people was running down the street in complete panic. They tilted their heads in confusion as they didn't see anyone chasing them. One of the first people to reach them stopped in front of them to catch his breath before he spoke.

"Don't just stand there! Run for your lives, or you'll be trampled!" the person said frantically.

"Trampled by what? We don't see anything," Ash replied in confusion.

"That Stantler herd! What else?!" the man cried as he turned to point, but there was nothing there.

"Uhh…," the man uttered.

The other people that had been running stopped, too. They looked around for any sign of what they had been running away from. They had a look mixed with confusion and astonishment on their faces. Something strange had just taken place that they had apparently missed.

"Stantler herd?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah. It was right behind us. I guess I should've noticed. I could smell those Stantler before they even appeared. They smelled a lot nicer than I expected, though," the man muttered before he shrugged and walked off.

The other people who had been running also dispersed. Anyone who had been staring in confusion also went back to their daily activities. It was like nothing had happened. Ash stared at the others for a moment before they continued walking through the city. That was really weird.

"Hey, guys!" a voice called.

The group looked up and saw Brock and Suzy running towards them. They looked rather out of breath once they reached them. They noticed Brock and Suzy looked rather dirty, like they had been rolling around in the dirt. What had just happened? Sure, they were probably in the park, but that wouldn't explain how they looked like that.

"Woah. What happened to you guys?" Ash asked.

"We...we had a little run in with some Stantler," Brock replied.

The rest of the group exchanged glances at those words. That's what the previous person had told them. Were they running from the same group as Brock and Suzy?

"Someone else just said the exact same thing," Serena mentioned.

"Huh? Really?" Brock questioned as he stood up straight and looked around.

"Yeah. They said they were running away from a herd of Stantler, but then they vanished without a trace. We didn't see any," Jimmy said.

"Brock? Do you…," Suzy began but Brock stopped her.

"Hold on. The herd of Stantler we saw was at the park. Suzy and I were walking along when we noticed a baby Stantler. I was about to help it until the herd showed up and chased us. They vanished suddenly, too. This is really suspicious," Brock said as he folded his arms and appeared in thought.

"I think I know what you mean now. I doubt there's more than one herd in this city, but there's no way the herd could be chasing us and then chasing another group of people so soon without being seen," Suzy realized.

As Brock and Suzy began to ponder this, a relaxing scent filled the air. Everyone in the area smelled the pleasing aroma and relaxed. It smelled so good. Brock and Suzy sniffed it, too, and they gave each other a curious look.

"Brock, it's that smell again," Suzy pointed out.

"Yeah. It's the same smell we noticed before the Stantler started chasing us," Brock agreed.

"Smell? Someone mentioned a nice smell before the Stantler started chasing them, too," Serena recalled.

"Hmm…I wonder if there's a connection. This isn't the smell a Stantler would give off. Could those Stantler have been there at all?" Brock mused.

"What are you talking about, Brock?" Ash asked.

Before Brock could give his answer, Jimmy and Marina suddenly got a freaked out expression on their faces.

"H-hey, guys! I th-think that we have our answer because here they come!" Jimmy yelled as he and Marina shook.

Everyone else looked where Jimmy and Marina were, and sure enough, a herd of Stantler was heading straight for them. Everyone else saw the Stantler, too, and began to flee in panic. Brock and Suzy were completely confused, though. How on Earth had a Stantler stampede just started like this with no warning?

"We need to blow out of here!" Marina shouted as she and Jimmy hurried into a nearby building.

"Let's go, guys!" Ash agreed as he, Serena, and Misty took off, too. Suzy and Brock watched for a moment before they followed them.

It wasn't long before the herd passed them, and the group watched from inside the building. As they did, Brock wasn't taking his eyes off of them. He couldn't help but notice how lifeless the herd looked. They all looked the exact same and had the same expression on their faces. There was no individuality in them at all. Brock also noticed the ground wasn't shaking as the herd passed. He could hear the rumbling, but surely a herd of this magnitude would've caused shaking, too. That was even weirder.

The herd soon passed, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They sincerely hoped this herd wouldn't be hanging around too much longer. If the Pokemon breeder competition was in the park, this Stantler herd would cause some serious problems. Brock, on the other hand, had very suspicious look on his face. He was going to get to the bottom of this.

* * *

It was now the day of the Pokemon Breeder Competition, and the group was in the Pokemon Center cafeteria eating breakfast. Since Brock had seen Suzy a couple of days ago, they had been graciously enjoying each other's company. The group couldn't help but feel happy for Brock as this is the happiest he's looked in quite a while. If Brock wasn't truly romantically interested in Suzy as he seemed to show with all girls, at the very least, she was a great friend to him. It turned out that Suzy wasn't going to compete in the competition and had just come to watch. Brock, however only had a couple of hours to prepare as the competition was at ten this morning.

As they ate, Pikachu decided to try something different. It noticed how people often put maple syrup on pancakes so it figured why not ketchup? It was almost like maple syrup so it had to be just as good, right? They yellow rodent squirted the red substance on its mini-sized pancake before it took a bite. Pikachu immediately got a disgusted look on its face and pretended to pass out. Okay. Maybe ketchup didn't taste good with everything. Everyone, including Togepi, laughed at Pikachu. Maybe that would get it off of its ketchup obsession…maybe.

"Reports have shown that the Stantler stampede has been sighted once more earlier this morning. A couple had spotted a baby Stantler in the bushes only to be chased away by the stampede moments later. Our news crew was on the scene shortly afterward, but the herd had already vanished once again. Our police force is still investigating the incidents," a news reporter suddenly stated from the large television mounted on the wall.

"Man. It's that Stantler stampede again," Ash muttered as he took a bite of a pancake.

Speaking of the Stantler, the group hadn't seen the herd of Stantler since they saw them in the street the other day, but that didn't mean they hadn't heard about them. It had been going on ever since that day. The Stantler stampede was all over the local news about how people would be minding their own business, and some would even see a baby Stantler before a herd would show up and chase them off. Each time, however, the herd would vanish without a trace.

"You don't think that stampede will try to show up in the park, do you?" Misty asked.

"There's no telling. I guess the hope is that the amount of people there will keep them at bay," Jimmy replied.

"Don't forget, Jimmy. They did appear in the middle of the city a couple of days ago," Marina reminded.

"That's the part that I can't get out of my head," Brock spoke up.

Everyone turned in his direction and looked at him curiously. For the past couple of days, the tan-skinned teen had taken the most interest out of all of them in the Stantler case. Every time the news would mention a stampede incident, Brock would pay close attention to the screen and study it very carefully. It was almost like he was looking for something or at least catch a glimpse of the herd, but no one was ever able to catch it on camera.

"Guys, don't you think it's strange that these Stantler would just appear in the middle of a city like this? One lost Stantler isn't too abnormal, but a whole herd just doesn't simply move in like this without going undetected. Not to mention, no one is ever able to get any video footage of the stampede. You'd think one of that magnitude with have some by now, Brock said seriously.

"So what are you saying, Brock?" Serena asked.

"I'm saying…maybe these Stantler aren't there at all," Brock replied.

"That's silly, Brock. If they aren't there, than what else would we and everyone else be running away from?" Misty inquired.

"Can any of you explain why this herd always vanishes without a trace?" Brock replied with a question of his own.

"Well…," Misty trailed as she and the others couldn't find an answer.

"I think Brock might be on to something. I find it just as strange," Suzy agreed.

"I'm going to test out my theory with the Stantler today," Brock stated.

"Brock, the Pokemon Breeder competition is today. How can you have time? The stampede would actually have to come during the competition," Serena reminded.

Brock gave a light smile. "I'm counting on it," he said.

Everyone else, except Suzy, couldn't help but look at Brock like he was crazy, He _wanted_ the Stantler herd to show up and ruin the breeder competition?

* * *

The group was shocked by the amount of people at the competition. The park was filled with hundreds of spectators, and at least twenty five different Pokemon breeders were competing. A stage was set up in the middle of the walkway where the Pokemon breeders would be giving their presentation. The crowd of people was on both sides of the walkway and eagerly awaited the start of the competition.

The group and Suzy looked around to see if they could find Brock anywhere. They had managed to get to the front of the crowd facing the front of the stage so they could get the best view.

"Do you guys see him?" Ash asked as they searched.

"There he is!" Serena pointed out.

Brock was standing towards the middle of the line of competitors with Vulpix by his side. The group had no doubt he chose to use Vulpix because Suzy was here. That was fine, though. His bond with Vulpix was just as strong as his other Pokemon. He should be able to get an excellent score with it, that is, if he would stop shaking.

"Brock looks…kind of wigged out," Marina noticed.

"I don't understand why Brock is nervous. He's an excellent Pokemon breeder," Misty said.

"Well, this is his first competition. I remember how scared I was when I did something like this for the first time," Serena recalled. She briefly wondered if she would be this nervous when it came time for her first performance.

"I know Brock will do great," Suzy smiled.

"So you really respect Brock, huh?" Misty asked as she turned to Suzy.

"Oh. I do. I don't think there's a Pokemon breeder alive whom I would've rather trusted to take care of Vulpix than him," Suzy answered.

"Yeah. Brock thinks really highly of you, too," Ash told her.

"Yes, but he's so much better than me. I'm sure he could write his own Pokemon breeder book, too," Suzy replied.

The group smiled back at that. That implication went way over Suzy's head. It was clear Suzy didn't have any romantic feelings for Brock and only thought of him as a good friend and rival. They would just need to make sure not to tell Brock that as he idolized her and probably fantasized about her several times. Well, maybe Suzy wasn't the girl for Brock, after all.

"Ladies and gentleman! Welcome to the annual Cherrygrove City Pokemon Breeder Competition! I hope you're all ready to see some of the most outstanding Pokemon care skills in the area!" an announcer called out through a microphone on the stage.

Everyone broke into applause at that. The group stopped their conversation and watched, as well.

"We now have our first contestant stepping up to the stage, Ginger and her Growlithe!" the announcer said.

A young teen girl soon appeared on stage with the puppy Pokemon by her side. They seemed to walk in perfect sync. The girl opened the bag she was carrying and began to groom her Growlithe, going over various techniques about how to make sure the fur is nice and soft. Once she finished, the Growlithe looked extremely happy and content. It then licked the girl's hand which she giggled to.

Four judges, including the local Nurse Joy, held up their score. The scores were judged on a ten point scale. Whoever got the most points would be the winner. If there was a tie for first, the judges would vote on who their personal favorite was. Once the girl known as Ginger saw her score, she smiled and stroked her Growlithe on the head before they walked off the stage together as the group applauded.

"That was Ginger and her Growlithe, everyone. We start off our breeder competition with an exceptional Pokemon breeder. It'll be a tough act to follow so let's all encourage everyone else after her!" the announcer stated.

The next person shown was boy by the name of Tyler who had a Psyduck with him. He appeared rather nervous and stuttered several times throughout his presentation. He even accidentally scratched the Psyduck's backside because he was brushing it too hard which caused the Psyduck to cry out in pain. By the time he was done, he looked sheepishly over at the judges who grimaced and held up their score. The boy sighed before he hung his head and left the stage as his Psyduck patted his back consolingly. It was clear this guy wasn't a Pokemon breeder and only entered the competition for the fun of it.

The presentations went on as the group waited for Brock to appear. Some were really great and others were just okay. After about eight more people, it was finally Brock's turn. The group smiled as they waited for him to come onto the stage.

"Here we have Brock Harrison and his Vulpix!" the announcer stated.

"Yeah! Go, Brock!" Ash shouted.

"You can do it!" Misty yelled, too.

"No one has a bond with their Pokemon like you!" Serena added.

"Knock'em dead, darling!" Marina shouted.

"You rock and you rule!" Jimmy finished.

Suzy, meanwhile, giggled their enthusiasm, but she was secretly rooting for Brock, as well.

Brock came on stage and still looked rather nervous, but not to the extent of how he was before the contest started. He gave a smile and a wave to everyone in the audience. The tanned teen then noticed all of his friends closest to the center to stage and smiled down at them. They all gave him a smile or thumbs up in return. Their smiles soon turned to worry as a familiar, pleasant scent filled their nostrils.

"Oh no. Not now," Suzy said worriedly.

Brock noticed it, too, and began to look around for what he knew was the inevitable. He was somewhat hoping he would be able to get through his presentation first, but this was more important. Everyone didn't have to search for long, however, as they heard quite a few shouts starting to come from the audience.

"It's the Stantler stampede! Run for your lives!" some screamed.

"Let's get out of here! They're coming right down the walk way!" some others shouted.

A few seconds later, the group heard the rumbling of the Stantler stampede coming. The noise was soon followed by sight as the Stantler appeared. Now it seemed there were more than ever. Chaos immediately broke out in the competition as people began to push and shove as they tried to clear the area. The judges and other Pokemon breeders also took off as the Stantler approached.

The group tried to fight their way through the panicked crowd as they tried to reach Brock, who was just standing there. Brock looked like he was studying the stampede very hard and trying to soak in every last detail.

"Brock! You're right in their path! Get out of there!" Ash shouted.

Brock however, didn't appear to have heard him. He instead still had his eyes fixed solely on the herd of Stantler in front of him. Ash gritted his teeth and ran towards Brock, but he was held back by Serena and Jimmy.

"Don't dude! It's too dangerous!" Jimmy warned.

"We can't just stand here and let Brock be trampled!" Ash argued.

"Ash, I think I see what Brock is doing now. He'll be just fine," Suzy told him.

"Huh?" Ash inquired as he and the others looked at Suzy curiously. How on Earth would Brock be fine?

The whole area had been cleared in the meantime. The only ones left were Ash, Suzy, Serena, Misty, Jimmy, and Marina. They would be fine as they were off to the side, but Brock was directly in the path! He still made no effort to move, though and continued watching the steed draw ever closer.

 _"Come on. Show me what I need to see,"_ Brock thought, and that's when he saw it.

A few of the Stantler weren't able to fit on the entire walkway and overlapped into grass. This would've been just fine if they weren't passing directly thought the guardrails that had been set up for the competition! It was like they were complete ghosts with the way the moved through them. Brock also recalled his earlier clues of how there was no rumbling of the ground associated with this horde of Stantler. They also looked exactly the same and appeared to have no life in them. Brock was now able to draw his conclusion.

"Now I see," Brock muttered to himself.

Then, to everyone's further surprise, Brock jumped off the stage onto the walkway and spread his hands out. The group, except for Suzy, looked at Brock like he was crazy. What exactly was he doing?! Did he want to get killed?! That was until they heard what Brock yelled next.

"Stantler! It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you! You don't have to be afraid!" he yelled.

The group's horror turned to confusion. Who on Earth was he yelling to? What specific Stantler was he referring to? None of them looked frightened, only angry!

"I'm not going to hurt you! I just want to help! Please believe me!" Brock repeated.

Whatever Brock was doing, it didn't appear to working. The Stantler still ruthless galloped towards Brock and showed no signs of slowing down. Brock didn't show any signs of backing down either and had a look of resolve on his face.

"Please, Stantler. Trust me," Brock muttered.

Everyone else looked on in horror as the stampede was now right in front of Brock. He was just seconds away from being run over. Serena shut her eyes as she didn't want to see what was about to become of Brock. Despite their shouts, they all braced themselves for what looked like a Brock pancake, but that never happened.

"Huh?" Ash questioned as they noticed the heard pass right through Brock.

Serena opened her eyes when she didn't hear Brock scream as she looked on just like the others. The group's horror morphed into even more confusion once they saw the stampede was now passing right through the stage after going through Brock.

"Is-Is it not real?" Misty asked.

"That's what Brock must've noticed," Ash whispered.

"That's exactly it," Suzy confirmed.

As the group continued to watch, they saw the stampede had begun to fade out. Brock, meanwhile, still had his arms spread out and looked perfectly okay. It wasn't long until the stampede faded out completely, which showed it truly was nothing more than an illusion the whole time, but what had caused it?

The group then noticed a lone Stantler had appeared. It was smaller than a normal one and was limping quite badly. Suzy then widened her eyes.

"That's the baby Stantler Brock and I saw," she said.

"I knew it," Brock said as he ran towards the injured Stantler.

Once he made it over to it, he knelt down in front of it and began to rub its head. The baby Stantler, meanwhile, looked quite worried, but soon relaxed under Brock's touch.

"It's okay, Stantler. I know you were scared, but everything's okay now. I just want to be your friend," Brock told it.

The baby Stantler had tears come to its eyes at Brock's words. Did this person truly want to care for it? He had managed to see through its illusion so there was nowhere left to hide. Still, as Stantler stared at Brock, it could tell that it could just trust him. Stantler nodded its head at Brock's question.

"I promise I'm going to help you," Brock said gently as he gave a small hug to the Stantler.

Everyone looked on in awe at Brock's skills. He was able to pick up the stampede was nothing but an illusion when no one else was. It was just a scared and lonely baby Stantler using Hypnosis the whole time. Brock truly was an exceptional Pokemon breeder.

* * *

The group was now at the Cherrygrove City police station to report everything to Officer Jenny. Needless to say, she was both relieved and a little annoyed that it was nothing but a single Stantler that had been causing trouble. At least there truly wasn't a massive herd of Stantler terrorizing the city. Unfortunately, since the supposed Stantler stampede interrupted the competition, it had to be postponed until the next day.

Brock was busy bandaging the baby Stantler's wound himself while everyone watched. He didn't want to wait until they got to a Pokemon Center as he wanted to take care of it as soon as possible. It had already been there a couple of days and could get infected. Once Brock was done, he stroked the Stantler's back and gave it a smile.

"There you go. All better," Brock told it.

The Stantler gave a small, grateful cry and got in Brock's lap. It then sighed and rested its head against his chest. Brock continued to stroke its back to relax it while everyone smiled at the cute scene before Brock and Stantler.

"It doesn't look like Stantler's afraid of you anymore, Brock," Misty observed.

"Yeah. I'm trying to be as gentle as possible with it. When Suzy and I first saw it in the park, I realized how scared and lonely it was. I then tried to sense how I would feel so I could relate to it as much as possible," Brock replied.

"Right, but this little guy sure caused us some big trouble," Ash added.

"It's okay, though. Baby Stantler are very timid so it was scared of us and anyone else who tried to approach it. That's why Stantler used the pleasant scent from its horns to use Hypnosis and trick us into thinking we saw a herd on the attack," Brock explained.

"Well, it certainly fooled a lot of people," Serena said.

"So you knew something wasn't so cool the entire time?" Marina asked.

"Right. I figured that if there were really anymore Stantler, they wouldn't simply give chase only to disappear like that. I've learned most Stantler won't stop charging until they actually reach their victims. It was totally outside normal Stantler behavior. I also noticed that all of these Stantler looked exactly the same and had no differences between them, and I got really suspicious. As you know, the biggest clue, though, was when I saw some of those Stantler illusions passing right through objects," Brock replied.

"That's amazing, Brock. You were the only Pokemon breeder in this area to realize that. It really shows how great you are," Suzy said.

"Heheheheheh! Well…I…," Brock stuttered as he blushed.

Brock really wanted to make an advance on Suzy right now after that compliment, but something was telling him not to. The others, especially Ash, Serena, and Misty stared in surprise. Did Brock actually control himself just now?!

"You just have a special connection with Pokemon and can sense what's in their hearts," Suzy continued.

"Heheheh. Come on. Stop it. I could never be a great Pokemon breeder if I didn't have a special connection with Pokemon," Brock said as he blushed even harder and thought, _"I just wish that you could sense what's in my heart, Suzy."_

"Hey, Brock. It looks like Stantler's fallen asleep in your arms," Serena pointed out.

Brock looked down, and sure enough, the baby Stantler was resting peacefully. It's shallow breathing gave it away, and Brock smiled.

"Yeah. I guess all of this activity got it tired out," Brock replied.

"It looks quite attached to you. Are you tempted to keep it, Brock?" Serena asked.

"Heh. It's just looking for affection. The best thing for it right now is to be with its mother. That's a feeling I'm sure we can all understand since we're not with our parents right now," Brock responded.

The group thought about what Brock said. He was right. Though they were all on this journey together and having a lot of fun, they were still away from their families and missed them terribly. The fact that this Stantler was still very young and by itself must have multiplied that feeling by a lot. The group sometimes wondered if they would be able to make it on their journey if they were by themselves.

"I think you can sense what's in a Pokemon's heart because you have a good heart yourself, Brock," Misty smiled.

"Thanks, Misty," Brock replied as he smiled back at her.

Suzy continued to watch Brock as he stroked the Stantler. He was a great guy. She was really glad she met him.

* * *

It was the next day, and Stantler's injury seemed to have healed up rather nicely. The group had taken it to Nurse Joy after their time at the police station, and she happily announced that there was no danger of infection and that Brock sterilized and dressed the wound just fine.

Now that Stantler was going to be okay, Brock knew it was time to release it. They were walking through the forest on the outskirts of Cherrygrove City. Once they reached an acceptable area, Brock set Stantler down from his arms and gave a nod to it.

"There you go, Stantler. You're all better now. You can go on back and find your mom, now," Brock told it.

Stantler stared at Brock for a moment and didn't move. Rather than turn and leave as Brock instructed it to, Stantler rushed over and began rubbing against Brock's leg affectionately. Brock frowned as he watched the Stantler. This was partly what he was afraid of. This Stantler was so lonely that it was scared to go off on its own and wanted to stay with Brock.

"Hey, Brock. I have an idea. Why not let Stantler stay with you? Maybe it doesn't want to go back, after all," Serena suggested.

"That isn't what's best for it, Serena," Brock responded. "This Stantler needs to be with its mother."

"You know, Brock, the Lapras I have now is just a baby, too. It was separated from its herd just like this Stantler was. However, once we did finally find its family, Lapras ultimately decided it was old enough to go off on its own and stay with me. This Stantler might feel the same way," Ash told him.

"Hmmm…that's true, but this Stantler seems to be a lot younger than your Lapras. I'd say it was closer to Cubone's age when you first got it, Serena. It's not ready to be trained yet," Brock sighed.

Stantler continued to rub against Brock's leg, though. Brock looked down solemnly at it. He really didn't want to get aggressive with it in order to get it to leave. One thing did bother him, though. Why on Earth was this Stantler so attached to him? Even if Brock was nice to it and helped heal it, surely Stantler would prefer the love of a mother. He was sure Stantler knew that, too.

"Hey, come on, Stantler. You don't want to be with me. Your kind is what's best for you. Go back to mother. We both know she probably misses you terribly. I bet you can already smell her scent nearby, huh?" Brock said.

At that, Stantler looked down, and tears filled its eyes. Brock tilted his head in confusion once Stantler did that. It wasn't simply a sad look one would have about leaving a friend. It was almost like a painful memory was resurfacing. Brock opened his mouth in slight shock at what this Stantler might be implying. It couldn't be. Could it?

"Stantler, please tell me. You do…have a mother to return to, don't you?" Brock asked slowly.

Everybody else snapped their heads in Brock's direction when he said that before they looked back at the Stantler. There was no way. Surely this Stantler had its mom and just didn't want to leave Brock, right?

"Pikachu, see what's up," Ash told it.

Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder and walked over to the Stantler. The two began to converse with each other, and Stantler seemed to get more and more depressed and upset as the two talked on. Pikachu then got a heartbroken look on its face as well and turned towards the group. They knew something was up.

Pikachu sighed and shook its head at the group. It then pretended to hold and gun and made a shooting sound from its mouth before it rolled over and pretended to be dead. It then made its best impression of a baby crying and ran around in circles. Everyone looked on in alarm when they saw what Pikachu was getting at.

"Don't tell me someone actually killed your mother!" Brock exclaimed.

Stantler looked up at Brock and slowly nodded its head. Everyone else gave Stantler a sympathetic look and looked ready to cry themselves.

"Who would do such a horrible thing to this sweet baby?" Marina asked.

"A Pokemon hunter, perhaps. They're notorious for killing Pokemon and selling their fur to make a profit. There's been a particularly evil one in Johto recently by the name of Rico. They cops have been after him, but no one's caught him yet," Jimmy stated with a hint of anger in his voice.

"That explains everything, including its fear of humans," Ash muttered. "This Stantler didn't get lost. It was running away. It must've gotten injured from the scuffle with the Pokemon hunter."

"Is that true, Stantler?" Brock asked it.

Stantler nodded its head. It still recalled the painful memory of how its mother was killed about a week ago. There was a large, evil, and burly man with short green hair that did it to her. Stantler and its mother were just walking along peacefully until its mother's foot got caught in a trap. It had tried to free her, but the bad man came along and immediately shot her without a second thought. He then tried to shoot at it, but it ran away in fear and devastation before the man could reload his gun.

"That's just awful," Serena said as she clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Stantler, I'm so sorry. I didn't know," Brock said as he knelt down and gave the Stantler a hug.

"What now, Brock?" Ash asked him.

"There is no way I could send this Stantler back in the wild by itself, especially if there's a Pokemon hunter around. Who knows what could happen to it?" Brock responded.

"Brock, are you…," Misty started.

"I am," Brock confirmed before he turned to the Stantler. "Stantler, I know I'm not your real mother, but you really need a parent in your life. I'm pretty experienced at taking care of others. I'll love you just like a real parent would."

Stantler's eyes shined at that. It really did like Brock and felt a certain attachment to him. He was right. He never would replace its mother, but he was the closest thing it had and did truly seem to care about it. The baby Stantler leaned into Brock's hug, and its glistening eyes turned to tears of happiness.

"There. There. Everything is going to be okay, Stantler. I promise," Brock told it soothingly as he continued to hug it.

"I think you'll be a great trainer and parent to Stantler, Brock," Suzy said.

Ash then happened to look at his Pokegear, and he got a look of surprise on his face. He then turned to Brock to alert him of the news.

"Hey, Brock! It's almost time for the breeder competition to continue! We've got to hurry if you're going to catch it!" he said.

Brock turned back to Ash and nodded his head before he looked back at Stantler. "What do you say, Stantler? You're coming with me. I think we have a breeder competition to win."

The baby Stantler gave a cry of agreement. Brock proved it would do anything of it so it would do anything for Brock.

* * *

The group eagerly was now back at the breeder competition and eagerly awaited for Brock to reappear. It was finally his turn, and the tanned teen had a new air of confidence around him that wasn't present his first time around. He also had his newest Pokemon with him, the baby Stantler. The young Pokemon was wanting to show its appreciation for Brock, but it was still quite apprehensive of all the people.

They erupted into applause as Brock came onstage with Stantler. However, the true story of the Stantler herd had since become public, and a few people looked quite displeased once they saw the Pokemon that had caused them trouble after they had just recovered from the Heracross incident. Brock gave Stantler a reassuring stroke on the head, though.

"Hey. Don't worry about it, Stantler. I promise I'll make sure nothing bad happens," Brock told it with a smile.

The two then made their way over to the center stage, and Brock knelt down and began gently brushing the Stantler with a brush while explaining ways to make it extra shiny. By the time he was done, Stantler looked rather exceptional, but Brock wasn't finished yet. He went forward to the microphone and looked at the audience who watched curiously.

"Everyone, a lot of us has a good idea of what being a Pokemon breeder is all about. It's about bringing out the best potential in a Pokemon, but it's more than that. It's also about connecting with all Pokemon on a personal level and understanding their needs and their hearts, like this Stantler, here," Brock announced with a gesture to the baby Stantler.

Everyone glanced at his Stantler, and the ones who didn't recognize it before did now. They then looked back at Brock and wondered where exactly he was going with this.

"Though my time with this Stantler has been short, I've already taken the time to discover what its favorite foods are. It turns out it likes things that are juicy and sweet like this apple," Brock added.

He then fed an apple to the baby Stantler, and the Pokemon happily ate it. A lot of people looked quite impressed that Brock was able to discover Stantler's needs so soon. He couldn't have been with it for more than a day. It also didn't take a genius to discover that this was the person who was able to discover the truth of the Stantler herd above everyone else.

"I was able to get close to this Stantler because I took the time to consider its feelings rather than think about the trouble it caused. The truth is this Stantler was incredibly lonely, but with a little persistence and concern and kindness, I was able to heal this Stantler of the wound it had. Now, Stantler and I are very close. Isn't that right, Stantler?" Brock asked as he looked at the big horn Pokemon.

Stantler's gave a cry of agreement and walked over to nuzzle Brock's leg. The tanned skin breeder knelt down and gave it a hug back. A few people smiled while others cooed over the cute moment Brock was sharing with his new Pokemon. Brock then stood up and gave a bow to show he was finished, and everyone erupted into applause at his performance.

The judges all held up their score, and the group grinned widely when they saw Brock had a perfect score. It was clear everyone was very impressed with Brock's ability to figure out the truth about Stantler and get close to it so soon. He was able to do what no other breeder in the competition was able to. That spoke volumes of him all by itself.

Once all the breeders gave their presentation, the judge walked onto the stage and went over to the microphone. He then cleared his throat before he spoke into it.

"Well, everyone. I hope you enjoyed the show today. Once again, we apologize for the slight delay, but as one Pokemon breeder showed us, that was quite alright once we saw the other side of the story. I'm happy to announce that the winner of this year's competition with a perfect score is none other than Brock Harrison!" he announced.

Brock walked onto the stage as the group and everyone else applauded wildly for him. The judge then handed Brock two ribbons, one for him and one for Stantler. The big horn Pokemon gave a curious look at the ribbon it had on it as Brock smiled down to it.

"So how does it feel, Stantler? This is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship between us. I look forward to everything that's in store for us in the future. I'll make sure to keep you safe and take care of you. You can count on me," Brock stated.

Stantler's eyes watered again at Brock's words. It was right to trust this human, after all. Though its mom had been killed by a Pokemon hunter, it still met Brock who was giving it a lot of affection, and it became quite attached to him in the short amount of time they knew each other. Everything definitely would be okay as long as it was with Brock.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon, and now that Brock's breeder competition was over, the group was finally done with their adventure in Cherrygrove City. It was quite eventful, but they knew they couldn't stay here forever. They still needed to make it to Violet City.

The group was on one side while Suzy was on the other. The girl was going to relax in Cherrygrove City a couple of days before she moved on to another location. Thus, she wouldn't be coming with the group.

"I'm really glad I ran into you all again. It was especially nice to see Brock and Vulpix again," Suzy told them.

"We know Brock enjoyed seeing you again, too, Suzy," Serena smiled.

"Yes! Yes! I totally did! I'm very happy I saw you!" Brock said rather stiffly, returning to his usual attitude.

"Come on, Brock. Loosen up, and give her a proper goodbye," Misty whispered.

"Right," Brock mumbled and cleared his throat before he spoke in a neutral voice. "It was great to see you again, Suzy. Whenever I see you, I just know I'm going to have a great experience. You're the best inspiration I could ever hope for. Thank you for everything."

"That's very sweet, Brock. I feel the same way," Suzy smiled.

"Huh? You-you do?" Brock asked as he turned bright red.

"Yes. As a fellow Pokemon breeder, I love sharing tips with you. You're a great friend and rival," Suzy elaborated.

"Oh. Hahahah. Of course," Brock replied with a slight chuckle, but the group could tell he was pretty disappointed.

"Until next time, Suzy, take care," Ash said with a nod as they turned leave, and everyone waved goodbye to her.

"Good luck on your journey! Perhaps we'll run into each other again!" Suzy called after them again.

Once Suzy was out of sight, Brock gave a sigh. The tanned teen felt as though he would be permanently friend-zoned by every girl he would ever meet. One could easily say there was always other fish in the sea, but he sometimes wondered if he would ever catch his. He thought he felt a connection with Suzy that he never felt with anyone else before besides Professor Ivy, but in the end, it just turned out to be a pipe dream. Friends were all they could ever be.

"Hey, cheer up, Brock," Misty told him.

"Huh? Oh. Don't worry. I'm fine," Brock mumbled back.

"Yeah. Even though Suzy doesn't return your feelings, you're still a winner when it comes to raising Pokemon. Your relationship with Stantler proved that, and I'm sure Suzy feels that way, too," Serena encouraged.

"Totally! That fabulous Stantler was so cute!" Marina gushed.

"We're all here for you, Brock," Ash nodded and clapped his back.

"Thanks! Just like I've got to be there for you once we make it to your first gym match in Violet City," Brock responded.

"That's right! Ash and I are going to wipe the floor with that gym leader! Huh, buddy?!" Jimmy asked enthusiastically as he put his arm around Ash, who grinned back.

Brock gave a light laugh. They were right. Even though he didn't have an amazing girlfriend yet, he still had great friends in them. They all loved him and looked up to him. For now, that was enough. He did have one thing to thank Suzy for, though. Because of her, he was no longer afraid to participate in any Pokemon breeder competitions. He was sure there would be more, and they would really help him on his way to be the best Pokemon breeder possible.

Meanwhile, as Suzy watched Brock leave, she felt something she hadn't ever felt before. Once she saw Brock leave, she felt rather…sad. Suzy lowered her waving arm and placed it over her heart. Now that she met Brock again and could see what he could really do, she was amazed. It wasn't in the way she thought she would be, too.

 _"That's strange. Why is my heart pounding after Brock left?"_ she thought.

* * *

 **That wraps up this chapter, everyone. I always thought Brock would go well with the baby Stantler he found in the anime. I had to come up with a reason why it couldn't go back to its mom, and well, I chose the most obvious choice. Kudos to all of you who remember who Pokemon Hunter Rico was. Yeah. He's in this fic, and he'll make an appearance somewhere, but he won't be here to capture Ekans or Koffing.**

 **Next chapter is the appearance of the first of Ash's Pokemon who will have an intense dislike for Serena. Poor Ash has two of Serena's Pokemon that don't like him. Well, Serena gets a taste of that now. LOL**

 **A couple of people asked me to list Brock and Misty's current Pokemon...here they are.**

 **Misty: Staryu, Starmie, Poliwag (M), Goldeen (F), Psyduck (M), Shellder (M)  
**

 **Brock: Onix (M), Graveler (M), Golbat (M), Vulpix (F), Stantler (F), Kabuto (M) (Rhyhorn (M) transferred when Brock got Stantler)**

 **The next chapter will be out sometime in the middle of June. Look for it then. Until next time, have a good one, and thanks for all the reviews and support.**

 **Chapter Eight: Serena's Love Rival?**


	8. Serena's Love Rival?

**A/N: Well, here is another chapter you guys on my birthday. I'm having a great day so I'll share it with you by uploading a chapter! Speaking of which, Serena's twelfth birthday is coming soon as evidenced in this chapter.**

 **A few of you were wondering who Serena's love rival was from the title of this chapter. The name is this chapter is actually a joke which is why I put the question mark at the end. Serena's so-called love rival is Chikorita, at least in the Pokemon's eyes.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Serena's Love Rival?

The group was making good time in reaching Violet City. They had left Cherrygrove City a few days ago, and they didn't have much further to go until Violet City. If they were lucky, they would reach it in approximately a week. However, before they could reach the city, they had an obstacle to overcome. They were walking through mountainous territory, and they had a feeling they would have to cross over one of the mountains eventually.

"We sure are getting high up. I'm starting to feel a chill in the air," Misty commented as she rubbed her arms.

"Well, these mountains are covered with snow. It's probably like wintertime up there," Brock said as he looked around.

"Man, I've already learned my lesson about crossing mountains. I'll never forget the time Serena and I were lost in that snowstorm on my eleventh birthday," Ash recalled.

"You've been lost in a snowstorm before?" Jimmy questioned.

"Yeah. We had the option of either taking a few days out of our journey to go around it or go straight through it. I was a lot more stubborn then and decided we should go straight through it. A blizzard came really fast while we were crossing it, and Serena and I got separated from Brock and Misty when Pikachu and Cubone were blown away. We were able to survive by making a snow cave," Ash elaborated before he added, "Heh. It was also the time when I began to know how Serena felt about me."

Serena smiled sweetly at him while Jimmy folded his arms in thought. "So, based on that, we shouldn't try to climb over them," he figured.

"Well, the difference here is that we don't have much of a choice. We kind of have to. These mountains go on forever so unless we had a vehicle, we'll have to take them," Brock said as he looked through the guidebook and added, "Besides, these mountains are famous for skiing. We could ski in the morning...and spend the afternoon at the lodge surrounded by girls!"

The group sighed as Brock suddenly got one of his infamous, goofy grins on his face. Did his time with Suzy not too long ago teach him anything? If there's one thing a girl doesn't like, it's when a guy uses stupid pick-up lines on her like Brock does. If Brock could just be himself like he was during the breeding contest, girls like Suzy would actually find him charming

"Your brain is the only thing skiing downhill," Misty muttered in disdain.

"Forget skiing anyway. I found something better, guys! Check it out!" Ash intervened and pointed his index finger forward.

The rest of the group looked, and a short distance away, was a Chikorita. It was lying on its stomach and appeared quite content at the moment. A pleasing aroma filled the air which was probably coming from the huge leaf planted on top of its head. Judging from the relaxed look on its face, the Chikorita was probably sunbathing.

"Oh, that Chikorita is so cute," Misty smiled.

"And adorable!" Marina cooed.

"And catchable," Ash finished as he pulled out a pokeball.

"You're going to try to capture it, Ash?" Jimmy asked.

"You bet. I haven't gotten a grass-type Pokemon on my team since Ivysaur," Ash replied as he approached the Chikorita.

The leaf Pokemon heard Ash as he came to it and immediately jumped into a standing position. It then glared at Ash and swung its leaf back and forth as a warning for him to back off. The group looked on curiously at this. A glare and a threatening gesture wasn't something they would expect from a Chikorita.

"That's weird. I thought Chikorita were so supposed to be sweet-natured. This one looks kind of…rough," Misty noted.

"If you ask me, there's nothing sweeter than a tough one," Ash smiled as he watched the Chikorita continue to glare at him.

"Just try to be careful, Ash," Serena warned.

"Why?" Ash inquired as he turned to face Serena curiously.

"Because Chikorita is already attacking you!" Serena yelled.

Ash turned around just in time to a see a huge leaf flying towards his face. He hastily ducked as the leaf sailed over his head. The group then watched as it hit a small tree nearby and left quite a gash in it. The group grimaced as that could've been Ash's face if he wasn't quick enough. Ash turned to frown at the Chikorita who had just used Razor Leaf at him.

"Hey. That was a little uncalled for," Ash told it.

Chikorita glared harder when Ash said that. It didn't need to be talked down to by some stupid human. He was apparently going to try to capture it. Why shouldn't it try to defend itself? It was a strong, independent Pokemon who didn't need a trainer. Chikorita then swung its leaf around and used Razor Leaf on Ash again. The raven-haired boy ducked again, and the Razor Leaf hit the same tree. This time, it cut deep enough to cause the small tree to topple over.

"Alright! That does it! You're mine, Chikorita!" Ash said heatedly at the Pokemon's second attempt to decapitate him.

"Chika!" the leaf Pokemon growled back.

"Wow. It isn't backing down at all," Misty muttered.

"You ready for this, Pikachu?" Ash asked his rodent buddy beside him.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied and ran forward in front of the Chikorita.

Chikorita lowered its head at the impending battle. It then bared its teeth at Ash and Pikachu. There was no way it was going to go down without a fight. It thought by now he would've given up as its attitude had scared off several trainers before, but this one was especially persistent. Chikorita was going to give this battle everything it had to avoid being captured by this person. It then charged forward at full speed towards Pikachu.

"Here it comes, Pikachu. Use Thunderbolt," Ash told it.

Pikachu sparked its cheeks and launched the electric attack to Chikorita. The Chikorita smirked at this and spun its leaf forward in front of its face like a fan. It had picked up this trick at fighting other trainers who used electric attacks on it in the past. The electricity bounced harmlessly off its leaf, and Chikorita didn't slow down one bit.

"It's tougher than I thought," Ash mumbled to himself before he gave his command to Pikachu. "It's okay, Pikachu. Dodge, and use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu leaped out of the way of the charging Chikorita and got its tail ready. Ash and Pikachu were expecting the Chikorita to change direction and move to where Pikachu had gone to. Then it would get an Iron Tail right to the face. However, both were surprised when Chikorita didn't do that at all. It continued running forward at full speed straight to Ash. The raven-haired boy didn't understand what it was doing until it was too late. Chikorita leaped up and did a full forced Tackle right in Ash's stomach!

Ash gasped in pain and fell onto his knees at the attack. He coughed a few times and tried to catch his breath as Serena came forward to try to help him. She rubbed his back, and Ash began panting as he regained his breath. The group then looked in surprise at the Chikorita who seemed satisfied with the results. That would teach this trainer to mess with it! To it, both the Pokemon and the trainer were the enemies. They were both fair game to attack.

"Are you okay, Ash?" Serena asked as Ash got to his feet.

"I'll be fine. That Tackle did hurt a bit, though," Ash replied and clutched his stomach where Chikorita had hit him. There was probably a big bruise there, but he would be okay.

"This Chikorita is one tough cookie," Brock commented.

"Yeah. It clearly doesn't want to be captured if it attacked even you, Ash. I think we better just leave it alone. A Pokemon like this will only cause you trouble down the road if you capture it," Misty suggested.

"Yeah, Ash. I'm sure there are other Chikorita out there," Jimmy said.

"No way! I'm not backing down. If this Chikorita wants a fight, I'm going to give it one," Ash said with determination as he turned his hat backwards and matched Chikorita's glare at him.

"Well, they sure have stubbornness in common," Misty sighed.

"Ash used to be more stubborn than this?" Marina whispered.

"Hahaha. You have no idea," Brock chuckled.

"Okay, Pikachu! Use Quick Attack!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu shot forward and struck the Chikorita in the side. Chikorita grimaced at the pain but held its ground and swung its large leaf at Pikachu. The yellow rodent was struck in the cheek by the leaf, and Chikorita then used its Vine Whip and wrapped it around Pikachu. It then began to slam Pikachu back and forth on the ground.

"I know it hurts buddy, but that Chikorita just made a big mistake! Use Thunderbolt on the vine!" Ash said.

Pikachu gritted its teeth at the constant barrage of slamming before it grabbed onto Chikorita's vines. Chikorita stopped the assault for a moment to stare curiously at Pikachu before the yellow rodent smirked at it for a change. Pikachu then sparked its cheeks and sent a stream of electricity down to Chikorita. The electricity traveled like a current through the vines until it struck Chikorita. The leaf Pokemon cried out in pain as it was electrocuted, and Pikachu was released from the attack.

"Use Iron Tail now, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu ran forward as it tail glowed white. It then leaped into the air and descended upon the dazed Chikorita. It then scored a direct hit right on Chikorita's back. The leaf Pokemon gave another cry of pain and fell to the ground. Pikachu then leaped back, and Ash prepared the pokeball to throw at it.

"Pokeball, go!" Ash shouted as he threw it.

Chikorita wasn't about to go down that easily, though. It was made of tougher stuff then that. Though it was tired, it stood up and slapped the pokeball with its large leaf back to Ash. The raven-haired boy frowned as he caught the reciprocated pokeball. The Chikorita was glaring at him just as intensely as it was before the battle. It looked tired but still wanted to battle. Ash then decided to change his strategy.

"Pikachu, fall back. I'm sending out something to finish this quickly," Ash stated.

Pikachu nodded its head and went back to Ash's side. Ash then pulled out the pokeball he was looking for and released his most durable and unarguably heaviest Pokemon.

"I choose you, Snorlax!" Ash shouted.

The overweight Pokemon appeared from the pokeball, and to everyone's surprise, Snorlax actually wasn't asleep. It looked ready to fight. Ash must have called it at a great time. Despite the good fortune of this, the rest of the group couldn't help but sweat drop at seeing the mismatch.

"Man, Ash is using Snorlax to take down Chikorita?" Jimmy questioned.

"Isn't that a little overkill?" Marina added.

"It isn't about that," Ash called back. "This Chikorita is really stubborn. I know Pikachu can take it, but I don't have all day trying to capture Chikorita."

"That's just an excuse," Misty mumbled which earned her a glare courtesy of Ash.

"Say what you want. So what if a lot of my Pokemon have a lot of battling experience compared to a wild Pokemon," Ash said as he turned back to the Chikorita.

The rest of the group shrugged their shoulders at that. He did have a point. The only other Pokemon he had on him at the moment were Heracross and Lapras. They were a little on the large side, too, when compared to a Chikorita.

Despite the large opponent it was now facing, Chikorita still stood its ground. It then fired a Razor Leaf at Snorlax, but the heavy Pokemon simply stood there and watched it. The Razor Leaf struck its mark seconds later, but it simply sunk into Snorlax's thick stomach and bounced out harmlessly. Chikorita grit its teeth while Snorlax yawned and scratched its cheek.

Chikorita then charged forward at Snorlax this time, and once again, Snorlax didn't move. Chikorita slammed itself as hard as it could into Snorlax's stomach, but like the Razor Leaf before it, Chikorita just bounced back and fell to the ground. It then tried a Vine Whip and wrapped it around Snorlax's large feet. Chikorita then pulled with all its might and tried to trip Snorlax, but that failed, too. Nothing was working for it!

Snorlax, meanwhile, was getting a little bored. It hadn't moved a single inch this entire time. It was slightly amusing to watch this little Pokemon try to hurt it, but that could only hold its interest for so long. Snorlax gave another yawn and figured this was a good time to take a nap. It's not like this Pokemon could hurt it while it was sleeping.

"Hey, Snorlax. Use your Mega Punch, but try to go easy on it," Ash told it.

Snorlax turned back to Ash and nodded its head. It then lazily charged up a Mega Punch while Chikorita was still trying to trip it. The leaf Pokemon then looked up and saw Snorlax's giant fist coming right for it. It braced itself for the impact, and the Mega Punch sent Chikorita flying through the air where it hit the ground and skidded a few feet. To everyone's surprise, Chikorita still didn't stay down! It got right back up and charged again at Snorlax.

"Man, I've got to hand it to Chikorita, its endurance is pretty extreme. I don't think my Pokemon would've been tough enough to take on this Chikorita yet," Jimmy commented.

"It reminds me of my Jigglypuff with its cute and tough side, but Chikorita is on a much more extreme level," Serena added.

Chikorita continued to run towards Snorlax, but the heavy Pokemon's laziness was starting to win over. It gave a yawn once more. It was just so sleepy. This match was already won. This Pokemon would wear itself out eventually while it tried to attack Snorlax while it slept. Ash would still get to win his battle, and it would get to sleep. Everybody wins.

Snorlax then began to fall forward as it prepared to drift off into blissful sleep. Unfortunately, Chikorita was still running straight for Snorlax, and it didn't appear to notice. The Chikorita soon saw an enormous shadow loom over it, and it looked up and saw the Snorlax's giant body falling towards it. Chikorita let out a panicked cry and tried to scramble out of the way, but it was too late.

Everybody gasped as Snorlax fell right on top of Chikorita. There was a huge thud as it hit the ground, and everyone immediately ran over to where Snorlax was. Ash was yelling at Snorlax to hurry and get off Chikorita, but it was already asleep. Seeing that it was no use, Ash quickly recalled Snorlax. He and everyone else hoped the Chikorita wasn't completely crushed. Landing on an Alakazam was one thing, but a Chikorita would be as easy as crushing a foam cup to Snorlax.

Chikorita was in a small dent in the ground where Snorlax had landed so the good news was the ground was able to absorb some of the impact. Despite that, what they saw still wasn't a pretty sight. Chikorita was shaking in extreme pain and taking short breaths. There were bruise marks all over it, and its leaf was smashed up and drooping.

Ash ran towards it to make sure it was okay, but everyone cried out in surprise when Chikorita still stood up and glared at Ash. They couldn't believe it! Chikorita still wanted to battle after taking a Body Slam from Snorlax.

"No way. How can it still want to battle?" Misty asked rhetorically.

"It looks like it barely even has the strength to stand," Brock muttered.

"Chikorita…," Ash trailed.

It was as if Ash speaking to it set something off in Chikorita. It hastily fired another Razor Leaf at Ash, though it was very feeble. Ash moved out of the way as he and everyone else looked at the Chikorita in pity. Why was it still resisting?

Chikorita didn't care how much pain it was in. It would fight to the death. That Snorlax winning against it was just a fluke. This kid should send out another Pokemon! Then it would…show…them…

Unable to take it anymore, Chikorita suddenly collapsed onto the ground and didn't get back up. Everyone sighed once it did that. The poor Pokemon finally fainted from extreme exhaustion. Most Pokemon would've already given up, but not this thing.

"Are you going to capture it, Ash?" Jimmy questioned.

"I don't think I will this time," Ash muttered in reply. "Seeing Chikorita in this state doesn't make me feel victorious in this fight. The most important thing is to get it to a Pokemon Center."

"Well said, Ash. The guidebook says there's a Pokemon Center about a mile from here. We should hurry and get Chikorita there as fast as possible," Brock agreed.

Ash then knelt down and scooped up the passed out Chikorita in his arms, and the group hurried to the Pokemon Center. They could worry about what to do about Chikorita once they reached there. Perhaps Nurse Joy even had some answers about Chikorita's strange behavior.

* * *

After about ten minutes, the group could see the Pokemon Center in sight. As they were nearing it, Ash felt slight movement in his arms. He looked down and saw Chikorita had opened its eyes and was looking around curiously. It then realized the situation it was in and weakly looked up at Ash, and the boy smiled down at it.

"Don't worry, Chikorita. We'll get you to a Pokemon Center so you can get better," Ash told it.

That wasn't okay for Chikorita, though. It didn't need some dumb Pokemon Center to make it feel better! It was feeling just great. Above all, it certainly wasn't going to receive help from this trainer who just tried to capture it and was responsible for its injuries in the first place! Chikorita glared at Ash before it opened its mouth bit down on Ash's arm as hard as it could.

Ash hissed at the pain of Chikorita's bite, but he held firm. The raven-haired boy then frowned down at the Chikorita who was staring defiantly back at him.

"Hey! Take it easy, Chikorita!" Ash said angrily.

"Chika! Chika!" Chikorita cried back.

"Don't take that tone with me! I'm only trying to help you!" Ash replied in aggravation.

"Chika!" Chikorita retorted and bared its teeth at him.

"Don't bare your teeth at me, either!" Ash retorted.

Chikorita glared again at Ash before it purposely turned it head away from him. Ash did just the same, but he had to keep his eyes forward so he could focus. The others watched the strange display and sighed.

"They don't seem to like each other," Misty mumbled.

"They would almost seem like an old married couple if it wasn't a person and Pokemon," Brock whispered.

"That's ridiculous," Serena giggled. There was no way a Pokemon would ever try to win in a love war with Ash. They could all be pals and love each other, but as far as an actual 'crush' goes, that idea was just silly.

The group then reached the Pokemon and Center and hurried inside. Since this Pokemon Center was a little bit off the beaten path, it was empty of any trainers except them. That was perfect. Now Chikorita could get the medical attention it needed right away. Ash hurried to the desk where Nurse Joy was and held out Chikorita to her. Skipping the formalities, he cut to the chase.

"Nurse Joy, this wild Chikorita has been seriously injured and needs attention right away!" Ash said urgently.

"Oh my goodness! It's another one. Chansey and I will start right away," Nurse Joy replied as she took Chikorita from Ash and put it on a stretcher, and she and Chansey carried it back to the infirmary.

The group couldn't help but notice Nurse Joy's response. That was rather strange. Did she just say 'another one'? Was this a normal occurrence for her to receive injured Chikorita? They would have to ask that from her once she was done helping Chikorita.

The group waited in anticipation while Chikorita was in the infirmary. They ended up waiting a good thirty minutes before Nurse Joy finally came out. Once she and Chansey did, the group immediately went over to her, and Ash asked the first thing that was on his and everyone's mind.

"So how's Chikorita?" he asked.

"Good news. Chikorita will be just fine," Nurse Joy smiled.

"That's a relief," Ash sighed. "I was worried that my Snorlax had crushed it. I still can't believe Chikorita would want to battle."

"Honestly, I'm not surprised," Nurse Joy replied.

"Hey, Nurse Joy. You said this was another one. Is that not the first time you've had a situation like this?" Serena asked.

"Not at all. I get a similar situation of an injured wild Chikorita almost every week. There are several around here that are just like this one. The Chikorita in this area are infamous for being incredibly stubborn and strong-willed. They resist capture as much as they can and always are trying to battle bigger and stronger opponents like the Snorlax you just mentioned. They won't ever back down and just keep battling until they can't anymore. I've even had Chikorita in the past who've been in intensive care for days because they're severely dehydrated from excessive battling," Nurse Joy explained.

"Really?" Misty gasped.

"Yes. It's a very sad situation, but nothing can be done about it. That's just the way they are so the only thing I can do is be prepared when a traveler or trainer brings in another one," Nurse Joy sighed.

The group then went over to a glass window that allowed a peek into the infirmary where Chikorita was. As they looked in, they could see Chikorita on the operating table. It was relieving when they could see that Chikorita was sleeping this time rather than passed out from exhaustion. It had such a peaceful expression on its face that it was hard believe how aggressive it was when it was awake.

"Man. Poor Chikorita," Ash mumbled in pity.

"You all are welcome to spend the night here and continue on your journeys tomorrow. You needn't worry about Chikorita any longer. I promise I'll nurse it back to full health and release it back into the wild as soon as I do with all the others," Nurse Joy spoke up from behind the group.

The group smiled gratefully once Nurse Joy said that. She was obviously very experienced with these types of Chikorita and knew the perfect time to release it. The group would rest here for the night and continue on the next morning.

"Oh, Nurse Joy! I love how experienced you are with these poor Chikorita. Perhaps you could take the time to experience my aching heart for you!" Brock cried as he went up and took Nurse Joy's hands.

"Hey, Nurse Joy! Could you check up on our other Pokemon while we're here?" Misty asked as she pushed Brock out of the way.

"Me, too!" Serena added as she effectively blocked Brock's view of the nurse.

"Mine, too!" Ash said.

"And mine!" Jimmy added.

"Don't forget about mine, either!" Marina finished.

Meanwhile, Brock sat on the ground and silently cried to himself that he was blocked from his romantic approach to the beautiful woman. Why were they always ganging up on him? He couldn't help it that girls he thought he would be happy with didn't work out in his favor like Suzy or…Professor Ivy.

"Ugghh…," Brock moaned as he resumed the fetal position.

"What's wrong with you now, Brock?" Serena asked as she and the others turned to look at him in confusion.

"That name…," Brock mumbled.

"What are you talking about? No one said Professor Ivy," Ash said.

"Ugghhhhhh! I just thought about her," Brock moaned again.

"Oh, brother. You can't blame us for that. You did it to yourself that time," Misty muttered in annoyance.

"Will he ever get over that?" Serena whispered to Ash.

"Who knows?" Ash shrugged.

* * *

It was in the evening now at the Pokemon Center, and the group was in the lobby watching the television. They weren't paying too much attention to it, and it was more or less just background noise, but there was one thing that got their attention. It was the weather report.

"A winter storm watch remains in effect through tonight and tomorrow evening for the surrounding area. Rainfall is expected in the valley with snow mostly restricted to the higher elevations in the mountains. Caution is still advised as the temperature will continue to drop throughout the evening," the report stated.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing we aren't camping out tonight," Ash commented.

"Yeah. This area must be cold naturally. This certainly isn't the season for snow as it's almost the middle of summer," Brock said thoughtfully.

"Speaking of which, your birthday is almost here, Serena," Misty told her.

Serena nodded her head. Her twelfth birthday was only a week away. She had no idea what the group had planned for her, but they were most likely going to do something. If they left tomorrow, they would be able to reach Violet City by the time her birthday came, and they would definitely find something to do there. Serena would be happy no matter where she celebrated her birthday, but it was always nice to be in civilization for that.

"Let's see," Ash mused as he folded his arms, "What's something I can do to make my girlfriend have the best birthday she's ever had?"

"Don't pretend like you have to think, Ash," Serena smiled. "We all know it just happens with you. You'll find a way to make it special without even knowing."

Ash chuckled at that. She was right. He was always able to pick out amazing gifts and make Serena feel like the most special girl in the world without even trying. He shouldn't try to worry about it. Heh. It probably would just simply be amazing like she said. He'll just let his natural instincts take over on what he thinks would be nice. It's always worked before.

He still remembered Serena's birthday from last year. It was the day Serena finally confessed her feelings to him from on top of a Ferris Wheel on Cinnibar Island. She had the perfect setting and had built up to the moment perfectly. The only thing was that Ash couldn't return her feelings, and that had crushed her. On the other hand, he finally began to question his own relationship with Serena, and it was because of that confession that he finally realized what he was feeling later on. Now, here they are as a happy couple a year later.

There have been a few people that have shown interest in Ash since he and Serena have been together, but they never stuck around. The chance of Serena having a love rival that was a permanent part of the team was unlikely indeed.

The group was startled by the sound of crashing from behind them. They turned and saw Chikorita was slamming itself against the glass in an effort to break out. The group, as well as Nurse Joy, went over to the glass to see what the matter was. Once they got there, Chikorita stopped slamming itself against the glass and glared up at the humans.

"It doesn't look like Chikorita wants to wait to be nursed back to health," Serena muttered.

"Please, Chikorita. You must rest. If you keep trying to break out like that, you'll only injure yourself again," Nurse Joy pleaded.

Chikorita puffed its cheeks out in annoyance before it resumed crashing into the glass. The group gasped when Chikorita let out a cry of pain and fell down onto the ground. It was what they were worried about. Chikorita had hurt itself once again. These Chikorita really were too tough for their own good.

"I apologize, but I have to go tend to Chikorita again," Nurse Joy told the group.

It turned out Chikorita wasn't as bad off as it let on. As soon as Nurse Joy opened the door to help it, Chikorita jumped to its feet and ran out the door past Nurse Joy. The leaf Pokemon then ran to the front door of the Pokemon Center and began to ram into it, as well. It then growled in frustration that its exits kept getting blocked by the doors.

Everyone walked up to it and watched in pity as the Chikorita glared up at them as if ordering them to set it free. The group sighed as they exchanged glances with each other as if deciding what to do.

"I hate to say it, guys, but this Chikorita clearly doesn't want to be here. I say we go ahead and let it free. We can't keep it here by force," Brock said.

"Is that really what you want, Chikorita? We're going to let you go, but we just want to make sure that you're at one hundred percent first," Ash told it.

"Chika!" Chikoirita nodded firmly. It didn't need help from anyone and would feel fine on its own.

"It's fine. I won't keep Chikorita here," Nurse Joy agreed.

"Well, okay. I hope you stay safe out there, Chikorita," Ash said sadly as he opened the door for it go.

Chikorita didn't even acknowledge Ash's statement. As soon there was enough room for Chikorita to get through, it darted out the door and into the evening. It didn't once look back. The group watched with a frown on their faces as Chikorita kept running and soon disappeared from view.

They then jumped slightly when a rumble of thunder sounded above them. The sky was getting rather cloudy, and it would start storming soon. It was also getting a little cooler. They hoped Chikorita would be alright.

Ash turned back towards the wilderness and got a worried look on his face. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Serena staring at him with a sympathetic look.

"Hey, Ash. We know you wanted to help Chikorita, but we did all that we could do for it. We saw how tough Chikorita was, though. I'm sure it will be just fine," Serena told him.

"Yeah…," Ash muttered a little absently before he and everyone else went back into the Pokemon Center. As they did, another clap of thunder sounded above them.

* * *

It had been about an hour since Chikorita had gone, and it was raining pretty heavily outside right now. Ash was standing by the window and had his elbow propped up on the window sill with his head resting in his hand. He hadn't left that spot since the rain started. For some reason, he couldn't get Chikorita out of his head, and it was starting to bother him a little.

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu asked as it got on the window sill and waved its hand in front of Ash's face.

"I'm here, Pikachu. I'm just thinking about Chikorita," Ash said as he watched the rain.

"Pikaaaaa," Pikachu sighed and hung its ears.

Ash then went back to thinking about Chikorita. He couldn't help but wonder how it was doing. Was it able to find suitable shelter before the storm came in? Was it lost? Was it in trouble? Ash couldn't get any of it out of his head.

"Hey, Ash. The rain can't be that interesting," Serena smiled in an effort to lure the boy away to come join them.

"It's just Chikorita," Ash mumbled back.

"Hey, Ash. It's as we saw earlier. That Chikorita is really tough. Being a wild Pokemon, it's probably used to living through thunderstorms and knows the perfect places to hide," Brock reasoned.

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling. It was still injured when it left," Ash muttered.

"We can all go look for it in the morning when the storm blows over," Serena suggested as she went over to Ash and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

That wasn't good enough for Ash. He wasn't willing to wait that long. Tomorrow could be too late if Chikorita was in bad shape. The boy narrowed his eyes and turned to face Serena and the others.

"I'm going out there now to find Chikorita," he said firmly.

"Ash! That's crazy! Don't overreact!" Misty told him.

"I'm not overreacting," Ash argued as his face grew firmer.

"I'm with Misty, Ash. I'm a Pokemon Breeder, and Chikorita is a wild Pokemon and an expert at finding a hiding place. Unless I had solid proof, even I wouldn't go out in a storm like this at night," Brock spoke up.

"My gut feeling is telling me something is wrong. Isn't that proof enough?" Ash asked.

The others exchanged glances with each other. Ash has had very good instincts when it came to a Pokemon's condition in the past. On the other hand, he's had some bad ones, too. It was only a fifty percent chance this was a good idea. The unfortunate thing was that Ash seemed dead set on the part that was telling him to find Chikorita.

"I'm going with you, Ash. You shouldn't go alone," Serena said.

"You don't have to do that, Serena," Ash replied.

"Hey, Ash. You could get lost out there, man. Even I don't know this area very well," Jimmy spoke up.

"Look, it's clear that you guys don't have the same feeling I do about Chikorita. Maybe you're right. Maybe you're not, but either way, I'm going," Ash declared.

Everyone sighed. It was clear Ash's mind was made up. He had mellowed out considerably since he started his journey, but his stubbornness still existed. Ash then looked over and saw Nurse Joy approaching him with some clothing.

"I'm sorry, but I overheard you. If you're that set on going, then at least take these," Nurse Joy told him as she presented a large raincoat.

Ash smiled at the nurse. "Thanks, Nurse Joy! Let's go, Pikachu!"

Without waiting for a response or any more words from his friends, Ash took the raincoat and dashed out into the night with Pikachu. Everyone was rather startled by his sudden exit. Their eyes then lit up in realization when they realized that Ash still had his other Pokemon here at the Pokemon Center. Serena ran to the still open door and wildly glanced around for Ash.

"Ash! You left your Pokemon!" Serena yelled after him.

Upon not receiving any response or any sight of Ash, Serena knew he was already gone. This was bad. Not only was it storming and the temperature was dropping, but Ash had absolutely no idea where he was going. It was just him and Pikachu. The only thing Serena could do now was pray for his safety.

She slowly walked back into the Pokemon Center and shook her head at the others. The others had worried looks on their faces, too. What was Ash thinking? Brock, Misty, and Serena still remembered the time they had gone into a storm to rescue Charmander, but even then he took them with him.

"Oh…why does he have to be so stubborn?" Misty asked rhetorically.

"I'm going after him," Serena said.

"Now hold on, Serena. It's not a good idea for you to start wandering around in a storm all by yourself," Brock stated. "On top of that, you have no idea where Ash or Chikorita went. If he doesn't get lost, you certainly will."

"But…," Serena tried to protest.

"Come on, Serena. Think this through. We're worried about Ash, too, but doing something like running into a storm like he did isn't smart and will just put us in a worse situation," Misty said.

Serena frowned as she knew they were right. She should've left with Ash while she had the chance.

"Man, Ash sure is determined. I hope to have the care and concern he has for Pokemon one day," Jimmy said in awe.

"Yeah. Ash does some crazy stuff, but it's always in the best interest of others," Marina agreed.

"You haven't even seen half of the things he'll do for others," Serena told them.

* * *

Water splattered Ash's jeans as he ran through several puddles on the ground. This rainfall was really intense. The wind was blowing which was making the rain horizontal. Ash had to shield his eyes from the heavy rainfall. He had Pikachu inside of his coat to help shield its smaller body. The yellow rodent was sparking slightly because of the rain, but it wasn't enough to shock Ash.

"Hey, Chikorita!" Ash shouted through the pounding of the rain.

It couldn't have gotten too far in an hour. Then again, it probably could. There was no telling if Ash even took off in the right direction. Based on that, it seemed the only thing that he could do was make a circle. If he didn't find Chikorita, he could just reason that it was able to find shelter or was too long gone for him to ever find it.

Ash was starting to think that maybe his friends were right. Despite this, he was still worried. If Chikorita didn't just take off like that when it was still injured, it wouldn't have bothered him as much. He took no comfort in knowing there was a hurt Pokemon out in a bad storm that was only forecast to get worse. It was that motivation that kept him pressing on rather than turning back.

"Can you sense Chikorita anywhere, Pikachu?" Ash asked as they ran.

Pikachu perked its ears up and tried to listen for the leaf Pokemon anywhere. It then tried to sniff to see if it could catch its scent anywhere. The problem was the pounding of the rain and thunder was making it hard for Pikachu to pick up anything, and its smell was dulled by the bad weather.

"Pika," Pikachu said sadly as it hung its ears.

"Hey. Don't sweat it, buddy. I'm sure we'll find Chikorita and…woah!" Ash cried as he suddenly slipped on a mud pile that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Pikachu was sent toppling out of Ash's raincoat and rolled off to the side. It shook its head slightly before it went to check on its trainer. Pikachu was already sopping wet and now completely covered with mud, but its trainer was more important. It hurried over and went to check up on him.

"I'm fine, Pikachu. I just fell," Ash reassured the rodent as another crackle of thunder sounded overhead.

"Pika. Pikachu," Pikachu frowned.

Ash nodded his head, understanding what Pikachu was getting at. They were getting absolutely nowhere in the state they were in right now. They had searched for over thirty minutes and hadn't even found a trace of Chikorita anywhere. By now, Ash could only assume it was too far gone, or it had found someplace safe. Though he hated it, he had no choice but to agree with Pikachu now.

"You're right, Pikachu. I guess we won't find Chikorita, after all. I just hope it's okay," Ash said as he stood up.

"Chu?" Pikachu said as it inquisitively looked at a bush beside them.

"What's up, Pikachu?" Ash asked it as he attempted to brush some of the mud off of him.

Pikachu didn't answer as it ran over to the bush it was staring at. It then peeked in the bushes and let out a cry of surprise. It then turned and frantically beckoned Ash over to it. Ash hurried over to where Pikachu was and brushed aside some of the leaves until he looked inside. Ash's eyes then lit up at what he saw.

Chikorita was lying there in the bushes. Apparently this was the best shelter it could find in such short notice. It was clear that Chikorita was freezing with how much it was shivering. Chikorita must have heard the movement from it as it turned to Ash and looked up at him in surprise.

"Hey there, Chikorita. I've been looking all over for you. I was really worried," Ash smiled.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

Chikorita continued to stare at Ash. This kid actually came looking for it in the middle of a thunderstorm? Why? Surely he wasn't that worried about it. What was going on?

"Why don't you come on back to the Pokemon Center with us? There you'll be able to stay nice and warm until you're healthy enough to go off on your own again," Ash suggested.

Chikorita didn't quite know what to make of the situation. Truthfully, getting out of the cold and horrible weather did sound nice, but it was tough! It didn't want to appear like some weakling. Its reputation would be totally ruined. It was really conflicted right now. Chikorita then noticed how warm and inviting Ash's eyes looked at the moment. They were so…genuine and concerned. Maybe this kid wasn't so bad, after. It could swallow its pride just this once and accept his help.

"Chikori!" Chikorita agreed as it walked over to Ash, though rather slowly now that its injuries had caught up with it.

"Great! I knew you'd come through, Chikorita!" Ash told it as he turned around. "Let's get you back to safety!"

"Chika," Chikorita nodded as it went to move after Ash.

That was when a huge bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, which created a deafening boom of thunder due to its proximity. The lighting snaked its way down and struck a nearby tree. The tree cracked and swayed from the force of the strike before it caught fire. Then, to Ash, Pikachu, and Chikorita's horror, it then began to fall straight towards them, in particular towards Chikorita.

Chikorita stood frozen in fear as it watched the tree fall. Its feet were telling it to move, but it was too scared to. Chikorita had never been in a situation like this before and didn't quite know how to respond. It was always so tough and couldn't believe its end was going to come about like this.

"Look out!" Ash yelled as he grabbed Chikorita and leaped forward just in time.

The tree thudded onto the ground with a resounding crash, and Ash fell to the ground rather awkwardly and tumbled for a while with Chikorita in his arms. The boy soon came to a stop and was panting rather heavily. That was a close one.

"Chika?" Chikorita asked Ash, amazed that he had risked his life for it. If he had just been a couple of seconds slower, they would both be dead.

"Hey. Are you alright, Chikorita?" Ash asked it.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu called as it ran over to check on Ash and Chikorita.

"I think we're good, buddy," Ash said as he scratched Pikachu behind the ears.

"Chika?" Chikorita asked again.

"What? You're surprised? Surely you didn't think I would just let you get crushed, right?" Ash joked to lighten the mood.

Chikorita hung its head down. Actually, that's exactly what it was thinking.

"Hey. Don't feel bad. Come on. Let's get back to the Pokemon Center," Ash suggested as he went to stand up…only to yell in pain and fall back down again.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried in alarm.

Ash grit his teeth and only now realized the amount of pain his right foot was in. It must have happened when he landed after he saved Chikorita from the tree. Ash got into a sitting position and felt around his ankle and hissed in pain when he tried to move it. It didn't feel broken which was a relief, but it was still twisted pretty badly.

"Aw, man," Ash said and clenched his teeth again when he tried to stand back up, but the pain forced him back down.

"Pika? Pikachu?" Pikachu asked it.

"My ankle is twisted, Pikachu. I don't think I can walk back to the Pokemon Center like this. It hurts every time I move it," Ash responded.

"Chu! Chu!" Pikachu cried. What were they supposed to do now? They were stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm with the temperature dropping rapidly.

"Okay. Listen to me, Pikachu. I need you to go back to the Pokemon Center and get the others. Let them know what happened. Take Chikorita with you so it can get out of this, too," Ash ordered.

"Chu! Pikachu!" Pikachu replied with a quick shake of its head. There was no way it was going to leave Ash in the middle of a thunderstorm like this.

The yellow rodent then ran over to Ash before it grabbed his arm and attempted to pull Ash along with it. Its attempt was completely in vain and hopeless, though, as there was no way its tiny body could move Ash. It then hung its ears and licked Ash's ankle.

"See, Pikachu? We can't stay out here much longer. Your best bet is to get back to the Pokemon Center and get the others. I know you'll be able to find the way back. I'll be fine. I promise," Ash reassured, but the truth was he was starting to get really cold.

Pikachu had to force itself to tear its gaze away from Ash. The yellow rodent didn't like this plan one bit. It hated leaving Ash by himself like this. It would much rather be here with its trainer to make sure he was okay. Still, Pikachu knew the logic in Ash's words. They really couldn't stay here all night and wait for Ash's ankle to get better.

"Just go, Pikachu. Please," Ash encouraged.

Pikachu clenched its tiny fists. Its trainer was being brave so it could, too. It would make sure to hurry back here as fast as possible. Pikachu then motioned for Chikorita to follow it and went to go, only find out Chikorita had stayed put.

"Pi?" Pikachu asked as it turned to look at Chikorita.

"Chika," Chikorita stated firmly and went to stand by Ash.

Ash was surprised and a little touched at this gesture, but he still disapproved of it. "No, Chikorita. You need to go with Pikachu back to the Pokemon Center. It isn't safe to stay out here with me."

"Chika! Chikori!" Chikorita said as it turned fixed Ash with a determined gaze.

This boy had risked its life for it. There was no way it was going to leave his side after that. The least it could do was stay here for support.

"Please. Go on, Chikorita!" Ash said a little more forcefully.

"Chikori!" Chikorita yelled back at Ash.

The boy was even more surprised when he saw tears in Chikorita's eyes. Wow. This Pokemon was actually worried about him for a change? That was something he wasn't expecting. He glanced at Pikachu who seemed just as confused by that gesture from Chikorita. They were both thinking it would be more than willing to leave, but it was actually choosing to stay here for Ash? This truly was a stubborn Chikorita.

"I guess there's no changing your mind, is there?" Ash asked.

"Chika," Chikorita nodded firmly.

"Alright. You can stay," Ash sighed before he turned to Pikachu. "Go on, Pikachu. Chikorita and I will stay right here. You can do it, buddy."

Pikachu gave one last weary look at Ash and Chikorita before it spun and around and took off running as fast as it could. It hated this, but it was necessary. The only thing it could do was get to the Pokemon Center as fast as possible. It just hoped it had enough time. This storm was getting worse by the minute.

As Pikachu disappeared into the distance, Ash turned to look at Chikorita, and the expression on its face astonished him. The leaf Pokemon had genuine concern in its eyes, and it almost looked ready to cry. That was a stark contrast from how Ash was used to seeing it.

"Chikorita?" Ash questioned.

At that, Chikorita began to cry which startled Ash even more. The raven-haired boy didn't know what to do right now. Here he was with an injured leg out in the middle of the storm with a crying Pokemon.

"Hey, Chikorita. What's wrong?" Ash asked.

Chikorita attempted to stop its tears. He was hurt, and it was all because it hadn't been able to move. Ash had risked his life for it. Chikorita never thought it would see the day when it thought it would need to be rescued. Its stubborn nature wouldn't let it. However, the situation that just happened greatly humbled it. Chikorita would have to be stupid to ignore the fact that it would be dead if Ash hadn't stepped in. It was truly grateful to Ash.

"Hey. Don't worry about it, Chikorita," Ash tried in an effort to calm it down.

He then gave a slight yelp when Chikorita suddenly sprang forward and began to nuzzle his face. Ash had his mouth open at the affectionate gesture. This Chikorita was just getting more unpredictable by the moment.

"Chikorita? What are you doing?" Ash inquired again.

"Chikori," Chikorita cooed.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. I promise," Ash told it.

That wasn't it. Yes. Chikorita was still concerned for Ash, but it actually liked nuzzling Ash's cheek. This was a side of it that it never thought it had. It then let out slight sneeze due to the low temperature, and Ash gave it a sympathetic look.

"Hey, Chikorita. You shouldn't be out there in the freezing rain. Why don't you come into my raincoat so you can keep warm?" Ash suggested as he opened the article of clothing for Chikorita to climb in.

Chikorita titled its head curiously at that. On top of everything that Ash has done for it, he was now even willing to keep Chikorita warm by sacrificing his jacket? This boy was definitely too kind. The leaf Pokemon wanted to say no in a last ditch effort to hold onto its pride, but another roar of thunder squashed that rebellion. Chikorita's eyes watered at how nice Ash was before it climbed into his jacket and snuggled into his chest.

"See, Chikorita? Now we both can keep warm while we wait," Ash smiled as he closed the jacket.

"Chikori," Chikorita replied with a nod.

As Chikorita rested its head against Ash's chest, it really was beginning to warm up. Not only that, but it was so comfortable, too. Despite the bad thunderstorm going on, Chikorita felt absolutely safe against Ash. It almost felt like it never wanted to leave. Was this why so many Pokemon wanted to be captured by trainers? To feel safe? Maybe, but Chikorita realized it was also because they loved their trainers. The leaf Pokemon then blushed at the thought which went unnoticed by Ash. Yes. Ash was definitely the most selfless person Chikorita had ever met. What a guy!

Chikorita then had a funny feeling inside of its stomach. It didn't quite know what it was, but it was about Ash. It was like it was telling Chikorita that it never wanted to be separated from him. It was a feeling that wanted to do whatever it took to make Ash smile and be there for him. It was a feeling that made Chikorita blush again as it thought about Ash. What on Earth was this feeling?

The two simply sat in silence for the next thirty minutes, and Chikorita was left to its thoughts. The temperature continued to drop, but thankfully there hadn't been any more lightning strikes. The rain also wasn't nearly as heavy as it was when Pikachu first left them. No longer was there deafening thunder and dangerous lightning above them. It was still very cold, but it seemed the worst of the storm was over. This whole time, Chikorita was pondering over what it felt for Ash but couldn't quite place it. That was when they heard a sound in the distance.

"Pika Pi!"

"Hey! That's Pikachu! It must be back with the others!" Ash said in excitement to Pikachu.

Sure enough, a few second later, Ash could make out a few figures in the rain. As they got closer, they were revealed to be Pikachu, Serena, Misty, and Brock. The four reached them, and once they did, Serena immediately knelt down. Worry and concern was etched all over her face.

"Ash! What were you thinking by trying to go out in this storm without your Pokemon?! Do you have any idea how worried we were?!" Serena cried as she tried to fight back tears.

"Heheheh. Sorry, Serena, but I did find Chikorita," Ash replied lamely as he gestured to the leaf Pokemon snuggled into his rain muddy raincoat.

"Well, at least that came from you and your stubbornness," Misty commented.

Serena sighed before she hugged Ash. "I'm just glad you're okay," she said.

"Heheheh. Yeah," Ash said as he hugged Serena back.

Once they did that, Chikorita looked up at them from Ash's jacket. For some reason, it didn't like it when this girl hugged Ash. Chikorita knew it was selfish, but it felt like it wanted to be the only one to be this close to Ash.

Brock knelt down next as he felt around Ash's ankle. "Yeah. I'd say you twisted it pretty badly. Come on. Let's get back to the Pokemon Center. Jimmy and Marina should have an ice pack ready for you as soon as we get there,"

"Sounds good," Ash nodded.

"Can you stand up on your own?" Serena asked as she stood up.

"Not really. I'm kind of down for the count," Ash responded.

"Alright, Ash. Grab onto Serena and me. We'll pull you to your feet," Brock said.

"Got it," Ash replied, but there was one problem.

"Chikorita, I know you're injured and need to stay warm, but would it be possible for you to get out of Ash's raincoat?" Serena asked kindly.

"That's right. I'm not supporting anyone so you can stay in mine," Misty smiled.

Chikorita frowned at that. Why was this blonde girl telling it what to do? Maybe it didn't want to leave the comfort of Ash's jacket. Its stubborn nature was starting to take over again. It was fine just where it was thank you very much!

"Hey, Chikorita. They're right. There's no way you would be able to stay in my jacket as I'm walking if my arms can't support you," Ash said apologetically.

Chikorita frowned even more at that. Still, it couldn't help but feel the logic in their words. With that, Chikorita reluctantly got out of Ash's jacket and went over to Misty. The redhead gently picked it up and placed it inside of her raincoat before she buttoned back up. She then smiled down at the leaf Pokemon.

"See? All better! I'll be better at keeping you warm than Ash since my clothes are still pretty dry," Misty said.

Chikorita narrowed its eyes. It wasn't simply about wanting to stay dry anymore. It just wanted to be next to Ash. Where were these thoughts coming from? Chikorita then turned and saw the blonde girl and the tanned boy picking Ash up. Why did she get to be the one to help him now? Ash then placed both his arms around their shoulders, and with their help, began to hobble along. Misty and Pikachu soon followed.

"We'll have you back to the Pokemon Center in no time, Ash. Then we can properly treat your ankle and Chikorita," Serena told him.

"Thanks for coming to get me, guys. I really appreciate it, and I'm sure Chikorita does, too. It actually wanted to stay with me and make sure I was okay while Pikachu went to get you," Ash said.

"Is that so? Well, thank you very much for looking after Ash, Chikorita. That means a lot to us," Serena said graciously as she smiled at the leaf Pokemon.

Serena then noticed something was wrong. Chikorita wasn't smiling back at her. If anything, it was giving her a glare. Serena was initially unnerved by this, but soon shrugged it off. Well, it wasn't too different from the looks Chikorita was giving the group when they first met. Maybe it still hadn't fully warmed up to them yet. Unbeknownst to Serena, however, that glare Chikorita had was meant specifically for her.

* * *

The group was soon back to the Pokemon Center, and Ash was immediately placed on the couch so he could rest, and Pikachu climbed up on the couch, too. Serena knelt close to Ash and placed her hand on top of his and stroked it lightly with her thumb. As soon as Misty opened her jacket to let Chikorita out, the leaf Pokemon dashed across the floor before it hopped onto the couch and went up to Ash's face.

"Chikori?" it asked in worry.

"Don't worry, Chikorita. As I said, I'll be just fine. Since you know that, you should go with Nurse Joy and get the proper care you need," Ash told it.

"Don't worry, Chikorita. We'll take great care of Ash," Serena smiled to it.

Chikorita got a pouting look on its face. It wanted to be the one to care for Ash. It didn't want these other people to do it. Chikorita knew it was the cause of Ash being like this. It didn't care about getting rest at the moment.

"Huh? That's a weird look for Chikorita to have," Brock observed as he and the others watched Chikorita's weird behavior.

"Hey, guys. We got the ice!" Jimmy announced as he came from the back of the Pokemon Center with an ice pack. Marina followed him.

"Great. Thanks, you two," Brock replied as he took the ice pack from Jimmy and applied it to Ash's ankle.

Ash gave a slight grimace once the ice touched his ankle, and then something unexpected happened. Chikorita gave an angry cry and turned to glare at Brock which startled the Pokemon Breeder. It then launched a Razor Leaf in his direction. The Pokemon breeder had to duck in order to dodge it, and the Razor Leaf soon hit the wall and fell harmlessly the floor.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Brock cried.

"Chika! Chikori!" Chikorita yelled as it turned to Ash and gave him a worried look. That tanned boy had just done something to hurt him!

"Hey. It's okay, Chikorita! Brock wasn't hurting me! He was only getting ice so he could help me," Ash reassured.

Chikorita's expression visibly relaxed at that. That was weird. Why did it suddenly get so angry when it thought that tanned boy had done something to injure Ash further? It should've known better that he was just getting ice. It was like Chikorita had lost reason when it heard Ash give any sign of discomfort. Maybe it should try to relax a little. Chikorita then gave an apologetic look to Brock.

"Hey! It's okay. No sweat," Brock laughed lightly in an effort to ease Chikorita's guilt.

"Yeah. Everything's okay now. We're all good," Serena said as she looked at Chikorita.

However, that didn't prove to be the case. Chikorita still had a distrustful look when it came to Serena. It really didn't like how this girl was particularly affectionate to Ash with her hugs and closeness to him. There was something going on between these too that Chikorita wasn't happy about. Whatever, it was, it made Chikorita not like this blonde girl too much.

"Umm…," Serena said uncomfortably when she saw the look Chikorita was giving her.

"Chika," Chikorita said haughtily as it purposely turned away from Serena.

The group tilted their heads in confusion. If they didn't know better, they would say that Chikorita was still particularly hostile to Serena. Why, though? She never did anything to offend it. At least, in their eyes she didn't. In Chikorita's eyes, it was quite the opposite. How dare this girl try to keep getting it away from making sure Ash was okay and leaving his side!

* * *

It was now the next day, and the group was ready to set out again towards Violet City. Ash's ankle had healed up nicely to everyone's relief, and Chikorita seemed to be doing a lot better, too, now that it finally got proper rest. It had taken a little coaxing from Ash to get it to do that for some reason. The thunderstorm had also since passed, and it was still relatively cold outside, but it was going to warm up as the day progressed.

"Well, Nurse Joy. Thanks a lot!" Ash smiled.

"I-it was a great pleasure to meet you, Nurse Joy! Please don't hesitate to call me if you need a Pokemon Breeder!" Brock said hurriedly.

"Oh my, but I don't believe I have your Pokegear number to do that," Nurse Joy replied.

"Oh! That's no problem! I have it right here!" Brock said in excitement before Misty pulled him back by the ear.

"Read between the lines, lover boy! That was just a nice way of saying she doesn't need you," Misty told him in aggravation.

"Good news, guys. We're almost to Violet City, and we'll be there just in time for the Sprout Festival," Jimmy spoke up.

"The Sprout Festival? What's that?" Serena asked.

"There's this famous landmark in Violet City known as the Sprout Tower. It was built as a place for people to study diligently to live and learn with Pokemon. They hold a festival once a year where there's great food and booths with several tips to get closer to Pokemon," Marina answered this time.

"Hey! That sounds pretty cool! It also sounds like a great place to celebrate your birthday!" Ash told Serena.

"Heehee. Thanks, Ash, but anything you do will be fine," Serena giggled, but she liked the idea, too.

"Hey! Get this, Ash! I even hear an Elite Four member from the Johto region will be there this year!" Jimmy said excitedly.

"Really?! Now I can't wait!" Ash exclaimed.

It was definitely a rare opportunity to see any Elite Four member. There was no doubt that the person would have some really awesome things to say. If they were lucky, they even might be able to watch the Elite Four member battle. That was always a treat.

"I say we hurry and get to Violet City as fast as possible then! You in, Jimmy?" Ash asked.

"You bet I am!" Jimmy nodded.

"And here we go," Misty sighed, but she thought this Sprout Festival sounded nice, too.

"Hey, Chikorita. You try to not be so stubborn from now on, either, okay?" Ash addressed the leaf Pokemon who was standing by Nurse Joy.

"Chika?" Chikorita questioned. Ash was leaving it?

"Well, see you later, Nurse Joy!" Serena said with a wave as the group turned to leave.

"Have a safe journey. Goodbye!" Nurse Joy called as she smiled and waved.

"Man. We're finally almost to Violet City. Jimmy and I can have our first gym battle there, we can attend the Sprout Festival, and…," Ash started, but was cut off by something calling out to him.

"Chika! Chika!"

"Huh?" Ash questioned as he turned to see Chikorita chasing after them. He then knelt down in front of it.

Chikorita then reached the group and began gently swaying its leaf back and forth. A very soothing aroma wafted from its leaf and spread across the group. They all relaxed under the scent and sighed in contentment, except for one person

"That smells so nice," Misty commented.

"I know. I love it," Marina added.

"That's strange. I don't smell anything," Serena muttered as she tried to get a whiff of whatever everyone else was apparently smelling.

Chikorita then leaped into Ash's lap and began to snuggle into his chest. There was no way it was going to let Ash go on without it. The leaf Pokemon had never met anyone so kind and caring in its life. Whether it understood why some Pokemon wanted to be trained or not, Chikorita knew one thing and one thing only. It definitely wanted to be with Ash.

"It seems Chikorita wants to come along with you," Nurse Joy spoke up.

"Is that true, Chikorita? You really want to be my Pokemon?" Ash asked.

Chikorita smiled happily. It wanted that and so much more. The group then gave a small gasp of surprise when Chikorita leaned forward and pecked Ash on the cheek. They quickly brushed it off, though. They were sure it was just a sign of great affection.

"I'm sure Chikorita could use a great trainer like you to teach it not to be so stubborn," Nurse Joy added.

"Well, in that case, of course you can come with me!" Ash stated.

Chikorita was delighted at the news. It then stood up on its two hind legs and gave what looked like a hug to Ash.

"I think we'll make a great team, Chikorita!" Ash said to it.

"Yeah. Team Stubborn," Misty giggled which prompted a laugh from the others in the group.

Serena smiled as she watched the scene in front of her. She was glad Ash was able to get a new Pokemon. He didn't have a grass-type on his team right now since Ivysaur was at Professor Oak's lab. Serena was sure Chikorita would be a great addition to the team. The honey-blonde girl was sure that she and Chikorita would get along great, too. It was really cute, after all! Maybe the fact that it wanted to come with them meant that it liked the rest of them, as well!

Hmmm...that was weird. Serena could've sworn that she saw Chikorita was sticking its tongue out at her for the briefest of moments. Serena had a puzzled look on her face, but as she looked again, Chikorita was still happily hugging Ash. Maybe it was just her imagination. Why on Earth would Chikorita do that to her? Seeing no reason, Serena shrugged it off. That nagging thought that Chikorita had some sort of animosity towards her wouldn't leave her mind, though. She just had no idea what it could be.

As Serena turned away, though, Chikorita looked at Serena suspiciously. It would be watching this girl very carefully.

* * *

A young man with dark red hair trudged through the streets of Azalea Town with a dark look on his face. He couldn't believe this. Team Rocket had returned, after all. The worst part was those three stupid idiots he attempted to kill in the Slowpoke Well had gotten away by the skin of their teeth. Some of their teammates had intervened at the last second. It had been a few weeks ago, but Silver was still sour about the incident. Oh well, at least the Rockets that 'came to rescue' had been disposed of.

The fact that other trio, who he believed were named Jessie, James, and a talking Meowth, was able to run away made Silver furious. He hadn't seen any Rockets in the Slowpoke Well since then, however, or even any salesman. They must've moved on or were just really good at hiding now. He did make it clear he knew who they were, after all.

Since the day when he was in the Slowpoke Well, Silver had spent almost half of every day trying to find them. He even asked the old man named Kurt if he had heard or seen anything, but he was of no help. Well, it was clear that Team Rocket probably wasn't around Azalea Town anymore.

That wasn't good for Silver, however. They were back, and he wasn't about to let them rise up again. They may have left the town for the time being, but Silver wasn't going to let them get far. He had no reason to stay in Azalea Town anymore.

It looked like he was going to start traveling the Johto region again. Silver wasn't going on some journey to be the best like some time ago, however. No. He was traveling in order to find what remained of Team Rocket and take them down once and for all.

As Silver passed a sign post, he casually glanced at some of the news bulletins, but one made him stop. He saw one was announcing the yearly Sprout Festival in Violet City. Normally, Silver couldn't have cared less about it. It was just some stupid festival where people wanted to get closer to Pokemon. He had no use for such things. He and his Pokemon were partners, but by no means wanted to be close to each other.

What piqued Silver's interest, however, was when he saw Johto Elite Four member, Koga, was going to be there this year. Silver had won the Silver Conference a while back and got a chance to challenge them, but he never beat them. This guy was apparently new as Silver didn't think he was there before, but he was still an Elite Four member. If he could get Koga to battle him and then win, Silver would be able to prove to himself how much stronger he had gotten.

"Hmph. Violet City. May as well start there," Silver muttered as he headed in the direction to the city. If he hurried, he would be there in time to meet the Elite Four member. Forget the festival.

Silver could've sworn that's where the Team Rocket trio had fled, too, anyway. There was no way they would go to the gloomy Ilex Forest in the other direction. If they went there, more Team Rocket members must be that way. However, merely finding and taking out Team Rocket wasn't his only goal.

Yes. Team Rocket was a bunch of pathetic losers, and Silver hated them enough for that. However, it was their leader whom Silver despised the most. It was the man he loathed to have as his true father. If they were back, that man had to be back, too, and Silver was going to find him. Silver didn't care what he did, but he was going to spend his whole life searching for Giovanni again if he had to. When he finally found the man…he was going to kill him.

* * *

 **Well, Ash got Chikorita, and lets see how the cute Pokemon gives Serena heck in the future as it supposedly tries to 'win Ash's heart' from her. Oh, poor Chikorita. It's so tough but so naive. It won't give up, though!**

 **Let's end this chapter on a dark note. It looks like Silver now has motivation to start traveling again. He's going to start appearing a lot more now in this story. His first stop is Violet City during the Sprout Festival. Well, based on that, we all know what's going to happen next chapter. It's very tame for what the future holds for both Silver and Ash's interactions, but you'll get a pretty good idea how they feel about each other.**

 **The Johto Elite Four members and Kanto Elite Four members are different in this story, as well as the Champion. They will be revealed next chapter.**

 **Jimmy and Marina were kind of neglected these past couple of chapters, but they are more in focus for this next chapter and especially chapter ten.**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support. The next chapter will probably be up before June ends, but we'll see. I know how everyone wants to see how Ash and Silver's first meeting goes. Thanks for all the reviews and support! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Nine: Sprouting Anger**


	9. Sprouting Anger

**A/N: Okay, everyone. Ash and Silver meet in the this chapter, but there isn't any brawl or hate between them, though. You'll see why. I promise you all that future meetings between them won't be disappointing. I have all of them planned out already. Enjoy this chapter everyone!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Sprouting Anger

It had been quite a climb after traveling through the mountain path after Cherrygrove City, but the group had finally reached their first milestone. They made it to Violet City. It was the home to Ash and Jimmy's first gym battle, and it held significant meaning for both of them. It was Ash's first gym battle in a new region, and it was Jimmy's first ever gym battle. Needless to say, they were quite pumped.

Both Ash and Jimmy were sprinting down a final hill as fast as they could with Pikachu in tow while the rest of the group lagged behind. They were running so fast that one would think they were racing each other to enter the city first. They two boys soon reached the edge of Violet City and grinned broadly at each other.

"We made it, Jimmy! Violet City!" Ash declared.

"Oh yeah! I'm really excited! You'll watch my battle and give me tips throughout it, right?" Jimmy asked eagerly.

"You bet, Jimmy!" Ash smiled with a thumbs up.

"Thanks! You rock and you rule!" Jimmy stated with a thumbs up of his own.

"We're going to be wearing our new gym badges proudly on our jackets," Ash said thoughtfully as he and Jimmy imagined them winning.

"That's great and all, but don't forget some of the other things that are going on while we're here, guys," Misty spoke up as she, Marina, Serena, and Brock caught up.

"Right. We know, Misty. We all know exactly what tomorrow is," Ash said with a knowing glance at Serena.

Serena looked slightly away at Ash's gaze and blushed. Yes. It was finally going to be her twelfth birthday tomorrow. She was just one year away from being a teenager. She didn't know what, but she was sure the group had something great planned for her. Her birthdays just seemed to get better as the years went by. Her tenth birthday consisted of the pink hat that she wore every day since she got it. It was lost now, but Ash was quick to replace it. Her eleventh birthday was the day Ash gave her the heart-shaped locket.

Speaking of the locket, Serena took another good look at it. It was hard to believe she had been wearing it around her neck for almost a whole year now. Of course, he had one of his own now to match since his twelfth birthday, and it delighted Serena that he never took his off either. Time sure flew, and it showed she and Ash had been a couple for quite a while now.

"You're going to have an awesome birthday, Serena. That Sprout Festival sounds like a lot of fun. We should make it the best one yet," Ash stated as he went up to her.

Serena looked up from her locket and smiled at Ash. "I'm sure it will be, Ash. You always give me the best ones I could ask for."

"And he doesn't even try," Brock added which caused Serena and Misty to giggle and Ash to blush.

"Now how come I never get any fabulous birthday parties from you, Jimmy?" Marina demanded as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Hey, wait up now, Marina! Why bring this up now?!" Jimmy exlciamed.

"Come on, Jimmy! On my last birthday, all you did was hand me a birthday present and mutter 'Happy Birthday' before running away! Sure, it was a great gift, but you could've stayed at my house at least! Vincent did!" Marina pouted.

"Uh…well…," Jimmy stuttered nervously as he began to sweat.

The real reason wasn't because he didn't care about Marina or her birthday. He was just really nervous about the gift he got her and thought she might take it romantically. One would think that's a good thing, but he was just so nervous and in denial about his feelings that he chickened out and hurried away in embarrassment. He had no idea Marina was actually upset over the incident, but it did make sense once he thought about it.

"Hmph! Never mind!" Marina said as she turned away from Jimmy and began humming to herself.

"Marina…," Jimmy trailed.

"Fix it fast, Jimmy, or else she'll slip through your fingers forever!" Brock whispered.

"You've got to be kidding me," Jimmy muttered and face faulted, already back in denial for his obvious feelings. "I'm sure she'll bounce back and get over it. It's just a mood swing."

"I heard that, you jerk!" Marina shouted and stamped her foot on the ground before she resumed humming.

"As I said, fix it fast," Brock whispered again to Jimmy.

Jimmy watched Marina hum and frowned. Maybe they were right. He wasn't being very considerate of her. Jimmy knew she was just humming right now in a purposeful attempt to ignore him. Despite this, though, Jimmy still thought she sounded like an angel when she sang. He was about to tell her how great her singing was on his own before the group was interrupted by something else coming into the scene.

Marina then rose her eyebrows as she saw a Bellsprout appear from the nearby bushes. It wobbled due to its unstable walking. The group noticed this, too, and watched it as it hobbled over to Marina. The girl knelt down and smiled at the Bellsprout.

"Hi, there, cutie pie! Did you just want to come over to me?" Marina asked.

"Bellsprout," the Bellsprout nodded.

"I bet it was lured over by your singing, Marina," Serena told her.

"Awww! That's so sweet! Do you like my singing, Bellsprout?" Marina inquired of it.

"Bell," the Bellsprout replied in the positive again.

"How would you like to come with me? I bet we'd totally rock out everyone!" Marina suggested.

The Bellsprout nodded in agreement before it began to do various dance moves. It was able to perform various contortions and moves due to its flexible nature. It was actually really good. Marina beamed that the Bellsprout was able to dance. She then pulled out an empty pokeball.

"That settles it! I'd love to have you come with me and do performances. Here's to a great partnership!" Marina smiled and threw the pokeball at Bellsprout.

The Bellsprout willingly let the pokeball hit it, and it was sucked in the device. The pokeball immediately 'dinged' to show Bellsprout put up no resistance. Marina then picked up the pokeball and grinned at her new partner.

"Way to go, Marina! You caught your first Pokemon!" Serena cheered.

"I know! I'm sure the others won't be this easy, though. I was just blessed to find such an awesome Bellsprout," Marina replied.

Jimmy, meanwhile, watched Marina jump up and down at her first capture. He was happy for her, but he didn't exactly know how to express it in words. Brock sidled up behind Jimmy again and whispered into the boy's ear.

"If you want Marina to get over her sour mood with you, start by congratulating her on her capture," Brock whispered.

Jimmy made his way over to Marina and cleared his throat. Man. Why did he suddenly find it hard to talk to Marina? He had known this girl practically his entire life, and they were best friends. Ever since they started their journey, however, their relationship was more like their parents. Jimmy secretly wished he would just get a good kick in the rear so he could fess up that he likes Marina. He was a little tired of this awkwardness.

"That was a…great capture, Marina. Congratulations. I'm sure you guys will make a great team," Jimmy told her.

"Thanks, Jimmy. That's sweet of you to say," Marina said neutrally.

Jimmy turned to look at Brock who shrugged his shoulders. Well, it wasn't a total rejection of his words, but Marina's tone of voice didn't sound like her normally bubbly self. Arggghh! What was the root of her aggravation at him right now? He was determined to find out one way or the other, and he would make sure it was before the group left Violet City!

Ash turned back to Serena. He was a little humored by the scene, but he was thankful that Serena and his relationship wasn't super complicated like that. Jimmy and Marina obviously liked each other, but they were just too stubborn to admit it.

"Well, I'll make sure nothing gets in the way of you having a great birthday, Serena. I'll do my best to focus on you and make it the best one yet," Ash told her.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena said sincerely as they hugged.

Her birthday would be great. There were no storms or snowy mountains or apprehensive feelings to bring her birthday down like it had for her and Ash's past couple of ones. Ash told her she would have a great one, and she had no reason to not believe him.

* * *

Silver reached the outskirts of the Ruins of Alph from the south and panted. He had practically run the whole way to make it on time to meet Koga at the festival. While it would take most people who weren't in a hurry a lot longer of a time to reach the city from Azalea Town, Silver did it much faster. Living a life on the road had toughened up his endurance to incredible limits. When he was tired, he just simply rode on his Pokemon and let them exercise a bit.

The young man stopped briefly to look at the entrance to the ruins. They were said to house a mysterious secret, but no one was quite able to figure it out. It was popular place for archeologists who wanted to study it. A lot people found this place interesting, but not Silver. He had checked this place out a long time ago and found nothing of value in it. One of the legends said it was connected to the legendary Pokemon Suicune or Ho-oh or the mystical Pokemon call the Unown. Silver found nothing of the sort on his visit and therefore found no reason to visit it ever again.

Silver looked at a nearby sign and saw Violet City was still about a two days walk, but he would make it by nightfall if he kept the pace he was at. Then he could get a good sleep outside and be refreshed for tomorrow. With that, the cold boy resumed his run to the city.

* * *

It was the next day, and the Sprout Festival had already started. There were booths set up all over the place, ranging from food to advice on raising and strengthening the bonds of your Pokemon. The group was out and about wandering the streets of Violet City, and like all festivals, the place was pretty nuts. They weren't quite sure if it was always like this, or if it was just because an Elite Four member was going to be here today. Regardless, they hadn't seen anyone who looked that part so far. They would probably show up towards the end of the festival. It was only eleven in the morning right now and still relatively early.

Ash, Brock, and Jimmy were walking together to find something to do while Marina and Misty were busy setting up for Serena's party. Serena was nearby at one of the local massage booths relaxing. It was a little expensive, but the group had no trouble paying for it so Serena could relax before they celebrated her birthday. In the meantime, Ash had Togepi with him to keep Serena free of responsibility, also.

They soon came upon a booth that had an elderly man in it. He had to at least be eighty years old and hunched over, but despite his age and posture, the man held an air of authority and wisdom about him. They weren't quite sure if it was the because of the robe he was wearing, his calm and calculating expression, or something else. Regardless, this man had to clearly know something given the crowd of people around him right now.

The crowd at the booth right now wasn't necessarily adults, however, but it was bunch of children even younger then Jimmy and Marina. Most of them looked like they were either six or seven years old, and they were all listening intently to what the old man was telling them. It must be a school field trip as there were two adults in uniform, one man and one woman, with the children…err…actually…one was in a tutu, and it was the man.

Ash, Jimmy, and Brock believed the elderly man would be chock full of all kinds of advice. As two Pokemon trainers and a breeder, respectively, it would definitely help further their careers. However, now didn't seem like the best of times to get information as he appeared quite busy with the students. Well, correction, Ash and Jimmy didn't see it as a great time. Brock thought differently. The tanned teen made a beeline straight for the group of students, but in particular, the woman. Big surprise.

"Hello, there, my fair maiden! Would you happen to be the teacher of this fine group of students?" Brock asked with a goofy expression. He then felt the all too familiar wiggle of warning from Kabuto's pokeball. He had to cool it to avoid being stabbed by one of its claws.

"Ummm…yes…I would. Who might you be?" the teacher inquired.

The old man stopped talking and frowned at Brock's interruption. The group of students turned and looked inquisitively at Brock while even the man in the tutu looked slightly put out. Just what was this guy doing here anyway?

"So did you need something? My students and I are quite busy at the moment," the woman said as politely as she could.

"I'm sorry," Brock stated as he cleared his throat, and Kabuto's pokeball stopped moving. "You see, I noticed you must be educating these students on great ways to interact with Pokemon. Being a Pokemon Breeder, I thought I could help."

Once Brock said that, the student's expressions lit up with excitement. The old man seemed to be less bothered and let out a faint smile. Brock secretly breathed a sigh of relief to himself. He narrowly avoided looking like a complete moron.

"He talked his way out of that one pretty quick," Jimmy muttered to Ash.

"Yeah. I'm a little surprised," Ash replied.

"Yes. That would be lovely, Brock. Thank you. I'm sure you would have some things to add to Elder Li," the teacher smiled.

"Elder Li," Brock mused as he turned to the old man who was presumably the teacher was referring to.

"Indeed. I am Elder Li, the master of the Sprout Tower. I've trained and lived with Pokemon for much of my life. The bonds we've acquired our unshakable. Many young trainers these days don't seem to care about that so I am instructing these students on the way to form great friendships with any Pokemon they meet," the old man said.

"Ah, I see," Brock nodded. So this was the famed elder who was boundless in knowledge and wisdom.

"By the way, may name is Priscilla," the woman introduced.

"Priscilla, a lovely name for such a great teacher," Brock complimented with a bow.

"My name is Earl Dervish! I am the principal of the Pokemon Academy! Ohohohoho!" the man in the tutu introduced and gave a twirl. "Since you are a Pokemon Breeder, I shall give you permission to teach our students what you know about Pokemon. Ohohohoho!"

"Uhhhhh…great," Brock uttered, slightly creeped out by this weird guy. Ash and Jimmy recoiled a little, too.

"Hey, Brock…," Ash began, but Brock spun around as if he were just remembering Ash and Jimmy.

"Oh, sorry, guys! Why don't you come over here and join us?" he suggested before he turned to Priscilla and Earl. "You know, those two are Pokemon trainers. I bet they'll have some great insight on Pokemon."

"Pokemon trainers?!" the group of children exclaimed in excitement.

"Wait, Brock…we…," Ash started, but Earl danced his way over to Ash and Jimmy before he finished.

"Oh! This is lovely! I'd say we hit the jackpot today with the knowledge our students can learn? Will you please give teaching a whirl? Ohohohoho!" Earl laughed and gave another twirl for emphasis.

Before Ash and Jimmy could argue, Earl had pushed them over to where Brock, Priscilla, and the group of students were. He then gave another twirl of happiness and danced his way over to where Sage Li was, and they awaited the boys to talk.

"Does this guy always twirl around like this, miss?" Jimmy asked Priscilla. He had heard that Earl was different, but this dancing and twirling thing was weirding him and the others out.

"Oh, I just love a man who dances with as much energy as Principal Earl does," Priscilla replied.

"Say no more! If you love dancing, I love dancing, too, Miss Priscilla!" Brock suddenly shouted before he leaped over to Earl, and two began twirling nonstop next to each other.

"Let's duet!" Earl and Brock said together. "Spinning like a spinning top! Spin all day! We just won't stop!"

"Pihihihi!" Pikachu laughed as Togepi bobbed its head back and forth at the two dancing.

Ash and Jimmy sweat dropped. "Brock, please stop. You're embarrassing us," Ash muttered.

"Yes. I'm sure you all have much to tell us about," Sage Li said patiently.

"Go ahead, Ash. I'm new. You know more about this stuff than I do," Jimmy urged as he gave a slight push to get Ash ahead of him.

Ash looked around at the group of students who were watching him eagerly. They clearly expected him to say something, but he had no idea what. Talking in front of a large crowd was never a strong suit of his. He was almost as nervous as he was when he attempted to do Pokevision on the Orange Islands a while back. That was a disaster when he put his foot in his mouth. He sincerely hoped he wouldn't do that here.

"Cool! You have a Pikachu! That's so awesome!" a boy exclaimed.

"And a Togepi! It's so cute!" a girl squealed.

"Uh…yeah. I do," Ash agreed as he looked at Pikachu on his shoulder and Togepi in his arms.

"Tell us about what all you've done as a Pokemon trainer!" the boy who commented about Pikachu said eagerly.

"Um…sure," Ash replied as he cleared his throat. "You see, I've caught a lot of cool Pokemon! I even made it to the Top Four in the Indigo Pokemon League!"

"Wow!" all the students exclaimed except for the Pikachu boy who looked less than impressed.

"Meh. Why should we listen to you if you didn't win?" he asked skeptically.

"Wise guy," Ash muttered under his breath. Wasn't it this boy who asked about his achievements in the first place?

"That wasn't very nice, Zackey," Priscilla scolded before she kindly turned back to Ash. "Please go on."

"Yes…well…," Ash began and cleared his throat. "Even though I only made it to the Top Four of the Indigo League, I won the Orange League in the Orange Archipelago!"

"Now we're talking!" Zackey said with a nod.

"Tell us about the trials and faith you and your Pokemon have shared young man. I would be especially interested in that," Elder Li spoke.

"Yes, sir," Ash nodded before he turned to the group of students.

He could actually get used to this. All the students were giving him their full attention and would soak up any knowledge he gave them. Just like he was with Jimmy right now, Ash realized that he would be giving these students advice for when they would surely become Pokemon trainers. He was responsible to steer them on the right path right now. Ash knew if he was the Pokemon trainer he said he was, then he had to make this good. Feeling more confident, Ash was just about to speak when they were interrupted.

"Are you the elder?" a low voice asked.

Everyone looked where the voice had come from and saw a young man with thick and wild red hair standing there. He had a cold expression on his face, and his eyes were fixed solely on Elder Li. It was like he was pretending the group of students, Ash, Brock, Jimmy, Earl, and Priscilla weren't even there. The students got a slightly nervous look on their faces as Ash eyed the young man curiously.

"Yes. I am. Do you have some business with me?" Elder Li asked.

The young man marched right past the students and kept going until he was right in front of Elder Li. He then placed his hands firmly on the booth and looked the old man straight in the eye. Prisicilla and Earl stood protectively in front of the students in case there was trouble. This guy didn't look friendly at all.

"How do I get stronger?" the young man asked.

"I'm sorry?" Elder Li asked.

"I want you to tell me how I can get stronger," the cold man repeated.

Elder Li studied the young man in front of him. He soaked up every detail about him, from his cold eyes to the somewhat dirty clothes he was wearing. The old man could tell that this man was indeed strong, but there was something about him that was unnerving. It was almost as if the young man was demanding an answer. With that, Elder Li frowned.

"Young man, I can tell you still have much to learn about getting stronger. I can see it in your eyes," Elder Li responded.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the man asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"I have no doubt you are strong as far as Pokemon trainer skills go, but you are missing one thing. It's written all over your face, young man," Elder Li said.

"Well, what is it?" the cold man demanded.

"You don't have a good relationship with your Pokemon. It even seems to have seeped down to them. I'm afraid I have nothing to teach you unless you can overcome this weakness," Elder Li replied.

The young man glared at what the Elder said. He had come all the way here to Violet City to meet the Elite Four member and hear some advice from a supposed "Elder" who was rich in knowledge and wisdom. Some of the greatest Pokemon trainers in history and several gym leaders had heard wisdom from the Elder. With what he just said, however, the man saw that this wasn't the case. He didn't want to hear some garbage about how he didn't love his Pokemon. He didn't need to love them to be strong.

"I sense a great anger in you, young man. I can try to help you overcome that, but I do not have any wisdom to pass to you until that is pushed aside. It can lead to you own…," Elder Li began.

"Never mind," the young mind spat and turned around. "I came over here because I heard you were great, but you're just some old fashioned geezer. If you aren't going to say anything to help me get stronger right now, I'm done with you."

"H-hey. Hold on a moment. He's just trying to help," Ash butted in. He had no idea why he did, but something told him that this man should notice him.

The young man slowly turned around with a scowl on his face. Who did this brat think he was to jump into something that wasn't his concern? He was about to give a warning glare at Ash to stay out of it, but that was until he actually noticed who had addressed him.

The young man's eye's widened in both surprise and mortification. What the heck?! What was _he_ doing here? This couldn't be happening. This boy…Ash…had to be the last person on the planet he wanted to meet. So many bad memories rushed to the young man's head, and he tightened his gaze as he continued to stare at Ash. The young man wanted to tell himself it was just a look-alike, but there was no mistaking the boy's hair and eyes. He looked just like a combination of…

"Uhhh….," Ash muttered once he noticed the strange expression the man was giving him.

"I'm out of here," the young man said and shuffled away quicker than one would've thought.

The students and teachers let out a collective sigh at that. Thankfully, the situation didn't get ugly like they had anticipated. They just felt the young man give off a bad vibe, and they were sure everyone else felt it, too, especially Elder Li.

"Elder LI, are you alright? He completely disrespected you," Priscilla said.

"I am fine, miss. That young man's insults do not bother me. If anything, I feel sorry for him. He appears to have a lot of sadness and anger in his life. I would've gladly helped him overcome it had he listened," Elder Li reassured.

"So are there a lot of scary people like that man in the world, Miss Priscilla?" Zackey asked nervously.

The poor teacher didn't know exactly how to answer that. Thankfully, Brock stepped in.

"Don't worry, kid. As long as you do what you're told and become an awesome Pokemon trainer, you won't have to worry about any of that," Brock told him and gave a slight clap on his shoulder.

"Okay," Zackey replied.

"Hey, Ash. Are you okay? You haven't stopped looking to where that guy went to," Jimmy noticed.

It was true. Ash continued to stare after the cold man. There was just this strange sort of familiarity about him. Where had he seen this guy before? He didn't quite understand what his intuition was telling him about this man, but now he understood. He was getting a really uneasy feeling about that guy, but why?

"I-I feel like I know that guy," Ash mumbled.

"You do?" Jimmy questioned with a surprised look.

"Yeah," Ash muttered.

"I've traveled with you a while now, Ash. I know we've never met him before. Was it someone you met before your journey or while you were in the Orange Islands?" Brock suggested.

"I don't know," Ash replied as he turned to his rodent partner. "How about you, Pikachu? Did he look familiar to you?"

"Pika Pi," Pikachu nodded, but like its trainer, it couldn't place the face either.

"Hmmm…," Ash mused. No matter what he did, the face didn't perfectly with anything he had seen before.

"I apologize for the interruption, my students. If possible, should I get back to my lesson?" Elder Li inquired.

"Yes. Please," Priscilla nodded before she turned to Ash, Jimmy, and Brock. "Thank you so much. I know you didn't get to say all you wanted to say, but I think it's best our students learn from the Elder after what happened."

"Yes, ma'am," Ash replied.

"Oh, Miss Priscilla! Please allow me to stay with you and the students to teach my wisdom! As a Pokemon Breeder, you know I could!" Brock pleaded.

"You've got to be kidding, Brock," Ash said.

"I think that's a splendid idea!" Earl jumped in and gave a spin. "If you feel out this application, you can stay and teach dance with me! Lalalalala!"

"Ehhhh…," Brock grimaced and backed off slightly.

"After you complete the application and qualify, we could consider you staying if you really want that," Priscilla said.

"You mean I could really stay?!" Brock asked in excitement. "Together, you can teach me the way of Pokemon and love and…yeeeeowwww!"

"Looks like I arrived here just in time," Misty uttered in annoyance as she suddenly appeared and astutely grabbed Brock by the ear.

"What's up, Misty?" Ash asked her.

"It's time to celebrate Serena's party so we need to get going…right, Brock?" Misty asked the last part dangerously.

"But I was going to stay and teach the students with Miss Priscilla! I could learn more about the ways of Pokemon," Brock whined.

"How about I just teach you the ways of ear pulling?" Misty uttered as she pulled him along.

"But I'm already too familiar with that," Brock moaned as he was dragged off.

Ash and Jimmy chuckled nervous before they turned back to everyone else. "Well, you heard her. We've got to get going. Good luck and great Pokemon!"

"I'm going to be a cool trainer, too, and win the Orange League like you did, Ash!" Zackey said enthusiastically.

"Sounds good!" Ash smiled as he and Jimmy went to follow Misty.

"Good luck in your endeavors, young trainer, Ash. I can tell you are a fine Pokemon trainer with exceptional ties to your Pokemon," Elder Li nodded.

"Thank you, sir," Ash replied.

As Ash and Jimmy left the scene, Ash wasn't thinking about the strange encounter he had anymore. He had chosen simply to brush it off. Any weird connection he felt with that guy was probably nothing more than a coincidence. Pikachu, Brock, and Jimmy didn't recognize him so that was good enough for Ash at the moment. If he was meant to know who that guy was, he would. For now, he had something else to focus on…Serena's twelfth birthday.

* * *

"Happy birthday, Serena!" everyone in the group shouted.

The group was under one of the tents set up for the festival right now. They had two picnic tables set up there so they wouldn't have to sit on the ground. They had a birthday cake in front of Serena and also had a small stack of presents beside her.

Serena herself was excited for this, as well. She had the people who were here for her birthday last year like Ash, Brock, and Misty, but she also had newcomers in Jimmy and Marina. It reminded the girl of just how many new friends she had made since she started her Pokemon journey with Ash. Though it was a little sad that Leaf and Gary weren't here, they had still called her earlier today to wish her a good one.

When Gary and Leaf called from Leaf's Pokegear, Serena remembered how they were all supposed to keep in touch. It turned out Leaf and Gary had just left Violet City a few days ago. Leaf had said that if she had known the group was that close to them, they would've stayed so they could see her. Serena, of course, had mentioned this to Ash, too. They would have to keep in mind to call Leaf and Gary more often.

"Did you make a wish, Serena?" Misty asked.

"Heehee! I haven't made wishes on my birthday cake since I was ten," Serena giggled.

"Well, I still do," Ash jumped in.

"Really? It didn't look like you were. You would just simply blow out the candles as soon as we said "Happy Birthday"," Serena told him.

"Yeah, and gave the cake a spit shower, too," Misty teased.

"Hey! I do not!" Ash replied as he shot Misty a glare.

"I'm just kidding, Ash. You're pretty clean when it comes to that," Misty giggled.

"Unlike Jimmy, here!" Marina smiled as she jammed a thumb in the black-haired boy's direction.

"Marina!" Jimmy shouted in embarrassment.

"Relax, Jimmy. I think it's adorable," Marina cooed.

Jimmy pulled his hat over his eyes so the group couldn't see them. That didn't stop the blush that appeared on his face, though. He quickly turned away. Why did Marina have to say embarrassing stuff about him like that? She knew him too well. She couldn't still be possibly aggravated at him from yesterday, right? If she was, what could he say to her?

"Well, at least I didn't sneeze on my birthday cake so hard it sprayed icing all over my face," Jimmy muttered.

Whatever he was supposed to say, it certainly wasn't that.

"Jimmy! You jerk!" Marina shouted angrily and turned beet red, also.

"Well, Serena, go ahead and open your presents," Brock told her to change the topic. It was starting to get a little out of hand.

"Oh! Of course!" Serena smiled as she reached for Brock's present first.

Serena still remembered the cookbook Brock got her last year. She had been studying it a lot so she could be just as good a cook as him. She had no doubt that this would be something rather practical, as well, since that's what Brock specialized in.

Once she finished unwrapping the present, Serena could tell it was another cookbook. Unlike the last one, however, this one featured specialized exotic dishes that were famous from the Orange Islands.

"I hope you don't mind another cookbook, Serena, but I figured you might like this. If you're going to be a master chef like me, you need to have the best. I bet some of those dishes will knock Ash right off his feet," Brock told her.

"What are you implying?" Serena asked with a giggled before she added, "And I love the cookbook, too. Thank you, Brock."

Serena then went on to Jimmy and Marina's present next. They had pitched in and got Serena one from both of them. Serena opened the gift bag and pulled out another book. The girl smiled when she saw what the book was.

"All about Performing," Serena said out loud.

"You bet, darling! That book will definitely set you on the right path to be a Pokemon Performer!" Marina exclaimed.

"It wasn't all for you, though, Serena. Marina took a few quick peeks at it, too," Jimmy said.

"I was still the one who picked it out," Marina smiled.

"And I wrapped it…err…put in the bag," Jimmy corrected.

"It's okay! Thank you both! You can be sure I'll be reading from this book a lot!" Serena told them as she set it down and moved on to Misty's present.

Just as Misty promised on Ash's last birthday, Serena could see that the girl had indeed given her the colored cards to give her the latest updates on her Pokegear. Serena smiled now that she would have a journal to put things in as well as keep track of her battles. The points she could earn with this thing would really come in handy for getting discounts on items at the Poke-Mart.

"Thanks a lot, Misty!" Serena smiled.

"No problem. You're welcome," Misty nodded.

As usual, Serena waited to open Ash's gift last. The rest of the group chanced a look at Ash to see his expression, and as usual, he looked pretty nervous. They couldn't understand why. He always seemed to give Serena the best gifts but expressed the most doubt out of all of them. He probably had another amazing gift that Serena would love.

"I had to get a little help from my mom and your mom on this one," Ash said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh? You did?" Serena inquired as she began to open it.

"Yeah. You see, I'm not good at sewing or designs, so…," Ash trailed.

"Did you get me clothing, Ash?" Serena tried once she was almost finished.

"Well…not exactly. Just wait until you open it," Ash shrugged.

Serena finished opening the present and a small brown box was what was there. Everyone else gathered around as Serena opened the box, and one she saw what was inside, her eyes lit up. Ash thought of this?!

Inside, was a collection of all the ribbons and awards she won throughout the Battle Chateau, except they were all in miniaturized form and formed a collage. The collage formed a heart shape and was about the size of Serena's hand. As Serena turned it around, she could see a small clip on the back of it.

"You see, since you did so well in the Battle Chateau and were now doing performances, I thought you could wear that as a good luck charm during all of your performances. It should remind you of how great you are at what you do. I hope I made it small enough to where you can wear it with any type of clothing when you do a performance. I didn't want it to be too big to where it would be in the way, but I still wanted you to be able to tell what was in each square," Ash explained.

Serena eyes shined at Ash's gift. He had done it again. The boy who pretended to be oblivious to any of his gifts got her another great one and didn't even know it. Misty had said before that Ash clearly didn't know the value of his gifts. It was one thing to get someone just something that could be considered a good luck charm, but what Ash did took a little bit of effort. Even though Ash admitted that he technically wasn't the one who made it, he still thought of that idea.

"Thank you, Ash. I love it, and it's the perfect size," Serena replied as she stood up and gave him a hug and a small kiss on the cheek.

"Awwww," Marina gushed.

"Dang, Ash. What's your secret?" Jimmy wondered as he rubbed his chin. He and Marina figured Ash didn't seem like the type of guy who would think of something like this.

"Eheheheheheh. I don't know. I'm just lucky, I guess," Ash tried.

"You're not just lucky, Ash. You really do have a talent for this. You need to have more confidence in yourself. You know I would love anything you got me, but trust me when I say that your gifts always hold so much meaning to me," Serena told him.

Ash thought about it. Maybe Serena was right. He still remembered he got her favorite hat for her tenth birthday. Last year, he got her the heart-shaped pendant that symbolized their relationship, Now on Serena's twelfth birthday, he got her a great gift that symbolized all of her highlights and achievements from her past.

"Thank you again, Ash. You can bet I'll wear this for every performance I do," Serena told him.

"That's great. You'll do awesome in every one you do," Ash told her with a thumbs up.

Before the group could continue, a voice came up over a nearby intercom.

"Attention, everyone. Johto Elite Four Member Koga will be making his appearance shortly. Please make your way to the center of the Violet City Plaza if you would like to see him," the voice announced.

"Koga?" Brock questioned.

"As in, Koga, the Fuchsia City gym leader I battled?" Ash rhetorically asked in interest.

"He did say that he was recommended to be in the Elite Four when we were at his gym. It looks like he made it," Misty said.

"That's right. His daughter, Janine, was training under him," Brock remembered.

"Woah. You've met him?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah. I had to battle him for a gym badge back in Kanto. How long has he been an Elite Four member?" Ash wondered.

"I'd say about six months now," Jimmy replied as he appeared in thought.

"Well, what are we waiting for, guys? Let's go see him," Ash said as they got up. Serena hastily put her new gifts inside of her purse and backpack, and the group set off to the Violet City plaza.

* * *

Once the group reached the plaza, they could see many people had already crowded around the center. The group was unable to move towards the front and had to settle at being near the back. It was difficult to see over some of the taller people, but they could manage. They seriously doubted they would be able to actually meet with Koga again within this gigantic crowd, but it could be cool to see what he has to say as an Elite Four member.

About five minutes later, a few cheers and applause came from the crowd. The group glanced around and tried to find where Koga was coming from. The group finally spotted the ninja man emerge from the crowd on the opposite side of where they were at. He walked up a few steps until he was on the stage set up in the center of the Violet City Plaza. The people continued to shout and cheer that they were this close to an Elite Four member before Koga made a motion with his hands to keep them down.

"I thank you for coming here today. It gives me great pleasure to be here at the Sprout Festival. I am Koga of the Johto Elite Four! Though I have only been a member a short time, my techniques are quite deadly," Koga declared.

At this, the crowd clapped their hands. It seemed Koga was quite famous in the Johto region already. Ash then looked over at Jimmy and Marina to see if they had any more information on the Johto Elite Four.

"Hey. Would you guys happen to know who the other Elite Four members of the Johto region are?" Ash asked in interest.

"Hmm…," Jimmy muttered as he crossed his arms in thought. "There's Will, who specializes in Psychic types, and Karen, who specializes in Dark types."

"Karen? That sounds like a beautiful name," Brock commented.

"Yeah. There's also Palmer, who seems to like Pokemon with dragon-like characteristics," Marina said thoughtfully.

"Like Lance," Serena smiled.

"Yeah. He actually studied under Lance. We also have a gym leader here in the Johto region named Claire who uses dragon-type Pokemon. She's really tough and usually the last gym leader people challenge. A lot of people say she's jealous of Lance's favor towards Palmer and has been trying to take over his Elite Four position for years," Jimmy stated.

"Wow. Lance definitely trained some winners," Ash muttered.

Ash remembered how the man had helped him during the Pokemon League with Aerodactyl. It was thanks to him that Aerodactyl got the kick start it needed to help cure its primal instincts. Now, from Red had told Ash since he took over, Aerodactyl was ready to be returned when Red saw him next, whenever that may be.

Ash was just about to ask who the champion of the Johto region was when Koga spoke. If he was going to be giving any advice on what he knew, the boy definitely wanted to hear it. He was sure the others would, too. He could ask about the champion later.

"I would like to remind everyone of the Sprout Tower here. As you may know, it is supported by one single pillar that sways back and forth. It is always to remind us of our endeavors and how we all started out as trainers. Ever since I've become an Elite Four member here, I've made it an effort to visit the Sprout Tower at least once a month," Koga began.

Everyone in the crowd nodded at what Koga said. They all waited in anticipation to what he was going to say. He was probably going to give out some really good advice on what it takes to be a great Pokemon trainer and how he got to where he was today.

Koga then went on. "Please recall what I said about Pokemon. They are not merely about brute force, they…"

"That's crap!"

Everyone in the audience gasped at the harsh words and glanced around wildly as to who could've said it. The group themselves wondered who on Earth could've challenged what Koga said before he even began. That took quite some nerve. Koga himself rose a slight eyebrow as he gave a slight sigh before he looked, too.

Koga didn't have to look for long, though. A young man was pushing his way through the crowd, and he had wild red hair and cold eyes. He wore a scowl on his face as he made it to the front of the crowd, and it was directed at Koga.

"Hey. Didn't we see that guy before?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah. We did," Brock muttered.

"You've met him?" Misty asked in disdain.

"Not technically, we saw him earlier today when we visited the Elder. He was pretty rude to him, too," Brock replied.

Ash, meanwhile, stood still as he watched the young man. He was getting that strange vibe that he was supposed to know this guy again. He just couldn't get it out of his head. Where had he seen this guy before?!

Koga frowned at the young man in front of him. "Very well. Perhaps you have you some advice you would like to share with the audience?"

Koga was fixing the young man with challenge in his eyes. Most people would've shrunk under the piercing gaze that Koga had on his face right now. However, this guy didn't. In fact, his scowl even intensified.

"No one needs to hear about how you're supposed to be nice and kind and loving to your Pokemon. That won't get them anywhere. They can be your partners, but friendship is out of the question. It holds them back. I've seen it myself. I win battles, and my Pokemon get stronger. That's all you need. My Pokemon agree with me completely," the young man replied.

There was slight murmuring in the crowd at what the man had said. Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty thought back as this guy sort of reminded them of Paul, but he was much harsher and more brutal. They didn't think even Paul would challenge an Elite Four member's authority like this, and he always respected those who were above him. They also hadn't heard Paul use language like that. This guy, however, seemed to have no filter.

"Might I ask your name, young man?" Koga inquired.

"It doesn't matter. I'll beat you soon, anyway," the young man said with a smirk.

"I'm sorry?" Koga asked. He was caught off guard, but his calm demeanor still didn't waver.

"I want to battle you. I need to get stronger. The only way I'll be the best is if I beat the best. My reasons for doing this aren't your concern," the young man replied.

There was another gasp in the audience, and whispers began to go about the crowd. This guy was extremely bold to request something like that. They couldn't believe he was just outright challenging an Elite Four member and expected to battle him with no formal invite. Most of the time, the only time a trainer would ever get a chance to battle an Elite Four member is if they won that region's Pokemon League. Surely this guy knew that, too.

"I'd say he's definitely someone we should try to avoid and not run into again. I don't want to meet him," Serena commented.

"He appears to be a troublemaker," Brock said with a frown.

Koga continued to watch the boy fix him with a glare. The poison-type master was thinking along the same lines as the audience. This young man was very passionate about what he believed, but he was completely wrong on all accounts. They continued to stare at the other for about thirty more seconds as more murmuring went around them. Finally, after a while, Koga spoke. It appeared this young man did need to be taught a lesson on the ways of Pokemon.

"Very well, young man. If you truly wish to battle me, I shall not decline your challenge," Koga responded.

The young man jumped on to the stage and stood on one end of it while Koga made his way to the other side. Despite having his wish granted, the young man's expression still hadn't changed. He impatiently waited for Koga to speak, but the Elite Four member said nothing. Finally, after about thirty more seconds, the young man grit his teeth as he had enough.

"Well, state the rules!" he demanded.

"I'm sorry, young man. I thought you would be the one to issue the rules since you challenged me," Koga replied with a faint smirk.

At that, the audience laughed, and the young man thought he might explode. So Koga thought he could just mock him like that?! He'll show this guy what he's made of! He'll beat this Elite Four member with all of his power. Then he would be ready to take down that weak criminal gang known as Team Rocket!

"Fine! One on one! No time limit!" the young man shouted.

Despite mocking him a short while ago, Koga did pity this person. He truly did seem like someone surrounded by bitterness and anger. Koga hoped he might be able to persuade the boy if he won. The Elite Four member wasn't going to hold anything back.

"Very well, son. You may choose your Pokemon first," Koga agreed.

"I'll do that!" the young man said as he grabbed one of his pokeballs.

The audience eagerly awaited the impending Pokemon battle. Though they certainly weren't expecting to watch a match at this time, it was still exciting to see an Elite Four member battle. It was clear that nobody was going to root for his bad-tempered opponent, but the young man could've cared less about that. Ash, meanwhile, hadn't taken his eyes off the guy. As he continued to stare at him more and more, things were becoming clearer. That scowl the young man had on his face was especially familiar.

"Go, Sneasel!" the young man hollered and released the Pokemon

A bluish black Pokemon that resembled a cat or weasel emerged from the pokeball. It had a yellow oval marking on its forehead with sharp feathers for a tail. The most notable feature of the Pokemon was it had razor-sharp claws on its hands and feet. This thing would have no trouble ripping anything…or anyone to shreds. The Pokemon gave a viscous smile and extended its claws even more, probably to intimidate its opponent. A few people recoiled at the terrifying Pokemon, but Koga's expression remained neutral.

"Ariados! I choose you!" Koga said calmly as he released his Pokemon.

A spider-like Pokemon appeared from Koga's pokeball. It had four yellow legs and was mostly red in color on its body. It had a small, white horn on the center of its head and long pointed growths on its back that looked like a fifth and sixth leg. It clicked its pincers at its opponent, but there was a clear difference in temperament between the two Pokemon.

"I wonder what those are," Ash muttered as he and Serena scanned them with their national dex.

"Sneasel, the sharp claw Pokemon. This Pokemon is sneaky and cunning and can easily flinch opponents with its claws. They hide in darkness and wait to attack their prey. Ariados, the long leg Pokemon and the evolved form of Spinarak. Ariados' feet are tipped with hooks which allow it to scuttle and climb ceilings and walls with ease. This Pokemon has a very powerful silk that can constrict its prey," said the machines.

"Well, young man? I'm ready when you are," Koga said.

"The battle starts now!" the angry man shouted before he gave his command. "Use Screech, Sneasel!"

Sneasel opened its mouth and let out a horrible, high-pitched cry. Every person who was watching in the audience covered their ears at the terrible sound as it was too much to bear. In fact, the only ones who didn't appear bothered by it were Silver, Koga, and Ariados.

"Use String Shot," Koga said calmly.

Ariados then began to shoot a series of sticky silk from its mouth, but it wasn't directed at Sneasel. Instead, it was lining the whole floor of the stage with its silk. Upon seeing that the Screech was having no effect on his opponent, the young man tried again.

"Use Agility, and then Faint Attack!" he yelled.

"Use Shadow Sneak," Koga said calmly.

Sneasel prepared to do the attack, but before it dashed off, a shadow came from behind it, and struck the Pokemon. The Sneasel was slightly caught off guard, but it zipped through the air anyway and did a solid strike to the Ariados when it wasn't looking.

"Use Quick Attack, now!" the young man hollered.

"Use Sucker Punch, Ariados," Koga said.

Once again, before Sneasel could do the attack, Ariados leaped forward and crashed into Sneasel's stomach. Regardless of this, Sneasel scowled at the attack before it reared back its claws and did a Slash attack instead. Ariados gave a small cry of pain and fell back down to the ground.

"That's better! Now use Agility!" the young man yelled again.

The sharp claw Pokemon began to zip around the stadium once more, but Koga wasn't bothered. He merely had his arms folded into as he watched how blindingly fast the Sneasel was moving through the air. He then looked at his Ariados and nodded his head.

"You know how to make it stop, Ariados. Use Spider Web," he told it.

Ariados then began to shoot several webs around the stage. They started on the ground before they worked their way up. The young man soon realized what he was doing. Koga was trying to make a web cage to keep Sneasel confined. Well, it wasn't going to work!

"Use Icy Wind to freeze those webs!" the young man hollered.

"Use Sucker Punch again, Ariados!" Koga said.

Like earlier, before Sneasel could issue the attack, Ariados leaped up again and crashed into Sneasel with a lot more force then last time. The sharp claw Pokemon was pushed back right into one of Ariados' webs. It began to struggle against the sticky substance, but to no avail. The young man growled and let out a few curses at the Ariados. So that's how it was going to be. Koga frowned at the young man's foul mouth, but he still remained focused on the battle.

"Use Sludge Bomb, Ariados!" he said next.

"That won't work! Use Hone Claws and slash that web to shreds!" Silver hollered.

As Ariados shot out a massive ball of sludge from its mouth, Sneasel scowled and concentrated until its claws began to glow. With blindingly fast movement, it swiped at the web it was caught in, and the web seemed to explode around it. Sneasel hastily flew out of the way, and the Sludge Bomb narrowly missed it.

"Use Icy Wind again! This time, use it away from Ariados so it can't use Sucker Punch!" Silver shouted.

"It is not wise to turn your back on your opponent," Koga advised. "Use Poison Sting, Ariados."

Sneasel turned its back on the Ariados and let loose a chilling wind from its body. As the wind continued to blow, the silk began to harden and lost its stickiness. At the same time, the wide spread glowing needles that were Ariados' Poison Sting struck Sneasel continuously. Despite this, Sneasel ignored the pain it was in and dashed around the stage and swiped at all of the webs, effectively destroying them.

"Use Ice Shard!" the young man yelled

"You know, I hate to say it, but this guy is pretty good," Brock commented as he and the others watched.

"Yeah. He actually seems to think ahead and knows how to get out of every situation. If he and his Pokemon weren't so aggressive, they would remind me of you, Ash," Serena added.

"Like me," Ash muttered in thought before his eyes lit up. It couldn't be, could it?!

The Sneasel continued to dash around the stadium at breakneck speed. It was shooting out occasional Ice Shards, and they were hitting their mark. Despite this, Ariados simply took the attacks and did nothing. Koga merely watched as well, and the young man was getting quite angry.

"What are you doing!? Fight back!" the bad-tempered man screamed.

Koga didn't answer. He merely waited for the right moment. He was waiting for one thing to happen. That Sneasel would slip up eventually.

Like Koga expected, the Sneasel was getting agitated, as well. It quit firing off Ice Shards and spat in disgust. If this Ariados was just going to ignore its weaker attacks like it was nothing, it would show this Pokemon not to underestimate it. Its trainer seemed to have a similar mindset.

"Fine! If you won't attack, we'll make you!" the man shouted. "Use Slash, Sneasel!"

Sneasel gave a viscous cry before it shot forward in preparation to use Slash. With those deadly claws, this attack would do massive damage. With all the Ice Shards that Ariados had taken, this Slash might be the end of it if it didn't do something. However, in all of it frustration and anger, what Koga knew what happened finally happened.

Sneasel and its trainer had completely forgotten about the Sting Shot that lay all over the stage. As a result, it wasn't watching where it was going in its haste and stepped right onto it. The resulting stop made Sneasel lose its balance, and it feel face forward right into the String Shot. Now that the front part of its body was immobile and its face was covered, it couldn't see. In other words, it was completely helpless.

"Use Slash and break free!" the young man hollered.

Sneasel tried to swipe at the sticky substance, but its arms and hands were both stuck from the fall, and they were virtually immobile. Despite this, the young man continued to shout out commands for the Sneasel to try to break out. Nothing was working, however. Sneasel couldn't even get an Icy Wind going because its oval marking that created the power for those attacks was completely blocked by Sneasel having a face full of String Shot.

The young man began cursing again because of the situation his Pokemon was in. The crowd wasn't appearing amused at the man's choice of words. Koga had enough, too, and he took a step forward and called out to his opponent.

"Young man, I believe the match is finished. Your Pokemon is immobile and unable to battle," he said.

"It's not over until Sneasel is knocked out!" Silver snarled.

"No!" Koga suddenly bellowed, and the crowd instantly grew quiet.

Ash and the others were surprised as well. That was the first time they heard Koga raise his voice. He was always calm and collected. One thing was sure, the way Koga shouted absolutely commanded respect. The angry man was also quiet, as well. He made a slight grunt and waited for Koga to continue.

"A battle is finished when a Pokemon is unable to battle! Though it is not knocked out, it is completely helpless and unfit to battle. I gave you several attempts to break free, but they have all failed. This battle is over," Koga declared in an authoritative voice.

The young man continued to stare at Koga with a heated glare. His teeth were clenched, and he looked like was going to start cursing again. Koga matched his glare and spoke again.

"If you continue to try to battle and force me to knock out your Sneasel, that would be a sign of a poor trainer indeed. No trainer should have their Pokemon hurt unnecessarily. I fail to recognize anyone as a trainer who puts their Pokemon through that," Koga lectured.

At this, the young man gave another grunt and pulled out his pokeball. He wordlessly returned his Sneasel before he gave Koga one last glare. He then turned on his heel and began to walk away, but Koga's voice made him stop.

"I sense a great deal of anger in you, young man. Emotions like those cloud your judgement and character. I have no idea what you've been through, but allow me to help you. If you continue to give in to whatever hatred and anger you have, your soul will be torn apart, and you won't even be human anymore," Koga said solemnly.

Koga's grave words sounded throughout the plaza. It was still quiet as all eyes turned to the young man to see how he would respond. To their surprise, there seemed to be some sort of conflict on his face. His scowl had lightened considerably, and his lip was quivering. Was he actually going to accept Koga's offer? That hope was shot down when the young man said his next sentence.

"You can't help me. No one can," the man replied.

The audience tilted their heads curiously at that. His words weren't hate-filled or angry like they previously were. If the audience didn't know better, they could almost sense sadness in the man's voice as he spoke. It was like he truly was upset over whatever happened to him. Was he not always this way?

"Son…," Koga began, also having picked up on the man's tone of voice.

"I'm out of here," the young man asserted and hastily left the stage.

Koga sighed as he watched the man leave before he closed his eyes and looked grave. The crowd moved aside as the young man made his way through the crowd. Nobody was saying anything as he passed them. The young man himself was ignoring all the looks he was getting. His face had returned to its usual scowl. All he wanted to do now was leave.

Ash watched him go and decided to follow him. He had to know where he had seen this guy before, but was no coincidence. This wasn't going to leave him alone until he found out.

"Ash, what are you doing?" Serena asked as she saw Ash leave and began to make his way through the crowd.

"I'll be right back," Ash replied.

Ash was trying to get through the crowd to where the young man had disappeared to as fast as he could. It was rather hard, though. He had to excuse himself several times as he was unintentionally shoving a lot people in his haste. He couldn't dawdle, though. If he didn't hurry, he would lose sight of that guy.

Ash finally fought his way out of the huge crowd gathered around the stage. He looked around hastily to see where the man had gone, and Ash spotted him about thirty yards ahead of him with his back to him. There were still a few people walking around enjoying the other attractions, but Ash had a clear path to get to him now. He ran after the young man and didn't stop until he was right behind him. The young man was still quickly walking away and hadn't noticed Ash yet. Finally, Ash spoke.

"Um, excuse me?" he asked.

The young man stopped dead in his tracks and almost seemed to flinch. Ash was startled by this action. What would cause this guy to flinch just because he had spoken to him? After a few seconds, the young man turned around and fixed Ash with his usual scowl. Behind it, though, Ash could tell there was still surprise and disbelief there. Why was he looking at Ash like he was a surprise piece of trash?

"Do…do I know you?" Ash questioned a little unsurely.

The young man didn't mask his surprise this time when Ash said that? He rose his eyebrows as Ash continued to stare at him curiously.

Truthfully, the angry man didn't know how to respond to that. He still couldn't believe that he had run into this kid of all people. The worst part was he was speaking to him, and even said he looked familiar. How would he know about him? Surely his mom didn't tell this Ash kid about him right? The young man wanted nothing to do with this kid and wanted to make it quite clear.

"No. You don't know me, and you've never met me," the young man answered coldly.

Without waiting for an answer, the guy turned around and continued walking. He was walking even quicker than normal. He just wanted to get out of this dang place and continue his search for that filthy Team Rocket. Why the heck was that Ash kid in Johto of all places anyway? The young man couldn't believe his horrible misfortune because of this. He hoped now that he told Ash to stay out of his way, he would just leave it alone. It was fine as long as Ash didn't know who he was. With that, the young man left the festival grounds to make his way out of Violet City.

Ash watched the young man disappear from sight. He had so many thoughts going through his mind right now. Despite what the guy had said to him, Ash's thoughts still wouldn't leave him alone. He was definitely familiar. Well, since this guy didn't help, Ash began to piece together everything in his mind. He had wild red hair and a very cold expression. He looked angry often, but the biggest clue of all is what Serena commented about this guy's battling style being similar to him. A whirl of memories began to come to Ash as he finally figured it out.

He had seen this guy before. Though he looked older and less boyish, there was no mistaking this guy's appearance. Ash had seen this guy's picture from five years ago when he won the Orange League. To top it off, this guy had the exact same expression on his face in the picture as he did when he was staring straight at Ash, and the raven-haired boy couldn't believe it.

"Ash?" Serena called out as she and the others caught up to him.

"Serena, that was him," Ash muttered.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked.

"That guy. I know who he was. You and Misty have seen him before, too," Ash replied.

Serena and Misty began to think hard about it, too. They recalled all of their memories about the guy's appearance and expression. Their eyes lit up as their suspicions arose, also. Brock, Jimmy, and Marina, on the other hand, were totally out of the loop.

"You know him, Ash?" Brock questioned.

"Yeah," Ash replied.

"Ash, was that really…?" Serena began.

"That's right," Ash responded with a nod, and his face tensed up. "That was Silver, my brother."

* * *

 **I didn't want all heck to break loose on Ash and Silver's first meeting. That's why I'm building up to it.**

 **Silver got away, but Ash knows who he is now. You can bet he's going to call Silver out on it in their next meeting. Silver will start appearing more in this story now, and each time he appears, more and more will be revealed about him until there's a climax. Yes. Silver and Ash will also battle at some point in this story. It will probably be halfway or a little over halfway in this fic when they do.**

 **Next chapter will be up in early July and will be the first gym battle. I'm still progressing nicely with this fic so hopefully it stays this way. It's all your support that pushes me to keep going even after all this time!**

 **Chapter 10: Sky High Gym Battle**


	10. Sky High Gym Battle

**A/N: First gym battle time! I had to shake the rust off after not writing a huge battle in a while. I think I did fine, though. Please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Ten: Sky High Gym Battle

It was late at night, and Ash was lying in his bed in the Violet City Pokemon Center. He was contemplating on the revelation he had about his brother earlier. So he was here in Johto? Had he been here this whole time, practically right next to his home region? Ash didn't know. Truthfully, the only thing that was running through his mind right now was anger. It seemed that Silver was just as bad as Ash had heard he was. It didn't matter how many times his mom tried to defend Silver. It was clear he just wasn't a nice guy.

From what Ash could tell, he was rude, sarcastic, and rather hateful. He couldn't believe that someone like that could come from such a sweet woman as his mother. Then again, Ash remembered the other half of Silver, who used to be a crime lord. Unfortunately, maybe Silver took more after Giovanni than he thought. If that was the case, why did he resent his past so much? One thing that surprised Ash and everyone else was when Silver lost the match. Koga had told Silver that he wished to help him, but the young man rejected it by saying he couldn't be helped. If anything, Ash was just flat out confused with how Silver's mind worked.

Well, it didn't matter now. Silver had already left Violet City, and Ash didn't really get a chance to talk to him. Come to think of it, Ash saw the expression in Silver's eyes, and there was recognition there despite them never meeting before. How had Silver learned about him if he never had contact with their mother, and probably Giovanni, since he left? Just what exactly was Silver trying to achieve now anyway? Sure, he won the Orange League five years ago, but what was his goal now?

"Pikapi! Pikachu?" Pikachu asked Ash from the foot of his bed.

"I'm just thinking about Silver right now, Pikachu," Ash responded.

"Don't think too hard about him, Ash. Otherwise you won't be able to focus at your gym battle tomorrow," Brock advised as he lay in his own bed.

"Yeah, man. We know that probably got you whacked out, but you can't think of it forever," Jimmy added.

"Can you guys blame me? It's a really weird feeling. Silver was someone I hoped I never would meet in my life, but at the same time I did. I know that sounds like I'm contradicting myself, but…I don't know how to explain it," Ash sighed.

Both Brock and Jimmy nodded solemnly at that. When Ash put it like that, he was right. He couldn't really be faulted for thinking hard about this. What was his next course of action now that he knew who his brother was and that he was close by now?

"Are you going to tell your mom?" Brock wondered.

Ash frowned at that. He remembered back in the Orange Islands that he did promise his mom he would let her know if he ever found Silver. Despite that, should he really tell her this time? Ash barely got a chance to speak with the angry man, and even then, he was pretty terrible. If he told his mom about this one encounter and only say what kind of person he seemed to be, that may only upset her. Ash wanted to learn more about Silver before he told his mom anything.

"No. I won't this time," Ash replied. "I don't truly know a lot about Silver yet. I won't judge by what I just saw at the Sprout Festival. If I meet him again, I'll decide then."

"I don't know, Ash. He seemed to make it clear that he had no intention of wanting to get to know you," Jimmy said.

"It doesn't matter. I think we'll run into each other again, whether we want to or not. It's almost like fate," Ash replied.

"Maybe you're right, Ash. What happens will happen. I never thought I would meet my father again, but it turned out to work for the best. The same was with your Dad, too. There's been a lot of forgiveness from both of our families in the past. Maybe Silver just needs forgiveness himself. If you meet him again, that might be the first step," Brock replied.

"You're right. Thanks, Brock. I used to think my dad didn't care about me or Mom, but it was actually the opposite. I have no idea what he's doing, but he never contacted us much to protect my mom and me. Maybe this thing with my brother is just a huge misunderstanding," Ash agreed and finally smiled a little.

"That seems to be what's happening with Marina and me, a misunderstanding. She's been so aggravated with me today, and I don't know why," Jimmy sighed.

"It's clear Marina likes you Jimmy! Open your heart to her, and tell her how you feel! Your words will bring pure joy to that girl's heart!" Brock cried.

"Uhhhhh…," Jimmy uttered. "She can't be mad at me just because I didn't say I like her, right."

"I don't know, Jimmy. The only way you'll find out is if you ask her yourself," Ash shrugged.

"Man. Girls are so complicated. I'm hitting the sack. Night guys!" Jimmy said as he shut off the lamp by his bedside and turned towards the wall.

"Good night, Jimmy. You, too, Brock, and thanks again for earlier," Ash stated.

"You're welcome. Good night, Ash," Brock responded before turned off his lamp and drifted off to sleep soon afterward.

The raven-haired boy's mind was put to rest for the moment, and he had pleasant dreams.

* * *

It was the next day, and the group was about to head off to the Violet City gym. Jimmy and Marina were alone right now in the lobby, and it was quite awkward between them right now. They couldn't recall too many times when they had absolutely nothing to say to each other. They were both turned away from each other and just quietly waited for the others to come. They really shouldn't have been the first ones to be ready.

Jimmy just couldn't place his finger on what Marina's problem was. Surely she wasn't upset about a birthday that was long past. Sure, he had chickened out on her last birthday and didn't go, but she clearly forgave him. What was going on? He had feelings for Marina, but he was in such denial about his feelings and so nervous that he had to hide them as best as possible. If Marina found out he liked her, she may not want to be his friend anymore. Now, however, that appeared to be the case as she hadn't really spoken to him since yesterday. Girls were so complicated!

Marina, meanwhile, was a little tired of Jimmy's attitude. They were such great friends, but half the time, he acted like he didn't even care about her. She would try so many times to get his attention with the things she did, but Jimmy would never notice. Even if he did, he would pretend he wouldn't notice or be so disinterested that it hurt Marina's feelings. Why did she have to like such a big jerk?

"Marina, are you mad at me?" Jimmy finally asked after a few minutes.

"Yes," Marina replied bluntly.

Jimmy flinched slightly at her harsh tone. Okay. That was the first step. At least she admitted it. Still, she was normally so bubbly and happy. To hear her say something coldly like that was new to him. Jimmy sighed before he tried again.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you're a jerk," Marina replied shortly.

"Come on, Marina! Why are you mad at me, now!? You've never seemed bothered with how I acted before?!" Jimmy cried.

Marina gave a slight sniff as tears filled her eyes. How was Jimmy so oblivious about her feelings towards him? She had given out all the right hints and was even told by a few people that he liked her back so why did he always have to act like this? If he would just respond to her attempts instead of ignoring or rejecting her, everything would be fine. Quite simply, Marina was fed up with it.

"You're so stupid, Jimmy!" Marina suddenly yelled.

"Hey! I'm not stupid! It's just the way I am!" Jimmy yelled back, getting angry himself now.

"Then you're just a jerk! I have no interest in talking to jerks!" Marina retorted.

"Uggggghhhh!" Jimmy groaned and grabbed his head in frustration. "Why I am I a jerk now?!"

"Humph! If you don't know the answer to that, then you really are a jerk!" Marina replied.

"Dang it, Marina! Just tell me!" Jimmy roared and fixed Marina with a glare.

Marina's lip quivered, and she looked ready to cry. Jimmy's expression lightened considerably once he saw her. Great. Now that he raised his voice to her like that, she probably really was mad at him. He was just so frustrated because he wanted to know what he was doing wrong. If Marina never found out he liked her, everything would be good, right? However, everything was all but good between them right now.

Jimmy was just about to speak again when Serena, Brock, and Misty came into the room. The three saw Jimmy and Marina's looks right now and knew something had just taken place. If those two were at odds before, it looked as though their misunderstanding had escalated.

"I think we came in at a bad time. Should we leave you two to talk?" Serena asked gently.

"There's no need. Jimmy and I have nothing to discuss," Marina stated firmly as she wiped her eyes and marched over towards the group.

Jimmy was left standing there and looked like a poor Growlithe left out in the rain. He looked so pitiful right now and had no idea what to do about it.

"Marina…," Jimmy trailed.

"Hmm? I think I must've heard something, but it must just be my imagination," Marina said and purposely turned away from Jimmy.

Jimmy sighed and hung his head. Great. Now she was ignoring him. How was he supposed to fix this now? He gave a look that clearly screamed 'help' towards the group, but they just frowned. He then saw Serena mouth that she would talk to Marina, and he shot her a grateful look. Maybe if Serena could talk to Marina and figure out what was bothering her, he might have hope after all.

Meanwhile, Ash was sitting in front of the video phone to make a phone call to Professor Oak with Pikachu by him. From what the group heard, it was run by a guy named Falkner who used flying-type Pokemon. That left Ash in quite a bind. He really wanted to try out the new Pokemon he caught in Johto, Chikorita and Heracross, but they both would be at a huge disadvantage. Though using a type disadvantage in a practice battle was okay, in a gym match that would prove to be a fatal mistake, especially when the Pokemon in question were new.

Thus, the only Pokemon Ash had to give him an advantage was Pikachu. It was a no brainer, but who else could he use for this match? He had a whole slew of Pokemon waiting for him at the lab that were itching to battle. If Falkner was going to use flying types, why not Ash have a few flying types of his own to fight fire with fire?

"Greetings. Professor Oak speaking," Professor Oak answered as he picked up the phone, and his image appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Professor Oak!" Ash greeted.

"Ah! Hello, Ash! What can I do for you?" Professor Oak inquired.

"Well, I'm kind of needing some Pokemon," Ash replied as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh? You're needing some back already? I thought you told me you preferred to use your new Pokemon for the gym battles," Professor Oak said in surprise.

"Yeah. That was until I learned that this gym leader uses flying types. I only caught a Chikorita and Heracross so far, and they…don't have the best odds," Ash said sheepishly before he continued. "Anyway, I was hoping you could send over Charizard and Pidgeot."

"Hmm…I can do that for you, Ash. However, you have five Pokemon with you right now. I'll need one in exchange if you want both of them," Professor Oak responded.

Ash sighed at that. He really didn't want to send any of his Pokemon back to the lab right now. He was only just starting to know some of them. Chikorita and Heracross, despite the ones with the disadvantage were out, as Ash really hadn't battled with them yet. That left either Lapras or Snorlax. Who should he pick?

Professor Oak saw Ash's expression and nodded his head. "If you can't decide Ash, why don't you send your Snorlax back to me briefly? I'm sure it misses chowing down on my apples."

"Okay, but can your food supply really handle Snorlax?" Ash wondered.

"Don't worry about that, Ash. Everything has grown back since Snorlax left," Professor Oak chuckled.

"Haha. Well, okay. I'll do that then," Ash nodded as he fished out Snorlax's pokeball.

"Alright then. I'll go get Pidgeot and Charizard's pokeballs. I bet they'll be happy to see you again," Professor Oak nodded as he disappeared from the screen briefly.

Ash then looked at Snorlax's pokeball. The gluttonous Pokemon had proved to be quite a powerhouse. It had beaten an Alakazam in a one on one match and did extremely well in holding off a horde of Heracross back in Cherrygrove City. Ash would have to make sure to use it soon in a gym battle so he could really see what it could do. Right now, it was time to say goodbye briefly.

"Stay good, Snorlax. I'll be coming back for you soon," Ash told the pokeball.

Professor Oak soon appeared with two pokeballs in his hand. He then put them on the transporter on his side while Ash did the same where he was. They then both pressed the buttons, and the pokeballs were transferred. After a few seconds, two pokeballs appeared on Ash's side while one appeared on the other side. Ash and Professor Oak then nodded to each other to show the pokeballs had been received successfully.

Pikachu took a quick sniff of the pokeballs and caught the scents of Charizard and Pidgeot in there. It was looking forward to see them again, too.

"Pika!" it said happily.

"I'm happy to get them, too, buddy!" Ash smiled

"There you go, Ash. Go out and win that gym battle. Gary won, after all," Professor Oak told him.

"You bet, Professor. If Gary beat the gym leader, I can do it, too!" Ash declared.

"Good attitude, Ash. Take care now," Professor Oak nodded.

"You, too!" Ash finished as he hung up the phone.

Ash then stood up from the video phone and made his way to the entrance hall to the Pokemon Center where the others were. Once he arrived, he could sense the awkwardness in the air. Marina and Jimmy both looked rather upset while Serena, Misty, and Brock looked helpless. Ash then cleared his throat and greeted them.

"Hey, guys. Are you all ready to head off to the gym?" Ash asked.

"Yes, we are, Ash," Marina answered with crossed arms.

"Umm…okay. How about you, Jimmy? Ready to win that badge?" Ash asked next.

"I guess…," Jimmy trailed, but his tone of voice clearly said otherwise.

"Is it a bad time?" Ash tried.

He saw Serena, Misty, and Brock shake their heads, and he got the message. Jimmy and Marina were having a fight and preferred not to talk about it right now. Hopefully, they would be able to sort it out on their own.

"Never mind. So let's go!" Ash declared and walked out the door with everyone following.

Marina purposely walked on the end of the group that Jimmy wasn't on. She wanted to be as far away from him as possible right now. Jimmy just gave a sad look at Marina that she was treating him like this.

* * *

The group soon reached the Violet City Gym, and it looked rather impressive. It was a violet colored thin building that spiraled upward at least one hundred feet. There was always something unique about all the gyms the group went to. They all had different aspects to ensure no two gym battles were the same, even if some gym leaders had the same types as others. For here, a tall building definitely fit the image of what the group imagined a flying-type gym would be like.

"It says here in the guidebook that the match at the Violet Gym takes place at the top of the tower," Brock stated as he read from it.

Ash smiled at that. So this gym battle would be taking place outside. That meant that his Pokemon had all the space they needed to fly around. Super. Though Pikachu was limited to the ground, Charizard and Pidgeot could really stretch their wings again after getting a little rusty, particularly for Pidgeot as it had been a longer time since Ash used it.

A shadow soon covered the group, and they looked up and saw a large Pidgeot fly overhead. They also saw a hand glider next to it, but it was difficult to tell the type of person who was flying it. The Pidgeot and hand glider then landed on top of the gym before disappearing from view. It didn't take a genius to know that this was probably one of the gym leader's Pokemon. So he had a Pidgeot, too. With that, the group made their way inside the gym.

As they made their way in, the group was greeted by what looked like a fan club. There were at least twenty people who were dressed in what looked like sky-blue robes. The group raised their eyebrows at this? Did Falkner really have all of these workers here at the gym? Most only had five at the most.

One of the people came over to them and greeted them with a bow. "Welcome to the Violet City Gym! Have you come to learn about the wonderful ways of flying Pokemon from Falkner?" he asked.

"Actually, I'm here to have a gym battle," Ash declared before he looked over to Jimmy who was just standing there quietly and looked lost in thought. "What about you, Jimmy?"

"Huh? Oh. I'm here to challenge the gym leader, too," Jimmy said absently before he cast another look to Marina who didn't appear to notice he was looking at her. Actually, she probably did but was purposely looking away.

"Jimmy, are you going to be okay?" Ash asked.

"I'll be fine, Ash. I'll try to not let my personal problems get in the way of me getting a badge," Jimmy replied. Hopefully, after he won a badge, Marina might be more willing to talk to him.

"Very well. Please follow me, and I'll introduce you all to Falkner, the master of flying types," the man declared before he motioned for the group to follow him.

As they walked, Serena and Misty walked behind everyone and leaned over towards Marina and whispered as quietly as they could so they wouldn't be overheard by anyone, especially Jimmy. They were definitely worried for the two. Jimmy and Marina seemed like such great friends, but their relationship had been slowly deteriorating since they started their journey until it reached the point it was at now.

"What's going on, Marina?" Serena whispered.

"Jimmy doesn't care for me," Marina answered quietly before she let out a slight sob, but she quickly hid so she wouldn't draw attention from the others.

"I don't think that's true, Marina. I'm sure he sees you as a very valuable friend. He just doesn't know how to show it," Serena consoled.

"Then why does he always reject my attempts for him to notice me? All he does is ignore it or mumble a compliment. It's like he doesn't even want to be around me," Marina replied.

"I'll speak from experience, Marina. Before Ash and I were together, we weren't quite sure how to show our feelings, either. I would always find myself blushing uncontrollably around him, and Ash was oblivious to it all. He might've like me, but he didn't know what it felt like so he just treated me the same. We only got together because we finally pushed aside our nervousness and just stated how we felt about each other. If you don't do the same, you and Jimmy may never get past this," Serena explained.

"Hmm…," Marina mused.

Yes. She still liked Jimmy, but he was being such a blockhead. What did she have to do, sing it for him that she liked him? According to Serena, it looked like hints won't work on any guys. Being younger boys, they could be a little dense. Despite this, Marina was still mad at Jimmy. If he wanted to be friends with her again, he would have to realize what he's doing wrong and apologize.

Unbeknownst to Marina, Serena, and Misty, Jimmy had strained his ears so he could listen to what the girls were talking about. He certainly hated eavesdropping, but he was desperate to know what was bothering Marina. When he heard her say that she believed Jimmy didn't care for her, his heart sank.

" _Marina, I do care for you. More than you ever know. I just wish I could find how to say it,"_ Jimmy thought before he made a promise to himself. He was going to do whatever he could to fix the problem between him and Marina before they left Violet City!

Everyone's conversations and thoughts were cut short when they were led to a large room off to the side of the hallway. Inside, they saw a teenage boy with suave blue hair who was grooming a Pidgeot. There were a few other flying Pokemon in this room, also. The group could tell that this was the very same Pidgeot that they saw flying overhead just a few moments ago. That probably made this boy the gym leader, Falkner.

"Falkner, you have a couple of challengers for today," the man said, confirming their thoughts.

The teenager looked up and gave a slight nod to the man to show that he was acknowledged. With that, he left, and the teenager set down the brush he was using on his Pidgeot to make his way over to the group. He then extended his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. As he said, I'm Falkner, the gym leader here," the teenager introduced.

"Hey, Falkner! I'm Ash Ketchum, and I'm here to win a badge from you," Ash stated.

"Yeah. Me, too," Jimmy mumbled. He then noticed the huge Pidgeot that was standing idly to the side and briefly wondered if he would actually have to battle that thing.

"Is this the first gym battle you are doing here in the Johto region?" Falkner asked.

Ash then remembered about the handicap new trainers were allowed to use in order to help them get their first badge. He remembered he had to use this advantage when he first faced Brock to win. Back then, he had used Pidgeotto, Butterfree, and Pikachu to win against Brock's Geodude and Onix. Here, however, it was different. He had more experienced Pokemon with him.

"It's my first match in the Johto region, but I've been a trainer for a while so I won't need the handicap" Ash replied.

"Handicap?" Jimmy questioned.

"It's an option gym leaders allow for starting trainers. We won't use our strongest Pokemon, and though we have a set number to use as the gym leader, the challenger can use as many as they need. It's only fair to some people," Falkner explained this time.

"I gotcha," Jimmy nodded and mentally breathed a sigh of relief. At least he probably wouldn't have to face that Pidgeot, after all.

"So I take it that this is your Pidgeot. I have one of my own," Ash commented as he looked at Falkner's Pidgeot. It looked quite a bit bigger than his own.

"Ah, you do?" Falkner asked in interest. "They are very loyal and brave Pokemon. I always love to ride on its back or hand glide next to it."

"Yeah. I think we saw you two right before we entered the gym," Ash nodded.

"It was me. We just got back. My dream has always been to soar the skies with all my flying Pokemon ever since I was a little boy. Now that I'm a gym leader, that fantasy has become a reality," Falkner said.

"Yeah. I remember the first time I rode on my Pidgeot when it first evolved. It really was like I was flying myself," Ash recalled fondly.

"I take it you have a real bond with your Pidgeot," Falkner approved.

"You bet! As you said, it's extremely brave and has gotten me out of some tough jams," Ash replied before he added, "Would you like to see it?"

"I would love to," Falkner nodded.

Ash then released his Pidgeot from his pokeball. The bird Pokemon gave a small cry and spread out its wings. It then gave an affectionate rub against Ash's face that it was able to be here with him again while everyone else smiled at the display. Ash's Pidgeot then noticed Falkner's Pidgeot and waddled its way over to it. Ash could see that Falkner's Pidgeot was a good six inches taller and broader than his. The two eyed each other very carefully before they nodded to the other.

"Your Pidgeot is well taken care of, Ash. I can tell just by looking at it," Falkner said.

"Yep!" Ash agreed.

Falkner then frowned. "You've probably heard a lot of people say that flying type Pokemon won't ever stand a chance against electric types. It always makes me mad to hear those insults!"

"I'm with you, Falkner!" Misty spoke up. "People say the same thing about water Pokemon, but I've proven time and time again that they can overcome anything!"

"Even though you lost in my gym match with you," Ash muttered.

"What was that?" Misty inquired as she narrowed her eyes and pinched Ash's neck, causing him to wince.

"Misty really is good with her water Pokemon. She won a tournament not too long ago with them," Serena amended.

"And I can't forget my Golbat, either," Brock stated.

"I can tell all of you have great Pokemon," Falkner said before he turned to Ash and Jimmy. "I'd be pleased to have a match with you both and accept your challenges. Please follow me."

Falkner then returned his Pidgeot and Ash did likewise. Falkner then walked out of the room, and the group followed him. They were then led to an elevator and got in. It was a tight fit, but the managed. Falkner then pushed the button for the roof, and the elevator then began to go up. Ash was waiting in anticipation as he couldn't wait to see what this battlefield looked like.

He didn't have to wait for long as the elevator soon stopped, and the group walked out. As they had read about, they were indeed outside on top of the tower. The gym floor itself was an average size, but the group had no doubt that it wasn't just limited to here. With Falkner using flying types, the playing grounds probably expanded well outside these limits for optimal aerial maneuvers.

Another group of people were standing on top of the gym, and they began chanting Falkner's name as he made his way over to his side of the gym. The group once again couldn't tell if these were workers or just a fan club. Well, whatever. It wasn't like a popularity contest would change the tide of his match. Ash had his own friends and his girlfriend to root for him, and that was enough.

"So which of you shall battle me first?" Falkner called from across the field.

Ash then turned to Jimmy. "What do you think, Jimmy?" he asked.

"Uhhh…I'd prefer to watch you battle first. It would give me a taste of what I can expect from a gym leader. I could also see how you handle a serious match," Jimmy replied.

That was only a half truth, though. The other half was his heart just really wasn't into it right now. He wouldn't be able to focus while Marina was angry at him. He then cast a glance over at Marina, and as expected, she was purposely not looking at him. He had to fix things with her. Only then, would he have his determination to battle.

Ash happened to notice this but chose to just take the reason Jimmy told him. He then nodded before he turned back to Falkner.

"I'll battle you first! What are the rules?!" Ash called back.

"It will be a three on three Pokemon battle! If you can win against me, you'll get the Zephyr Badge," Falkner replied.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash agreed.

"Alright then. I'll choose my first Pokemon. Go Noctowl!" Falkner yelled and released the Pokemon.

A mostly brown owl-like Pokemon appeared from the pokeball. It had wedge-shaped wings and a triangular pattern of feathers going down its stomach. It gave slight hoot and stretched its wings. Ash, Serena, Jimmy, and Marina took out their pokedexes to scan it.

"Noctowl, the owl Pokemon and the evolved form of HootHoot. This Pokemon's eyes are specially adapted and they can even see the faintest traces of light," the machines answered.

"In that case, I'll start things off with Charizard!" Ash yelled and threw his pokeball forward.

Charizard gave a roar as it appeared from the pokeball and saw its opponent. It then stomped over to its side of the field and got in a battle ready position. It was a great flyer and wasn't about to lose here. It still had to redeem itself from the not doing great at the Orange League.

"Just because you Charizard is part fire-type doesn't mean it has an advantage. My flying Pokemon are extremely tough!" Falkner commented.

"In Charizard's case, the tougher, the better!" Ash replied while Charizard gave a roar of agreement.

A judge then went to the center of the battlefield and held up two flags. "This is an official gym battle between the Violet City gym leader, Falkner, and Ash Ketchum. It will be a three on three Pokemon battle with a Zephyr Badge on the line!" the judge yelled before he brought the flags down. "Begin!"

"Use Reflect, Noctowl!" Falkner yelled immediately.

Noctowl gave a small hoot as a barrier went around it before disappearing. Noctowl's defense were pretty low so Ash knew Falkner was compensating for this by increasing it. If that was the case, Ash would have to rely on special attacks to do more damage. That was fine as Charizard was great in both sides of the attacking spectrum.

"Use Flamethrower, Charizard!" Ash hollered.

"Fly out of the way and use Confusion, Noctowl!" Falkner countered.

As Ash's Charizard blew a fresh stream of fire from its mouth, Noctowl flew out of the way, and its eyes glowed blue. The flames then reversed direction and instead went back to Charizard at double the speed. Despite taking relatively minor damage from being a fire-type, Charizard still shielded itself with its wings. What it wasn't expecting was for Noctowl to fly in while Charizard was shielding itself and strike it in the stomach with Zen Headbutt.

Charizard gave a grunt of pain as Noctowl zipped away. Ash frowned as he always believed that Noctowl weren't the fastest flying types around, but this one really moved. It made sense that this one was a lot faster since it belonged to a gym leader. Falkner must really have it trained.

"No problem, Charizard! Try Fire Spin this time!" Ash told it.

Charizard once more launched a wave of fire from its mouth. This time it began to spiral through the air, and swirl around Noctowl. Falkner gave a flip of his air before he smirked.

"Use Confusion, again, Noctowl," he said.

Once more, Noctowl's eyes glowed blue, and the spiral of flames made their way back towards Charizard. The fire dragon once again shielded itself, but this time it and Ash knew to fly upwards quickly. Charizard was able to fly out of the way just in time as Noctowl soared right underneath it as it tried to connect with Zen Headbutt again.

"Use Fire Punch!" Ash yelled.

Charizard turned around quickly and struck Noctowl right in the backside just as it passed by. The Noctowl gave a slight hoot of pain before it hurried a safe distance away from Charizard. It was just as Ash thought. Normally, Charizard's Fire Punches were pretty powerful, but because of Reflect, they weren't doing much.

Charizard hovered in the air as Ash thought of what to do. If he used physical attacks, they would do very little damage, and Charizard would most likely wear out a lot quicker than Noctowl would. If he tried special attacks, Noctowl would just use Confusion to send them back at Charizard before flying in for sneak attacks while it was distracted. Falkner had a pretty good strategy going, but Ash had been in worse situations than this before.

Meanwhile, Jimmy was watching the battle from the side, and he was in awe. Already, he could tell gym leaders were a cut above the average trainer. He had seen several battles on TV, but seeing one in person was a whole lot different.

"Use Zen Headbutt!" Falkner commanded again.

Noctowl made a beeline for Charizard, but the fire dragon flew out of the way once more. Noctowl then flew underneath it and looked Charizard straight in the eye.

"Use Extrasensory!" Falkner yelled.

Charizard suddenly began to grit its teeth in pain as it felt some type of force in its head. It was like its mind was being assaulted. Charizard then grabbed its head as Noctowl continued to attack it with some type of invisible force. Now that Charizard was busy with the Extrasensory, Falkner had an opening.

"Use Zen Headbutt again, Noctowl," Falkner yelled.

The owl Pokemon zipped towards Charizard and landed a solid hit right in its stomach. Charizard made a coughing noise once Noctowl hit it, but it didn't have the wind knocked out of it. The flame Pokemon was still struggling with the Extrasensory, though. It wasn't too long before Noctowl flew in for another Zen Headbutt. This time it struck Charizard in the back, and the process soon repeated itself.

Ash knew he had to think of something fast. He couldn't afford to lose any of his Pokemon this early in the match. Special attacks and physical attacks weren't really working before, but Charizard really couldn't do anything right now because of the Extrasensory attack assaulting its head. What could Charizard do that didn't really require it to move its body a lot? Ash began to go through a list of all of the known attacks of Charizard, and at last he found one that just might work if he was lucky. It would require Noctowl to be near the ground, though.

"Hey, Charizard! I know you can hear me! Fly down towards the ground!" Ash hollered.

Though it was still clutching its head, Charizard obeyed Ash and began to half fall, half fly back to the ground as fast as it could. Noctowl saw this and tore after the flame Pokemon. Charizard soon landed back on the ground, and Ash waited for the appropriate moment. He only had one shot at this before Falkner would realize what he was doing and not fall for it twice. This move was pretty inaccurate so Ash and Charizard had to time it just right.

"Your Charizard is completely helpless, Ash! It can't use any attacks now!" Falkner taunted.

Ash thought differently. Noctowl was almost upon Charizard now. All Ash had to do was wait for Noctowl to turn slightly to avoid hitting the ground, and he would strike. At last, Noctowl adjusted its angle so it was now on a collision with Charizard's midsection. Though it looked bad for Charizard as it was still writhing in pain, Ash knew it was now or never.

"Use Inferno, Charizard!" Ash hollered.

Charizard managed to open its eyes and glared at the incoming Noctowl. Suddenly, an intense fire sprang up from right underneath Noctowl. The owl Pokemon gave a surprised cry as it was engulfed by the flames. Charizard was now finally released from the Extrasensory, and it gave a few short breaths now that it was over before it watched Noctowl continue to be burned from inside the raging fire.

Finally, the attack relented, and Noctowl fell to the ground, covered in burns. It shakily tried to stand up to regain its momentum, but Ash wouldn't give it that luxury.

"Use Fire Punch!" Ash hollered.

Charizard then flew forward and crashed its fist into Noctowl. Despite the Reflect, Noctowl shot backwards until it crashed into one of the walls of the outside gym. It then fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"Noctowl!" Falkner cried in worry.

Noctowl gave a weak hoot in reply before it passed out. The judge then raised his flags.

"Noctowl is unable to battle!" he declared.

"Way to go, Charizard! You timed that Inferno perfectly!" Ash praised.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

Charizard gave a slight roar before it shot a victory Flamethrower into the sky.

Jimmy was rather wowed by the gym battle. These guys sure didn't play around when it came to battling. Ash was an experienced trainer who won the Orange League, and even he had a little bit of trouble against these guys. Jimmy then cast a look at the two pokeballs containing the only Pokemon he had right now: Cyndaquil and Hoothoot. Would these guys be enough to win against Falkner? He was promised a handicap, but even then, Jimmy knew he was still only using beginner Pokemon who had very little experience in battling.

"What are you thinking about, Jimmy?" Serena asked him once she saw his expression.

"These gym leaders. They sure are different compared to others," Jimmy replied.

"Yeah. I remember when Ash and I had our first real battle when we tried out the Battle Chateau in Viridian City," Serena said.

"How did you do?" Jimmy inquired.

"Well, we lost, actually, very badly," Serena answered honestly before she continued. "In the end, though, we both learned a good lesson."

"Man," Jimmy mumbled before he gave Serena a serious expression. "Serena, do you think my Pokemon are ready to take on a gym leader yet?"

"It's important that you decide that for yourself, Jimmy. Think about your Pokemon and where they are at right now in terms of strength. If you truly believe you can win, then by all means definitely go for it. Still, remember that there's no rush. That's one of the big mistakes Ash and I first made when we started our journeys. You have plenty of time to collect all the badges before the Silver Conference begins," Serena told him.

"Hmmm…," Jimmy mused as he turned back to the battle.

Falkner returned Noctowl before he gave a smile at the pokeball. "You battled well, my friend. Take a nice rest," he said before he looked at Ash. "Well, Ash, you surprised me with that attack, but can you handle my next Pokemon?"

"We sure can! Right, Charizard?" Ash asked, and Charizard gave a roar of agreement. Despite taking a lot damage, Charizard still had a lot of fight left in it.

"In that case, I choose Dodrio! You'll find three heads are much better than one!" Falkner declared and released the three headed bird Pokemon.

Ash, as well as the rest of the group, got a slightly puzzled look on their faces. They knew Falkner specialized in flying types, and that's what Dodrio technically was, but it seemed somewhat out of place for the gym leader.

"So one of your Pokemon is a Dodrio even though it can't fly?" Ash questioned, voicing the others' thoughts.

"Heh. If you heard all Dodrio can't fly then that's wrong!" Falkner smirked.

"You mean yours can?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Begin!" the judge yelled.

"Go, Dodrio! Use Agility!" Falkner called.

"Fly into the air, Charizard!" Ash commanded.

Dodrio began sprinting towards Charizard as fast as it could, but the fire dragon safely flew out of harm's way. At least that's what it thought. Dodrio gave a mighty leap into the air and slammed its three beaks into Charizard's stomach. Charizard gave a roar of pain and backed up to get away from the assault.

It didn't take Ash and the others long to realize what Falkner meant by saying his Dodrio could fly. It could leap so high and stay in the air for so long that it was like it could fly. Charizard would have to be careful as Dodrio was even faster than Noctowl.

"Use Drill Peck!" Falkner yelled now.

"Use Flamethrower!" Ash countered

As soon as Dodrio touched the ground, it leaped back high into the air after Charizard. The flame Pokemon opened its mouth for a Flamethrower, but Dodrio was so fast that it had already slammed its spinning beaks into Charizard's stomach. Despite this, Charizard pushed through the pain and still unleashed a Flamethrower. Dodrio howled in pain before it fell back to the ground.

"Your Charizard is very resilient. I'll give it that," Falkner complimented as Dodrio stood back up.

"I've had Charizard ever since it was a Charmander. We've had to push through more pain than you can imagine!" Ash replied.

"Heh. I bet so. I've trained with my flying Pokemon for a long time, too, though," Falkner said before he called out, "Use Agility and then Tri Attack!"

Dodorio then began to dash around the battlefield as fast as it could. Ash and Charizard frowned as they watched the three headed bird become a blur. So Falkner's strategy was to confuse Charizard and pull a sneak Tri Attack when Charizard didn't expect it. Ash knew Inferno wouldn't work for this, but he had another quick move for situations like this. Dodrio suddenly disappeared from the ground, and soon appeared behind Charizard, charging up the attack.

"Use Flame Burst!" Ash hollered.

A small explosion of flame erupted from Charizard's body just as Dodrio launched the Tri Attack. Charizard was struck by the triple attack and made a fall to the ground as the fire explosion sent Dodrio to the ground, too. The fire dragon fell on the ground first, and Dodrio used this to its advantage. It positioned its body and landed right on top of Charizard before it sank its talons into its backside. Charizard roared in pain at the extreme stinging in its back as Falkner called out another command.

"Let's finish this with Hyper Beam!" Falkner yelled.

"Use Flame Burst again, Charizard, and then fly after it!" Ash yelled.

Dodrio began to charge up Hyper Beam, but Charizard had another fiery burst come from its body. Dodrio was blown off Charizard as the fire dragon shakily stood to its feet. It had taken heavy damage, but Ash knew he couldn't let it rest just yet as Dodrio had resumed its charging of Hyper Beam. He then noticed that Charizard's tail was burning rather large which meant that its special ability, Blaze, had been activated.

"Grab Dodrio, Charizard!" Ash yelled.

Charizard flew towards the Dodrio, who was just about finished, and promptly grabbed it by the center head's beak with one hand and all three of its necks with the other. The Dodrio put on a look of surprise when Charizard did this and stood stunned as Ash issued his next attack

"Let loose your Flamethrower!" Ash yelled.

Charizard opened its mouth and really let Dodrio have it with the super charged Flamethrower. The triple bird Pokemon was engulfed in the fiery stream at point blank range. Dodrio writhed in agony at the flames before Charizard relented the attack. When it was over, Dodrio was almost completely black and let out a puff of smoke from each of its beaks. The flame Pokemon then released its hold on the bird, and it collapsed onto the ground and didn't get up.

"Dodrio is unable to battle!" the judge declared.

"Dodrio, my friend," Falkner muttered sadly.

"Way to go, Charizard!" Ash cheered.

Charizard once more looked towards the sky and shot a victory Flamethrower from its mouth. It then suddenly got a strained look on its face and fell to the ground on its knees. Ash and the rest of the group put on looks of sympathy as Charizard really battled hard. It just knocked out two tough flying types and had taken heavy damage. Ash then decided that his trusty fire dragon could use a break.

"You did amazing, Charizard. How about I let you rest for a little bit?" Ash suggested.

The fire dragon nodded its head in Ash's direction. It knew it didn't get to battle against Falkner's famed Pidgeot, but that was fine. It was extremely tired and looked forward to a good rest now.

Ash pulled out Charizard's pokeball and returned it before he smiled at it. "Thank you, Charizard. You knocked out two of Falkner's three Pokemon."

"Hey, Ash. You may have gotten two of my Pokemon, but you know my strongest is yet to come, right?" Falkner asked.

"Yeah. Your Pidgeot," Ash replied.

"That's correct. So tell me, are you planning on battling your Pidgeot with mine?" Falkner inquired.

Ash thought about that for a second. It did seem like a rather interesting idea. Pidgeot had never actually battled against its own kind before and was rather proud. With this information, Ash decided he shouldn't deny this type of challenge to one of his Pokemon. It was always interesting to see which was better. Ash then looked at Pikachu.

"Hey, Pikachu. I'm going to go ahead and use Pidgeot next. If your needed, I'll use you afterward," Ash told it.

"Pikachu," Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Ash then turned back to Falkner. "Alright, Falkner! I accept! Let's have our Pidgeot battle!" he yelled.

"Fine by me. Just know that yours is going to lose against mine. It was my first Pokemon!" Falkner stated as he released the bird Pokemon.

"Well, Pidgeot was the first Pokemon that I battled to capture!" Ash said as he released his own. He hadn't technically battled Butterfree before he caught it.

The two bird Pokemon appeared with a cry before they stood at the ready. They looked each other straight in the eye and never blinked. It was almost like the battle had already begun with their staring contest. It was clear that Falkner's Pidgeot was a little bigger than Ash's which put it at a slight disadvantage. He knew how many other of its flying type brethren that Pidgeot had taken down. It could still win. Just like its opponent, Ash had Pidgeot had pride on the line and couldn't afford to lose.

"This will be interesting," Misty commented

"I know. It's a battle between two extremely proud Pokemon. Even though Ash still has two Pokemon with one even being Pikachu, Falkner doesn't look the least bit nervous. He must seriously believe in the strength of his Pidgeot," Brock added.

"Just like Ash has believed in his Pokemon. He's not letting size get in the way," Serena finished.

 _"Ash sure is a great and kind trainer, unlike Jimmy,"_ Marina thought bitterly.

 _"Man. How am I going to stand up to this and still set things right with Marina?"_ Jimmy thought miserably.

"Begin!" the judge shouted.

"Alright, Pidgoet! Use Tailwind and then Quick Attack!" Falkner started.

The rival Pidgeot's tail began spinning like a fan, and before Ash could even blink, Falkner's Pidgeot had rammed its beak into his Pidgeot's chest area. Ash, as well as the others, were completely amazed with how fast that was. It was almost like Falkner's Pidgeot had teleported! He didn't even had time to call out a counter attack!

Ash's Pidgeot gave a small cry and stumbled backwards a few steps, but it was otherwise okay. Despite being a Pidgeot itself, even it was surprised at how fast its opponent moved. It would have to be extra careful. Pidgeot then used its keen eye to see if it could spot where Falkner's Pidgoet had gone to.

"Behind you, Pidgeot!" Ash hollered.

Pidgeot heard Ash and flew out of the way just in time as Falkner's Pidgeot swooped in again. It didn't do much good, however, as the rival Pidgeot simply changed its position, and its incredible speed made it catch up with Ash's Pidgeot very quickly.

"Use Agility to try to get away!" Ash hollered.

"Don't let that happen, Pidgeot! Use Twister!" Falkner yelled.

Ash's Pidgeot began picking up speed quickly, but a sudden twister sprang up right in front of it. Ash's Pidgeot slowed down upon seeing it, but that was all Falkner's Pidgeot needed to catch back up to it. The rival Pidgeot slammed its beak into Ash's Pidgeot's backside, and it was knocked into the Twister as a result.

"Use Air Slash to break free!" Ash hollered hopefully.

For a few seconds, nothing happened, but then everyone saw what looked like blades of air chop through the Twister. Ash's Pidgeot came from the opening a couple of seconds later with its feathers rather ruffled, but still looked okay.

"Hmm…not bad," Falkner mused. "Use Quick Attack, Pidgeot!"

"Use Feather Dance!" Ash hollered.

Once again, before anyone could blink, Falkner's Pidgeot had crashed into Ash's Pidgeot once more. However, Pidgeot didn't let that deter it. The bird Pokemon gave a call to the sky, and a mass of feathers began covering Falkner's Pidgeot. The rival Pidgeot made several cries as the feathers surrounded it. Ash smiled as that should seriously lessen the impact of its attacks.

"Use Steel Wing!" Ash yelled next.

"Mirror Move!" Falkner countered

Ash's Pidgeot shot forward as its wing glowed white. It delivered a solid hit to Falkner's Pidgeot as it was still trying to recover from the mass of feathers that had surrounded it. The larger Pidgeot gave a cry, but it soon batted Ash's Pidgeot away with one of its glowing wings.

"Now fly away!" Falkner called.

"After it, Pidgeot!" Ash followed up.

Falkner's Pidgeot soared high into the sky as Ash's Pidgeot followed it. Falkner's Pidgeot was a little faster, but as long as Ash's Pidgeot stayed behind it, it would have the advantage. That was until Falkner issued his next command.

"Quick Attack, Pidgeot!" he yelled.

Falkner's Pidgeot once more disappeared in the blink of an eye only to appear behind Ash's Pidgeot. The rival Pidgeot then picked up speed and slammed right into its opponent's midsection before soaring ahead of it once more.

"Don't even try to chase my Pidgeot, Ash! It will always find a way to get behind yours and attack!" Falkner told him.

"He's right," Ash muttered to himself.

No matter what he did, it seemed like Falkner's Pidgeot would always one up his in some way. He thought that Steel Wing would be a nice surprise attack, but that could only do so much if Falkner could just Mirror Move it. Even after using Feather Dance to lessen the opponent Pidgeot's blows significantly, his own Pidgeot could still only take so many hits.

"Use Hurricane, Pidgeot!" Falkner said next.

"Counter with your own Hurricane!" Ash shouted.

Both Pidgeot began to flap their wings as hard as they could to each other. Everyone else in the battle field had to shield themselves from the intense wind because it was so powerful. It was almost as if the two Pidgeot were at a stalemate as all of the Hurricanes were working against each other and instead just created a lot of pressure in the middle. That's when Falkner had an idea.

"We'll end this Pidgeot, my friend!" Get behind it and knock it right into where the Hurricanes meet!" Falkner yelled.

"Get out of there, Pidgeot!" Ash yelled upon hearing that, but it was too late.

Falkner's Pidgeot appeared once more behind Ash's Pidgeot and did a Quick Attack to send Pidgeot right into the chaotic middle before it resumed Hurricane. As soon as Pidgeot got in the middle, it suddenly felt like a ton of bricks fell on it. The pressure and gravity was so great that Pidgeot couldn't keep flight anymore. Instead, it began to plummet to the ground.

It didn't stop there, however Falkner's Pidgeot used its Hurricane to push its opponent further back, and Ash's Pidgeot went toppling over the edge of the gym grounds rather than falling on them.

"Pidgeot!" Ash cried as he ran to the edge of the Violet City Tower.

He saw Pidgeot falling to the ground several stories below and showed no signs of coming back up. He knew that had to be a massive blow to it and would probably cause Pidgeot to lose this battle once it hit the ground. He couldn't let that happen. He still had Pikachu, but he knew his Pidgeot had pride on the line so it couldn't afford to lose to another one.

"Come on Pidgeot! You can do it! Find it in you to start flying again! Be brave!" Ash shouted from above.

Pidgeot heard Ash's words and thought them over. Brave. Yes. That's what it had to be. It was a Pidgeot, a brave and proud Pokemon who couldn't lose to another one of its kind. So what if the other Pidgeot was bigger and stronger? All it had to do was believe and not give up! It could still win this! Despite the pain it was in, it would be brave!

Pidgeot gave another cry before it spread its wings to find the correct current again. Hurricane had messed up the wind patterns considerably, but it could still find them! It began to concentrate and then found what it need to. Pidgeot noticed it was only seconds away from hitting the ground and gave a mighty flap of its wings to keep it from crashing. Once it did that, it began to soar back up to the gym floor.

"Alright! Way to go, Pidgeot!" Ash cried as the rest of the group smiled brightly once they realized what that meant.

"What?!" Falkner cried that his Pidgeot was able to recover.

As Pidgeot was flying back up, Ash noticed Pidgeot had tucked its wings to its side as a certain type of glow appeared around it. His Pidgeot had an absolutely determined look on its face. His Pidgeot blew past him on the way up and made a beeline to its startled opponent.

"Get behind it, and use Air Slash!" Falkner hollered.

Before it was able to do that, Ash's Pidgeot beat it for a change. It charged with all of its might and smashed right into Falkner's Pidgeot, causing it to scream. The force was so great that Falkner's Pidgeot was blasted backwards quite distance. That attack clearly did a lot of damage.

"Woah," Ash muttered once he saw Pidgeot do that.

"Hey, Ash! I think your Pidgeot just learned Brave Bird! It's one of its strongest attacks!" Brock called out.

"Brave Bird," Ash mused.

That was definitely a suitable move for a Pokemon like Pidgeot. He then snapped his head back to the battle. His Pidgeot just learned a new move, and he should take advantage of it.

"Use Steel Wing!" Ash hollered.

Pidgeot then shot towards its rival while it was still recovering from the Brave Bird. It then slammed it glowing wings into Falkner's Pidgeot which it caused it to cry in pain again.

"Use Mirror Move!" Falkner hollered.

Falkner's Pidgeot's wings began to glow as well, but Ash's Pidgeot had already flown out of the way, and the attack missed by a long shot. Ash's Pidgeot was going to be brave and make full use of its Pidgeot pride.

"Use Brave Bird again!" Ash hollered.

"Watch out, Pidgeot!" Falkner cried.

Ash's Pidgeot then tucked its wings by its side before it turned around and began soaring back to its opponent. It began to glow as it got closer. Falkner's Pidgeot saw this and began to fly away while Ash's Pidgeot chased it. Ash noticed this and knew exactly what Falkner was planning to try to gain the upper hand again.

"Use Quick Attack!" Falkner hollered, confirming his predication.

"Turn around, Pidgeot!" Ash yelled.

Ash's Pidgeot was already facing the other direction as Falkner's Pidgeot disappeared. It sure had a nasty surprise waiting for it. As expected, Falkner's Pidgeot appeared right in front of its opponent, and its eyes widened once it saw the attack still coming towards it. Ash's Pidgeot slammed full force into Falkner's Pidgeot again, and this time, the rival bird Pokemon was sent soaring to the ground.

Falkner watched with worry as he watched his long-time friend fall. His Pidgeot soon crashed into the ground which brought up some debris. Ash's Pidgeot also flew to the ground to rest briefly as two Brave Birds had really taken a lot of it. It was breathing heavily, and Ash made a mental note to use that attack sparingly since there was some recoil from it.

It appeared to have paid off, though. As the dust settled, Falkner's Pidgeot was lying on the ground. It then tried to push itself up with its wings, but found itself unable to. It collapsed onto the ground as its eyes closed. Falkner's Pidgeot was knocked out, and Ash's Pidgeot won.

"Falkner's Pidgeot is unable to battle! Three of Falkner's Pokemon have been knocked out! That means the winner of this gym match is Ash Ketchum!" the judge called.

"That was amazing, Pidgeot!" Ash shouted as he ran towards it with Pikachu in tow.

Pidgeot turned around and gave a tired nod to Ash. Its fellow Pidgeot was definitely one of its toughest opponents yet, but it had managed to overcome it and learned a new attack in the process. It felt like a true Pidgeot now, proud and powerful. It then gave a victory cry to the sky as Ash hugged it.

Ash himself was really happy. He was able to win this gym match with two of his own flying type Pokemon and didn't even need to use Pikachu against them. This just showed that he really did have some of the most amazing Pokemon a guy could ask for. Charizard was able to defeat two of Falkner's Pokemon, and Pidgeot defeated a larger one of its kind. They were amazing.

Falkner looked at his own Pidgeot and sighed. It had beaten almost all of its fellow flying types in the past. Now, it looked like it finally met one of its own who was better than it was. Falkner then returned his friend to its pokeball and smiled at it.

"Don't feel bad, Pidgeot. I'm proud of you, and you are still an amazing Pokemon all by yourself. This loss just shows that we need to become even stronger and one day be the best," Falkner said to it.

Falkner then made his way over to Ash who was still hugging his Pidgeot. The raven-haired boy turned to look at the gym leader who was now smiling at him. Falkner then held out a silver u-shaped badge that looked like a wing.

"Here it is, Ash. Your flying type Pokemon were superior to mine in every way. You definitely deserve this Zephyr Badge. Wear it with the pride of a Pidgeot," Falkner told him.

"Thank you, Falkner," Ash replied as he took the badge from Falkner and looked at it.

Here it was. He had just taken his first step in going to the Silver Conference. It was his first badge in the Johto region out of many more he was going to collect. Now there was one down and seven to go. He could definitely do this.

He was soon joined by all of his friends as they came up to congratulate him. Serena, Marina, and Misty each hugged him while Brock and Jimmy shook his hand. Ash noticed something strange about the way Jimmy shook his hand and decided to inquire about it.

"Hey. What's up, Jimmy?" he asked.

"Oh. I'm good," Jimmy muttered.

"That reminds me," Falkner said as he turned to Jimmy. "You said you wanted to have a match with me, as well. Since this is your first gym match on your journey, I have slightly less experienced Pokemon for you to battle such as a Pidgeotto and a HootHoot. We can have the battle anytime."

"Did you hear that, Jimmy? Ready to win your first badge? We're all behind you!" Ash said as he gave Jimmy a thumbs up.

Jimmy then shook his head which caused Ash to get a puzzled look on his face. "Not today, guys. After I saw how a gym leader battles, I realized that I'm not ready to challenge one yet. Even if I do have a handicap, my Pokemon aren't strong enough to take on Falkner yet. All I have is Cyndaquil and Hoothoot, and they barely have any battle experience. I want to catch more Pokemon and become stronger before I try my hand at a gym leader."

Ash nodded his head in understanding. It seemed like that was a wise move on Jimmy's part. As a Pokemon trainer, it was important to know your limits. If Jimmy didn't believe he was ready to try a gym leader yet, then he probably wasn't. Ash then put his hand on Jimmy's shoulder to show his support.

"Hey. It's okay, Jimmy. You're right. There's no rush," Ash agreed.

"Yeah. Serena told me the same thing. There are still so many opportunities for me to get gym badges," Jimmy nodded before he added, "In fact, I think I'm going to part ways with you guys after we leave Violet City."

"Really?" Ash inquired as he looked at Jimmy sadly. He had grown to like the guy.

"Yeah. You guys have shown me a lot. I got to see what a real Pokemon battle and gym battle was like in person so I know what to expect. I was able to learn some cool strategies by watching you and getting some helpful tips from Dad. Now I want to grow by trying things out on my own," Jimmy replied.

"That's right. Didn't you and Marina say you would travel together?" Misty questioned.

Marina's expression darkened slightly as she turned away from Jimmy. The black-haired boy got a hurt expression on his face once Marina did this. Jimmy began to worry. He was taking this as a sign that Marina had no intention of coming with him. That did hurt a little. It was all they had talked about before they started their journey about how they would do it together. Now, it was almost the complete opposite. What was he supposed to do?

"Marina?" Jimmy questioned.

"I'll probably just travel on my own from now on or just go with Serena. I don't want to travel with a mondo jerk," Marina said with a huff.

Jimmy's felt his eyes water at Marina's harsh words. He very rarely cried, but it was hard not to. He had to fix things with Marina before they left Violet City. It was as Brock said. If he didn't do anything before Marina left, she may slip away from him forever. He was determined to talk to her tonight.

* * *

It was nighttime at the Pokemon Center in Violet City. Jimmy was sitting alone right now in the Pokemon Center lobby. He was speaking with his dad on the video phone and was letting him know of his decision to split with Ash's group now and tell him all he had learned.

"That's great, son! I knew Red Ketchum's son would teach you right!" Gold approved with a thumbs up.

"Yeah. I learned a lot for him, Dad. He was a great teacher. I now know what to expect on my journey so there shouldn't be too many surprises. Even though I'm not ready to take on gym leader, I will be soon. You'll be the first person I show my first badge, too," Jimmy replied.

"I better be, as well as when you get all eight badges!" Gold said.

"Heheheh. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Dad, but yeah. I'll do that, too," Gold responded.

"I take it Marina was able to learn a lot from Serena, too," Gold figured.

"Yeah. She was. All they talked about was fashion and performances," Jimmy mumbled.

Gold then noticed the tone of his son's voice. Sure, Jimmy held very little interest in those types of topics, but that wouldn't cause Jimmy to respond like that. Something was going on. It was then Gold finally realized how strange it was that Marina wasn't with right now. Those two were practically like glue and were always together. It was quite unlike him and Crystal who tried to avoid each other. Ironically, though, Crystal and Lyra were at his house right now because they were expecting a call from Jimmy and Marina there.

"Jimmy, is everything alright between you and Marina?" Gold asked in a moment of concern and seriousness.

"I have no idea, Dad. She's been so mad at me the past couple of days and I have no idea why," Jimmy sighed miserably.

"Is something wrong with Marina?" Crystal's voice came from Gold's side of the phone.

Gold was abruptly shoved out of the way as Crystal suddenly appeared on the screen. Her face was close to the screen as she looked around for her daughter. She had a worried look on her face.

"Where's Marina at, Jimmy? Can I talk to her?" Crystal asked.

"What the heck, Crys?!" Gold shouted angrily from the side, but Crystal ignored him.

"Hey, Ms. Crystal. No. Marina isn't in this room, but she's just fine. I think we're having a disagreement about something," Jimmy answered.

"About what?" Crystal questioned as Gold made Crystal scoot over so he could be viewed in the screen, too.

"I don't know. She won't tell me," Jimmy mumbled.

"Are Jimmy and Marina fighting?" Lyra's voice sounded from the side.

"Not now, sweetie," Crystal replied to her right where Lyra presumably was.

"But they're supposed to be in love!" Lyra complained.

Gold and Crystal sighed at Lyra's words while Jimmy blushed. It was like Marina was anything but in love with him right now. She was treating like an enemy and didn't want anything to do with him.

"Please, Lyra," Crystal said to her daughter before she turned back to Jimmy.

"Do you guys think it has anything to do with my attitude towards her?" Jimmy asked.

"What do you mean? Have you treated her badly?" Gold wondered.

"Well, I mean, I haven't treated her any differently than I normally do…I think," Jimmy said.

"Okay. What was the last thing you said to Marina before you noticed her change in attitude towards you," Crystal asked.

"Well, we were talking about Serena's birthday and how Ash and Serena were always there for each other and how they always got great gifts. Marina then got angry and asked why I never did anything like that for her. I told her I don't know and that it wasn't a big deal, and she's treated me like garbage ever since," Jimmy answered.

"I think I see," Crystal nodded.

"What did I do wrong? I always get a gift for Marina. I was just scared last time because I didn't know she would like it," Jimmy shrugged.

"Jimmy, think about it. Marina is under the impression that you don't care at all about her," Crystal said seriously.

"That's not true! Of course I care about Marina! She's my best friend!" Jimmy argued.

"And future wife!" Lyra added from the side.

"Lyra!" Crystal scolded before she turned back to Jimmy. "We know she is your best friend, but I don't think you've shown it a lot lately. Marina's actually told me so before on the phone, but I needed to hear it from you, too."

"How so?" Jimmy wondered.

"Jimmy, your problem is that your in such denial about your feelings for my daughter that you do everything you can to not show it, and yes, me and everyone else on the planet know about it," Crystal added the last part once she saw Jimmy's expression.

"But…," Jimmy started to protest, but Gold cut him off.

"Come on, son. Don't lie to yourself. We all know you like Marina. Just say it. You'll feel a lot better," Gold said.

Jimmy sighed and hung his head. Was that really what Marina was angry about? Was he so determined to not show his feelings lately that he had been pushing Marina away? He then remembered that every time Marina had asked for his opinion on something they could do together or for a compliment, he would always deny her that. Did that seriously upset her? He just didn't want her to get the wrong idea that she would take a compliment as something romantic and treat him weird because of that. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings.

"I think you see it now," Crystal nodded when Jimmy got a slightly guilty look on his face.

"Man. No wonder Marina thinks I've been a jerk to her lately," Jimmy muttered as tears came to his eyes for the second time that day.

"It's okay, Jimmy," Crystal soothed.

"I'm not ready to tell her, though. I just want her to like me again," Jimmy stated as he grit his teeth to fight back to the tears

"Son, even if you like Marina but don't want her to know, you can still be her friend. Just treat her like you always have before this whole mess started. You always played house and pretended to be husband and wife and always were together every winking moment," Gold said.

"Dad…," Jimmy trailed at the embarrassing memories.

"Of course we don't mean you have to pretend to be husband and wife, but just have fun in your conversations and flirting with each other. Marina's a smart girl and will know not to take you seriously so don't take her advances to you seriously. Both of you will know when the time is right," Crystal informed.

"Yeah. It's okay if Crystal and I treat each other like garbage because that's just how we are, but you and Marina aren't like that," Gold added.

"Just shut up, Gold," Crystal sighed and bopped him on the back of the head.

"Super serious girl. I was just kidding," Gold muttered under his breath.

Jimmy chuckled slightly and his dad and Crystal's antics. They definitely had a love hate relationship, and it worked for them. He and Marina were different, though. They were always joined at the hip and needed to be that way for their relationship to thrive. If Marina ultimately decided not to travel with him, and if he allowed it to happen, they would just drift apart on bad terms, possibly forever. That's the last thing Jimmy wanted.

"You're right. I've been cold to Marina because I didn't want my true feelings to show. I won't do that anymore. I'm going to let her know that I really care for her and ask her to travel with me," Jimmy declared.

"There you go, son!" Gold smiled.

As if on cue, Marina walked into the Pokemon Center lobby. She probably had come in to make a call to her mother since she was expecting one. Upon seeing Jimmy as the only other occupant in the room, she glared and promptly turned to leave the room without a word. Gold and Crystal noticed this, as well, and nodded at Jimmy to go to her.

"Go get her, Jimmy," Gold whispered.

"Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Ms. Crystal. I'll talk to you, guys, later!" Jimmy said hurriedly.

"Make her love you!" Lyra called just before Jimmy hung up the phone.

Jimmy then stood up from his seat and chased after Marina. He couldn't allow things to go on like this between them any longer. He now knew exactly what it was he had to do. It may have been slightly embarrassing to receive advice from their parents, but they did know a lot.

"Marina, wait up!" Jimmy called after her.

Marina stopped at Jimmy's words but didn't turn around. The blue-haired girl then crossed her arms before an audible sigh escaped her lips. She didn't speak before Jimmy stopped a few feet behind her.

"What do you want, Jimmy?" Marina asked in annoyance.

"Come on, Marina. Please look at me. There's something I want to say to you. I can't say it if you're looking away," Jimmy muttered.

Marina turned around and fixed Jimmy with a glare. Jimmy flinched slightly as Marina looked at him like that. After knowing this girl practically his whole life, to see her like this was sort of out of place. He suddenly didn't know what to say to her. Jimmy began to sweat as Marina continued to stare at him. However, Marina was getting a little impatient and placed her hands on her hips.

"If you aren't going to say anything than I'm leaving," Marina declared as she went to leave again.

 _"No! I can't let her walk away!"_ Jimmy screamed in his mind before he shouted. "Wait, Marina!"

As Marina turned around once more, Jimmy did something completely unexpected. He stepped forward and kissed Marina smack on the lips. Marina let out a muffled cry as she felt Jimmy's lips on her. Both of their minds were a whirl right now, and neither knew quite how to respond. Jimmy couldn't bring himself to take his lips off of Marina's. Marina was just frozen in shock.

Finally, after a few seconds, Marina's brain finally took action. She wound her fist back and punched Jimmy across the face. The black-haired boy let out startled yelp as he fell backwards onto the floor with a dazed look on his face. Marina's face was as red as a tomato as she shook with rage at Jimmy. Out of all the things Jimmy was expecting Marina would do, he certainly didn't think she would hit him. Isn't that what she wanted?

"You…you…you creep!" Marina cried out. "What was that for?!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I just panicked!" Jimmy frantically tried to amend and quickly covered his face in case Marina punched him again.

"Ugh! I can't believe you, Jimmy! You idiot!" Marina exclaimed.

"At least I finally got you to talk to me," Jimmy smiled sheepishly as stood up from the floor. However, he sweat dropped when he saw Marina wasn't amused.

"Humph!" Marina grunted as she turned away from Jimmy.

Jimmy watched Marina storm off and realized he needed to fix this fast. He had made too many mistakes now and really needed to set things right.

"Marina, wait! I'm really sorry! That isn't what I wanted to say to you!" Jimmy called desperately. "Please! Just give me another chance!"

Marina stopped once more and spun around to give Jimmy an evil eye. This time, Jimmy ignored the look she was giving him and put a resolute expression on his face. He knew what needed to be said now and wasn't going screw up again.

"Marina, I'm sorry," Jimmy stated.

"For?" Marina questioned, not easing up on her expression.

"For everything!" Jimmy cried. "You were right! I've been a jerk to you, lately, and I'm sorry! I promise you that I wasn't doing it on purpose, though!"

"Really?" Marina said somewhat doubtfully, but her expression did soften.

"Really," Jimmy affirmed. "I now know that I was being really insensitive to you. All you were trying to do this whole time was want me to hang out with you and compliment you like we always did. I wasn't doing that so I understand why you're mad at me. I'm sorry!"

Marina's angry face finally melted away at Jimmy's words. It was now replaced by sadness. When Jimmy saw Marina's face like that, it almost broke his heart. He hung his head down at what Marina said next.

"Why did you treat me like that, Jimmy? You acted like you didn't want anything to with me. It made me think that you cared nothing about being my friend and didn't like me, anymore," Marina said as she let out a sniff and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Marina. The reason was I acted like that is because I don't know how to deal with my feelings," Jimmy replied.

"What feelings?" Marina questioned.

"Uhh…nothing!" Jimmy said hurriedly and blushed before he got a serious look on his face. "The point is I treated you wrong because of them. You're my best friend, Marina. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. I really am sorry."

"You really mean it, Jimmy?" Marina asked hopefully.

"I do. I promise I won't treat you like that ever again. I want things to be just like they always were between us. I want to spend every moment with you and not be separated with you just like we promised to each other," Jimmy declared.

"What are you saying, Jimmy?" Marina wondered as her eyes shined.

"I really want us to travel on our journeys together, Marina. I want us to experience things together and have a lot of fun. I couldn't do it by myself. I need you with me, Marina. If you accept my apology, I'd really love to have you with me," Jimmy said sincerely.

Marina stared at Jimmy as she thought it over. So he finally realized what it was he had done. He had hurt her greatly, but Marina knew that she had hurt Jimmy, too. This was all just a huge misunderstanding, and she should've known that Jimmy wouldn't intentionally hurt her. Tears came to Marina's eyes as she threw her arms around Jimmy.

"Yes, Jimmy. I'd love to travel with you! We'll be the most fabulous traveling group ever!" Marina cried.

Jimmy smiled when Marina said that and didn't try to slip out of her grip. He knew Marina was just an affectionate person. In fact, he even hugged her back. Yes. He wasn't going to deny his feelings for her anymore, but even as friends, they were allowed to hug each other. Maybe one day…

"I'm really happy to hear you say that, Marina. Thank you for giving me another chance," Jimmy told her.

"Of course," Marina nodded before she broke her hug with Jimmy and suddenly gave him an annoyed look.

Jimmy tilted his head in confusion at Marina. Why was she looking at him like that? He thought things were good between them now.

"Seriously, though, Jimmy. Try to show a little more tact when you want to talk to someone," Marina stated.

"Huh?" Jimmy questioned.

"If you ever kiss me without my consent again, I'll knock your block off," Marina smirked.

"Eheheheheheheh! Sorry! I won't!" Jimmy laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head.

* * *

It was the next morning, and the group was now standing on the outside of Violet City. Apparently the trail split off here. One way would lead west to Ecruteak City, and the other way went south to Azalea Town. Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty were standing on the side that went south while Marina and Jimmy stood on the other side. They had a lot of fun together, but it was time for them to part ways.

"Well, Jimmy, it's been great!" Ash said as he held out his hand for Jimmy.

"You know it, pal! Thanks a lot for everything! I hear this way has some stronger Pokemon so Marina and I are going this way to catch some more! Then I'll be strong enough to challenge the gym leader!" Jimmy smiled as he shook Ash's hand enthusiastically.

Serena and Marina were hugging each other tightly and not letting go. They must've said goodbye to each other at least a hundred times by now and gave the other their Pokegear number an equal amount of times. At last, they broke contact.

"It's been fabuloso, darling! I sure will miss our performance chats!" Marina said sadly.

"Me, too!" Serena cried.

"Did you guys already forget that you have each other's Pokegear numbers?" Jimmy mumbled.

"Oh! Right! Silly us!" Marina giggled. "Let's call each other often and talk about more performance tips!"

"Definitely!" Serena agreed.

"Oh, brother," Ash and Jimmy sighed. They might as well get used to their traveling buddies talking a lot about that.

"I'll call you when I get my first Performance key!" Serena spoke up.

"Me, too! Best of luck! We may even meet at a performance!" Marina replied.

Jimmy then switched topics by turning to Brock. "Well, Brock, I can honestly say that no one cooks like you. That's the best food I've had in forever!"

"No problem, Jimmy!" Brock smiled as he shook the boy's hand.

Jimmy then leaned in and whispered to Brock, "You didn't happen to sneak some recipes to Marina, right? Her cooking isn't the best."

"I heard that, Jimmy!" Marina shouted and stamped her foot.

"Hahahaha! I'm just kidding, Marina! Your cooking's passable," Jimmy grinned.

"More like the best thing you ever tasted!" Marina insisted.

"Okay! Okay! I surrender!" Jimmy said as he held his hands up in mock defeat.

The group smiled as they watched Jimmy and Marina smirk at each other as they weren't serious. They really were happy that the two were able to work things out between them. Even they thought it was odd how they were acting after what they saw on the first day they met them. Now, it was just like old times between them all. They were sure Jimmy and Marina would have a blast together on their journey just like they did.

"Don't forget to go in when the time is right," Brock whispered while Misty sighed.

"Yeah. Yeah. Sure, Brock," Jimmy muttered with a roll of his eyes, but not denying it like he used to.

"Well…I guess we better get going," Ash sighed.

"Yeah," Jimmy muttered.

"You know what, Jimmy? I think we'll meet each other again so I won't say goodbye," Ash stated.

"You bet! Let's meet at the Silver Conference!" Jimmy agreed.

"Count on it!" Ash nodded.

"Pika!" Pikachu added.

"Wave to them, Togepi," Serena said as she moved the young Pokemon's arms in a goodbye motion.

"Togeprriiii!" Togepi laughed.

"It's so adorable!" Marina cooed before she turned to Jimmy. "Still up for hatching an egg together?"

"Sure. Why not?" Jimmy shrugged which caused Marina to beam.

"Super cool! This journey is going to be awesome!" Marina cheered.

"Well, Ash, see you!" Jimmy declared and gave Ash a thumbs up.

"Right back at ya!" Ash smiled and returned the gesture.

With that, the two groups turned and went in the opposite directions. One group was experienced, and the other was still new. One thing was certain, though. Despite the completely different levels of skill, their goals were the same. They were each training to be the best at whatever they did. They also had a promise to meet each other again at the top. They parted ways, but they would end up at the same place.

As Jimmy and Marina disappeared from sight, Ash had a small time to reflect on their meeting with them. He had actually been able to teach someone the basics of being a Pokemon trainer and was able to give out some good advice to help get him started. Ash's dad's words echoed in his head that one of the steps of being able to take care of one's self was to mentor someone else. Now that Ash did that, he felt like he was growing up ever so slightly.

Ash then turned to Brock and smiled. Yeah. He was ready to learn everything he could from Brock now. He was determined by this time next year to not be dependent on anybody. He was Ash Ketchum, future Pokemon Master. He was now ready to grow up and really become the best like no one ever was.

* * *

 **And they've parted ways. Jimmy and Marina (and Vincent) will show up periodically throughout the arc like Gary and Leaf. Speaking of Gary and Leaf, I think it's about time the group had a meeting with them again. Maybe Azalea Town or Goldenrod City or somewhere in between? Well...we'll see them before long.**

 **Next chapter is another kind of spooky chapter with foreshadowing. Then again, it has the creepy alphabet soup Pokemon in it so what do you expect? Also, Serena finally catches her first Johto Pokemon next chapter! I think it suits her nicely.**

 **Next chapter will be up mid to late July. See you all then, and as always, thanks for all the continued support!**

 **Chapter Eleven: Into the Unown**


	11. Into the Unown

**A/N: Enjoy the chapter!  
**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon  
**

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Into the Unown

 _The Ruins of Alph: A place where you can find a former adventure._

The group was reading a sign they came across while traveling south. It had only been two days since they left Violet City, and they were now on the way to Azalea Town. They were at a fork in the road here, though.

"Hmm…," Brock mused as the group stood in front of the large sign. "It says the Ruins of Alph are this way."

"What are the Ruins of Alph?" Misty asked.

"I've heard of this place," Brock answered as he rubbed his chin. "They are supposed to hold some sort of mystery. It's really popular with archaeologists."

"Do a lot of Pokemon Trainers visit this place?" Ash inquired this time.

"I don't think so. There isn't really a lot here to gain for them so they just end up passing it by," Brock replied.

The tanned teen then took out his guidebook to read from it. He thumbed through the pages until he found the section he wanted. He then cleared his throat before he began to read.

"The Ruins of Alph are over a thousand years old. They contain ancient writings all over them that are the key to unlocking its mysteries. Legend has it that the person who is able to solve the puzzles there will be able to have any wish granted," he commentated.

"Any wish granted?" Misty asked with wide eyes. "What would cause that?"

"I guess that's the thing," Brock shrugged as he put the guidebook away. "Nobody knows."

"I think we should check them out," Ash stated as he adjusted his cap.

"What for? There's probably just a bunch of boring old ruins there. We heard Brock. There isn't anything to be gained for Pokemon trainers," Misty argued.

"Well, we aren't like other Pokemon trainers," Ash smirked and turned to Pikachu. "What do you think, buddy? Want to learn the secret of the Ruins of Alph?"

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu nodded.

"Well, they could be interesting. I'm sure if we check them out for today that it won't take too much of our time," Brock agreed.

"Well, okay. It's not like we have anything better to do," Misty shrugged.

"What about you, Serena?" Ash asked as he turned to the honey-blonde girl, who had been oddly silent the past few minutes.

Serena had a dazed expression on her face and appeared to be in some sort of trance. She hadn't heard Ash's question. For some reason, ever since they had approached the sign, she was hearing strange sounds in her head. She didn't quite understand what was going on, but it was almost like they were beckoning her to come. It was coming from the direction of the Ruins of Alph. This was really weird and a little freaky.

Seeing as he got no response, Ash went over and waved his hand in front of Serena's face. Only then did Serena seem to snap out of her daze and finally looked at Ash. The raven-haired boy raised his eyebrows at Serena's strange behavior.

"What's up, Serena? You looked like you spaced out for a moment," Ash told her.

"Huh?" Serena asked stupidly.

"We were asking what you thought about us visiting the Ruins of Alph," Misty said.

"Oh…what are those?" Serena questioned.

Everyone stared at her, even Togepi. Did she really just miss the entire conversation they had? Ash frowned slightly before he sighed.

"Hey, Serena. Are you feeling okay?" Ash inquired with concern.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Serena replied before she added. "Checking out the Ruins of Alph is fine. Let's go."

"Well, okay," Brock said uncertainly as he and Misty turned to go.

Ash held back, however, and gave Serena a serious look. He knew this wasn't normal for Serena and wanted to get to the bottom of it right now. He was still a little oblivious to things, but he knew when something was bothering his girlfriend. Her spaced out, confused expression reminded him of the time her ESP was going out of control in Tohjo Falls.

"What's going on, Serena?" he asked.

"Umm…," Serena uttered, unable to find the right words to describe it.

"Is your ESP bothering you?" Ash asked bluntly.

"No. It isn't that. I just hear a bunch of strange sounds in my head," Serena replied.

"What?" Ash questioned.

Serena blushed in embarrassment at how silly that sounded. She didn't want Ash or anyone else to think she was some sort of schizophrenic person. Serena then saw that Ash wasn't looking at her like she was crazy. He only had concern on it.

"What kind of sounds are they?" Ash wondered.

"I don't know, but…," Serena trailed.

Should she tell Ash that it sounded like she was being called to go to the Ruins of Alph? How would he take it? Would he call off the venture to go there? Would he insist that they go there to find out what it was? Would he check her into a mental institution? Well, probably not the last one.

Ash sighed and placed his hands on Serena's shoulders. He looked her straight in the eyes before he spoke.

"Serena, if something was really bothering you, you would tell me, right?" he asked. "I know it was a while back, but I still remember how you acted in Tohjo Falls."

"Oh, no! It isn't like that, or at least I don't think it is," Serena finished a little lamely.

"Then what it is?" Ash pressed.

"I feel fine, Ash. You're right. If I truly felt something was wrong, I would tell you. I don't want to keep any secrets," Serena said and flashed him a bright smile.

Ash seemed satisfied with that answer and nodded his head. "Okay. I trust you, Serena."

He then gave her a small kiss on the cheek before they set off after Brock and Misty. As they walked, Serena's smile slowly slid off her mouth. She was being truthful to Ash when she said she would tell him if something was wrong. This didn't feel like something was necessarily wrong with _her_ , however. As they walked along, the sounds strange sounds started to appear inside of her head once more. What was she hearing?

* * *

About ten minutes later, the group could see what looked like large, jagged rocks sticking up from the ground. There were also several small buildings surrounding the huge stalagmites. The group looked in wonder as they got to the official entrance to the Ruins of Alph. There was an old ticket booth at the entrance which was clearly no longer in use. Apparently, these ruins used to be popular with tourists, but as Brock said, the place was only mainly used for research now. It didn't attract enough people to warrant a profit.

This proved to be true as they appeared to be the only ones here at the moment. They didn't even see any archaeologists around. Of course, that didn't mean that there wasn't anybody inside of the ruins, but it was still pretty sparse.

Sparse didn't mean they were by themselves, however. As the group looked around, they spotted a figure by one of the huge stone pillars. Curious as to what it was, the group walked a little closer and could see it was a Pokemon. It wasn't a Pokemon any of them had seen however. It was a dog-like Pokemon with white and brown fur and stood on two legs. It had a long tail that resembled a paint brush. Basically, if a puppy ever wanted to be an artist, it would look like this.

"I wonder what this is," Ash muttered as he and Serena took out their national dexes.

"Smeargle, the painter Pokemon. A special fluid oozes from its tail, and it uses this to mark its territory. More than five thousand different types of marks can be found by this Pokemon," the national dexes informed.

"Hmm…I think it's kind of cute," Misty smiled as she watched it.

"Well, its painting on the ruins now. I guess it's marking these ruins as its own?" Ash guessed.

"Not likely. I think Smeargle like to…err…mark their territory a different way," Brock said.

It was then the group realized what this Pokemon was doing once they saw the paintings. It wasn't marking its territory! It was just painting graffiti all over it. The group frowned and marched their way over to the Pokemon. The Smeargle didn't appear to notice the group until they had already gotten over to it.

"Hey, Smeargle. What gives? These are pretty important and have a lot of importance. You can't just paint graffiti all over it," Ash told it.

"Wow, Ash. Since when did you care about ruins and history?" Misty joked.

"Well, I don't really, but I still know vandalism when I see it," Ash replied.

The Smeargle stopped painting graffiti on the ruins, and it gave the group a curious glance. For a while, nobody did anything. They looked back and forth to each other. After a while, Smeargle appeared to get angry and went back to painting graffiti.

"Hey. Hold on, now. That's a bad attitude," Serena said as she went right into front of Smeagle and glared at it.

The Smeagle seemed to smirk at that. Serena didn't like that look. It reminded her too much of another Pokemon she has that's just like that. Before she could do anything about it, Smeargle gave a leap and brushed its tail across Serena's face. Serena shrieked as she felt the ooze go all across her face. The Smeargle then laughed and took off.

Yeah. It reminded her of Poliwag…

Serena gritted her teeth as she pulled a cloth out of her backpack and began to fiercely wipe her face to get the ooze off. As she turned to the group, she could see that they were trying hard not to laugh at her. Almost all of her face had been painted black.

"Ugh! Just what I need…another Poliwag," Serena grumbled as she continued to wipe her face.

"Well, look on the bright side, Serena. You did make it stop. It's gone now," Ash said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Whatever," Serena muttered.

"Well, I say we go ahead and check out what's inside the buildings," Brock suggested to change the subject.

As the group made their way inside one of the buildings, its turned out the Smeagle hadn't left, after all. It peaked around the side of the rock and let out a snicker. It got that girl good! It had been pretty bored lately, and this seemed like the perfect distraction for it. Smeagle began to swing its tail in its paws and merrily skipped after the group, all the while plotting its next move. It would make them pay for insulting its artwork! How dare they call it graffiti!

* * *

The inside of the ruins looked just as dilapidated as the outside. It was also a rather small room. Ancient manuscripts marked the walls as the group ventured inside. They stared curiously at the strange markings on the wall. Honestly, the strange markings looked really creepy. It was probably because they had eyes. Misty grimaced at the markings.

"What are these things supposed to be?" she asked.

"I think they're the Unown," Brock answered.

"Unown?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah. Very little is known about them. Archaeologists say they live in a separate dimension. They've tried to study these ruins for years as they believe it's possible to open a portal to the world of the Unown with the right tools. It's probably the secret to getting anyone's wishes granted, or they can show you the future," Brock said.

Serena and Ash took out their national dexes again to look them up.

"Unown, the symbol Pokemon. Their flat shapes look like hieroglyphics on ancient tables. It is said that the two are somehow related," said the helpful machines.

"Wow. So these weird markings contain some sort of message?" Ash questioned as he and the others stared at the writing on the wall.

Serena was staring intently at the markings. She had been oddly quiet once they entered the ruins as she could hear those strange sounds in her head again. What on Earth were they? Serena's eyes then widened when she saw one the markings she was looking at move. She jumped backwards in alarm as everyone turned to look at her in surprise.

"Serena! What's wrong?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Th-those markings just moved!" Serena cried as she pointed at the walls.

The group turned to where she was pointing and looked at it in confusion. They looked just as still as all the others. Brock turned to look at Serena and crossed his arms in doubt.

"Are you sure, Serena? I mean…it could've just been an optical illusion from seeing so many of these close together," Brock reasoned.

Serena relaxed only slightly as she heard Brock's words. She squinted her eyes as she looked at the markings in question. She could've sworn she saw it move. Yet, here it was, just as still and lifeless as the others. It was making her a little uneasy. Not to mention that those sounds in her head were more forceful ever since they got here.

"I guess," she mumbled.

Brock then went over to an old stone chest and opened it. Inside, he found several stone pieces in the shape of a square about the size of his palm. They had the same markings as the wall. He then looked at the blank, stone table with a slate on it in front of him. It looked to be some sort of puzzle. He picked one up and inspected it.

"Hmm…this is interesting," Brock noted.

The rest of the group followed the tanned teen over and looked at what it was. This puzzle was probably what archaeologists spent most of their time trying to solve when they were here. Well, if they couldn't figure out, the group sure didn't think they could.

"This stuff is weird. We have absolutely no clues to go on while we're here. I think this is a waste of time," Misty muttered.

"Aw, come on, Misty. Aren't you a little curious about what secrets the Unown might be able to show someone?" Brock asked as he gave her a light smile.

"These Unown are a little creepy. I don't think we can get any secrets from them. It's probably just a bunch of bologna anyway," Misty shrugged.

The group realized she was probably right. It was a little boring here, and their venture had proved a little fruitless. Still, it was a little neat to see some of these writings. Serena was especially glad to get out of here. Those strange, beckoning sounds in her head just wouldn't leave her alone. She turned with the rest of the group to leave…only to slip.

Serena cried out as she fell on her behind and felt a splat underneath her. The others turned and saw there was a well-placed slab of ooze that was directly behind Serena. That's weird. It wasn't there before. She stood up from her feet and looked behind her and gasped when she saw huge globs of goo all over the back of legs and bottom. She seriously hoped this wouldn't leave a stain.

The group then heard laughter echoing around the chamber. The culprit soon revealed itself to be a Smeargle that stepped out from behind the stone table. That's the second time it had gotten that girl. She was too easy!

"Wow. I think this Pokemon is cute, but it has a bad attitude," Misty muttered in disdain as they watched it laugh.

Serena narrowed her eyes. So this Pokemon thought it was a prankster, did it? She had enough of that from her Poliwag. She didn't need it from this thing, too! It only added to it when Smeargle extended the tongue hanging from its mouth at her. It didn't take a genius to know that it was its way of mocking her.

She took a step towards Smeargle to give it a piece of her mind only to slip again. This time she landed on her stomach and subsequently her face. Okay. That did it. Serena was seriously mad right now. Her ooze covered face glared up at the Smeagle as it laughed again and took off down a nearby corridor.

"Come back here!" Serena screamed as she took off after it. She'll show this thing what's what!

"Wait up, Serena!" Ash yelled as he picked up Togepi, and he and the others chased after her.

As the group left the room, the Unown markings on the wall glowed blue…

Serena had to admit that this Smeargle was quick, but she wasn't about to let it get out of her sight. She was a complete mess because of this thing! It was uncharacteristic of her to be this angry, but her wrath had been awoken again. She did many twists and turns throughout the ruins as she tried to keep up with the Smeargle

She did briefly note that the inside of these ruins were a lot bigger on the inside than they appeared to be. She didn't dwell on it too much, however, as she was still focused on getting that Smeargle…probably capture it, too.

It wasn't too long before Serena turned a corner and found they had reached a dead end. The Smeargle was up against the wall as it stared at Serena. The honey-blonde girl smiled triumphantly when she saw it had nowhere to go. Despite this, the Smeargle held up its paintbrush tail in a defensive manner. So it was prepared to defend itself, was it? That was fine. It would make it all the more satisfying to capture this thing.

Serena grabbed for Fennekin's pokeball when she stopped. Her expression change to confusion as she looked around and saw the hieroglyphics on the wall were glowing. Smeargle also lost its mischievous expression and looked around curiously, too.

The glowing symbols then started spinning like mad as strange sounds came from them. They sounded just like what she had been calling out to her since she was near the ruins. Serena's eyes then lit up in realization when she realized what the strange sounds she heard in her head were all along. They were the Unown! Why were they doing this now, though?! Why were they acting so strange?!

Serena soon got a frightened expression on her face as the sounds got louder and louder. They were also getting louder inside of her head. What was going on?! Serena fell onto her knees and clutched her head in a desperate attempt to get it to stop. A huge crack of light soon seemed to appear in the air itself as black shapes appeared all around the hall. Soon, the bright light engulfed Serena and Smeargle, and they were both gone. Immediately, the mysterious symbols disappeared, and the markings on the wall quit moving and faded back to normal

Ash, Misty, and Brock reached the area just in time to see the light overtake Serena. Ash immediately ran towards the light, but it was already gone. The three then looked around as everything turned back to normal, and they got a panicked expression on their face.

"Wh-what just happened?!" Misty cried.

Ash ran towards the markings on the wall and stared at them angrily. He then began to pound his fist the stone wall in an attempt to get it to do something. Pikachu Thundershocked the walls, and Togepi walked up to walls and began to cry that they took its mommy. All of their efforts proved fruitless, though. The walls were as lifeless and inactive as they were when the group first arrived here. It was like they never were alive at all.

Ash turned back to Brock and Misty who just had a look of pure shock on their faces. They were just as astounded. Ash began panting heavily as he and the others had no idea what happened to Serena. What if she was sucked into the supposed other dimension? What were they supposed to do now?

Unable to do anything else, Ash let out a loud scream of frustration mixed with terror.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Serena had no idea where she was. She was floating in what seemed to be an endless abyss. She was surrounded by shining blue on all sides with explosions of white and black. It definitely looked like something someone would see if they had taken drugs.

The mysterious shapes swirled around in the abyss for several times. For a while, the strange sounds that were apparently the Unown had stopped. Was it because she was actually in front of them now that the sounds had quit appearing in her head. At last, a monotonous voice that sounded like it belonged to a robot sounded around Serena. Despite this, it still sounded like a collection of voices speaking than just one.

 _"We are the Unown."_

Serena's eyes widened. These things could actually speak? She had no idea whether to be frightened or intrigued by the situation she was in.

 _"You were drawn to us by your ESP."_

"My ESP?" Serena questioned to herself. Is that why only she could hear the Unown in her head? That still didn't explain why she was here, though.

 _"We will show you our power."_

Serena tilted her head in curiosity. What power were they referring to, and why were they showing it to her? She had no idea what these Pokemon were or what their purpose was. What was going on?

 _"You discovered us. We will show you our power. We will show you the future._ "

"The future?" Serena echoed.

The Unown didn't answer. They just continued to swirl around Serena in the seemingly endless void. A few seconds later, they began to arrange themselves in a large square at least twenty feet high. Serena had no idea if they were doing this in a particular order or not. Within the square, a bright light began to appear until began to look like some sort of flickering screen.

It wasn't long before the flickering screen began forming pictures. The pictures then began to move, and it was like Serena was watching a film in a movie theater. Serena saw herself, Ash, Brock, and Misty all laughing and chatting merrily. Though confused, Serena smiled at the scene as it reminded her of all the great times she had and apparently will have with her friends.

The scene changed, and she saw herself doing various Pokemon performances. She was in front of a large audience, and she was sure all of her friends and Ash were in the crowd, too. She was doing all sorts of things and seemed to have a lot of fun doing it while the audience applauded for her. Well, it seemed that she would be doing okay in performances which released some of her apprehension about it. While she was doing her showcase, Serena could see an older woman with gray hair that she didn't know watching from the sides. The woman had a stern yet interested look on her face.

The scene then changed, and Serena's smile morphed into a frown when she saw she was now out in the rain, and she was crying. If she didn't know better, she would've said she looked a little older here, maybe fourteen or fifteen? She was all by herself and no one was there to comfort her, not her mother, not even Ash. Where was everyone?

The scene changed again. Serena was once again by herself, and she still looked a little older than her current age. The honey-blonde girl had no idea what to make of this situation. Why on Earth was she by herself, and where was Ash? She soon got her question answered when she saw a boy appear. Serena smiled and almost wanted to blush when she saw it was Ash. He looked about fourteen or fifteen in this scene, too, and he had become quite handsome in a short time and little more muscular.

As much as Serena wanted to admire how Ash had matured, she still remained focused on the scene in front of her. She had no idea why she was alone before, but the fact that Ash appeared again meant that everything was going to be alright. He was going to save her from whatever made her upset just like he always did. He was her hero. He was going to embrace her and tell her everything was alright.

Sure enough, the future Ash ran up to her and gave her a big hug, and Serena relaxed. He was stroking her future self's back while all the while telling her everything was okay. While Serena thought this was a very sweet scene to show, she couldn't help but wonder the significance it had. That was until she saw the look on her future self's face while Ash was hugging her. It was a dark look that seemed very out of place on her. What?

The scene changed once more, and Serena was once again by herself. This time, she looked her oldest yet and probably close to adulthood. Ash was nowhere to be seen. Despite this, Serena wasn't by herself for long. Her eyes then widened in horror when she saw a black, burly figure was behind her. It was hard to make out since it was in the shadows, but that made it no less terrifying when she realized she had seen this…thing before.

It was the same wicked being that was in both her and Ash's dream a while back. It was the same figure that left a cryptic message when it spoke. It was the creature that took out her friends and ruthlessly murdered Ash. This time, however, despite the figure being present, Serena wasn't screaming. This time, she had the same dark look on her face as she did while Ash was hugging her in the last scene. It was really unnerving that Serena's future self was giving her goosebumps.

The malicious being, on the other hand, still had the same wicked smile on its face that Serena remembered but was trying to forget. It crept a little closer to her but still not enough to be out of the shadows. It then spoke the same cryptic message it had a while back.

"The world…is dying."

Serena had a look of confusion mixed with horror again at the being's words. It then said something else which only made Serena even more confused.

"You've done well."

Serena then saw her future self look down, and she almost wanted scream at what she saw. Ash was lying there in a pool of his own blood, and he was…dead. His body was mangled and contorted in several awkward positions that made Serena sick to her stomach. His eyes were open and had a glazed look over them, but it was clear they had once housed complete shock. Surely she didn't…she wouldn't!

No. It was a lie. Ash wasn't going to die. This wasn't the future! This was just some sort of sick dream she was having again, and she would soon wake up. She probably tripped and lost consciousness while chasing that Smeargle. There was no way she would ever kill Ash! Despite how much she didn't want to believe it, her future self was looking down and had the same dark look as when she first appeared. It was as if the sight of her dead boyfriend right in front of her meant absolutely nothing.

The images then vanished as the Unown began to disperse once more. They went back to swirling in the seemingly endless void. Needless to say, Serena was terrified. That was it? That was all they were going to show her? It had to just be one big lie. There was no way Ash would die, least of all by her. It was all so wrong.

The voices of the Unown once again snapped her out her thoughts.

 _"What is your wish?"_

"My…wish?" Serena asked in confusion.

Why were the asking her this? Wait. She did remember that Brock mentioned that Unown can read people's mind and grant their wishes based off of that. Well, geez! Her wish was pretty obvious. She wished for that whole scene to just be one huge hoax that wasn't true!

"I wish for that future to not take place!" Serena yelled.

The Unown didn't respond. They just continued to swirl around in the void aimlessly. If it wasn't' for the fact that she had yelled her response, Serena would think they hadn't heard her. After a moment, the Unown spoke.

 _"That is up to you."_

"What?" Serena questioned. Why on Earth would she choose a future that involved her killing Ash?

 _"What is your wish?"_

The Unown were asking her that again. She just said what she wanted her wish to be! Was that not acceptable to them? Was it not good enough? What did they mean by that it was up to her? Why couldn't they simply just make a future where everyone was happy if they had this so called power? These things were so weird!

"Can't anything be done about what you showed me?!" Serena cried.

 _"Yes."_

Before Serena could ask them to elaborate, a bright light began to shine once again. It engulfed the Unown and soon made its way to Serena. The honey-blonde girl had to shield her eyes from how bright it was. As the light overtook Serena, she could hear the Unown speak again.

 _"Your wish shall decide the path you take."_

Serena had no idea what they were talking about. She could now see the Unown begin to fade away. Wait. They were going now? She never got to state what her wish was! She had so many questions and got few answers! What would cause her to kill Ash? Why was she by herself in the future?! Why wasn't any of this explained her to her? Why?!

XXX

Serena's eyes snapped open, and she realized she was screaming. She had no idea why she was, but it was like she had just woken up from a nightmare. As Serena was screaming, she realized that she wasn't the only one screaming. She heard others screaming along with her. The honey-blonde girl soon stopped her screaming, and the others screaming stopped, too.

Serena opened her eyes and saw three faces staring down at her. Once she saw who they were, she screamed again. As soon as she did that, the three faces staring down at her screamed again, too. The honey blonde girl stopped screaming and immediately jumped to her feet and had her hand on Fennekin's pokeball. She couldn't believe who she was seeing right now.

"Wait! Don't attack!" one of them, a young man, cried.

"Yeah! We won't do any harm!" a talking Meowth pleaded.

Serena's mind finally adjusted to the three people in front of her. As before, she couldn't believe who it was. She hadn't seen them in over a year, but they looked exactly the same. Jessie, James, and Meowth, villains of Team Rocket who caused trouble for her and her friends on numerous occasions were right in front of her.

"What are you three doing here?!" Serena demanded.

"We could ask you the same thing!" Jessie shot back.

"If you think I'm going to let you hurt me or my Pokemon, you've got another thing coming!" Serena yelled as she prepared to throw Fennekin's pokeball to attack them.

"Wait! We aren't going to hurt you!" James shouted again.

"Why else would you be here?!" Serena yelled.

"We're hiding!" Meowth replied.

Serena's grip on her pokeball relaxed slightly as she took a better look at the Team Rocket trio in front of her. True to what they were saying, they hadn't moved to send out any of their Pokemon yet. They appeared rather scared and in no position to fight. Serena knew she shouldn't be fooled, though. They could just be getting her to let her guard down. She knew to never trust a known enemy.

"How do I know you aren't just trying to trick me?" Serena demanded, though a little less forcefully than she had before.

"Look, kid. If we wanted to harm you in any way, we would've done so when we found you almost an hour ago," Jessie frowned.

"An hour?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah. We found you out cold. You were lying on the ground and had a really troubled look on your face. We thought of just leaving you there, but this place is spooky, and it would be bad form," Meowth replied.

Serena began to replay the events that just transpired. Was everything she saw from the Unown just a dream? Had her earlier assumption that she fell and lost consciousness been correct, after all? All of those images she saw of the supposed future were a lie? Were they just some crazy thought her brain had cooked up from being knocked out? Were the Unown themselves just a dream?

It was then Serena realized that she could no longer hear those strange sounds in her head. No longer could she feel as though anything was beckoning her to it. Did she just imagine those sounds earlier, too? Well, whatever happened, it seemed like things were back to normal. That was…as normal as running into some of some of your worst enemies when you least expected it.

Serena then took a good look around her surroundings. She could tell by the symbols on the wall and the stone walkways that she was stll somewhere inside the Ruins of Alph. Okay. So she wasn't completely crazy. At least she was in the place she last remembered. However, the room looked a little different. How did she relocate? These three just admitted that they had found her and hadn't done anything to her so how did she get here?

"Where are we?" Serena asked this time.

"You know…we don't know ourselves," Jessie replied.

"What?" Serena wondered.

"We've been down here for over a week trying to find our way out. It's a great hiding place, but we can't stay down here forever," Jessie said.

"What are you hiding from anyway? The police?" Serena asked.

"Well…yes, but that's nothing new," Jessie said with a sigh before she continued. "We're actually hiding from our former team members."

"Wait. You're hiding from Team Rocket?" Serena asked in confusion before something clicked. "Is Team Rocket back?!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth looked alarmed when Serena said that. They then put on innocent expressions and pretended to whistle like they had no idea what she was talking about. They couldn't believe they had let that one slip. Now their former team members probably really would kill them if they were found.

"Of course not," James lied. "At least…not fully."

"Numbskull! We've already said too much!" Meowth cried and scratched James across the face.

James let out a cry and rubbed his scratched face while Jessie sighed in annoyance. Serena wasn't amused by this display. These three knew something that she didn't, and she was determined to know what it was.

"What's going on? What do you mean by…not fully?" Serena wondered.

The Team Rocket trio didn't answer. They looked nervous and exchanged glances with each other. Just because of the fact that they had no intention of harming Serena didn't mean that they had to tell her everything. It would still be betraying their former teammates, and this girl was still an enemy to them, too.

"Why should we tell you anything?" Jessie asked snootily. "You should be the one telling us what you know."

"And why is that?" Serena inquired as she narrowed her eyes.

"It's three on one, girl. The odds aren't in your favor if you don't cooperate with us," Jessie said as she tried her best to look intimidating.

"Oh, please. It's as you said, if you intended to harm me, you would've done so by now," Serena muttered as she glared at the trio.

Jessie felt her ego deflate a little bit at that. She sighed and growled in frustration. She couldn't believe this. Back in the glory days of Team Rocket, she, James, and Meowth were dangerous criminals who were feared. Now, here they were, hiding in old ruins like cowards because they were too afraid to return to their old gang for fear of what would happen to them. They had run away and would surely pay the price if they were found. They had truly fallen far from what they once were.

"She's right, Jess. I don't think we can scare her," Meowth told her.

"Who asked you?!" Jessie growled and pulled on Meowth's cheek as hard as she could, which caused the scratch cat to cry out in pain.

Serena was thinking along the same lines as Jessie. She remembered when she and all her other friends were scared of these guys. They had caused more than their fair share of trouble when they were in Kanto. Now it only seemed like they were a shadow of their former self, and it wasn't only because of their appearance, which Serena noted that they looked in extremely bad shape. They were now acting more along the lines of…bumbling idiots.

"Are you going to tell me what you know or not?" Serena questioned, getting impatient.

"Fine," Jessie grumbled before she continued. "Yeah. It's true that we were supposedly disbanded when our boss called it off, but our executives refused to believe it."

"Go on," Serena nodded.

"We've been doing a lot small time things to try to raise money ever since we came to Johto. The executives keep talking about some amazing comeback, but they never went into detail. They never told us anything," James sighed.

"A comeback? Team Rocket plans to reform?" Serena asked as her eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Yes, but we don't know what they plan to do," Meowth replied.

"I've got to tell Ash. We've got to get the police," Serena said to herself before she turned back to the trio. "Where is Team Rocket now?"

"No idea," Jessie immediately replied.

Serena frowned. She then began to look for any way that might be a way out of here. She saw a few corridors on all sides of her which only seemed to lead to dead ends. The Team Rocket trio seemed to know what she was doing. Jessie shook her head at the girl.

"Go ahead. Try all you like. We've tried to find our way out of here ever since we came," Jessie said.

"What? There's no way out? Then how did you get here?" Serena wondered.

"We don't know exactly. We had come to these ruins over a week ago, and as we were walking through them, all of these creepy symbols that appeared on the wall started to glow, and the floor opened beneath us, and we ended up here," James shrugged.

"You've been down here for over a week? How are you still alive?" Serena wondered.

"Well, we had a lot of food packed when we first got here. It would've lasted us until we were able to find a place to restock again. However, now that we're stuck here, our food supply ran out yesterday," Meowth sighed.

"Now we're worried we won't find a way out of here and starve to death!" James cried.

Serena rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but think they were acting rather pathetic right now. She knew they were enemies, but they had done nothing to harm her while she was knocked out despite having the opportunity to. She could do them a favor.

The honey-blonde girl reached into her backpack and pulled out three sandwiches in zip lock bags made by Brock to have as snacks in between mealtimes. Serena sighed and held them out to the trio who stared at her in disbelief.

"You're actually going to give us those?!" Meowth exclaimed.

"Yes. You don't deserve to starve," Serena muttered.

The trio looked at each other for a moment before James and Meowth eagerly grabbed two of the sandwiches in Serena's hands and began to devour them. It was clear they were definitely hungry with how fast they were eating. Serena could swear that they hadn't had decent meal in a while. Jessie, meanwhile, frowned and turned away from Serena.

"I refuse to accept food from an enemy! I still have my dignity," Jessie said haughtily.

"Does that mean I can have your sandwich, Jessie?" James asked with his mouth full.

"Whatever. I don't care," Jessie grunted before her stomach growled.

Jessie blushed in embarrassment and turned to the sandwich. It did look really good and had apparently been put together with a lot care. If she recalled, that tanned boy that hung around this girl was supposed to be a really good cook. Jessie couldn't resist the urge any longer. She had to eat! Forget her dignity! It died the day their boss disbanded Team Rocket!

"Oh! Give me that!" Jessie ordered and snatched the sandwich from Serena before she began to eat it just as greedily as James and Meowth.

Once the trio finished their sandwich, they rubbed their stomachs in contentment and sight. Despite it was only a sandwich, it had actually helped their hunger pains quite a lot. It really hit the spot.

"Thanks a lot, twerp! That was great!" Meowth smiled.

"You're a peach!" James said with a bow.

"It was okay," Jessie said indifferently, but she was thankful, too.

"So now that I've fed you, I want you to tell me what you know about Team Rocket. That's the price for those sandwiches," Serena said with her hands on her hips.

The trio looked at each other nervously. They should've known that there would be strings attached to those sandwiches they ate. Still, they did owe her one. Well, it's not like the former team members would know it was them that said anything.

"Well, it involves something with the Radio Tower in Goldenrod City," Jessie began.

"Yeah. We don't know what they're doing there because they won't tell us. We can tell it's something big, though, so we've been raising a lot of money for the organization," James added.

"We've slaved away night and day doing stupid chores and fetch quests," Meowth sighed.

"Like what?" Serena wondered.

"Most recently, we've been in the Slowpoke Well in Azalea Town cutting off Slowpoke Tails so we can sell them. They actually sell for quite a lot," James said.

"You've actually been cutting off the tails of a Pokemon just to earn money?! You disgust me! How low can you go!?" Serena cried angrily.

"Hey! It's not like we enjoyed doing that! We only did it because our executives ordered us, too! If we even thought about disobeying them, they would probably make sure we suffered for it!" Jessie defended.

"How I long for the days when our true boss was here. He was extremely scary but he at least treated us like members of his organization rather than prisoners," James sobbed.

Serena wasn't moved, however. "Giovanni was despicable man with no redeeming qualities about him. How could you miss a guy like that?" Serena spat.

"Don't speak ill of the boss!" the trio shouted at her.

Serena rolled her eyes. So from the information she gathered right now, it was clear that Giovanni wasn't running the show anymore. Instead, it was his executives, and if Serena remembered correctly, there were four of them. They were still small time, though, and did a lot of things in the background so they wouldn't be noticed. They were still planning to return, though. Still something she remembered them saying stuck out to her.

"Wait a minute. You said you were hiding. Why aren't you with Team Rocket right now?" Serena asked curiously.

"Well, we…sort of ran away," James said sheepishly.

"You did?" Serena inquired.

"Yeah. We were treated like absolute garbage ever since we got to Johto and have been trying to find a way to leave for weeks. We finally got our chance when this really scary guy found us," Meowth jumped in.

"What scary guy?" Serena asked curiously.

"He looked just as evil and scary as the boss himself. He had a really powerful Pokemon with him and was able to take out our own Pokemon after a few seconds. He then went to attack us, but a few of our teammates arrived just in time," James said.

"So what happened?" Serena questioned.

"Our teammates attempted to attack the man, too, and that bought us time to run away. Nobody saw us leave because they were all down there fighting that guy. We don't know if they lived or died, but we could tell they would be no match for him," Jessie sighed.

"Boy, just thinking of how scary that guy was gives me the creeps. It was like he had a personal vendetta against Team Rocket," Meowth said as he wrapped his arms around his body and shivered.

"Yeah. Like we said, we ran away from this guy and wound up here where he and nobody could find us," James finished.

Serena took in the information they were telling her. So they ran away out of fear of this guy who was on the hunt for Team Rocket. Whoever it was, however, wasn't doing it out of justice. It almost sounded like the work of vigilante if he was trying to kill any of the Team Rocket members he found. Serena had no idea who it was, but the fact that there was someone out there who was doing this apparently knew Team Rocket was back, too. Before she could think about this further, Jessie snapped Serena out of our thoughts.

"Speaking of which, how did you get here?" Jessie wondered.

Serena then recalled the events with the Unown once again. She thought she was in some void and would wake back up in the room she came in. Apparently, that wasn't the case.

"I…have no idea," Serena said.

"That thing didn't know, either," Meowth commented as he jammed his thumb to the right.

Serena turned to where Meowth was pointing, and her eyes lit up in surprise. She saw the Smeargle she was chasing there! She was so caught up in Jessie, James, and Meowth being here that she hadn't noticed it until now! It was idly brushing various doodles on the wall in a bored manner.

Okay. So it ended up here, too, somehow. Just because it was now in the same predicament as Serena, though, didn't mean she was ready to forgive it. She remembered that she had ink all over her because of this thing. Serena went to brush her hand across her face to wipe some of it off, but nothing came. Serena then looked at the back of her legs and saw they were completely clean. The Team Rocket trio must've noticed the confused expression.

"You had ink on you when we first found you, but that Pokemon has since wiped it off," Meowth spoke up.

"It did?" Serena questioned in surprise as she looked over at it.

"So I take it you don't have the best history with this thing, either, huh?" Meowth questioned.

Serena didn't answer Meowth's question, though. Instead, she marched over to the Smeargle and was ready to give it a piece of her mind. It was able to run away before, but there would be no escape now. As Serena saw the Smeargle lazily paint the ruin walls, she couldn't help but feel a little disgusted. Sure. It may have wiped the ink off of her, but did this thing have absolutely no shame?! The nerve of this Pokemon that it would vandalize the ruins like this!

That was until Serena noticed the paintings that Smeargle was doing, and she stopped. They were actually really good! They weren't just random abstract doodles. They actually looked like various works of art in themselves! The painting Smeargle happened to be working looked to be an open field complete with a tree in the middle and a beautiful sky above it. It was a little rough since it was on stone rather than paper, but Serena could tell the talent. Not many could do this in a short amount of time.

Smeargle noticed that Serena was watching it and turned to look at her. Rather than a mischievous look, it had a slightly worried expression on its face. It hadn't forgotten that Serena was out to get it and was wondering if she was going to start shouting at it again. It was done with teasing her at the moment and just wanted to paint in peace. It knew this wasn't the best place, but it's not like it had a choice of where to paint now. It just painted where it could even if it was considered valued property.

That was why Smeargle was surprised when Serena knelt down and smiled at it. Rather than hostile and wrathful, they looked rather warm right now.

"Hey, Smeargle. That painting is actually really good," Serena told it.

"Smear?" Smeargle asked in interest. It wasn't expecting that.

"You actually have a lot of talent. Why don't you ever show it to others?" Serena inquired.

Smeargle sighed and gestured its head in the paintings direction before shaking its fist at an imaginary person or Pokemon. The truth was it did like to paint all over the place for people to see its work. The thing was it always seemed to be painting in the wrong spot. It didn't have a canvas or paper like most artists so it was stuck to paint on whatever it could find, whether it be trees, buildings, or in this case…ruins. People only seemed to think it was vandalizing property when it was just using its artistic ability due to not finding anything else.

"Hmm…I see. That's why you got so offended when my friends and me called you out for vandalism, right," Serena frowned.

Smeargle nodded its head. It used to get rather hurt at people not being able to see the beauty of its art, but it had since grown tired of that and wanted to retaliate at them in the form of pranks. Of course, that only made people believe even more that it was nothing more than a trouble maker who was only good for damaging property and getting on people's nerves. Truthfully, that's what Serena and the rest of the group had thought of it at first.

"I think I see where you're coming from, Smeargle. We didn't pay attention to what you were actually painting on the ruins. We just thought you were carelessly doodling on property. I'm sure whatever you painted there was just as beautiful as this one is," Serena commented.

Smeargle blinked a couple of times at Serena's words. This girl was one of the first ones who ever noticed the greatness of its art. Maybe she wasn't as bad as it first thought she was. Smeargle smiled at her before it went back to painting.

"I mean it when I say that I'm sorry we offended you by calling your artwork 'doodles', but that still doesn't mean you can just paint wherever you want," Serena added.

Smeargle fell over in disbelief at the statement. It got back on its feet and frowned at Serena. In case she didn't realize it, there was nowhere else it could paint. What was it supposed to do now?

"You could come along with me, you know. I can get plenty of supplies for you to paint with," Serena offered.

Smeargle looked at Serena suspiciously. About ten minutes ago, she probably hated it. Now she was offering to it to join her team?

"Look, Smeargle. I think we might have gotten off on the wrong foot, but if you come with me, you can paint away to your heart's content. Not to mention I also am going to be a Pokemon performer. Imagine the things you can do in a Pokemon showcase," Serena told it.

Smeargle did as Serena said and imagined itself in a performance. It would be surrounded by hundreds of audience members who were eager to see its art. It would have some of the best tools available and a blank canvas just itching to have a painting on it. It would then paint to the best of its ability, and everyone would applaud it and finally see Smeargle for it was, a true artistic genius rather than a troublemaker. It did sound really nice.

"So what do you say? A Pokemon like you would be a great addition for my team," Serena smiled as she held out her hand.

Smeargle stared at the open gesture for a moment and slapped its paw into Serena's palm. The honey blonde haired girl grinned again when she took that as a sign that it accepted her offer. She now officially had her first Pokemon in the Johto region. Serena then embraced the Smeargle who flinched for a moment before it relaxed.

"That's great, Smeargle! We'll make a great team, and I can appreciate your art anytime now," Serena told it.

"Smear," Smeargle nodded.

"I hate to interrupt this sweet moment, but what are you going to do now?" Jessie's voice sounded from behind Serena.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked as she turned to give Jessie an inquisitive glance.

"How do you plan on getting us out of this dungeon?! What else?!" Jessie cried.

Serena thought for a moment. The ex-Team Rocket member did have a point. Whatever the way out was, it wasn't obvious as the trio did say they had been down here for a while. There had to be one, though. If there is a way in, there's a way out. Serena just had to find it!

The honey-blond girl then stood up and began to search the area for anything that might look out of the ordinary. So far, it just looked like a few dead ends. Smeargle followed her and felt around various walls to see if it could feel a draft or possible exit from them. The ex Team Rocket trio simply stood there with their arms crossed as they watched Serena. They had given up a couple of days ago.

Serena then saw something that stood out. In one of the corners, there was a small pedestal sticking up from the ground. Serena went over to it and peered at the slate in front of her. It highly reminded her of the pedestal at the start of the ruins. Except here, there were various pieces off to the side, about sixteen. Upon closer inspection, it revealed that there were just enough to feel the slate in front of her. So this was some sort of ancient puzzle. Maybe if she solved it, she might get somewhere.

"What are you doing playing with a puzzle? What about getting us out of here?!" Jessie asked impatiently and clenched her fists

"Hush! This puzzle may actually lead to something. Have you even tried to solve it while you were here? You certainly had enough time on your hands doing nothing!" Serena snapped.

"How dare you, girl?! Why I oughta…," Jessie started and reached for Arbok's pokeball, but James and Meowth stopped her.

"Cool it, Jess! This girl may be on to something. Let's let her finish," Meowth told her.

"That's right. It isn't like we have any better ideas," James added.

Jessie's face turned red in anger, but she took a deep breath to calm herself. Her comrades were right. She instead crossed her arms and went over to Serena. James and Meowth followed suit. Serena said nothing as the trio came to her side as she was already back to intently studying the puzzle. They realized they could try to help to. It was better than doing nothing as she said.

"Hmmm…I think this puzzle may form some kind of Pokemon picture," Meowth stated thoughtfully.

"What do you think it is?" James wondered.

"Considering how old these ruins are, it will probably be an ancient Pokemon," Serena answered as she took two pieces and stared at them.

"These things look like some sort of talons" Meowth noted.

"Hmmm…," Serena mused. "They would probably go on the bottom."

With that, she placed the two pieces in the bottom center. She then began to scan the other pieces to find out any clues of where they might go. She then picked up a piece that resembled an eye, but there wasn't enough pieces placed to figure out where it went yet, so she put it back down.

After ten minutes of working on the puzzle, Serena, Smeargle, and the ex Team Rocket members finally started to get somewhere. It was clearly forming some type of Pokemon as Meowth had said. They were able to make out wings on the creature, and it had many feathers. They hadn't completed the puzzle yet, but appeared to have a very powerful presence.

Serena gasped as she realized what Pokemon this may be forming a picture of. There were about four pieces left, and she hastily placed them in the correct position based on her memory of what it looked like. Jessie, James, and Meowth looked curiously at the Pokemon in the picture, too. It resembled a phoenix, and although the picture was mono-colored, one could tell that it was a very colorful Pokemon. It appeared to crying out which almost made the picture feel alive.

"It's Ho-oh," Serena breathed.

"Ho-what?" Meowth inquired.

"Ho-oh," Serena repeated.

She still remembered the first day of her journey when she saw this Pokemon with Ash. It brought back a lot of good memories of how Ho-oh symbolized birth, and that was the very start of their Pokemon journeys. Seeing this Pokemon, even in a picture, was never short of amazing.

"Okay. So we put together a picture of a legendary Pokemon, and nothing happened. Now what?" Jessie questioned as she placed her hands on her hip and tapped her foot impatiently.

Before Serena could answer, the ruins began to shake slightly. Dust fell from the ceiling all around the group. They looked around in alarm as they were worried the entire room would start collapsing. Jessie, James, and Meowth got panicked expressions on their faces and hugged each other tightly.

"We're all gonna die!" they screamed.

A collapsing room didn't turn out to be the case, however. Instead, the large wall in front of the puzzle began to slowly slide to the side. It groaned loudly as old dust fell from the wall as it moved. It was clear that this wall had sat still for a very long time. Once the wall was completely to the side, it gave a final groan and stood at rest.

"It's the way out! We're saved!" Jessie, James, and Meowth cried in happiness.

Serena smiled triumphantly. All she had to do was use her head a little and she would find their way out. She turned to look at the ex Team Rocket members, and surprisingly, they were all smiling at her.

"Thanks a lot! You saved us!" Meowth exclaimed.

"We owe you again! Thank you!" James said in equal gratitude and bowed.

"You did okay, girl," Jessie smiled.

"You're welcome," Serena replied and actually smiled back.

"Enough chit-chat! Let's get out of these dinky ruins! They were good for hiding but terrible for living!" Meowth shouted.

With that, the trio dashed through the opening and down the halls. Serena and Smeargle stood there for a second in stunned silence. Did she actually just work together with known enemies? Well, she wasn't sure. Were they still enemies? They did say they didn't want to be a part of Team Rocket anymore, and they never seriously attempted to harm her. She had a lot more things she wanted to ask them, but they still provided her with some good information about Team Rocket. She had to tell the others about what she learned.

"Come on, Smeargle! Let's find Ash!" she told it, and two ran out of the room, also.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash, Misty, and Brock were frantically searching the ruins for any sign of Serena, especially Ash. They must've circled every room in the ruins at least ten times. They were getting pretty close to hysterical. Togepi had been crying nonstop for its lost mommy, but no one, not even Pikachu, was able to comfort it because they were too busy themselves trying to find Serena.

"I can't believe this! She can't be gone forever! Those Unown had to take her some place!" Ash screamed as he pounded his fists on the ruin walls for at least the twentieth time. His hands were getting sore, but he didn't care.

"Ash…what if…," Misty started, but closed her mouth as she hated what she was about to say.

"What is it?" Ash asked with dread.

Misty had a troubled look on her face as she didn't quite know how to word it. Really, though, however she worded it wouldn't be good. She remembered Brock saying that the Unown live in a separate dimension. If it was the Unown who transported Serena, they may have brought them to their world. Misty believed that if they did that, there was a chance they would never see her again.

It turned out that Misty didn't have to say anything. Ash knew deep down what she was implying. That still didn't mean that it made things any easier for him. He gave a slight sniff and pulled his cap down so he was covering his eyes. He couldn't hold his emotions in any longer. Tears began to fall from Ash's face as he fell onto his knees and began to weep.

Brock and Misty went over and embraced their friend as tears fell from their face, too. Pikachu let out a distressed moan and hugged Ash's arm. Togepi soon went in the center as its hysterical tears soon turned to mourning ones. It could tell from everyone's look that they had no idea where to find its mommy.

The group continued to cry at their futile effort to find Serena. Ash couldn't believe this. They had been separated from Serena before, but never like this. The other times, they at least had a clue where she might be, or Ash had been able to feel her with his aura. Not this time, though. Pikachu couldn't pick up a scent or sound, and Ash's aura wasn't working, either. What were they supposed to do now? What was he supposed to do now?

Ash's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, and they sounded like they were running. Ash and the others snapped their heads in the direction the footsteps were coming from, and his eyes went wide with hope as he jumped to his feet and hurried in that direction with Pikachu and Togepi following him.

"Serena!?" he called out hopefully as he rounded a corner.

As soon as he did that, he ran smack into somebody, followed by two more because the first one had stopped. Ash and the three people fell backwards to the ground and rubbed their sore bodies from the impact.

"Ash! Are you alright?" Brock asked as he and Misty hurried over.

"Yeah. I think so," Ash mumbled before he, Misty, and Brock looked forward to see how they had run into.

Likewise, Jessie, James, and Meowth looked forward, and their eyes shot open in surprise. They should've known if that girl was around that he would be, too. It was just their luck to run into the hated boy who caused their boss to break up Team Rocket. They had no time for pleasantries, though. Once, Misty, Brock, and Ash processed who was in front of them, they all gasped.

"YOU! PIKA! TOGE!" everybody shouted in unison.

"Hi and bye! Gotta fly!" the ex Team Rocket members shouted as they jumped to their feet and ran by the group. They didn't care where they were going. They just couldn't wait to leave here!

Ash blinked a couple of times at the surprise encounter. Needless to say, he and the others weren't expecting to meet them here of all places. Ash shook his head as he turned angrily at the retreating backs of Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Hey! Get back here!" he shouted.

"Ash!"

Ash immediately forgot about the Team Rocket trio once he heard that voice. His eyes shined and were filled with hope. He got to his feet once again as he stared ahead. Brock and Misty also looked in that direction, and they smiled in relief and joy at who it was. It was none other than Serena!

"Hey!" Serena called again as she ran down the corridor and waved her hands at the group.

"Serena!" Ash exclaimed in joy as he took off down the corridor to meet her.

The two collided into each other with the force of two Rhydon and embraced the other as hard as they could. Ash's tears of sorrow quickly turned to tears of happiness as he hugged Serena. The honey-blonde girl herself was laughing merrily that she was back with her boyfriend. The two broke their hug and stared into each other's eyes for only the briefest of moments before they leaned in for a kiss.

As soon as their lips met, it had felt like an eternity since they had done this. They didn't care if Brock, Misty, Pikachu, Togepi, and Smeargle were watching. It was only them right now. They were just so ecstatic to see each other. Ash and Serena finally broke contact, and Serena leaned her head on Ash's chest.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Serena. You have no idea how scared I was. I didn't know where you went or if we would find you," Ash told her and rested his head on hers.

"Never give up until the end," Serena giggled in contentment.

"Heh," Ash grunted in amusement that she said his old mantra.

"Welcome back, Serena!" Brock called as he and Misty came over to her.

Serena and Ash finally let go of each other, and Ash let her go to them. Serena hugged both Brock and Misty tightly once she reached them. Pikachu soon joined and hugged Serena's leg while Togepi laughed and jumped up and down so Serena could pick it up.

"Togepi!" Serena cried as she bent down and picked up to give it a tight hug as well.

Togepi laughed again and hugged its mommy as best as it could with its small arms. As everybody was crowding around Serena, Smeargle stood off to the side a little awkwardly. It knew that it hadn't had the best of meetings with the rest of this group so far. Should it just watch or should it try make amends?

"Smeargle! Come over and say 'hi' to everyone!" Serena called over to it.

"Smear?" Smeargle said.

"Hey, isn't that the same Smeargle from earlier?" Brock questioned.

"Yeah. It sure caused its fair share of trouble and was one of the reasons you got lost in the first place," Misty frowned as she crossed her arms.

Smeargle looked down in shame. Yes. It was aware that it had aggravated them at first, but it was just upset that they insulted its work. It was past that now and regretted what it did to Serena. She truly saw the beauty in its art and offered it a place in her party so it could practice to its heart's content with audiences around the world.

"It's okay, guys! Smeargle and I understand one another now! It's my new Pokemon!" Serena told them brightly.

"Smear?" Smeargle questioned as it looked up at Serena hopefully.

"It's okay, Smeargle! Water under the bridge!" Serena reassured it, which caused it to smile.

"Well, if it's okay with Serena, it's okay with me! Welcome to the group, Smergle!" Ash told it with a thumbs up.

"Pika!" Pikachu greeted and gave Smeargle a thumbs up, as well.

"Smeargle even helped me find a way out!" Serena grinned.

"That reminds me. Where exactly did you go, Serena?" Ash wondered as he and everyone else turned to look at Serena curiously.

Serena was just about to answer them, but then she stopped. A flood of memories began coming back to her. She remembered how she was in some unknown dark place where Unown were swirling around her. Serena remembered how they had shown her images of what the future would hold. She remembered how it started off so happy until it quickly took a turn for the worst.

It got progressively darker until she saw the scene that made her sick. It was the one where Ash's mangled body was lying right in front of her, and how the malicious being had the same sinister smile on its face. The worst part was based on what it said: she had been the one who killed Ash. The Unown then sent her back before she could make a wish.

Serena had no idea if it was real or not. Was it just a dream? Was she really not transported to another dimension where the Unown lurked? Were those images of a supposed future just some wacky scene that her mind made up while she was knocked out? What was real, and what was not? Serena wasn't sure, but it made her uneasy all the same. Should she tell Ash what she saw while she was in the supposed dimension of the Unown?

"Serena?" Ash questioned.

It was then Serena again remembered that she had run into Jessie, James, and Meowth. They had given her some valuable information, and she needed to tell Ash about it. For better or worse, she would ignore what she saw with the Unown for now. Whatever those images were still had ways to go before it was near. What she was about to tell her friends was just as important. It was happening in the present.

"Ash," Serena began as she gave Ash, Brock, and Misty a serious look. "Team Rocket's back."

* * *

 **Another chapter done, and the next chapter will be about what many of you had inquired about several times. I always replied that I didn't know. It was in sometimes and out the next. I finally decided to incorporate it into the story as I believe its for the best. There will also be several references in the next chapter that starts quite a dark and interesting mini arc after that chapter. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it.**

 **Jessie, James, and Meowth are alive! I have...plans for them in Johto. Good or bad? You'll find out. They haven't made the last of their appearances. The Unown haven't made the last of their appearances, either, in Johto. They may actually feature rather prominently later on...and it isn't "The Spell of the Unown" movie, either. I'm not doing that film.**

 **Serena finally captured her first Johto Pokemon in Smeargle. She'll get another one before the group reaches Azalea Town.**

 **Serena killing Ash?! What!? Evil! Remember how I said a while back that Serena and Leaf will get tortured the most? Well, there's a hint about Serena. Leaf has yet to be shown, and hers is quite a ways off anyway. Ash will still have his bad moments, and you'll see another side of him in chapter thirteen. I better just quit spoiling right now.**

 **See you all in the next chapter and have a good one!**

 **Chapter Twelve: The Charicific Valley**


	12. The Charicific Valley

**A/N: Great! A fast update! I was in a good mood so I figured I'd go ahead and proofread this chapter and get it out. Another reason was because I wanted to hurry up and get to the next chapter after this one. It's going to be another dark chapter...or two so brace yourselves. In this chapter, however, well I won't spoil if any Charizard stay or not. Just read on and find out.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

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Chapter Twelve: The Charicific Valley

 _"Ash, Team Rocket's back."_

 _Those words instantly made the group's blood run cold, especially Ash. The raven-haired boy blinked a few times as he tried to process what Serena just told him. Once he did, his face grew rather tense._

 _"Team Rocket's back? How do you know?" he asked lowly._

 _"Jessie, James, and Meowth told me," Serena answered._

 _At that, Ash remembered the trio that he encountered only a couple of minutes ago. His head whipped around as he looked where the trio had run off to. Ash then growled to himself when he realized they had gotten away, and he had just let them go. He then gave Serena a worried expression and began taking short breaths._

 _"Are you okay, Serena? Did they harm you? If they did, I swear…," Ash began._

 _"It's okay, Ash. They didn't hurt me. In fact, they actually helped me a little bit," Serena said in an attempt to calm Ash down._

 _"Huh? They actually helped you?" Misty asked this time._

 _"Yes. They said they found me unconscious. If they wanted to harm me, they would've had several opportunities," Serena replied._

 _"So what happened?" Brock wondered as he folded his arms._

 _"Where were you?" Ash asked more directly._

 _I don't know how, but apparently I woke up in this strange, sealed room a little further down the hallway," Serena said as she pointed in the direction she had come from. "There, I woke up to Jessie, James, and Meowth right above me. I originally thought they were going to hurt me, too, but they convinced me that they were only hiding and weren't a part of Team Rocket anymore."_

 _"They quit?" Ash inquired._

 _"That's what they told me, anyway," Serena shrugged._

 _"Serena, you know they can't be trusted. They could've just told you that so you wouldn't be on their case. They were probably in here doing something really suspicious," Ash said with a frown._

 _"It's as they said, Ash. I think they really were telling me the truth. They had run away from Team Rocket after meeting who they said was a really scary person. Now they're hiding because they don't want their former team members to find them," Serena replied._

 _"A scary person?" Ash asked as he raised his eyebrows skeptically._

 _"Hey, guys. Why don't we talk about this outside? These ruins have already had some pretty crazy things happen, and I don't want to see more," Misty suggested._

 _Ash looked back at Serena and saw her nod her head. "Alright." he said._

XXX

Ash frowned at the memory. It had been two days since the group had been to the Ruins of Alph, and they were now in a valley surrounded by several mountains. Even though it had already been that long, Ash still couldn't get the news of Team Rocket still being around out of his head. He should've known better that a criminal gang like that wouldn't go away just because their boss said so. In fact, Giovanni was probably behind everything anyway, just like he was last time.

Ash wanted to shout in anger several times the last few days. Now that he had heard this bit of terrible news, thoughts were swarming his head. Would they attempt to go after them again? Would they try to take his mom again? Was she no longer safe, after all? Sure, she had his dad's Mr. Mime with her now, but if Team Rocket brought in several people, the psychic Pokemon could only do so much.

Should he get someone to protect her again? Should he let his mom, dad, and Uncle Riley know? He certainly didn't know the answer. There were too many uncertainties for him to make a move right now. Serena told him that Jessie, James, and Meowth said they had been in the Johto region for many months now. Why were the police not involved? That was a simple answer, too. According to the trio, the organization was mainly doing underground activities now to raise money so no one knew about them.

It made Ash's blood boil. They were in the region, but he had no idea where. Was he supposed to just sit back and let them collect what they need to become a real threat again? It wasn't likely. The only problem was he knew so little about it. He should've stopped Jessie, James, and Meowth while he had the chance and dragged more information out of them. He would have to make sure he did that should they ever run into them again? Now, he had no place to start.

"Want a piece of pie, Ash?"

The question caused Ash to look up at who had spoken to him. It was none other than his friend, Brock. The Pokemon breeder was smiling down at Ash and had a plate with a generous piece of apple pie on it. That's right. Ash had been too busy thinking about Team Rocket that he had totally forgotten about dessert from the group's lunch!

"Come on, Ash. A future Pokemon Master needs to keep their strength up, too. Have some pie and think some happier thoughts. You've been rather gloomy the past couple of days and haven't even trained," Brock encouraged.

"Pika Pi," Pikachu added as it looked up at Ash.

Ash sighed as Brock had a point. He had been so busy thinking about Team Rocket that he's kind of neglected his trainer duties. The raven-haired boy took a good look around at all of his Pokemon as they did their own thing. Pidgeot was resting by a tree, Lapras was playing in the water with the other water Pokemon. Heracross was sniffing around the trees trying to find one that had good sap. Chikorita was rubbing against his leg…it had been doing that a lot lately for some reason. Charizard was the only one practicing right now.

Yeah. He could train some to take his mind off of Team Rocket. He might as well start by eating this pie. He didn't want to wait too long to take action, but Team Rocket wasn't a threat to him at the moment. Ash then smiled up at Brock.

"Thanks, Brock. I'll probably have a second piece after I'm done with this one, too," Ash replied as he took the plate from Brock.

"There you go, Ash! Eat up! There's plenty!" Brock smiled as he sat down to eat his own piece.

Ash cut a large portion of the piece off with his fork before he stuffed it in his mouth and chewed in satisfaction. Leave it to Brock to make some of the finest food in the region. The guy was simply amazing. Yeah. He would definitely be having seconds and train his Pokemon later.

Serena watched Ash and smiled that he was returning to his old self. It seemed like they had finally reached him now that he's had time to cool down from the grave news. Serena had even decided to push away the terrible future that the Unown had shown her. Anything like that seemed too far off to worry about. She would just enjoy the moments with her friends for now. It was silly anyway. It was an impossibility for her to turn on Ash like that. She could never do it to the boy she's loved since she met him. Serena was comforted by that and looked down to dig into her own piece of pie…only to discover it was gone!

"Huh?" Serena uttered as she blinked in confusion.

It was there on her plate just a second ago. Serena then glanced around and soon found her answer. Her other piece was sitting on Ash's plate, and he was happily eating away at it with a smile on his face like nothing was wrong.

"You know, Ash, if you wanted my piece, all you had to do was ask," Serena said despite her confusion of how he sneaked it without her noticing.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked in confusion as he swallowed a piece of pie and looked at Serena.

"Never mind," Serena sighed as she reached for the pie to cut herself another slice.

It seemed Ash's table manners had reverted to his younger days, however. Serena simply brushed it off, though, as Ash was happy again. That was good enough for her. The girl brought the replacement piece of pie to her plate and smiled in contentment. She then made a quick look at Ash to make sure he wasn't doing anything suspicious. She then looked back and gasped when she discovered her piece of pie was gone again! Serena made a wild glance over at Ash and saw that piece was on his plate, too! What?! How the…?!

"Come on, Ash! You didn't have to take that piece, too!" Serena complained.

"I haven't eaten your pieces, Serena," Ash replied as he took another bite.

"Then what do you call those?" Serena inquired as she pointed to the extra pieces on his plate.

Ash looked down in confusion until he realized what Serena was referring to. He had been so busy enjoying Brock's pie that he hadn't noticed! Well, that did explain why it was taking a lot more bites than he anticipated to finish off one piece of pie.

"You're such a glutton, Ash. There's some pie right in the center of the table. You don't have to take Serena's," Misty sighed.

"Hey! I didn't take her pie!" Ash defended.

"Calm down, Ash. Remember that there's always more," Brock reminded.

"The only other ones near her plate were Togepi and Pikachu, and it certainly wasn't them," Misty added.

Ash frowned as he looked at Serena who was giving him a deadpan expression. She then rolled her eyes before she went to go get a third piece. It was clear nobody believed him. Ash's ears burned in embarrassment as he started back on his…well…third piece.

Pikachu frowned as it watched the display. It wasn't quite sure how Ash had gotten a hold of those pieces, either. That was until its sharp ears picked up on snickering. The yellow rodent looked down and saw Chikorita laughing smugly but quietly. Pikachu narrowed its eyes at the leaf Pokemon. So it had been the pie thief and had stolen Serena's pie to put it on Ash's plate. It must've used Vine Whip when no one was looking.

If the yellow rodent didn't know better, the newest member to Ash's team seemed to hold some kind of vendetta for Serena. It was always giving her the cold shoulder, and now, it had purposely stolen Serena's pie to give to Ash. Speaking of Ash, Chikorita was awfully affectionate towards him…more than a Pokemon should. Pikachu loved Ash, too, but they were like brothers. That wasn't how Chikorita acted around, Ash, though. It was more like...hmmm. The yellow rodent would be watching Chikorita carefully for any funny business.

Chikorita seemed to notice that Pikachu was staring at it as it suddenly looked up and a made sheepish expression. It then glared at Pikachu before it resumed rubbing against Ash's leg affectionately. Now that Pikachu thought about, Chikorita wasn't exactly friendly to it, either. Chikorita always had a look of jealousy in its eyes when it saw Ash was with it or Serena. Why?

Everyone decided to let the pie incident slide as no one mentioned it again afterward. They all ended up getting a piece even though Ash supposedly stole two. After he was finished, Ash stood up from the picnic table and headed towards his Charizard as it was still the only one training right now. Pikachu, Chikorita, and Togepi hurried after him.

The fire lizard Pokemon was practicing its Fire Punch with both arms. Try as it might, it could never seem to perfect that ability. Other Pokemon were ambidextrous so why couldn't it be? Though Charizard knew it defeated two of a gym leader's Pokemon not long ago which helped redeem itself a little bit, it still wasn't satisfied. It had to be the strongest. Only then would it truly ever get over some its past losses, in particular to Paul's Electabuzz.

"Hey, Charizard. How's it holding up?" Ash asked it.

Charizard halted its focus and sighed. Honestly, it wasn't.

Ash noticed its looked and nodded. "I see. Don't worry, though. I'm sure we'll get it some day. I remember being told that you have to focus your power in both your fists. It's hard to gather that much energy to produce two attacks at once. I guess it just takes so much a toll for some Pokemon that they can't handle it."

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in alarm.

Ash realized how careless he just sounded and looked at Charizard. The fire lizard was looking down in shame and appeared quite hurt. It looked out of place for such an intimidating Pokemon to look like that. The raven-haired boy put on a look of regret at his bad choice of words.

"I'm sorry, Charizard. I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't implying you were weak. I know you're strong enough to do it. It's just that I don't think we've found the secret to channel your energy like that," Ash amended.

Charizard frowned and sighed again. Maybe its trainer was right before. It just didn't have what it took to be the strongest Charizard ever. It had let down a lot of people in its lifetime. It letdown the horrible Damien who abandoned it and let down Ash in the Pokemon League, and it let down Ash in the Orange Islands by only knocking out one of Drake's Pokemon that it had a type advantage over.

"It isn't your fault, Charizard. I think I'm to blame for it," Ash spoke up.

At this, Charizard looked at Ash. Why would he blame himself for its incompetence?

"If I was a better trainer, I would know the secret of teaching all of you how to do two attacks at once, but I don't. Both Paul, Drake, and multiple gym leaders have been able to do it. The only times in the past you guys have been able to do it was through luck. You guys are so strong, though, that you've still managed several wins despite that drawback. It tells me that I'm not an exceptional trainer. You guys are just exceptional Pokemon," Ash said as he looked down.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted at Ash.

There was no way Pikachu was about to let Ash start a pity party because Charizard was feeling down. It didn't matter how awesome they were. If Ash was a poor trainer, they wouldn't be able to win regardless.

Chikorita snuggled against Ash's leg and sighed in contentment. It hadn't been around Ash long enough to know if he was a great trainer or not. One thing it did know was that he was incredibly brave, selfless…and handsome.

Pikachu rolled its eyes at Chikorita's gesture and looked to Togepi for more support. The spikeball Pokemon simply laughed before it ran up and hugged Ash's leg. Pikachu shrugged its shoulders. Maybe Togepi wasn't the biggest help, either, since Ash wasn't technically training it yet and just acted as its daddy.

Charizard stepped in and shook its head. Maybe it was being too hard on itself. It did seem to show the biggest impact in emotions on its wins and losses. It was sure its trainer and everyone else noticed it, too. Why did it feel like it had to be the best so much, and what was it lacking that kept it from meeting its greatest potential?

"Hey Why the long face, Charizard?"

Both Ash, Charizard, and everyone else's heads turned the unfamiliar voice, and they saw a teenage girl standing on a rocky ledge above them. She was slender and had an excessive amount of dark green hair that was pulled back into a large pony tail. She had her hands on her hips and was smiling down at the group, in particular to Charizard.

"Charizard are supposed to be powerful and proud so a sad look doesn't suit you," the teenage girl continued.

Charizard let out a light puff of smoke from its nostrils and turned away. What did this girl know about Charizard anyway? For her information, it was practicing very hard right now to perfect its fighting ability.

By now, the others had come away from the picnic table and joined Ash. They also stared up at the strange girl, and Brock immediately got his classic goofy expression on his face when he saw a pretty girl.

"Hello, beautiful. What's your name?! I'm Brock. That's Ash. That's Serena, and that's Misty!" Brock introduced.

The girl quirked her eyebrow at Brock but answered nonetheless. "I'm Liza, and I'm the caretaker of the Charicific Valley."

"Charicific Valley?" Ash questioned.

"That's right!" Liza confirmed as she jumped off of the ledge and stood in front of the group before she continued. "The Charicific Valley is a location where many Charizard live and train to be the best they can be."

"Oh, yeah. I think I've heard of this place," Brock spoke up as he took out his guidebook and read from it. "The Charicific Valley National Reserve is special Charizard habitat this is officially off-limits to tourists."

"That's right," Liza affirmed.

At that, Charizard looked at the girl in interest. Did she say that there was a place that was off limits to all Pokemon but Charizard, and all they did was train to be the best they can be?

"Because I've been around Charizard so long, I can always tell when one is around by their scent. I was in the area so I had to check it out," Liza told them.

"Their scent?" Misty questioned.

"That's right. All Charizard have a specific smell. This one's no different," Liza replied as she sniffed the air for emphasis before her eyes settled on Ash. "I take it this Charizard is yours?"

"Yeah. That's right," Ash nodded.

Liza then smiled. "You know, Falkner told me that a trainer recently got a badge from him at the Violet City gym and was able to knock out two of his Pokemon with a Charizard. Was it yours?"

"Hey! It was!" Ash said in excitement and proudly showed Liza his Zephyr Badge on the inside of his jacket.

"That's so cool!" Liza grinned. "Falkner doesn't use Charizard, but he is fascinated with them due to their flying characteristics. He's a friend of mine and visits the Charicific Valley every now and then."

"Ah, I see," Ash nodded.

"Anyway, I had been wanting to meet that trainer since then and his Charizard," Liza said as she turned to Charizard. "I bet this Charizard has won you many battles, huh?"

"It has," Ash nodded as he looked at Charizard who also nodded its head.

Liza then crossed her arms. "You would think that with so many wins under its belt that it wouldn't be looking so sad right now. I can feel that this Charizard has sadness in it."

Charizard let out a soft roar. That went back to its earlier problem. It's had its fair share of losses to.

"You see, the reason my Charizard is feeling down is because it doesn't think its lived up to its potential. It had a really bad life before it met me with a terrible trainer who thought it was worthless. I've done my best to try to prove to Charizard that it isn't, though. However, every time Charizard loses, it goes right back to a slump," Ash muttered.

"Oh. You poor thing," Liza said in sympathy as she went over to Charizard and rubbed its shoulder.

Charizard meant to brush Liza away, but it soon stopped itself. Something was telling Charizard that this girl really knew what she was doing when it came to Charizard. Maybe she had been with Charizard a really long time, after all.

"Yeah. Not even my Charizard can help it sometimes," Serena spoke up.

"Oh! You have a Charizard, too?!" Liza asked in excitement.

"That's right. I do," Serena replied.

"Then that settles it! I invite all to come to the Charicific Valley with me!" Liza declared before she looked back to Serena. "I have a PC there so you can call upon your own Charizard so it can check it out, too."

"We'd be delighted to go!" Brock chirped as he put his arms around the group.

"Sure. That sounds good to me, too. What about you, Charizard?" Ash asked it.

Charizard gave a puff of agreement. If it went, it would be able to measure up how strong it was compared to other Charizard. This was a great opportunity for it. There would no way it could pass it up.

"Great!" Liza replied before she took a whistle around her neck and blew into it.

Because of the canyon, the whistle echoed quite a bit. That was another thing the group had noticed about this valley. It was great with echoes and any loud noise could probably be heard from miles away.

The group soon heard a roar and a Flamethrower shoot up in the distance. A few seconds later, a figure appeared and was flying straight for the group. It didn't take the group too long to see that it was another Charizard. It soon reached the group and thumped down in front of them. It was a lot bigger than Ash's Charizard and had a basket with a balloon attached to it.

This didn't escape Charizard's attention as it craned its neck up at the larger Charizard. It was at least a full head taller than it was! Were all the Charizard at the valley as big as this one? The fire lizard couldn't help but feel slightly apprehensive. Just what was it getting itself into?

Liza got on the Charizard's back and turned to the group. "I think the basket can only hold three people so Brock, Misty, and Serena can ride there. You wouldn't mind riding your Charizard and following me. Right, Ash?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. Charizard has carried me plenty of places before," Ash replied as Charizard nodded in agreement. He then returned all of his Pokemon since they would be leaving.

"So do all the Charizard in the valley carry passengers?" Misty asked as she, Brock, and Serena got in the basket.

"No. This one's special, though. All the Charizard in the Charicific Valley are wild. They rarely see people and prefer to avoid them. People always try to see them, though," Liza replied.

"Like tourists," Serena questioned.

"Well, tourists, yes, but I'm mostly worried about Pokemon hunters and poachers, though. That's why it's up to me to protect them. The worst part is I have to be extra careful because a Pokemon hunter has been sighted around this area lately," Liza responded.

"Hey. Are you trying to take us to jail because you think we're the hunters?" Misty inquired as she gave a suspicious glare at Liza.

"Of course not! I know you aren't the ones! I have a wanted poster of him over at the valley and you guys clearly aren't him! Even without the poster, I would know it wasn't you because I can tell you all love Pokemon!" Liza quickly amended.

"Hmm…a Pokemon hunter," Ash muttered as he got on Charizard.

Brock looked rather grave, too. It was because of a Pokemon hunter that the Stantler he recently caught was without its mother. The tanned breeder got a tense look on his face and clenched his fists. If he ever found that Pokemon hunter, he would make sure he was brought to justice.

"Are you okay, Brock?" Serena asked him.

"I'm fine, Serena. It's just the thought of a Pokemon hunter in the area has me on edge," Brock replied.

"Don't worry. The Charicific Valley is safe and we have ways of knowing if the Pokemon hunter ever gets too close. If he even thinks about setting foot in that valley, we'll be there to stop him!" Liza reassured.

With that, everyone took off towards the Charicific Valley. The group soared high into the air and admired the view below them. The valley actually did look quite pretty. Ash felt the wind go through his hair as he rode on his Charizard. He then looked to see how it was holding up and was rather surprised by its reaction.

Charizard had a resolute expression on its face and had its eyes narrowed. It really looked determined right now and was really into going. As Ash thought about it, this might end up being a great experience for Charizard. Who wouldn't want to compare itself to others of its kind, after all? If Charizard as able to withstand a test of strength against other Charizard, maybe that would get it out of its slump.

The group soon approached a massive rock formation off in the distance. It was surrounded by water on all sides and had several pillars of rock sticking up from the water with a stone image of a Charizard on top of them. As they got closer to it, they squinted at how the rocks were arranged and realized that the area of land almost looked to be in the shape of a Charizard. That had to be the Charicific Valley.

"Welcome to the Charicific Valley!" Liza announced which confirmed the group's thoughts.

The group soon landed, and Liza slid off the Charizard while the rest of the group departed the balloon. The Charizard then unhooked the basket from it and flew up high and over the huge stone walls. Ash and his own Charizard arrived a few seconds later, and he likewise got off of his. Liza then stood in front of the group and spread her hands out in front of her. Behind her was huge set of steel doors.

"Behind these doors is the Charicific Valley. Charizard have trained and fought for hundreds of years. The greatest Charizard in history come from this place. Thus, only the best of the best are allowed to train here. We don't take just any Charizard otherwise that would defeat the purpose," Liza explained.

"The best Charizard," Ash echoed as he and Charizard looked in awe at the valley.

"Yes. Furthermore, the Charizard here don't rely on human trainers to help them get stronger. They only battle and train with each other. The fighting here is extremely intense so the Charizard here turn out to the best in the world!" Liza continued.

"The same Pokemon with the same goal! All straining for perfection!" Brock commented dramatically.

"I wonder if Ash's Charizard could handle it," Misty mused as she turned back to look at Ash and his Charizard.

"Of course we can! My Charizard is the most amazing Charizard ever! It could definitely take on the Charizard here!" Ash declared before he turned to Charizard. "Right, Charizard!?"

Charizard snapped out of its thoughts and shook its head. All that was in there were other Charizard. Its ego was slightly bruised because of some of its past battles, but that will change here. If it could be the best Charizard, that's good enough for it. Ash's Charizard then blew a powerful Flamethrower in the air for confirmation. Ash smiled proudly at his Charizard until he heard Liza's next comment.

"Only weak Charizard show off like that," she sighed.

Charizard immediately halted its Flamethower and stared in surprise at Liza. She hadn't even seen its battle prowess yet and already dubbed it as a weak Charizard? Ash's Charizard furrowed its eyebrows and got a hurt expression on its face. Ash saw this and glared at Liza. He knew how sensitive Charizard was when it came to how powerful it was. That was from its past experience with Damien when he would call it worthless. Some wounds just never heal completely, especially when Charizard believed there to be a tiny bit of truth to it. Why else couldn't it learn two attacks at once?

"Comments like that burn me up, Liza! Let my Charizard prove to you that it's just as tough, if not tougher, than any Charizard in this valley!" Ash stated.

"Of course. I'll let you all in," Liza agreed as she went to the two steel doors before she turned to Serena. "I have a PC inside there so you can call your own Charizard once we get in."

As the group followed Liza, they turned back to Charizard. The fire dragon had a resolute expression on its face as it followed them. It had to prove it was a good enough Charizard. It just had to.

Liza then reached the stone doors and pressed a button in the middle of one. A small computer slid out from the door, and Lyra began to punch in the secret code to get the massive doors to open. As she did this, the group glanced to the right, and they saw a poster with a man's face on it. They leaned in a little and could tell it was a wanted poster. The man on the poster had short bright green hair that was parted in the middle with narrowed eyes and a mean expression on his face.

"Wanted. Pokemon hunter, Rico. Armed and dangerous. Notorious for trapping and killing many Pokemon throughout his career. Most have seen him in the eastern part of Johto. If you have any information or sightings of him, please call the nearest police station," Ash read.

"Didn't Jimmy say that there was bad Pokemon hunter whose name was Rico?" Misty recalled.

"Yeah. This must be him," Serena agreed.

"So this is the man who probably killed Stantler's mother," Brock said lowly as his fists shook.

"All done!" Liza announced which brought the group's attention away from the wanted poster.

The small computer then slid back into the door, and a couple of seconds later, there was a huge groan as the doors began to open. They opened slowly which almost made it seem dramatic with what the group was about to witness behind these doors. Already they could hear the sound of roaring and fire being shot from what was presumably a Charizard's mouth. Charizard lowered its head and let out a slight growl as it prepared to see what kind of competition was behind here.

Needless to say, nobody was disappointed. The doors were now completely open, and they could see dozens of Charizard in the large habitat in front of them. Some Charizard were indeed fighting fiercely. They were either grappling with each other and trying to flip the other over, or they were flying through the air in an huge aerial brawl. Some were even lifting boulders even larger than they were as a show of their strength.

It wasn't just the fighting that got the group's attention. It was also the Charizards' appearances. Some had scars on their body as a show of how intensely they've trained. Also, like with the Charizard that Liza rode here, they were all at least a head taller than Ash's Charizard with it not even being able to reach the neck of the largest ones.

"Wow. They're humongous," Ash muttered.

"Yeah. They are a bit bigger," Liza agreed.

Ash's Charizard had its mouth open in awe as it watched the Charizard fight. _This_ was what it was up against?! These Charizard were insane! It had never seen training so fierce in its life, not even when it was with Damien. It briefly wondered if these Charizard were able to use two attacks at once. Charizard never thought it would be intimidated like this, but it was.

Serena then spotted a small house at the corner near the entrance of the valley and turned to Liza. "Is that where the PC is?" she asked.

"Yes. Feel free to go in and use it," Liza told her.

Serena then ran off to retrieve her Charla while the rest of the group looked around. Ash then turned to his Charizard who was still watching the competition with its mouth gaped open. Ash gave it a serious look.

"What do you think, Charizard? Are you up to try to battle one of them?" Ash asked.

Charizard took a deep breath and let out a huff of smoke. The only way it would ever be able to compare itself to other Charizard would be if it battled them. It certainly wouldn't be able to do accomplish anything if it at least didn't try. Charizard then pushed aside its nervousness and got a determined look on its face before it nodded its head.

"That's the spirit!" Ash encouraged. "Now which one should you face?"

"How about I make the suggestion instead?" Liza said as she looked around before she found one. "There. I know all the Charizard here, and that one isn't incredibly hard. If Charizard matches its strength, it just might make it."

The group looked to see where she was pointing, and they spotted a Charizard that was lazily scratching its belly not too far away. It even gave a slight yawn and didn't really seem to into battling. Despite this, it was still just as large as the other Charizard in the valley.

"How about it, Charizard? You ready?" Ash inquired to which it roared in agreement.

Ash's Charizard then stomped over to the other Charizard and poked it in the back with its claw. The other Charizard turned around and raised one of its eyebrows in curiosity at the small fry in front of it. Did this mini Charizard really intend to battle it? Deciding that this battle probably wasn't worth its time, the other Charizard shook its head and began to walk away.

Ash's Charizard growled in anger at being rejected like that, but it was also slightly hurt. Tired of having its ego bruised like that, Charizard decided it would show this other one just how tough it was. It took a deep breath and unleashed the most powerful Flamethrower it could muster right into the other one's face. That will show it!

"Uh-oh. I think your Charizard just made a big mistake, Ash," Misty grimaced.

"The Charizard here hate sneak attacks," Liza confirmed.

Sure enough, the opposing Charizard looked none too pleased about that. It was true that it rejected this one's suggestion for a battle and considered it weak. However, that still didn't mean it appreciated that attack from behind. Maybe it will show this Charizard why it will always be out of its league here in the valley by showing it a real Flamethrower. The other Charizard took a deep breath and blew out an extremely massive Flamethrower that completely engulfed Ash's Charizard. It was so powerful that everyone in the group could feel the heat even from the distance they were standing at!

Ash's Charizard gave slight cough before it fell to the ground. The other Charizard gave a slight huff before it stomped away.

"Man. That was overkill," Ash frowned.

About that time, Serena arrived with Charla's pokeball. Serena had already given the rundown of where they were at via the video phone to Professor Oak's lab. She then released her own Charizard, and Charla gave a roar before it looked around for its boyfriend. It then spotted it almost burnt completely black by the attack and hurried over to it.

Charla helped its boyfriend to its feet and gave a disapproving look to it. Charla thought this Charicific Valley was really neat, but that didn't mean that it wanted Ash's Charizard to rush into danger like that.

"Hey, Charla. Did you want to try your skill by battling some of the Charizard here?" Serena asked it.

Charla shook its head. It already knew it was a powerful Charizard and didn't feel the need to prove itself like its boyfriend. It then gave a surprised look when it saw Ash's Charizard turn away from it and stomp off to find another opponent. Charla gave a cry of worry and went after it.

"Charizard sure is determined," Brock commented.

"I'd definitely give it an A for effort," Misty added.

"Come on, guys. My Charizard never gives up that easily. I'm sure it will be strong enough to take a down a few Charizard in this valley. When it does, maybe that will boost its confidence and show it that it really is a great Charizard. All it needs to do is prove to itself that its good enough," Ash told them.

"Why not have your Charizard battle that one?" Liza suggested as she pointed to a sleeping one. "It happens to be the gentlest one in the valley."

"What do you think, Charizard?" Ash asked.

To his surprise, Charizard shook its head. There was no way it wanted anything or anyone to go easy on it. Were they suggesting the weakest ones to it because they thought it was weak? It gave another growl and bypassed the sleeping Charizard to look for another opponent. It wouldn't be insulted like that.

"Charizard! We didn't mean it like that! We just want you to start off small and then work your way up!" Ash called after it.

"I don't like this, Ash. If your Charizard isn't careful, it could get seriously hurt," Liza told him.

Ash looked at Liza before he turned back to his Charizard and gasped. The Charizard it had found was especially big and had a large scar across its right eye. It looked especially aggressive the way it was shattering boulders with its fists. Ash's Charizard looked up at its opponent and did have slight bit of fear go through it, but it quickly pushed it away.

Charla came up from behind Ash's Charizard and began pulling at its arm in an effort it get it to find someone else. Charizard turned around and gave Charla a glare before it brushed Charla's arm away and continued to make its way towards its opponent.

"Wow. It even brushed away Charla," Ash said to Serena.

"Ash, you better call off your Charizard. That one it's going after is particularly nasty. If it tries to battle any Charizard it seeks, I can't guarantee its safety or be responsible for what happens to it," Liza told him.

Ash nodded his head and shouted again. "Charizard! Don't battle that one! Start off with the smaller ones!"

Charizard paid no mind to Ash, however. It went up to its opponent and poked it in its back with its claw. The bigger Charizard turned around and saw Ash's Charizard before it. It then gave a smirk and a light laugh at the puny Charizard before it and thumped Ash's Charizard on the forehead with its claw. It then laughed condescendingly and patted Ash's Charizard on the head like it was small toddler.

Ash's Charizard shook with rage that it was being treated like a baby by this bully. It gave a roar or anger and headbutted its opponent right in the stomach. Unfortunately, Charizard didn't do the damage it hoped it had done. All the other Charizard did was cough a few times before it glared at Ash's Charizard. Things were about to ugly.

"Charizard! Just back down!" Ash hollered.

The bigger Charizard grabbed Ash's Charizard by the throat and lifted it into the air. It then ignited its other fist and began to strike Ash's Charizard across the face continuously with Fire Punch. Charla gave a horrified cry and began to pull at the massive Charizard's arm in an effort to get it to stop, but it completely ignored her.

With each blow Charizard received, it felt worse and worse. So this is what it was like to go against other Charizard. Come to think of it, these weren't the only Charizard it had ever lost to. It still remembered when it had lost to a clone Charizard a long time ago. The only other Charizard it ever even came close to beating was Charla, and they had even tied. Was it truly the weakest of its kind? Was Damien right about it by calling it pathetic? Sure, it nearly roasted him alive when it evolved into Charmeleon, but he was just a human. That still didn't mean his words weren't facts.

"Knock it off!" Ash hollered as he ran towards his Charizard, but Serena held him back.

"Stop, Ash! It's too dangerous!" she told him.

"I can't let my Charizard just be beaten up like that!" Ash retorted.

"Just return it to its pokeball!" Serena replied.

Ash contemplated on that. If he returned Charizard to its pokeball when it was in the middle of a battle like that, it would injure its pride even more than it already was. Still, Charizard was in danger and returning it was the only way to get it out of the situation it was in. Ash really hated to do this, but his Pokemon's safety was his priority. He reached for Charizard's pokeball to return it, but something unexpected happened.

Charla had enough of this rogue beating up on its boyfriend. Charla gave a cry of rage and tackled the huge Charizard to the ground. The resulting blow caused it to let go of Ash's Charizard, and the fire dragon fell to the ground with a thud. Ash's Charizard groaned from the amount of pain it was in, and its face was covered with black marks from the constant assault of Fire Punch.

It then saw Charla on top of the bigger Charizard, and Charla was now striking _it_ across the face with its own Fire Punch. Charla gave a cry of anger with each blow it gave to the other Charizard for harming its boyfriend like that. The group squinted and rose their eyebrows in surprise when they saw Charla was actually doing Fire Punch with both of its fists. That was something that didn't go unnoticed by Ash's Charizard, either.

"I didn't know Charla could use both of its fists to attack, Serena," Ash commented.

"Me neither," Serena replied.

"You know, Serena. Your Charla actually might be able to take on some of the competition here," Liza added.

Serena blushed at that comment. Her Charla wasn't even trying to get into the Charicific Valley, but here it was beating another one to a pulp because it had hurt its boyfriend. Serena knew Charla was only defending Ash's Charizard, but this would do Charizard no favors no favors and only hurt its pride even more. It certainly didn't help matters when Ash's Charizard was seeing Charla attack with a double Fire Punch, a technique it had been trying to perfect for a while.

Charla gave a puff of smoke when it thought it dealt enough damage. Ash's Charizard stood in complete shock with its mouth gaped open. Wow. Even its girlfriend had just taken down one of the Charizard here! Sure. Charla had its adrenaline pumping from anger and worry, but it still beat the other Charizard nevertheless.

Charla went over to check on its boyfriend, but Charizard turned away and almost felt tears fill its eyes. It couldn't accept this. It had to do better than what it was showing. Charizard let out soft growls to itself and turned to see the opposing Charizard get up from the ground and was walking off to do something else. Charizard's fists clenched. If Charla could beat this thing up, then so could it!

Everyone gave a surprised gasp as Charizard shoved Charla out of the way before it took flight and flew straight at the other Charizard. The opposing Charizard didn't even have time to turn around before Ash's Charizard grabbed it by the neck and took it down to the ground in a headlock. Charizard then began pull with all its might to try to get its opponent to pass out. It even was throwing in a Fire Punch or two for good measure. Meanwhile, the larger Charizard struggled immensely while trying to get out of the hold.

"I think your Charizard is actually winning right now, Ash," Brock encouraged.

"Come on, Charizard! You can do it!" Ash hollered.

Charizard continued attacking its opponent and almost started to feel its pride return again. It was actually winning against another Charizard right now! Despite its small stature in comparison, Ash's Charizard was actually managing this. If it could just attack it a little more and keep this Charizard in check a little longer, it would be the victor. It would be the first step for Charizard to feel a lot better about itself if it could at least beat one other Charizard.

Unfortunately, as Liza had pointed out, the Charizard in this valley weren't ones to just give up like that, and that especially held true for this one. It began to reach back behind its head in an effort to grab its opponent, but Ash's Charizard hastily stepped out of the way, but that was exactly what its opponent want it to do. It grabbed hold of Ash's Charizard's leg and pulled hard which caused it to trip and fall to the ground.

Now that it was released from the headlock, the opposing Charizard took Ash's Charizard by the leg and began slamming it continuously in the rocky walls of the valley. Charizard gave a roar of pain with each crash it sustained.

"No, Charizard!" Ash yelled.

Charla went to step in again, but it didn't have the chance. The rogue Charizard quit slamming Charizard into walls and instead began to spin it around and around by its feet. Ash's Charizard grimaced at the spinning sensation. It couldn't believe this. It had been so close, but all it took was one grab from the other Charizard for the tables to be turned completely.

The rogue Charizard finally felt it had gotten enough momentum and threw Ash's Charizard with all its might. Charizard went soaring through the air, and everyone had to duck as Charizard sailed over them. It was even thrown far enough to where it passed the entrance to valley before it hit the ground and tumbled down the steps.

"Charizard!" Ash called in worry as everyone ran after it.

They then reached the top of the steps and looked down to see Charizard actually crawling up the steps. It looked extremely bruised and battered, but it wasn't going to give up. It had get stronger. It just had to.

"I think your Charizard should return once it's had more training, Ash," Liza sighed as she pressed a button, and the doors began to close.

Charizard gave a cry of panic and began to climb faster up the steps in an effort to get to the doors on time. It was rather difficult because of how injured it was, though.

"Charizard, that's enough!" Ash warned.

Charizard ignored Ash again, however. It reached the top of the steps and ran right past Ash and Charla. Unfortunately, the steel doors closed just as Charizard reached them. Charizard gave roar of agony and began pounding on the steel doors as hard as it could so they could open again.

"Charizard," Ash muttered sadly as he watched it.

"It has to hurt," Brock agreed as he folded his arms.

Charizard continued pounding on the door and roared for a couple of more minutes before it finally began to slow down. Eventually, it stopped completely and fell onto its hands and knees. No. This couldn't be happening. All it needed was just one more chance to take on the Charizard here! They couldn't shut it out already! Not when it was so close…to…being…good…enough.

Unable to take it, tears began to stream down Charizard's eyes. The group was surprised by this as they didn't think they had ever seen Charizard cry before. They had seen it with a melancholy expression but not actually cry!

Ash's heart ached for his Pokemon as he went over to it with Pikachu following. Ash then decided to let out his other Pokemon, too, as Charizard needed all the comfort it could get right now. Pidgeot, Chikorita, Heracross, and Lapras all came out and followed Ash over to Charizard, too. Ash placed his hands on Charizard's back in comfort.

"I'm sorry, Charizard. It know it's tough, and it hurts. I know just how hard it is to lose and think you're not good enough," Ash told it.

"Pika," Pikachu agreed.

"Pidgooo," Pidgeot cooed softly.

"Laaapras," Lapras added.

"Hera," Heracross said.

"Toge!" Togepi chirped.

"Chika," Chikorita said, but not to Charizard.

Instead, Chikorita was rubbing against Ash's leg affectionately again. Pikachu saw this and gave a warning glare to Chikorita that this wasn't the time for that. Understanding the message that its trainer probably didn't appreciate this, either, Chikorita sighed. It then extended its Vine Whip to stroke Charizard's back consolingly, though it was a little on the half-hearted side. Pikachu shook its head and turned back to Charizard. That's probably as good as it would get from Chikorita right now.

Ash's Pokemon then began to remind Charizard of their own stories. Pidgeot told Charizard of how it was a loner most of its life, and it took it a while to get stronger itself and even beat a larger Pidgeot recently. Lapras told Charizard of how it was just a baby when Ash first got it. It had since grown a little larger since then and has improved significantly with battling. Heracross told Charizard of how it was the leader of a Heracross gang. Pikachu even reminded Charizard that it lost to a Ditto in the Orange League, but it had several other wins to make up for it, just like Charizard did against Falkner. Chikorita struggled to come up with a story, too, but had nothing so it just continued stroking Charizard's back with Vine Whip.

"You see, Charizard. All my other Pokemon have had their ups and downs," Ash told it. "They've all felt the pain of not being good enough, too. Your time to shine is coming. I promise. We just need to keep training, and I know you'll be able to perfect your abilities."

Charizard shook its head at that. That wasn't good enough. The difference between the other Pokemon and it was that they've already dealt with most of their problems. It hasn't, and it's even been with Ash longer except for Pidgeot and Pikachu. If anything, it made Charizard feel worse. Why was it taking so long to get good enough?

"Charizard, don't think like that," Ash said. "I don't care what anyone says. You'll always be good enough and the number one Charizard to me. I couldn't ask for a better Charizard. I don't think I've ever met a Charizard as determined as you."

Charizard looked up at those words. Determination. That was it. If it couldn't show them it was worthy of being in the Charicific Valley by its strength, it would do so with its determination. Charizard then stood up and began to stomp off towards the stairs.

"What are you doing, Charizard?" Ash asked.

Charizard didn't answer, though. It continued going down the stairs until it reached the water. It then took a deep breath and stepped in which caused the others to gasp, especially Charla. They knew how much any Charizard hated the water. Charizard ignored this, though and continued to wade deeper in the water. It was chilly, but Charizard didn't care. It continued walking through the water while still making sure to keep its tail up above the water.

Charizard went on until the water was about waist deep. It then grabbed onto one of the rocky pillars sticking up from the ground for support. Charizard then turned around and fixed its gaze on the steel doors of the Charicific Valley above it. It was going to prove how tough it was through sheer force of will. Then they had to recognize it.

Charla went to follow Charizard, but Serena stopped it and shook her head.

"Hold on, Charla. Let Charizard do this. It needs to do it alone," Serena said.

Charla sighed before it looked back to its boyfriend in worry. However, everybody didn't see great pain in Charizard's eyes like it had earlier. Now, all they saw was pure determination. Charizard almost looked like a statue itself with how still and stoic it looked right now. Everyone else couldn't help but be impressed, too.

"It's that important to you. Isn't it Charizard?" Ash asked.

Charizard must've heard Ash as it nodded its head slightly. It was tired of being a weak Charizard all its life. Though it appreciated Ash for everything he's done for it, Charizard still didn't believe it was good enough yet. It's had an inferiority complex ever since its time with Damien, and for a while, it thought it had gotten over it. When it first evolved into Charizard, it thought it could take on anything! It took out an Aerodactly and even beat a Magmar to win Ash a badge, after all.

Things started to turn downhill, after that. Charizard felt it was losing more battles than it should. Though it won many battles, it had an equal number of losses. That fact only was more apparent when it lost to Paul's Electabuzz at the Indigo League. Then there were still the horrible memories of its time with Damien.

XXX

 _"You worthless piece of crap! I'll teach you to lose to water-types!" Damian screamed and kicked Charmander hard in the stomach with his boot._

 _Charmander gave a grunt of pain flew back several feet before it landed on its back. The enraged Damian then closed the distance between him and Charmander before he lifted it up by its throat and held it out in front of him._

 _"You are the weakest Charmander, no, the weakest Pokemon in existence! You should've never been born! I lost that battle all because of you! You are completely worthless! I hate you! Everybody else in the world hates you, too!" Damian screamed again and backhanded Charmander across the face._

XXX

Emotional wounds like those are hard to heal. Even Liza had said it was weak. Charizard knew the only way it could ever truly get over its feeling of not being good enough was to be accepted in the Charicific Valley. There it could go stronger every day and finally be a worthy Charizard. It would never be called weak again. No more. Charizard was going to get into the Charicific Valley if it was the last thing it ever did.

* * *

It had been a several hours now, and it was nighttime. Charizard hadn't budged an inch all afternoon or evening. Charizard still had the same resolute expression on its face as it had when it first got in the water. If the group didn't know better, they would say Charizard hadn't even blinked, but it was an impossibility. They just had never such determination in their life. They all were sitting down on the steps as they watched Charizard. All of the Ash's Pokemon had been returned by now. Pikachu, Togepi, and Charla were still out, though.

"I can't believe it. Charizard hasn't moved," Misty said.

"Its desire is strong," Brock added.

"I know. This is really important to Charizard," Ash agreed.

"Ash, I just thought of something. If Charizard does get accepted into Charicific Valley, then what?" Serena asked him.

Ash's eyes widened. He hadn't thought about that. When they were originally here, they just believed that they would check out the other Charizard here while Charizard could admire their training. That wasn't the case anymore, though. If it was, they would've left by now. No. It was clear Charizard was doing everything it could to get in the Charicific Valley. That was its ultimate desire right now. It wouldn't make since for it leave afterward.

"I guess…that would mean…," Ash muttered as he looked down.

"Pika Pi," Pikachu sighed as it realized it, too.

The others nodded their heads at this. If Charizard didn't leave after being accepted, that meant it would stay here…and Ash wouldn't be staying with it. Ash then gave a yawn as it was getting pretty late. Charla also looked down as it felt its eyes get a little wet. It was struggling on what it would do should it come to that.

"We all know what it means, Ash, and we think it's the right thing," Brock encouraged as he placed his hand on Ash's shoulder.

"Yeah," Ash mumbled before he sleepily turned back to Charizard. "Hang in there. You can do it."

Unbeknownst to the group, Liza was watching from a small window in the steel doors and had seen the whole thing. She was initially surprised when Charizard had just gotten in the water like that. She was even more surprised at the look it had on its face. It really impressed her.

"That Charizard sure has a lot of heart," she muttered to herself.

* * *

It was the next morning now. The group ended up going to sleep on the steps as they watched Charizard. They had tried, especially Ash, to stay awake as long as they could to support the fire dragon, but tiredness eventually won over.

Ash cracked his eyes open as the sun beamed down on his face. He blinked sleepily a few times before he instinctively turned to where Charizard was. He had worried it had possibly fallen asleep just like they did. If it did that in the water, Charizard would be in serious trouble.

It proved quite the opposite, however. As Ash looked, Charizard was still there, and it was still wide awake. It still hadn't changed its position or expression since it got in the water. Ash was quite amazed. The rest of the group woke up soon afterward, and they thought the same thing as Ash. It was quite amazing.

"Charizard, you actually made it through the night," Ash smiled.

Charizard merely nodded its head in reply. It was true that it was tired and had a desperate desire to sleep right now. Its determination was a lot stronger, though. It wasn't about to show any kind of weakness at all. No more. No more being weak. It was going to be stronger, and nothing was going to stop its desire for that. It had to be good enough now. It had to.

"That's incredible," Ash said to it.

"I think so, too!" a voice spoke from behind the group.

They turned and saw the steel doors to the Charicific Valley opening again. Once they were fully open, Liza stepped out and smiled down at Ash's Charizard. In return, Charizard finally changed its expression and looked up in curiosity at Liza.

"You've proven you want to be great. You can stay here and train with us if you like," Liza called down to it.

At that, Charizard began taking short breaths. It had actually done it. It proved it was worthy. It was the first time Charizard truly felt proud of itself for its accomplishment. It was recognized as a good enough Charizard to train here. That was an important first step. Charizard then flew out of the water and landed next to the group.

"So you've recognized Charizard?" Ash questioned.

"I have. I think the other Charizard agree, too," Liza nodded before she turned around to the other Charizard who roared in agreement.

Ash then turned to his Charizard who turned back to him. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. It came time to what Ash had only started thinking about last night. He had to make a decision here. Of course, there was only one to make.

"Well, I guess that means you're staying here? Right, Charizard?" Ash asked it.

Charizard didn't answer right away. It loved Ash and didn't want to leave him. However, Charizard had finally reached its calling in life. It was meant to be here to live and train with other Charizard. Then it could be the greatest and finally feel good enough. Charizard would always be grateful to Ash for everything he's done for it, but…

"I understand, Charizard. One of the things you really want to do is perfect using two attacks at once. You also want to forget all about Damian. I guess that's something I can't help you with. You can learn it here, though. I'm sure of it. Soon, you'll be the best ever," Ash told it.

Charizard nodded its head. Ash got it.

Charla then went over to Ash's Charizard with tears in its eyes. It roared softly before it gave Charizard a hug around the neck. Charizard then blinked and solemnly nodded its head. It was clear that Charla wouldn't be staying with it. Though they were boyfriend and girlfriend, Charla still had a lot more things to do with Serena like win battles…and occasionally do a performance. It didn't need to stay here just so it could be with its boyfriend. Serena needed it more at the moment. That didn't make it any less heartbreaking for the two.

"Ohhh. Poor Charla. She's really going to miss it," Serena said as she and the others watched.

Charla then tearfully pulled away. Charizard had whispered that this wasn't forever, though. It would come back stronger and be a worthy boyfriend that could protect Charla like it was supposed to. It was only for that reason that Charla found the strength to let go of Charizard. Serena then rubbed Charla's back in comfort.

"You have my word that Charizard will be taken care of. It will be just fine. You're a great Charizard, too," Liza smiled.

Charla nodded its head. It would be strong while it waited for its boyfriend to return one day.

"So I guess this is goodbye," Ash said as he pulled his cap down before he pointed at the entrance. "You have a lot of things to learn so you better get started. They're waiting for you."

Charizard then looked towards the entrance and saw all the Charizard in there looking at it expectantly. They really did want to train with it. It was worthy to face them in combat. Pretty soon, it would be able to even beat some of them. That's the silent exchange that was going between all the other Charizard to Ash's Charizard right now. Charizard then turned back to Ash who was now facing away from it.

"You'll do great here, Charizard," Brock told it.

"Don't forget to write!" Misty joked.

"Make sure to come back someday. Charla won't be able to last too long without you, and I'll miss you, too, of course," Serena smiled.

Despite the words everyone said, Ash was still heartbroken to leave his Charizard here. He had raised it ever since it was a Charmander and rescued it from Damian. Ash had figured out by now that Damian was the root of this, and it wasn't something that he could help with at the moment. The Charicific Valley could, however. Charizard would finally know it was good enough, and no one would be able to tell it otherwise ever again.

"I guess I'll see you around. Good bye," Ash mumbled

With that, Ash suddenly broke out into a dash. This surprised the rest of the group as they weren't expecting him to just take off like that. This really must be hard for him. They wanted to say a few more words but didn't have much of a choice as Ash's was already a ways ahead of them. They each gave Charizard and Liza one last look before they ran after Ash.

Pikachu and Charla hung back for just a second, however. They gave a worried glance at Charizard, but it quickly put their fears to rest by giving them a thumbs up. Heh. It looked like it had picked up a couple of habits from Ash. Reassured that Charizard would be just fine, Charla and Pikachu followed the others. Charizard then shot a Flamethrower up into the air as a final farewell to everyone.

Ash heard Charizard shoot its Flamethrower, and tears started to fall from his eyes as he continued to run. Ash had to keep running for fear he would change his mind should he turn around.

 _"I don't want to leave you, but I know it's for the best. Train hard, Charizard. You'll be the greatest ever. Good bye, my friend,"_ Ash thought.

Ash didn't stop running until he was completely out of Charicific Valley.

* * *

A muscular man held a shotgun in his hand as he trudged through the woods near Charicific Valley. He had decided to pass up on this opportunity due to how heavily guarded it was. Charicific Valley probably wasn't worth the effort.

The man was muttering to himself about his bad luck lately when it came to hunting Pokemon. His client had given him only a few more days to get the quota of Pokemon for him, or else he would be fired. He couldn't let that happen. He got paid good money for this.

The man soon came across a sign post. Among several other bulletins, there was also the wanted poster that bore his image. Rico growled to himself before he took out a knife and slashed through the wanted poster until it was in shreds. He then spat on the remains before he continued on.

"So the police finally have a warrant out for me, do they?" Rico muttered to himself.

Well, he'll just have to be extra careful. Rico knew he had an arsenal of powerful Pokemon that could take care of any police officer that tried to apprehend him. Of course, if anyone else tried to stop him, he could silence them permanently, too. He had nothing to worry about just because there was a warrant out for him.

"Now, a hunting I will go," Rico grinned evilly to himself. He had heard there were some good Pokemon around this area for him to poach.

* * *

 **I don't plan for Charizard to be gone as long as it was in canon. It will probably return to Ash permanently some time in Sinnoh when I introduce (cough)...mega evolution. Of course, it will still return to Ash every now and then to help him out like it did in canon. Regarding Serena's Charla, it didn't seem practical to leave it in Charicific Valley. Charla doesn't have the same type of problems Ash's Charizard does, and it would only be staying there because its boyfriend was there. That's why it's better for it to stay with Serena.**

 **The next chapter starts a mini arc that I've wanted to get to for quite a while. I think it was done quite well, and I'm almost done with it. I think you all will enjoy it, too, but just a fair warning, its going to be pretty dark the next couple of chapters. Rico isn't one to play around...at all...especially in this series.**

 **It'll be out some time in August! I'll see you all then and thanks for all the reviews and support!**

 **Chapter Thirteen: The Pokemon Hunter: Part One**


	13. The Pokemon Hunter: Part One

**A/N: I originally had this as one chapter, but it ended up being so huge that I had to split it into two parts. The last half of this chapter is pretty dark so be prepared. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **...Nearly forgot again! A few of you asked me a while back if the Palmer that is in the Elite Four in Johto in this fic is the same one who's Barry's father. The answer is yes. The champion of Johto hasn't been revealed yet, but will in due time.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: The Pokemon Hunter: Part One

A Cyndaquil woke up from its sleep and gave a huge yawn. That was a very relaxing nap it just had. Cyndaquil then slowly ventured outside of its cave and gave a quick look around. Everything seemed to be safe. Being the timid Pokemon it was, Cyndaquil had to be extra cautious.

Cyndaquil then crept a little further outside and still thought everything looked okay. With that, Cyndaquil gave a slight squeak and began its daily walk through the woods. It didn't have a real goal in mind. It just liked wandering around by itself a lot. In fact, Cyndaquil found itself doing that more often than anything, and it did the same thing every day. Cyndaquil preferred to keep to itself and be as safe as possible. It wasn't that it disliked other Pokemon as Cyndaquil was actually a very friendly Pokemon. It just lived an easy life.

Cyndaquil was an easily understood Pokemon. It slept when it was tired and ate when it was hungry. Some Pokemon or people would consider this a very boring life, but Cyndaquil preferred it this way. As long as it was safe, that was all that mattered to Cyndquil. It loved the quiet, unexciting life.

The main reason Cyndaquil was like this was because it couldn't properly defend itself. Being a fire-type Pokemon, one would think Cyndaquil was chock full of devastating fire attacks to ward off any enemy. However, that was only if Cyndaquil knew how to properly use any of its attacks. In order for it to use its fire attacks, the flames had to be ignited on its back. Cyndaquil had no idea how to activate the flames on its own so therefore it was completely defenseless. Oh well.

However, unknown to Cyndaquil, its quiet, unexciting lifestyle was about to get a lot more eventful. It wasn't going to happen in a good way, either. There were wanted signs of a Pokemon poacher on several trees in the forest it was in, but Cyndaquil paid them no mind. That was about to prove a costly mistake, though.

As Cyndaquil was lazily walking through the forest, it spotted a piece of fruit on the ground. It was a shiny, red apple and looked extremely fresh. The fire mouse Pokemon smiled and gave a happy squeak before it bounced over to the apple and smelled it. Yes. The apple was definitely fresh. Cyndaquil smiled and was just about to take a bite of the apple when it happened.

A metal device with bear-like teeth shot out of the ground and clamped firmly around both of Cyndaquil's back feet. With Cyndaquil being of small stature, the trap was able to reach halfway up its back. Cyndaquil screamed in pain as it felt the sharp teeth dig into its body, and soon the fire mouse Pokemon was in the trap's unforgiving grip.

Despite having a lazy nature, Cyndaquil still had instincts, and they were taking action. Cyndaquil began to struggle immensely inside of the trap despite the amount of pain it was in. Unfortunately, it seemed the more Cyndaquil struggled, the tighter the trap seemed to become. Cyndaquil began to panic when it realized that it wasn't going to be able to get out of this trap alone. Why was this happening to it? Who could've done this?

Cyndaquil wasn't able to move much, but it could hear a larger being approach it from its right. Cyndaquil turned and saw a pair of black boots coming towards it. The fire mouse then looked up and discovered it was large, muscular, mean-looking human with green hair. The man wore an evil smirk on his face as he stopped in front of the helpless Cyndaquil and crossed his arms.

"Heh! You've fallen right into my trap, you fool. That was too easy," Rico said.

Sensing the danger, Cyndaquil began to concentrate as it tried to ignite the flames on its back. If it could light them, it just might be able to use its fire attacks to defend itself and break free. However, that wasn't the case. Try as it might, the poor Pokemon came up short, and nothing happened. Why wasn't Cyndaquil able to light its back when it needed it most?

Rico seemed amused as he watched the Cyndaquil struggle in vain. After a while, he lost his smirk and put on a more menacing expression.

"You know, I was actually trying to catch larger Pokemon, hence the big trap," Rico commented. "However, with you being a fire-type, I'm sure my client will pay good money for you. You're nothing compared to a Charizard from the Charicific Valley, but I'll take what I can get. I'll just make sure to get a lot more before I leave this area."

Cyndaquil then let out another panicked cry as it saw the evil human reach for it. All it wanted to do was live a simple life in peace. What did it do to deserve this? The fire mouse Pokemon had no idea what this human had in store for it, but whatever it was, Cyndaquil knew it wasn't going to be good.

* * *

A sheep-like Pokemon was walking along through the woods, now. It was a little outside of its territory, but that was fine. This was a very excitable Pokemon as it was always traveling. This Pokemon was a Mareep.

If there was one thing Mareep were famous for, it was their wool. Their wool was their pride and joy. Not only was it very prized, but it was also where they stored their electricity. Not too many humans knew this, but the way a Mareep thought of itself was by how large and static its wool was. If a Mareep had large wool, it considered itself a great Pokemon. If its wool coat was lousy and prone to having spots that were missing wool, that Mareep was mocked.

Unfortunately for this Mareep, the latter was the case for it. Actually, it was the worst case scenario. This Mareep had absolutely no wool at all! It was completely naked! All it had was its dark blue body without the yellow wool around it!

One would think that this Mareep would be utterly depressed with its situation. The thing was every time wool would try to grow on this Pokemon, it would always fall off. The reason for this is because this Mareep was so hyper that it would unknowingly store up an excess amount of electricity before releasing it. Because of this, all its wool ended up falling out, and now it was naked.

The wool couldn't simply grow back, either. Every time the Mareep would notice some of its wool beginning to grow back, it would get so excited that it would unknowingly start storing up electricity inside of it again…and then the wool coat would fall out again. It was rather ironic how a Mareep took pride in how large their wool coats were and how much electricity they could store, but this Mareep would store up so much electricity…it ended up not having one.

The naked Mareep continued to run along. It had long since left the herd it traveled with after getting mocked and laughed at by them for having no wool. That, and it was pretty crazy and seriously annoyed the others. As said, one would think that this Mareep would be depressed, but that wasn't the case. This Mareep wouldn't let that bring it down. So what if it didn't have any wool? Well, that technically was a problem as it couldn't use any of its electric attacks without its wool.

Mareep soon spotted an apple not in front of it. Mareep got up on its two hind legs and jumped up and down in excitement at the lucky find. That was until it remembered it was naked and got back down on its four legs and blushed in embarrassment. It didn't need to be flaunting its wool free body like that. Regardless, it could still enjoy the fruit.

Without thinking twice about it, the Mareep made a beeline straight for the piece of fruit. Unfortunately, like Cyndaquil before it, it stepped right into the Pokemon hunter's trap.

Mareep gave a loud cry as the sharp teeth clamped around its legs. What was going on? Mareep wasn't used to something like this and immediately got spastic. It flailed around uncontrollably as it tried to break free of the metal teeth. It had to be careful, though. With how crazily it was moving, Mareep might actually be able to break free…at cost of losing a leg.

"Heh! You walked around into my trap. Now I can…what the…?" Rico started as he came out of his hiding place, but stopped mid-sentence when he saw the spastic movements of the Mareep. The thing looked like it was having a seizure.

Mareep didn't even notice Rico approaching it as it crazily flailed around to break free. Rico was normally amused to watch his captures try to struggle and break free. It always filled with some sick twist of delight as he watched them realize the futility of the situation. This Mareep, however, was freaking him out a little bit.

"Geez, this thing belongs in a straight jacket," Rico mumbled to himself before he noticed something else about it. "And you don't even have any wool!"

The Mareep finally stopped spazzing out and looked up at Rico. Despite being a very excitable and crazy Pokemon, it wasn't stupid and knew danger when it saw it. It tried to use a Thundershock in vain, but nothing happened because it had no wool to store it in.

Rico saw this and rolled his eyes. This certainly wasn't the most enviable catch a Pokemon hunter could find. Mareep were completely worthless without their wool. Well, whatever. Rico thought about simply shooting it, but then stopped himself. He was a Pokemon hunter. He could still try to find some worth with this thing. There had to be something this psychotic, naked Mareep had to offer.

With that, Rico set down his gun and went to get a cage. That Mareep wasn't going anywhere. At least Rico didn't think it would. Maybe he better hurry up just in case this Mareep could break free and just leave a leg behind.

* * *

It had been a day since Ash had left his Charizard for training, and the Charicific Valley was now behind the group. Since then, Ash hadn't stopped thinking about his Charizard. How had it been coming along? Was it training hard? Were the other Charizard treating it right? Was it able to overcome any of them so far?

 _"Pull yourself together,"_ Ash thought to himself. _"Charizard's a tough and strong Pokemon. It will be just fine."_

Still, even with the comforting thought that Charizard was okay, Ash still left a good friend. Even when Ash knew it was for the best, with his great Charizard away, Ash found a glaring weakness on his Pokemon team. He had an array of various types of Pokemon, but a fire-type was no longer one of them.

"Man," Ash said. "It sure is going to be hard to make it without Charizard. It was my only fire-type Pokemon."

"Look on the bright side, Ash. Even though Charizard is gone, there are still a lot of cool other fire-type Pokemon that you can find here in Johto. I mean, I got a Fennekin, and it's from the Kalos region," Serena said.

"Yeah, but what fire types could I find in Johto?" Ash questioned.

"Let's find out!" Brock answered as he pulled the trusty guidebook from his backpack and thumbed through a few pages until he came to the Johto native Pokemon. "Some fire-type Pokemon here a Slugma which evolves into a Magcargo. There's a Houndour which is a dual dark and fire-type Pokemon, and then there's a Cyndaquil."

"Great! Where can we find some?" Ash wondered.

"Well, Slugma usually live in the mountains or near volcanoes so we aren't near any right now. Houndour are urban Pokemon and would live closer to big cities. I think their main habitat would be around Goldenrod City. Cyndaquil, however, can actually be found around this area," Brock replied as he read.

"It would be pretty cool to get a Cyndaquil just like Jimmy had," Ash smiled as he adjusted his cap. "Let's find some."

"Hold on, Ash. You can't just expect a Cyndaquil to be waiting in a cage for you to capture it. They don't just appear because you want them to," Misty told him.

"I have heard that Cyndaquil are pretty rare despite there being some in this area," Brock added as he put away the guidebook.

"That's never stopped me before! Let's find one, Pikachu!" Ash declared as he took off running with Pikachu on his shoulder.

The rest of the group watched him run and shook their heads, but they were smiling. With the exception of Misty who only trained water Pokemon, Ash was the only member of the group without a fire-type, and he was looking to rectify that. They should be supportive that he was able to notice this and follow him. There was still one thing Ash was forgetting about, however.

"Wait up, Ash! Don't forget that there's a possible Pokemon Poacher in this area. You don't want to accidentally be mistaken for a fleeing Pokemon and be shot at!" Brock shouted.

"Just take it easy!" Serena added.

Ash was quite a distance ahead of them now, but he still heard them. He was already in a thicket of trees to find a Cyndaquil, though. He was about to heed their warning and slow down, but he didn't get the chance. There was a resounding _thud_ as Ash seemed to hit an invisible wall and fell over backwards. Pikachu rolled off to the side and also appeared quite dizzy.

The rest of the group gasped and hurried over to him, not heeding their earlier advice. Once they reached him, they gave a quick glance as to what he could've run into, but found nothing.

"Man. Who put the invisible wall here?" Ash asked rhetorically.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu mumbled.

As Serena helped Ash to his feet, Brock looked closely at the area in front of him. There was something really strange about it. He rubbed his chin as the others looked at him curiously. These trees were really out of place. Going by his instinct, Brock reached out and felt the area where Ash had fallen. It was just as he suspected. It wasn't some invisible wall Ash had run into, it was a very well made camouflage blanket. To any normal passerby, it would just look like a normal placement of trees. Up close, something was off.

"I wonder what's behind here," Brock said suspiciously as he pulled it back.

Once everyone saw what was underneath the blanket, they gasped. There was none other than a Cyndaquil trapped in a cage behind there. There was a muzzle on its face to keep its mouth closed and stop it from crying fro help. It was lying on the floor and looked to be quite in agony. It didn't even seem to notice the new group of people who found it.

"I take back what I said earlier about Cyndaquil waiting in a cage," Misty said in disdain as they watched the Cyndaquil.

The group soon heard the sound of banging nearby. They took a quick glance around in confusion as they wondered what could be making that racket. That was when they saw another part of the forest that looked off. Was this another camouflage blanket covering another Pokemon? The group soon reached out and pulled the blanket off.

What they saw was none other than a Mareep. Quite unlike Cyndaquil, this Pokemon wasn't simply quietly waiting in its cage. The Mareep had both a muzzle, and it even had its whole body tied up with ropes. That did little to stop it, however. The Mareep was bouncing up and down constantly and slamming itself in the cage bars. How was this thing so active when its whole body was restrained from moving?

"What is this?" Misty wondered.

Serena and Ash pulled out their pokedexes to scan the Pokemon. "Mareep, the wool Pokemon. Mareep store up electricity in the bodies to and can stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Carelessly touching this Pokemon will shock you."

"There's something weird about this one," Serena noticed as she and Ash looked back and forth between the Mareep in the pokedex and the one in front of them.

"Is it just me, or does this Mareep not have any wool?" Misty asked.

"It's definitely not just you," Ash agreed as they all stared in surprise at the bizarre looking Mareep in front of them.

The Mareep didn't seem to pay any attention. It just constantly struggled violently inside of its restraints and was doing all sorts of strange movements. Like Rico before them, the group thought this Pokemon looked like it was having a seizure.

"Is this thing on drugs?" Ash mumbled.

"Ash!" Serena scolded.

"Let's try to move away from that and try to figure out how they got here," Misty suggested.

"Why are they here in a cage, though?" Serena questioned.

"I'll give you three guesses," Brock frowned.

"The wanted Pokemon hunter," Ash affirmed in a low voice.

It was then the group noticed the amount of pain the Cyndaquil was in. It was taking short breaths and didn't even seem to have the strength to stand. The muzzle was overkill as they didn't think Cyndaquil would've been able to cry out for help anyway. It had several scrapes and puncture wounds on its lower body which were probably from the trap it had fallen into. They were sure the Mareep was in just as much pain, but it was hard to tell as it wouldn't stop flailing around.

"This just makes me sick. Who would've thought we would actually run one of the Pokemon the poacher caught," Misty growled.

Brock, however, gently opened and closed his fists. Seeing the type of trap that Cyndaquil and Mareep were caught in made him think of the Stantler he just caught. It was how Stantler had hurt its leg when Brock first found it. If the hunter who caught this Cyndaquil and Mareep was indeed the same Pokemon Hunter who killed Stantler's mother and tried to capture his own Stantler, Brock would never forgive him.

"Brock…," Serena trailed when she saw Brock's expression.

"I can't stand to look at this anymore. Let's free these two Pokemon and get them to a Pokemon Center," Ash decided as he went up the cage door to open it…only for it to shock him.

Ash cried out in pain as the cage electrocuted him before he finally let go. He stumbled backwards, and Serena caught him to keep him from falling over again. Ash grimaced and took short breaths to recover from the massive shock he just got. So even if Cyndaquil did have the capabilities to break free, it wouldn't be able to because of the electric cage.

"Okay. So simply opening the door is a no go," Ash stated.

"There's also a lock on it," Serena observed as she steadied Ash.

The group then thought about what they could do to help Cyndaquil and Mareep. They couldn't just simply leave them here to get help because they may be gone by then. They needed to be freed now. At last, Ash got an idea.

"I've got it. I'll use Chikorita to knock the lock off with Razor Leaf, and Pikachu can withstand the shock to open the door," Ash stated.

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement to the plan. Ash then picked out Chikorita's pokeball and pressed the button to release it.

"I choose you, Chikorita," Ash said.

The pokeball opened up, and Chikorita appeared from it. The leaf Pokemon then smiled that Ash let it out of its pokeball and jumped into his arms in happiness. It then began to snuggle against his chest affectionately. Ash, as well as the others, all sighed. This Chikorita really needed to focus sometimes.

"That's sweet, Chikorita, but we have a something more important to do than hugging," Ash told it.

"Yeah. We need you to help us release that Cyndaquil," Serena said.

"Chika!" Chikorita spat and fixed Serena with a glare which surprised her.

"What's with the attitude?" Serena asked with her hands on her hips.

"Toge!" Toge exclaimed as it copied Serena by her feet. It had been doing that a lot lately.

"Yeah. What gives, Chikorita?" Ash wondered.

Chikorita softened its look when it saw Ash was frowning at it. Chikorita then leaped out of Ash's arms and looked at the cage before it shot forward its Razor Leaf at it. As expected, the lock was cut to pieces. That part was down, and Pikachu immediately rushed forward to pick the lock. It started shocking Pikachu immediately as it began to pull on the door, but it felt like nothing to yellow rodent. It was struggling a little because of the apparent weight of the door, however.

"Chika!" Chikorita smiled as it went over and began to snuggle Ash's leg again.

"What is going on?" Ash wondered as he watched it.

"Hmm…I wonder," Brock mumbled as he watched.

"You got something, Brock?" Ash questioned as he looked towards the Pokemon breeder.

"Later, Ash. Right now we need to focus on Cyndaquil and Mareep," Brock replied.

"Right," Ash nodded before he took Chikorita's pokeball out again. "Great job cutting the lock, Chikorita. Return."

Chikorita stopped snuggling Ash and looked up sadly at him that it was returning it so soon. Nevertheless, it relented and allowed itself to be returned. By that time, Pikachu had managed to heave the door open. It then shook off some of the static running from it before it leaped off the cart the cage was on.

"Awesome, Pikachu," Ash approved.

Ash then carefully reached into cage and tried to avoid touching the side at all costs. That was when the Cyndaquil finally seemed to notice Ash. When it saw Ash reach for him, it got a fearful look in its eyes and managed to scoot back a few feet.

"It's okay, Cyndaquil. I'm not going to hurt you. We're here to help," Ash said gently.

He then reached out and rested his hand on Cyndaquil's back. At first, Cyndaquil visibly flinched when Ash did this, but then it relaxed. It could tell by Ash's touch that he wasn't a bad human. Maybe it was here to help, after all.

Ash smiled when he felt Cyndaquil relieve its tense state. He then reached in with his other arm and scooped up Cyndaquil before he slowly brought it out of the cage. Now that it was free, the first thing Ash did was remove the awful muzzle that was around Cyndaquil's face. Once he did that, he gave an inviting smile to the Cyndaquil.

"Does that feel better, Cyndaquil?" he asked.

"Quiiil," Cyndaquil replied weakly.

"It's still hurt," Brock said. "We need to get it to a Pokemon Center."

The group then turned to see the Mareep. The wool Pokemon hadn't stopped moving the entire time they were focused on Cyndquil. Was it even going to be safe to release this thing? Maybe they should take it back to the Pokemon Center in its cage? No. That would be cruel. They needed to free it, too.

Serena approached the crazy, naked Mareep and smiled at it. Most people would probably laugh at how ridiculous a psychotic, naked Mareep would look, but Serena wasn't like that. The Mareep seemed to notice her and finally stopped to look at Serena.

"Mareep, we're here to help you. We promise to get you out, but we can't if you keep moving like that," Serena told it sweetly.

The Mareep beamed that someone had come to rescue it. The wool Pokemon began trying to store electricity to release it in excitement, but as usual, it was unable to do so because it had no wool. It sighed and stared…sheepishly…at Serena. The honey-blonde girl got a nervous smile.

"I'm sorry. It must be terrible to be without your wool and unable to store it, huh?" Serena asked.

"Baaaaaa," the Mareep agreed.

"Hold still for a moment. We'll get you out," Serena said as she stood back.

The group was actually a little surprised. Serena had actually gotten that thing to calm down. They were just fixing to figure out how to release it when they were interrupted.

"Not so fast!" a voice suddenly yelled.

The group first heard the sound of screeching, and then they shouted in surprise as a bullet flew past them. They glanced wildly around and saw a Fearow heading straight for them with its talons outstretched. They ducked just in time as the Fearow flew over them and arched back up.

It wasn't long after that they heard the sound of a vehicle. They soon saw a jeep was speeding towards them. The jeep had a cage on the back of it, and the person driving the jeep had one hand on the steering wheel and another hand holding the gun which fired the bullet a moment ago. The jeep grinded to a halt as the Fearow swooped back next to the driver.

As they driver got out, they could see that he had green hair, and they immediately recognized him. They had a mixture of disgust mixed with fear as the man and his Fearow glowered at them. The man took one glance at the empty cage he left there and then at the Cyndaquil in Ash's arms, and his eyes narrowed even further. It was none other than the infamous Pokemon hunter, Rico.

"What do you kids think you're doing with my property?" Rico asked dangerously.

"Your property?! If that's all you think Cyndaquil is, then that's a sick way of thinking!" Ash shouted.

"Heh. It technically is my property. I captured it earlier today and stuffed in that cage, and that Mareep, too. If you know what's good for you, then you'll put it back right now," Rico replied as the Fearow next to him screeched for emphasis.

"No way. These Pokemon are coming with us! We won't let you harm them!" Ash shouted back.

"I don't think you know who you're dealing with, kid," Rico uttered before he introduced himself properly. "I'm Rico, and I'm a Pokemon hunter. Capturing, killing, and selling Pokemon for their goods is what I do. Anybody who tries to keep me from my job is making a fatal error."

Ash was about to respond, but he was stopped by Brock placing a hand on his shoulder. The tanned Pokemon breeder had a serious look on his face. He then stepped in front of Ash. His hands were clenched as he began his question.

"So you're Rico. I have a question for you, and I demand an answer," Brock growled.

"Huh? What do you want?" Rico questioned as he raised his eyebrows in slight surprise that Brock spoke to him so boldly.

"I have with me now a Stantler that I caught a few weeks ago. I found it in Cherrygrove City after it was injured. I learned that its mother was killed by a Pokemon hunter. Was it you that killed Stantler's mother?" Brock uttered.

At this, everyone instantly turned back towards Rico like they were waiting for an answer, too. Rico, on the other hand, looked at Brock like he was crazy. Just who did this kid think he was? Why the heck should he give this kid the luxury of answering any question he asked him? In case this kid didn't noticed, he wasn't the one holding the gun. Despite this, Rico shrugged indifferently.

"How should I know, kid? Do you know how many Stantler I've killed this year? I've lost count. To ask me something like to remember a specific one is quite unrealistic," Rico replied before he added another part with an evil smirk. "However, you mentioning a Stantler with its mother near Cherrygrove City does ring a bell. I was there not too long ago and shot one. Its baby got away, though. I was surprised it was able to due to the trap its leg was in."

At this, Brock began taking short breaths as his fists were shaking. He looked down towards the ground so he wouldn't meet the gaze of the Pokemon hunter before him. So it was him, after all. The situation he just described matched his Stantler's situation perfectly. It was because of this man that Stantler no longer had a family to return to. It was because of this man that Stantler had to suffer so much loss and be alone for who knows how long. The worst part was Rico wasn't even sorry for he did!

"How could you?!" Brock suddenly roared at Rico, which surprised everyone, even the Pokemon hunter. They don't think they've ever seen Brock so angry.

"What are you going on about now?" Rico asked in disgust.

"Do you have any idea how much Stantler has suffered because of you!? You callously shot its mother and even tried to take its life, too! How could you even call yourself human?!" Brock roared again. "Go, Onix!"

Brock threw his pokeball, and the large rock snake made a loud roar at Rico. The Pokemon hunter glared at the Onix while the other group reached for their pokeballs, also. Before they could call them out, though, Brock had already issued an attack.

"Use Rock Throw and then Sandstorm so we can get out of here!" Brock shouted.

Onix roared again and conjured of a large rock before it hurled it at the Pokemon hunter and his Fearow. The man leaped out of the way just in time and landed on the ground with a thud to which he grunted in pain. A Sandstorm was then kicked up by Onix which obstructed his vision. Brock then climbed aboard and motioned with his hands for the others to get on, also.

"Come on! Take Cyndaquil and let's get going! Onix! Grab Mareep's cage with your tail!" Brock commanded. He wanted to free it, but there was no time.

The others nodded their heads and went to climb onto Onix, also, but Rico had other plans. He let out a cough from the sand before he looked in rage at the group before him. He wasn't about to let them go that easily. They still had his property, after all.

"You kids aren't going anywhere! Go, Octillery!" Rico shouted and threw forth his own pokeball.

A strange-looking, red octopus Pokemon with half-closed eyes emerged from Rico's pokeball and looked up at the Onix in front of it. Ash was tempted to take out his pokedex to scan this new Pokemon but knew it wasn't the time for that. The rock snake crouched down and prepared to battle its way through if necessary.

"Use Slam, Onix!" Brock hollered.

"Use Octazooka, Octillery!" Rico commanded.

Onix brought up its large tail and meant to slam it down on the Octillery, but the jet Pokemon shot a strange-looking ink from its mouth with surprising speed. The ink soared through the air and managed to strike Onix right in its eyes. The rock snake made gave a roar of pain and made a violet jerking motion which threw off its riders and caused its Slam to miss by a long shot.

The group landed on the ground and groaned in pain as Onix thrashed around wildly as it tried to get the ink out of its eyes. Brock slowly returned it to its pokeball and thought of who else he could use. The sandstorm then subsided, and Rico smiled evilly at the group as he and the Octillery approached the group.

"My Octillery has the sniper ability which I think is pretty fitting. It knows all of a Pokemon's critical points so your Onix didn't have a shot against it," Rico told them.

Rico then made his way over to Cyndaquil who Ash had let go of when he hit the ground. Ash made to crawl over to Cyndaquil to reach it before Rico did. The Pokemon hunter saw this and stomped down hard on Ash's arms with his boot. Ash cried in pain and glared up hatefully at Rico as the Pokemon hunter glared back.

"Don't even think about it, kid. You better stay down or something worse is going to happen to you," Rico threatened as he continued over to Cyndaquil.

"I'm not going to let you take them!" Ash hollered as he reached for one of his pokeballs despite his injured arm. "Go, Heracross!"

Rico's Fearow was quick to see this, however, and gave an angry screech. It then flew over at Ash and swiped Heracross' pokeball right out of his hands! Ash was stunned for a moment as Fearow casually tossed Heracross's pokeball in Rico's cage on the back of his jeep.

"Good work, Fearow," Rico told it before a thought crossed his mind. "Come to think of it, why stop at one? I might as well take all of your Pokemon! Go, Pupitar, and use Hyper Beam!"

A rocky cacoon-looking Pokemon appeared and gave a cry before it launched a Hyper Beam at the group. There was an explosion as it landed just in front of them. They were blown back from the force of the attack. Ash, Brock, and Pikachu were slammed against a tree while Serena and Misty hit the ground and tumbled before they skidded to a stop.

The Fearow then went in again and began to swipe the group's pokeballs straight from their belts while Pupitar and Octillery watched in case they had to attack the group again. They offered very little resistance due to the force of the Hyper Beam. Once it captured all of the pokeballs, it made its way for Pikachu and Togepi who were outside of their pokeballs.

Ash made a grab for his injured Pikachu as Fearow went in to get it, but the beak Pokemon dug its talons into Ash's arm which immediately put them down. Despite its injuries, Pikachu used Thunderbolt as soon as the Fearow grabbed it which caused the beak Pokemon to cry in pain and release it. Pikachu fell through the air, but Pupitar and Octillery were waiting for it and have a double blow with both of their rock hard heads which caused Pikachu to gasp in pain. Octillery then grabbed Pikachu with one of its tentacles and threw it into the cage along with the other pokeballs.

Serena soon saw the Fearow was now coming after Togepi and protectively held her arms around it as Fearow came forward. Pupitar saw this and lunged forward at Serena. It hit the girl right in the head and knocked her unconscious which caused Ash to scream in rage, but he couldn't do anything because of how much pain he was in. Pretty soon, Rico had Cyndaquil back in the cage, too, along with all the group's pokeballs, Ash's Pikachu, and even Togepi! Pikachu knew it couldn't use Thunderbolt otherwise it would hit Cyndaquil and Togepi. It wouldn't do anything anyway since the cage would just absorb its electricity. Lastly, he grabbed Mareep's cage and placed it the back of his jeep, as well. The Mareep had been injured badly when its cage fell from Onix. The jarring motions had caused it.

"Heh. I think my work here is done," Rico smirked before he turned to his Pokemon. "Come on. We're out of here."

"You're…not…getting away with this," Ash grimaced.

"You…can't take…Stantler," Brock panted.

"Oh, that's right. Your Stantler," Rico recalled as he looked towards Brock's pokeballs before he turned back to give an evil smile to Brock. "I'll take reeeeeeal good care of your Stantler. Just wait until you know the things I have in store for it."

"YOU MONSTER!" Brock screamed with every ounce of remaining strength he had left.

All Rico did was grunt before he turned to his Pupitar. "Use Sandstorm, Pupitar!" he ordered.

The Pupitar began to spin extremely fast as an excess of sand was kicked up around the injured group. They coughed violently as the blinding sand swirled around them. They soon heard an engine being started and the roar of a jeep speeding away. By the time the sand settled, the group looked around, but Rico and all of their Pokemon were already long gone and out of sight.

Ash shook with pain and clutched his arm as he, Brock and Misty shakily stood up, but they almost fell over again. That was a powerful Hyper Beam. They couldn't believe what had just happened. Their beloved Pokemon were just stolen from them and fell into the dangerous hands of a Pokemon hunter. They were devastated. Now who on Earth knows what could happened to them? They had no idea what to do. Brock and Misty had tears threatening to fall from their eyes while Ash limped over to check on Serena.

The honey-blonde girl was still unconscious, and Ash gasped when he saw she was bleeding from her head. That Pokemon hunter actually hurt Serena. Ash wanted to shake with rage at what the Pokemon hunter had done, but something unexpected happened. He felt something rather dark inside of him, but he quickly pushed it away. Ash worriedly covered the part of Serena's head that was bleeding with his hand as Brock pulled out a first aid kit. The Pokemon breeder then went over to Serena and began to bandage around her head to at least stop the bleeding. Tears spilled from Ash's eyes at what was happening. All he knew to do was scream in aggravation.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

"Ash…," Misty trailed sadly.

"What are we supposed to do now?!" Ash cried. "Serena's hurt, and that guy has our Pokemon!"

Brock and Misty looked down towards the ground as they didn't know, either. As they did, Misty's eyes lit up in surprise and relief as she saw she still had one pokeball on her belt. It must have been tucked under her body while Fearow was stealing their Pokemon so it didn't see it. She then smiled at the group.

"Hey, guys! I still have one of my Pokemon. Maybe it can help us find the others or at least find out which direction Rico went to!" she exclaimed.

Ash and Brock looked towards Misty as she excitedly unclipped her remaining pokeball and pressed the button on it. When the group saw what Pokemon came out of the pokeball, their faces fell a little. It was none other than Psyduck.

"Psy?" Psyduck questioned as it grabbed its forehead and looked completely clueless.

"Ohhhh…why did it have to be you?" Misty groaned before she shook herself from her frustration. "Wait a second. You have psychic abilities. Do you think you can find out where Rico went to, Psyduck? He has all our friends."

"Psy!" Psyduck declared with a nod.

It then closed its eyes and appeared to be concentrating. That was something the group honestly thought Psyduck wasn't capable of. The duck Pokemon seemed to be making humming noises as it strained to see if it could pick up anything. At last, it opened its eyes and looked up at Misty.

"Did you pick up on anything, Psyduck?" Misty asked hopefully.

"Psy!" Psyduck nodded and pointed in a direction.

Ash, Misty, and Brock looked to see where it was pointing, and they got a deadpan expression on their face. Psyduck was pointing at a dead end. There was a huge and dense thicket of trees that no person, and especially a jeep would be able to fit through. There was no way Rico went in that direction. There wasn't even a path in that direction! Misty sighed before she glared at Psyduck.

"You stupid duck! Rico couldn't have gone in that direction! Be serious for once!" Misty hollered at it.

"Psy aye aye," Psyduck said and grabbed its forehead again before putting on a blank expression.

"I hate to say it, Misty, but I don't think Psyduck is going to get us anywhere," Brock sighed.

Misty let out another groan of frustration before she returned Psyduck to its pokeball. She then looked towards Brock and Ash.

"Now what?" she asked.

"We need to get help and fast. There's a Pokemon Center not too far from here. We need to hurry there and let Nurse Joy know what happened. She can call Officer Jenny," Brock decided.

"You can't be serious, Brock! Who knows how long that could take?!" Ash cried.

"We don't have any other choice, Ash! We have no idea where Rico went to! Our best bet is to let the police know what happened and try to find him then!" Brock replied.

"Our Pokemon are in danger! This can't wait!" Ash hollered.

"Don't you think I know, Ash?! I'm horrified to think of what Rico could do to Stantler and our other Pokemon!" Brock shouted back.

"That's exactly why we need to find him now!" Ash roared and briefly wondered what was causing him to argue and scream at Brock.

"Ash! I'm worried, too, but we need to think logically!" Brock hollered.

"Guys! Stop it!" Misty cried, trying to play peacemaker for once.

Ash, however, wasn't wanting to hear any of it. He clenched his teeth at the Pokemon breeder in front of him. Ash's panic was causing him to lose control, and he felt the dark presence from just a minute ago build up inside of him. This was something that he didn't know he had. It was somewhat familiar. Was his aura actually trying to activate at a time like this? Would it help them find their Pokemon?

No. It felt like his aura was coming around, but this time it felt different. It wasn't refreshing and purifying like it normally was. It felt dark and foreboding. It was familiar, but it wasn't. Ash didn't know what to do with it. He was just so mad and upset at the situation. Unfortunately, the only target Ash had to release this pent up energy on was the Pokemon breeder in front of him.

With a cry of rage and his new found strength, Ash charged forward and collided into a very dumbfounded Brock. Misty gasped and covered her mouth as Ash continued to push Brock backwards until they were up against a tree. Brock looked at Ash in complete disbelief as Ash pinned him to the tree with his unforgiving arm that wasn't injured yet. Though Ash was shorter than Brock by quite a few inches, size meant nothing with how Ash felt at the moment.

"What are you doing, Ash?! Let go of me!" Brock exclaimed.

"How could you let us risk losing our Pokemon like that?" Ash uttered in a low tone, and both Brock and Misty gasped at how cold and dark Ash's voice sounded. He almost sounded like a completely different person.

"What are you talking about, Ash? I'm scared for our Pokemon just as much as you are. We just need to be reasonable so we don't get into any more trouble than we already are," Brock replied in slight fear of the raven-haired boy in front of him.

"We need to go after them, now. I'm not going to let you get in my way. Do you understand?" Ash growled threateningly before he grabbed Brock and began shaking him.

"Ash!" Misty cried in horror as she watched Ash continue to violently shake Brock into submission. She wanted to help, but was in fear that she would be attacked, too, if she stepped in. This couldn't be Ash!

Brock, however, couldn't take much more of this. He didn't know what had gotten into Ash, but he needed to stop it now. Brock then did something he never thought he would do. It pained him to do this to his little buddy, but it needed to be done as the look on Ash's face told Brock that he lost all reason.

Brock wound his fist back and punched Ash across the face. Brock made sure not to punch him too hard, but it had the intended effect. Ash let out a cry of surprise and pain as he finally released Brock. The Pokemon breeder was panting heavily as he gasped for air upon receiving a break. However, as Ash recovered from the blow, he put on the scariest look on his face that Misty or Brock had ever seen him do. They didn't even think he was capable of making that face. Quite frankly, they were a little scared. This couldn't be Ash, the same happy-go-lucky trainer whom they met over a year ago.

"You want a go, Brock?" Ash uttered as he curled his hands into fists in preparation to give as much pain as possible with them.

"A-a-ash?" Brock questioned in fear until he noticed something in Ash's eyes. It looked like his irises were now red instead of the chocolate brown they usually were. "Wait. What's going on with you?"

"That's enough!" Misty suddenly screamed as she finally stepped in and got in between Brock and Ash and spread her hands between them.

"Out of the way, Misty. Brock needs to be taught a lesson," Ash said slowly but deliberately.

"How can you even think of fighting at a time like this?! We're all friends here?! We don't need to be doing this?! Our Pokemon are missing, and Serena needs medical attention! We can't break now!" Misty shouted.

"What?" Ash questioned.

"Brock's your friend, Ash! How can you even possibly think of attacking him like that after all he's done for us!?" Misty exclaimed.

Ash suddenly lost the menacing expression on his face as he stared at Brock and Misty in front of him. The two were staring back at him in confusion and fear. They had never looked at him like that before. Ash then turned back to where Serena was and saw she was still lying on the ground, completely unconscious. Brock and Misty were right. What was he doing? There were so many urgent matters going on and all he was worried about was beating up on his best friend.

"I-I-I'm sorry," Ash said.

Just like that, the pent up energy inside of Ash vanished, and all of his rage and negative emotions vanished, too. Ash leaned forward and began taking short breaths as his eyes changed back to their normal color, not that he was able to see what happened to them. All of these emotions changed to shock at what he had just done. Not in a million years did he think he would ever do that to Brock, but just a minute ago he was threatening the Pokemon breeder as if he were Giovanni or Rico themselves.

"Ash?" Brock asked again hesitantly.

"I-I-I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry, Brock. You're right," Ash said a little quietly, still in shock over what he had done.

Brock and Misty continued to watch Ash in fear until they figured he was back to normal. They slowly nodded their heads. They really wanted to ask what on Earth had just come over Ash, but as they knew, there were more pressing matters to deal with.

"It's okay, Ash. Let's just hurry up and get to a Pokemon Center," Brock said.

"Alright. I'll carry, Serena," Ash asserted as he bent down and scooped the honey-blonde girl in his arms. She was actually a little lighter than he thought she would be. Either that, or he had gotten a little stronger in the past couple of years. "Let's go."

As the group set off towards the Pokemon Center, there were several thoughts racing through Ash's head right now. Where on Earth had Rico taken their Pokemon? Would they ever be seen again? Would Serena be okay? Lastly, what on Earth was that he felt inside of him? There was no way that could've been his aura. It was supposed to be used for good, not to do terrible things and fill him with rage and hate. It frightened Brock and Misty as well as him. As Ash looked at the unconscious Serena in his arms, he was almost thankful she wasn't awake to see him like that. Who knows what she would've thought?

* * *

It had been about two hours since Rico had stolen the group's Pokemon, and they were at a remote Pokemon Center. Any injuries they sustained had been taken care of. Brock had taken the liberty of calling Officer Jenny as soon as they got there from the video phone. He surprisingly managed to remain serious and not act infatuated the entire time he was speaking to the police officer which didn't go unnoticed. Misty was trying her best to get Psyduck to use its psychic powers to find the others, and Ash was by Serena who was still unconscious. He had a bandage around the arm that Fearow had clawed.

Ash was knelt beside her as Serena lay on the couch of the Pokemon Center. She had a bag of ice against her temple where Pupitar had struck her. Ash tenderly held one of Serena's hands in his own as he stroked it back and forth with his thumb. Despite the trauma that she experienced Serena looked quite peaceful and was breathing gently.

Nurse Joy had already inspected Serena's wound and informed the group it wasn't severe which the group was thankful for. She would still have to wear a bandage around her head until the wound completely healed, though. Still, it shouldn't be noticeable because it would be covered by the hat she always wore.

As Ash was beside Serena, he let his thoughts wander. He couldn't believe that all of their Pokemon had been taken just like that by some poacher! How could that have happened?! If they had tried a little harder and weren't so caught off guard by Rico's brutal methods, would they have been able to defend their pokeballs? Ash just felt so helpless, but he knew he wasn't the only one. He knew Brock and Misty were hurting just as badly. He was sure Serena would, too, when she woke up.

What horrible fate had befallen his Pokemon now that they were at the hands of Rico? Was he torturing them? Had he already sold them off? Ash shuddered at each of those thoughts. The look Pikachu had as it was in the cage showed nothing but absolute mortification. He didn't think he had seen Pikachu look that horrified since his battle with Giovanni when it was about to be drilled through with Horn Drill. Ash closed his eyes to try to get that image of Pikachu and his other Pokemon being killed by Rico out of his mind, but it wouldn't leave him alone. He felt sick.

There was a moan next to Ash, and the raven-haired boy turned and saw Serena stirring slightly. He breathed out a small sigh of relief. At least she was coming around now. Serena looked uncomfortable and slowly moved her free hand towards where the ice bag was against her head and felt around it. She then carefully opened her eyes and tiredly looked over at Ash, who let out a small smile.

"Hey, Serena," Ash greeted.

"Ash…," Serena mumbled

The honey-blonde girl attempted to sit up, but she suddenly felt dizzy. She closed her eyes and immediately laid back down on the pillow on the couch. She then let out another moan.

"Take it easy, Serena," Ash said gently.

Serena then noticed her surroundings. She was inside of a Pokemon Center with Ash right next to her. She could hear Brock and Misty talking so she knew they were nearby, too. What had happened? She remembered Rico had been trying to steal their Pokemon and…

"Ash!" Serena suddenly cried as she sat up and immediately felt dizzy again, but she didn't care. "What happened to our Pokemon?!"

Tears burned Ash's eyes again when Serena mentioned that. He couldn't meet her gaze and turned away. He looked absolutely devastated. Serena then saw Brock and Misty not too far away and noticed they had the same expressions. Their looks said it all. Tears began to fall from Serena's face, too, as she began to cry.

"No," she sobbed. "I-it can't be. Rico took our Pokemon. Togepi, Fennekin, Charla…," she trailed, unable to finish her sentence.

"I know it hurts, Serena, but please don't push yourself. I don't want you to faint again," Ash told her.

"I can't help it. I'm-I'm so scared for what could be happening to them. H-he has our Pokemon," Serena replied while still crying.

Brock and Misty then came over upon hearing Serena's voice. They saw the look on her face and already knew she received the terrible news. Brock then decided it was time to give Ash and Serena an update. He just got done telling Misty.

"Hey, guys. Officer Jenny just called and said she would be here in about twenty minutes. She wants us to give her a list of all of our Pokemon that was stolen. She's then going to lead a team of investigators to try to track him down since we know he's in this area," Brock reported.

"Wait. What are we supposed to do?" Ash asked.

"There isn't much we can do, Ash. We're completely defenseless," Brock sighed.

"So we just have to sit here at this Pokemon Center and wait for Officer Jenny? She may not even find Rico," Ash replied, his voice rising again.

"I don't like this plan, either, Ash, but we don't have a choice," Brock frowned.

"That's right. Officer Jenny would just have four more people to protect if we went with her. Unless, Psyduck proves useful, we'd just get in the way," Misty muttered.

"Psy," Psyduck said absently from beside her.

Ash trembled and looked down towards the ground. He knew they were right, but that doesn't mean he had to like it. Truthfully, nothing sounded good right now unless a miracle happened. His emotions were causing a sensation to build up into his soul. Unlike last time when it felt dark, it had the familiar warm feeling.

Serena looked down, too, but she still felt dizzy. She slowly laid back down onto the couch to rest a little better. She then recalled what she had been feeling when she woke up. Ever since she got the blow to her head, she felt funny, and she didn't know why. She felt an all too familiar sensation like some sort of pressure in her head. She then decided to try something just to make sure.

" _Ash? Can you hear me?"_ Serena thought.

There was a pause before Ash answered. _"Yeah."_

That was all that needed to be said to know that Ash's aura and Serena's psychic abilities had activated again. They weren't completely helpless, anymore. Brock and Misty saw their expressions and gave them a puzzled look.

"What's up, guys?" Brock wondered.

"Guys, it's here. We can use it to find our Pokemon," Ash replied and finally smiled.

Brock and Misty's mouths hung open. It was happening again so soon?

"Wait. Are you…," Brock began.

"That's right," Ash finished as he stood up. "I'm not waiting around any longer. I've got to find our Pokemon, now."

"Ash, you don't know how long it could last. What if it goes away while you're in the middle of finding them? You'll be completely lost," Misty reasoned.

"It's a chance I'm willing to take. I've got to use my aura while it's still fresh," Ash said.

"Me, too," Serena said as she stood up, though she wobbled slightly.

"Serena…you, too?" Misty questioned.

"That's right. I can feel my ESP. I don't want to waste this chance I'm given to find my Pokemon. My wound is bandaged so I'll be fine," Serena asserted.

"You guys can stay here and wait for Officer Jenny. Serena and I are going," Ash said firmly.

Brock and Misty exchanged glances with each other. They were sort of at a crossroads of what to do. Officer Jenny gave them strict orders to stay here until she arrived. She would be here any moment. However, what Ash mentioned earlier rang in their minds. They had no idea if Officer Jenny would be able to find Rico even with investigators. He was a master at evading the authorities. Brock and Misty then turned towards Ash and Serena and nodded their heads.

"Guys. You're right. We're going, too," Brock stated. "There's no way I'm going to take a chance with Rico harming Stantler or my other Pokemon."

"Me, neither!" Misty affirmed.

Ash smiled at that. He knew he could always count on his friends to support him and Serena in the end. It was extremely risky doing this without a Pokemon, except Psyduck, but if there was even a chance they could find him, they would take it.

Ash and Serena then closed their eyes. Ash tried to pick up on Pikachu while Serena tried to pick up on Togepi. They listened for a while as they tried to pick up on their position. At last, they could almost feel their Pokemon in their minds. They didn't appear to be in any pain as of right now which was a good sign. The two then opened their eyes.

"Let's go," Ash said before they took off, but not too fast because of Serena. Psyduck brought up the rear and waddled after them.

There was no chance they were going to leave their Pokemons' fates up to a Pokemon hunter. They had to find them and fast.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Nurse Joy cried from the counter, but they were already gone.

Nurse Joy watched worriedly when she realized her words never reached them. Those poor kids had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

* * *

 **Dark aura Ash appears for the first time! Will it appear again? Of course it will, but when? Will Serena's ESP go crazy again now that it received a rise from the blow to her head? Maybe. Maybe not.**

 **The next chapter is coming up later this month. Catch you guys then! Thanks for all the reviews and support. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Fourteen: The Pokemon Hunter: Part Two**


	14. The Pokemon Hunter: Part Two

**A/N: I'm going to address a question a few of you asked right now. Q: "Why didn't the group call Professor Oak's lab to get Pokemon after theirs were stolen?"**

 **A: "It's because the way I look at it, it all plays into the automated transfer system in the Pokemon world. Despite their Pokemon being stolen, it still recognizes them as having six Pokemon on them. If they tried to get Pokemon from Professor Oak, the system would state an error that they couldn't carry anymore. The only way around that would be to call Professor Oak and let him know what happened. Then Professor would have to call the Silph company who runs the transfer system in Kanto and let them know what happened. Then the Silph company would have to find the correct codes that match Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty, which could take a while because there are a lot of Pokemon trainers from Kanto. They would then have to key in the correct password to allow special privileges this one time. All of this would take forever, and as you know, time wasn't on the group's hands, and they weren't willing to wait considering how they didn't even wait for Officer Jenny. It was a lot easier to just state this in an author's note rather than say so in story. Aren't you all glad you asked now?"**

 **A couple of you may argue that Ash has a spare spot on his team because he released Charizard. That's true, but despite how powerful they are, how well do you think one Pokemon would do against a crazy, evil, Pokemon hunter with a gun and an arsenal of powerful Pokemon, too. The odds wouldn't be in Ash's favor, even if he had Snorlax.**

 **Now please enjoy this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: The Pokemon Hunter: Part Two

The group had been searching for almost an hour now, and they still hadn't found their Pokemon. It was night, but they didn't care. Though Ash and Serena could follow the path of which direction their Pokemon were in, that didn't mean that Rico wasn't driving his jeep and getting further away from them. He could already be a long way away, and they wouldn't know it. That didn't matter to the group, however. Even if they had to run all day and all night, they would keep going until they found their Pokemon.

They also knew the consequences of their actions, however. Officer Jenny had given them strict orders to stay put and not do anything rash. They were doing the complete opposite. The group had no doubt she had already been to the Pokemon Center and was out looking for them. If she was able to catch them, they would be in serious trouble.

"Are you two able to tell if we're any closer?" Misty asked as they went along.

"No, but I can just tell we're close," Ash replied.

"That doesn't even make sense!" Misty exclaimed in aggravation.

"I think he just means he can feel it even without his aura…like intuition," Brock spoke up.

Misty took another glance up and saw the moon rising in the sky. The small sound of a Hoothoot sounded nearby. It was dangerous to travel like this at nighttime. They would normally have already set up camp by now and eating their supper. The events of earlier today, though, had made them lose their appetite, and they only had one focus now. It still didn't change the time of day, though.

Abruptly, Ash and Serena stopped. Misty and Brock had been behind them and had to screech to halt, also, to avoid crashing into them. Both the water Pokemon trainer and Pokemon breeder looked at them hopefully.

"Did you find him?" Misty whispered.

"Yeah. He's nearby," Ash answered as he and Serena began to walk slowly.

After using her ESP for a while, coupled with the wound to her head, Serena started to get dizzy again. Then again, was it really the wound to her head that was doing this? She didn't feel pain from it anymore, and it was properly cared for and dressed since then. Why did she start getting dizzy again, and why wasn't she dizzy when they were running?

"Serena? Are you okay?" Ash asked quietly.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Serena answered back just as quietly.

"Is it the wound to your head?" Brock inquired.

"Yes," Serena replied before she thought, _"At least I think it is."_

Ash felt his aura leave him as they crept along the forest path. Even though Ash knew they were about to find who they were after, it was still dangerous. Rico was armed, and they weren't. Now, he didn't have his aura to defend themselves with. Ash took a glance at Serena and saw her eyes were no longer glowing.

"Are you back to normal?" Ash asked.

"I feel like I am," Serena replied before she smiled at Ash. "I'm so glad we able to use them just now."

Ash was about to agree, but he stopped himself. He still hadn't forgotten how he was acting earlier when their Pokemon first got stolen. It felt like his typical aura, but at the same time it was different. At least it didn't do that this time. One thing was certain. It was definitely not intended to do good. Should he tell Serena about it? Should he tell is dad about it?

Ash's thoughts were interrupted as they approached a clearing. They immediately stopped and hid behind a couple of trees before they peaked out. A tent was pitched up in the clearing with a set of smoking logs nearby where a campfire had just been put out. The group narrowed their eyes as this had to be the place where Rico was.

It actually proved to be fortunate that it was nighttime as Rico was asleep which would make it easier to take back their Pokemon. After they rescued them, they could find Officer Jenny and lead her to where Rico was. That action would certainly excuse them from disobeying her.

As they looked around, they could see his Fearow next to the tent. It had its eyes closed and its wings tucked in to show that it was sleeping. That didn't mean that one careless move could awaken it, however. If that happened, the situation would prove to be catastrophic. They had to be extra careful and make sure to spot their Pokemon before going in.

Naturally, Rico most likely had the camouflage blanket over the cage of Pokemon and pokeballs so no casual passerby would notice them. Brock took a flashlight out of his backpack and shined it around the camp to look for anything that looked out of place. He made sure to keep the light away from the Fearow and Rico's tent, of course

Brock breathed a sigh of relief once he believed he found it. A strange placement of trees was over off into the left side of the clearing which was probably the blanket. Brock nodded his head. That must be where they are. Ash and Brock then turned to Serena and Misty.

"Okay. It's best if as few of us go in as possible. Ash and I will go retrieve our Pokemon. You girls wait here," Brock whispered.

"Right. Just please be careful," Serena told them.

Ash and Brock carefully stepped out of the trees and into the clearing. Thankfully, the Fearow wasn't alerted by their presence and was still sleeping. Ash and Brock tiptoed over to where he had pointed to, and Brock kept the flashlight on so they could see.

Soon enough, they made it to the blanket without error and Ash went over to it and pulled off the camouflage blanket, and Brock shined the light into the cage. When they saw what was in there, they gasped.

Ash and Brock saw their pokeballs in there. Pikachu, Togepi, Cyndaquil, and Mareep were the only ones not in pokeballs, but Pikachu, Togepi, and Mareep were tied up while Cyndaquil had the muzzle reapplied to its face. Mareep had at least twice as much rope on it as Togepi and Pikachu did. It was covering its whole body, even its head. Once Pikachu and Togepi saw Ash and Brock, they began squirming in excitement with Togepi even having tears of joy running down its face.

Ash and Brock felt the same way as they saw most of their Pokemon were okay. Well, as okay as one could be upon being captured by a Pokemon hunter. Now, the only thing left to do was figure how to get them out. It would be naïve to think Rico left the keys outside. They were most likely inside the tent where he was. Ash and Brock weren't about to try to go in there. That cage would most likely still shock them upon impact, too. If they managed to free Pikachu from its bonds, it might be able to open the cage from the inside, however.

Brock shined his flashlight along the ground so they could search for some type of long, thin stick that could fit between the bars and cut Pikachu loose. After a few seconds, Brock was able to spot one, and Ash went over to retrieve it. Ash then carefully stuck the long stick through the opening and began to scratch away at Pikachu's ropes while Brock shined the flashlight in so Ash could see. It was a crude method to free Pikachu, but it was all they had.

"Don't worry, Pikachu. I'm going to get you and the others out," Ash whispered as he worked at the rope.

Pikachu nodded its head as it watched Ash. It knew Ash wasn't going to let it and the others down by abandoning them like this. Pikachu believed with every fiber of its being that Ash would come for them, and Togepi had believed it, too. Pikachu then turned to Cyndaquil and Togepi and saw the spikeball Pokemon was bouncing up and down in excitement while Cyndqaquil had its head cocked to the side in curiosity as it watched the two humans in front of it. Mareep couldn't see what was going on as its whole body was covered in rope, but it could tell something was coming to rescue it.

At last, Ash had managed to cut the rope enough to where Pikachu could break out. It then went over to Togepi and quickly untied it, too. Togepi gave a happy chirp and immediately ran towards Ash, but Pikachu quickly held it back so it wouldn't get shocked. It then told Togepi to quietly wait while it worked on the cage.

The yellow rodent then went to where the cage door was and began to pick at the lock with its tiny fingers. It let out a slight grimace as the cage began shocking it, but it wasn't too bad. Brock and Ash made a quick glance behind them and saw Fearow shift slightly, and they inhaled a little to avoid sound escaping their mouths. Oh no. The noise of the electricity shocking Pikachu was waking up Fearow. They had to work fast.

At last, the crackling of the electricity stopped as Pikachu managed to unlock the cage. Pikachu then swung the door open from the inside and immediately jumped into Ash's arms. Ash hugged his Pikachu as hard as he could at their reunion. He had been so worried about Pikachu and his other Pokemon, but they had managed to find them safe and sound thanks to his aura and Serena's ESP.

Soon, Ash felt another weight collide into him which proved to be Togepi jumping out of the cage to him, also. Ash embraced Togepi just as tightly. He wanted to hug them longer and tell them how overjoyed he was to see them again and let his emotions out, but they didn't have time for that. They had to get their pokeballs now and get out of there.

Cyndaquil lazily jumped out of the cage and stared up at Ash. The raven-haired boy hastily got the cruel muzzle off its face again, and knelt down next to it. Cyndaquil titled its head curiously at Ash again and gave a yawn.

"Are you alright Cyndaquil?" Ash whispered.

"Quil," the Pokemon nodded. The fire mouse thought it was interesting that this same human had come to rescue it twice now.

"I guess you're an extra nice Cyndaquil, too, huh?" Ash smiled as he reached down and patted its head.

The raven-haired boy then turned and saw Mareep was still tied up in its ropes and bouncing around wildly due to wanting to get free. If it wasn't for the situation, it would've been humorous to see what looked like just a blob of rope hopping up and down in a cage. Ash and Brock cringed as Mareep couldn't see where it was going and kept crashing into the side of the cage which made even more racket.

Ash thought about grabbing it, but Mareep would probably shock him. That also wouldn't bode well with them trying to be quiet. They had no idea what to do about Mareep.

Brock and Ash then turned as they saw Serena coming into the clearing. They each gave her an inquisitive glance as if asking what she was doing. Serena didn't answer as she made her way over to the cage and sighed once she saw the thrashing, crazy, Mareep. The honey-blonde girl took a deep breath until she stretched her hands out and lowered them onto the tied up Mareep.

Ash and Brock were surprised when they saw the hyper Mareep instantly calm down. Its wild movements grew still, and it was letting out slow breaths. Ash and Brock turned to Serena and wondered how she was doing that until they saw her eyes were glowing blue. She was using her ESP to calm Mareep. So it appeared that her ESP hadn't gone away fully, after all.

Brock scooped up all of their pokeballs and carefully looked around to make sure each one was accounted for. Great. All of Serena's Pokemon were here. All of Misty's Pokemon were here. All of Ash's Pokemon were here. Brock handed their pokeballs back until he inspected his own. All of his Pokemon were….oh no. Brock instantly got a sick feeling when he realized he didn't have all of his pokeballs here.

"Brock?" Ash questioned.

"Ash," Brock choked. "Stantler isn't here."

"What?" Ash wondered.

Before Ash, Brock, and Serena could ponder on that, an angry shriek sounded behind them. They spun around and saw the Fearow was wide awake and screeching angrily inside the tent. Misty saw this, too, and gave a pleading look at Ash, Serena, and Brock to make a run for it. She didn't know that Brock was missing his Stantler.

"Who's there?!" Rico's voice sounded from inside the tent.

"Guys! We need to go!" Ash said.

"Ash...Stantler…it…," Brock trailed, unable to finish his sentence as his fist shook.

Ash saw from the moonlight and Brock's flashlight that Fearow as now speeding towards them like a predator about to take down its prey. Ash glared at the Fearow and looked down at Pikachu. There was no need to be quiet now that Rico and Fearow had been alerted of their presence.

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" he yelled.

Pikachu leaped into the air and let out a gigantic stream of electricity from its cheeks. It sent all of its energy at the Fearow, and its aim was true. The Fearow cried out as its body was engulfed in electricity before it fell to the ground and let out a puff of smoke. Now that it was out of commission, Ash, Serena, and Brock went to leave, but they were stopped short.

Misty cried out as a bullet shot through the air right past Ash, Serena, and Brock's faces. The three turned in fear as Rico had come out of his tent with his own flashlight and had his shotgun in his other hand.

"You kids again, huh?" Rico asked in disdain.

"Where's Stantler?!" Brock roared.

At that, Rico gave an evil smile and made a slight coughing nose. Brock instantly felt his blood run cold when Rico did that. It couldn't be. Could it? He really didn't…no…please…

"No," Brock whispered as he began trembling before screamed out. "No!"

"Heh. Your Stantler wished it was dead by the time I got through with it. I granted its wish," Rico muttered spitefully.

Brock began taking short breaths as he felt like hyperventilating. Rico had to be lying. There was no way that he had killed Stantler. Brock wouldn't allow it. He had promised to take care of that Stantler, but it fell at the hands of the very hunter who had killed its mother. This couldn't be happening.

Ash, meanwhile, couldn't take anymore of this Pokemon hunter. He had gone too far. His whole body shook with rage at Rico. He wanted this man to be punished and suffer for what he's done. Ash wanted this man to hurt, and he wanted to be the one to do it. He started to feel a certain blackness in his soul once again.

"Ash?" Serena questioned once she saw the dark look on his face.

That made Ash snap out of it. No. He couldn't lose control like that again, and not so soon.

"I let you kids live last time," Rico said, switching topics. "However, seeing as how you keep getting in my way, I'll just kill you, too!"

With that, Rico pointed his shotgun at Brock as he prepared to shoot him first. Ash's eyes grew wide in terror but Brock didn't even seem to notice. He was too busy thinking about what had happened to Stantler and how he failed miserably to protect it.

However, before Rico could shoot them, he felt the gun blasted out of his hands. He stared in confusion for a moment before he was lifted up and thrown backwards. The evil man was flung into his tent, and it crumpled before his weight. The man began struggling as he became tangled in the collapsed tent, but that wouldn't hold him long. They had to leave now.

The group had no time to question what happened and just took off running. Meanwhile, Togepi smiled that it had managed to get its arms to glow blue like it's mommy's eyes did when she was powerful. Togepi began to laugh and waved its arms back and forth again in hopes that it could make its body glow blue some day once more. No one seemed to notice it, though, as they were too busy trying to get away.

Everyone ran away from the clearing and were almost out before they remembered one thing. They turned and saw that Mareep was still tied up and jumping along after them, unable to see a thing. It would be cruel to leave it here in the hands of Rico. Who knows what he would do with it then. Serena ran back towards the Mareep and quickly untied the rope.

As soon as she did that, a stream of electricity exploded out of the Mareep. Serena had to duck to avoid getting shocked by the massive amount of electricity. Once that happened, the naked Mareep gave a happy cry and dashed off at seemingly the speed of light. Ash, Brock, and Misty barely had time to process Mareep was running by them because it was moving so fast.

By that time, Rico had become untangled and was scrambling around to find his gun in all of the confusion. Fearow was also starting to recover from its shocks so the group didn't have any more time. The just hoped Mareep would be okay now that it had gotten away.

The group took off running through the forest as fast as they could. Brock still had his flashlight out so they could still see where they were going. About fifteen seconds later, they heard the start of a jeep and the roar of an engine. Though they had gotten a good start on Rico, he would be able to catch up with them quickly if he knew what direction they went in.

"What do we do, Ash?!" Serena cried.

"We'll have to split up. That will at least confuse Rico, and he won't find us all at once. That way, in case one of us is caught, the others can still get away and find Officer Jenny," Ash replied.

"No way are we splitting up when there's a crazy Pokemon hunter right behind us who's wanting to kill us!" Misty yelled.

"If we stay together, and he catches us, then we're all dead!" Ash shot back.

Serena, Brock, and Misty stayed silent as they knew he was right. The plan was terrible, but it was the lesser of two evils. This was literally a huge gamble they were taking by splitting up. It was nighttime so they had no marker to meet up at. The Pokemon Center was a long way away, and they hadn't quite memorized the path back since they were relying on Ash's aura and Serena's ESP to find their way through the forest. This was the only way to ensure the most people stayed alive.

This was now proving to be a very bad idea to go off and try to retrieve their Pokemon. Deep inside, they knew it was dangerous, but they were all just too worried about their Pokemon. The group then exchanged glances with each other. All four of them stared at the other with a look as if to say, "We'll see each other again." With that, the four went off in different directions with Cyndaquil and Pikachu going with Ash and Togepi going with Serena. Each of them hoped that at least one of them would find Officer Jenny and stop Rico before it was too late.

* * *

It was the next morning, and Misty had been hiding all night. She wasn't able to get any sleep. She had found shelter in a large alcove in a tree, but she had absolutely no idea where she was. Misty really wished she had kept a guidebook for herself so she could try to pinpoint her location. The only problem was that it was with Brock.

Due to being separated from the group and getting turned around in the confrontation from Rico, Misty didn't know if she was going the right way or not. In short, the poor redhead was completely lost.

Misty crawled out of her shelter now that it was morning. Maybe since there was some sunlight, she would be able to find where she was going. It was a start just as long as she didn't run into Rico. She just wanted to find her friends and continue on their journey. They had gotten their Pokemon back, but their trouble wasn't over yet.

"Ohhhhh," Misty groaned as she stood up and stretched, but she cringed when Shellder licked her leg.

Instead of getting annoyed like she normally did, Misty smiled and patted it on the outside of its shell. She was just glad to see her Pokemon again even if a couple, namely Psyduck and Shellder, did get on her nerves. Speaking of Pokemon that got on Misty's nerves, Psyduck made a sudden cry which made Misty jump. She turned towards the only member of the group's Pokemon who wasn't taken and stared inquisitively at it.

"What is it, Psyduck?" Misty asked.

"Psy aye aye!" Psyduck cried again and jumped up and down.

Misty rolled her eyes and was about brush off Psyduck's cries. That goofy duck wouldn't notice a Snorlax on top of it. It had been absolutely no help in finding the rest of their Pokemon yesterday. That was until Misty heard the sound of an engine roaring which sounded a lot like a jeep.

Misty froze. No. That couldn't be. Could it? The worst part was that it was getting louder. Misty immediately dove back inside of the alcove from the tree and scooted as far back as she could. She then hastily returned all of her Pokemon to their pokeballs and stayed as quiet as possible. Misty then inhaled when she heard the jeep pass right by the tree before it stopped.

Misty thought this was rather odd that the jeep would stop here. That was until she noticed her backpack was still outside of the tree in plain sight! Oh no! Rico must've noticed her backpack and was stopping to investigate! Her blood ran cold when she heard footsteps walking along and knew that he was out looking around now.

Misty began to shiver for fear of her life. She had no idea what would become of her if Rico found her. She didn't want to find out, either. She considered coming out of her hiding place to fight, but she was too scared to move. Truthfully, this was probably the most frightened Misty had been in her entire life.

" _Please don't look in here. Please don't look in here,"_ Misty pleaded in thought to herself as she began to sweat.

Then, to her great misfortune, Psyduck decided to pop out of its pokeball. The duck Pokemon gave another cry and waved its arms back and forth. Misty let out a shriek of horror when Psyduck did that before she quickly covered her own mouth with the sound she made. Rico had certainly heard that just now and knew where to look. Misty glared at Psyduck and considered strangling it before she heard footsteps rapidly approaching her hiding spot. Tears began to fall from Misty's eyes as she believed this was it. She then saw a face appear at the entrance of the alcove and let out a bloodcurdling scream and closed her eyes.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

"What's wrong?!" a voice shouted.

Misty opened her eyes and stopped screaming when she saw who it was. Thank goodness! It turned out it wasn't Rico, but an Officer Jenny was peering at Misty through the alcove with a look of alarm on her face. Misty began taking short breaths to calm herself, and her heart rate slowly turned back to normal.

"O-officer Jenny?" Misty questioned.

"That's right. Are you okay?" Officer Jenny asked.

Misty didn't answer right away and instead looked at Psyduck who gave a goofy smile back. Did Psyduck know all along that it wasn't Rico approaching but Officer Jenny? Misty wasn't sure, but she flashed Psyduck a grateful smile and took back her thoughts about wanting to strangle Psyduck for giving away their location. The goofy duck had done something right.

"I-I think I'm fine," Misty replied to Officer Jenny.

"Why don't you come out of there and tell me why you were screaming?" Officer Jenny asked.

Misty nodded her head and crawled out. Officer Jenny moved out of the way so Misty would have enough room. Once Misty was out with Psyduck, she was about to tell Officer Jenny her story, but she couldn't finish. The fact that she didn't see Ash, Serena, or Brock with Officer Jenny meant that they were still lost and in danger. Misty then began to cry for fear of where her friends might be. They would be just as lost as she was.

Officer Jenny placed her hands on Misty's shoulders and gave her a serious expression. This girl had apparently been through a lot, but Officer Jenny needed to know what it was.

"Miss, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Officer Jenny wondered.

"I-it's my friends. A Pokemon hunter is after us. I-I-I don't know where they are," Misty sobbed.

"Wait. Are you the kids whose Pokemon were stolen by Rico?" Officer Jenny questioned and noticed there were now pokeballs on Misty's belt. "Were you actually able to take them back?!"

"Y-yes. That's us. We're so sorry we didn't wait for you at the Pokemon Center. We were just so scared for our Pokemon," Misty cried.

"Never mind that. The important thing is I found one of you. You all are in grave danger. If you got your Pokemon back from Rico, he won't stop looking until he's found you all. That means he still has to be in this area," Officer Jenny said.

"You have to help us, Officer Jenny! My friends are still lost!" Misty exclaimed.

"Of course. That's what I'm here for. Come with me, Miss. Let's find the rest of your friends," Officer Jenny stated as she made her way back to her own jeep with Misty following suit.

Misty followed Officer Jenny and was left to her own thoughts. She was going to be okay, but Ash, Brock, and Serena were still out there. She just hoped that she and Officer Jenny were able to find them before Rico did.

* * *

Serena peeked out from the shelter she was in. The honey-blond girl had taken shelter in a small alcove formed by a large collection of rocks. Her Pokemon had kept watch throughout the entire night. There was no way she could sleep in a tent or out in the open with Rico after them. Upon seeing that it was morning and that she was still alive, the honey-blonde girl breathed a sigh of relief.

She then turned to Togepi who was rolled up in a ball, asleep. Seeing the young Pokemon sleeping peacefully like that would almost make the honey-blonde girl forget that she was running from a Pokemon hunter. Serena's thoughts then went to how the others were doing: Ash, Brock, and Misty. Were they able to find Officer Jenny? Did Rico find them instead? Well, one thing was for sure, now that she was alive. Serena had to go off in search of the others.

Serena got outside the makeshift cave and looked around at all of her Pokemon. She was so happy she got them back safe and sound. Charla and Cubone were fiercely guarding the perimeter of the rocks. Serena was impressed by how brave her Cubone was acting considering its neediness when she first met it. Fennekin was watching Smeargle paint on one of the cave walls and seemed interested. The painting Pokemon itself seemed to be enjoying Fennekin's company and its appreciation of its artwork. Serena believed those two would become good friends. At least her Fennekin found another Pokemon from Serena's team who didn't get on its nerves.

Lastly, Serena found Poliwag…who was asleep. Serena frowned as she saw a spit bubble slowly rise and fall in front of its mouth. Did this Pokemon have absolutely no care at all that a Pokemon hunter was possibly after them?! Poliwag had one job which was to make sure that Rico didn't show up! Serena was about to yell at the tadpole Pokemon to wake up, but she stopped when Cubone made a slight grunt that it heard something.

Charla also made a slight snort and turned in the direction Cubone was. Fennekin and Smeargle also seemed to pick up on the noise as they turned around and looked in that direction, too. Serena slowly feared that they were hearing the sound of Rico's jeep, but that wasn't the case. Her Pokemon had more of a curious look on their faces than fear.

"What is it, guys?" Serena asked.

A few seconds later, there was an explosion of electricity that shot through the trees. Even Poliwag was awoken by the crackling of the electricity. As soon as Serena saw it, she put on a look of elation and sprinted towards it. Only Ash's Pikachu could make a stream of electricity like that! Also, if Pikachu was there, Ash had to be there, too! He had made it out okay! It had to be him!

Serena's Pokemon followed her as she excitedly made her way through the trees. She was trying to follow whatever path she could to get to it. There was another explosion of electricity just in front of her which Serena found just a little odd now. She rose an eyebrow in confusion as she continued to weave around any obstacles in her way until she finally reached where the electricity had come from.

It turned out that it wasn't Ash's Pikachu, but it was Mareep. It didn't take Serena long to figure out this was the Mareep they had freed yesterday. The fact that it had no wool was a dead giveaway. The honey-blonde girl was a little disappointed it wasn't Ash, but gasped when she saw the Mareep was in another trap.

The wool Pokemon was spazzing out uncontrollably and shooting several bouts of electricity. Serena wanted to go over to help it, but the way it was thrashing around made it difficult to get over to it. Regardless, Serena knew she couldn't just leave it here. Rico was most certainly around if this was one of his traps, and Serena wasn't about to let that monster capture Mareep again. Whatever Serena did, she knew to act fast as these explosions of electricity would certainly attract attention.

"Relax, Mareep. I'm here to help," Serena told it calmly as she made a few timid steps towards it.

Mareep stopped its erratic movements and turned to look at Serena. It then started bouncing up and down in excitement rather than panic. This wasn't much better as Mareep's activeness still couldn't let Serena get close.

Cubone began to walk forward and held its bone high in the air. It was going to clonk Mareep across the head and knock it out cold. That way Serena would be able to free it. Cubone disliked hurting other Pokemon, but this one was getting on its nerves. Serena saw this and quickly held back the lonely Pokemon.

"No, Cubone. Knocking it unconscious isn't the answer, either," Serena scolded slightly.

"Booooone," Cubone grumbled.

Serena couldn't use her ESP to calm it down, either, like last night as it was gone now. Serena sighed as she crossed her arms at a loss of what to do. Throwing a pokeball wouldn't work because the trap wouldn't let Mareep be captured. Serena really didn't want any of her Pokemon to hurt the Mareep just so she could help get it out of the trap. However, was that really the only option available?

While this was going on, Togepi chirped happily and began waving its arms back and forth again. It had seen its mommy glow blue before and believed that by doing this, it might be able to do so also and be just like her. Togepi continued to wave its arms back and forth before they glowed blue, and Togepi smiled that it was able to do so. The spikeball Pokemon then got a sleepy expression on its face before it gave a huge yawn.

Mareep saw this and got a sleepy expression on its face before it yawned, too, and its movements actually began to slow down a bit. Serena's eyebrows rose in surprise once she saw this. Was this Mareep actually getting tired out? It surprised her even more when Mareep closed its eyes and went into a deep sleep.

The honey-blonde girl looked back and forth to her Pokemon who looked just as confused by the display, except for Togepi, who was laughing merrily. As far as Serena was aware, not a single of her Pokemon knew the moves Hypnosis or Yawn, except Poliwag, but something was telling her the tadpole Pokemon didn't help out, and Fennekin could only know Hypnosis under special circumstances. Cubone, however, had a suspicious look on its face and looked over at Togepi. It had been the only one to notice Togepi wave its arms back and forth before Mareep got sleepy.

"What is it, Cubone?" Serena asked once she saw its expression.

Cubone walked over to the still giggling Togepi and pointed its bone at the spikeball Pokemon. Serena soon understood what Cubone was implying and got a skeptical look on her face.

"Are you saying Togepi made Mareep fall asleep, Cubone?" she asked.

"Bone," it replied with a nod.

Serena went over to Togepi and stared at it curiously. Well, it was time for Togepi to start learning attacks since it's been hatched for quite a while now. However, there was no indication that Togepi used an attack.

"Did you do something, Togepi?" Serena questioned.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi laughed.

Serena sighed and shrugged her shoulders. Ultimately, it didn't matter how Mareep fell asleep. The point was now that it did, Serena would be able to help it. Still, Serena would be keeping a better eye on Togepi from now on. If she did actually see Togepi use an attack, she would be so proud of it, and she was sure Ash would, too.

Serena knelt down and began to pull at the trap to free Mareep's leg that was caught. She strained herself to try to break it free, but to no avail. Charla saw this and nodded its head to Serena to show that it has this. Serena moved out of the way as Charla grabbed both sides of the trap and gave a might tug to pull the two sides apart. Charla groaned and grunted as it strained itself. This trap was tight.

At last, Charla had pulled the trap far enough apart to where Serena was able to jerk Mareep's leg free from the trap, and Charla let go which allowed the trap to snap harmlessly back into place. The honey-blond girl breathed a sigh of relief that she was able to get Mareep free before an idea came to her. This Mareep had been through a lot and needed to see a Nurse Joy…and probably a Pokemon therapist, too. With that in mind, Serena took out a pokeball and tossed it to Mareep. She disliked doing it while Mareep wasn't looking, but Serena feared she wouldn't get the opportunity if Mareep woke up due to how hyper it was.

The pokeball struck the naked Mareep and sucked it inside the pokeball. The device immediately _dinged_ to show there was no resistance. Serena then smiled that she had a new, albeit crazy, addition to her team. Maybe when they were at a Pokemon Center next, a Nurse Joy would be able to enlighten Serena on why Mareep was the way it was.

Serena then turned to her other Pokemon. "Ready to go find Ash and the others?" she asked and received a nod from all her Pokemon.

With that, Serena and her Pokemon then went off in search of the rest of the group. She just hoped they were okay and hadn't had an encounter with Rico.

* * *

Brock hadn't said much at all since he was separated from the others. He just couldn't get out of his head about what had happened to Stantler. The evil Pokemon hunter said that he killed it, but Brock didn't know what to believe. Rico had to be lying. There was no way that his Stantler was dead. There just had to be some way it was still alive.

The Pokemon breeder hadn't done much to hide himself the previous night. He merely found a random spot and chose to rest there. His Pokemon were out except for Onix due to its large size, and they had been around Brock all night trying to comfort him for the loss of Stantler. Despite wanting to believe that Rico was lying, Brock couldn't stop the melancholy thoughts and tears going down his face.

"Stantler…," Brock mumbled.

Golbat brushed a few of Brock's tears away from his face with its wings. Graveler was patting Brock's back consolingly but gently so as not to hurt its trainer. Vulpix was in Brock's lap with a mournful look on its face, and Kabuto was looking at Brock with a sad expression. It was never the best at comforting others, but it knew its trainer was hurting.

"I've failed as a Pokemon Breeder," Brock muttered.

Brock's other Pokemon looked alarmed at that. They didn't believe that to be true. If Brock was a terrible Pokemon breeder, he wouldn't have won the breeder competition. He wouldn't have so many people admiring him for his skills. If he was a lousy Pokemon breeder…he wouldn't have them. Onix and Graveler had known Brock the longest. Golbat was able to grow through Brock's love and felt ready to evolve into Crobat fairly soon. Vulpix chose to go with Brock because it recognized how wonderful he was. Kabuto believed Brock never would've been able to tame a prehistoric Pokemon if he was bad. They tried to remind him of this, but Brock only let out a faint smile.

"Thanks, guys. Really. Still, I can't stop thinking about what I promised Stantler. I promised it that I would never let it be lonely again, and I broke that promise. The worst part is that Stantler was lost to the person I should've been protecting it from. It won't leave me alone," Brock answered quietly.

His other Pokemon gave another melancholy expression at their trainer's devastated state. However, Golbat would have none of it. Stantler had to be alive! It put on a resolute expression and flew up high into the air. Brock looked inquisitively at Golbat until he saw it was blasting supersonic waves from its mouth.

"Golbat? What are you doing?" Brock questioned.

Golbat didn't answer and instead continued to use its supersonic waves all around it. Golbat would then prick its tiny ears to try to listen for anything out of the ordinary. Golbat knew the sound of everyone and every Pokemon in the group. Brock must've realized this as he put on a hopeful expression. He had been so caught up in his grief that he forgot of Golbat's excellent supersonic ability that could possibly help him find the others and possibly Stantler if it was still alive!

After a while, Golbat got an excited look on its face and flew down towards Brock and smiled at the breeder widely with its large mouth. Brock and his other Pokemon gathered around Golbat to see what it found.

"Did you find the others, Golbat?" Brock asked.

Golbat shook its head and instead put its wings to its head with the same excited look on its face. It looked almost as if it was trying to form horns. Brock's breath was caught in his throat. It couldn't be.

"You…Stantler. It's alive?" Brock croaked.

Golbat eagerly nodded its head and took to the skies for Brock to follow it. Tears began to run down Brock's face again, but this time it was from tears of joy. Brock fell onto is hands and knees as he began to weep in happiness.

"Thank goodness. I-I'm so happy to hear that," Brock breathed as he continued to cry.

Rico must've been lying after all just to upset Brock. However, Brock wouldn't be fully satisfied until he actually saw Stantler alive and well for himself. Brock stood up after a minute and nodded to Golbat to show it was ready to go. Golbat nodded its head back and flew off through the trees. Brock and his other Pokemon followed.

They were moving rather quickly. Golbat would shoot out its supersonic waves occasionally to make sure it was still on course to find Stantler. After they confirmed that, it could use its supersonic abilities to find the rest. Golbat knew that Stantler was the top priority right now, though, so it remained focused.

Brock wasn't slowing down in the slightest. He leaped over several stumps that were in the way. He ducked underneath several low hanging branches. He narrowly avoided a Spinarak that was crawling along the ground. He pushed his way through several prickly bushes and got scratched. None of that mattered to the Pokemon breeder, though. He and his other Pokemon continued to follow Golbat for another ten minutes until the bat Pokemon began to slow down.

After another minute Golbat stopped completely and fluttered up and down excitedly while pointing with its wing. Brock gave an appreciative smile at Golbat before he ran ahead of it and looked to see where it was pointing. Elation filled his heart as soon as he saw it. Lying there in small clearing was none other than Stantler.

However, Brock's elation soon turned to horror when he saw not all was well with the big horn Pokemon. The young Stantler was taking short breaths and a puddle of blood was next to it. Brock followed the trail of blood to its source and gasped when he saw what looked like a gunshot wound near its right hind leg.

Brock dashed forward and knelt down next to Stantler before he gently lifted the front part of Stantler's body and cradled it into his arms. The big horn Pokemon weakly opened its eyes and spotted Brock looking down at it. The Pokemon breeder was on verge of crying again because of what he saw. This had been a very emotional past couple of days for him.

"Stantler, It's me. I'm going to help you, okay?" Brock told it.

Stantler slowly nodded its head. It was overjoyed to see Brock again, but it's gunshot wound had made it very weak from the loss of blood. Rico had let it out of its pokeball to do who knows what to it, but Stantler head butted the evil man and made a run for it. However, Rico had grabbed his shotgun and fired after it. The bullet wasn't a direct hit as that would've certainly killed the big horn Pokemon. However, it still suffered a nasty flesh wound.

Brock knew he had to work fast. The trail of blood Stantler had left would attract other Pokemon or Rico to it. He motioned for his other Pokemon to come over while he took out his first aid kit. Brock's other Pokemon consoled Stantler while he applied treatment to it. He cleaned and dressed the wound perfectly. He knew the proper medicine and antibiotics to apply but unfortunately was out. He would need to get Stantler to a Pokemon Center. Brock briefly thought he would make a good Pokemon doctor if his breeder career didn't work out, but he quickly pushed that aside for now.

Stantler did look a little better but nowhere near healed. Brock took out another spare pokeball since Stantler's old one was apparently lost. He then gave Stantler a comforting smile.

"Don't you worry Stantler. I promise I'm going to help you just like before," Brock nodded and returned it to its new pokeball.

Brock then gave a nod to his other Pokemon to show his appreciation for their support. He then returned all of them except for Golbat for more efficient travel. The Pokemon breeder than took a deep breath to calm himself for the horrible crime Rico did by shooting his Stantler. He probably did think he killed Stantler as the Pokemon most surely would've died from blood loss had no one found it. Brock would never forgive the Pokemon hunter for what he's done. However, there was another important issue to take care of first.

"Golbat, use your supersonic waves to find the others. Try to look for the nearest Pokemon Center while you're at it," Brock said.

Golbat clicked its fangs in agreement before it launched another set of supersonic waves. It then set off towards the right with Brock following it.

* * *

Ash was standing outside a hollow tree. He had sent out his Pidgeot to try to look for the others as well as to warn if Rico was nearby. Pidgeot's keen eye would've been able to spot anything in this forest for many miles. Though that was a comforting thought, Pidgeot had been gone for a few minutes which meant that even if Pidgeot did spot Serena, Brock, or Misty, they would still be quite a distance off.

"Pika, Pikachu," Pikachu told Ash and pointed behind it.

Ash turned from where Pidgeot flew to where Pikachu was pointing, and he let out a small sigh. The only member of his group that was still sleeping was Cyndaquil. The fire mouse Pokemon was lying on its back with its limbs stretched out to its side and even had a snot bubble coming from its nose. Ash went over and knelt down next to it as he watched it sleep. If there was one thing Ash learned about this Cyndaquil in his short time with it, it was that this Cyndaquil was very relaxed and liked to sleep…though not quite on the same level as his Snorlax.

Pikachu went over to Cyndaquil and decided it was time for it to wake up. Pikachu reached out with its tiny fingers and popped Cyndaquil's snot bubble. As soon as it did that, Cyndaquil bolted upright and hastily looked around for any threat. Ash and Pikachu almost wanted to laugh at how the fire mouse Pokemon looked right now. That was the most alert they had seen it yet.

"Hey, Cyndaquil. It's morning," Ash told it.

"Cynda," Cyndaquil squeaked in response.

"How's your leg?" Ash asked it.

Cyndaquil looked at its back leg that had been caught in the trap and then back at Ash. The truth was that its leg didn't hurt anymore, but it still had a nasty scab on it.

"Well, it doesn't look too bad," Ash muttered as he observed it.

A thought then came to Ash. He remembered how before the whole disaster with Rico had happened, he had been looking for another fire Pokemon on his team. In fact, it was a Cyndaquil in specific he had searched for. All of that was quickly forgotten once they ran into Rico, but now that Cyndaquil was free, he didn't feel comfortable letting Cyndaquil go off by itself since Rico was looking for it. This Cyndaquil was also a friendly Pokemon.

Ash was about to voice his suggestion when Pidgeot came into view. The bird Pokemon found Ash and swooped down next to him. Ash then ran over to Pidgeot to hear its report. He'll officially ask Cyndaquil when they find the others.

"Hey, Pidgeot. Did you find anything?" Ash asked it.

"Pidgo!" Pidgeot answered and swiftly pointed its wing to its right.

"Great! You saw some of the others?! What about any sign of Rico?" Ash questioned next.

"Pidgooo," Pidgeot replied lowly and shook its head.

Ash thought that was rather strange. He would've thought the Pokemon hunter would've been actively searching for him or the others and would be in plain sight. Ash wasn't a Pokemon hunter, but even he knew Rico wouldn't simply leave them alone and go off to another area unless he found them first. Something wasn't right.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked once he saw Ash's tense look.

"Pidgeot said it found the others, but it couldn't find where Rico was," Ash replied.

"Chu?" Pikachu inquired and cocked its head in curiosity.

"I know. I'm a little nervous, too. Still, Pidgeot found the others and showed me what direction they're in. Let's regroup and we can figure out about Rico once we do that," Ash said.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

Ash then went over to Cyndaquil. "Will you come with us, Cyndaquil?"

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil nodded.

"Great. Let's head out," Ash decided and returned his Pidgeot.

He wanted to keep it out, but its scouting might give unwanted attention to his location. Not to mention if Rico was around, he probably wouldn't hesitate to shoot Pidgeot out of the sky if he saw it.

With that, Ash, Pikachu, and Cyndaquil took off in the direction Pidgeot had shown them. Judging by how long it took Pidgeot to come back, the others were still probably a few miles away. He also soon discovered this was a rather winding trail, but he didn't care. He was just so glad that he got confirmation that Serena, Brock, and Misty were okay. That was all that mattered at the moment.

Ash was beginning to get a little tired from running after a few minutes. Still, he just wanted to get to the others as fast as possible so he didn't let that stop him. Soon, he could reunite with them, and they could find Officer Jenny and take care of Rico.

"We're almost there, guys," Ash told Pikachu and Cyndaquil.

Pikachu smiled but Cyndaquil got a curious look. What did this boy mean by 'almost there'? Was he including it as part of the group now? If Cyndaquil recalled correctly, it hadn't been captured by this boy. Still, he was rather nice and helped free it. Well, Cyndaquil could worry about that in a moment. Just as long someone wasn't that awful Pokemon hunter, things would be okay.

"Just a little more," Ash panted as they passed a tree that was rather close to the trail.

Abruptly, Ash felt a shooting pain in his stomach as the wind was knocked out of him. The raven-haired boy collapsed into a heap and assumed the fetal position as he struggled to breathe through the immense pain he was in.

Pikachu and Cyndaquil screeched to a halt to check on Ash, but they didn't get the chance. Having their worst fears confirmed, Rico stepped out from the behind the tree with his shot gun in his hand. His jeep was nearby. Rico must've hit Ash in the stomach with the butt of his gun as he passed by the tree. Rico wasn't wearing the usual evil smirk he had on his face. He looked quite infuriated and snarled down at Ash who was still on the ground clutching at the pain in his stomach.

"I saw your Pidgeot in the sky and followed it through a thick patch of trees so it couldn't see me. I knew you could come through here looking for the others," Rico said.

Ash only coughed in response.

"You little punk! You thought you and your friends could get away from me!?" Rico hollered before he kicked Ash in the stomach with his boot.

Ash felt a fresh wave of intense pain in his stomach once Rico did that. He coughed and groaned at the massive pain he felt. Despite this, he was still able to look up at Rico and give him a hateful glare. He wanted to say something, but his lack of air and the pain made it impossible.

"I told you that you shouldn't be messing with a Pokemon hunter, kid. This wouldn't have happened if you had just left well enough alone after I took your Pokemon. Now that you've really made me angry, I'm going to take your Pokemon and kill you, too!" Rico growled.

Pikachu wasn't about to let that happen, though. The yellow rodent lunged at Rico and latched onto his face as it clawed at him with its tiny limbs. Rico dropped the gun and began to pull at Pikachu to release his face, but the rodent's grip was surprisingly tight.

"Get off me, you little rat!" Rico bellowed.

Pikachu didn't comply, however. It sparked its cheeks and let out a Thunderbolt. Rico screamed as the jolts traveled through his body. Pikachu made sure to make this shock extra long so they could buy more time. It wasn't expecting Rico to give an extra powerful tug while it was shocking him, though. The yellow rodent was pulled of Rico's face as it stopped the Thunderbolt. Rico held Pikachu by its throat and gave it an evil look before he smashed its back against the large tree as hard as he could.

"Chaaaaaa!" Pikachu cried and fell to the ground.

Rico watched the yellow rodent fall and picked up his gun again. He then gave an angry glance at Pikachu and spat at it.

"I'll deal with you in a second," Rico muttered as he turned towards Ash to finish him off, but something unexpected happened.

Cyndaquil had run in front of Ash and spread its front arms out protectively in front of the raven-haired boy. That was something it had never done in its life before. It happened so fast that even Cyndaquil didn't process what it did until after it happened. For some reason, Cyndaquil could just sense that Ash was a good human worth protecting. He had protected it and saved it from the Pokemon hunter. Now, Cyndaquil would do the same.

"Huh? What's this? You want to end up like the other two?" Rico questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil replied rather seriously, another first for it.

"Fine by me," Rico replied menacingly as he pointed his gun at Cyndaquil.

The fire mouse Pokemon wasn't about to just roll over and allow Rico to kill it, though. Cyndaquil began concentrating as hard as it could. It had desire to beat to the Pokemon hunter. It had a desire to protect Ash. It felt really warmed up and actually wanted to fight this time.

Finally, the flames on its back ignited for what was the first time in a long while. Cyndaquil could actually feel the flames burning inside of its body. They were screaming to be released, and Cyndaquil knew the perfect candidate to use them on. With no time, Cyndaquil immediately blew a powerful Flamethrower from its mouth straight at Rico.

Rico screamed as he was engulfed by the flames. Though he was in pain, Ash watched in awe of the amount of power this Cyndaquil seemed to possess. It took Cyndaquil a really long time to get charged up, but once it did…wow. Cyndaquil finally let off the Flamethrower and gave a short sigh.

Rico, meanwhile was covered in burn marks. He grimaced as he tried to shoot Cyndaquil, but was unable to from the attack he just experienced. Finally, he gave a grunt and fell to the ground, seemingly unconscious.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief. He shakily stood up, though his stomach was still in a lot of pain. Cyndaquil then turned back to check on Ash as the raven-haired boy stared at it. He finally then let out a weak smile at Cyndaquil.

"Thanks a lot, Cyndaquil. You really saved me," Ash panted.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil nodded.

Pikachu stumbled over from its own injuries and gave a thumbs up to Cyndaquil who quirked its head but nodded, nevertheless. Cyndaquil then turned back to Ash who knelt down beside it. Ash then rubbed its head.

"You're a really awesome Pokemon, Cyndaquil," Ash told it.

Cyndaquil blushed a little bit. It had never gotten that amount of praise before or had been called 'awesome'. It was always seen as sort of like a baby and extremely lazy. It just lived a regular life and went with the flow. Still, this type of praise was rather nice to receive. Cyndaquil could get used to it.

Ash then decided to go ahead and ask Cyndaquil about his earlier offer. "Hey, Cyndaquil. How would you like to travel around with me? I'd love to have you on my team," he said.

Cyndaquil thought it over for a moment. It had never really thought about ever having a trainer. It was just too laid back for that kind of lifestyle. On the other hand, that did sound like a nice offer. Yes. It preferred to keep things simple and easy, but maybe it could use some excitement in its life. Now that Cyndaquil knew it could ignite the flames on its back, after all, it could protect itself. However, it only did that because of Ash. Maybe if it came with him, it could learn to control its flames better.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil nodded.

"That's great, Cyndaquil! We'll be one hot team!" Ash joked.

It was then Ash heard the sound of a jeep. Fearing that it was the Pokemon hunter again, Ash glanced wildly around and saw Rico was still unconscious on the ground so it couldn't be him. Ash soon got his answer as he saw the jeep soon come into view, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Officer Jenny. Not only that, but Serena, Brock, and Misty were with her! As soon as they saw Ash, they all gave a huge wave.

"Heeeeeeey!" Ash called out and waved back to him.

The jeep soon skidded to a halt once it got close, and Ash ran over to them. Serena was the first to jump out, and the two immediately hugged each other tightly. He was soon joined by Brock and Misty. They had been so worried about what had happened to each other with a Pokemon hunter on the loose. Now, they had finally been reunited after splitting up, and everything was going to be okay! Officer Jenny got out next. She then made her way over to the group.

"So I guess I've found all of you, now," Officer Jenny commented before she turned to her right and saw the unconscious Rico. "It looks like Rico has been found, too."

Serena, Brock, and Misty looked over at Rico and then back at Ash. Needless to say, they were quite surprised.

"Ash, you took on Rico by yourself and won?" Misty asked.

"Hahaha! Actually, no. It wasn't me. It was all thanks to Cyndaquil right here. It saved me," Ash replied as he turned towards the fire mouse Pokemon at his feet.

"Really? This Cyndaquil seemed to dislike fighting from what I had seen from it," Brock replied as he knelt down to inspect the Cyndaquil.

"I know, but it ignited the flames on its back and used Flamethrower to save me," Ash told them.

Serena smiled down at Cyndaquil and patted it on the head. "Well, thank you very much for that, Cyndaquil. Ash is very special to us, and that was a brave thing you did."

"Cynda," Cyndaquil muttered as it started to feel itself blushing again.

"Cyndaquil even decided to come with me," Ash told them next.

"Great. So I guess now you have that new fire-type you were wanting, after all," Misty said.

"Yep!" Ash nodded.

"Speaking of captures, I was able to find that Mareep, and I captured it, too!" Serena said excitedly.

"Wait. You mean that crazy Mareep?" Ash questioned a little unsurely.

Serena placed her hands on her hips and frowned at Ash. "That isn't very nice, Ash. Mareep isn't crazy. It's just…,"

The others waited patiently to hear her reply. Serena herself wasn't quite sure how to end that sentence. What was the best way to describe the Mareep she just captured? Crazy wasn't a nice term to describe her new Pokemon. Even so…it was the only one that fit.

"It's just…different," Serena finally finished and sighed. She would definitely have to train with it.

Officer Jenny soon came by with Rico in handcuffs. She also had taken custody of his Pokemon and had their pokeballs clipped to her own belt. She then shoved the evil Pokemon hunter into the jeep and gave a salute to the group.

"Well, kids, I guess I ought to thank you for everything. Though you were reckless and disobeyed me by leaving the Pokemon Center, it looked like it all worked out in the end. I guess I can see where you're coming from," she said.

"Yeah. We definitely love out Pokemon," Ash replied with a smile down to Pikachu and Cyndaquil.

"So what's going to happen to Rico now?" Misty inquired.

"We'll be taking him down to jail, of course. There are several questions we want to ask first, however, like who he deals with. I'm sure he'll have loads tell us," Officer Jenny responded.

"Good. He's going to jail where he deserves," Brock said in disdain and folded his arms. "I'll never forgive him for what he did to Stantler."

"So what happened with Stantler?" Ash asked Brock as he turned to him.

"I found it, but it was badly injured with a gunshot wound. We'll need to get it properly treated at a Pokemon Center," Brock replied.

The others frowned at that. They were happy and relieved that Stantler was still alive, but this just gave it one more reason for it to be scared of humans. It seemed like Stantler may have taken a step back from this experience. Brock would definitely have to give it the love it deserves.

By then, Rico was beginning to come around. He groggily opened his eyes before he looked down and saw his hands cuffed behind his back. He then noticed his pokeballs were gone and saw he was in the back of another jeep with Officer Jenny in the front. Rico gave a cry of rage and struggled to break free.

"It's no use, Rico. Those won't budge. You're going to jail," Officer Jenny told him as she started the jeep.

Rico then flashed a hateful glare at the group. He then clenched his teeth and had nothing but fury in his eyes. This time, the group glared back at him. They each stared back to each other until Rico finally broke the silence.

"You haven't see the last of me. I swear I'm going to break out and destroy you all!" Rico threatened.

"We'll see about that," Officer Jenny said.

The group said nothing as Officer Jenny gave one last salute to them before she drove away. Rico never took his eyes off the group as the jeep got farther and farther. Still, he kept his eyes on them until the jeep was finally out of sight. The group breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over. Rico had been brought to justice.

"Hey. What do you say we find the Pokemon Center and rest up before continuing on to Azalea Town. It's been quite a day," Ash suggested.

"I know. I feel so icky and could use a nice bubble bath," Misty sighed.

"I even know where we are now thanks to Officer Jenny so we won't get lost," Brock spoke up and pulled out his trusty guidebook.

The group smiled as things were already starting to go back to normal. They then set off towards the Pokemon Center with the new members of their group in Mareep and Cyndaquil. Their brush with a Pokemon hunter had been rather scary, but it also taught them the dark side of humanity from something other than Team Rocket. They were sure there were other Pokemon hunters just like Rico, probably worse, out there. They just hoped they never ran into any again. Right now, however, it was back onto the road to Azelea Town, where they would finally be able to deliver the GS ball.

* * *

 **And that concludes this arc! I hope you all liked it. I have some crazy situations with Serena and Mareep to provide for some hilarity. Now that Ash has Cyndaquil, I have the first noncanon Pokemon for Ash to capture in a few chapters that should be pretty interesting.**

 **As far as the order of captures for Ash: Noctowl is next, and then the noncanon Pokemon after it, and then Totodile. Serena's next Pokemon won't be until Goldenrod City. Misty gets a new Pokemon before Goldenrod City, and Brock will get Pineco next chapter and then another one right after Goldenrod City. Those are the captures in the near future.**

 **Togepi finally uses an attack! It only gets more from here on out!**

 **Rico will appear once more in this arc in the later half. I have one more use for him. I didn't simply write that he promised he would break out unless I intended to do it.**

 **Well, Azalea Town is next up, and also a special moment for Ash and Serena is coming. I bet you guys know what it is since a few of you have mentioned it. ;)**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support! Have a good one!**

 **Chapter Fifteen: Kurt, the Pokeball Researcher**


	15. Kurt, the Pokeball Researcher

**A/N: This chapter has one disturbing scene in it. Just saying.**

 **With that, please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Kurt, the Pokeball Researcher

Rocks and sand.

That's all the group seemed to have seen the past couple of days. Ever since they left the forest where they ran into Rico, trees and green grass had been fairly sparse. This wouldn't have been too much of a problem if it wasn't so warm, and there was absolutely no shade to shield them from the sun.

"Man. It sure is hot. I could use for some water again," Ash mumbled as he tugged at his collar.

"You've already had three bottles of water today while the rest of us only had one. We only have one bottle left. I think you'll be alright," Misty scolded.

"So? You have tons of water Pokemon. Get a drink from them," Ash retorted, which caused Misty to roll her eyes.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu sighed at the impending fight.

"It's okay, guys. We're almost to Azalea Town now. According to this map, we should be there in about two hours," Brock said as his head was buried in the map.

Ash and Misty shrugged at that. They supposed they could tolerate this desert like environment for another couple of hours. They didn't need to constantly fight just because they were a little uncomfortable at the moment. Their arguments weren't serious anymore, but their bickering did tend to wear on Brock, Serena, Pikachu, and lately even Togepi's nerves. Ash then smiled at Misty.

"You're right, Misty. Go on and take the last bottle of water," Ash offered.

"I-I-I didn't necessarily mean I needed it. I just meant that you had more than you're fair share," Misty stuttered while blushing.

"I'm good," Brock stated.

"How about you, Serena? Do you want it?" Ash tried.

Serena wasn't thinking about her hydration at the moment, though. She was thinking about something far better. It was all she had thought about lately, and it filled her heart with bliss. She and Ash were going to have such a great time, and it would be so romantic. Serena's cheeks turned red as she closed her eyes and began to have fantasies about what she and Ash would do.

"Hey, Serena. You're turning red. I think you should have the water, after all. You don't want to get dehydrated," Ash suggested as he waved the last bottle of water in her face.

Serena opened her eyes and stared at the bottle of water. She then turned to Ash and saw him smiling at her with his usual smile. Surely he knew what was coming up, too. It was a very big day for both them, and she wasn't talking about birthdays. Serena smiled sweetly and took the offered water before she opened the cap. Serena wanted everything to be a surprise for what Ash had in store for her, but she still wanted to see how he felt about it.

"So Ash? Are you excited for us?" Serena asked as she took a sip of water.

"Huh? About what?" Ash questioned.

Serena nearly choked on her water. She spluttered a few seconds before she turned and gave a look of disbelief at Ash. There was no way he forgot! Still, as Serena stared at Ash, he did look genuinely curious about what she was referring to.

"You're so funny, Ash! You were joking, right?" Serena asked playfully, but there was a small trace of fear in it, too.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered as he looked strangely at Serena again.

Serena then looked at Brock and Misty for help, but they turned away slightly. The honey-blonde girl then sighed and shook her head. She knew Ash was forgetful, but to actually forget something like this was a little extreme. Still, Serena didn't want to just tell Ash outright what it was, otherwise he might feel like an idiot and be a little embarrassed. Serena decided to spare him that and just laugh it off.

"Heehee. Nothing, Ash, but I'm sure you'll remember soon!" Serena giggled and gave Ash a wink.

"Ummm…okay," Ash replied in an unsure tone.

"Pika, Pika," Pikachu sighed. Even it remembered what was coming up.

Misty then leaned over and whispered in Brock's ear. "Hey, Brock. You don't really think Ash forgot, did you?"

"He couldn't have. He's just excited we're almost at Azalea Town and is thinking about delivering the GS ball and his gym battle. Remember this is Ash we're talking about. His head isn't always on the romantic side of things like Serena," Brock whispered back.

"Well, he better remember soon because it's tomorrow," Misty replied quietly.

"Let's have faith in Ash. I'm sure he will," Brock reassured.

Serena, meanwhile, had a different array of thoughts running through her head now. Part of her was telling her not to worry about while the other side was quite fearful. There was no way Ash could've forgotten what was coming up. It was too important of a day. He was just being a bit clueless at the moment. She was pretty vague about what was coming up and Ash doesn't usually know what a hint is. He remembered what was coming but just simply didn't know what she was referring to.

Serena then heard a slight whine, and she looked down and saw Togepi struggling uncomfortably in her arms. Oops, her tenseness was causing her to squeeze Togepi a little too tight. Serena gave the spikeball Pokemon an apologetic look before she loosened her grip and kissed it on the forehead as an apology.

As she bent her head forward, Serena saw the answer to all her fears. It was the heart-shaped pendant that she wore. Both she and Ash had one, and it was a symbol of their relationship with each other. Serena then realized how silly she was being. She shouldn't get so worked up over this. Everything would be just fine. She had faith in her boyfriend.

There was no way Ash had forgotten their one year anniversary.

* * *

The group was finally able to see Azalea Town off in the distance. Though they were in a semi desert-like environment for a while, but trees and greenery were slowly beginning to show up more. They did hear that Azalea Town had great parks and outdoor activities despite being a rather small town, Civilization was in sight! As the group drew closer to the town, they saw a rather large well with a few Slowpoke next to it. They figured that must be the famous Slowpoke Well.

The group went over and inspected the well, being careful to not step on any Slowpoke. Unsurprisingly, the Slowpoke gave no indication they noticed the group next to them. They still had the same blank expressions and didn't move an inch. Ash leaned over to the sign next to the well and read it out loud.

"Slowpoke Well. The water from this well is very fresh and famous for the Slowpoke that gather here. It is said that the Slowpoke from this well are able to bring rain," he read.

"A Slowpokes' yawns bring rain?" Misty asked skeptically as she looked at one of the Slowpoke by her feet.

"Hey. I had heard Azalea Town was in a drought a few weeks ago. That was the time during which Team Rocket was here," Brock said thoughtfully.

The group couldn't help but frown, especially Ash. Jessie, James, and Meowth said they had been here cutting off Slowpoke tails for quite a while. If the group had been here just a couple of weeks sooner, they would've had an undesirable run in with the evil organization. Even if they were doing underground activities and weren't in the open, it was almost like fate they would meet. Still, it was a good thing a 'really scary guy' chased them all away. Jessie, James, and Meowth's description of him was rather odd, though. Whoever it was didn't seem to have any fear of the criminal gang.

"Do you think the drought was because Team Rocket was hurting the Slowpoke by cutting off their tails?" Serena questioned.

"Who knows?" Brock replied as they continued to watch the Slowpoke.

It was a little strange that the town only came out of their drought after Team Rocket supposedly left. Did a Slowpoke's yawn really summon rain here? From their past experience with Serena's Slowpoke and these ones, it didn't seem likely. Serena even briefly amused herself with that the thought that if her Slowking were to yawn if it would produce rain. Still, Slowpoke were apparently sacred here so they shouldn't poke fun at it. They may never know.

As the group left the well and entered the town, they could see quite an abundance of Slowpoke. There were some lounging in the shade of trees. Some were in peoples' yards, and others were even just lying in the middle of the road! Despite this, people passed by the Slowpoke like nothing was out of the ordinary. Apparently being considered a sacred Pokemon gave one a free pass to be wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

"Sooo…do you think we should go ahead and try to find Kurt's house?" Serena suggested as they tried to not step on any lounging Slowpoke.

"Yeah. I'm really anxious to hear what he has to say about the GS ball. Besides, it's the reason Professor Oak asked us to come to Johto in the first place. It wouldn't be fair if Kurt's house wasn't our first stop in Azalea Town," Ash replied.

Indeed, the mystery of the GS ball was about to be passed to another expert. It first fell into the hands of Professor Ivy, then Professor Oak, and now the famous pokeball researcher, Kurt. They may finally get answers from this man. They just secretly hoped so and he wouldn't simply ask them to go deliver the ball somewhere else. Keeping up with the GS ball at all times for the past many months had been quite a chore. They were just about to go when they stopped and realized something.

"Except…we have no idea where Kurt's house is," Ash sighed, which caused a groan to come from the rest of the group.

It looked like they would be taking a detour to the Pokemon Center to ask for directions. They supposed it wasn't a bad thing. A lot of their Pokemon were still a little shaken up from their experience with Rico. A little checkup certainly wouldn't hurt.

Ash then got a ring from his Pokegear. He looked at it curiously before his eyes lit up when he saw who it was.

"Hey, guys. Gary's calling me," Ash announced.

The others smiled, Serena in particular, and they leaned in a little to hear what it was Gary had to say. Ash pressed the button on the Pokegear and held it to his ear. Though they weren't expecting it, a call from Gary or Leaf was always welcome. They hadn't spoken to each other since Serena's birthday a little over a week ago.

"Hello?" Ash greeted, though he already knew who it was.

"Yo, Ash! What's the matter? You and Serena look a little a lost!" Gary said from the other end.

This statement confused Ash and the others a little bit. They exchanged glances with each other before they stared curiously back at the phone. What would Gary know about them being lost? They were in Azalea Town, weren't they?

"Uhh…what do you mean?" Ash questioned.

"Hahahaha! You look like you don't know where you're going!" Gary laughed.

"How would you know?" Ash asked stupidly.

"Come on, Ash! Look to your left!" Gary told him.

Ash and the others curiously turned to the left, and their eyes lit up in surprise. Standing there, about fifty yards away, was none other than Gary Oak and Leaf Green. Gary was wearing a smirk on his face as he held the Pokegear to his ear while Leaf beamed in excitement at them. Upon seeing them look, Gary and Leaf waved.

Ash shut off the Pokegear and let out a wide smile as he and Serena made a mad dash towards their friends. Brock and Misty followed close behind. Gary and Leaf did likewise and began to sprint towards them. Within a moment, they reached each other, and Leaf and Serena immediately hugged tightly. Gary and Ash gave a high five to each other. Brock and Misty soon came up, and Leaf went over to hug them while Gary merely nodded his head and smiled. Pikachu gave a V-shape with its fingers at Leaf and Gary while Togepi laughed playfully.

"Gary! What are you and Leaf doing here?" Ash asked enthusiastically.

"What else? We were waiting for you guys to show up," Gary replied. "We've been in Azalea Town for a couple of days. I was ready to leave, but Leaf insisted we wait on you this time."

"Don't listen to him," Leaf told the group. "He was just as eager to see you guys, too."

"Well, we weren't there for your birthday, Serena, but we knew you couldn't have been too far behind us so we decided to have a good old Pallet Town reunion," Gary smiled.

"And happy to be here for it!" Ash grinned.

"Yeah. So Ash? You here to win a badge from the Azalea Town Gym?" Gary asked.

"You bet!" Ash replied eagerly before he asked. "How about you? Did you already challenge the gym?"

"See for yourself," Gary smiled and pulled out his badge case and opened it to show the group.

Inside was the Zephyr Badge that Gary apparently won from the Violet City Gym. Beside it was another badge that looked like the back of a Ledyba. That was apparently the Hive Badge, if Ash recalled correctly. So Gary has already challenged and beaten the gym leader. Ash knew he would have to do the same so he wouldn't fall behind. Though Ash didn't feel the need to be so competitive with Gary anymore, they were still rivals.

"Well, that settles it, guys! Let's head over to the Azalea Gym right now!" Ash declared and actually went to head off.

"Hold on, Ash. What about the GS ball we're supposed to deliver to Kurt?" Misty reminded and grabbed Ash by the back of his shirt.

"Oh. Hahahaha. Yeah. We should do that first," Ash said sheepishly and blushed in embarrassment. He knew he should really stop getting carried away like that.

"Oh yeah. I remember the GS ball. That's why we went to the Orange Islands," Leaf spoke up before she added, "How long have you guys had it now?"

"Too long," Serena chuckled.

"The GS ball? You mean my grandpa couldn't even figure that thing out?" Gary asked with raised eyebrows.

"No. That's why he asked us to take it to Kurt, who's a famous pokeball researcher and friend to him. Professor Oak said that if anyone can figure it out, it's him," Ash told Gary.

"Well, Leaf and I were actually planning to go to Kurt's house to meet him while we waited for you since he's a friend of my grandpa's. Why don't we go with you?" Gary suggested.

"That'd be great!" Ash quickly agreed. "The Pallet Town quartet is back together!"

Ash, Serena, Leaf, and Gary then high-fived each other while Brock and Misty smiled from the side. They weren't part of the quartet, but it didn't bother them. They knew that these four had a special place in their hearts for each other. There was just something about being from Pallet Town, they supposed.

* * *

The group soon arrived at what was presumably Kurt's house. Thanks to Gary and Leaf knowing the way, Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock had no need to make a detour yet. The house appeared to be a traditional Japanese home. It was small but appeared to have a quaint feel to it. The group exchanged glances as they weren't sure exactly how to go about this.

"Well…I guess we just knock on the door?" Ash guessed.

"I guess so. We are here to see him," Serena shrugged.

"He's a famous pokeball researcher. Is it okay to just do that, though?" Misty wondered.

"Come on, you guys. Why act so cautious? You're here to make a delivery, right? I'm here to visit Kurt because he's a friend of my grandpa's. It's fine," Gary told them before he stepped forward and knocked on the door himself.

The group shrugged at that. Maybe they were a little too cautious when it came to proper etiquette. Gary did have a point.

There was no answer at the door. The group waited about ten seconds and wondered if they had come at a bad time. It seemed likely that no one was home. The group let out a small sigh. They had come all the way here to make a very important delivery, and one they had waited a while to do even, only to find Kurt wasn't home. It was just their luck.

"I guess he isn't here. We'll have to come back another time. We can try again in a few hours," Brock suggested.

The rest of the group nodded their heads at that. They were just about to turn around when a shy voice came from the door.

"Who's there?" it asked.

The group turned around upon hearing it. The voice that came from the other side clearly wasn't the voice of an older man they were expecting. It sounded more like a young girl. The group exchanged glances with each other as they answered the girl.

"Hi. We're here to see Kurt. Is he here?" Ash asked.

"Grandpa isn't here right now. I'm not supposed to open the door to strangers," the voice replied.

"Okay, but do you know where he went?" Serena questioned this time.

"Grandpa went down to the Slowpoke Well to check up on it. I'm just here by myself, but I shouldn't have told you that! Grandpa said I have to be extra cautious because of the bad people that were in the town recently!" the girl said, suddenly sounding panicked.

The group tilted their heads curiously at that. Was she referring to Team Rocket? Had Kurt had a run in with them? Though Gary and Leaf probably hadn't heard about it, the rest of the group knew. Still, at least now they had a lead on where Kurt was. They had two options. They could either wait at the Pokemon Center, or they could go down to the well and see Kurt themselves.

"What do you think we should do, guys?" Brock inquired as he folded his arms.

"I'm not one for going to a well filled with Slowpoke, but it will alert Kurt faster of why we're here and allow us to give him the GS ball," Misty figured.

"Sounds good, Mist. That's what I was going to do anyway," Ash smiled.

"Well, there's no sense in Leaf and I going back to the Pokemon Center to wait. We'll go to the well with you," Gary told them.

"Sounds good!" Leaf agreed.

Serena then turned back to the door. "Okay, sweetie. Thank you. We'll go now, and we won't tell your grandpa you told us that," she said.

"Thank you!" the young girl replied.

With that, the group set off towards the well. It seemed like they were taking a slight detour anyway to find Kurt, after all. Hopefully, they would at least find him down there and not miss him. They briefly wondered what Kurt would be doing down there in the first place, though.

* * *

It was rather dark inside of the well. Unlike Tohjo Falls, which had been brightly lit by the gems inside the cave walls, this place was rather plain. Then again, it was just a well. The group knew they couldn't expect that much to come from it.

Another thing they noticed was how overrun with Slowpoke this well was. They were everywhere, even more so than Azalea Town! The well was definitely properly named. As they ventured off into the cave, they could see most of the Slowpoke either lying down on the cave floor, and some were in the water. The group almost did a double take when they saw that some of these Slowpoke didn't have their tails fully regrown yet. It seemed the damage Team Rocket had done hadn't fully been repaired yet. Jessie, James, and Meowth had been telling the truth.

"Aww. These poor Slowpoke," Leaf muttered, her and Gary having been filled in by the others about what happened here.

"Yeah. I can't believe Team Rocket is still around and doing despicable things like this," Gary agreed.

The group then saw a Slowpoke attempt to stick its tail in the water, but it was unable to because its tail was too short. The dopey Pokemon then slowly turned around and looked at its tail for almost ten seconds before it seemed to realize what was wrong. With that, the Slowpoke walked away. The group couldn't help but pity the Slowpoke since they couldn't even enjoy the sensation of dipping their tails in the water by themselves because their tails hadn't been fully regrown yet.

"Let's just move on and try to find Kurt," Misty suggested, having had enough of looking at the sad scene in front of her.

As the group ventured further in, it kept getting darker. Brock took the flashlight from his backpack and turned it on so they could see a little better. Just how far down had Kurt gone anyway? They seriously hoped they didn't get lost down here. Being in a massive, dark well full of Slowpoke wasn't exactly desirable. It's not like they could ask the Slowpoke for help.

It was then Serena let out a gasp. She wanted to cover her own eyes but found it better to cover Togepi's, which caused the spikeball Pokemon to squirm in discomfort. The others looked at her in confusion before they saw where she was looking, and they gasped, too.

There were several blood stains on the wall. If there was one thing the group was expecting when they went down here, blood surely wasn't one of them. There was also something telling the group that these stains weren't caused by Team Rocket cutting off Slowpoke tails.

"Who…what…could've…h-happened here?" Serena stuttered.

Brock then shined his flashlight a little further down the wall, and there were a few more dried splatters of blood on the wall. It sent a huge shiver down the group's spine when they saw this. The Slowpoke Well suddenly wasn't as boring as they first believed it to be, and it wasn't in a good way.

"Ash, I'm a little scared. Let's just go back to the Pokemon Center and wait for Kurt there," Serena suggested.

"Yeah. Despite all the Slowpoke here, this place makes me really uneasy. Let's get out of here," Gary said.

Ash continued to stare at the blood stains. He didn't know why, but he knew these stains didn't belong to a Pokemon. They were most definitely a person's blood. Actually, due to the amount of stains on the wall, there was more than one. He didn't know how much, but he didn't want to find out, either.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu urged, wanting to leave, as well.

"Alright, guys. Let's get out of here," Ash decided.

"Hey! What are you kids doing down here?!" a voice exclaimed from behind them.

The group let out a cry and jumped in surprise. They spun around and came face to face with a giant Slowpoke. It was almost as big as they were. Was it this Slowpoke that actually spoke to them? It was holding a flashlight in one hand and…the other hand had a blood stain on it.

"Run for it! A giant Slowpoke has come to kill us!" Misty cried hysterically.

"Wait. Really, Misty? A giant killer Slowpoke?" Brock deadpanned as they stared curiously at the creature in front of them.

"Why else would it have blood on its hands?! It's the one who caused those blood stains!" Misty shouted.

"Slowpoke? I'm no Slowpoke. This is just a suit I wear to ease the Slowpoke around me," the Slowpoke stated before it reached up and pulled off its head, revealing it nothing more than a costume.

It was revealed to be an older man in his sixties. Like the costume showed, he was a rather short and stout man, only about as tall as Ash, Serena, and Leaf. He was balding but still had hair on the back of his head and held a somewhat stern expression on its face. Maybe it was his thick eyebrows. Despite this, the group didn't show any more signs of their uneasiness.

"Who are you then?" Ash questioned, but not trying to sound rude.

"I should be the one asking you kids that. You shouldn't be down here. The Slowpoke Well is off limits until we can get all of these stains cleared up. Every citizen of Azalea Town knows his. The local law enforcement and I have been trying to keep these stains a secret from the local population, but it seems you kids have already discovered them," the man said.

"We're sorry. We weren't trying to trespass. We just heard the famous pokeball researcher, Kurt, was down here, and we were looking for him," Serena apologized.

"Kurt?" the man questioned before he continued. "My name is Kurt, and I'm the pokeball maker and researcher. Why were you looking for me?"

The group raised their eyebrows at that and peered at the man. It was a little hard to tell due to the darkness of the Slowpoke Well, but he did appear to match the description of the picture Professor Oak had shown them. Well, even if it was under rather strange circumstances, they finally met the man whom they had been wanting to meet for a quite a while. Ash then decided they needed to introduce themselves, too.

"Well, Kurt, my name is Ash Ketchum, and I'm here to deliver something to you from Professor Oak," Ash stated.

"Wait…Ash Ketchum, you say? Are you the group who was supposed to be delivering a mysterious pokeball to me, and you had another boy named Brock, and two girls named Serena and Misty?" Kurt asked.

"You got it! That's us!" Ash nodded.

"I'm not with them, but Professor Oak's my grandfather. I'm Gary Oak," Gary introduced.

I'm Leaf. I'm traveling with Gary and a childhood friend of his, Ash, and Serena's," Leaf added.

"Hah! Gary Oak! I hardly recognized you! You've grown a lot since I saw you last! You were just a toddler!" Kurt laughed.

"Uhhhh…yeah," Gary muttered.

"Heehee. Little Gary was so cute," Leaf giggled.

"C-cut it out," Gary said in embarrassment.

"Anyway, it's nice to meet all of you. I was just finished here so I can take you all back to my place," Kurt stated.

"Were you trying to clean up the mess here?" Ash asked uncomfortably.

Kurt's face darkened at that. "Yes. I've been one of the people who's been down here trying to get all the blood off the wall. I might as well tell you what caused it since you've seen it. There were a few murders down here a couple of weeks ago."

"M-murders?" Misty stuttered.

"Yes. I hate to get you kids riled up like this, but Team Rocket was here a couple of weeks ago cutting off Slowpoke tails," Kurt told them.

"Yeah. We heard about that from…some of the local citizens," Ash lied. He and the rest of the group didn't feel the need to tell Kurt that a certain Team Rocket trio had told them.

"Well, the law enforcement finally had had gotten enough evidence that Team Rocket was down here. When they went down here to arrest them, they didn't find any members…or at least not any living members," Kurt said gravely.

"Wait…you mean," Ash started as he turned back to the blood stains.

"That's right. Those blood stains you see on the wall were from at least six dead Team Rocket members. The only way we were able to recognize them was by the large red R we saw on their shredded clothes. It's best I not say what the Rocket members looked like themselves, but just know that it was a gruesome sight,' Kurt told them.

"Oh my gosh. How horrible," Serena gulped.

"Someone had killed those Team Rocket members?" Gary questioned.

"That's right, and we have no idea who did it. This was the work of a Pokemon, and it was no accident. Whoever murdered those Team Rocket members did so deliberately and knew full well what they were doing," Kurt said.

The group was uneasy. Who on Earth could've been so hateful to brutally murder members of Team Rocket like that? Sure, Team Rocket members were crooks, and they had tried to kill the group before. Still, not even the group thought that they deserved the apparent horrible death they suffered. It was rather sickening.

"No one really has any idea who did it?" Ash asked.

"I have a hunch," Kurt sighed. "There was a young man who had been staying in Azalea Town for a few years. He never talked to anybody, and no one knew his name. Most people tried to avoid him because of his cold attitude. I only met him once or twice during his stay here."

"Hmm…," Ash mused.

"Anyway, he saved me from an attack by a disguised Team Rocket member once, and I happened to mention that I suspected Team Rocket was down in the Slowpoke Well, and his reaction surprised me. He had such contempt in his eyes when I mentioned Team Rocket. He dashed off towards the well, and several hours later, he said he took care of Team Rocket and left the town. We haven't seen him since," Kurt explained.

"What was this guy like?" Ash asked curiously. He didn't know why, but he felt compelled to ask.

"As I said, I never got his name, but he had thick, wild red hair and very cold eyes," Kurt responded

Ash's eyes widened at that. He remembered a guy just like that whom he met not long ago. He was very cold and almost seemed to hate life itself. It couldn't have been him, right? There were probably several people who fit that description. Still, nothing was stopping the uneasy feeling in Ash's gut that it was who he thinks it was: Silver. Did he really have a brother who would kill someone in cold blood like that? He sincerely hoped that wasn't the case and that it was someone else. Would Silver even have a motive to kill like this?

"Ash…are you okay?" Serena asked him once she saw his tense look.

"I-I don't know," Ash mumbled. He wasn't sure if Brock, Serena, or Misty caught on to who Kurt's description of the suspect sounded like.

"Hey. I say we move away from this morbid discussion and go back to my house. I'll fix you all a nice cup of tea, and you can show me the mysterious pokeball there," Kurt offered.

"That sounds good. Thank you, sir," Serena smiled and bowed.

With that, the group turned around and began to make their way out of the well. They were glad they were getting away from those blood stains, especially Ash. He almost didn't want to know the truth of who killed these Rockets after he learned of who it might be. He didn't' want to think about it, but the thought that Silver might have been the one who did this really made Ash apprehensive.

* * *

The group was soon back at Kurt's house, and the voice that the group heard on the other side of the door did turn out to be a young girl who looked around eight years old. As the group got themselves settled in around Kurt's large table, he went to brew them a fresh pot of tea. The group looked around the house, and it turned out to be a traditional Japanese house just like the outside showed. Most of the home was made from wood and had large sheets for wall paper. Still, it had a cozy feel to it.

"My grandpa makes the best tea! You'll love it!" the young girl, whom the group learned was named Maisy, told them excitedly.

"Hahaha! I'm a pokeball maker, Maisy, not a chef," Kurt laughed as he came in the living room with a tray and several cups of tea on it.

"It's still really good!" Maisy insisted as Kurt set the tray down on a table between everyone.

He then handed everyone, even Pikachu and Togepi, a cup of tea before he took one himself. Pikachu took a sniff of the tea before it smiled and began to lap it up. Serena made sure to cool off the tea by blowing on it before she gave some to Togepi. The group then tried the tea themselves and smiled in satisfaction. It actually was really good.

Kurt smiled at their reaction before he decided to get down to the business of why they were here. He set his cup down and folded his hands before he spoke.

"Okay, kids. You said you have that mysterious pokeball to give me. Will you show me?" Kurt requested.

"Sure, Kurt. I've got it right here," Ash stated and pulled the GS ball from his backpack and gave it to Kurt.

As Ash handed over, he had to think of all the time he and the rest had been taking care of the GS ball. He first got it all the way back in the Orange Islands from Professor Ivy, and then it went to Professor Oak, and now it was about to be in Kurt's hands, who was said to be an expert. Would this actually be the final delivery before they can learn what it was all about?

"Hmm…Kurt said as he inspected it.

The group leaned in a little in anticipation. Kurt stared at the ball intently, and he intended to be studying it very carefully. Kurt's eyes narrowed as he concentrated even harder. At last, he looked at the group and nodded his head.

They all smiled eagerly when Kurt looked at them. Even Maisy's eyes lit up as she was curious about what type of pokeball this was, too. For a while, nobody said anything. Then Ash, unable to take it anymore, had to ask Kurt himself.

"So what's up, Kurt? Did you figure it out?" Ash asked.

"Hmmm…it's primitive yet very advanced. It's simple yet very difficult," Kurt mused.

"In other words…," Misty pressed.

"I have no idea!" Kurt announced, and the group fell over in disbelief.

"Man. We came all the way over here and not even you can figure it out," Ash groaned.

"Now hold on a minute. I never said I would never be able to figure it out. I just need some time. I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of it after I study it a little," Kurt amended.

"Don't you guys worry! My grandpa knows everything there is to know about pokeballs. I'm sure he'll find out what to do with it!" Maisy reassured.

The group felt a little bit better after that. They supposed it was a little unrealistic for them to think Kurt would be able to figure everything out after only having it a few seconds. None of the other Pokemon professors who had it came even close, after all.

"So no one was able to figure this thing out? Where did you get it?" Kurt asked curiously.

"Well, before we got it from Professor Oak, we got it from Professor Ivy in the Orange Islands, and she started calling it the GS ball. She said she found it on the beach a few weeks before we got it. They tried everything to open it and study it, but came up with nothing. Professor Oak was the same way," Serena explained.

"Hmm..." Kurt mused as looked at the GS ball again.

"Hey, guys. What's Brock doing?" Maisy asked, and the group turned to see what she was referring to.

Brock was curled up the on the ground in the fetal position, and he had a miserable look on his face. He was shivering slightly and there was a cold aura around him. The group sighed and shook their heads at that. Only Gary, Kurt, and Maisy didn't seem to know what was going on.

"Ugggghh…that name," Brock moaned.

"Seriously, Brock?! How long has it been now?! You still act like that every time we mention Professor Ivy's name?!" Misty cried.

"Uggggghhhhh!" Brock moaned again.

"What's with him?" Gary wondered.

"Don't worry about it. He'll be fine. We promise," Misty sighed as she turned away from him.

"I guess we might as well call Professor Oak and tell him we delivered the GS ball," Ash shrugged.

"You may use my phone. I don't mind," Kurt told them.

With that, the group got up and made their way over to Kurt's video phone, with the exception of Brock who was still on the ground. The rest either sighed or rolled their eyes as they passed by the downed Pokemon Breeder. One would think he would be over it by now. The only one who stopped was Maisy. She looked down and gave Brock a curious look.

"Do you need anything, Brock?" Maisy asked.

"My broken heart repaired," Brock mumbled.

"Huh?" Maisy questioned.

"Let's just move along, Maisy. He'll get up on his own eventually," Misty said as she grabbed the little girl by the arm and tugged her along, leaving Brock to stew.

* * *

"Hey, Professor Oak! Guess where we are! We're calling you all the way from Kurt's house in Azalea Town!" Ash greeted once he called the professor and he answered.

"I'm here, too, Grandpa!" Gary said.

"And me, too!" Leaf added.

The group was standing around the video phone with the exception of Brock, Maisy, and Kurt. Maisy and Kurt had gone off to do their own thing, and Brock still hadn't recovered from the mention of Professor Ivy's name. Needless to say, Professor Oak was quite pleased to hear the news Ash just delivered.

"Hello everyone! I'm glad you all managed to meet up at some point," Professor Oak nodded.

"Yeah. Leaf and I had to stay here a few days to let these Slowpokes all catch up. We were on our way to Kurt's house anyway so we all traveled there together," Gary smiled.

"Ha, ha, ha," Ash laughed sarcastically.

"Ah, that's wonderful, and since you're all at Kurt's house, I take it you give him the GS ball?" Professor Oak inquired.

"We sure did!" Serena agreed.

"And…," Professor Oak pressed.

"He said he's never seen anything like it so he has no idea, either," Ash chuckled.

Professor Oak let out a small sigh, but he didn't show it for long. "That's okay. I just hope you let me know the minute you learn anything," he nodded.

"We sure will!" Ash stated.

"Anyway, the GS ball is in capable hands now so I'll leave you alone about it," Professor Oak said before he switched topics. "By the way, have you ever seen any of Kurt's specially made custom pokeballs?"

"You mean the ones he makes from apricorns?" Gary questioned.

"Apricorn?" Ash wondered along with Misty, Serena, and Leaf.

"Kurt's an expert at making pokeballs. He can make special types of pokeballs depending on the type of apricorn you give him. Blue ones make the lure balls. Black ones make heavy balls. Green ones make friend balls. White ones make fast balls. Red ones make level balls. Pink ones make love balls, and yellow ones make moon balls," Gary explained.

"That's my grandson," Professor Oak smiled.

"Those sound pretty cool," Ash commented.

"Do you think Kurt would mind if we asked him to make us some of the special pokeballs? Those would sound really cool to look at," Leaf said.

"Oh. I'm sure he won't mind since you gave him something interesting. You should go ask him," Professor Oak replied before a monstrous blob covered him again, which was none other than Ash's Muk.

"Hey, Muk," Ash greeted as the others chuckled at Professor Oak's predicament.

"Muuuuuk," Muk replied and waved one its sloppy hands at Ash.

"Anyway, I have to go now as you can see! See you all later!" Professor Oak hurriedly said, though his voice was a little muffled, and the screen shut off.

"Ash, I have to ask…does your Muk always give my grandpa trouble like that?" Gary asked with a frown.

"Heheheheh. I wouldn't call it trouble. I think it just likes him," Ash said sheepishly, and Gary rolled his eyes.

"Well, whatever. Let's just go find where Kurt went to. I think he went this way," Gary said and left the scene with everyone else following suit.

As the group walked through the house, they could hear what sounded like hammering. Curious as to what it was, the group continued walking towards the sound and found Maisy standing in front of the entrance to another room. Upon seeing the group, she immediately put her finger to her mouth and beckoned them over with her hand.

Understanding the message to stay quiet, the group crept over to where Maisy was and looked inside the room. It appeared to be some sort of smithy. There were a few shelves that had strange looking pokeballs on them. The group assumed they were the special pokeballs Professor Oak had mentioned. There was also a furnace, and a small sink for water next to it. Finally there was a large workbench where the group found Kurt. He had his back turned to them and was the apparent source of the hammering, though the group couldn't see what it was he was hitting.

"My grandpa needs maximum concentration when he's working like this so you have to be quiet right now," Maisy whispered, and the group nodded.

After a minute, Kurt stopped hammering and grabbed a pair of tongs. He then lifted the object and brought it over to the sink. The group could finally see some sort of round object in his hands. So this is part of how he makes the special pokeballs. Interested, the group watched him plunge the object into the water, and steam immediately erupted from it. Kurt then used the tongs to place it back into the furnace before he shut the door and sighed.

"It should be just about done," Kurt said to himself and wiped his forehead.

Maisy then nodded her head at the group to show it was okay to talk to him now. Ash nodded his back and stepped into the room. Kurt must've heard him because he turned around and smiled at the group.

"Hi, kids. I thought I heard something. Was there anything I could do for you?" Kurt asked.

"Well, I was wondering…if…," Ash started, wondering how he could ask Kurt for the special pokeballs with sounding rude.

"You said you make special pokeballs, right, sir?" Gary asked instead. "So do people send you orders on the special pokeballs they want you to make for them, and then you deliver it to them?"

"Hmm…yes. That's usually how it is. Few people actually come here directly," Kurt responded.

"So, would it be okay if you made us some of those pokeballs as long as we brought you the apricorns to do it?" Gary followed up.

"Ha! It would be more than okay. I'd be pleased to make pokeballs for you young trainers! I enjoy what I do," Kurt replied with kind smile.

Kurt then went over to one of the shelves and grabbed a few of the special pokeballs from it. He then walked back over to the group and handed them one each. The group inspected the pokeball curiously. It looked like a normal pokeball with a few red growths on it. Seeming to read their thoughts, Kurt spoke up again.

"Those are fast balls. You can use them to catch very quick Pokemon," Kurt explained.

"Wow! Thank you so much!" Serena smiled as she and the others wondered what kind of Pokemon they could use them on.

"If you'd like me to make other kinds of pokeballs for you all, you would need to go into the hills behind the house. Only white apricorns grow in our backyard, and they make the fast balls you have," Kurt told them.

"I can take you guys there if you want," Maisy suggested. "I'll be able to tell you which ones are ripe and which ones aren't."

"Thank you, Maisy. I would take them there myself, but I'm a little behind in my work," Kurt said as he wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead again.

"It's fine, Kurt. We're just happy you're being kind enough to make us some," Ash smiled.

"It's no trouble at all. You kids brought me something interesting so it's the least I can do," Kurt replied.

"Great! Let's go!" Maisy chirped as she tugged on Ash's arm

"Apricorn hunting? Count me in!" Brock suddenly said from behind the group, which caused them to jump in surprise.

"Geez, Brock! You almost gave me a heart attack! When did you get there?! I thought you were wallowing in self pity!" Misty said in exasperation.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Brock questioned, looking a little confused.

The group stared at him with a dumbfounded expression. Did Brock even realize when he had those 'spells' when Professor Ivy's name was mentioned? It had been a while, but even time wasn't healing this wound. Well, whatever. They were going to go find him and ask if he wanted to come along anyway. It saved them a trip to the den.

"Never mind. Let's just go," Misty sighed.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, the group was walking through a series of hills. It was quite a wide open space, but there were several trees around. These must be the special apricorn trees where Kurt would get all of his ingredients. It made sense that he built his house near where there was an abundance of apricorn trees for him to pick from.

"Man. This is going to be awesome! A special apricorn just for me!" Ash smiled.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered, as well.

"Is there any pokeball in particular that you want, Ash?" Leaf asked him.

"Hmm…," Ash mused. "I would probably want a lure ball. I haven't gotten a water Pokemon since Lapras. Catching a Johto water Pokemon would be pretty cool."

"You're talking my language, Ash! That's the perfect pokeball for me, too!" Misty said with an approving nod.

"A heavy ball for me," Brock stated.

"Meh. I don't care which one. Any of them would be cool for me," Gary shrugged.

"I guess for me…I would choose a friend ball. I catch so many kinds of Pokemon that it would be great to start things off right when I first get one," Leaf commented.

"I think that suits you," Ash told her.

"Doesn't it? It's because I have such great friends," Leaf smiled and put her arm around Ash and Gary, which caused Ash to smile and Gary to shyly look away.

However, Leaf noticed one person was missing from the Pallet Town quartet. She turned around and saw Serena was walking a few paces behind them and appeared lost in thought. Leaf let go of Ash and Gary and went back to where Serena was. Leaf could tell when Serena was simply thinking about other things or if something was bothering her. It was definitely the latter.

"Hey, Serena. What's up?" Leaf asked.

"Hmm?" Serena hummed as she looked at Leaf.

"What's wrong?" Leaf asked more directly.

"Well…do you remember what tomorrow is for me and Ash?" Serena questioned and wondered if she was only one who remembered it was her and Ash's anniversary.

"Oh yeah!" Leaf beamed as her face lit up. "It's your first anniversary with Ash. That's so romantic."

"Yeah…," Serena trailed.

"So spill the beans, girl. What does Ash have planned? He throws such great parties. I bet an anniversary would be super awesome," Leaf said eagerly.

"Weeeeeell, I don't know," Serena answered truthfully.

"Oh. I've got it. It's going to be a surprise," Leaf said slyly.

"Ohhh…Ash has surprised me already. He's given no indication he has even remembered our anniversary," Serena whispered a little mournfully.

Leaf frowned. Well, that explained that she was correct about something bothering Serena. How could Ash really forget something like their first anniversary? Okay. That was an easy one. It's because he's Ash, and he isn't used to anniversaries and had never been a part of one. Still, they couldn't just let him simply not think to celebrate one. It was too important.

"Why don't you try to give him subtle hints about what tomorrow is and see if Ash thinks about it on his own? It would probably save him some embarrassment," Leaf suggested.

"I tried a little earlier. He seriously didn't know where I was going with those hints," Serena sighed.

"So keep trying. Something has to get his head working," Leaf urged.

Serena thought about that. Leaf was right. They've both known Ash a long time. They were sure Ash knew that he and Serena would've been together for a year starting tomorrow. He just didn't know they were supposed to celebrate it. She could help him out a little.

"Hey, guys. Here's the first tree. They contain pink apricorns to make love balls. Would any of you like any?" Maisy announced.

As the group looked ahead. They could see a large tree with several pink apricorns hanging from it. They looked extremely ripe and ready for picking. Despite this, Maisy had warned them on the way up that they weren't to take too many as it would be bad for the trees. There could only be one type of apricorn per person. Serena's eyes then lit up as she thought of something and gave a smile to Ash.

"Love balls, Ash. Does that make you think of anything about us? Does it remind you of anything?" Serena questioned and winked at him.

"Hmm…," Ash mused as he crossed his arms.

Everyone stared at Ash, even Pikachu and Togepi. Maisy tilted her head in confusion and began to say something, but Misty quickly covered her mouth to let Ash think. Still, they didn't think he would have to think too hard about this. They could almost hear the gears turning in Ash's head. It was clear he knew Serena was wanting to remind him of something, but it was also clear that he had no idea what she was hinting at.

Serena was starting to become a bit worried. Did he seriously have no idea how to make the connection between the love ball and them? She thought he had a lost some of his child-like denseness the past year, but maybe she was wrong. Suddenly, a light bulb seemed to turn on in Ash's head, and he nodded his head at Serena, and she gave him a hopeful expression.

"I've got it! Our love for each other!" Ash stated.

"That's right, Ash!" Serena replied. "And what's tomorrow?"

"My gym match at Azalea Town gym!" Ash declared proudly.

Everyone except Maisy fell over in disbelief. Was he serious?! What on Earth did a gym battle have to do with a love ball? Still, it was a typical response from Ash. They shouldn't be too surprised. Still, it didn't make Serena any less annoyed after she and the others got up from the ground.

"No, Ash. It isn't," Serena huffed.

"It's…not? I thought that's what we all agreed to. We would see Kurt and deliver the GS ball today, and I would have my gym match tomorrow," Ash said, genuinely confused.

"Never mind. I'm getting a love ball," Serena grumbled as she stomped off towards the tree.

"What did I say?" Ash questioned.

"Ash, you really are an idiot," Misty sighed.

"He's not an idiot, Misty. He just needs to know that tomorrow is a special day. Right, Ash?" Brock asked and nodded his head at him.

"Suuuure," Ash replied, not knowing where Brock was going with that.

Serena soon returned with a pink apricorn and still looked rather annoyed. Ash smiled at her, and Serena's annoyance vanished, and she flashed him a smile back. She couldn't stay angry at him forever. She can give him a few more chances.

"Come on! Let's go see the other apricorns!" Maisy pressed and excitedly ran off.

"Hey! Wait for us!" the group called after her. Like most young girls, Maisy was pretty energetic.

They all soon came upon another set up of trees. Maisy made a sudden stop and pointed her index finger at them. Only Ash and Leaf weren't tired as they finally stopped at being left behind like that.

"Here are black apricorns. They can make the heavy balls," Maisy told them.

"I could've really used one of those to catch my Snorlax," Ash commented as he recalled the trouble he and the others had as they tried to capture it.

"Excellent! These black apricorns are what I want!" Brock smiled and made his way over to the tree, but Maisy stopped him.

"Hold it! Be careful! Don't you see anything else in the tree?" Maisy said suddenly.

"Hmm?" Brock questioned as he and the others looked at the tree in question before he saw what she was referring to. "Ohhhhh…."

To any normal person, the only other thing besides apricorns that appeared to be in the tree were a bunch of pine cones. However, if one took a closer look, he or she could tell that these pine cones were moving and had eyes. It was a little creepy to see something like that, especially since all of them were focused on Brock.

"What are those things?" Ash wondered as he, Serena, and Leaf scanned them.

"Pineco, the bagworm Pokemon. Pineco will hang silently from tree branches and appear calm, but it will self-destruct at the slightest provocation," said the national dexes.

"You know, these things actually look more like grenades than a pine cone. They make me a little nervous, especially the self-destruct part," Misty grimaced.

"Sounds cool to me!" Brock spoke up, seeming undeterred despite the warning. "I'll get a black apricorn, and I'll catch a Pineco, too!"

"Are you sure it's a good idea to just walk right up to them? You heard Maisy say it probably wasn't a good idea," Misty tried.

"What Pokemon breeder could pass up this opportunity? I have to meet all types of challenges," Brock declared.

"You should stay away, Brock. I can find some more trees that have black apricorns," Maisy warned.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine," Brock stated as he made his way over to the apricorn tree.

Brock then slowly crept over to the tree as quietly as he could to avoid startling the Pineco. It would be suicide to just blindly run over to them. Brock then gave a reassuring smile to the Pineco to show them he meant no harm. The Pineco didn't seem bothered by Brock's presence as they continued to stare idly ahead. Well, almost all of them didn't seem bothered. One particular Pineco had its eyes on Brock the entire time and seemed a little nervous.

"Hey, Brock. Be careful around that one. It seems a little temperamental," Serena warned.

"I've got this," Brock replied quietly and nodded his head back at Serena.

The group could do nothing but continue to watch Brock as he risked himself by picking those black apricorns. They just had to trust his breeder skills. Brock finally made it underneath the tree and all the Pineco without incident. Despite the fact that none of the Pineco had moved yet, that same Pineco from earlier still had its eyes on Brock.

"Hey, guys. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt any of you. I'm just here to get a black apricorn," Brock told them in a friendly voice, though he secretly hoped to snag one of the Pineco, too. That nervous one seemed promising.

Brock then carefully reached up and plucked a single black apricorn. The group thought that the hardest part was over, but it proved quite the opposite. As soon as Brock got a hold of the black apricorn, the suspicious Pineco made a small cry and began wiggling. It then began to lower itself on a special silk, and soon it was face to face with Brock.

"Pineco!" it cried.

Unfortunately, this alerted the other Pineco, and they began to lower themselves around Brock, as well. Brock looked around frantically as he soon found himself surrounded by Pineco. The rest of the group gasped in worry as they saw the danger Brock was in. Ash thought about using Pikachu, but if it shocked all of the Pineco, it would probably hit Brock, too. The worst part was all of the Pineco began to glow white.

"Brock! Get out of there! They're about to self-destruct on you!" Ash yelled.

Brock knew the situation was bad. The Pineco were blocking any exit he had. He would need to fight his way through if he were to avoid being seriously injured, and he would need to be quick. Brock then did something unexpected. He swung his fist and punched the nearest Pineco, which happened to be the jumpy one, and it let out a startled cry and broke off from the silk which cleared him a path. Brock then dashed out from under the tree as fast as he could as the other Pineco began to explode around him.

Brock dove as far and as quickly as he could once they did that. Several puffs of smoke flew around Brock as the Pineco continued self-destructing one by one. The group shielded their eyes as the smoke flew towards them. They coughed for a few moments before it finally cleared. They all then worriedly cast a glance towards where Brock was to make sure he was okay.

Brock was crouching on the ground and covering his head with his hands. He stayed like that for a few seconds before he realized the danger had passed and flashed a group a smile to let them know he was okay. The group then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Brock! That was so dangerous! You could've been seriously hurt!" Misty scolded.

"It was just another challenge for a Pokemon breeder to overcome! I think I passed since I wasn't injured!" Brock grinned triumphantly.

"Barely. You kind of had to sucker punch a Pineco to make it out alive," Gary frowned.

"That reminds me. What happened to that Pineco you hit?" Ash wondered.

"Oh yeah," Brock remembered as he looked around.

If he recalled correctly, it flew towards the right after he punched it. Brock soon spotted it lying on the ground several yards away and not moving. Still, Brock was rather surprised as it was the only one who hadn't self-destructed. Did he startle it enough to where it canceled the deadly attack? Deciding to investigate, Brock made his way over to it.

"You're actually going over to it?" Misty questioned in confusion.

Brock didn't answer her, though. He continued walking forward until he was right in front of the Pineco. He then stared down at it and crossed his arms as the Pineco looked up at him with an unreadable expression.

"Hey there, Pineco. You sure caused me some trouble just a short while ago. Are you that distrusting of me?" Brock wondered.

"Pineco," it muttered in response.

"Well, I didn't have any ill intentions. I was just there to pick some apricorns. Why don't we just put that behind us and be friends?" Brock suggested.

Pineco said nothing in response. It just continued to stare up at Brock with that unreadable expression. It then closed its eyes and seemed to actually be smiling at Brock. The Pokemon breeder took this as a good sign until he saw Pineco began to glow white. Shoot! It was about to explode, after all!

Brock gave a yelp of surprise and instinctively threw his fast ball at the Pineco. He didn't know why, but it just seemed to fit for a jumpy Pokemon like that. The pokeball connected and sucked in the Pineco while it was still glowing white. The pokeball then landed on the ground and began to shake back and forth. Brock hoped that saved it from self-destructing. It wouldn't do if that Pineco was seriously hurt. Then again, he hoped it wouldn't break free as it would just simply explode afterward. Brock then smiled as the fast ball stopped shaking and 'dinged' to show Pineco was caught.

"That was way too close," Leaf sighed.

"So I guess you got a Pineco, huh, Brock?" Ash asked.

"I guess so," Brock smiled as he picked up the fast ball and stared at it.

"So what do you think of my Grandpa's specially made pokeballs? I'm sure most people don't think of a Pineco as their first choice to use a fast ball on, but as you can see, you didn't even have to weaken it before it was caught. They're pretty cool, right?" Maisy said proudly.

"They sure are. I'm sure we'll make great use of them once they're ready," Serena agreed.

Brock then decided to officially meet his new Pineco as he felt Graveler's pokeball teleport away from his belt. Brock then briefly realized this would be the first time his Graveler had been away from him since captured it. He would need to go back for it soon. Brock then released Pineco from his fast ball, and it materialized in his arms. It looked like the capture had saved it from self-destructing, after all. Brock then smiled and nodded his head down at the Pineco who stared back at him.

"I know I caught you under strange circumstances, but I think it's safe to say we'll be good friends, right Pineco?" Brock asked.

"Pineco!" it responded happily, and it began to glow white.

"Yikes! I guess it wasn't safe to say!" Brock said frantically and hastily returned Pineco before it could explode.

The group let out a sigh. It seemed Brock had caught a Pineco who loved to self-destruct on a whim. Great. They should keep their distance while it was out.

"Brock, we're all happy for your new capture, but please try to control that thing," Misty said.

"No problem. It's just another challenge a Pokemon breeder such as myself will have to overcome. Pineco and I will be just fine in due time!" Brock reassured as he smiled again at the fast ball containing his new friend.

* * *

The group was now back at Kurt's house. They had all been able to see the apricorn trees in the hills, and they were all able to get the apricorn they wanted. They handed the apricorns to Kurt who looked rather pleased that he received so many. He then set them down on a nearby shelf before he turned to the group.

"Ah! Thank you, kids! I promise you I'll make these the best pokeballs yet! You won't be disappointed!" Kurt promised.

"That sounds great! We can't wait!" Ash smiled before he added, "By the way, Kurt, were you able to figure out anything about the GS ball?"

"Please tell us! The suspense is killing me!" Misty pleaded.

"Hmm…," Kurt mused as he pulled the pokeball out of a pocket on his robe. "It's clear that…"

"Yeeeeees?" the group pressed and leaned in a little

"Some kind of pokeball," Kurt finished, which caused the group to face-fault.

"Next thing you know, he'll tell us it's round," Ash sighed.

"Is that really all you have on it, Kurt?" Serena questioned.

"Well, not exactly. This pokeball has a very peculiar lock on it that can only be opened a special way, but I haven't figured out what it's all about. I'm certain I can learn more and get to the bottom of this with more time," Kurt said.

"So there's something you don't know, Grandpa?" Maisty asked.

"Well…not yet," Kurt sighed before he continued. "Another thing I learned is that this GS ball is actually from the region of Johto. So the fact that it's actually here now means we're one step closer to figuring it out."

The group shrugged at that. At least he wasn't totally clueless. They did learn something about a special lock, and that it's from the region of Johto. That was more information than what they got from Professor Oak and Professor Ivy, who knew absolutely nothing.

"Would you kids mind if I kept the GS ball with me? I'm positive I'll figure out the mystery behind this thing. It just won't be soon," Kurt asked.

"That's fine with me," Ash shrugged.

"Hmmhmm. Me, too! Truthfully, it's kind of a relief considering how long we've had it," Misty giggled.

"Just promise you'll let Professor Oak and us know once you find out anything," Brock said.

"Of course. You all will be the first ones to know about it," Kurt replied.

The group nodded their heads. The GS ball was in good hands, and they knew once this mystery was solved, they wouldn't be disappointed by it. Something really neat was contained in that GS ball. They were sure of it.

"Well, I'll go ahead and get to work on these pokeballs. It will take me some time so you'll all have to come back tomorrow to get them," Kurt told them.

"Just you wait! They'll be awesome!" Maisy said enthusiastically.

"Well, we'll see you tomorrow, Kurt! Thanks for everything," Serena said politely with a bow.

"See you later, Kurt! I'll let Grandpa know how you're doing," Gary said with a wave.

"Nice meeting you, too!" Leaf grinned and followed Gary.

With that, the group left while waving to Kurt and Maisy. They would be back for their pokeballs tomorrow, but now, it was time to move onto other things. The GS ball was finally out of their possession. Now, they could plan their next move since they were outside.

After they left, Kurt turned back to the pokeball and gave it a strange look. He then turned to Maisy who was still waving after the group. Upon noticing that Kurt was looking at her, the young girl gave her grandfather a curious look.

"What's wrong, Grandpa?" she asked.

"Maisy, do you remember how Ash's group got here? Did they come from the west where Ilex Forest is or did they come from the direction of Violet City?" Kurt inquired.

"I think they said they came from Violet City. Why?" Maisy wondered.

"That's weird," Kurt muttered as he gave a suspicious glance at the GS ball. "This GS ball gives off a very distinct feel that something can only have from being in Ilex Forest."

"Really? That forest gives me the creeps," Maisy said with a shiver.

"Yes. Very odd…," Kurt mused again.

* * *

"So guys? What should we do?" Brock asked once they made it outside Kurt's house.

"Well, it's too late in the day to have my gym match so why don't we go tomorrow?" Ash suggested.

The group exchanged worried glances with each other. Has Ash seriously still not figured out that tomorrow is his and Serena's one year anniversary? Surely enough hints had to have been dropped by now. Didn't he know how special tomorrow was supposed to be? Having a gym battle during that time didn't exactly scream romantic.

"Ash, aren't you forgetting something?" Misty tried to remind.

"You're right. What kind of Pokemon does the gym leader use so I know which Pokemon to bring. Thanks, Misty," Ash nodded.

"That isn't what I meant," Misty mumbled with a nervous glance to Serena, who looked ready to explode.

"His name is Bugsy, and he uses bug-types," Gary responded.

"Thanks, Gary," Ash replied.

"So what are you two going to do now?" Brock wondered.

"Well, Leaf and I are going to head out. We saw you guys and Kurt so there isn't any real reason for us to stay," Gary shrugged.

"Wait, Gary. Are you going to stay and watch my gym battle?" Ash questioned.

That question caught Gary off guard as he raised his eyebrows at Ash. The spiky, brown-haird boy appeared to be thinking it over. Gary hadn't seen Ash battle since he lost to him in Pallet Town. It would be interesting to see if Ash had improved any so Gary would know what he was up against for when there would be an inevitable battle against him. Not to mention, Gary has never truly seen Ash battle against a gym leader. It would be quite interesting.

Gary looked over to Leaf who appeared to be pleading with him to stay a little longer. Apparently she wanted to watch Ash's match, too. Gary then looked over at Ash and saw the raven-haired boy was giving him a resolute expression and slight challenge to stay and see him. Well, it was clear what the response should be. Nothing but good could come from this. Gary then smirked at Ash with his answer.

"Sure. I'll watch it."

* * *

 **Okay. I've made this clear many times before, but I'll say it again. I won't forget about the GS ball. I have a very exciting arc planned for it later in the story. It will be between Ash's 7th and 8th gym badge and will be about three chapters long. No spoilers on what happens, though!**

 **The Azalea Town gym match is next. How will Serena handle Ash forgetting their anniversary to have a gym battle? Speaking of Ash, what will make him think of an anniversary when he's having a gym match? Also, please remember that Ash learns from his mistakes in this fic. He'll never forget an important date with Serena again after this. Besides, we all know that he'll make it up to her so please relax. What kind of conclusion will Gary have after watching Ash battle?**

 **The next chapter will be out in September! Have a good one as always!**

 **Chapter Sixteen: A Rival's Analysis  
**


	16. A Rival's Analysis

**A/N: Please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: A Rival's Analysis

"Here are we are, guys! Azalea Town Gym!" Ash announced proudly.

He took in a deep breath as he smelled the clean air of Azalea Town. Ash was totally prepared for this gym battle. He heard from Gary that the gym leader here specialized in bug-types and used three Pokemon, and he knew exactly which Pokemon he was going to use. He knew Pidgeot would probably wipe the floor with those bug Pokemon, and he used it against Falkner. He wanted to give his new Pokemon a chance to shine, too. It was with that in mind that Ash chose his three newest Pokemon to face the gym leader with: Chikorita, Heracross, and Cyndaquil. While some may argue that Chikorita was a bad choice, Ash didn't think so. His Chikorita had proved to be one tough cookie. What better way to show its strength than by beating a type it didn't match up well against? It was going to be a good day for him.

Sadly, it couldn't be said for everyone in the group. Serena had been rather melancholy the entire morning and hadn't spoken much. She had been hoping with every fiber of her being that Ash would know to celebrate their anniversary now that the day had finally come. Something would trigger in him that said, "Oh, Serena and I have been together for a year now. We should celebrate in the best way possible!" However, none of that proved to be true. All Ash had talked about today was his upcoming gym battle.

Serena tried not to be too hard on Ash's denseness anymore. She had blown a lot of things out of proportion before and tried to learn from her own mistakes. However, not even acknowledging their one year anniversary was a huge insult to her. Rather than blow up and yell and cry at Ash like she did in the past, Serena just simply said nothing and acted rather distant. Ash hasn't noticed her different treatment of him yet, but he will in due time.

"This gym looks like a greenhouse," Misty commented.

"Of course it does. The gym leader here uses bug-types so it was made to look like a forest on the inside," Gary explained.

"Great. Bug-types," Misty muttered under her breath.

"You're still going to watch my gym match, right, Misty?" Ash asked.

"Sure, Ash. Sure," Misty mumbled.

"Oh, well. At least I can always count on Serena to give me support. Right, Serena?" Ash asked and gave Serena a bright smile and a thumbs up.

To his great surprise, Serena didn't say anything. Instead, she frowned at Ash and turned away from him. Ash's smile instantly left his face once she did that. He gave her a puzzled expression before he spoke. That was rather odd.

"Hey, Serena. What's wrong?" he inquired.

"Nothing, Ash," Serena replied flatly.

Ash glanced at his other friends for help on the situation. Rather than enlighten him, they all looked uncomfortable and avoided eye contact with him. They pretended to be distracted by all sorts of things. Even Pikachu didn't look at him. Okay. This was really odd. Ash had to know what was going on.

"Hey, guys. Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?" Ash wondered.

All he got was a flinch from Serena and a sigh from the others. It looked like they wanted to tell him, but it would be best if he knew for himself. It wouldn't hold any meaning if they told him. Ash needed to know for himself that today was his one year anniversary and a very special day for him and Serena. Birthdays and dates weren't the only time to celebrate with his girlfriend. Getting the feeling that nobody was going to answer him, Ash got uncomfortable himself.

"Ummm…shall we just go in the gym?" he asked in an unsure tone.

Serena then spun around and glared at Ash. "Sure, Ash. Let's go to the gym so you can win your gym badge. It is important to you, after all."

Without waiting for a response, Serena marched ahead of the group and right past Ash without looking at him. Ash watched her with a bewildered expression, but it wasn't because of what she said. It was because of the way she said it. Serena sounded very sarcastic just now which was a tone he wasn't used to hearing from her. Something was definitely bothering her. He once more looked towards his friends, but they all once again avoided eye contact with him. Ash frowned and glared at them himself.

"Fine. Some help you guys are," Ash muttered as he turned towards the gym and proceeded to walk in the doors. He wasn't going to let this dampen his mood.

"You are so clueless, Ash," Misty spoke from behind him.

Ash paused for a moment. Misty just flashed him an oh so subtle hint. Was he forgetting something? Was it something important? Dang it! He wouldn't be able to concentrate on his gym match if he was thinking about this. Maybe he could have his gym battle and then ask what was up afterward. Right! That's what he'll do! He'll then figure out what was wrong with Serena and do what he can to make it right. He'll win a gym badge, and Serena will have her problem fixed by the end of the day. Everyone would win. Today will be a good day, after all. With that thought in mind, Ash gave confident nod and strolled through the doors of the gym, his friends slowly following.

Serena was waiting for the rest of the group when they entered the gym. She had her arms crossed and had a somewhat annoyed look on her face. Ash came up to her and flashed her a cheesy grin in order to lighten the tension a little, but all she did was sigh and roll her eyes. Ash rubbed the back of his head as he thought of what to say. Should he stick with his previous plan and try to focus on the gym battle first? No. Serena was his girlfriend. Her needs came first.

"Serena, would you please tell me what's wrong?" Ash asked in concern. "I want to help, and I feel like I've screwed up. I can't fix it, though, unless you tell me."

Serena's anger ebbed a little once Ash said that. He did honestly appear to be concerned what it was that he was doing wrong. She just couldn't believe that he forgot their anniversary. Still, if she told him, he would feel horrible and not fit to do a gym battle. As aggravated as Serena was, she didn't want her boyfriend to feel like a huge moron. She could cut him some slack and support him during his gym battle. He just better remember their anniversary afterward.

"There is something bothering me, Ash, but I don't want to tell you right now. Have your gym battle first, and I'll tell you afterward," Serena replied.

"Are you sure? You know I'd drop my gym battle for you," Ash said sincerely.

Serena couldn't help but smile at Ash's words. She really did have a caring boyfriend. She took a deep breath to push her negative feelings aside for now.

"I'm sure, Ash. Go and win your gym battle," she told him.

Ash smiled back upon seeing Serena appeared to be in a better mood. He then turned to his friends and gave them a thumbs up to which they nodded. When he turned back around to walk forward, they shook their heads. Thank goodness Serena was a little more understanding now. If it was before their huge fight on the Orange Islands, she probably would've blown a fuse at Ash for not celebrating their anniversary.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu whispered to Ash as if to say "You got off easy".

Ash frowned at the yellow rodent. "Hey. At least I tried."

Leaf walked over and placed her hand on Serena's shoulder. "It's okay, Serena. You handled it well."

Serena managed a faint smile in return. "Thanks, Leaf."

As the group made their way further in the gym, it was becoming increasingly dense, just like a real forest. It made sense that it was like this, but that did nothing for a particular member of the group: Misty. The redheaded girl was a little behind the group and clutching her arms tight and looking back and forth as if she expected something to jump out and scare the life out of her. Well, bug Pokemon did do that sometimes to be fair.

"Ooooooh, I don't like bugs. I know I'm here to support Ash, but that doesn't mean I have to like being in here," Misty said.

"Maybe if you just face forward when you walk instead of look side to side, you won't see any bugs," Brock suggested.

"Okay. I'll try that," Misty replied.

All she had to do was be completely oblivious. Just don't look to the sides, and she would be okay. Nothing here was out to get her. She would be just fine. Look ahead. Look ahead. Look a…

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Misty screamed, alarming the rest of the group.

A Spinarak had come down on a thread between them and Misty, and was right in her face. Well, it wasn't in her face anymore as Misty had already taken off in the opposite direction and was behind a tree. That proved to be a bad idea as a Caterpie was now rubbing against a leg, and another one appeared right after that. Soon, Misty found herself surrounded by bug Pokemon and screamed bloody murder. Misty was acting like an insane group of killers was surrounding her rather than a small group of Caterpie and Weedle.

Brock calmly walked over and grabbed Misty by the hand before he pulled her out of the bug Pokemon swarm of death. The redheaded girl had her eyes closed and was screaming the entire time.

"Bug Pokemon are gross! They're so gross!" Misty continued to cry.

"Misty, you're okay now," Brock deadpanned.

Misty opened her eyes and looked around to find she was well away from the bug Pokemon now. She blushed in embarrassment and rubbed the back of her head.

"Oh, thank you, Brock. You saved me," Misty said.

"Uhhhh…yeah. You're welcome, Misty. Just try to relax," Brock told her.

"Is she always like that," Gary whispered in Ash's ear.

"You have no idea," Ash replied.

The group had only walked a short distance more before the new voice called out to them. "Hey! Up here!"

The group looked up and discovered there was a boy who was probably the same age as Ash, Serena, Leaf, and Gary. He had long and thick lavender hair that reached all the way down his face and had a somewhat feminine appearance to him. He was staring down at the group from the high tree branch he was sitting on.

"I'm Bugsy, the gym leader here," the boy introduced.

"He was up in a tree when I came here, too," Gary mumbled to Ash.

It was then Bugsy seemed to notice Gary. "I remember you from the other day. Are you back to win a second badge from me?"

"No way. That would be my pal, Ash, here," Gary stated and clapped Ash on the back

"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. I challenge you to gym battle, Bugsy!" Ash declared.

"Of course. As a gym leader, it's my duty to accept all challenges," Bugsy replied in an official tone of voice and stood up for emphasis. "Except…first…could you guys get that ladder for me so I can get down?"

The group turned and saw a fallen ladder by the tree and face-faulted a little. That kind of took out the excitement and pre-battle tension a little.

"Well, I guess it's lucky we were here otherwise you might be trapped up there," Ash shrugged as he got the ladder.

"Well, the only reason I accidentally kicked the ladder down in the first place was because I heard this girl screaming, and it surprised me," Bugsy replied as he got on the ladder.

Everyone turned to look at Misty who looked a little bit sheepish. She was pretty loud just now and made quite a scene.

"I also heard her screaming that she hated bug Pokemon. I can't believe someone could hold such negative feelings towards them. They're amazing. I'm actually a little insulted that she has such bad judgement," Bug commented with a hint of disdain in his voice.

Misty's face heated up as she felt like kicking the ladder down herself once he said that. It wasn't like she had bad judgment on things! She was just really afraid of bug Pokemon! That little twerp better retract that statement!

"Excuse me, but what makes you think bug Pokemon are so great, anyway?!" Misty shouted.

"Misty, do you think it's wise to start an argument with a gym leader that Ash is about to have a battle with?" Serena questioned.

"I simply just like them. Their extremely interesting, and I've even written an encyclopedia about them," Bugsy stated with a hint of indignation once he made it down the ladder.

"Well, I find them creepy and slimy and gross!" Misty yelled.

"Oh really? What's your favorite type?" Bugsy sneered slightly and placed his hands on his hips.

"Water Pokemon, of course. They way they're so beautiful and elegant and graceful is so captivating. I'm sure everyone here agrees with me," Misty said with a dreamy look on her face.

"Woah. Don't drag us into this," Gary said as he and the others backed up.

"Water Pokemon? Boooooooring," Bugsy muttered and gave a yawn for emphasis.

"Take that back, bug boy!" Misty shouted.

"Umm…guys? Can we discuss this later so I can have my gym battle?" Ash suggested quietly as he got in between the two.

"No!" they both shouted at Ash and continued arguing.

The whole group sighed at that. This may take a while. These two were apparently very passionate about the Pokemon types they favored. Brock then decided to take charge of the situation. He was used to fights like this from his younger siblings and traveling with the group for so long. He marched forward and grabbed Bugsy and Misty by the collar and pulled them apart as they were already in each others' faces.

"Now, hold on. You both are behaving like children. We're here to have gym match, not argue over which Pokemon is the best type," Brock said firmly.

"This is my gym! You can't tell me what do here!" Bugsy complained.

"If you're the gym leader here, act like it! Take it as advice from a gym leader to a gym leader. I was once the one of Pewter City in Kanto!" Brock scolded.

Bugsy shrunk a little under Brock's intimidating glare, and so did Misty. They both shyly looked at each other and twiddled their thumbs a little before they both spoke.

"Sorry," they muttered.

"There. There. All better," Brock soothed as he patted them both on the back.

Misty glared at Brock that he was treating her like a child but ultimately relented. She was acting like one, after all. Bugsy let out a slight huff and blew a piece of his long hair out his eyes. He then turned to Ash and nodded his head.

"I believe you had a gym battle with me, Ash? You all can follow me. I'll lead you to the battlefield," Bugsy said as he walked off with the group following suit.

It wasn't long before they arrived, and as expected, it was right in the middle of the forest like area. As with most gyms, the type of Pokemon the gym favored would be at a huge advantage. That's what Ash had Heracross for, though, to even things out should he need it. It was then Ash, and probably the others, noticed something was missing from this gym.

"Hey, Bugsy. Isn't there a referee?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah. There was one last time I was here," Gary added.

"Oh. I gave him the day off. It's fine, though. We're all experienced trainers, right?" Bugsy countered.

"If it's okay, Bugsy, I'd like to be the judge. Being a former gym leader myself, you know I'll judge fairly," Brock stepped in.

"Yeah…go ahead," Bugsy replied, still a little intimidated by Brock.

The Pokemon breeder ran to the side of the battlefield while the rest went to the opposite end. Misty wished Ash luck while Leaf gave him a good luck hug as she passed, and Serena gave him a small kiss on the check, which caused his ears to burn. At least Serena felt good enough to give him that. After this match, though, he had to know what was bothering her.

"You sure are lucky Serena's not furious with you after what you did," Gary whispered as he passed Ash, which caused the boy to get slightly uncomfortable. Noticing his look, Gary added, "I'm just kidding. Good luck, Ash."

Ash nodded his head as he face Bugsy, who was patiently waiting on the other side of the battlefield. Seeing as everyone appeared to be situated, Brock nodded his head to begin the official announcement.

"This is an official match in the Azalea Town Gym between Bugsy, the gym leader, and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. It will be a three on three Pokemon match with a…what's the name of the badge?" Brock quickly asked.

"A Hive Badge," Bugsy muttered, which caused a slight chuckle from the others.

"Right…with a Hive Badge at stake! Are the trainers ready?!" Brock finished.

"I'm ready!" Ash stated.

"Hey, Ash, before we begin, I have a question for you," Bugsy said.

"Oh? What is it?" Ash wondered.

"Have you ever heard the saying that whomever learns the rules of the bug Pokemon learns to rule the bug Pokemon?" Bugsy asked.

"Umm…no. Who said that?" Ash questioned in response to the weird question.

"Me. Weren't you listening?" Bugsy replied with a slight huff.

Ash rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he muttered.

"Bugsy sure has bug Pokemon on the brain just like last time we were here," Leaf said to Gary.

"No kidding. It sort of gets on my nerves," Gary replied.

"I don't want bug Pokemon anywhere on me," Misty muttered.

Serena watched the impending battle. Here Ash was, having a gym battle on the day of the first anniversary. It was probably the worst day of the year to have it one. It truthfully wasn't how she thought she would be spending it. Well, one can only learn from this experience. She'll still show her support to Ash.

"Since I hear you're a good trainer, I'll use some of my strongest Pokemon! I'll start things off with Ariados!" Bugsy stated and threw the pokeball.

The spider-like Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and clicked its pincers in anticipation. Misty immediately went to head for the exit, but the others held her back. Ash ignored that and looked at the pokeball containing his first Pokemon. Though this wasn't a favorable match up, Ash believed in the strength of his Pokemon. He knew they could do this.

"I choose you, Chikorita!" Ash declared, which surprised the others.

Chikorita appeared from the pokeball, but instead of being prepared to battle, it instead ran to Ash and jumped into his arms. It then began to snuggle against its chest which seemed to annoy Pikachu, who was still on Ash's shoulder.

Gary raised his eyebrows at that. His Chikorita was unusually affectionate.

"That's sweet, Chikorita, but let's hug later, okay? It's time to battle," Ash said with a nervous smile.

Chikorita leaped out of Ash's arms and ran to the edge of the battlefield. It then swung its leaf around its head a few times to show that it was ready for battle. This was its big battle debut, and it wasn't about to let Ash down. That Ariados didn't scare it one bit!

"You're using a grass-type?" Bugsy questioned as he raised his eyebrows.

"Yep! Chikorita and I aren't afraid! My instincts are telling me that we can win! Forget about type!" Ash stated.

"Chika!" Chikorita added for emphasis.

"Well, I have good instincts, too, and mine tell me that Chikorita's going to lose," Bugsy replied.

"We'll see about that!" Ash said with determination.

"I have to ask about Ash's choice for Chikorita, too," Gary whispered. "I know he's a great trainer, but isn't this risky?"

"He's Ash, Gary," Serena muttered. "This doesn't surprise any of us. Ash always seems to come out on top despite the odds."

"Well, I suppose I'll see what he's got," Gary shrugged and turned back to the battlefield.

"Alright! The match will now begin!" Brock declared.

"Okay, Ariados! Cover the entire arena with String Shot!" Bugsy started.

"Not so fast! Chikorita, use Razor Leaf on all of the String Shots you see!" Ash countered.

The Ariados looked upward and began to shoot the sticky thread from its mouth, and it launched high into the air and began to spread out and fall on the battlefield. Chikorita was ready, though. It swung its leaf and a series of large leaves flung from it, and the String shot was effortlessly cut.

Ash and Chikorita both smiled at this, thinking they've got it. They then noticed Bugsy smile, too. Wondering what he and Ariados were up to, they both gasped when they saw Ariados shooting the String Shot in multiple directions! It was like it was shooting out three at once! How was it doing that?!

"Just stay calm, Chikorita! Slice as much as you can!" Ash encouraged.

Chikorita began to shoot as many Razor Leafs as it could in order to keep up with the alarming rate of the String Shot that Ariados was producing. It was doing quite well at first but started to get backed up. It was missing more and more as the String Shot accumulated. It wasn't long before some of the String Shot started to settle onto the battlefield. Ash knew he had to abandon this strategy and go on the offense or else the entire arena would be covered in String Shot. That would put all of his Pokemon at a huge disadvantage early on.

"Chikorita, use Vine Whip on Ariados!" Ash called.

Chikorita shot its Vine Whip out quickly, but Ariados scuttled out of the way and continued to use String Shot around the battlefield. Undeterred, Chikorita kept shooting out its Vine Whip, but Ariados was fast and dodged every time. Ash knew that if he hoped to hit this Ariados, he would have to get in close.

"Okay, Chikorita, go in for a Body Slam!" Ash shouted.

Chikorita nodded and sprinted towards Ariados as quickly as it could. This must've been exactly what Bugsy and Ariados wanted them to do as they both smirked.

"Use Poison Sting, Ariados!" Bugsy said.

Ariados immediately sprayed out the poisonous needles. Chikorita's eyes widened at this and quickly tried to move out of the way. That was when the unfortunate happened, and one of its feet got caught in the String Shot that had settled around the field. It was soon struck with the needles, and it cried out in pain.

"Great, Ariados! Let's wrap this up with Poison Jab," Bugsy nodded.

"Cut yourself loose, Chikorita!" Ash yelled.

As Ariados scuttled towards Chikorita to deliver the deadly attack, Chikorita swung its leaf at the sticky string and cut itself loose. By then, Ariados was already close so running away wasn't an option. He had to think quickly.

"Use Reflect!" Ash hollered.

Chikorita quickly put up a small barrier which blocked the Poison Jab just in time. However, not all of the damage was absorbed. Chikorita was still knocked backwards, but it was able to position its body so it would land on all fours.

"Nice, Chikoirta!" Ash praised.

"Chika!" Chikorita nodded and blushed that Ash gave it praise.

"Chikorita's doing well, but that Ariados is simply outmaneuvering it," Misty said.

"Ash has to think of something just like he always does," Leaf agreed.

Serena was about to comment, but stopped herself. It might've been her imagination, but she could've sworn that Chikorita gave a faint smirk directed right at her. It happened so fast, though, that it may not have happened at all. Still, Serena couldn't shake the feeling that Chikorita had indeed smirked at her. What was this thing's deal?

Gary, meanwhile, had his arms crossed as he watched Ash. He couldn't help but wonder what the raven-haired boy had up his sleeve. He went in with a huge disadvantage, and the situation was now made worse by the String Shot scattered around the field. His Chikorita could slice itself loose every time, but that took just enough time for Bugsy to call out a quick attack like Poison Sting. Despite this, Gary noticed neither Ash nor Chikorita looked worried.

 _"Come on, Ash. What's your next move?"_ Gary thought.

Ash knew that things weren't going in his favor as long as this String Shot was here. He wasn't ready to switch yet. There had to be something he and Chikorita could do. Ash then looked up and saw the various trees and branches surrounding the battlefield, and idea formed in his head.

"Use Vine Whip on those tree branches," he told Chikorita.

Chikorita threw out its vines and they wrapped around the tree branch. It then pulled itself up and away from the sticky battlefield high above its opponent. Bugsy shrugged and smiled at Ash.

"Two can play at the game, Ash. Use String Shot, Ariados!" Bugsy called.

Ariados shot out its String Shot like before, and it wrapped around a tree branch. It then use the momentum to swing itself to where Chikorita was.

"Use Poison Sting!" Bugsy yelled.

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled back.

Chikorita leaped off the branch and used its Vine Whip again to grab onto a nearby tree branch, and it swung away from Ariados. The bug Pokemon didn't let that deter it as it simply used String Shot again to continue swinging. Everyone watched as the Pokemon swung from tree to tree. It almost looked like they were a couple of Tarzans with how they were swinging from trees.

"Use Poison Sting again, Ariados!" Bugsy called.

While swinging, Ariados once again launched the many glowing needles from its mouth. Chikorita tried to avoid as many as it could by using the momentum of its swings, but it wasn't able to dodge all of them. Chikorita grimaced in pain as a few of the poisonous needles stung its back, but it kept on going.

Ash realized that ever since this match began, Chikorita had been doing the running and Ariados was doing the chasing. It couldn't be like this forever, or Chikorita would lose. He had to change this up a little bit. He then noticed a particularly large tree that Chikorita was approaching next and decided to try something different.

"Wrap your Vine Whip around the tree's body instead of the branches this time!" Ash called out to Chikorita.

Chikorita nodded its head and seemed to know what Ash wanted it to do. It turned around and saw Ariados was gaining on it and probably about to use Poison Sting again. On its next swing, Chikorita wrapped its Vine Whip around the tree trunk, and instead of swinging to the next branch, it swung full circle around the tree. As it was coming around, Ariados had just swung by the tree, but the good news was Chikorita was now behind Ariados, and it was going really fast from the momentum of swinging around the tree

"Body Slam!" Ash hollered.

Ariados turned around just in time to get crashed in the face by all four of Chikorita's feet. The aerial Body Slam caused it to lose balance, and its String Shot missed the next branch. Araidos was soon on a free fall towards the ground where it landed hard on its back and let out a groan.

"Great, Chikorita!" Ash smiled.

"Chika!" Chikarita replied happily.

"Get up and go after it again, Ariados!" Bugsy told it.

Ariados soon shot out another String Shot and wrapped it around the nearest tree branch. It was then pulled to its feet and into the air. It was down but not out. Pretty soon, Ariados was chasing Chikorita again, but Ash knew what to do.

"Swing around the tree just like before!" Ash yelled.

Chikorita wrapped its vines around tree and swung around again, attempting to get behind Ariados. The bug Pokemon swung by once again as Chikorita came around full circle, and Ash went for the same strategy.

"Use Body Slam again!" Ash yelled.

"Sucker Punch! We're not falling for that again!" Bugsy quickly called.

Ariados quickly turned around and delivered an astute blow just as Chikorita was about to send its Body Slam into it. Chikorita cried out and was thrown backwards where its back hit a tree. The leaf Pokemon hurriedly used Vine Whip to grab back onto the tree branch to avoid falling towards the ground. It would be at Ariados' mercy if it got caught in the String Shot covered battlefield again.

Ash thought for a moment. What could he do? He had forgotten that Ariados could learn Sucker Punch. That meant that he had to figure out something else. What else could he do to ensure Ariados couldn't Sucker Punch Chikorita? If there were so many attacks at once, there would be no way Ariados could attack them all, but Chikorita wasn't able to use two attack at once, however, so that was a no go. Ash's eyes lit up when he remembered that Chikoraita had two vines, though. He then looked up at Chikorita who was simply dangling from the tree branch as it watched Ariados swing around the battlefield in preparation for another assault.

"Chikorita, turn around and head straight for Araidos!" Ash yelled.

Chikorita obliged and faced the other direction before it began to swing quickly towards Ariados.

"Facing Ariados head on, are you? Sorry, Ash but Chikorita's simply not strong enough, and its typing won't allow it to be the victor here," Bugsy smirked.

 _"That's what you think,"_ Ash thought.

As the two Pokemon closed in on each other, Gary tilted his head in curiosity. Was he about to see one of those crazy Ash moments that Serena and Leaf always told him about? It sure looked like it as having a grass-type like Chikorita charge straight for a bug and poison type like Araidos was pretty insane. Gary could think of several attacks that Araidos could use over Chikorita to knock out the grass-type for good at close range.

 _"What are you up to, Ash?"_ Gary thought.

The two Pokemon were now only a few trees away from each other. They would meet at only two more swings, and that's when Ash made his move.

"Don't swing to the next tree, Chikorita. Instead, just swing yourself around the branch as fast and as many times as you can!" Ash shouted.

As soon as Chikorita made it to the next branch it shortened its Vine Whip before it began to swing vertically around the branch to gain as much momentum as it could. Bugsy raised an eyebrow at this and smirked.

"Not bad, Ash, but Ariados can simply hit Chikoirta with Poison Sting. We don't have to get close," he said.

"I don't want you, too! Chikorita and I are coming to you!" Ash stated before he turned "Let go, Chikorita!"

Chikorita immediately released itself from the branch, and as soon as it did that, it was speeding like a bullet towards Ariados. Bugsy was initially surprise by this, but he quickly shook it off. It wouldn't have enough time to effectively use Poison Sting, but they could do something else.

"We can still Sucker Punch it!" Bugsy commented. "Use Sucker Punch, Ariados!"

"Use Vine Whip, and spin through the air, Chikorita!" Ash hollered.

Chikorita extended its vines as it began to somersault through the air. Everyone watched in wonder as Chikorita seemed to turn into a deadly pinwheel once it did that. Ariados screeched to a halt in midair and tried to turn around, but there was no outswinging the flurry of spinning vines hurtling towards it.

Ariados was soon smacked by the first vine, and then immediately smacked again by the second vine. It had no time for breathers as the first vine had come around again and smacked it again, followed by the second vine...again. Ariados was soon thrown from the trees as the Chikorita crashed into it full force. Ariados was then sent speeding towards the ground, all the while getting slapped nonstop by the Chikorita Pinwheel.

Ariados and Chikorita both crashed into the ground, and a layer of dust flew up from the force of the impact. Both Ash and Chikorita shielded their eyes for a moment. When they looked, it was revealed that Ariados was sprawled on its back, knocked out, with Chikorita standing proudly on Araidos' stomach.

Brock raised his hands. "Ariados is unable to battle! Chikorita wins!"

"That was amazing, Chikorita! You did it!" Ash cheered.

Chikorita didn't waste any time before it jumped off of Ariados and made its way to Ash. Rather than into his arms, though, it jumped up high and latched onto his face in a huge hug. Ash laughed as he pulled Chikorita off of his face, and then the leaf Pokemon snuggled into his chest.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled and gave a thumbs up to Chikorita for its first gym win.

Pikachu then frowned when it saw either Chikorita didn't notice as it was too busy snuggling Ash or completely ignored it. Something told Pikachu that it was the latter. A little response would be nice, thank you very much.

"Wow. Chikorita actually won that one," Misty said in surpise.

"Ash wasn't kidding when he said he believed in Chikorita," Leaf agreed.

"Yeah. Chikorita did really well," Serena added, still a little salty over the supposed smirk Chikorita gave her earlier.

Gary couldn't help but smile to himself. So _that_ was what a crazy Ash idea looked like. He would have to be careful of Ash in the future when they would have an inevitable battle.

"Thanks, Ariados. Take a nice rest," Bugsy told the bug Pokemon as he returned it to his pokeball. He then looked at Ash. "I have to say I'm surprised, Ash. Your Chikorita beat Ariados, after all. That can't be said about a lot of trainers I've faced."

"This Chikorita has always been super tough. You should've seen how stubborn it was when I tried to capture it. Remember that, Chikorita?" Ash asked the leaf Pokemon, to which it giggled and nodded.

"Well, don't get too comfortable because this Pokemon's going to be a lot harder," Bugsy stated as he took out his next pokeball. "Go, Butterfree!"

The Butterfly Pokemon soon emerged from the pokeball and gave a small cry. Ash smiled as he fondly remembered his own Butterfree, and he even remembered Ritchie's Butterfree, Happy. The raven-haired boy looked down to Chikorita.

"Want to go two for two?" he asked it.

"Chika!" Chikorita nodded and leaped out of Ash's arms and onto the battlefield, eager to win another match for Ash.

"Begin!" Brock announced.

"Let's see your Chikorita avoid this, Ash. Use Poison Powder, and then Gust, Butterfree!" Bugsy called.

Butterfree flapped its wings and a cloud of noxious dust was thrown into air. Buttefree then flapped its wings to create a gust of air, and soon the Poison Powder was covering the whole battlefield and settling around Chikorita.

"Try to hold your breath, Chikorita. Don't breathe it in!" Ash warned.

"Use Psybeam, Butterfree!" Bugsy yelled.

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled.

Chikorita took a deep breath and ran out of the way of the Psybeam. Butterfree launched another Psybeam at Chikorita, but it dodged that one, too. It wasn't long before Butterfree was playing the role of chaser again which put it at an advantage. Ash had to fix that.

"Use Magical Leaf!" Ash yelled.

Instead of a couple of large, short leafs, Chikorita summoned a flurry of smaller leaves which all flew towards Butterfree. The butterfly Pokemon shielded the leaves with its wings, but that's what Ash wanted.

"Use Body Slam, Chikorita!" Ash hollered.

Chikorita took another deep breath after making sure to breathe away from the Poison Powder. It then leaped towards Butterfree with the intent to crash into it full force with the weight of its body.

"Psybeam, Butterfree!" Bugsy yelled again.

Butterfree once more shot another psychic beam at Chikorita, but the leaf Pokemon positioned its body in midair and easily dodged it. Ash smiled at his Chikorita's tough nature. It really helped him out here. That Body Slam was going to deal some good damage. It was almost about to connect until Bugsy said his next move.

"Bug Buzz!" Bugsy shouted.

Butterfree's wings began to vibrate quickly as immense sound waves blasted from them. There was no way Chikorita could dodge that due to how widespread and loud the attack was. Chikorita was hit full force which caused it to cancel its Body Slam and soar underneath Butterfree instead of hitting it. Chikorita crashed into the ground and skidded for a few moments before coming to a halt. It didn't get up.

"Chikorita is unable to battle. Butterfree wins!" Brock stated.

 _"Bugsy must've lured Chikorita in close so it easily use Bug Buzz against it. Hitting it with Psybeam was probably never its intention,"_ Ash thought.

Gary folded his arms as he was anxious to see Ash's next move. He should've known that Chikorita's type disadvantage would soon catch up with it. One shot from Bugg Buzz had taken it out, after all, and its amorous nature towards Ash made Gary a little uncomfortable. Gary still had to admit that the Chikorita pinwheel was pretty cool, though. It was tough, but it needed some training.

"Thank you, Chikorita. You battled great. Return," Ash told Chikorita as he returned it and took out his next pokeball. "Go, Cyndaquil!"

The fire mouse Pokemon soon appeared from its pokeball, and it gave a yawn before sleepily walking up to the battlefield. It had just woken up from a nice nap before Ash called it. Cyndaquil then saw the Butterfree in front of it and knew that it had been called to battle. Well, here's hoping its battle debut did okay.

"I knew you would choose a fire-type eventually, but it'll take more than that to beat Butterfree," Bugsy commented.

"Cyndaquil and I can handle anything that Butterfree throws at us! Isn't that right, Cyndaquil?" Ash asked it for emphasis.

Instead, Cyndaquil gave another yawn and lazily nodded its head. The truth was it wasn't really in the mood for a battle right now. It just wasn't feeling it. Still, since Ash wanted it to, Cyndaquil would at least try. It owed that much as Ash's Pokemon, after all.

"I don't know Ash's Pokemon very well, but I don't think his Cyndaquil looks like it wants to battle," Gary commented.

"I don't know. From what we've seen of it so far, that Cyndaquil is kind of like the baby of our group if we don't count Togepi. It likes to just live carefree," Misty replied.

"Still, that Cyndaquil packs a punch when it took out Rico so I know it can do this," Serena argued.

"Oh yeah. I remember Ash telling me over the phone that Cyndaquil did save him. Well, let's hope it can recreate that power," Gary muttered before he added. "It's an obstacle he needs to overcome. I can't have a rival with lazy Pokemon."

"That wasn't very nice, Gary," Leaf frowned.

"It's the truth. I want Ash to be a great trainer with strong Pokemon," Gary shrugged.

Ash happened to overhear Gary and felt a disheartened. Here Gary was, actually watching Ash for the first time in a gym battle, only to see his newest capture, Cyndaquil not in the mood for battle. Even though Ash hadn't had the proper time to train it yet, it still didn't reflect well on him. That had to change. He'll show Gary and Bugsy what Cyndaquil was capable of.

"Begin!" Brock declared again.

"Okay, Cyndaquil! Our first priority is to get rid of the String Shot from the battle with Araidos! Use Flamethrower around the field to incinerate it!" Ash said.

Cyndaquil nodded its head and opened its mouth in preparation to do Flamethrower. However, all that came out was a small coughing noise. Cyndaquil blushed in embarrassment and scratched its head. Ash frowned a little bit as he remembered his Cyndaquil had to really warm up before the flame on its back was lit and it could use fire attacks. The fact that it had just woken up meant it might take a while.

"We're in good shape as long as that Cyndaquil can't use fire attacks. Use Psybeam, Butterfree!" Bugsy yelled.

"Dodge it, and use Swift!" Ash yelled.

Butterfree once more shot out the psychic beam, but Cyndaquil leaped high out of the way and shot out several star-shaped forms of energy. They all struck Butterfree who cringed a little from the attack but was otherwise okay.

"Use Gust!" Bugsy countered.

Butterfree blew a thick wind at Cyndaquil, and the fire mouse was blown to the ground, but it quickly got back up.

"Good, Cyndaquil. Use Quick Attack!" Ash hollered.

Cyndaquil nodded its head and made a speedy dash toward Butterfree. Cyndaquil was quick and nimble enough to crash into Butterfree's midsection before it could fly away. Butterfree flinched for a moment before Bugsy called out his next attack.

"Bug Buzz!" he yelled.

Once again, Butterfree vibrated its wings and blasted Cyndaquil with the sound waves. The fire mouse Pokemon fell to the ground and covered its ears from the deafening sound.

"Now use Psybeam!" Bugsy shouted.

Buttefree shot out the psychic beam, and this time it made contact. Cyndaquil was blasted off its feet and fell to the ground before it skidded to a halt. It slowly got up and shook its head showing that it could still battle.

"Try to use Flamethrower again!" Ash shouted, hoping that getting attacked had helped fuel Cyndaquil.

Cyndaquil opened its mouth again, but all that came out was a small puff of smoke. Ash grit his teeth. He knew it wasn't Cyndaquil's fault, but this was getting a little worrisome. Quick Attack and Swift weren't doing near enough damage to stop Butterfree as they weren't very powerful. He really needed to get Cyndaquil to use its fire attacks. It didn't look like it was going to happen soon. Ash then begrudgingly made his next decision.

"Return, Cyndaquil," Ash said as he recalled the fire mouse.

"Well, retreating is better than losing, I suppose," Bugsy shrugged.

"Man. Tough break for Ash. He couldn't get Cyndaquil to use any of its fire attacks," Leaf commented.

"Ash really needs to think of a way to make sure Cyndaquil is always ready for battle," Gary agreed, but he was secretly wondering why Ash used Cyndaquil in this match if he knew it couldn't light its flame properly.

Back to Ash, he knew he still had a few really strong Pokemon at his disposal. Pikachu, Pidgeot, Lapras, and Heracross were all very viable, especially Pidgeot. At the start of this battle, Ash was really eager to use Heracross, especially after Chikorita beat Ariados. However, after Cyndaquil's display, Ash was a little more reserved about using his newer Pokemon. He knew Heracross was strong, but could it take out two of Bugsy's Pokemon? If Heracross fell, he would be left with Cyndaquil who still couldn't light its flame properly yet, and that would be bad news since Ash had no idea what Bugsy's last Pokemon was.

"Ash, try using Pidgeot!" Misty shouted from across the battlefield.

Gary had to agree, or at least he should use Pikachu. There was no shame in a trainer using some of their more experienced Pokemon. He had already proved himself with Chikorita. Did he have to do it again? Gary wanted to see Ash win this match easily, not struggle. He was supposed to be the winner of the Orange League, after all.

Ash snapped his fingers nervously a few times before he turned to Pikachu. The yellow rodent was looking at Ash curiously as if wondering what he was going to do. Ash took a deep breath before he addressed his Pikachu.

"What do think, buddy? Should I use you, Lapras, Pidgeot, or Heracross?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu answered and flexed its arms to show its toughness.

Ash laughed as he knew Pikachu was always up for battle. "I know your always willing, Pikachu, but I guess my main question is what do you think about me using Heracross?"

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu replied thoughtfully and crossed its arms.

"Yeah. Not so sure, huh?" Ash figured as he unclipped Heracross' pokeball and stared at it.

"What about you, Heracross? Are you up for it?" Ash questioned.

It was almost like he felt a battle aura coming from the pokeball, and then it wiggled in agreement. Ash nodded his head as Heracross seemed to believe in itself. He would trust Heracross just as he did Chikorita. Its battle debut would go great.

"I'm going for it, Pikachu," Ash said and adjusted his cap.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded in support of his decision.

"I choose you, Heracross!" Ash yelled and released the stagbeetle Pokemon.

Heracross appeared from the pokeball and took on a battle ready stance. Ash smiled that his Pokemon appeared ready for battle. Yep. Heracross felt great and was totally up to the challenge. That all changed, however, when Heracross noticed all of the trees that were surrounding the battlefield. Heracross immediately took its eyes off its opponent and stared hungrily at the many food sources around it. Since this was a gym, Heracross knew it had to have some amazing tree sap to eat. The stagbeetle Pokemon's mouth watered at the thought.

Without warning, Heracross flew out of the arena and latched itself onto one of the trees. Everyone, especially Bugsy, began to cry out when Heracross began to scratch at the tree in order to get to the tree sap. Heracross knew battling was important to it and important to Ash, but it loved tree sap just a tad bit more at the moment.

The stagbeetle Pokemon then smiled when it saw a small bit of tree sap come from the bark. It pressed its mouth against the sweet substance and sighed in contentment. Boy! This stuff tasted heavenly. It then went in for more. It could eat this stuff all day.

"Ash! What is your Heracross doing?!" Gary exclaimed.

"That's right! Get it to stop! I don't want it to hurt my trees!" Bugsy shouted.

Ash blushed in embarrassment. This was really humiliating to him. Heracross' fetish for tree sap was out of control. If Ash couldn't get it to stop, Heracross would strip Bugsy's gym bare of any trees. Not only would he be disqualified and probably banned from the gym, but he would look like the biggest moron in front of his friends, especially Gary. He hadn't made a mistake like this since some time in Kanto.

There was still one thing Ash had now that he didn't have in Kanto: more maturity. The old Ash would probably cry and yell and complain to get his Heracross to stop, only to get angry when it didn't. Ash wasn't going to do that now as it wouldn't get him anywhere. He had to lay down the law with Heracross. He made this error himself, and he was going to fix it.

Ash marched over to where Heracross was feeding and gave it a stern expression. "Listen, Heracross. You can't be eating yet. It isn't time. We need to focus on the battle. A gym badge is at stake," he told it.

Heracross only made a slight glance in Ash's direction before it turned back to slurping on the tree sap. It knew it had to battle right now, but his tree sap was so good! It couldn't get enough of it. Heracross would battle for Ash but only after it had its fill of tree sap.

"No, Heracross. I know this gym is full of tasty trees, but you can't think about it. You can't let your stomach control your brain," Ash stated.

"Speak for yourself, Ash!" Misty called from across the gym, which caused his face to heat up.

Ash quickly shook it away and tried a different approach. "You were the leader of a gang of Heracross, remember? You weren't just some follower. You were a leader. You need to take charge right now and battle instead of eating. What would your friends think?"

Heracross finally took its mouth away from the tree and thought about it. It recalled all the fun times it had with its friends and how they would always eat tasty tree sap until their hearts content. Heracross would even say it was the biggest glutton out of all of them. However, when the going got tough, Heracross always made sure to lead them in battle and put their needs before its own. Yet, here it was, doing the complete opposite. It was completely ignoring Ash's need for battle just so it could get some tree sap. That was anything but how a former leader of a Heracross gang should act.

"There's a time for eating and a time for battling. Right now, it's time for battle," Ash stated upon seeing Heracross starting to realize his point.

With that, Heracross, nodded its head and flew away from the tree and back to the battlefield. Ash breathed a silent sigh of relief once Heracross did that. It worked, after all. He had managed to keep a cool head and not get upset and cry at the situation he was in. He got his Heracross to be reasonable, after all. Ash ignored the stares he was probably getting from all his friends and Bugsy. He knew it looked bad right now, but it would've been worse had he resorted to whining like he would in the past. Ash would just have to fix everything with the rest of his gym battle.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded its head at Ash in approval once he returned.

"Thanks, buddy," Ash replied before he faced the battlefield.

"I'm ready, Bugsy!" Ash called out.

"Hera!" Heracross agreed.

"Ummm…yeah. Sure," Bugsy mumbled before he turned to Butterfree, who had decided to simply rest on the field. "You ready, Butterfree?"

"Freeeeee!" Butterfree cried and rose in flight again.

"After that interruption, the battle now resume! Begin!" Brock declared, trying to show as much impartiality as possible, but on the inside he though Ash handled it well.

"Okay, Butterfree! Let's teach this Heracross a lesson for messing up our trees! Use Psybeam!" Bugsy shouted.

"Let's show them that there's more to you than a love of tree sap! Use Horn Attack!" Ash yelled.

Heracross flew out of the way before it sped towards Butterfee and prepared its horn. Ash knew Bug Buzz was coming but already figured out a way to counter it.

"Use Bug Buzz, Butterfree!" Bugsy yelled.

"Aerial Ace!" Ash hollered.

Heracross seemed to disappear for a moment which threw off its opponent. Butterfree looked around in confusion for a moment before it was suddenly struck from behind by Heracross. It gave a slight yelp and was knocked to the ground, but it quickly flew back up.

"We aren't out yet, Ash! Butterfree, use Supersonic!" Bugsy hollered.

Butterfree emitted a high pitched shrill from its mouth. Evervone except Bugsy covered their ears from the horrible noise. Ash saw Heracross gritting its teeth and knew he had to act fast, or else it would be confused.

"Okay, now use Psybeam, Butterfree!" Bugsy told it.

As Butterfree emitted the beam of psychic energy, Ash knew Heracross was still reeling from the Supersonic and probably wouldn't get away in time. Ash's eyes then lit up when he remembered something about Heracross that would come in handy.

"Use Endure, Heracross!" Ash shouted.

Heracross brought its arms to its chest in a protective manner, and it met the Psybeam head on. The force blasted into Heracross and pushed it back a few feet, but the stagbeetle like Pokemon held firm. Ash smiled when he saw the Psybeam wasn't breaking through and tried the next part.

"Use Counter!" he yelled.

Heracross threw its hands outward and sent the Psybeam right back at Butterfree. It was sloppy and imperfect because reflecting special-type moves weren't Counter's specialty, but it still had the intended effect of surprising Butterfree. Ash knew not to try that too many times, though. The butterfly Pokemon was struck by its own Psybeam and blasted back, and Ash decided to end it.

"Show us your Megahorn!" Ash hollered.

Heracross took flight and made a beeline towards the stunned Butterfree. The butterfly Pokemon shook itself from its shock only to see Heracross descending upon it with its massive, glowing horn. Butterfree seemed to cower in fear just before the Megahorn smashed into it. Though the attack wasn't very effective, Heracross and Megahorn were both so strong that Ash knew it caused some serious damage.

Butterfree was swatted out of the sky thanks to Megahorn and crashed into the ground. It struggled to get up for a few moments before it fell over and fainted.

"Butterfree is unable to battle! Heracross is the winner!" Brock declared.

"Alright! You did it, Heracross! That's showing 'em!" Ash praised.

"Heracross!" Heracross said happily, pleased with its first gym win like Chikorita. Thankfully, Hercross didn't fly to Ash and latch onto his face in a hug like the aforementioned Chikorita did. That would be most uncomfortable.

"Well, what do you know? I guess as long as it isn't stuffing its face with tree sap, Heracross is a formidable opponent," Misty said in surprise.

"And it's super cute! Wasn't Ash great, Gary?! " Leaf gushed.

Gary, however, wasn't so sure. In fact, he didn't know what to make of that battle. Sure, his Heracross was strong, but the way it left the battlefield to suck on tree sap was totally unprofessional. Gary had seen Ash's Pokemon before and knew they weren't usually like this. What was it with his Johto Pokemon that seemed so amateurish? Hadn't he trained them at all before he brought them to this gym? Sure, they were strong, but the way they were behaving almost made it seem like they were freshly caught. Well, in Cyndaquil's case, it was true, at least. Gary didn't answer Leaf's question and merely folded his arms.

Serena happened to notice Gary's tense look, and it confused her a little. Why did he look like this when Ash was winning? Shouldn't he be happy? Serena couldn't help but voice her concerns.

"Gary, what's wrong?" Serena asked.

"I'll reserve my judgement until after the battle," Gary replied, which caused Serena to raise an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Serena pressed.

"Never mind," Gary said bluntly. "Just let me watch the battle."

Serena frowned at Gary's tone, but she shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the battlefield. She didn't really get why Gary seemed upset, though. It wasn't like Ash had forgotten an anniversary with Gary to do a gym battle like he had with her. That definitely wouldn't cause Gary to act this way. If it was, Gary would've already voiced his concern to Ash on the anniversary matter. It had to go deeper, but what was it?

"Well, Ash, I'm now going to use my strongest Pokemon so be prepared," Bugsy stated as he withdrew his last pokeball and threw it, already having returned Buttefree. "Go, Scizor!"

The pokeball opened up to reveal a new Pokemon to the group. It was a tough-looking, mostly red, insectoid Pokemon that somewhat resembled a mantis. Its head was kite-shaped with three horns extending from it. The most noticeable feature about it were its thin, segmented arms which ended in round claws.

"A Scizor," Ash muttered as he and Serena scanned it. Gary and Leaf saw it when Gary battled Bugsy.

"Scizor, the pincer Pokemon and the evolved form of Scyther. This Pokemon's pincers pack amazing horsepower and can crush any object it gets ahold of," said the pokedexes.

"Woah," Ash muttered at how intimidating this Scizor sounded.

"As if Scyther wasn't creepy enough! Please tell me you'll never turn your Scyther into that thing!" Misty pleaded to Serena.

Serena merely rolled her eyes but did briefly take note. She wondered what kind of attitude her Scyther would have should it ever become a Scizor. Like most Scyther, this Scizor didn't appear to have a friendly disposition. Maybe it was just their appearance.

"We can handle Scizor. Right, Heracross!?" Ash called out, despite his earlier statement. If Gary beat it, so could he.

"Hera!" Heracross nodded.

"Don't be so sure, Ash. Most trainers have fallen against Scizor. You'll have a pretty hard time," Bugsy said confidently.

"Alright. Scizor vs. Heracross! Begin!" Brock shouted.

"Okay, Scizor! Let's start things off with your Quick Attack!" Bugsy said.

Scizor almost seemed to disappear after Bugsy said that move. Before Ash or Heracross could even blink, Scizor was in front of Heracross and delivered a solid strike to its stomach. Heracross grimaced at the attack, but it didn't appear to take too much damage. Ash thought they would be able to use a nice counterattack, but Bugsy was just using that to get close.

"Use Metal Claw, Scizor!" Bugsy told it next.

"Use Horn Attack!" Ash yelled.

Scizor opened its glowing pincers as Heracross charged up its horn. The two Pokemon thrust at each other, and Scizor clamped its pincer down right on Heracross' horn. The stag beetle Pokemon grit its teeth and tried to push back, but the Scizor was relentless and had the upper hand.

"Use Megahorn!" Ash tried next.

Heracross' horn glowed, and it tried to push all the harder. Scizor's eyes widened at this as Heracross appeared to be overpowering it now. Heracross almost had Scizor's claw open so it could break free when Bugsy called his next move.

"Use Bullet Punch," Bugsy said.

Scizor quickly charged up the claw that wasn't holding Heracross' horn and delivered a solid jab to Heracross' stomach. The stag beetle Pokemon gasped in pain, and that was all Scizor needed to gain the upper hand.

"Now lift Heracross up and slam it down," Bugsy stated.

Scizor easily lifted up Heracross by its horn before it began to slam it back and forth in the ground. Heracross cried out in pain each time that happened. Ash frowned as he thought of something he could do to have Heracross break free.

"Try Pin Missile!" Ash shouted.

Heracross turned around and shot out various needles from its horn right in Scizor's face. The pincer Pokemon turned its face away in discomfort and promptly dropped Heracross to the ground.

"Use Megahorn on its legs, Heracross!" Ash yelled.

While it was still on the ground, Heracross charged up a glowing horn and did a sweeping motion with its head. The attack connected right onto Scizor's legs, and the pincer Pokemon was promptly tripped and fell to the ground as Heracross got up.

"Now use Brick Break!" Ash hollered.

"Counter with X-Scissor!" Bugsy yelled.

Heracross brought one of its hands down in a chopping motion as Scizor brought its claws up in and 'X' shape. Both attacks collided as each Pokmon attempted to compete for dominance. Heracross was pushing down while Scizor was pushing up. Both Pokemon attempted to be on equal terms of strength.

"I've had enough of this. Get away with Agility, Scizor," Bugsy said.

Scizor quickly halted its attack and seemed to disappear once more. The surprise stop didn't allow Heracross to stop pushing down with Brick Break in time. Heracross stumbled for a moment before it fell down on its stomach.

"Finish this with Metal Claw," Bugsy nodded.

Scizor appeared above Heracross and descended upon it. Ash wasn't about to just let Heracross just lie there. He was going to have it absorb the hit.

"Use Endure!" Ash hollered.

Heracross braced itself as Scizor was only seconds away from it. The stag beetle Pokemon soon felt Scizor slam its pincer down on its back. Heracross grimaced in pain, but it absorbed the attack pretty well.

"Now use Counter!" Ash hollered.

Heracross gave a might heave and thrust its back upward as hard as it could. Scizor made a surprised gasp as it was thrown from Heracross and landed on the ground quite painfully. Despite this, Scizor was quick to get up.

"Use Bullet Punch again," Bugsy told it.

"Counter with Mega Horn!" Ash yelled.

Before Heracross could even charge up its horn it took a painful blow to its stomach again. Heracross grimaced once again, but it pushed through the pain and used Megahorn anyway. The powerful glowing horn smashed Scizor right in the chest. The pincer Pokemon stumbled backwards, but it wasn't stunned long enough for Ash to issue a follow up attack.

"Grab its horn again," Bugsy shouted.

Just like before, Scizor grabbed Heracross' horn before it could pull back, and it was lifted high into the air. Rather than slam it continuously on the ground, Scizor instead began to spin Heracross around in a circular motion. It was picking up speed quickly, and Heracross was already getting dizzy.

"Try to break free with Megahorn!" Ash yelled.

"It's no use, Ash," Bugsy intervened. "Send it flying, Scizor!"

"Try to regain your balance!" Ash hurriedly said.

Scizor threw Heracross with all its might, and the stag beetle Pokemon went soaring through the air. It had heard Ash say to try to regain its flight again, but it was going so fast that it was really difficult. Heracross soon slammed into one of trees, which oddly enough was the one it was sucking tree sap from earlier, and slumped to the ground in defeat.

"Heracross is unable to battle! Scizor wins!" Brock stated.

Ash's friends, especially Gary, frowned at this. They were afraid this would happen. Bugsy's bug Pokemon were too tough for Heracross to take out two. It battled well, but his more experienced Pokemon could've done better. Now, he only had Cyndaquil whose fire attacks wouldn't work unless its flame was lit. He was in trouble.

"Heracross, return," Ash said as he returned the stag beetle Pokemon. "You battled hard. Take a good rest."

Ash then took a deep breath. It was all up to Cyndaquil. He would have to be lucky now to win. If Cyndaquil's flame didn't light, there would be no way he could win. Swift and Quick Attack would do very little damage to Scizor, and Cyndaquil would most likely wear out first, and then all it would take was a few well timed attacks from Scizor, and Bugsy would win the match.

Ash chanced a look over at his friends and saw all of them had worried expressions on their faces except for Gary. The spiky, brown-haired boy had a frown on his face and was shaking his head back and forth. This motion surprised Ash a little bit. Why was Gary doing that? Did he not believe Cyndaquil could do it? Well, he'll show them!

"Cyndaquil, I choose you!" Ash yelled.

The fire mouse Pokemon reappeared from its pokeball and let out another yawn. Unfortunately, the flame on its back still wasn't lit. This wasn't good.

"Come on, Cyndaquil! I need you to light your flame!" Ash urged.

Cyndaquil nodded its head and seemed to strain itself as it tried to light the flame on its back. However, it just wasn't feeling the tension of battle enough. All that came out were a few puffs of smoke. Ash and the others couldn't help but sigh.

Brock knew he had to show impartiality so he nodded his head regardless. "Scizor vs. Cyndaquil! Begin!"

"There's no strategy needed for a Pokemon that can't use its strongest attacks. Just attack it with Fury Cutter, Scizor!" Bugsy stated.

Scizor darted forward and immediately began to swipe at Cyndaquil with its pincers. Cyndaquil gave a terrified squeak and began to dodge to the best of its ability. To Cyndaquil's credit, it was actually quite good. A life lived by going with the flow allowed Cyndaquil to know how Scizor would attack by its hand movements. Still, it couldn't do this forever.

"Use Swift, Cyndaquil!" Ash hollered.

While still dodging, Cyndaquil shot out the star-shaped beams of energy. They flew forward and struck Scizor right in the face. The pincer Pokmeon halted its assault for a moment and rubbed at its face. The attack didn't really hurt it and was more of an annoyance. Ash knew there was no way Cyndaquil would beat Scizor with just Swift and Quick Attack if that was any indication. Ash grit his teeth and looked at Cyndaquil. The Pokemon seemed to be trying hard to light the flames on its back but to no avail.

"Come on, Cyndaquil! I know you can light your flame! I've seen you do it before!" Ash hollered.

Meanwhile, Gary's frown deepened even further. He had watched this match to see how much stronger Ash had gotten. There was no way he could make a proper evaluation if he was just using his new Pokemon. He expected Ash to use Pidgeot and Pikachu and win this match easily. Now, everything was turning out to be a huge disappointment. At this rate, Ash would lose a match he should've been able to win.

"Hey, Serena. Out of curiosity, how many times has Ash seen Cyndaquil light its flame?" Gary wondered.

"Well…just once to my knowledge," Serena answered truthfully.

"Once!? Are you kidding me?! Ash thought it was a good idea to use Cyndaquil in this match based on what happened only one time before!?" Gary exclaimed.

Serena blushed as she realized she had just thrown Ash under the bus. She was beginning to understand Gary's irritation now. He and Ash were huge rivals and always wanted to assess the others strength. At the way Ash was treating this battle, Gary must've thought it was a waste of his time.

"Ash did make sure to use his stronger Pokemon against Falkner since he only had caught Heracross and Chikorita at the time," Serena tried to salvage.

"Well, I wish I had seen that battle instead of this one," Gary growled.

Back to the gym match, Bugsy had his Scizor resume stabbing at Cyndaquil with its pincers. Once more, Cyndaquil dodged the attacks easily, but its flame still wouldn't light. Ash was starting to wonder what it would take for Cyndaquil's flame to light. The only other time Ash saw it was when Rico was about to kill him. So the flame apparently only lit when Cyndaquil was in extreme danger. If that was true, why wouldn't it light now?

"Use your own Swift, Scizor, and stop that Cyndaquil!" Bugsy yelled.

Scizor stopped swiping at Cyndaquil and instead opened its pincers. Several star-shaped beams of energy came from Scizor this time. Cyndaquil wasn't able to dodge that. It squeaked in pain as the attack hit it which caused it to stop moving around. Bugsy decided to take advantage of this situation.

"Use X-Scissor!" Bugsy told Scizor.

Scizor crossed its pincers in an X-shape and struck Cyndaquil hard. Despite not being very effective, Scizor still packed a punch. Cyndaquil was launched high into the air, but Bugsy and Scizor weren't even going to let it catch its breath.

"Use Metal Claw!" Bugsy said next.

Scizor flew after the airborne Cyndaquil and stuck it, causing its flight to change direction. Scizor followed up with another X-Scissor, and the fire mouse Pokemon was struck again, and the process repeated itself.

Ash watched the battle with worry. He had no idea what to do. Cyndaquil was in midair and unable to dodge any of Scizor's attacks. It was just one assault after another, and Cyndaquil wasn't even having a chance to counterattack. If only Cyndaquil's flame would light, everything would be okay. Still, as Ash looked hopefully and Cyndaquil, its back was still completely barren of any fire. Ash was beginning to wonder if using Cyndaquil against a gym leader to get it good experience because of a type advantage was a good idea.

The truth was Ash hated using Pokemon with type advantages as it takes a way too much of the strategy. Here, however, he thought the playing field would even out as Cyndaquil was his newest Pokemon. That wasn't the case, though. Cyndaquil was just completely outclassed by this Scizor.

Scizor gave one final X-Scissor, and Cyndaquil was knocked out of the air and finally hit the ground. The fire mouse Pokemon was covered in bruises and panting heavily. It had about reached its limit.

"Finish this with a Slash attack, Scizor! The match is ours!" Bugsy shouted triumphantly.

Scizor did flew in a circle over Cyndaquil like a predator about to snatch its prey. It then dive bombed straight towards Cyndaquil as it got its pincers ready. This attack would surely knock it out.

"Come on, Cyndaquil! Get out of the way!" Ash yelled.

Cyndaquil, meanwhile, was too injured in order to do so. The Scizor was getting closer and closer, and soon it would be all over. Cyndaquil began to grimace as it tried its hardest to light its flame. Cyndaquil knew as well as everyone else that unless it happened now, it would lose the match. That couldn't happen. Cyndaquil couldn't lose the match because it was too weak to light its flame. It had to win for Ash. It was in danger!

The adrenaline going through Cyndaquil at being in critical danger must've been the miracle. Ash's eyes widened when he finally saw Cyndaquil's flames light up on its back, and Ash wasted no time in calling out an attack. Scizor was almost upon Cyndaquil. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

"Flamethrower, Cyndaquil!" Ash hollered.

Cyndaquil opened its mouth and blasted a massive stream of flames out just before Scizor crashed into it. The surprise super effective attack caused Scizor to misfire horribly, and it just missed Cyndaquil and crashed into the ground instead. The fire mouse Pokemon continued to burn Scizor until it finally relented the attack and took a deep breath.

Bugsy, Ash, Pikachu and everyone else blinked in surprise at what just happened. There was Cyndaquil, just standing lazily like it didn't just unleash a huge stream of fire. Scizor, meanwhile, was covered in burn marks and completely still. That four times weakness to fire in combination with its battle with Heracross must've eaten away at its health. It was completely knocked out.

Brock raised his hands. "Scizor is unable to battle! The winner is Ash Ketchum!" he declared.

Ash took a deep breath before he smiled to himself. That was way too close for comfort. Still, his Cyndaquil had finally managed to light its flame and scored him a victory as well as a new badge. Ash ran towards his Cyndaquil and picked it up.

"Way to go, Cyndaquil! Your fire attacks are too hot to handle for any Pokemon!" Ash laughed.

Cyndaquil blushed and rubbed its head in embarrassment. It managed to pull it off, after all. Now, it just needed to learn the secret of lighting its fire on will.

"Hey, Ash," Bugsy called out.

Ash looked up and saw Bugsy walking towards him. The boy stared at Ash for a moment before he nodded his hand and held out his hand. In it was a badge that was red with black dots and resembled the back of a Ledyba.

"It's the Hive Badge. Take it as proof you beat me, though barely," Bugsy said and then smirked.

"Oh. Yeah. Thanks, Bugsy," Ash said and took the badge.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled.

"Yeah. Take a look, Pikachu and Cyndaquil. That's two badges from the Johto region. We're a fourth of the way to the Pokemon League," Ash grinned before he felt a weight collide into his back.

"That's as far as you'll get with the way you battled today," Gary mumbled to himself, but not loud enough for the others to hear.

"That was cool, Ash! Your Cyndaquil's fire attacks are amazing!" Leaf laughed as she hugged Ash from behind.

"Good job, Ash. This proves you really do have some great Pokemon. Most of them are new to your team and hadn't even had a proper battle yet," Brock nodded.

"It was close, though," Misty added.

"Come on, Misty. Ash still won, right?" Serena tried to amend.

Now that Ash had won his Hive Badge, she could finally confront him of their anniversary. How should she approach it, though? Should she be annoyed or angry or both? This was going to be their first one, and while it was the most special, she was sure Ash wouldn't make the mistake twice. Serena was just about to bring it up when a voice stopped her.

"Don't cover for Ash, Serena. It was too close just as Misty said," the voice said.

Everyone turned to see Gary standing a bit behind the group. Ash was little surprised as Gary seemed to be glaring, and it was directed right at him. Ash was just about to ask Gary what was wrong when the spiky brown-haired boy merely grunted before he turned and made his way out of the gym. Ash gave him a look of confusion as he and the others followed Gary out of the gym but not before giving Bugsy a quick goodbye. Ash was wondering why Gary seemed mad. Ash won, didn't he?

* * *

"Hey, Gary! Wait up! What's wrong?" Ash called out as he and the others exited the gym.

Gary was already some distance ahead of the group, and for a moment he didn't stop. Ash was just about to call out to him again when Gary finally did stop. The group hurried to where Gary was. The spiky brown-haired boy still hadn't said anything and still hadn't turned around. Feeling compelled, Ash spoke again.

"Gary, what's wrong?" Ash wondered.

"You are. What the heck were you thinking by using Pokemon that had never battled against a gym leader? Are you that big of a showoff?" Gary uttered as he finally turned around a fixed Ash with a glare.

Ash was a little taken aback as he gave Gary a look of confusion. "Of course I'm not a showoff. I wanted to give my newer Pokemon a chance to battle, and I won, didn't I?"

"Barely," Gary argued. "Heracross and Cyndaquil were acting completely amateurish out there. Heracross would rather suck tree sap than battle, and Cyndaquil can't even light its flame properly. Not to mention your Chikorita's affection is really creepy. It was an embarrassment to watch. Even Bugsy and everyone else thought so!"

Ash looked at the others who averted their gazes a little bit. Did they really think that? Ash opened and closed his fists before he turned back to Gary and gave a response.

"Despite that, they were really strong, right? You saw how Chikorita was able to beat Ariados, and Heracross realized how important the battle was, and Cyndaquil did finally light its flame in the end," Ash tried.

"That isn't the point!" Gary replied heatedly. "You should've used Pikachu and Pidgeot and wiped the floor with Bugsy. Gym battles aren't meant to be taken lightly, Ash. You should definitely know that. You've been a trainer for over a year and half now! Why would you want to use Pokemon that you haven't even trained yet against a gym battle?! I really hope you won't do that at the Silver Conference, otherwise you'll lose the first round! You won the Orange League, but I find that hard to believe after what you showed me today!"

"Well…," Ash started, but Gary cut him off.

"When you capture new Pokemon, you're supposed to use them in practice battles and train them of their flaws before you use them seriously. Otherwise, you're just asking for a loss. You won out of pure luck today. If your Cyndaquil's flame had lit a second later, you would've lost, and you know it," Gary frowned.

Ash looked down. He was just trying to be fair. He hadn't had a lot of opportunity to train Chikorita, Heracross, or especially Cyndaquil yet. He just wanted to be fair to his Pokemon, but was he really being fair by having them battle when they weren't properly trained yet.

"I was excited to watch your battle today, Ash. I really was. I thought you were going to show me some awesome techniques and how much you've grown as a Pokemon trainer. I could leave thinking I had a great rival. While this match had a few highlights, overall, it was huge a letdown and a waste of my time," Gary said harshly.

Ash almost felt tears burn his eyes at Gary's words. He and Gary hadn't had an argument like this in quite a while. The truth was Ash's feelings were hurt a little bit. He had asked Gary to watch his battle, and his rival agreed. To hear Gary say that the battle was a waste of his time stung a lot.

"Why don't you battle me then? I'll show you I've grown stronger since Pallet Town! I'll beat you just like before. I'll use Pikachu, Pidgeot, and Lapras!" Ash declared.

"Humph. No thanks, Ash. I'm in too bad of a mood right now. I'm out of here," Gary stated and turned to leave.

"Wait. You're leaving?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah. I have no more reason to be here. I'm getting my pokeballs from Kurt and going. I hope next time we meet that you won't do something so stupid. You're supposed to be better than that," Gary spat.

Ash soon felt a hand placed on his shoulder and found it to be Serena's. She had a neutral expression on her face as she stared at her boyfriend who looked quite upset.

"It's okay, Ash. We all know your Pokemon are strong. I think Gary was just hoping for something a little more," Serena tried.

"So you though the match was embarrassing, too?" Ash questioned, stung even more.

"Well, I think Gary just wanted to see you use your strongest Pokemon so he could accurately measure your skills. He couldn't do that because you didn't battle to your fullest with your new Pokemon," Serena replied.

Ash sighed to himself. Maybe Gary was right. He did have way too many close calls in this match. If he wasn't able to get through to Heracross to stop sucking on tree sap, or if Chikorita didn't have its stubborn nature, or if Cyndaquil's flames didn't light when they did, he would've lost. As a trainer who just won the Orange League not too long ago, he was so much better than that, and Gary knew it. So did everyone else.

"Are you coming, Leaf, or staying?" Gary suddenly called out.

Leaf frowned as she wanted to spend more time with Serena and Ash. Gary, however, was in a bad mood and wanted to leave now. The brown-haired girl looked back and forth between Ash, Serena, and Gary before she sighed. She then gave Ash and Serena a hug.

"I'll try to talking to Gary, Ash. I don't think he's as mad at you as he's letting on," Leaf whispered in his ear.

"Yeah," was all Ash said.

With that, Leaf nodded to Brock and Misty before she turned and hurried after Gary. Normally, Ash, Pikachu, Togepi, and the rest would've been waving goodbye after their friends. Here, however, they weren't. It was like they were all leaving on a bad note because of Gary's mood. It was little disheartening as the group simply watched Gary and Leaf head away from them. Hopefully when they met again, they could just forget whole thing and be on good terms again.

Everyone was interrupted of their thoughts when Gary suddenly shouted, "By the way, Ash, try not have a gym match on your first anniversary with Serena!"

"Gary!" Leaf hissed.

Without turning around to see Ash or Serena's expression, Gary continued on.

* * *

 **Well, that could've gone better. A Pokemon trainer never stops learning new lessons, after all, even if they are harsh.**

 **The next few chapters are a whole plethora of new Pokemon for just about everyone in the group. Almost each chapter will have a new capture, and they might be out of order than in canon. After that, there will be a huge dry spell. I'll have to get everyone used to their new Pokemon, after all, before they capture more.**

 **Now that Ash knows he screwed up with his and Serena's anniversary, how will he fix it? Heh. I have some nice things planned.**

 **The next chapter will be out later this month! Thanks for all the reviews and support and have a good one!**

 **Chapter Seventeen: The Ilex Forest Illusions**


	17. The Ilex Forest Illusions

**A/N: For those of us in the USA, please make sure to take a moment today to remember the historical event that occurred on this date fifteen years ago. Let us all thank those in the civil service.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: The Ilex Forest Illusions

Serena was sitting alone in her room in the Azalea Town Pokemon Center. She had actually been there the past hour. She just wanted to be by herself right now. Ever since Ash learned from Gary that he'd forgotten to celebrate his and Serena's anniversary, Serena had been very upset. The only thing she needed to see was Ash's stupefied expression to know he didn't even think about it.

Serena didn't even wait for anything else to be said. The honey-blonde girl turned and ran all the way to the Pokemon Center. She could hear Brock and Misty calling out to her, but she didn't listen. The point was Ash wasn't calling out to her. Serena didn't know whether it was because he was too stunned or embarrassed to call out to her, but it didn't matter. After she made it to her room in the Pokemon Center, she went straight to her bed and cried quietly to herself, which is how she was now. Why did Ash have to be this way sometimes?!

The honey-blonde girl didn't know who she was angrier with, Ash or Gary. She was very angry with Gary for ruining her confession like that, and she was very angry with Ash because of all the stress he put on her by not even thinking about their anniversary. It clearly never even crossed the raven-haired boy's mind. At least if she had thrown out hints like she planned, Ash might've gotten the message and figured it out on his own. However, Ash's cover had been blown by Gary, and he probably felt like the biggest idiot on Earth right now.

There was finally a knock at Serena's door, and she looked towards it while giving a sigh. She knew it was most likely Ash who wanted to talk to her, but what could he say to fix it? The actual day of their anniversary was almost over, and it was too late to do anything about it now. Their special day had been a total wash-out with Gary and Ash having a fight and leaving on bad terms to top everything off.

"Who is it?" Serena asked.

"It's me," Ash's voice came from the other side of the door, confirming her suspicion.

Serena tried her best to look angry at Ash for whenever he came in. She wanted him to know how badly he hurt her by snubbing their anniversary like that. Serena wanted him to have a taste of the pain she felt. Maybe she was being childish, but she didn't care. Ash had completely ignored their anniversary, and it was a very stupid thing to do!

"Fine. You can come in," Serena replied in an annoyed voice, trying to mask her sadness.

There was a noticeable pause before the doorknob began to turn to signify Ash was about to enter. Okay. Maybe she was being too harsh, and maybe he was feeling worse than he should after what happened with Gary, but that still didn't excuse him. Serena knew she was lucky to have the sweetest boyfriend ever…but also the most oblivious. Most of the time, Serena's love of Ash's sweetness overrode her aggravation at his clueless nature. Here, however, Serena found it very difficult.

The door slowly swung open, and Ash quietly entered the room. He was by himself, and not even Pikachu or Togepi were with him right now. Serena meant to turn away, but that was until she saw Ash's expression. The look he had on his face looked genuinely sorrowful and wracked with guilt. Serena's anger began to vanish. She knew Ash had never meant to do any of this. Serena let up on her angry expression as she looked at Ash.

"Hi, Ash," Serena sighed.

"Hey, Serena. I just got done talking with Brock and Misty, and I wanted to say that I'm really sorry. I had no idea that the date we became a couple was so special to you. I mean…I know the actual day was special, but for the date itself…I just didn't think about it," Ash started.

"So you knew today's date has been a year since we've been together?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah," Ash replied lamely.

Serena frowned. It was just as she and the others suspected. It wasn't that Ash completely forgot that today's date was when they became a couple. He just didn't know he was supposed to celebrate it. Serena still almost couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes, but she chose not to. Ash was already embarrassed enough as it was, and she wasn't going to make it worse despite what he just put her through.

Ash then sat down next to her on her bed. He then looked around awkwardly as he tried to think of what it was he wanted to say. Well, how should he put it was the bigger question. Serena waited with a frown on her face as she wondered what Ash was going to do about it. It was too late to celebrate their anniversary now.

"Hey, Serena. I know I screwed up, but you've got to cut me some slack. This whole relationship thing is still really new to me," Ash said.

"Do you regret it?" Serena asked.

"Oh! No! Not like that!" Ash quickly amended as she waved his hands in front of his face. "I just meant…I know I make a lot of mistakes, and I probably will in the future, too. Heh. I guess it's just who I am."

"Well, you've got that right, but you're still really sweet, and I don't regret being your girlfriend, either," Serena finally smiled.

Ash turned red, but he continued. "Well, I just want to let you know that I'm trying my best to be a great boyfriend to you. I know it's too late for us to celebrate our anniversary, but I'll make it up to you."

"How?" Serena wondered.

Ash smiled himself now. "Who wants to spend their anniversary in a small town when we can have it in a big city?"

"What do you mean?" Serena questioned.

"Heh. Our next big stop in the Johto region is Goldenrod City. Brock told me it's the biggest city in Johto, and there are all kinds of cool things to do. We'll spend a whole day there together, and we'll do all sorts of things. I bet the sky's the limit of what we could do in Goldenrod City," Ash stated.

Serena's eyes lit up with that. Spending a day in Goldenrod City? Just the two of them? That sounded so romantic! Serena immediately began having fantasies about what all they would do.

She and Ash could have a nice boat ride by the sea, and Ash would even offer to row for her. They could visit the underground stores that were said to be there. Then they could have dinner at a nice restaurant. Then they would find a nice view of the Goldenrod City skyline. There, Serena would lean her head against Ash's, and then they would kiss and pronounce their love for one another. Serena soon found herself grinning like an idiot with a huge blush on her face.

"I…take it that you like the idea?" Ash questioned after seeing Serena's expression.

"Oh yes! Thank you, Ash! We'll have such a great time!" Serena said brightly before she giggled and pecked him on the cheek.

Ash cheered mentally to himself that he managed to get Serena back in a good mood. Thank goodness Brock was there to help him out with the idea. Ash still had no idea what they would do in Goldenrod City, but it seemed Serena already had that covered. Ash was almost a little apprehensive to what on Earth she had thought about, however.

"Great! So we're good now?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Of course, Ash! Wait until I tell Leaf and Marina what we have planned!" Serena smiled.

"Thanks for giving me another chance, Serena. That's why I really like you," Ash said before he rubbed the back of his head. "As I said…I know I screw up a lot, but…,"

"I'm okay, now, Ash. Really. You've had a great idea to make up for it. The point is you know not to forget in the future, and we've both learned from it. I'm not perfect, either, and you've forgiven me so I'll do the same," Serena replied.

"Heh. Alright. Good night, Serena. See you tomorrow," Ash said before he took her hand and kissed it.

"You're so funny, Ash," Serena giggled.

Unbeknownst to Serena or Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togepi were right outside the door listening in. They weren't exactly eavesdropping. They just wanted to make sure that Ash knew what to say as he was extremely nervous and wanted their support. They all nodded and smiled to each other that Ash had done just fine. With that, they walked away since everything was okay now.

* * *

The group now found themselves walking through Ilex Forest. They had left Azalea Town earlier that morning, and they had been in the forest for about an hour now. Brock hadn't taken his eyes off the map since they entered. After they received their special pokeballs from Kurt, he had warned them that Ilex Forest was very dark and mysterious, and that it was easy to get lost.

"Brock, please tell me that you know where you're going," Misty said hopefully.

"Of course, Misty. As long as I have this map, we can't get lost. I'm following the path exactly as it's written," Brock answered without looking up from map.

The group shrugged. At least Brock appeared dedicated. He hadn't ever steered them wrong before. It was just this place seemed like a complete maze. They could hardly even see the sunlight peeking through the trees because it was so dense. If they didn't have their Pokegear to tell them the time of day, they would've assumed it was almost nighttime.

"Still, this place is a little creepy," Misty muttered.

"You know, Misty, even though forest is a little unusual, this is a very common job spot for lumberjacks. The trees in this forest are great for making some of the best charcoal in the world. It even has a special name: purifying charcoal," Brock mentioned.

"What's so great about it?" Ash wondered.

"It's amazing stuff, Ash. Most people use it for fuel, but it purifies water and can clean the air, too. In fact, it's what I use to cook a lot of our meals with, especially my famous stew!" Brock said enthusiastically.

"So that's your secret? Purifying charcoal?" Ash questioned with a sly grin.

"Hahaha! That's only one my secrets, Ash! The purifying charcoal is simply an add-on. I always make sure to have some, though," Brock smiled.

"Heehee. We all know you're a great cook all by yourself without the charcoal," Serena giggled.

"All this time I thought we used regular firewood for your meals," Misty said thoughtfully.

"We do, but I always manage to sneak some purifying charcoal on it, too," Brock replied.

"So that's what those weird logs we see you adding on sometimes? I've been meaning to ask you why you did that," Ash commented.

"Well, now you know!" Brock responded before he returned to the map.

"It would still make me feel better if we weren't the only ones in here at the moment," Misty said as she looked around before she paled a little. "I'm sure this forest is full of creepy bugs."

"Well, I won't lie to you, Misty. There are a lot that live here. It is a forest, after all," Brock spoke up.

"Eww! I'll just get between you two," Misty stated as she squeezed between Serena and Ash which annoyed them a little bit.

"Don't worry, Misty. Serena, Pikachu, and I will protect you from the big, bad bugs," Ash mocked.

"Awww! Thank you, Ash!" Misty replied gratefully, not catching his tone for a change.

The group continued on for quite a while with no activity. They thought they would see tons of Pokemon, especially bugs here, but there was nothing too major. They saw a few Pineco and Pidgey, but that was it. It was especially strange because rather than encountering more Pokemon upon getting deeper in the forest, the group was seeing fewer and fewer. It was pretty strange.

"Hmm…this is interesting," Brock commented, which grabbed the others' attention.

"What is?" Ash wondered before he looked ahead and saw what Brock was referring to.

In front of them was a small open part of the forest that wasn't as thick as the rest of it. In the middle of the opening was a small, wooden structure. As they drew closer to it, they could see it appeared to be some sort of shrine, but what could it be for?

"Hmm…," Ash mused as they stepped out into the opening.

The group had to shield their eyes as they stepped out into the sunlight because it had been so dark since they entered the forest. As they approached the shrine, they saw a sign was posted next to it. Serena bent down as she read it aloud.

"Ilex Forest Shrine, made in honor of the forest's protector, Celebi. Any offerings are appreciated," Serena read.

"So I guess the reason there are so few Pokemon around here is so the shrine can be in peace," Misty guessed.

"What's a Celebi, anyway?" Ash wondered.

"It's one of the rarest Pokemon in the world like Mew," Brock answered. "According to the guidebook, Celebi sleeps for very long periods at a time. It only awakens if disaster were to befall the Johto region."

"Disaster?" Misty inquired this time.

"Right. Celebi's even said to have the power to travel to the past and future. Because it can do this, it's always able to appear when it's needed," Brock replied.

"Travel to the past and future," Ash mused.

"Pikaaa," Pikachu mused, as well.

"I bet it would be pretty cool to meet Celebi, but there aren't any disasters right now in the Johto region so we should count our blessings," Brock said.

"Still, meeting a time traveling Pokemon," Ash thought.

"Do you guys think we should leave an offering for Celebi?" Serena suggested.

"Sure. Why not?" Ash shrugged.

With that, they each took a rice ball from their backpacks for their offering and placed it in the shrine. Pikachu, however, had another idea and placed a glob of ketchup in the shrine instead after rummaging through Brock's bag. The group grimaced at that as the ketchup would probably spoil very quickly and undermine the rest of their offering.

"Are you sure that ketchup was a good offering, Pikachu?" Ash questioned.

"Piiiiika!" Pikachu replied with indignation.

"Alright. Alright. Just checking," Ash said as he held his hands up in surrender.

Speaking of ketchup, though, that did get the group to think. What happened to offerings that were placed here anyway? Did they mysteriously disappear without a trace? Did Celebi actually awaken when no one was looking and take the offerings, or did the offerings simply rot after sitting in the shrine for so long? There was probably no way for them to know.

"Well, keep watch over the Johto region, Celebi," Ash smiled with a wave before there was strange flash in front of his eyes. Ash blinked for a second before he shrugged and turned to leave, only to find no one was following.

Confused, Ash turned around and saw Brock, Serena, Misty, Pikachu, simply standing there with blank expressions on their faces. They weren't even moving. Ash tilted his head as he went over to them and waved his hand in front of their faces, but they still did absolutely nothing. They didn't even blink.

"Hey, guys. What's wrong? Why are you just standing there?" Ash wondered.

"What do you mean? We're waiting for you?" Misty's voice sounded from the right.

Ash turned to the right and saw his companions a short distance away with their arms folded. They were giving him a strange look that seemed to ask what he was doing rather than him asking them that. Ash raised one of his eyebrows and looked in front of him again. Weren't they right here? Ash then let out a gasp.

There were just a few short trees in front of him! His friends weren't in front of him at all! Ash then hastily looked back and forth between the trees and his friends before he rubbed his eyes in an attempt to see what was real and what wasn't. This only made the others wonder even more what was wrong with Ash.

"Hey, Ash. Are you okay?" Serena asked in concern.

"Uhhh…yeah. I think so," Ash mumbled.

"What was so interesting about those trees, anyway?" Misty wondered.

"Uhhh…nothing," Ash mumbled again.

There wasn't a need to tell his friends and Pokemon that he mistook them for a few trees. It wasn't like he was feeling tired or hallucinating or anything. That was an extremely strange occurrence. Why on Earth would his eyes be playing tricks on him, anyway? How could he even think they were trees?

Pikachu was snickering at Ash for his strange act. Ash looked down and glared at the yellow rodent.

"Laugh it up, Pikachu. I hope Celebi likes your ketchup," Ash muttered before he strode ahead of the group. "Let's just go."

The group left the shrine area and were soon back into the darkness from the trees of Ilex Forest. They decided it was best to just forget about the incident. Ash seemed confused about something, but they had no idea what it was. Ash was known to do some strange things, but treating the trees as if they were people was really out there.

Once they were out of sight, a Noctowl flew out of the nearby trees and hooted in amusement. It had gotten those humans good! The Noctowl had lived in this forest a long time and always amused itself by causing confusion among the travelers that came through here with its Hypnosis. With as clever as it was, no one had ever been able to outsmart it at anything. Even if was discovered, Noctowl would easily get away with another Hypnosis. With another hoot, the Noctowl flew after the group.

* * *

After another thirty minutes of walking, the group figured they must be almost halfway through the forest according to Brock's map. They decided it would be a good time to take a break for lunch. They each sat down, and sure enough, Brock pulled out a case of purifying charcoal. Okay. Brock was right after all. He did use this stuff quite a bit.

"So I guess there's no need for us to get some firewood?" Ash guessed.

"Actually, we do. I'm almost out of purifying charcoal so I'll only be able to use a little bit," Brock responded and showed them the inside of the case for emphasis.

"Hey, Brock. Will you show me the secret of the purifying charcoal?" Serena asked.

"Of course, Serena. I'm sure your meals for Ash will be perfect one day once you get good at using this stuff," Brock said, which caused Ash and Serena to blush.

"Yeah…well…I guess that leaves the firewood gathering to Misty and me," Ash figured as he stood up along with Misty before he turned to Pikachu. "You coming, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu answered in the affirmative and ran up Ash's shoulder.

Togepi went to waddle after Ash, but Serena held it back.

"Not yet, Togepi. You're still a little small to carry firewood," Serena told it, which caused Togepi to give a pouting face.

"We'll be back soon, Togepi," Ash acknowledged.

"Okay. We'll see you guys in a bit," Serena said as she scooted next to Brock to watch how he prepared the special type of charcoal.

"You see…anybody can just throw the charcoal on the ground to cook food, but that's not what the Brockster does," Ash heard Brock say as he and Misty walked off.

It made Ash think. He wondered if he had ever used the charcoal to fix the few meals he cooked, with Brock's help, of course. Ash began to wonder what Serena would think if he could cook a decent meal for her every now and then. It wouldn't be fair if she did all the cooking. As his dad said, Brock wouldn't be with them forever, and it would probably be sooner than he thought.

Misty made sure to stay close to Ash the whole time. Her eyes were darting around several times as if a bug Pokemon would jump out of nowhere just to scare her. Whenever Misty would hear something rustle, she would immediately grab Ash's arm and squeeze it tightly, which caused him to wince. Ash finally got tired of it and brushed Misty off and purposely strode way ahead of her.

"Wait for me!" Misty called after Ash, but a strange flash appeared in front of her eyes, and he suddenly disappeared behind a tree. "Wait. What happened?"

Misty looked around but didn't see him anywhere. She wrapped her arms around herself in fear that he just seemed to disappear like that. Please say that it was just an illusion and didn't really just happen.

"Ash?" Misty whimpered out, but got no response.

Misty then heard a small rustle to her right and turned to look at it. When she did, Misty breathed a huge sigh of relief. Ash was there, along with Pikachu on his shoulder, and they were simply watching her. The redhead didn't think she had ever be so happy to see Ash, but she was. She ran over to Ash, who just continued to watch her, before she spoke. The weird thing was she didn't even seem to notice Ash was hovering off the ground.

"Thank goodness, Ash! You had me worried. Don't just disappear like that! You know how scared of these forests I can be," Misty told him.

Ash said nothing and just continued to float in place.

"Okay. I know you're tired of my fear of bugs, but you don't have to ignore me, Ash Ketchum," Misty said in aggravation and placed her hands on her hips.

Once more, Ash didn't say anything. Not even Pikachu said anything. They just continued to stare at Misty in silence.

"Okay, Mr. Rude! Be that way! Let's just find the firewood!" Misty hollered until she heard a strange, buzzing noise come from Ash.

Misty gave Ash a glare for hissing at her like that before she raised an eyebrow in confusion. People weren't capable of making that noise unless they were some kind of actor, which Ash wasn't. Her eyes then widened when she saw Ash seemed to have stingers at the end of his hands. What?! When did he get those, and when did he get yellow and black clothes?! Misty trembled as she followed Ash's body all the way up until she screamed.

A Beedrill was staring back at her!

Misty turned tail and ran as fast as she could away from the scary bug Pokemon. Of all the things she had to run into, it had to be a Beedrill! Since when could Ash turn into a Beedrill anyway?! Well, whatever! Misty didn't care, she just wanted to get as far away from it as possible. Luckily, the Beedrill wasn't interested in pursuing Misty so it just flew off.

Misty was too frightened to even notice the Beedrill wasn't chasing her. She continued to run until she collided right into someone. Both people fell backwards in pain. Misty groaned to herself before she looked and saw Ash, along with Pikachu, on the ground with her.

"Ash!" Misty cried joyfully before her face soon turned to one of horror, and she jumped to her feet. "Oh no. You're not fooling me again, Beedrill!"

Ash looked around in confusion to see what Misty was referring to. He didn't see any Beedrill, or hear any for that matter.

"Tell me what you did with Ash right now, or I'll sic my Pokemon on you!" Misty shouted.

"Uhhhh…I'm right here, Misty," Ash muttered as she stood up.

"Don't lie! I could've been seriously hurt by you!" Misty shouted.

Ash and Pikachu exchanged glances with each other. Was it just them, or was Misty acting even stranger than usual? Had she lost her mind? Was her phobia of bugs that bad to where she thought she saw a horde of Beedrill in front of her?

"What are you talking about, Misty? What's wrong with you?" Ash questioned.

"Pikaaaaa," Pikachu added.

"Won't talk, eh! Well I'll show you! I've got to swallow my fear! I may be scared of bugs, but I won't let you impersonate my friend any longer!" Misty yelled before she released one her Pokemon. "Go, Starmie!"

"Now wait just a second! Hold on, Misty! I'm not a Beedrill!" Ash said frantically as she waved his hands in front of his face.

The Starmie appeared from its pokeball, ready for battle. It then looked around for who the foe might be, but all it saw was Ash and Pikachu. It then turned towards Misty to see what it was she actually wanted it to do.

"Use Water Gun on that Beedrill!" Misty yelled and pointed her index finger right at Ash.

Starmie spun around and prepared to use Water Gun, but noticed the 'Beedrill' its trainer was referring to was Ash. Was she angry at Ash or something to call him a Beedrill? Ash and Pikachu were shaking their heads rapidly back and forth at Starmie to try to give it the message that its trainer was acting bonkers right now. Starmie thought so, too, but it wouldn't resist an order from Misty. Starmie sweat droppped before it fired a Water Gun at Ash.

The raven-haired boy yelped as the cold water sprayed him continuously. He flailed around constantly as he pleaded with Misty to stop. Pikachu was about to use Thunderbolt, but it stopped itself as the water would cause it to go out of control. Finally the attack relented, and Ash fell to the ground, absolutely drenched.

"Ow! What the heck, Misty!?" Ash screamed angrily.

"Huh?" Misty questioned as she blinked. "I have to admit you do a really good impression of Ash's voice."

"That's because I _am_ Ash!" Ash stated, making sure to emphasize the word 'am'.

"But just a second ago you were a Beedrill," Misty mumbled.

"No I wasn't!" Ash hollered.

"Were to!" Misty argued.

"Was not!" Ash shouted back.

"Ugh! This isn't getting us anywhere!" Misty groaned and grabbed her hair in frustration.

"No kidding! You're the one who attacked me! How on Earth could you mistake me for a Beedrill!?" Ash asked heatedly.

Misty finally seemed to grasp what Ash was saying. That was so weird. Just a second ago, she had lost Ash, and then she found him, only for it to be a Beedrill. Now, the real Ash was standing in front of her, but she thought he was a Beedrill at first. What was going on? Was the forest actually multiplying her fear so much that she was hallucinating?

"Umm…never mind," Misty mumbled, unable to find a suitable excuse.

Ash frowned deeply before he sighed in annoyance. "Whatever. Let's just find the firewood."

"Yeah. Sure," Misty said quietly as she followed the raven-haired boy and Pikachu.

"Has Misty gone insane, Pikachu?" Ash whispered.

Misty glared. Okay, Mr. Insensitive! She was really worried about him and trying to help, but all he had to say was that she was crazy? She wasn't crazy! She was perfectly in her right mind, thank you very much! Still, that was really bizarre how she mistook him for a Beedrill, and vise-versa. Misty leaned over to the side where her Starmie was following a short distance away.

"Hey, Starmie. Back me up. You thought you were attacking a Beedrill, too, right?" Misty asked hopefully.

Unfortunately, if Starmie could make faces, it would've given Misty an incredulous look. It thought Misty was using a metaphor when she called Ash a Beedrill, but she actually believed it. Misty sighed once she got the gist. Starmie's silence was all Misty needed to know she was the only one who thought Ash was a Beedrill. Weird.

As Ash and Misty disappeared a little further into the forest. The same Noctowl from earlier flew out of a tree and hooted a laugh. Man. That was even better than the first prank it pulled on these humans. Noctowl then began to think to itself what fun it could have if it tried to prank all of those humans at once. Its cleverness knew no bounds.

* * *

Misty and Ash didn't say anything else to each other on their firewood expedition. By the time they got back to the campsite, Brock and Serena were waiting patiently for them. The two then rose their eyebrows when they saw Ash was soaking wet.

"Ash, what's wrong? Did you fall in a lake?" Brock questioned, only to receive a glare from Misty and Ash.

"Don't ask," they both mumbled and dropped the firewood next to Brock and Serena.

Understanding the message not to mention it, Brock shrugged his shoulders as he stacked the firewood in preparation to light a fire.

Ash plopped down next to Serena and sighed while Misty sat on the opposite end of them, looking rather embarrassed. Serena pulled a towel out of her backpack and handed it to Ash to help him dry. The raven-haired boy flashed her a grateful smile before he started to scrub himself.

Serena then noticed Ash and Misty avoiding eye contact with each other. That's weird. Were they having a fight? They seemed perfectly fine when they left about ten minutes ago. Also, this wasn't like their normal…err…bickering with each other. They just weren't talking. Serena then leaned over to Pikachu to see if the yellow rodent had any insight to this.

"Hey, Pikachu. What's with Ash and Misty?" Serena whispered.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu sighed as if to say it was a long story, but then it smiled and nodded its head to show they would be just fine.

Satisfied that it was nothing serious, Serena smiled and turned back to Brock who just lighted the firewood mixed with purifying charcoal. This had proved to be a rather strange day, but maybe after they had one of Brock's delicious meals, everyone would be back in a good mood.

* * *

Sure enough, it did. By the time everybody finished eating, Ash and Misty were both grinning as they sighed in satisfaction. Nothing like some of Brock's cooking to make them feel better. Ash even volunteered to clean the dishes at their next stop.

As everyone prepared to leave, they didn't notice a certain owl-like Pokemon land inside one of the nearby trees, out of sight. It then took flight and casually flew in front of the group and gave a small hoot to get their attention. As soon as they looked at it, Noctowl's eyes glowed blue, and the strange flash appeared in front of their eyes once again. Noctowl then went to hide back inside of the tree to see what would happen.

The group shook their heads at the sudden flash, not thinking much of it. Ash bent down and grabbed his backpack as he prepared to leave. He then looked to his right to give a smile at Serena, but he then titled his head in confusion. Serena wasn't there. Brock was. Ash then whipped his head around, and he grew even more confused when he saw Serena was in the same place Misty was at, and Misty was where Brock was at.

"Huh?" Ash asked stupidly.

"What's wrong, Misty?" 'Brock' asked.

"Uhh…nothing. Wait. Did you just call me Misty?" Ash asked.

"Well…yeah. That's your name, isn't it?" 'Brock' asked, and gave Ash a strange look.

"No, Brock. I'm not Misty. I'm Ash. Why don't you open your eyes for a change?" Ash muttered.

"I'm not Brock! I'm Serena!" 'Brock' stated.

"Hey. Come on, Serena. You don't have to make to of my squinty eyes," 'Misty' frowned.

"I didn't say that! Misty did!" 'Brock' defended and pointed at Ash.

"Hey! I didn't say that, either!" 'Serena' suddenly shouted.

"And I'm not Misty, either, Brock!" Ash declared, getting a little put out.

"I already told you! I'm Serena, not Brock!" 'Brock' yelled.

Meanwhile, Pikachu and Togepi were completely lost. They were looking back and forth between the four humans and thought they had lost their minds. Why were they all calling each other the wrong names? Ash apparently thought Serena was Brock, Misty was Serena, and Brock was Misty. Serena thought Ash was Misty, Brock was Ash, and Misty was Brock. Brock thought Ash was Serena, Serena was Misty, and Misty was Ash. Misty thought Ash was Brock, Serena was Ash, and Brock was Serena. It was quite a confusing mess.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu sighed at Togepi.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi laughed. It was just as lost as Pikachu, but it still thought this was funny.

"Why do you all keep calling me by the wrong name!? All of you are calling me everything except my real name!" Ash shouted.

"What are you talking about, Brock!? I'm the only one who can see clearly. All of the rest of you need to get some glasses!" Misty yelled.

"Man, Serena. I didn't expect a comment like that to come from you," Ash muttered.

"It's because I'm not Serena!" Misty growled.

"Then who are you?!" Ash cried.

"I'm Misty, and you're Brock!" Misty screamed.

"Dang it! I'm not Brock!" Ash screamed back.

"Yeah! I thought you were Brock!" Serena added.

"I'm not Brock, either!" Misty yelled.

The real Brock, however, remained rather quiet. First someone made a comment about his squinty eyes, and now nobody wanted to be him. Despite this, Brock crossed his arms as he began to think of how to go about this. Something really strange was going on here. They were all calling each other the wrong names. This had to be some sort of trick. Brock then cleared his throat as he yelled louder than everybody else to get their attention.

"Everybody, quiet!" Brock shouted, which caused the others to fall silent.

Pikachu settled the electricity it had been building up. It was prepared to shock everyone into their senses as this was getting pretty out of hand. It, along with everyone else, waited to see what whoever had shouted had to say.

"Okay, guys. I think we're under some sort of spell that's making us confuse one of us for another," Brock started.

"What do you mean, Ash?" Serena wondered.

Brock waved off Serena's comment before he continued. "I mean we're seeing ourselves as someone else. We need to find out who everybody is to avoid any more confusion. Will the real Ash please raise his hand?"

Ash slowly raised his hand as everyone gave him a strange look. They all saw him as everyone but Ash. Brock himself shook his head as he had to remain focused and remember that this was the real Ash, and not Serena.

"Okay. Next, will the real Serena raise her hand?" Brock asked.

Serena slowly raised her hand before Brock nodded his head before he gave his last sentence. "Okay. I'm the real Brock. Now will Misty raise her hand?"

"That's me," Misty replied as she rose her hand.

Brock gave a sigh. "Okay. This is a start."

"I don't get it, Brock. Why do we all think we're someone else?" Ash questioned.

"I have no idea, but this has to be the work of some Pokemon," Brock said thoughtfully.

"Hey. Now that I think about it, we've all had a few strange instances ever since we were at Celebi's shrine. Ash thought we were all trees, and I thought Ash was a Beedrill," Misty realized.

"You thought Ash was a Beedrill?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah. That was our long story," Misty muttered.

"So there has to be a connection to this," Brock figured.

"First things first. How do we see properly again?! Thinking you're all someone else is getting on my nerves!" Misty cried.

Pikachu took that as its cue. It charged up a Thundershock and let it loose on the four humans in front it. It made sure not to shock them too hard, though. They all grimaced as the volts traveled through their bodies before Pikachu relented the attack. The group groaned in pain for a moment before they rubbed their eyes and gasped.

"Woah! I can see you all as you are again!" Ash exclaimed.

"Me, too!" Serena added.

"And me!" Misty added.

"Alright. So we're good now," Brock nodded.

Pikachu perked up its ears when it heard a sudden sound. It may have just been a regular hoot, but they yellow rodent could've sworn there was amusement in the sound, also. Feeling suspicious, Pikachu looked around to see where the sound was coming from, and heard it coming from a branch high in a nearby tree. It was concealed by bushes, but Pikachu knew something was behind it. Pikachu narrowed its eyes and sent out a few shocks of electricity towards the branch to make whatever it was show itself.

Sure enough, there was a surprised hoot as the Noctowl flew out of the bushes and hovered in the air as it looked to see what tried to shock it.

This action grabbed everybody's attention, and they turned and saw the Noctowl, but there was something different about it. They had seen a few Noctowl in their travels, but this one looked a lot smaller. It was also a different color than usual. While many Noctowl were dark brown, this one was much lighter, and its wings were a reddish color rather than brown. Ash smiled once he saw the strange-colored Pokemon.

"Hey, guys. Check out that Noctowl. It looks really cool," he commented.

"Hmm…I wonder," Brock mused as he folded his arms.

"What's wrong, Brock?" Serena asked.

"I wonder if this little guy has been behind the mishaps today," Brock answered.

"What do you mean?" Misty wondered.

"Now that you mention it…didn't we see a Noctowl and a strange flash right before we started acting all weird," Ash spoke up.

"Hey! I saw a strange flash before I mistook Ash for a Beedrill!" Misty realized.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu stated while pointing at Noctowl.

"So this Noctowl was laughing at us the whole time?" Ash guessed.

"Pika!" Pikachu affirmed.

At that, the group glared at the Noctowl. So it was the one who was behind all of these strange instances, after all. It was only doing it for its own amusement, too. They must have been under Noctowl's Hypnosis. That explained everything!

"So Noctowl? You think it's pretty funny to make us look like idiots, huh?" Ash questioned.

Noctowl looked alarmed now that it had been found out. It needed to make a break for it. The shiny Pokemon quickly flew to the ground and kicked up a cloud of dust at the group. They coughed slightly, and when the dust settled, they discovered Noctowl was flying away. Ash, however, saw this as a great opportunity to get a new flying-type for his team. He wasn't about to let it get away that easily.

"You won't get away that easily, Noctowl!" Ash yelled as he and Pikachu chased after it.

"Wait, Ash! It isn't a good idea to run off of the main path of Ilex Forest! We could get lost!" Serena called after him.

"Let's follow them. I still have the map, and I'll try to follow it as we go so we can find our way back," Brock said, and with that, they took off.

Noctowl could hear the raven-haired boy following it, and it hooted in exasperation. Fine. Maybe it was a little over the top with its pranks, but being such a wise Pokemon and living by itself was quite boring. There used to some weird professor who had tried to capture it, but that was quite a while back. Noctowl didn't exactly want to be captured, but it did enjoy the thrill of outsmarting the professor on several occasions. Since he was gone, Noctowl had to get its satisfaction from travelers.

"Come back here!" Ash shouted.

Noctowl turned around and made direct eye contact with Ash. Its eyes then glowed, and the familiar flash appeared in front of Ash. The raven-haired boy then blinked a few times, but Noctowl was still in sight. He noticed it had now changed direction and was perched on a branch. Ash frowned as he marched up and stood underneath the branch.

"Okay, Noctowl. I suppose you're ready to face me now, huh?" Ash questioned.

"Pika, Pika," Pikachu said as it tugged on Ash's pant leg.

"What's up, Pikachu?" Ash wondered.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu sighed as it pointed at the supposed Noctowl and gave Ash a slight jolt.

Ash grit his teeth at the jolt before he looked and saw what Pikachu was referring to. The Noctowl in the tree was nothing more than a strange-shaped branch. Ash let out a cry of frustration that he had been tricked again by the Noctowl. He then glanced wildly around to see if he could still see Noctowl, but it was already out of sight.

By that time, the others had managed to catch up to Ash. The raven-haired boy had a frown on his face before he let out a sigh at them.

"Noctowl used its Hypnosis on me again and managed to get away," Ash muttered.

"It sure is good at that," Misty commented.

"Well, look on the bright side, Ash. Noctowl may have gotten away, but it probably won't mess with us anymore since we've figured out its tricks," Brock said.

"Yeah," Ash mumbled.

Despite the embarrassment it caused, Ash was actually looking forward to capturing that Noctowl. He hadn't caught a flying-type Pokemon in quite a while, and that Noctowl seemed like the perfect candidate for a new team member. Well, it looks like he'll have to wait another time.

They were suddenly interrupted by a roar, and they all leaped in surprise. It was then followed by a distressed hoot which sounded a lot like a Noctowl's. The four looked at each other for only a moment before they took off to where the sound was. Ash was in the lead, and a gut feeling was telling him that Noctowl had run into some serious trouble.

About a minute later, the group entered a small clearing, and saw Noctowl was on the ground, and it was surrounded by two Ursaring with a Teddiursa behind them. The group immediately froze when they saw the massive bear-like Pokemon. They didn't know Ilex Forest had Ursaring! They thought they only lived in the mountains! Well, this was a large forest, but that didn't make the Ursaring any less scary.

Noctowl, meanwhile, was attempting to use Hypnosis on the Ursaring, but it was to no avail. The Ursaring must've known what Noctowl was trying to do as they never made direct eye contact with it. Noctowl couldn't believe it had so carelessly flew into an Ursaring's territory like that when it was flying away from that boy. Now that it was surrounded, the Ursaring were blocking all methods of escape so it couldn't fly away. It could try to fight one Ursaring, but two was out of its league.

"What do we do, Ash?" Serena asked.

"What else? We help Noctowl," Ash answered as he turned his hat backwards and withdrew a pokeball. "Chikorita! I choose you!"

The leaf Pokemon soon appeared from the pokeball and prepared for battle. Well, it would under normal circumstances. Chikorita turned around and began snuggling Ash which caused him sigh. Gary was right. These Pokemon did need more training.

"Come on, Chikorita Remember! We need to focus and help Noctowl!" Ash told it.

Chikorita finaly understood the urgency of the situation and ran into clearing. Once it did, it gave a cry which got the Ursaring's attention. They immediately started snarling at Chikorita in an attempt to scare it off, but Chikorita's tough nature allowed it to remain firm. Noctowl looked up in surprise at the Chikorita. What would it be doing trying to help it of all Pokemon? Why would a Chikorita get involved in a conflict that didn't involve it? That was until it noticed Ash behind the bushes. That trainer it made a fool of was here?

"Okay, Chikorita! Use Sweet Scent to calm the Ursaring!" Ash declared.

Chikorita nodded and gently swayed its leaf. A pleasing aroma soon filled the air and wafted towards the Ursaring and Teddiursa who began to sniff it. The aroma reached Noctowl who also felt relaxed and even the group of four and two Pokemon behind it. Everyone smelled it except for Serena who Chikorita made sure to never get a whiff of the nice scent.

The Ursaring soon quit growling as their eyes drooped and a pleasant look appeared on their face. Ash then nodded towards Pikachu. The yellow rodent took this as a good sign, and it ran over and began to converse with the Ursaring. Apparently, Noctowl had wandered into their breeding grounds, and they were two parents trying to protect their baby. After a moment, the two Ursaring nodded their heads and made their way back through the trees with the Teddiursa following them. Noctowl hooted in relief once they left. Like all parents, Ursaring were very protective and terrifying when it came to their baby.

"Great job, you two!" Ash praised Pikachu and Chikorita.

Chikorita giggled and jumped into Ash's arms to resume snuggling his chest. Ash gave a nervous laugh before he fished out Chikorita's pokeball and returned it. Once he did, the raven-haired boy made his way over to Noctowl who watched him curiously. This boy really did just save it from danger.

"Before I say anything, are you _really_ Noctowl or some illusion?" Ash asked suspiciously.

The shiny Noctowl looked affronted at that and began flapping its wings frantically to show it was the real deal. Ash laughed heartily at that before he reassured it.

"I'm just kidding! I know it's really you," Ash told it.

Noctowl cocked its head curiously. So this kid had jokes, too, huh?

"Still, are you alright?" Ash asked.

Noctowl nodded its head to show it was alright. It was then surprised when Ash stood up and began to walk away from it. He was going just like that? That raven-haired boy couldn't go already! If he left, it would just go back living in seclusion in the forest, bored out of its mind and unable to use its intellect! It wanted more excitement in its life, and this boy could provide it. Noctowl hadn't had this much fun since that nutty professor a while back.

"So long, Noctowl," Ash waved, but he was surprised when Noctowl flew in front of him and watched him stoically.

"I think Noctowl wants to come along with you, Ash," Serena told him.

Ash stared at Noctowl briefly before he understood the message Noctowl was trying to tell him. He then reached into his backpack and pulled out an empty pokeball.

"I get it. You really want to come with me?" Ash questioned.

Noctowl shook its head. Not so fast. If this boy wanted to have it as his Pokemon, he was going to have to prove himself. Noctowl gave a hoot before it flew to the opposite side of the clearing and assumed a battle ready stance. Ash smiled once he saw that. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"If it's a battle you want, a battle you'll get!" Ash declared before he looked at Pikachu. "You're up, buddy!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and ran in front of Ash.

Noctowl narrowed its eyes at the choice. So this kid was going to get an advantage to try to win. Well, it would take a lot more than that to capture it. If this Pikachu couldn't keep up with its tricks, there was no way it could win. After there was a mutual understanding that the battle was ready to begin, both Pokemon went into action.

"Okay, Pikachu! Let's start things off with your Agility!" Ash stated.

Pikachu nodded and almost became a blur as it ran it circles around Noctowl. The shiny owl Pokemon didn't look the least bit intimidated and simply closed its eyes. In case this boy had forgotten, it was pretty evasive itself and was used to this. The Noctowl's eyes glowed as it used its Foresight attack so it could easily keep track of Pikachu. It then flew in and delivered a solid Wing Attack to Pikachu which knocked it off balance and onto the ground.

The shiny Noctowl then let out an ear-piercing Supersonic which caused the group and Pikachu to grit their teeth. While it was distracted, Noctowl flew right in front Pikachu and prepared to use its Hypnosis as soon as Pikachu opened its eyes. Ash knew what Noctowl was up to and warned Pikachu.

"Don't open your eyes! Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu nodded its head and let loose a stream of electricity from its cheeks. Noctowl clumsily dodged the attack, but the Thunderbolt still managed to clip one of its wings. Noctowl had to admit that was one fast Pikachu. It didn't think the yellow rodent would be able to attack that fast. It would need to be quite careful, after all. Noctowl then hooted in pain as it felt static run through its body.

"Great job, Pikachu! That paralysis will definitely slow down, Noctowl! Use Iron Tail!" Ash said.

Despite the huge discomfort, Noctowl smirked at that. He thought so, did he? Well, Noctowl has a rude awakening for him and his Pikachu. The shiny Pokemon could hear Pikachu getting closer, and it closed its eyes and concentrated. Soon, both it and Pikachu glowed blue for a second, and before anyone knew it, Pikachu had static run from its body, and it halted the attack which gave Noctowl plenty of time to fly away.

"What's wrong, Pikachu? How did you get paralyzed?" Ash questioned in confusion.

"Be careful, Ash. That Noctowl must've used Psycho Shift which transfers its status problems to its opponent!" Brock warned.

Ash looked worriedly at Pikachu once Brock said that. It was hardly an advantage to have Noctowl paralyzed if Pikachu could be paralyzed, too. Still, since Noctowl was still slowed down by its paralysis. It wouldn't be able to dodge so quickly.

"Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash ordered.

Once again, Pikachu let out a stream of electricity from its cheeks. Noctowl was moving rather sluggishly through the air so it was almost certain to hit. Unfortunately, Pikachu was looking at Noctowl, and that was what the shiny owl Pokemon wanted. Noctowl turned its head and used Confusion right at the Thunderbolt. The electricity then reversed direction and went after Pikachu.

The yellow rodent had no choice but to endure the Thunderbolt. The shock hit the yellow rodent, but it took a deep breath as it absorbed the attack. It was a little painful, but not too bad. That was when Pikachu made the fatal error of looking at Noctowl again, and the owl Pokemon immediately used Hypnosis.

Pikachu shook its head and tried to focus, but Noctowl had completely disappeared. Pikachu then looked in the tree and spotted Noctowl perched on the branch simply looking at it. The yellow rodent was about to attack, but Ash knew what was going on and quickly tried to get its attention.

"Wait, Pikachu. That isn't Noctowl! It's an illusion! The real one's behind you!" Ash warned.

Pikachu turned around once it heard Noctowl, but the shiny owl Pokemon was waiting for it to do that, and it immediately used Hypnosis again once Pikachu looked. It then crashed into Pikachu with a Take Down attack. Pikachu flew through the air before it landed on the ground painfully. Pikachu got up and tried to look around for Noctowl but couldn't find it. Great. What was it supposed to do now? Every time it would find Noctowl, it just used Hypnosis to get away. The paralysis was also keeping Pikachu's speed at bay so it was too sluggish to dodge.

Pikachu soon heard Noctowl coming in for another Take Down. It dared not look to try to see where it was coming from, though. Pikachu knew it would just use Hypnosis.

"I've got an idea, Pikachu! Just close your eyes and listen for the sound of Noctowl's wings!" Ash called.

Pikachu's eyes lit up at that. It then closed its eyes and listened. It could hear the wind through the air as Noctowl flew towards it. The paralysis Noctowl had wasn't going to let it glide as gracefully through the air as it normally could. It would have to flap its wings eventually to say in the air. Pikachu was getting a little anxious as Noctowl almost had to be on it. Ash realized this, too, and was about to call Pikachu off, but it was at that moment that Noctowl's wings flapped.

"You heard it, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu immediately sent out a stream of electricity, and the attack soared through the air and struck Noctowl. The owl Pokemon gave a surprised hoot and cried in pain as the electricity shocked it. Pikachu then assumed it was safe to open its eyes and finally look where it was shocking. The attack finally relented, and Noctowl let out a low hoot before it fell to the ground.

"That was perfect, Pikachu!" Ash praised before he got a determined look on his face and threw the pokeball. "Pokeball, go!"

Noctowl saw the pokeball coming and attempted to use Confusion to steer the pokeball away, but it was too slow. The pokeball connected and sucked in Noctowl. It then closed and began shaking on the ground for a brief moment before it 'dinged' to show the capture was successful.

Ash immediately ran over to the pokeball and picked up his new capture. "Alright! I just got that shiny Noctowl!" he stated.

"Pika!" Pikachu added and gave a V-shape with its fingers.

The raven-haired boy then felt one of his pokeballs teleport away from his belt. He was saddened when he realized it was Pidgeot's pokeball. It had served him really well in its time with him, but now it was going to take a break at Professor Oak's lab. Ash really did wish he was allowed to carry more than six Pokemon with him.

Brock pulled a paralysis heal out of his backpack and tended to Pikachu. Once it was done, Pikachu cheered and ran up Ash's shoulder so it could look at the pokeball containing their new friend. They were soon joined by Serena and Misty.

"Well, Ash, it'll be great to have Noctowl using its tricks on others rather than us for a change," Misty said.

"That's also a rare-colored Noctowl! You had a really great capture!" Serena added.

"Yeah. I bet I'll be able to form some really cool strategies with Noctowl. We'll be a great team!" Ash smiled.

What started out to be a rather strange journey into Ilex Forest actually turned into something rather fortunate. Ash had managed to catch his first shiny Pokemon, and it was an intellectual Noctowl. With lots of strange psychic moves and a powerful Hypnosis, Ash predicted many wins with it. Despite the great capture, there was still one problem.

"Hey, guys. I know this is great, but we've wandered so far from the trail that I have no idea where we are. This map isn't helping me," Brock frowned as he came up next to everyone after helping Pikachu.

The group groaned at that. They couldn't believe this. It was the first time they had been lost in a very long time. Ilex Forest was a really strange place, and they didn't want to be in here anymore than necessary. It would be evening really soon, and if they didn't find the trail by nightfall, it could be rather dangerous.

"Ohhhh! I don't want to spend the night in this forest! Who knows what kind of creepy bugs could come out at night?!" Misty groaned.

Ash's eyes then lit up and he threw the pokeball that contained Noctowl. "That's right, guys! We have someone who knows this forest who can help us! Go, Noctowl!"

Noctowl soon appeared from the pokeball and turned its head sideways. It then hooted in discomfort because of the paralysis, but that was quickly remedied by Brock applying another paralysis heal.

"Hey, Noctowl. We kind of got lost in the forest while we were chasing you. Do you think you can help us find the way back to the trail?" Ash requested.

Noctowl hooted in amusement. So Ash wanted to make use of it already? That was fine. Noctowl did realize it was sort of its fault the group went off course in the first place. It did make them rather annoyed, too. Luckily for them, though, Noctowl knew this forest like the back of its wing. The shiny owl Pokemon then flapped its wings and flew high into the air before it gestured the group to follow it.

"Great! Thanks, Noctowl!" Ash smiled.

With that, the group followed it. They would be back on the trail in no time. They briefly considered if Noctowl would play a trick on them and purposely lead them in circles for a while, but they brushed that though aside. Noctowl wouldn't do that to them. It was Ash's Pokemon now, and they knew it was going to be a great addition to this team.

Something then occurred to Brock that annoyed him. All of the confusion that Noctowl brought had made him temporarily forget, but now that everything would be okay, it seemed like a good time bring it up. Ash must've felt Brock's gaze because he turned around and looked at the Pokemon breeder to see he was glaring at him.

"Hey, Ash! That was really you who made the comment about my squinty eyes, wasn't it?!" Brock accused.

Ash sweat dropped, and he whistled innocently. "Uhhhh…no. Of course it wasn't me."

"That's it, Ash! No seconds of dessert for you tonight!" Brock smirked, which caused Ash to groan and Serena and Misty to giggle.

Noctowl turned towards the group and shook its head. These were the people it was going to be traveling with from now on. It then glanced at Pikachu who gave Noctwl a V-shape with its fingers so it would know everything was okay They were a little goofy, yes, but it was all in good fun. Noctowl still knew this would be a great journey with its new trainer. With that, it turned back around and continued leading them through the forest.

* * *

 **The next chapter will be out later this month! Have a good one!**

 **Chapter Eighteen: Hour of the Houndour**


	18. Hour of the Houndour

**A/N: A little later than I intended, but I was busy the past few weeks. Please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

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Chapter Eighteen: Hour of the Houndour

It had been two days since the group made it out of Ilex Forest. They were now on the outskirts of a small town, but despite this, they still decided to have lunch in the patch of woods they were in. Civilization was certainly great, but so was the nature trail the group was on right now. It made for a great picnic and even had a few picnic tables, too.

"I don't know about you guys, but nothing screams 'picnic' like the perfect sandwiches," Brock smiled as he prepared all of the fixings.

"Couldn't agree more, Brock!" Ash grinned as his mouth watered in anticipation, not really paying attention to his Chikorita affectionately rubbing against his leg.

"Pikachuuuu," Pikachu said to try to get Chikorita's attention, but the leaf Pokemon ignored it.

Togepi then went over and hugged Ash's leg, too. The raven-haired boy smiled and picked up Togepi while Chikorita looked shocked. Why would Ash pick Togepi up but not it? It was cuddlier than Togepi was. Chikorita then turned to see Pikachu with a smirk on its face. It then tried to explain that Ash was acting as Togepi's daddy, but that only aggravated Chikorita. The leaf Pokemon puffed its cheeks in anger before it went off to do something else.

The group happened to have all of their Pokemon out at the moment so they could play and enjoy the area, too. One of the only ones who wasn't playing at the moment was Ash's new Noctowl. The owl Pokemon was roosting high on top of a big rock with its eyes closed. Nobody was sure if it was merely resting or trying to see into the future. However, in the short time the group had known Noctowl, it had proven to be quite an insightful and intelligent Pokemon. The group's Pokemon must've known this, too, with what happened next.

Serena's Smeargle and Fennekin went over to the shiny Noctowl and made a cry up to it. Noctowl opened its eyes and looked down from the rock at the two Pokemon in curiosity. The two began a huge rant about how that psychotic Mareep kept interrupting them from Smeargle's artwork. The painter Pokemon was especially upset by this. It had gotten a nice canvas from Serena, but almost every time Smeargle would get a good painting in, its artwork would be trampled by Mareep running by because it wasn't watching what it was doing. For emphasis, Fennekin and Smeargle gestured behind them, and Noctowl looked up to see Mareep running around in circles like a maniac.

Noctowl nodded its head and swiftly flew over to Mareep, but it had to watch out because of the constant static that was flying from the Mareep's naked body. Noctowl gave a small cry at Mareep who finally stopped running and looked inquisitively at Noctowl. Despite running nonstop for the past ten minutes, Mareep still didn't look the least bit tired.

Noctowl began to hoot several times at the Mareep in a slight scolding fashion, and the hyper Mareep seemed to look down in shame. It wasn't meaning to destroy Smeargle's paintings. It just couldn't control itself. Noctowl seemed to realize this as it looked around the camp and found Brock's Onix not too far away. It wasn't asleep and was just resting which was perfect. Noctowl pointed with its wings and told Mareep it could run in circles to its heart's content around Onix. It was part ground type and had a rock hard body so it wouldn't be affected at all by Mareep's crazy electricity.

Mareep nodded eagerly and dashed off to where Onix was and began to run in circles around it. The rock snake Pokemon was initially surprised by this, but ultimately, the wool free Pokemon wasn't bothering it so it merely went back to resting. Seeing this, Noctowl flew back over to Fennekin and Smeargle and let them know it was safe to go back to painting as long as they stayed away from Mareep. The two Pokemon thanked Noctowl before they went back to the canvas, and Noctowl resumed roosting.

The group couldn't help but smile at that. It was good to have another judge who could help out with various quarrels between their Pokemon while they were busy with something else. With its wisdom, Noctowl was very handy. It was great thing Ash had caught it. Still, they would know to give Noctowl a break sometimes so it could rest and have free time, too.

While all this was going on, nobody noticed a shadowed figure in the bushes that was watching their every move. It then spotted the backpacks that were behind them and narrowed its eyes. This was rather risky considering there were many Pokemon out at the moment, but it was master of silence. It quietly sneaked out of the bushes and made its way toward the backpacks. The best part was it could smell food in there. Perfect.

"Hey, Ash. Will you go get the bread in your backpack?" Brock requested.

"Sure. I'll be right back," Ash replied, but the group was stopped by a loud cry.

Serena's Mareep had spotted something suspicious in the bushes and immediately charged over to whatever was over there. Unfortunately, it trampled another one of Smeargle's artwork on the way over, which earned a cry of frustration from Smeargle and Fennekin. Mareep then was over to the bushes and began leaping up and down like crazy.

The group hurried over to where Mareep was and tried to see what was going on. They weren't able to tell, though, because the sheep-like Pokemon wouldn't settle down. It just continued bouncing around and shooting several bouts of electricity from its body.

"Mareep! Calm down so you can tell us what's wrong!" Serena cried.

"Pika!" Pikachu spoke up and pointed.

The group followed Pikachu's tiny finger and gasped when they discovered their backpacks were gone! That must've been what alerted Mareep. If that was the case, it probably saw the culprit, too.

"Mareep! Who did this?" Serena asked.

Mareep finally stopped jumping up and down before it seemed to think. If it recalled, this Pokemon was dark in color. It then pretended to growl and snarl a lot while all the while walking like it was stalking something. The group was slightly amused with how animated Mareep was describing the thief, but unfortunately, they had no idea what it was.

"Well, I'm sort of at a loss, guys. Does Mareep's description match anything we know?" Ash wondered.

"I'm have no idea," Serena replied, frustrated she couldn't understand Mareep.

"Me, too," Misty added.

Brock, however, noticed something. He bent down and could faintly make out tracks on the ground that led up to and also away from where their backpacks once were. It didn't belong to any of their Pokemon so it must be the culprit.

"Hey, guys. Check out these tracks," Brock called and gestured to the aforementioned tracks.

The group knelt down with Brock and inspected the tracks. Okay. A Pokemon clearly stole their food and not a human. It also had animal characteristics and wasn't inorganic like a Magnemite for instance. That still narrowed it down to a wide range, and they had never seen these tracks before, either.

"Hmm…this is weird. Why would a Pokemon steal our backpacks, anyway?" Ash asked rhetorically.

"Food. What else?" Misty answered anyway.

"Still, if we want to find out what did this, we'll have to follow the tracks," Serena guessed.

"Hmm…I know! Golbat! Come here for a moment, and Ash, get Noctowl, too!" Brock said.

"Oh. Alright. Hey, Noctowl. We need you!" Ash called.

Both Golbat and Noctowl were over in a short while, and Brock nodded his head at the two Pokemon.

"Do you guys think you look above the trees and find out where these tracks went?" Brock requested.

Both flying Pokemon nodded their heads and soon flew into the air and disappeared among the trees. With Noctowl's keen eyesight and Golbat's Supersonic, they would be certain to find whoever it was that stole their food. After a moment, they returned to report what they found out.

"Hey, guys. Any luck?" Ash asked.

They were surprised when both Golbat and Noctowl shook their heads. Noctowl did notice some slight rustling in a few bushes quite far ahead of the group now, but it wasn't able to tell it was the thief or not. Whoever had stolen their food was a master of sneakiness.

"Great. So what do we do now?" Misty wondered.

"We follow the tracks, of course!" Ash declared.

"Hold on, Let's not do that yet. We have no idea what we're up against. I say we go to town and report what happened to Officer Jenny. She may know something if about if this town has any local thieves," Brock suggested.

The group figured that was the best plan so they returned all of their Pokemon and made their way to the nearby town.

* * *

The group was soon at Officer Jenny's station, and a disgruntled man passed them on the way in. He saw their frantic state and let out a sigh.

"Let me guess. Something was stolen from you kids, too?" he guessed.

"Yeah. That's right," Ash replied.

"Just as I thought. It's happening all over the place," the man muttered before he continued on.

This confirmed what the group thought. It turned out they weren't the only ones this happened to. Still, it made them wonder how a single being could manage to get away with so many things undetected? Figuring Officer Jenny, would know more, they continued inside.

Once they were, they made a beeline straight to Officer Jenny's desk. The police officer was typing on her computer, and when she noticed the group, she frowned. She could see their faces and figured they were here to report more stolen items for a thief.

"Don't worry, kids. Our police force is already in the works of searching for the thief. Whoever it was, I'm sure we'll capture them," Officer Jenny said automatically.

"By any chance, would you have been searching for me, too?" Brock asked as he got right in Officer Jenny's face.

"No, but you're searching for trouble," Misty muttered in annoyance and yanked the Pokemon breeder back by the ear.

"Man. You must've had a lot of reports," Ash commented to Officer Jenny.

"You have no idea," Officer Jenny replied. "The thieves have stolen all kinds of things, but it's mostly been food and soft objects."

"Like backpacks," Serena brought up.

"That must've been what was stolen from you kids," Officer Jenny figured before she continued, "But yes. Like backpacks."

"Is there any connection between these missing things?" Ash wondered.

"Do you think that whatever is stealing all of this just needs food and a place to sleep?" Brock said thoughtfully once he recovered from Misty's ear pull.

"We're thinking that might be the case, but we've had no luck trying to find the culprit. The only evidence we have are these tracks," Officer Jenny responded and brought a sketch pad into view.

The group looked, and sure enough, the sketch of the tracks were an exact copy of the tracks they saw in the woods. They realized that whatever created these tracks probably wasn't very big, but in a Pokemon's case, that wouldn't make it any less dangerous, especially since they had no idea what it was. There was also something else Officer Jenny said earlier that the group recalled.

"Wait. Didn't you also say 'thieves'? So there are more than one?" Serena questioned.

"Yes. Our police force has come to that conclusion. There could be as many as six or seven of them," Officer Jenny replied.

"So it's a pack?" Brock muttered.

"Exactly. I hate to say it, but you kids may have to wait until we can figure something out. We should have a better idea of who the culprit is by tomorrow. You're welcome to come back then," Officer Jenny said.

"Alright. Thanks, Officer Jenny," Ash replied as they left.

Once they made it outside, Ash, Misty, and Serena shrugged. They had learned a little bit about what could be stealing their food. Whoever was doing it traveled in a pack, and there was more than one of them and left footprints. Maybe they could go through their pokedexes and try to match the clues to thief, assuming it was a Pokemon they had seen before.

"Well, I guess we just have to wait," Serena figured.

"Hmm…we may not have to. I have an idea," Brock spoke up.

"What's up, Brock?" Ash asked.

"Whoever are stealing things are after food, right? I say we cook something that will get their attention and lure them out," Brock replied.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, the group was back in the woods. Ash, Serena, and Misty were watching Brock curiously. He had out cooking utensils and was boiling a pot of water over the fire. He wasn't using the purifying charcoal as this wasn't anything special. He was also carving a piece of wood with a small knife.

"Brock, I get we want to lure it out with food, but why are we using wood?" Ash asked.

"We want to lure it out with fake food. That way in case we miss it the first time, it'll come back for real food and we'll get a second chance," Brock answered.

"Oh. That makes sense," Misty realized.

"There. This should just about do it," Brock commented.

He then held up the carved, wooden food for the group to see. It looked just like a piece of meat that most types of Pokemon would enjoy eating. There was just one problem, though. It looked real, but it certainly wouldn't taste or smell real.

"I think it looks great, but I don't think the thief will be lured out by looks alone," Misty said.

"Ah ha! That's where the real food comes in. If we cook this fake food with real food, it will absorb some of the smell, and then we can use it," Brock smiled.

Once the water began to boil, Brock then stuck the fake food in the pot along with the real food. They then waited until it was fully cooked, and Brock took it out. He then put both the fake food and the real food on separate plates. It was now time to take the next part of Brock's plan into motion. The Pokemon Breeder then unclipped Golbat's pokeball and released it.

"Let's go, Golbat. It need you to use your wings to blow the air as much as you can towards the west since that's where the breeze is flowing. I want the smell to carry as much as possible," Brock told it.

Golbat nodded its head and began to flap its wings. Pikachu and Togepi took a quick sniff of the air and smiled in satisfaction. They weren't carnivores, but even they knew the food smelled good. That reassured the group that the thief would be drawn by the smell. After a good minute of doing this, Brock decided that would be sufficient. He then rubbed Golbat on the head and smiled at it.

"That was great, Golbat. Thank you. Return," Brock said as he returned the bat Pokemon.

The only thing left to do now was wait. There was no telling how far away the thieves were at the moment, or even if it was hungry. One thing was certain, though, with the aroma carrying in the distance like that, the thieves were certain to smell it. The group was going to need to have a stake out.

As the group got behind the bushes, they realized it wasn't necessary for all of them to watch at once. Only one of them was necessary at a time. Besides, it would be incredibly boring if they all watched fake food for who knows how long. For all they know, the thieves may not show up for another a couple of hours. They would just take turns watching.

"I guess I'll keep watch first since it was my idea," Brock shrugged.

Ash, Serena, and Misty figured that was acceptable, and they sat down a little further behind the bushes along with Pikachu and Togepi. They couldn't really risk talking too much however, otherwise it might deter the thieves from coming. While it never seemed to stop them before, the thieves apparently weren't stupid and would know something was up if they saw free food and heard whispering nearby.

With nothing else to do, Ash's mind began to wander. He began to think about his entire Pokemon journey and all he's accomplished. He thought about all of the Pokemon he's caught in Johto, but unfortunately, that brought him back to what Gary had yelled at him for back in Azalea Town.

XXX

 _"Heracross would rather suck tree sap than battle, and Cyndaquil can't even light its flame properly."_

XXX

Ash shut his eyes at Gary's harsh words. Ever since then, he or Serena haven't even tried to get in contact with Leaf or Gary. The reverse also held true. The raven-haired boy really hoped everything could be fixed. Leaf said she would talk to Gary, but Gary could sometimes be more stubborn as Ash. Would it really work? Ash decided he didn't want to think about anymore and shook his head.

He then let his mind wander to happier things. They would be in Goldenrod City before they knew it, and it was going to be awesome. It was the largest city in the Johto region by far, and there were all sorts of cool things to see. Not to mention, that's also where he and Serena would be spending their one year anniversary. What were some of the things he could do?

Meanwhile, Serena was having her own thoughts. Oddly enough, she was also thinking about what their experience in Goldenrod City would be like. She also briefly thought about her anniversary with Ash but wasn't as worried about since he reassured her everything would be find, and she trusted him. What she was more worried about was something she had only recently started thinking about.

Goldenrod City hosted Pokemon Performances. That would most likely be the place where she would do her first performance. She and her Pokemon, especially Fennekin, Smeargle, and Cubone had been practicing, but she really needed to knuckle down if she wanted to be ready. It would soon be time to where she should start a training regime. Not to mention, there are also other Pokemon at Professor Oak's lab who would be interested in performances, namely Gloom and Eevee. That is…as long as she could get the latter Pokemon to settle down, but not even close to the level as her Mareep. Maybe she should make a call to Professor Oak soon to swap a couple of her Pokemon.

XXX

" _Ladies and gentleman! Allow me to escort you into a show of elegance and splendor! I present Pokemon Performer, Serena!" a man with a heavy French accent announced._

 _Serena soon came out from backstage, and she was clothed in the most beautiful and stylish outfit she knew. Everyone was watching her. A whole crowd of people were there. They were all there for her. It was truly an amazing sight to see. Despite that, she wasn't worried at all. Serena gracefully took out one of her pokeballs and tossed it high into air._

" _Come on out, Fennekin!" Serena called._

 _Fennekin appeared from its pokeball, and it did a few graceful flips as it came back towards the ground. Fennekin then effortlessly landed on all fours before it and Serena struck a pose, which caused the crowd to go wild._

" _Begin!" the French man said._

 _Serena and Fennekin soon began to dance with confidence. They were doing amazing twirls and were in perfect sync with one another. There were a few murmurs of approval from the audience, but Serena knew that wasn't going to win her the key. Serena smiled as she knew how to literally turn up the heat. She gave a nod to Fennekin, and it went to work._

 _Fennekin effortlessly blew a Fire Spin from its mouth, and the flames began to spiral around it and Serena as they continued to dance. Despite the many flames around them, neither Serena nor Fennekin could feel the heat. Fenniken then used its Psychic attack to widen the flames. Soon, the spiral of flames spread out and began taking shape._

 _The audience watched in awe as they were completely captivated by the performance. They then broke out into gasps and cheering when they saw the flames formed an outline of Serena and Fenniken high above the stage. They knew that both the Pokemon and the trainer had to have practiced very hard for that, which Serena wasn't going to deny. They had practiced night and day for the past many months._

 _Finally, the fire show ended, and both Serena and Fennekin ended it with a stylish pose. The whole audience erupted into applause at that. Serena basked in the attention and praise she was getting. It was absolutely amazing. Serena then turned and actually saw Ash running on stage to greet her. He didn't stop until he was right in front of her, and he have a her a big hug._

" _I'm so proud of you, Serena! You did awesome! You're the most amazing girlfriend and person on the face of the Earth! I'll never leave your side, my darling!" Ash exclaimed._

" _Oh, Ash," Serena cooed as she hugged him back._

" _Yes, everyone! The Pokemon Performer, Serena, and her equally amazing boyfriend, Ash, are both tremendously incredible. As winner of the Pokemon Performance, we shall now present her with the key!" the French man declared._

 _Serena closed her eyes in happiness at this moment. It was the happiest time of her life. It just didn't get any better than this._

XXX

"Hey, Serena. I think it's your time for the watch. Misty just got done with hers," Ash said.

…And then Serena opened her eyes. She looked around and noticed she wasn't surrounded by "thousands of people". She wasn't in a performance hall. She was outside in the woods near a town, and it was nighttime. The moon was starting to rise into the sky. Ash was right in front of her just like she imagined, but he wasn't calling her perfect or amazing. He was just looking at her in interest.

"Huh?" Serena questioned.

"Heh. I guess you dozed off a little bit, huh? I said it's your turn for the watch," Ash chuckled.

Serena then blushed at her fantasy, in particular when Ash called her 'darling'. It was a very nice thought, if not a little unrealistic. There was no way her Pokemon Performance could go _that_ well her first try. She was just simply going to try her best, and as long as she could at least do okay and not mess up, everything would be fine.

"Umm…okay. Sure," Serena replied as she scooted over to keep watch on the fake food, but Brock stopped her.

"Hold still, Serena. You may not have to. I think I hear something," Brock whispered.

Serena then listened carefully, and she soon knew what Brock was talking about. There was a small rustling in the bushes. Pikachu had perked its ears up and looked towards the right, and Serena and Brock followed suit. Serena quickly looked at Ash and Misty, and by their expressions, she could tell they heard it, too. Everyone watched the wooden piece of meat in front of them intently. Any moment now, the thief, or thieves, would come out to snatch the food, and then they would be able to nab it.

"This was a good plan, Brock," Misty smiled.

"Thanks," Brock replied quietly.

They almost let out a gasp when they saw a black shape jump out of the bushes to their right, and made a beeline towards the food. It was hard to tell what it was, though, since it was dark. They had to remain quiet until it actually grabbed the fake food, however. That's why it was a little surprising when they realized they didn't have to time to wait for it to take the diversion. In just a few short strides, the figure had made it to the food and back to the bushes, and it was soon out of sight.

The group hurried out of the bushes and glanced around wildly to where the thief could've gone to, but it was nowhere to be found. That thing was too fast for its own good. Misty then let out a groan of frustration.

"Great. That thing got away. Now we have to do a stake out all over again," she sighed.

"We'll have to try to find it in the dark," Serena muttered.

"No, we won't," Brock grinned and presented a plate with a real piece of meat on it. "Remember what I said? That was just fake food. The real food is right here. If the thief is truly hungry, it'll be back soon."

"Oh. That's right," Ash remembered.

Brock then knelt down and saw that the culprit had indeed left tracks. He then beckoned the group over and pointed down.

"We're in luck, too. These tracks are the same ones we saw who took the backpacks and the one in the sketch Officer Jenny showed us. That was definitely the thief we saw just now. We'll just have to wait a little longer," Brock said.

"Wow. I guess we could make some great investigators," Ash commented.

"Yeah. Everything is going perfectly!" Brock agreed.

"Well, you're right, Brock. It was still a good plan," Misty told him.

It was then everybody had their attention drawn by a different sound. This wasn't the sound of rustling. It was more like growling. They weren't playful types of growls, either. They were more like the low, dangerous growls. The group looked around and could soon tell the growls were coming from all around them. So it seemed like the thief was coming back with some of its buddies.

Their eyes then lit up in fright when they saw several pairs of glowing red eyes appear in the bushes all around them. The worst part is that each pair of eyes had an angry look and didn't appear the least bit friendly. Pikachu jumped protectively in front of the group and sparked its cheeks while Serena put Togepi in her backpack in case things got ugly, which they probably would.

"We've…got company," Ash muttered apprehensively.

"And not the good kind, either," Misty said fearfully.

The group could soon see the figures making their way out of the bushes, and there appeared to be six of them. They were taking, slow, deliberate steps, clearly trying to look as intimidating as possible. They were doing a good job, too. Not only could the group not clearly see them, but they still had no idea what they were up against. All they heard was a bunch of growling.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, after all. I don't think they liked being tricked like that," Misty commented.

"Well, we still got what we wanted, the thieves," Brock tried to amend, though he was scared, too.

"At the cost of our lives, though!" Misty argued.

The moonlight then cast down into the clearing, and the group was finally able to see the Pokemon in front of them. They were canid-like and about knee-high to the group on all four legs. They were mostly black in color with a red underbelly and snout. They had rib-like ridges on their backs and had a skull-like image on their forehead. The one closest to the group indeed had the fake food in its mouth. To match their growls, the group could see the Pokemon were all glowering at them.

"We need to check what these things are," Ash said as he and Serena took out the national dex.

"Houndour, the dark Pokemon. Houndour travel in packs and communicate with barks so they can surround their prey," the national dexes said.

"The…dark Pokemon?" Ash questioned, not liking the sound of that.

"Their dark and fire-types," Serena added.

"Their footprints aren't as scary as they are," Brock commented in fright.

The Houndour that held the fake food in its mouth then angrily tossed it towards them. The carved piece of wood fell at their feet, and they looked down nervously at it.

"Yeah. They definitely didn't like our trick," Serena said.

"Maybe giving them fake food wasn't the best idea. Two real pieces of food could've worked," Brock muttered in fear.

"Look up there!" Ash suddenly called.

The group looked up, and they could see another Houndour standing on a ledge high above them. They also noticed that this one had a scar just above its right eye. It was snarling down at the group and appeared to be the meanest out of all the Houndour surrounding them.

"That must be the leader of the pack," Brock realized.

"Alright, you thieves! We caught you red-handed!" Ash said bravely before he pointed up at the apparent leader. "And you! Show me where you took our backpacks! You stole them, and we want them back!"

"Ash, I don't think ordering them around is the best idea right now," Serena told him.

"How else are we supposed to get back everything?" Ash rebutted.

"I-I don't know," Serena admitted.

"I guess that's something we didn't fully think through. We know who the thieves are, but we have no idea how to deal with them," Brock said.

The Houndour leader then gave a jerking motion with its head, and the Houndour all crouched low. They then let out a loud bark. The group gasped as the Houndour looked like they were about to charge at them!

Sure enough, the Houndour leaped into the air at the group. They all had to jump out of the way to avoid being pounced or bitten. Because they were outnumbered, it was quickly beginning to wear them out. These Houndour were relentless when it came to attacking their opponents. There was only one thing left do.

"Fine! We'll do this the hard way! Let's even the odds! Cyndaquil, Noctowl, go!" Ash stated. "He wanted to send out more, but both Heracross and Chikorita were weak to fire. Lapras was good against fire types like Houndour but would be very immobile against the quick Houndour.

"We'll help! Go Poliwag! Go, Charla!" Serena called.

"My water Pokemon would be perfect! My own Poliwag can go, too! You too, Starmie!" Misty yelled.

"Let's go, Onix and Vulpix!" Brock shouted.

Now the battling field looked a lot more even. Even when the group had their Pokemon out, the Houndour showed no signs of backing down. They even snarled a little louder at the sight of the Pokemon like they welcomed the challenge. The leader narrowed its eyes and jerked its head again, and the Houndour sprang at the group and their Pokemon once more.

One of them leaped right at Cyndaquil, but the fire mouse Pokemon easily dodged the attack. The Houndour snarled at that and began taking several snaps at Cyndaquil, but the fire mouse dodged each one. Ash was waiting for Cyndaquil's flame to kick in, but he sighed when it still showed no signs of doing so. At least this wasn't a gym battle. As long as Cyndaquil could dodge the Houndour, that was all that was needed to tire out the dark Pokemon. Ash then turned to Noctowl.

"Try to use Hypnosis on the Houndour, Noctowl!" Ash shouted.

Noctowl nodded its head and made eye contact with a Houndour who was growling at it from below. Noctowl's eyes then glowed, and the Houndour got a dazed and sleepy look on its face. It didn't last long, however. One of its comrades ran over to it and gave a short bark to snap the Houndour out of it. As soon as it did, Houndour shook its head and resumed attacking the group. Ash had to admit that the pack really did know how to work as a team even though they were enemies at the moment.

Meanwhile, Charla was holding its own rather well. Anytime a Houndour would charge at it, Charla would blow a powerful Flamethrower, and the Houndour would be forced to retreat. Charla and Onix were the main powerhouses right now and were helping out any Pokemon that appeared to be in trouble. Vulpix and Misty's water Pokemon were doing a great job at keeping the Houndour at bay, but the dark Pokemon were very good at evading the water and fire attacks.

Misty's Poliwag was battling hard while Serena's Poliwag almost seemed to be teasing the Houndour. One moment that particularly stuck out was when a Houndour charged at Serena's Poliwag, but the tadpole leaped over the dark Pokemon. When the Houndour turned to look, Serena's Poliwag slapped its behind with its tail in a mocking fashion. That only seemed to enrage the Houndour, and it charged at Serena's Poliwag like its life mission was to tear this troll to shreds.

"Poliwag! We need to be serious! Don't tease the Houndour, or you'll only make them angrier!" Serena cried.

Unfortunately, her distraction made her not see a Houndour come up behind her. Before Serena knew it, she was tackled to the ground by the Houndour. The honey-blonde girl rolled onto her stomach, and her eyes filled with terror when she saw the Houndour standing over her and snarling. She then let out a scream when it looked like it was charging up Flamethower.

Her scream was all that was needed for Charla and Ash to abandon what they were doing and head straight towards the distressed Serena. Luckily, Charla was flying at max speed and managed to ram into the Houndour's side before it could complete its Flamethower. The dark Pokemon was sent flying to the side, and Charla flew after the Houndour in anger for attempting to harm its trainer.

Ash then reached Serena and pulled her to her feet. The girl was taking deep breaths and shaking slightly. That had been rather scary.

"Are you alright, Serena? Did that Houndour hurt you?" Ash asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. I think I just got a scrape from when Houndour pounced on me," Serena breathed as she looked at her arm. Indeed, there was a small scrape there.

Serena then opened her backpack to make sure Togepi was okay, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently, the spikeball Pokemon had sensed the danger and had curled up into a tight ball. Once it saw its mommy and daddy looking at it, Togepi uncurled itself and had tears in its eyes.

Upon seeing that, Ash turned around and glared at the leader above them on the ledge. The leader seemed to notice Ash as it turned to look at him and fix him with a dangerous glare of its own. Despite that, Ash wasn't going to back down. These Houndour weren't going to try to harm Serena or Togepi and get away with it.

"Hey, you! You want a piece of me?! Why don't you come down and get it?!" Ash challenged.

The lead Houndour looked initially surprised by that bold statement, but only for a moment. It then gave a short bark, and all of the Houndour who had been fighting immediately backed off. Once that happened, the group's Pokemon stopped fighting as well, and stood around them protectively. Ash, however, walked forward, never ceasing his glare at the lead Houndour.

"You're actually going to challenge their leader by yourself?" Misty questioned.

"Yeah. I'm not going to let these Houndour steal from or hurt any more people," Ash said with determination.

The lead Houndour then gave small snarl at Ash before it leaped off the ledge and landed on the ground ten feet below on all fours. It then gave the same challenge in its eyes to Ash as he did to it just a moment ago. Ash then turned to Pikachu who was sparking its cheeks.

"Alright. You're up, buddy. Let's give this Houndour a battle," Ash told it.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and ran forward in front of Ash.

For a while, the two Pokemon didn't move. In fact, all that could be heard were the low growls coming from Houndour and the steady breathing of Pikachu as it prepared for battle. It was like they were each waiting for the other to make the first move. Houndour seemed to have enough of waiting around as it suddenly blew out a Flamethrower from its mouth straight at Pikachu.

"Dodge it, and use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu jumped out of the way before it landed on its feet and headed straight for Houndour. The leader simply stood there, however, and made no effort to move. It was just fixing Pikachu with the same glare as it watched the yellow mouse get closer. Right before Pikachu hit Houndour, the dark Pokemon quickly leaped over Pikachu, which caused Pikachu to crash into the ground. They yellow rodent quickly shook its head of the painful impact, and it soon heard Ash's voice.

"Heads up, Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu turned around and saw Houndour seconds away from pouncing on top of it. It ran out of the way just in time, and it actually felt the wind from Houndour as it passed by because it was so close. The lead Houndour paused only briefly at the miss before it sprang at Pikachu once again. However, Pikachu had taken the moment to sprint away from Houndour to give it some room.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

The yellow rodent charged up its cheeks and sent out a stream of electricity at Houndour. The dark Pokemon maneuvered its body and narrowly dodged the Thunderbolt. It had to cancel its charge because of that. Once Houndour landed on the ground, it gave another snarl at Pikachu before it launched another Flamethrower.

"Counter that with Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

Both Pokemon launched their respective attacks, and they soon met in midair which caused an explosion. Pikachu squinted its eyes to try to see through the smoke, but it couldn't see anything. Then, before it or Ash could react, Houndour astutely leaped through the smoke and landed right on top of Pikachu. The yellow rodent gave surprised cry as the Houndour landed on top of it. The dark Pokemon then planted both its paws on Pikachu's cheeks so it couldn't use its electricity.

"Oh no! Pikachu!" Serena gasped.

Ash made to run to the yellow rodent, but all the Houndour growled threateningly at Ash and would probably attack if he got any closer. In response, all the group's Pokemon growled right back. Ash knew this was a stale mate so he would have to think of something fast or else Pikachu would be roasted. Sure enough, as he looked, the lead Houndour was charging up a Flamethrower to hit Pikachu at point blank range.

"Come on, Ash! Think of something!" Misty urged.

"I'm trying! Just don't rush me!" Ash replied hurriedly.

He tried to think. Electricity was impossible right now without the use of Pikachu's cheeks. Quick Attack and Agility wouldn't help it get out of Houndour's grip. So what was left? Ash's eyes then lit up when he saw Pikachu's tail was still free. That was it! He knew what he had to do!

"Pikachu! Use Iron Tail on the ground!" Ash cried.

Pikachu grit its teeth as it could already feel the heat of Flamethrower coming from Houndour's mouth. It had to do this fast. It charged up its tail at record speed and slammed it into the ground. As soon as it did this, dirt exploded from the ground, and Houndour was blasted off Pikachu. The dark Pokemon hit the ground and rolled a few times, and Ash saw his chance.

"Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu jumped to its feet and immediately shot a stream of electricity from its cheek pouches. Houndour quickly got up from hitting the ground, but it wasn't fast enough this time. The electricity struck the lead Houndour, and it howled in pain from the attack. Pikachu then relented the attack, and the dark Pokemon panted heavily before it fell to the ground.

"Way to go, buddy!" Ash smiled.

"Alright! That was awesome, Ash!" Serena cheered.

"The Houndour don't seem to think so," Brock muttered as he looked around.

Sure enough, all the other Houndour had looks of shock on their faces that their leader had been defeated. Soon, however, their looks of shock turned to anger, and they all growled menacingly at the group. Ash ignored these growls. He knew what he was going to do to end this. He took a spare pokeball from his belt before he pointed it straight at the downed leader.

"Ash, are you…?" Serena began as her eyes grew wide.

"I sure am. I'm a Pokemon trainer, and there's no way I'm passing up this chance," Ash replied as he turned his hat backwards. "Pokeball, go!"

Ash threw the pokeball, and the pack of Houndour let out a howl of rage when they saw that. The leader, meanwhile, saw the pokeball coming, and it closed it eyes. It couldn't believe this. It had been defeated by this boy and his Pikachu. Houndour was angry at itself that it had lost. The worst part was, it had let its whole pack down.

As the lead Houndour begrudgingly accepted defeat, it then heard a distressed cry. The Houndour's eyes then shot open. That wasn't just any cry. That was one of its friends, and it needed help right away. There was no way it was about to be captured by this kid and abandon its pack like that when they needed it most!

The lead Houndour then shot a quick Flamethrower at the coming pokeball. The device was just short of hitting it, but the flames moved it off course, and the pokeball bounced harmlessly to the side. Even though it was injured, Houndour then shakily stood to its feet and barked at the other Houndour. They all had their heads turned in the direction of the cry. Apparently, they heard it, too.

Then without warning, all the Houndour turned to the group and let out a Smog attack. They then turned around and ran off. A couple of the Houndour helped their leader along since it was still injured. The group and their Pokemon coughed at the Smog, and when it finally cleared, the Houndour pack was gone. Ash glared that the Houndour had gotten away.

"Can't face getting beat, can you!? Get back here!" Ash shouted.

"We should follow them. They couldn't have gotten very far!" Brock suggested

The group agreed to that and returned all their Pokemon to their pokeballs. They then ran after the pack of Houndour as fast as they could. Pikachu had gotten the scent of the Houndour by now, and it followed their smell as it led the group deeper in the woods. They had those Houndour on the run. If they could track them down, they may be able to find all the things that had been stolen.

* * *

A lone Houndour was in a heap of trouble at the moment. A Graveler was attacking it, and it was losing pretty badly. It only made things worse because it was injured and very sick. If it was feeling at its best, it could simply retreat if it was losing, but it felt too weak to move. The lone Houndour panted heavily as Graveler came towards it for a Rollout.

It barely managed to scoot itself out of the way, and the Graveler rolled past it. The Houndour tried a Flamethrower, but all that came out were a few small embers. The Graveler casually brushed the embers off before it charged once more at the Houndour. The dark Pokemon shut its eyes and gave another distressed howl. This appeared to be it.

Luckily, its pleas appeared to be answered as a Flamethrower suddenly shot in front of the Graveler. Both Graveler and the Houndour looked up and saw the pack of Houndour above them. They were all snarling down at the Graveler who dared harm their friend. The sick Houndour let out a tired smile before it collapsed in exhaustion.

The pack of Houndour jumped off the ledge and stood protectively around their friend. The leader then gave a bark and a growl at the Graveler, wanting to make it quite clear that Graveler needed to back off. The rock Pokemon stood its ground, however, and took a step forward. The leader narrowed its eyes at this and took a step forward, too. It was still a little injured from its battle against the Pikachu, but it had to protect its pack.

Around this time, the group emerged from the woods, and they spotted all of the Houndour and the Graveler down below the ledge. They then noticed the pack standing around one of their own and realized this was why they had run off. They must've heard the cries of another member of their pack. There was something definitely wrong with it.

"Hey, guys! Look! There are our backpacks!" Serena exclaimed.

"And all the other stolen items, too," Brock noted.

They then took another look at the collapsed Houndour and then at their things again. A look of understanding crossed their faces, and they felt pity for the Houndour pack. So this was why a lot things, particularly food and comfortable items were stolen.

"Now I see," Ash muttered. "The Houndour only stole that stuff so they could help their friend."

"It almost makes us look like the bad guys for trying to stop them," Brock frowned.

The group gasped as they saw the fight break out between the Graveler and the lead Houndour. The leader was shooting several Flamethrowers at the Graveler, but the rock Pokemon's solid body easily resisted the heat. Graveler then let out a cry and rolled straight towards Houndour. The leader leaped out of the way, but it landed rather hard on its hind legs. The dark Pokemon grimaced at that. The battle with the Pikachu had more effect on it than it thought.

"Great. Now that I've battled with it, Houndour's too tired to fend off the Graveler," Ash said.

These Houndour had been pretty terrible before, but they didn't deserve this. They were only trying to help their friend. They also knew fire attacks wouldn't work against a Graveler. If they couldn't get the Graveler to go away, they would be in serious trouble, especially with two of their members in bad shape. Ash and Pikachu both took a step forward, and before the group could react, they skidded down the ledge.

"Ash!" Serena called.

"We'll be fine!" Ash yelled back once he reached the ground.

Once he and Pikachu landed on the ground, it drew the attention of all the Pokemon before them. The pack of Houndour, especially the leader had a look of surprise while the Graveler narrowed it eyes. Ash's eyes then widened when he saw the leader stumble a little. It was in no shape to battle the Graveler, and it was his fault. The Graveler then turned back to the Houndour leader to resume the battle, but Ash wouldn't give it that chance.

"Watch out!" Ash cried as he ran forward and grabbed Houndour and pushed it out of the way. He then looked at the lead Houndour to check on it. "Are you okay?

The lead Houndour didn't answer and just stared at Ash. Why on Earth did he just save it?

"Look out, Ash. Graveler's coming back!" Serena cried

"Oh no, you don't! Chikorita! I choose you!" Ash yelled as he jumped to his feet. "Use Razor Leaf on Graveler!"

The leaf Pokemon appeared from the pokeball. It wanted to cuddle Ash, but once it saw the Graveler in front of it, its face grew serious. It then swung the large leaf on its head. Several sharp leaves shot out from it and struck the Graveler dead on. It cried in pain from the surprise attack before it turned around and rolled away. Staying here to fight simply wasn't worth it.

Chikorita then turned around and snuggled Ash's leg, and the raven-haired boy smiled nervously before he returned it to its pokeball. By that time, Serena, Brock, and Misty had made it down the ledge, too, and they all looked at the pack of Houndour in front of them.

It was a little hard to tell what the pack was thinking. Sure. They may have just helped them out of some trouble, but that did little for the Houndour as they still considered the humans in front of them as enemies. They were all glaring at the group and looked rather wary.

The leader looked the most wary and was frowning. It had its eyes fixed solely on Ash. It was probably waiting to see what their first move was before it made one. Despite this, the group never broke eye contact. Ash decided to try to do the speaking first.

"Look, Houndour. I think we all got off on the wrong foot. Your friend seems to be really hurt. Can we take a look at it?" Ash requested.

The pack of Houndour growled and formed a circle around the sick one. They then lowered their heads and prepared to attack if necessary. There was no way they were going to let these humans get close to one of their own when it wasn't feeling well. The leader, however, did nothing and merely watched the group.

"Please. We just want to help it. You'll need to trust us," Ash pleaded.

Despite that, the Houndour still didn't move an inch. They still had the same firm gazes at the group, as if daring them to get any closer. The leader looked back and forth between its sick friend and the group. If it recalled, it did smell the faint bit of medicine from their backpacks when it took them.

Ash then turned and looked straight into the eyes of the leader. Unlike last time when there was challenge in Ash's eyes, here they looked sincere. The Houndour leader took notice of this, and it once more looked back at its friend and then to Ash again. There was no hostility. Could it really trust these humans? One thing was certain, Houndour knew that despite their efforts, their friend wasn't getting any better. Could these humans do something they couldn't?

"Please," Ash pleaded again.

At last, the lead Houndour relented. It gave a short bark to the rest of the pack, and they nodded and backed off. Ash gave the lead Houndour a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Houndour," Ash said, to which it nodded in response.

Brock went over to the sick Houndour and inspected it while Serena ran to their backpacks to retrieve the medicine. Brock then rose his eyebrows when he discovered the source of the problem. There was a rather large gash on the Houndour's left hind leg. By that time, Serena returned with the medicine, and she handed it to Brock. The Pokemon breeder's frown deepened as he inspected the wound more and more.

"How is it, Brock?" Misty asked once she and the others saw his expression.

"The wound isn't deep, but it's starting to show signs of infection," Brock said seriously before he placed his hand on the Houndour's forehead and gasped. "It's burning up with fever!"

Upon hearing this, the group, as well as the Houndour, looked very worried. The pack of Houndour made small whimpers that their friend was worse off than they thought. What were they supposed to do now? Ash looked in pity at the Houndour. They were really scary at first, but they were extremely loyal to their friends.

"Okay. I'm going to spray this on your leg, Houndour," Brock told it. "I know it's going to sting, but it'll make you feel better."

A couple of the Houndour immediately ran up to Brock and started to bark at him. The Pokemon breeder gave a nervous cry and dropped the medicine on the ground. He then took a deep breath to collect himself before he picked it back up. Ash looked at the Houndour leader once more.

"It's okay. Let him do it," Ash said.

The Houndour leader nodded and jerked its head away from its friend. The Houndour who were barking at Brock understood and stepped back to allow him to provide the treatment. Brock sprayed the disinfectant over the wound, and as expected, the sick Houndour began to whimper from the stinging pain. The Houndour growled at seeing their friend hurting, but Ash gave them all reassuring looks.

"Just chill out. It's only to help it," Ash asserted.

"I hate to say it, but we need to take this Houndour to Nurse Joy and fast!" Brock said.

"Alright," Ash nodded before he turned to the Houndour. "Listen up, guys. Your friend is in really bad shape. The only way to make it better is if we take it with us to Nurse Joy. Only she can help it."

The lead Houndour said nothing and merely stared at Ash.

"Please, Houndour. Just trust me," Ash said.

At last, Houndour nodded. These humans did seem genuinely concerned for its comrade. They certainly weren't trying to hurt it. The lead Houndour knew that they had tried everything they could to make it better, but their efforts failed. Their sick friend's fate had to be left up to the humans.

"Thank you, Houndour! You do understand!" Ash said brightly as he picked up the sick one.

"You're going to carry Houndour on your back, Ash?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah. It's okay, though. I can do it," Ash replied.

Just before the group left, the lead Houndour made another short bark. The group stopped in their tracks and looked strangely at Houndour. Didn't it just approve of them to go? Did it change its mind?

That proved to not be the case, however. The Houndour pack all stood beside the group, and the leader turned around before it looked back towards the group. It then made a few short barks at them, but they weren't menacing. Ash's eyes lit up in understanding.

"I get it. You want to come with us, right?" Ash figured.

The lead Houndour nodded.

"That's fine. Let's go," Ash said as they set off.

The group ran as fast as they could to the Pokemon Center. It was actually a good thing the Houndour were coming with them. They knew the shortest route to the town since they knew the woods so well. The group was able to reach the Pokemon Center in only ten minutes.

The group and the lead Houndour ran inside the Pokemon Center while the rest of the pack waited outside. Nurse Joy seemed initially startled, but that was until she saw the Houndour on Ash's back.

"Nurse Joy! This Houndour's really sick and needs help now!" Ash pleaded.

Nurse Joy put her hands on Houndour's head and gasped like Brock had done earlier. "Oh my! Its fever is very high! We need to act fast! Get it on the stretcher!"

Ash obliged and placed the sick Houndour on the stretcher, and both Nurse Joy and Chansey hurried off before they disappeared in the emergency room. The group sighed. Now all they could really do was wait. They went and sat down on some of the nearby couches, and to their surprise, the lead Houndour followed them.

Ash and Serena had sat down on the largest sofa with Pikachu in Ash's lap and Togepi in Serena's lap. Brock and Misty sat in the chairs across from them. Houndour occupied a spot on the floor right next to Ash and sat down. The group noted how serious the Houndour was as it sat. It was almost like it was at attention rather than simply relaxing. One was such the attitude of a leader of a pack, they assumed.

"You aren't going to go wait with your pack?" Ash asked.

The Houndour shook its head. It was going to remain right here until its friend was better. It wasn't even going to sleep until it heard good news. Ash then remembered something from earlier, and he pulled a Super Potion from his backpack and showed it to the lead Houndour.

"That reminds me. You aren't feeling one hundred percent either from when you battled Pikachu. Can I use this on you? It'll make you feel better," Ash requested.

The Houndour turned away from the emergency room to stare at Ash. So this boy had fought it and wanted to capture it earlier. Because of his injuries, it was unable to fend off a wild Graveler. Still, that same boy had saved it and showed nothing but concern for it and its pack since he discovered their sick friend. Houndour didn't know what to make of Ash. Regardless, it still nodded its head.

Ash applied the Super Potion to Houndour, and the dark Pokemon could already feel itself being refreshed. By the time, Ash was done, the pack leader gave a stretch before did something that surprised everyone. It licked Ash's hand.

Ash was startled, but he quickly relaxed so as not to upset Houndour. "So I guess you feel a lot better, huh?" he asked before he added, "Just like your friend will."

The Houndour sighed and turned back to the emergency room. It sure hoped so. It wasn't just because it was a member of its pack, either. The sick Houndour was actually second in command among them. It had been with the pack the longest out of any of them and was to become the leader one day. The current Houndour leader was actually planning on stepping down and allowing its friend to take over until it got sick.

"Pika. Pikachu?" Pikachu asked Houndour.

The Houndour let out a few soft growls in response. Pikachu got a surprised look on its face and turned back to Ash.

"What's up, Pikachu?" he asked.

"Piiiika," Pikachu replied and made a few hand motions. Ash was used to how Pikachu communicated by now so he was able to understand it.

"So that Houndour in the emergency room has been with the pack the longest, huh?" Ash figured.

"Pika," Pikachu replied and received a nod from Houndour for confirmation.

"I'm a little impressed at how well you're starting to understand Pikachu, Ash," Brock noted.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"It's almost like you can understand your Pokemon as if they were talking in our language," Brock replied before he lowered his voice, "Even without your aura."

Ash thought about what Brock said and realized he was right. He had been with Pikachu so long that he kind of just knew what his buddy was saying despite not understanding the words. It was pretty interesting. Ash supposed that's just what came from being with Pikachu so long. Ash then reached down and absently rubbed Houndour's head. Surprisingly, the lead Houndour didn't pull away.

"It also seems like Houndour likes you now, Ash. It's even letting you pet it. I think you like it, too," Misty commented.

Ash looked down towards the Houndour. It wasn't looking at Ash while he rubbed its head. It still had its eyes fixed on the emergency room. Ash could tell that Houndour still enjoyed Ash rubbing its head, though.

"Heh. Well of course! Any Pokemon that is as great and loyal as this Houndour is a friend to me!" Ash smiled.

The lead Houndour finally looked up at Ash in surprise. So this boy didn't consider it an enemy anymore, but a friend? Well, they had warmed up to each other considerably recently. The Houndour felt a little confused, though, as it thought it might like Ash, too. Before, it was a proud pack leader who tried to avoid humans, but these ones were pretty okay, after all. The raven-haired boy was also a skilled battler to best it in combat and chase away the Graveler, after all. He even healed its own injuries. Houndour actually found itself respecting Ash a little more than it thought it would.

About ten minutes later, Nurse Joy and Chansey appeared from the emergency room. The group and the lead Houndour ran towards Nurse Joy to hear the news. To their great relief, the Pokemon nurse was smiling.

"Great news! The fever has broken. Houndour will be just fine by tomorrow morning," she told them.

"Alright!" Ash cheered. "That's great, isn't Houndour?!"

The Houndour nodded in agreement. It then even surprised itself when it realized it was smiling at Ash. It recalled never smiling at humans before.

"It's so great that you care a lot about your friends, Houndour," Serena said.

The lead Houndour then turned and ran outside the Pokemon Center doors to tell its awaiting pack the news. The group followed it through the glass doors and saw the lead Houndour barking happily at its pack. In response to this, the Houndour circled the group and sprang at them. It wasn't malicious, though. The group found themselves being licked by the whole Houndour pack! They laughed at how affectionate the Houndour were being and how much their licks tickled.

"Haha! I guess taking a licking like this from Houndour is okay!" Ash laughed.

"Yeah!" Brock agreed as he was getting licked almost as much as Ash.

The Houndour leader watched the display in amusement. Everything was going to be just fine now thanks to the humans' efforts. They were pretty okay. Houndour then found itself at a crossroads. It had been wondering what it was going to do once it accepted its friend as the new Houndour pack leader. It supposed it would just be another part of the pack, but now, Houndour thought it might have a better option.

* * *

It was the next morning at the Pokemon Center, and the once sick Houndour was brought out on the recovery table and looked as good as new. It leaped down, and it was greeted by all its friends who licked it in happiness. The Houndour growled in delight at the affection while the group watched. It turned out these Houndour were actually very sweet when it came down to it.

"I think I have something to celebrate," Brock smiled as he held out a bowl of food to the once sick Houndour. "Try some of my specially-made pokefood!"

The Houndour took a sniff before it smiled and began to dig into Brock's food. The group chuckled as they hadn't met a single Pokemon yet who didn't like Brock's cooking. Ash and the lead Houndour unknowingly found themselves smiling at each other again.

Once it was done, the group thanked Nurse Joy and walked outside with the Houndour pack. They then turned to them and gave them a sad smile. It was always a little hard to leave new friends behind.

"Hey guys. We're really glad everything is okay, but I guess we need to get a move on," Ash told them.

The group was expecting a nod from the Houndour, but instead, the leader gave a short bark at Ash. The raven-haired boy gave an inquisitive look as Houndour walked up to him before it sat down and wagged its tail. Ash's eyes widened. Was this Houndour actually doing what he thought it was doing?

"If I'm not mistaken, Ash, I think Houndour wants to come along with you," Brock suggested.

"Really?" Ash questioned as he turned to the Houndour. "But what about you pack?"

At that, the lead Houndour turned around and gave a short bark at the Houndour who had once been sick. The pack member's eyes widened in surprise at it stared at its leader. The leader wanted it to become the new head of the pack? The leader then gave a few more reassuring barks to assure it that it knew its chosen successor would do a fine job at leading the others. The other Houndour members drooped a little as they didn't want their leader to go.

Despite this, the leader gave another short bark which snapped them back at attention. They would be just fine without it. They had a more than capable leader with them. When it wasn't sick, that Houndour had excellent leadership qualities. The Houndour leader had absolutely no worries. It then turned back to Ash.

"I see. So you were planning on letting that Houndour become the leader soon, anyway. When you come with me, it gives you another reason," Ash figured.

"So what do you think, Ash? I think Houndour would be a great addition to your team," Serena added.

Ash and the Houndour stared back one another as Ash decided. This Houndour was probably very powerful, and he still didn't have a dark-type Pokemon on his team yet. Not to mention, the fire attacks Houndour knew were going to be very useful as well. Ash smiled as the choice was pretty clear to him and the former Houndour leader.

"Of course you can come along, Houndour! I'd love to have you!" Ash smiled.

Houndour merely nodded in response, but the group could still tell it was happy that Ash chose to take it along. It would show itself to be an invaluable member of Ash's team just as it was a pack leader. The raven-haired boy took out another spare pokeball and showed it to Houndour. The leader then gave a final nod to show it was ready and willing to go through with this. Ash then tossed the pokeball at Houndour, and it made no effort to move. The pokeball sucked in Houndour, and the ball immediately _dinged_ to show his new capture.

Once that happened, the Houndour pack gave a few small whines before they walked over to the pokeball now containing their former leader. They gave a quick sniff to the pokeball before they began to lick it sadly. Ash wasn't going to let them say goodbye like that, though. He picked up the pokeball and released the new member of his team.

The former Houndour leader appeared from its pokeball, and the pack made a few sad growls before they began howling up at the sky. Understanding what they were doing, the former lead Houndour joined in with them and howled, too. The group watched with a small smile on their face. It seemed the Houndour pack wanted to send their former leader off with well wishes and a final pack howl at the sky. It was a little touching.

Ash knew they were trusting him to take great care of their leader, and he wasn't about to let to let them down. They would make a great team, just as Houndour did with its friends. As Ash watched the Houndour howl, he was reminded of all the great friends he had in his girlfriend, Serena, and Brock, Misty, Leaf, and even Gary. Should he try to call the Oak boy on his Pokegear and ask what's up, or was it still too soon? Regardless, Ash was feeling a lot better about the incident now. He was confident that he and Gary would come to understanding and be able to fix everything.

* * *

 **Ash gets another fire type to his team! I always thought he should've captured Houndour myself. Still, with another fire type on his team that is capable of using fire attacks efficiently, how does that make Cyndaquil feel? Well, it gets motivated, of course, and Houndour will act as some sort of a guide to Cyndaquil to teach it use its flames properly!**

 **Another Pokemon capture is next, and it will play out quite differently in canon, as well as an interesting scene at the end. It will be out in October, obviously, but I have no idea when. It will be out when its out.**

 **Until then, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Nineteen: The Dancing Totodile**


	19. The Dancing Totodile

**A/N: Hey, everyone! Real chapter this time! We all know what happens in this chapter so read on! Also, more plot driven moments at the end so that's cool, too! Please enjoy the chapter.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: The Dancing Totodile

It had been a couple days since the group had left the small town and Ash had caught his Houndour. Since then, the trail they used had taken them along the ocean. They knew that they were slowly but surely getting to Goldenrod City as that city was right by the ocean, too. There wasn't really a beach through this area, however, and it was mostly wooded and quite rural. There was nothing exotic for them to do, but that did little to discourage a certain member of the group who saw this as a perfect opportunity.

"Great! This will be the perfect spot for fishing!" Misty squealed in delight.

"What makes you say that? We've crossed several lakes since we've been in Johto," Ash wondered.

"Come on, Ash! This is actually the ocean! Without anybody around, I bet there are some great Pokemon out there! You have no idea how much I've been dying to get one of Johto's water Pokemon since we got here!" Misty exclaimed.

"Well, that is a fair point," Brock mused.

"Can we set up camp here, please? Not only will I get the opportunity to fish, but we'll all be able to have an opportunity to get new Pokemon! We can even use the special lure balls Kurt got for us!" Misty pleaded.

The rest of the group really couldn't argue with the logic in that. This place wasn't exactly made for picnics or camping due to all the trees, but it was an ideal place for them to fish. They could surely make do with what they had. It would be fine to stay here the rest of the day.

"Alright. Sounds good to me," Ash shrugged.

"Me, too," Serena added.

"I bet I can get a good fire going here, and we could set up our tents in the sand," Brock figured as he looked around.

"Yes!" Misty cheered and literally leaped for joy.

"Okay. I'll go ahead and start to set up things. I'll get out the tents," Brock said as he set down the backpack. "Ash, can you get the fire started with some of the purifying charcoal? Serena, can you get out the utensils for when we cook? Misty, can you…Misty?"

As Brock looked, he could see that Misty was right in front of the water and already digging through her backpack. She gleefully pulled out a fishing pole before she baited it and cast it into the ocean. She then turned her back to the group and sat down to patiently wait for her first bite. The group shrugged at that. They could let her fish.

"Never mind. I'll take care of the bedding," Brock chuckled.

The rest of the group figured this was also a good time to release all of their Pokemon. Ash released Houndour, Cyndaquil, Chikorita, Noctowl, and Heracross. Serena released Fennekin, Cubone, Smeargle, Mareep, Charla, and Poliwag. Brock released Onix, Vulpix, Stantler, Golbat, Kabuto, and Pineco. Unfortunately, as soon as Pineco was released, it glowed white which signaled it was about to explode.

"Aaaahhh! No, Pineco!" Brock cried and immediately returned it to his pokeball just in time.

Ash and Serena sighed. That had been another close call. Was Pineco going to try that every time it came out of its pokeball?

"Man, Brock. That Pineco's a living grenade," Ash muttered.

"I'm worried one day we actually won't see the explosion coming, and it'll get us," Serena grimaced.

"Don't worry, guys. I've got Pineco covered. We'll be good in no time," Brock smiled as he held up Pineco's pokeball.

Meanwhile, Chikorita had run up to Ash in an attempt to snuggle against his leg. However, it found an unforeseen obstacle in its way, and it wasn't Pikachu or Togepi this time. It was Ash's newest member to his team, Houndour. The dark Pokemon was blocking Chikorita's path and was glaring at it. Houndour decided to be very protective of Ash, and the way Chikorita was running over to Ash didn't agree with it.

Chikorita glared back at Houndour, and the two ended up in a staring contest. They were both tough-natured and unwilling to back down. Finally, Chikorita had enough and attempted to go around Houndour, but the dark Pokemon simply side-stepped in the way. Chikorita then attempted to go the other way, but Houndour stood in its way again.

"Chika! Chika!" Chikorita said angrily.

Houndour growled back in response. It must've said something to insult Chikorita, as the leaf Pokemon looked offended. It then looked like it was about to cry and made a small whimpering noise at Ash to get his attention.

Ash turned towards the two Pokemon, and he sighed. Though he was thankful that his new Houndour was being loyal and wanted to protect him, he knew Chikorita wasn't meaning any harm. He gave a smile to both of them.

"It's okay, Houndour. Chikorita can come over to me if it wants," Ash told it, to Chikorita's delight.

Houndour seemed to find that acceptable as it nodded to Chikorita and stood aside to let it pass. Everything would've been okay had Chikorita not stuck its tongue out to Houndour as it passed. It then began to snuggle against Ash's leg and pretended Houndour wasn't even there. The former pack leader widened its eyes in response to that and looked quite angry, but it was soon patted on the back by Pikachu who reassured Houndour that was just how Chikorita was...like a spoiled teenage girl.

Ash had to agree. He definitely had a lot of training to do with his Johto Pokemon, especially Chikorita and its attitude.

The group then heard an excited cry from Misty and glanced over. The redhead was grinning ear to ear and pulling on her fishing rod frantically.

"I've got something!" Misty exclaimed.

The group ran over to Misty to see what it was she had caught. Whatever it was, it was pulling on the rod rather forcefully. Misty got a determined smile on her face as she reeled harder. She then stood up to give more resistance against the Pokemon she caught.

"So you're a tough guy, are you? Well, you aren't getting away from me!" Misty yelled before she gave an extra hard yank on the fishing rod.

A fish-like Pokemon sprung out of the water after that. Misty dropped the rod due to the force, but that was okay. The extra hard tug Misty gave caused the Pokemon to go clear past the water's edge and start a downward fall towards the ground. However, this Pokemon wasn't about to land on the sand so it latched on to the closest thing it could find with its sharp teeth. Unfortunately, that was Misty's right index finger.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" Misty screamed as the Pokemon bit down on her finger, and she began flailing around.

Ash, Serena, and Brock now had a clear view of the Pokemon Misty had caught. It was a light blue fish-like Pokemon with saucer eyes. If one looked closer, it almost seemed to be the same shape as a revolver.

"I wonder what that is," Ash said as he and Serena took out their national dexes.

"Remoraid, the jet Pokemon. This Pokemon has superb accuracy and can even shoot moving prey from a distance of three hundred feet," said the machines.

"That sounds like a pretty neat capture, Misty," Ash commented.

"Well, don't just stand there! Get it off of me! Look at your pokedexes later!" Misty cried.

"How?" Ash asked stupidly.

"Use your Pokemon! What else!?" Misty shouted.

"But if I use Pikachu, you'll get shocked, too, and…," Ash began.

"Uggghhh!" Misty groaned loudly.

Then to everyone's surprise, Misty began slamming the Remoraid on the ground as hard as she could in an effort to get it to let go of her finger. She was beating it against the sand back and forth, and the others could do nothing but watch. They just stood there, dumbfounded, as Misty beat the Remoraid senseless. After about fifteen seconds, the Remoraid finally released Misty's finger and fell lifeless to the ground. Brock went over to the Remoraid and moved it with his foot to see if it was still alive. Thankfully, it was.

"Misty used Slam attack, and it was super effective," Ash joked.

Misty glared at Ash but said nothing as she tended to her finger. There were four neat, pin shaped teeth marks on her finger that were dripping blood. She habitually put her finger in her mouth because of the pain before she promptly took it out and spit on the ground in disgust.

"Gross! I can't believe I did that! I had fish mouth on my finger!" Misty cried.

Ash and Serena couldn't hold their laughter any longer, and they cracked up, especially Ash. Even some of the Pokemon were laughing. Brock was a little more sympathetic, and he went to retrieve a small rag and some soap so Misty could wipe off her finger. Misty face turned as red as her hair as she glowered at Ash and Serena.

"Something funny?" she asked dangerously.

"Yeah! You!" Ash answered through his laughing, not taking the hint.

Misty looked like she was about to strangle Ash, but thankfully Brock stepped in and handed the rag and soap to Misty. The redhead instead turned away from Ash and put the soap on her finger before she wiped it with a rag. Thankfully, the puncture marks on Misty's finger weren't too deep so it was just fine after she wiped it. She then went over and stood over Remoraid with her hands on her hips.

About that time, Remoraid was coming to, and it groggily opened it eyes and looked up, and the sight terrified it beyond belief. It looked like an evil demon bent on revenge was staring down at it. All Remoraid could see was a red, fiery background. If anything, Remoraid thought its life was about to end when it saw Misty's face. Poor Pokemon. It knew not what it did.

"Soooo…are you going to capture that Remoraid or not?" Ash asked after a moment, in hopes Misty would spare Remoraid's life.

"Oh? Catch? Of course! I almost forgot!" Misty giggled, her anger evaporating.

The others sighed in relief. Even Remoraid sighed in relief. Being captured by this scary girl was a lot better than being killed by her. It would willingly let itself be captured to at least get on its soon to be trainer's good side. It didn't even try to get away back to the safety of the water.

Misty then took out one of her pokeballs and threw it at the Remoraid. The ball connected, and Remoraid was sucked inside. The pokeball immediately _dinged_ to show no resistance was given by the jet Pokemon. Misty smiled and picked up her new capture.

"Alright! I caught a Remoraid!" she said gleefully and momentarily felt Goldeen's pokeball teleport away.

"Great. Let's hope it doesn't spend the rest of its life afraid of you. Remoraid probably thinks you only captured it so you could kill it later," Ash muttered.

"Fine. I'll let it rest up and make it feel better later. Maybe I was a little harsh on it," Misty replied before she picked up her fishing rod again and walked back to the water's edge.

"You're fishing again?" Ash questioned.

"Of course. Why stop at just one? Water Pokemon are amazing, and this is the best place to get some," Misty responded with a smile.

"What if another Pokemon bites your finger?" Ash started, but he stopped when he saw Misty's glare. "Never mind."

Misty was about to cast her line, but she stopped for a moment and appeared to briefly think. She then hastily ran over to her backpack and pulled out her special lure, the Misty lure. The group raised their eyebrows at that. It had been a while since they saw that thing. Misty must've been serious if she was deciding to use it.

"I bet I'll catch something really awesome!" Misty grinned as she attached the lure.

"She would have to. It would scare all the normal Pokemon away," Ash whispered to Serena, which caused her to giggle and Brock to frown.

"That'll do, Ash," Brock said, but not loud enough for Misty to hear. The Pokemon breeder than decided it was a good idea to groom his Pokemon and went to do just that.

Ash then shrugged his shoulders and believed Brock was right. Misty was making an honest effort to try to catch some Pokemon so he shouldn't tease her about it. He had caught some Pokemon recently, but he could still follow her example. He and Pikachu walked over to a nearby rock and sat down on it. Ash then pulled out his national dex and began to scan through it.

"What are you doing, Ash?" Serena questioned as she came over and sat down next to him.

"I'm just checking out what kind of Pokemon are in this area to catch. You and Leaf both told me that if I use this more often, it'll help," Ash replied.

Serena smiled at that. She then decided to do the exact same thing he was doing. Serena pulled out her own national dex and began to scan it, too. Despite them taking the initiative to look through the national dex, it was proving rather fruitless. There was nothing particularly rare in this area. Several Hoothoot, Pidgey, and Ratatta were in this area. Drowzee were rare but also lived in the area. However, Ash and Serena had a particularly bad experience with one in Celedon City a while back and didn't really want one.

"You know, maybe we should go fishing just like Misty is. We could probably get some great water Pokemon. Misty just caught a Remoraid, after all," Serena spoke up.

"Yeah. I was thinking that, too," Ash replied as he shut his national dex and looked at Pikachu. "You wanna fish, buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded excitedly.

Ash and Serena then looked around to make sure all of their Pokemon were okay before they fished. They appeared to be doing their own thing. Mareep was running around like crazy, but it was staying well away from Fennekin and Smeargle, who were painting. Poliwag had a devious look on its face as it watched Fennekin and Smeargle. It was almost like Poliwag was using the move Nasty Plot, if it could even learn it. A look from Serena, however, quickly squashed Poliwag's likely devious plan. Charla, Cubone, and Houndour were playing with Togepi. Cyndaquil and Noctowl were napping. Heracross was sniffing around for some trees to get sap from, and…where was Chikorita?

"Chikorita?" Ash questioned and even looked down towards his leg just make sure Chikorita hadn't sneaked over to him.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu said with a deadpan expression and pointed behind the rock.

Both Ash and Serena looked and found Chikorita behind the rock, whistling innocently. Both Ash, and especially Serena frowned. Something was telling the honey-blonde girl that Chikorita was going to play some sort of prank on her when she didn't expect it. Ash frowned and gave Chikorita a suspicious look.

"You weren't planning on doing something to Serena, were you, Chikorita?" Ash asked seriously.

Chikorita shook its head back and forth. It would never! Chikorita then saw Pikachu still giving it a deadpan expression and blushed in embarrassment. It wasn't caught red-handed, but they still knew that was up to something. Ash could do nothing but sigh at his Chikorita.

"What am I gonna do with you?" Ash said with a shake of his head before he added. "You know, Chikorita. Serena's a really great person. You two should try to be friends. Serena likes you. You can like her back."

Chikorita got sad look on its face that Ash was scolding it before it turned away. Why would it want to be friends with its rival for its trainer's affection? If only it wasn't so naïve to know something like that would never work and that it was losing a battle from the start. The leaf Pokemon then felt Ash's hand stroking it, and it turned to look at him.

"I only want what's best for you, Chikorita. I think it would be a lot easier on everyone, including you, if you at least tried to get along with Serena," Ash told it.

Chikorita thought about what Ash said. Chikorita knew it was making an active effort to dislike Serena as much as possible, but was it worth it? The leaf Pokemon then spread its mouth wide and gave Serena an extremely cheesy grin. Serena smiled back and reached forward to stroke Chikorita, but the leaf Pokemon immediately scooted back out of her reach. Both Ash and Serena sighed. At least it was a start.

"Alright, Chikorita. Just keep working at it. I'm sure once you get to know her, you'll love her just as much as I do," Ash said with a thumbs up.

Chikorita got a somewhat annoyed look on its face. It wasn't likely, but whatever. It then ran off to do its own thing, and Ash noticed Serena looking a little down. He then placed his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it soothingly.

"Don't worry, Serena. I'm sure Chikorita will come around," he told her.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena replied with a small smile before she lightly kissed him on the cheek.

"Oh my goodness! A Totodile! My Misty lure worked!" Misty suddenly exclaimed from the shoreline.

That immediately got everyone's attention. Ash especially perked up at that bit of information as he and Serena stood up from the rock and looked towards where Misty was pointing. Sure enough, a Totodile was standing on a rock that was jutting out of the water. It had a line coming from its mouth which showed it had bitten the Misty lure.

"Awesome! I'd like to try to capture a Totodile myself! When I saw Marina get one at the lab, I just knew I had to get one for myself, too!" Ash commented.

"Sorry, Ash, but this Totodile is fixing to be mine!" Misty smiled until the Totodile did something unexpected. It spit out the Misty lure.

"Huh? What's wrong, Totodile? Why did you spit out my lure?" Misty asked in confusion.

Totodile didn't reply and instead started doing something else unexpected. It began to dance merrily. It would do a few hops on one foot before it would switch to the other. It then did a final leap in the air before it struck a pose. Ash and Serena smiled at the happy Pokemon while Misty seemed to get hearts in her eyes.

"That Totodile and its dance are so adorable! It was dancing just for me!" Misty squealed in delight.

"I don't know, Misty. It did spit out your Misty lure," Ash muttered.

"A minor setback, but I'm sure we can still be good friends, right Totodile?" Misty asked it.

Totodile winked at Misty in response and began to dance again.

"Did you see how it winked at me?! Totodile's such a cutie!" Misty beamed.

"She's acting like Leaf, right now, with how much she's going on about how cute it is," Serena whispered to Ash.

Ash nodded before a thought occurred to him. Misty had already caught a Remoraid today, and he hadn't caught a water Pokemon since Lapras. He could really use a cool-looking Totodile like this for his team. Ash then decided he would also try to capture this Totodile for himself. He and Pikachu then ran to the edge of the water.

"What are you doing, Ash?" Misty asked in surprise.

"I'm going to try to capture that Totodile. It spit out your Misty lure so I'll try now!" Ash responded in determination.

"Ugh…fine," Misty sighed and stood back.

Ash then pointed his index finger forward. "Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu then nodded and unleashed a stream of electricity at Totodile. It surged forward and struck the Totodile, who was too busy dancing to notice the attack coming. Totodile cried out in pain at the super effective attack. Ash frowned a little that he was harming such a happy guy like this, but it was part of capturing a Pokemon. He then pulled out a spare pokeball.

"Pokeball, go!" he shouted.

The pokeball sailed forward and connected with Totodile before it was sucked in. The ball then fell on the rock and began to shake back and forth. Ash, Serena, and Misty watched in anticipation at the possible capture, and even Brock had come over from grooming his Pokemon to see if Ash would capture it. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. The pokeball opened up and Totodile appeared back out. It then began dancing again as soon as it was out.

"Man…," Ash muttered once he saw the display.

"Well, we both failed to capture the Totodile so now what?" Misty wondered.

"Do you want to try to take a crack it, Serena?" Ash questioned as he turned to look at her.

Serena was about to decline, but she figured it would be rather interesting to have such a happy Totodile on her team. This little guy loved to dance, and it would be perfect for her performances. Before she could give her answer that she wanted to try to do so, both Ash and Misty gasped.

"Totodile's running away!" they both shouted.

Sure enough, Totodile had dived back in the water and was swimming away from them. Both Ash and Misty weren't going to let it get away that easily, however. They and Pikachu both chased after it so they wouldn't lose it. Serena then gave a nervous smile to Brock who chuckled back.

"Did you want to try to get Totodile, too?" Brock asked.

"I did, but I think those two may want it more. I'm sure I'll be able to get another Pokemon that would be great for my performances soon," Serena giggled.

"Way to be the better person," Brock commended and placed his hand on Serena's shoulder.

"I think we better follow them," Serena suggested.

"Why don't you do that? I've got to finish grooming my Pokemon, and I'll look after all of your Pokemon, too. I'll be fine," Brock responded.

"Do you think they'll be okay both competing to get Totodile?" Serena asked worriedly.

"I think so. Both Ash and Misty aren't as immature as they used to be. I'm sure they'll find a way to settle this and be happy with whoever captures it," Brock replied.

Serena nodded her head and left to find Ash and Misty. Brock nodded his head as he turned back and saw Togepi standing a little too close to the fire. He hurried over and grabbed Togepi so it wouldn't accidentally get burned.

Brock then sighed in relief before he looked around and saw exactly how many Pokemon he was in charge of looking after right now. Maybe Ash's Noctowl or Serena's Charla could help. Still, some of these Pokemon were well behaved while others…not so much. Brock knew he wasn't about to be getting any work done since was looking after so many Pokemon. He was a Pokemon breeder, but this was a little extreme. Brock really hoped Ash, Misty, and Serena would be back soon.

" _Oh, boy,"_ Brock thought.

* * *

Ash and Misty had managed to chase the Totodile along the shore and spotted it get about fifty yards in front of them. Misty was getting a little tired from running, but Ash was still going to strong. He continued running while Misty struggled to keep up.

"Come on, Ash. You're in better shape," Misty complained.

"You snooze! You lose, Misty!" Ash smirked.

Misty frowned but said nothing in response. Just because Ash was faster than her didn't mean she was out of getting the Totodile just yet. She still had Kurt's special lure ball. The Totodile seemed to spot Misty and Ash still coming after as it looked over and waved at them before it started dancing. The two weren't quite sure if it was just being friendly or if it was taunting them. Regardless, they were still determined to capture it.

They finally made over and stood in front of the Totodile who continued to dance. It almost seemed to enjoy the chase. Both and Misty smiled back, and they both took out lure balls. Misty was secretly hoping Ash would've forgotten about the special pokeballs but apparently not. Oh well. Ash and Misty turned to look at each other.

"Well, Ash. The Totodile's right in front of us and we both have lure balls. I guess it's just whoever gets to Totodile first," Misty said.

"Yeah," Ash agreed.

Totodile knew what was coming, and it tried to run away. It did a flip in the air and dove behind some bushes just as Ash and Misty threw their pokeballs. For a while, both Ash and Misty were afraid that they had missed the Totodile entirely, but that wasn't the case. They soon saw the bright, white, light indicating that a capture was made, and they hurried over. Serena happened to catch up at that very moment, and she went over with them.

The three peaked behind the bushes, and saw one of the two lure balls wiggling back and forth. It was only a moment before it _dinged_ , which completed the capture. Both Ash and Misty smiled for a moment before they both jumped for joy in the air.

"Alright. I got the Totodile!" they both cheered.

It was then they seemed to realize what they said. They stopped smiling and stared at each other and then back at the lure ball that captured Totodile and then back at each other. They soon realized that they had a very big problem. While it was true one of their lure balls had captured Totodile, because it was behind the bushes, they didn't see which one caught it. They had no idea whose lure ball that was.

"Oh. Uhhh…which of ours is it?" Ash mumbled.

"I don't know. It was the one on the left that caught Totodile. I think I was to the left of you when we threw the lure balls," Misty reasoned.

"Yeah, but they also seemed to cross just as they went through the bushes so it could easily still be mine," Ash countered.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu sighed as it sensed an impeding argument.

"So what are you going to do now?" Serena wondered.

Both Ash and Misty thought about that and folded their arms. This was a very difficult decision indeed. They could easily fight about it play tug-a-war and argue all day about which one was theirs. The two weren't going to do that, though, as it would solve nothing, and they would only get angry with each other. What to do? Thankfully, Serena seemed to come up with something.

"I think I figured out a good way!" Serena spoke up.

"A Pokemon battle?" Ash questioned, voicing what Misty thought she was going to say, too.

"Not exactly," Serena answered as she went over and picked up the lure ball containing Totodile. "This Totodile is cute, and I'm sure it's smart enough to know what it wants. Why don't we let it choose who it wants to be with?"

Both Ash and Misty exchanged glances with each other. That seemed to be perfectly reasonable. If Totodile chose who it wanted to be with, there would be no hard feelings about who lost because it was Totodile's decision. It would just mean Totodile felt the other was a better fit for it. Ash and Misty both nodded to each other and looked at Serena.

"Good idea, Serena," Ash agreed.

"What are we going to do, though?" Misty wondered.

"We should go back to camp first," Serena suggested as she turned around. "We did kind of leave Brock there by himself with our Pokemon."

Ash and Misty feel a little guilty about that. They did run off after Totodile without returning their Pokemon first. Poor Brock was all by himself back at the camp probably going through heck to keep all the Pokemon in order. They would probably owe him an apology when they got back and saw the chaos going on.

* * *

Surprisingly, as the group drew closer to their camp, they didn't hear a bunch of screaming and explosions. The noise level was actually very acceptable. The group soon came into the clearing, and everything was rather orderly. A few of their Pokemon were quietly playing with each other while Brock was grooming some of his other Pokemon. Charla and Noctowl were watching over to make sure nothing got out of hand. Even Mareep was…calm for its standards. Ash, Serena, and Misty were rather impressed.

"Hey, Brocko. Sorry we left all of our Pokemon here with you," Ash called out and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I guess we got a little carried away trying to catch Totodile," Misty added.

"No problem, guys. What kind of breeder would I be if I couldn't watch your Pokemon?" Brock smiled.

The group couldn't argue with that. Brock's skills as a Pokemon breeder were quite exceptional. He did win a breeder competition back in Cherrygrove City, after all. They wondered if he would compete in any future ones. Well, he definitely would if Suzy showed up again. Maybe there was another breeder competition in Goldenrod City.

"By the way, did you get Totodile?" Brock asked.

"Heh. Yeah. We got it alright," Ash replied.

"Great. Who got it?" Brock pressed.

"That's the thing. We don't know," Misty muttered.

At Brock's confused expression, Ash elaborated. "We sort of threw our lure balls behind the bushes and didn't see who really caught it."

"Ohhhh. So what are you going to do now?" Brock wondered.

"We've decided to let Totodile decide who it wants to be with," Misty answered.

Like the others, Brock figured that was fair, too. He knew his pseudo siblings would be able to work this out maturely. Serena went over to stand by Brock before she addressed Ash and Misty.

"I think a great first step would be to let Totodile meet our Pokemon. It can decide which group it likes best and ask questions about what they think of you," Serena said.

"Right!" both Ash and Misty agreed.

Ash called his Pokemon over, and Misty let all of her Pokemon out of their pokeballs, even Remoraid. Granted, the jet Pokemon still seemed a little bit dizzy from its first encounter with Misty. Serena nodded her head once she saw them out and let out Totodile from the lure ball.

The big jaw Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and gave a stretch. It then saw all the people and Pokemon around it and danced merrily. The others chuckled at the Totodile's antics. This Pokemon would definitely add a bunch of liveliness to whomever got it. Serena then knelt down and rubbed Totodile on the head which it seemed to like.

"Hi there, Totodile. I'm sure you want to meet your new trainer, but the thing is, we don't know who it is," Serena explained.

"Toto?" Totodile asked in a confused tone.

"Heehee. Yeah. That's why we think it's fair if you decide who you want to be with," Serena continued. "Why don't you meet their Pokemon?"

Totodile turned towards Ash and Misty's Pokemon excitedly. It always loved to make new friends. It danced over to Ash's Pokemon first and held out its clawed hand to them. One by one, each of Ash's Pokemon shook Totodile's hand in their own way, even Chikorita. The Pokemon then told Totodile what a great person Ash was. Totodile seemed to like them as it started dancing.

Togepi seemed to like Totodile's dance as it laughed and ran over to join Totodile. Unfortunately, its egg-shaped body was unfit for hopping on one leg so it just ended up falling down. Rather than cry, Togepi simply laughed it off.

"How do you like my Pokemon, Totodile?" Ash asked.

"Toto!" Totodile responded happily as it continued to dance.

Totodile was apparently very charismatic as Pikachu went over to Totodile and began to dance along with it. Soon, Noctowl, Cyndaquil, and Heracross joined. Houndour stood by for a while before it rolled its eyes and figured it might as well join, too. Only Chikorita was left. It wasn't much of a dancer and had a pouting face. Ash noticed this and tried to scoot Chikorita along.

"Go on, Chikorita. It looks like fun," Ash encouraged.

"Chikaaaa," Chikorita replied with a sigh.

Then, to Chikorita's surprise, Totodile came over and grabbed the leaf Pokemon by its two front feet. It then picked Chikorita up on its hind legs and began to spin it around gracefully. Chikorita's eyes widened in wonder at the gesture as it stared into Totodile's smiling face. Chikorita couldn't help itself and soon found itself smiling back, and it and even blushed slightly. Totodile then twirled Chikorita before it released it and gave a bow in front of everyone.

The group laughed and applauded Totodile's performance while Totodile pretended to be embarrassed at the praise it was getting. It rubbed the back of its head in a manner not that different than how Ash did it. Chikorita giggled in amusement that Totodile was acting like its trainer. The leaf Pokemon decided this Totodile wasn't so bad and had a certain charm about it.

"You should meet my Pokemon, too, Totodile!" Misty urged. "I'm sure you'll find they're right up your alley since they're all water Pokemon like you!"

Totodile went over to Misty's Pokemon to see what they were like. Starmie, Poliwag, and Gyarados were quick to greet Totodile. The big jaw Pokemon looked rather intimidated by Gyarados, but the sea serpent Pokemon soon proved to be friendly. Psyduck was next, and Tototilde held its hand out for the duck Pokemon to shake. Psyduck stared at Totodile's hand for a second before it gave Totodile a confused expression.

"It wants you to shake its hand, Psyduck," Misty told it.

"Psy!" Psyduck exclaimed and enthusiastically shook Totodile's hand, which Totodile laughed to.

Shellder came up and greeted Totodile with a lick to the face which the big jaw Pokemon didn't seem to like. It gave a light shudder and looked a little down. Misty sighed before she gave an annoyed look to Shellder.

"Shellder, did you actually give Totodile a Lick attack rather than a greeting one?" she scolded.

"Sheller!" Shellder cried and stuck its tongue out at Misty.

"Never mind," Misty said in annoyance before she turned to Remoraid, only to find it wasn't there. "Where are you at, Remoraid?"

The group soon found Remoraid far out into the ocean. It had a scared looked on its face and seemed to be keeping as far away from Misty as possible. Misty grimaced as she knew this didn't look good. Totodile wouldn't want to be the trainer of someone whose Pokemon were scared of her.

"Remoraid! Come over and meet Totodile!" Misty called, trying to mask her aggravation.

Remoraid seemed to reel a little bit at Misty addressing it. Totodile wasn't the problem. _She_ was. After the huge assault Misty gave it, one couldn't blame the jet Pokemon for being a little apprehensive of her.

Totodile instead took the initiative and dived in the water and swam over to Remoraid. It then began to converse with the jet Pokemon in a friendly manner. The group was wondering what the two could be talking about until they saw Totodile sweat drop and give a nervous glance at Misty. The redhead groaned at that. Great. It seemed Remoraid had told Totodile about its first encounter with Misty. That was sure to leave a bad impression on it.

"It's okay, Totodile! I promise you I'm not always like that! Remoraid and I just got off on the wrong foot!" Misty yelled.

Totodile turned back towards Remoraid who seemed to shrug and nod as if to say she was telling the truth. The big jaw Pokemon turned back to Misty and gave her a wink, and hearts seemed to fill Misty's eyes again.

"Oh, my gosh! That Totodile is so adorable! I just love the way it winks at me!" she cooed.

Totodile then seemed to coax Remoraid back over to the others, and the jet Pokemon reluctantly followed. Totodile believed it wasn't good if a Pokemon was away from everyone else. It should be surrounded by friends whether it was afraid of its trainer or not. Once Remoraid reached the water's edge, Misty bent over and picked it up. Remoraid flinched at first but soon relaxed when it realized Misty's skin was surprisingly soft.

"See, Remoraid, I'm not a big, scary monster. I just didn't like it when you bit my finger. I'm sure we'll be great friends in no time," Misty assured, to which Remoraid moved its dorsal fins in a shrugging manner.

"I think now would be a good time for Totodile to see the way you train Pokemon," Serena suggested.

"Yeah. This should be great. Each of you train differently so Totodile can see which one it prefers," Brock added.

"Can I go first this time since you went last time, Ash?" Misty pleaded. She really wanted Totodile to see all of her neat tricks with water Pokemon.

"Uhhh…sure," Ash muttered, not really seeing a difference on who went first.

"Hooray!" Misty cheered before she took the big jaw Pokemon by the hand and lead it over to her other Pokemon again. "Wait 'til you see how graceful my water Pokemon and I are!"

"Toto?" Totodile questioned, not knowing what she meant by 'graceful' or how that applied to it.

"You know, I used to be a gym leader, too, so if you like battling, I have some pretty good battling experience myself," Misty told Totodile.

She then faced all of her Pokemon and winked at them. She then looked around for a suitable target for her Pokemon. The others watched curiously. It was almost like she was preparing for a Pokevision video.

The redhead then saw the rock that Totodile was on earlier, and she had Starmie swim out and place a small target on the rock. She then smiled at Totodile.

"All of my water Pokemon are superb with their water moves! Nothing beats them when it comes to accuracy with how I trained them!" Misty said before she gave a signal.

One by one, each of her Pokemon shot at the target and flawlessly hit it in the middle with Water Gun. Next, however, was Psyduck. Misty couldn't help but grimace as she and everyone else knew it didn't take a genius to know Psyduck wouldn't make it.

"Psy," Psyduck muttered as it took a step forward to the target.

The duck Pokemon narrowed its eyes at the target like it was some kind of sworn enemy. It was just it and the rock. This area wasn't big enough for the both of them. Misty rolled her eyes that Psyduck was acting overly dramatic. She wished it would just hurry and get it over with. She didn't want to scold it in front of Totodile, however, who was watching curiously.

Finally, Psyduck took a deep breath and leaned forward to spray Water Gun…only to trip. Misty gasped as Psyduck choked out the Water Gun, but she was even more surprised that the small burst of water shot out in a straight line. It continued to shoot forward until it struck the bullseye right in the middle.

Everyone blinked in surprise that Psyduck actually made the shot, and on accident, too. It was more accurate when it was acting its normal, goofy self rather than actually trying. Talk about the one in a million.

"Psy aye aye!" Psyduck cried as it got up and blushed.

"Eheheheheh. Good one, Psyduck," Misty muttered, still surprised it actually made the shot.

Next was Remoraid's turn. The jet Pokemon took a deep breath and effortless shot the target. Nobody was too surprised at this as Remoraid were known as sharpshooters. Still, to hit a target from that distance with no training was still impressive.

"Great work, you guys!" Misty praised before she turned to Totodile. "All of my Pokemon are experts with their water attacks…even Psyduck. Nobody can train water Pokemon like me! If you allowed me to train you, you'll be the under the care of one of the best water type Pokemon Masters! Of course, my Pokemon and I are still best friends!"

With that, Misty's Pokemon tackled her affectionately. Psyduck tripped again before it managed to get to her, and Shellder was licking her with its long tongue. Remoraid paused for a moment before it saw Misty wasn't hurting anyone. It then joined in, also.

"Toto," Totodile mused as it crossed its arms and thought over the offer.

"Since when did you become a water Pokemon Master?" Ash asked.

"Well, I'm not yet, but I will be soon!" Misty amended.

Totodile seemed to find that acceptable as it nodded its head. It then sprayed a Water Gun at the ground and propelled itself into the air. It then did a handstand on the water it used before it balanced on one hand and fell to the ground again. It then started dancing in delight that its trick worked.

"That was really good! You're such a cutie!" Misty cooed.

"Toto!" Totodile cried happily and winked at Misty.

"Oh! Does that mean you chose me?!" Misty squealed again.

"Hold your Horsea, Misty. I still have to show Totodile my training techniques," Ash spoke up.

"Oh, right. Haha. Go ahead," Misty said, her excitement dwindling a little.

Totodile then turned its attention to Ash, and the raven-haired trainer took a deep breath as he looked at all of his Pokemon. Who should he train today? The truth was, all of his Pokemon could use it. His Pikachu, Noctowl, and Houndour seemed to be stable enough to where he could hold off on them a little bit. It was Heracross, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil who needed it the most. Ash cringed slightly when he remembered the words Gary said to him.

After some mental debate, Ash believed the one who needed training the most right now was Cyndaquil, however. All of his other Pokemon could at least battle upon command. That was where the fire mouse fell short. It was a great Pokemon, but it could only use its best attacks if the flame on its back was lit. There had to be a way to get it to light it on will.

That's when it him. The reason why Cyndaquil's flame had such trouble lighting was because it never had to battle in its lifetime. From what Ash knew, Cyndaquil had been a quiet and peaceful sort of Pokemon who never resorted to violence unless it was absolutely necessary. Therefore, the best way to train Cyndaquil was to have more battles with it. Ash then smiled when he realized that was how he trained best…by having his Pokemon battle each other.

"Hey, Cyndaquil. Let's try to work on lighting that flame of yours," Ash said as he went over to it.

"Quil?" Cyndaquil questioned.

"It'll be fine. I want you and Houndour to battle each other. Since Houndour's a fire-type, too, it should help more," Ash replied.

Houndour nodded and marched over to Cyndaquil. The fire mouse Pokemon couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the larger dark Pokemon. Cyndaquil was sure Houndour wasn't meaning, too, but the way it was standing was a somewhat dominating fashion. It was probably Houndour's nature and that it was the leader of a pack not long ago.

"Is something wrong, Cyndaquil?" Ash asked.

"Quuiil," Cyndaquil squeaked.

Ash seemed to know what Cyndaquil meant as he smiled sympathetically. "I gotcha. Hey, Houndour. Do you think you can lower yourself a little more to Cyndaquil's height?"

Houndour let out a sigh at that. Battling this Pokemon might be a little harder than it thought if it was supposed to go easy on it. Still, Houndour crouched as low as it could until it was eye level with Cyndaquil. The fire mouse Pokemon leaped in surprise at that as it looked like Houndour was fixing to pounce on it. Houndour sighed again until it just laid down on the grass. Cyndaquil seemed to relax at that.

"Heheh. Okay, Cyndaquil. Houndour's going to shoot a few Flamethrowers at you. I want you to watch its every movements, and you try to dodge to get your energy going so you can light your flame faster," Ash commanded as Totodile came over and stood next to him to watch.

Cyndaquil nodded its head. Dodging attacks was its specialty.

"Okay. You're up, Houndour," Ash told it.

Houndour opened its mouth and effortlessly shot out a Flamethower at Cyndaquil. The fire mouse Pokemon leaped high into the air and gracefully dodged the attack, but the attacks didn't stop there. Houndour took aim and shot another Flamethrower at Cyndaquil. This time, it was a little more accurate, Cyndaquil had to maneuver its body just right to avoid the flames. Houndour then timed Cyndaquil's falling speed launched one last Flamethower. This time, Cyndaquil wasn't able to dodge, and the attack struck.

Cyndaquil fell to the ground and cringed from the slight pain. Houndour wasn't using its full power since this was just training so the Flamethrower did very little to Cyndaquil. Ash went over and rubbed Houndour on the head as thanks before he went over to Cyndaquil.

"How are you, Cyndaquil? Did you learn anything?" Ash inquired.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil squeaked.

Cyndaquil was impressed, if not a little curious, how Houndour could shoot its flames like that. It didn't need to warm up at all. It went over to Houndour and squeaked at it a few times. Houndour gave a few short barks in reply and Cyndaquil nodded its head. According to Houndour, it didn't need to warm up because it already utilized the natural heat in its body, and it thought Cyndaquil should do the same. That's how all fire Pokemon were ready to blow out fire on command.

Cyndaquil looked inside itself and seemed to be straining to use its heat, but for some reason, it couldn't find it. All that came up was a slight puff of smoke, and everyone in the group sighed. Ash recovered first, and he went over and patted Cyndaquil on the head.

"Hey. It's okay, Cyndaquil. I don't expect you to learn right away. That would be really surprising. I know you'll get it if you keep letting Houndour help you," Ash said.

Cyndaquil looked at Houndour who seemed to smile at it. It was in Houndour's nature to help those in need, just like it did for its sick friend not long ago. It would be happy to take Cyndaquil under its tutorship. It would succeed to. It wasn't the former leader of a Houndour pack for nothing!

Ash and Misty spent some more time with Totodile for about the next hour. Each was showing it how they cared for their Pokemon and how they trained. Totodile even spent some more time with the other Pokemon. After a while, Totodile seemed to be thinking hard, and Serena took that as a cue.

"So, Totodile? Did you decide who you want your trainer to be?" Serena asked as she knelt down.

Totodile crossed its arms as it seemed to think. It glanced back and forth between Ash and Misty. Who would work best for it? The girl, Misty, appeared to be an expert on training water-types, and Totodile had no doubt she would treat it with care…despite having a few issues with a couple of her Pokemon, but it wasn't really her fault. All of her Pokemon did seem to be really nice and welcoming. Psyduck and Shellder were especially entertaining.

The boy, Ash, seemed to care a great deal about Pokemon, too. He seemed to want to focus on his Pokemon's weak points to help them improve, and Totodile liked that. All of his Pokemon really seemed to like and trust him, too. Speaking of his Pokemon, it seemed to get a long great with them, too. They even joined in with its dancing, and it had a nice dance with that Chikorita…who it had to admit was a pretty cute, despite them having absolutely nothing in common.

Yes. It was very tough choice indeed. Totodile knew they would be great trainers for it regardless. Maybe it wasn't quite ready, after all. Serena seemed to notice the indecisive look on Totodile's face as she smiled sympathetically.

"I get it. You can't decide, can you? It would be hard since you just met them" Serena said.

"Toto," Totodile responded.

"It's okay, Totodile. There's no rush. We can give you all night to think about it if you like. What if you let us know tomorrow?" Misty suggested.

Totodile was fine with that, and it nodded its head. It would speaking with their Pokemon about their trainers. That way, it could gather more information, and it knew it would make the right choice.

"In that case, let's eat! All of this training and chasing Totodile has made me hungry!" Ash exclaimed, which caused the others to laugh.

Totodile joined in the laughter, too. That was something it could agree on! It was starving!

* * *

Totodile rubbed its belly and sighed after a great meal. If there was one thing it learned in its short time with these guys, it was the one they called Brock was a great cook! Totodile would even go as far as to say it was the best food it had in its life! The big jaw Pokemon was at least reassured that it would still get to have Brock's cooking no matter who it chose for its trainer.

"I take it that was good, huh, Totodile?" Ash smiled once he saw it rather content.

"Toto," Totodile smiled. It wanted to dance because of the great food, but its full stomach would make it difficult.

"I hear you. I always make sure to have at least three helpings whenever Brock makes a meal," Ash said as he lied down on his back.

"Toto!" Totodile agreed. If it wasn't mistaken, it believed it had three helpings of Brock's custom made Poke-food.

"Well, that's one thing you and Totodile have in common, Ash," Misty admitted. "You're both big eaters."

"Haha," Ash laughed sarcastically before he turned to Totodile. "Hey, Totodile. We're going to clean up here and set up the camp. Why don't you go play with the other Pokemon?"

Totodile nodded its head and stood up, though it wobbled slightly from its full stomach, it and made its way over to the others who had already finished. Pikachu saw it first and waved it over. It held a large beach ball in its tiny hands, and everyone was about to play. Even Togepi had managed to squeeze in.

They all stood in a circle, and Pikachu started it off. It threw the ball into the air, a difficult feat due to its size, and slapped it with its tail over to Psyduck. The duck Pokemon simply stood there and didn't even appear to realize the ball was heading towards it. The ball bounced off of Psyduck's head over to Cyndaquil, and the duck Pokemon got a confused expression on its face as it looked around to see what bopped it.

Cyndaquil poked the ball with its nose over to Chikorita, and Chikorita extended its vines and slapped the ball over to Tototdile. The big jaw Pokemon got ready. It ignored its full stomach and jumped into the air and ended up spiking the ball…right on top of Togepi.

The beach ball flew straight towards Togepi. The spike ball Pokemon's eyes widened as it saw the beach ball get closer and closer. The ball slammed into Togepi, and it was knocked backwards off its feet and rolled a few times. All of the Pokemon instantly froze in fear when they saw that happen. As expected, Togepi's eyes began to well up with tears before it turned into a full cry.

Pikachu immediately went over to comfort Togepi, but its crying alerted Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock. The four made their way over to Togepi, and Serena picked it up and began to hug it consolingly. It wasn't long before Totodile felt all of the other Pokemons' eyes directed on it, and it felt incredibly awkward right now. It apparently messed up. It was just so energetic and happy and spiked the ball to the wrong Pokemon.

"Totodile, it's great that you like to have fun, but you should try to be more careful," Misty told it in a scolding tone, but lightened up once she saw its expression. "It's okay, though. Togepi just can't take as much as our other Pokemon."

Totodile still hung its head and felt awful. It didn't mean to. It slumped off away from the others and sat down near a large rock which didn't go unnoticed by Ash and Serena. The honey-blonde girl leaned over to Ash as she continued to comfort Togepi.

"Hey, Ash. I'll take care of Togepi. Why don't you talk to Totodile?" Serena said.

"Right," Ash nodded as he followed Totodile.

As Ash approached the big jaw Pokemon, he couldn't help but realize this was the first time he had seen the normally jolly Totodile upset. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Ash smiled and sat down next to Totodile.

"Hey, Totodile. Are you alright?" Ash questioned.

"Toto," Totodile sighed.

"Yeah. I know. It's okay, though. None of us are mad at you, not even Misty. We all know you didn't mean to do it. It was just an accident," Ash acknowledged.

"Toto," Totodile sighed again.

"Hey. Cheer up, Totodile. A sad face like that doesn't look good on a happy Pokemon like you," Ash told it.

Totodile glanced over to the other Pokemon who were no longer watching it. The big jaw Pokemon looked nervous and rubbed the back of its head. Ash couldn't help but chuckle how this Totodile was like him in some ways. Ash looked at the other Pokemon, too, before he turned back to Totodile.

"They'll be okay, too, Totodile. All of our Pokemon like you a lot, and they know it was just an accident, too. You bring a lot of life to our group with your awesome dances," Ash grinned.

Totodile's expression brightened considerably once Ash said that. He was right. It was still new to the group, and nobody was mad at it. Everyone still believed it would fit in just fine no matter who it chose. Totodile then got up and did its classic dance before it stopped and held its hands over its stomach. It was still a little full.

Ash laughed at that. "It's okay, Totodile. Even though we're both full, how about we get a game of volleyball going with everyone else? We can set up camp later."

Totodile grinned back. That sounded like good idea.

* * *

It was the next morning, and Totodile was ready for its decision. It had stayed up after the others had gone to bed and thought long and hard about it. The group was in front of it as they awaited Totodile's decision.

Though they were trying to be fair, both Ash and Misty couldn't mask the hopeful expressions on their faces. They each had their own reasons for wanting Totodile, and they both knew it would be a good fit for either of their teams. Serena and Brock couldn't help but think they should find a happy Pokemon like Totodile, too.

After about thirty seconds of doing nothing, Totodile began to dance towards Misty. The redhead in smiled in delight once she saw Totodile do that. However, once the big jaw Pokemon reached her, it bowed its head in a sorrowful expression. Misty frowned and let out a huge sigh once she saw that expression. It could only mean one thing.

"I understand. You chose Ash, right?" she guessed.

"Toto," Totodile responded before it winked at Misty.

"Cutie!" Misty smiled. "We can still be friends, right?"

"Dile!" Totodile replied in the positive.

It then danced its way over to Ash and pointed its finger at him. The raven-haired boy smiled broadly once he saw that. Totodile had chosen him! He gets to be the trainer to an awesome water Pokemon! Ash picked up Totodile and held it in front of him.

"Alright! Thanks, Totodile! We'll make an awesome team!" Ash stated.

"Toto!" Totodile said. It believed so, too.

"Pika!" Pikachu called up to Totodile and gave it a thumbs up, to which Totodile returned.

Brock went over to Misty and placed his hand in comfort on her shoulder. She did look a little bit disappointed despite the fact that she could still be friends with Totodile. The redhead looked over to Brock and gave a small smile.

"Hey, Misty. You okay?" Brock asked.

"Sure. I'll be fine, Brock. I did catch a Remoraid out here, after all. Ash is my friend, too, so I won't hold it against him or pout," Misty said.

"That's very mature of you, Misty," Brock approved.

Misty giggled slightly. If she was younger, she could imagine herself throwing a temper tantrum and demanding that Ash have a battle with her for Totodile. Not anymore, however. She's learned to put her violent explosions...most of the time...behind her and had mellowed out in her time with Ash. Just like the others, she was growing up, too.

Serena had brought Togepi over to Totodile, and the big jaw Pokemon got a remorseful expression on its face. Seeing its look, Ash and Serena stepped in.

"Hey, Totodile. I don't think Togepi is upset with you anymore," Ash said.

"Diiiiile," Totodile sighed.

"That's right. If you need proof, why don't you let Togepi show you?" Serena suggested and leaned over so Togepi was right next to Totodile.

The big jaw Pokemon was then surprised when Togepi laughed and gave it a hug. Totodile smiled and hugged Togepi back. It had found friends in a great group of people and Pokemon. It believed it would fit in just fine. Totodile would've started dancing again if Ash wasn't holding it. All's well that ends well.

"In fact," Serena whispered. "It almost was a good thing that happened to Togepi. Ash and I have babied Togepi it's whole life. It's almost time for Togepi to start training so that was like a slight wake-up call to it."

"Toto?" Totodile questioned.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi laughed.

"That's right! Maybe Ash and I should start training you soon, too!" Serena giggled as she tickled Togepi in the stomach, which caused it laugh.

"Heh. There's just one thing," Brock spoke up as he and Misty approached the two. "Which one you would train Togepi?"

Ash and Serena exchanged glances with each other. Whoops. They hadn't thought of that. Would they have to compete on who gets to keep Togepi like what happened with Totodile just now? It would be a Togepi duel. Maybe…they could work something out.

* * *

Running.

That's all the three had been doing since they fled from the Ruins of Alph. They didn't want to be seen by anybody, especially members of their old gang. They knew if they were found by anybody, one of two things would come. They would either be arrested if citizens found them, or they would be killed if their former teammates found them. None of these were good options for the trio.

They were in poor health before, but they were in even poorer health now. They had strayed as far off the main paths as they could to avoid as much contact with people as possible and spent the days and nights going through thick brush. They were covered with dirt and scratches and were always hungry. They had no money and had literally survived off of random tiny berries in the forest…some of which weren't safe to eat. Every once in a while, Meowth was able to dig through a stray garbage can to find leftovers, but that was as good as it got.

After weeks of starving and rough travel, they finally reached a milestone. They had reached Tohjo Falls, which signified the end of their Johto journey.

"Finally! We made it here! I'm so happy I could cry! In fact, I will!" James wailed as he began to bawl his eyes out of sheer joy.

"Meowth, too!" Meowth cried as tears sprang from his eyes.

Jessie said nothing, but she was elated, too. They were so tired after their trek, but the moment they made it through this cave, they would be home free in the Kanto region. They would be away from all Team Rocket members and could start anew.

"So what should we do after we make it through this cave, Jess?" Meowth asked.

"Our first priority would be to find disguises so no one recognizes us. I'm sure the police in Kanto know our faces. We just need to make it to Pallet Town to catch a boat, and then we'll leave this entire area for good and start off fresh somewhere else," Jessie decided.

"Sounds good to Meowth! We're almost there! I hear Hoenn and Sinnoh are good," Meowth replied.

"A silly cave won't stand in our way!" James declared as the trio marched inside Tohjo Falls.

As the trio stepped into the cave, they were mesmerized by all the jewels that were embedded in the cave walls. It was very beautiful, and the trio's eyes sparkled as much as the gems at what they saw.

"Wow. I can't believe we didn't notice this the first time we passed through here with the others," James said.

"Of course we didn't. We were too busy being gloomy to notice," Jessie scoffed.

"I bet these things could fetch a pretty penny if we were to take some with us. They might help us get back on our feet when we flee this area," Meowth suggested.

Jessie and James stopped at that. Steal the jewels? Could they do that?

"Isn't that illegal? Weren't we going to live decent lives once we left the region?" James asked, and Jessie immediately bopped him on the head.

"Who cares if it's illegal?! We're still in the region and therefore still criminals!" Jessie scolded.

"Ouch. It was a painful reminder, too," James mumbled.

"Besides, this is just to help us earn some dough. There ain't nothing wrong with that. We haven't had a decent meal since that blonde twerp gave us some sandwiches, and that was a while back," Meowth reminded.

"That is pretty pathetic," James relented.

"Still, how are we going to get these jewels out of the walls? They're stuck pretty tight," Jessie mused.

"We don't have any Pokemon who specializes in digging, either," Meowth agreed.

Then it hit them. There was no way they or their Pokemon could pry the gems from the cave wall with their bare hands.

"That means we're sunk…," the trio moaned.

Just like that, their hope of finally getting a little money, though dishonestly, was shattered. The three sank to their knees and hung their heads. Who knows when they might be able to earn money now? Even if they did find an honest job, it would be a couple of weeks before they would get paid. It looked like another hard life ahead of them for a while.

With nothing left, the trio slumped on through Tohjo Falls. All of the gems in the walls sparkled around. It was almost as if the gems were taunting them with how numerous they were. They were just each lost in their own thoughts about what life would be like without being a part of Team Rocket. Truthfully, they liked what they were thinking. Meowth finally voiced its own thoughts.

"Ya know, I just thought of something. Who needs to be bad to make a living?" Meowth spoke up.

"I agree! We were once decent citizens! Who says we can't become ones again?!" James agreed.

"I could be the fashion model I always wanted to be and find true love! Those twerps we always ran into may have had something going after all with their goody two shoes act!" Jessie cooed as she got sparkles in her eyes.

"I could become famous by doing stand up comedy! Whoever heard of a talking Meowth? People would pay big bucks to come see me!" Meowth grinned before he turned to James. "How about you, Jimmy?

"That's right! You're already rich! You can just run back to your mansion and be Mr. Spoiled," Jessie teased.

"Eeeeek! Don't remind me! That horrible Jessibella is still waiting for me back there!" James pleaded.

"Then what are you gonna do when we start our new life?" Meowth asked.

"Hmmm…I had a Growlithe back in my mansion. I called it Growly, and I loved it dearly. We did everything together. We ate and slept together. It was only because of Growly that I was able to stay at the mansion as long as I did," James recalled fondly.

"Go on," Jessie urged.

"Then one day, my poor Growly got really sick. I had no idea what was wrong with it. Its fever was really high, and it was sore all over. I was stricken with grief and had no idea what to do. My parents couldn't have cared less. I had to convince my parents several times for them to finally call a Pokemon doctor," James continued.

"So what happened?" Meowth wondered.

James' eyes began to tear up as the terrible memory returned. "By that time, my Growly's sickness had progressed so far that the Pokemon doctor said there was nothing he could do. My poor Growly…it…it…it didn't make it!"

"What?! Your Growlithe died?" Meowth gasped.

"Yes! It was all my parents' fault, too! If they had listened to me and called a Pokemon doctor right away, my Growly would still be alive! I hated them for it, and I wanted nothing to do with them or my mansion anymore! Now that my poor Growly was dead, I had no reason to stay at the mansion so I left," James said as his fists shook.

Jessie and Meowth began to cry themselves. They knew that James was rich and come from a mansion and had always wondered why he would leave a luxurious life like that. They figured it couldn't be just because he was betrothed to a crazy lady, but they knew now. Honestly, Jessie and Meowth couldn't blame him for leaving.

"We never knew, James! You left that mansion and joined Team Rocket soon after because you blame your parents for Growly's death!" Meowth cried.

"Yes. I did," James mumbled.

"Still, what does that have to do with what you want to do with your life now?" Jessie wondered.

"I never want another Pokemon to experience what my Growly did. I want to be a Pokemon doctor," James replied.

"You?! A Pokemon doctor?!" Meowth said in disbelief.

"Yes. I attended so many schools, but I wound up flunking out so many times. I had no choice but to join Team Rocket because I had nowhere else to go," James stated.

Jessie and Meowth felt sympathy for James. They had rough backgrounds, too, that forced circumstances for them to join Team Rocket, but James had it the worst. He really did love Pokemon.

"No more, though! I'm going to work hard from now on and make good grades! I'll do it all for my Growly's memory! I'll make it proud of me! I am James, and like a mighty Moltres, I will prevail!" James declared.

Jessie and Meowth stared in awe at James. Normally, he was the meek one of their group, but he was acting completely different here. He was being determined and brave. It was almost admirable. Maybe their lives away from Team Rocket would change them all for the better. They almost felt bad about wanting to steal the gems out of Tohjo Falls a while ago.

"I say we got a beautiful thing going! Let's just make sure not to forget our friendship when we're world famous!" Meowth grinned.

"Agreed, Meowth! Agreed!" Jessie nodded as they all put their hands and paws in.

"Best friends!" they said in unison and broke off.

With that, Jessie, James, and Meowth marched confidently through the caves, no longer feeling half-starved and beat up. They felt a lot better after talking about their dreams. Though they were initially scared and uncertain about their futures, they honestly believed they could do it now. All they had to do was make it to somewhere far away, and they were good to go to start fresh! Being evil wasn't all it was cracked up to be anyway.

The trio then froze when they heard something. They snapped their heads to the right where it came from. They then exchanged glances with each other, wondering if they had heard anything at all. Just to be sure, though…

"Did you guys hear that?" Meowth asked.

"Yeah. It almost sounded like a hiss," Jessie replied.

The hiss then sounded again throughout the cave, and the three knew they weren't just hearing things now. Something was definitely watching them. It felt malicious, too. They suddenly felt their good mood deflating at that. They and their Pokemon were so tired and beat up to fight back against anything here.

James' knees shook as he watched and Jessie and Meowth couldn't help but roll their eyes. James was acting like an admirable person who could take charge just a second ago, and now, he was back to how he usually was. Jessie then decided it would be up to her, and she stepped in front of the group and called out through the darkness.

"Who's there!? We are dangerous members of Team Rocket! Don't mess with us!" Jessie shouted.

"I thought we quit Team Rocket," Meowth whispered.

"We did, but whoever's out there doesn't need to know that," Jessie glared.

The trio then leaped in surprise when they saw a pair of red eyes appear from the darkness, and it was followed by another pair of red eyes. The trio immediately felt fear. They were highly reminded of the time in the Slowpoke Well when they were nearly killed by that psycho, angry guy.

It grew even worse when another pair of eyes came from the darkness. Jessie, James, and Meowth's eyes grew even wider when they recognized those eyes. They were the same ruthless, angry eyes that belonged to the same person who tried to kill them. How on Earth had he found them all the way out here!?

"It can't be!" Meowth exclaimed.

No! The cold young man whom they ran into earlier was still out for blood! He was going to do to them what he did their old comrades back in the Slowpoke Well! All they could do was just plead for mercy.

"Please don't kill us!" the trio wailed.

"Now why would I do that?" a voice asked in somewhat of a sneer.

The trio's eyes snapped open at that voice. They recognized it, and it was a voice they hadn't heard in an extremely long time. In fact, they thought they would never hear it again. The three stopped quivering as they peered through the shadows at the three pairs of eyes staring back at them.

"It…B…b…boss?" Jessie stuttered.

Sure enough, Gionvanni himself stepped out of the shadows along with his Persian and Rhyperior. He had an unreadable expression on his face, and the trio didn't know if he was pleased or disgusted they were here…or if he just didn't care. Regardless, they were still shocked beyond belief. They did make a mental note of how strange it was that his eyes were just like that red-headed guys.

"What the…what are you doing here in Tohjo Falls, Boss? Is this where you've been hidin' this whole time?" Mewoth questioned.

"I don't feel the need to answer that. I feel a better question is what you three fools are doing here?" Giovanni growled, and Persian hissed for emphasis. Meowth glared back. He hated that Persian with a passion.

"We were just running away, and…oomph!" James grunted once Jessie elbowed his stomach.

"What James is trying to say is that…we were running away to try to find you! That's right! We were looking for you, of course!" Jessie spoke up.

Giovanni, and even the Persian and Rhyperior's eyes widened. "What? You were?" Giovanni questioned.

"Of course we were! Why else would we be all the way out here?! Those terrible executives could care less if they found you! They keep wanting to do things their own way! Now that you're here, you can come back with us and really show everyone how Team Rocket is supposed to be run!" Jessie said confidently.

For a while, Giovanni said nothing. He just stared at the trio with his eyes narrowed as Persian and Rhyperior simply stood there. The trio was very nervous, but they didn't want it to show. If Giovanni figured out they were lying to him, it could get bad very fast. They didn't have the strength or the Pokemon to try to get away from him.

"You know, I don't believe that one bit. I know why you were here," Giovanni said with a smirk as he jerked his head in Rhyperior's direction. "Use Horn Drill."

Rhyperior began taking slow deliberate steps towards the Team Rocket trio, and their hearts sank. He saw through their ruse! He knew they were running away! They were about to be killed by their own boss, and they never had a chance to atone for the things they've done! The three cowered in fear as Rhyperior stomped closer to them and began drilling its horn. They closed their eyes and awaited their final moments…but it never came.

Jessie, James, and Meowth opened their eyes in confusion. They should be in several pieces right now, but it turned out Rhyperior wasn't aiming for them. Instead, it was stomping past them, and three watched until it reached the cave wall. It then began drilling into the cave and gave an extra hard crash into it which caused the room to shake.

Once that happened, a shower of gems fell from the cave walls all around them. The trio watched in awe as the sparkling jewels came down. They were all over the room! Jessie, James, and Meowth looked at the gems around them before they looked up at their boss.

"You three were really here so you could take some jewels for yourselves," Giovanni said.

The trio exchanged glances with each other. That wasn't quite correct. Still, as long as Giovanni didn't think they were running away, it was all good.

"You may have those. They're for you," Giovanni told them.

Jessie, James, and Meowth had tears come to their eyes. Their boss was actually giving them jewels! Now they would be able to sell these and buy some food! Though they were initially guilty about wanting to steal the jewels, their morals were pushed aside now that they were just given so generously to them by their boss.

"Thank you, boss! Your kindness knows no bounds!" the trio cried as they began to gather as much gems as possible.

Giovanni's smirk widened. "Good. Now that I've done something for you, I'd like you to do something for me."

Jessie, James, and Meowth stopped collecting the jewels and looked up to their boss. What was he going to ask them of all things? Why would he choose them to do something anyway?

"What do want us to do?" Jessie asked almost nervously.

"As unbelievable as I find it, you three have been the only ones of Team Rocket to find me. I want as little people to know where I am as possible. I trust you won't tell anyone where I'm at," Giovanni requested, and the trio could've sworn they detected a threat in there.

"O-o-of course! We won't tell a soul!" James replied.

"Good," Giovanni muttered before he changed topics. "Now then, since you three are the only ones who know my whereabouts, I need to send you on a personal mission for me."

"You…have a mission for us?" Jessie questioned.

"Yes. I need you to go to the Radio Tower in Goldenrod City and do exactly what it is I tell you to do," Giovanni said.

"But, sir…a lot our...your members are there, especially the executives. What are we supposed to tell them if they ask?" Jessie asked.

"I'll take care of that. You won't have to worry about them," Giovanni dismissed with a wave of his hand.

The three glanced at each other again. They had no idea what it was their boss was planning. They were so close, but it looked like they were being roped back into Team Rocket whether they liked it or not. They each took a deep breath before they addressed Giovanni.

"Okay. What do you need us to do at the Radio Tower?" Jessie questioned as she, James, and Meowth gave Giovanni their full attention.

"I'll start it off with a story," Giovanni began with an evil smirk. "Have you three ever heard of the legendary Pokemon, Celebi?"

* * *

 **Poor Jessie, James, and Meowth. The just can't catch a break. What does Giovanni want them to do at the Radio Tower, and what does it have to do with Celebi? Well, time will tell.**

 **Yeah. Ash still caught Totodile, but I still had to give Misty a Pokemon. Furthermore, I didn't forget about Misty's Poliwag evolving even though I know it would evolve at this point in the canon timeline. Both it and Serena's Poliwag are going to evolve very soon. Serena's will evolve first, and Misty's will evolve not long after.**

 **This is the last Pokemon Ash will catch until at least after the 6th gym battle. Serena will catch a Pokemon next chapter, and that will be the last one for her for a while, too. Brock will get another Pokemon after Goldenrod City.**

 **There won't be any romance between Totodile and Chikorita. They will just be good friends.**

 **Someone asked me to do this so here is a current list of the Pokemon Brock and Misty have on hand:**

 **Misty: Starmie, Psyduck, Shellder, Remoraid, Poliwag, Gyarados**

 **Brock: Stantler, Vulpix, Golbat, Onix, Kabuto, Pineco**

 **See you all in the next chapter! It'll be out later in October!**

 **Chapter Twenty: The Terror of the Forest**


	20. The Terror of the Forest

**A/N: Well, here's the last capture of Serena for a while. The next one is after Goldenrod City for Brock. Everyone, please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty: The Terror of the Woods

 _"Beware. A scary Pokemon lives here. It has been a terror of the woods and given many people grief. Do not be fooled and use extreme caution when entering this area."_

The group titled their heads in confusion after reading the sign. There was a scary Pokemon that lived here? It was even scary enough to where a warning sign had been put up. That just screamed they were about to have it rough here.

"Well, that's reassuring," Misty mumbled.

"I'm not scared," Ash stated.

"Hold on, Ash. Let's try to think this through," Brock spoke up.

Ash nodded his head and turned to the others. They all stood in a huddle as they decided what to do next. Pikachu and Togepi stood off to the side. Togepi was trying wander past the sign but Pikachu had to keep pulling it back. It wasn't about to let Togepi go past that sign until their trainers gave them the okay.

"Okay. So what are the options?" Ash questioned.

"We avoid this area at all costs," Misty immediately said.

"Anything else?" Ash wondered, not giving Misty's comment much thought. "What's the guidebook say?"

"Hmm…" Brock mused as he pulled it out. "It says here that if we turn around and travel for about two days, we'll reach an area where we can go around this part of the forest."

"Two days? That's when I caught Totodile," Ash said.

"That's right. I remember two forks in the road around that area, but the guidebook didn't mention anything about one path being better than the other," Serena recalled.

"It looks like we chose the wrong one. What could be worse than a terror that lives in this forest?" Misty muttered.

"What do you guys suppose it could be?" Ash asked.

"Maybe a giant, scary Gengar?" Brock guessed and shuttered.

"It could be a one hundred foot Arbok," Serena added and trembled.

"It could be an A-Ariados," Misty stuttered, and the others rolled their eyes.

"Well, whatever it is, people have apparently made it past here before. If there was any real danger for our lives, this area would be off limits and guarded," Ash reasoned.

The others shrugged their shoulders at that. Ash actually had a rare moment of clarity in his thoughts. They really couldn't argue with that logic. If they did turn around, they would be way behind their schedule. Sure. They weren't in any particular hurry, but they didn't want to be in the woods forever, especially since they were getting close to Goldenrod City.

"Heh. Good point, Ash. I say we go on through, too," Brock nodded.

"Me, too," Serena agreed.

They all looked at Misty who appeared to be in thought and was shuffling her feet. Was she really that scared of what the terror of the forest could be? After she noticed the looks she was getting, Misty sighed.

"Okay. Okay. That's fine. Let's go through," Misty relented.

With that, the group went on their way. It was a fair warning, but whatever was in there, they were sure they had faced much worse before. It certainly couldn't be as dangerous as a criminal gang or a madman who almost destroyed the world because of his greed for collectible items.

* * *

The group had been walking for almost two hours, and there was nothing that was considered out of the ordinary. These woods weren't even close to as confusing or ominous as Ilex Forest. In fact, this trek had been so uneventful that they were beginning to believe that warning sign was one big hoax.

"Man. Talk about boring," Ash muttered as put his arms behind his head in a relaxed fashion.

"We've been walking all day. My feet are starting to hurt with this rough path," Misty said.

"Actually, my feet are pretty sore, too," Serena added.

Ash turned to Brock. "What do you say, Brocko? Are you ready to stop for today? It is almost the evening."

"Yeah. That sounds good," Brock agreed.

"Uhh…do we have to spend the night out here?" Misty asked in an unsure tone and stopped.

The group gave her a confusing glance. What was with her all of a sudden? They slept outside all the time. Wait. It didn't really have to do with…

"Misty, are you still worried about that sign?" Ash deadpanned.

"Well…I mean…isn't there a Pokemon Center nearby?" Misty asked nervously and scratched her cheek.

"The nearest one is still two miles away. Are you sure your feet can hold out that long? It'll be nighttime once we finally make it," Brock told her.

"Ohhhhh…," Misty moaned. "There has to be something better than staying out here."

"Hey, guys. We may be in luck," Serena spoke up and pointed ahead of her.

Ash, Misty, and Brock turned, and they spotted a small cabin further up the trail. It was a little hard to see through all the trees, but it was definitely there. Whatever it was, it was always good to sleep inside instead of outside.

At that moment, there was a crack of thunder above them. The four turned to the sky and saw dark, ominous clouds rolling in. A thunderstorm was apparently coming. Pikachu's cheeks sparked once it felt a raindrop hit them, and Serena picked up Togepi to place it in her backpack. It was great fortune they saw this cabin, after all.

"Well, there's no harm in staying dry for the night," Ash decided with a chuckle.

With that, the group sprinted towards the cabin, trying to beat the rain. Misty was inwardly sighing in relief to herself. At least now they had a good excuse for staying inside for the night so she didn't seem like a coward.

They reached the cabin in about a minute, and the sky was growing ever darker. Ash reached the cabin first and knocked on the door to see if anyone was home, but there was no answer. Serena went over to the nearby window and peeked in, but all the lights were off, and it appeared to be deserted.

"I don't think anyone lives here," Serena said. "I think it's okay to go on in."

Ash jiggled the door knob a few times and could tell it wasn't locked. Ash cautiously opened the door, but a particularly loud clap of thunder made them all jump and rush in. As if on cue, as soon as they entered, it began to pour rather heavily. They quickly shut the door behind them and began to make themselves comfortable. That was a close call.

The group took a quick look around, and the cabin was pretty bare on the inside. There were a few blankets in the corner and a small stove, but a quick check from Brock proved that it didn't work. That wasn't too big of a deal as they've already eaten supper. They just hoped the thunderstorm would pass by the time they woke up tomorrow.

Unbeknownst to the group, just outside the cabin, a Pokemon was watching in the nearby bushes. Excellent. It had just found some more suckers to prey upon. This thunderstorm was the perfect excuse for it to fit right in. The Pokemon grinned mischievously to itself before it made its move.

* * *

"Well, I guess it's going to be a little boring in here since it's still a few hours before we go to bed," Serena sighed as she looked out the window.

"I've got an idea that's perfect during a thunderstorm and forest like this," Ash grinned as he pulled out a flashlight and shined it on his face. "Scary stories!"

The group raised their eyebrows at that. Scary stories? Really? Upon noticing their looks, Ash frowned.

"Come on, guys! I'll even start us off! It's not like we have anything better to do!" Ash stated.

Serena, Misty, and Brock then reluctantly sat around in a circle. They hadn't told scary stories to each other in quite a while, but who knows? Maybe Ash could provide them with some decent entertainment with his creative ideas. Pikachu and Togepi scooted in the center and wanted to listen to Ash, too. Pikachu even grabbed a bottle of ketchup from Ash's backpack to…err…snack on while Ash told the story. Ash cleared his throat before he began.

"It was a dark and stormy night just like this one," Ash started in a spooky voice.

"Haven't heard that one before," Misty mumbled but was quickly shushed by Serena.

"There was a man who was lost in the woods. He was all by himself, too. There were no people or even Pokemon around. He had nowhere to go. The trees swayed back and forth, almost like they were taunting him. The man thought he was doomed," Ash continued.

"Then what happened?" Serena questioned.

"Heh. He happened to come upon a small, abandoned cabin the woods," Ash smirked before he added. "Just like this one."

"Trying to make it scarier by putting the guy in a situation like ours. Genius," Misty yawned, but Ash ignored her.

"Anyway, he went in the cabin, but it was completely deserted. Heh. I guess it would have to be if I already said it was abandoned," Ash chuckled and rubbed the back of his head which caused the others to sigh.

"Oh, brother. Come on, Ash. Surely you can do better than this," Misty complained.

"Hey! I'm trying!" Ash argued before he continued. "So anyway, the lights were completely off while the thunderstorm continued to howl outside. Branches from nearby trees would even hit the roof which created spooky sounds."

As if on cue, the group heard a few branches knock against the side of the cabin. Serena, Brock, and Misty almost chuckled. That was an interesting coincidence.

"The man didn't pay it any mind, though. He was just so tired and needed to get to bed. Just before he did…he saw a strange note in the cabin," Ash said.

"What did it say?" Brock wondered.

"It said…GET OUT," Ash moaned. "GET OUT NOW…and then the lights went out."

"Then what?" Serena asked.

"Nobody knows for sure, but the man's remains were found two months later. No one knows how he died," Ash said.

"Is that it?" Misty asked.

"There's more," Ash replied. "Some people say you can still hear the man's ghost on dark stormy nights in the woods. People can hear him moaning. He'll be scratching at the cabin…needing to be let in so he can keep dry."

"Why would a ghost need to be kept dry?" Misty sighed.

"He doesn't know he's dead!" Ash growled.

"Well…whatever. I say we try to find something else to do," Misty mumbled before she noticed something in the corner of the room. "What's that?"

Serena got up and went over to the other side of the cabin. It was revealed to be a piece of paper. That's strange. It wasn't there before. Serena unfurled it curiously and read its contents. When she read them…her eyes widened.

"What does it say, Serena?" Brock wondered.

"It says…GET OUT. GET OUT NOW," Serena mumbled.

"No, it doesn't," Misty scoffed as she went over to Serena. "You guys are just trying to scare me because I was afraid of this forest."

Serena handed Misty the letter, and the redhead read it over in her mind. Once she did, she let out a nervous chuckle and handed it back to Serena and felt a chill run up her spine. That was really weird.

"Why…why is there a letter like that in this cabin?" Misty stuttered.

Ash did a mental smirk to himself. Misty would make fun of his ghost stories, would she? Well, he'd made sure to give her a good scare and sneaked that note in the corner before he began the story. The fact that the branches knocked against the cabin were a nice touch.

"A-Ash, did you do this?" Misty questioned nervously as and the other turned to him.

"Heheheheh," Ash chuckled evilly with his back turned to them. "You sure are scaring me, Misty."

"Aaaah! What?!" Misty cried.

"Ash, are you okay?" Serena asked nervously.

"No. I'm not," Ash answered darkly.

"What do y-you want us to do?" Brock wondered, not liking Ash's tone.

"I'm feeling like a ghost myself," Ash replied and turned around to reveal a skull face. "BLEAAAAAH!"

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" the whole group screamed. Only Togepi didn't and watched curiously.

"Hahahaha! Sorry, guys. I had to do it. I told you I could get you scared," Ash laughed and took off the mask

Misty was taking short breaths and looked like she was about to lunge at Ash to strangle him, but Brock and Serena held her back. After a while of struggling, she finally seemed to calm down enough and was set free. Instead, she just glared at Ash and crossed her arms.

"You're a riot, Ash," Misty huffed.

"Well, Misty. At least a made the scary story worth it," Ash chuckled.

Misty rolled her eyes and sighed. Well, Ash was right. He did offer a scary story and decided to take it a step further. It was partly her fault for putting him down in the first place. She would cut him a break and give credit where credit is due.

"Alright. Alright. I can take a joke," Misty muttered.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu sighed in content now that it's had almost the whole bottle of ketchup. It had seen Ash place the note and put the mask on so it was never scared. Like Ash, it thought seeing the others reactions was pretty funny.

"Well, does anyone else want to try a scary story?" Ash questioned.

Before anyone could respond, there was a scratching at the door. The group turned to the door and raised an eyebrow in confusion. What on Earth could be causing that scratching sound? Misty, Brock, and even Serena soon sighed and gave an annoyed look to Ash.

"Alright, Ash. We get it. Don't you think you're taking the joke too far now?" Brock questioned. "You've already gotten us."

"Uhhh…it isn't me this time. Really," Ash mumbled as he eyed the door.

At that, everyone's eyes grew wide with fear. Ash put his hands on his pokeballs just in case there was trouble. Pikachu sparked its cheeks and followed Ash while Serena grabbed Togepi. Ash continued to cautiously approach the door and stopped in fear when the scratching resumed. There was definitely something on the other side of the door that they weren't expecting.

"Wh-what if it's the terror of the forest, or the ghost?" Misty stuttered.

"I-I don't know, but this is really weird," Serena replied.

Ash gulped as he cautiously went to the door again. The scratching wasn't stopping this time, and it was even getting louder. Ash's hands began quivering as he looked to his faithful rodent partner.

"Be ready, Pikachu. This could get ugly," Ash told it.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded.

Ash took a deep breath as he reached for the door knob. He hesitated for a moment before he turned it. Brock, Misty, and Serena braced themselves for what it might be. Finally Ash mustered up enough of his courage to finish the act. He flung the door open and was about to call on Pikachu but found out he didn't have to.

At first, Ash didn't believe there was anything there. That was until he looked down and saw a Pokemon staring back at him. It was a small bear-like Pokemon with a crescent moon shape on its head. It was completely soaked from the rain and was staring up at Ash with adorable, beady eyes and looked on the verge of crying.

"Ummmm…," Ash mumbled, not knowing how to respond to this.

"Oh! It's such a cutie!" Misty squealed as she ran forward to get a better look at the Pokemon. "Are you lost, sweetie?"

"Ur," it replied and nodded its head. Its eyes almost seemed to glisten in cuteness.

"You should get out of the rain, or you'll catch a cold. Come on in!" Misty told it as she stood aside to let it pass.

"Urrrrr," the Pokemon replied again and gave Misty the same cute look it gave Ash at first.

"Hmm…a Teddiursa," Ash muttered as he and Serena pulled out their national dexes. They recalled seeing one in Ilex Forest but didn't scan it then.

"Teddiursa, the little bear Pokemon. It likes to lick its paws which are often covered in honey," the machines said.

The group stared curiously at the Pokmon as it wandered into cabin. It certainly seemed friendly enough. Brock crossed his arms, though, and looked a little suspicious. It was certainly very strange for what was assumed to be a wild Pokemon just walk up to them like that. Furthermore, how did it know they were in here? Was it watching them or something, or was it just merely trying to get in to get shelter?

"Do you want to stay in here with us, Teddiursa?" Misty asked sweetly. "We won't let that mean thunderstorm scare you!"

"Teddi," Teddiursa nodded before it gave her an extra cute look again.

"What…a…cutie!" Misty squealed again before she turned to the others. "It can stay with us, right?"

The rest of the group exchanged glances with each other. This Teddiursa definitely seemed friendly enough, if not a little too friendly. Most wild Pokemon were very afraid of humans, but this one seemed quite comfortable around them. They didn't know why, but something just felt a little off. Still, they couldn't find any real evidence about it so they merely shrugged their shoulders.

"It's alright with me," Ash shrugged.

"Yeah. This poor Teddiurse does look really lonely," Serena added.

"Hmm…I guess it's okay," Brock relented.

"Is something wrong, Brock?" Ash questioned.

"…No. Sorry," Brock replied after a small pause.

The others looked at him strangely. Brock didn't want to make it appear too obvious he was suspicious of the Teddiursa. It could turn out to be groundless. It's just his experience as a Pokemon breeder had caused him to know typical behaviors of certain Pokemon. Teddiursa were cuddly, yes, but not _this_ cuddly.

"Great! Let's be friends, Teddiursa," Misty grinned after a while.

"Urrrrr," Teddiursa agreed and gave the same cute look.

"I think I'm going to die of cuteness overload!" Misty cried with a blush.

"Well, it is really cute," Serena smiled as she knelt down and rubbed its head.

"I know! It's not some scary monster or ghost!" Misty gushed as she gave the Teddiursa a hug. "How could we ever mistake this adorable face for one?!"

"I think Togepi's cuter," Ash whispered to Serena, who giggled slightly.

The Teddiursa happened to overhear that, and it inwardly grimaced. It turned to look at the spikeball Pokemon beside it who was laughing playfully. So they thought this thing was cuter than it was? Well, it will show them just how cute it can really be!

"This Teddiursa sure knows how to turn on the charm," Brock mused as he watched.

Teddiursa continued to hug Misty affectionately. This girl apparently thought it was the cutest thing ever. Soon, these other people would follow. Teddiursa had them right where it wanted them. When no one was looking, it gave a mischievous smirk.

* * *

The group gave a stretch as they left the cabin the next morning. Thankfully, the thunderstorm had cleared up, and the morning sun was shining above them. The group was still wet, but they could still manage. Unfortunately, since the stove wasn't working on the inside of the cabin, they still had to make do by eating outside where it was still wet.

Teddiursa followed them curiously. It had tried to search most of their backpacks last night for something good to eat but found nothing. It was just about to search through the squinty-eyed boy's backpack, but there was slight stirring among the group so it had to go back so sleep. Getting food from these suckers would be harder than it thought.

"Would you like to have breakfast with us, Teddiursa?" Misty asked sweetly.

"Teddiursa!" Teddiursa replied cutely but was inwardly aggravated. It's about time these people got to food! They were almost making this act not worth it!

"I guess we should let some our Pokemon out while we cook breakfast," Ash suggested.

With that, Ash and Serena let out all of their Pokemon. Brock let out all of his Pokemon except Onix since it was rather unsuited for the damp ground. They then looked at Misty who hadn't let out her Pokemon yet.

"You guys go on ahead. I think there's a lake nearby that I can let my water Pokemon out on. I think it would be a nice place for Remoraid to get to know me better. I think it's still afraid of me," Misty said.

"Okay. No problem. We'll call you when lunch is ready," Brock replied as he took some food out of his backpack. Teddiursa glared. Dang. If only it had checked that backpack first last night!

Misty then turned to Teddiursa and knelt down in front of it. "How about you, Teddiursa? Would you like to come with me and meet my Pokemon?"

Teddiursa cringed inwardly. Why the heck would it want to go with her when the food was going to be right here?! Yeah right! Teddiursa knew it was losing its biggest supporter by not going with her, but she wasn't where the food was. Teddiursa shook its head before it gave the same extra cute face to Misty.

"Oh. I see. That's okay then," Misty replied, rather disappointed. "We can still play later, though, right?"

"Urrrrr!" Teddiursa agreed cutely. That is, it would be the only one playing her!

"You're so adorable," Misty cooed before she patted Teddiursa on the head and left.

As soon as she was out of sight, Teddiursa turned to look at the humans who were left and analyzed them carefully. They were all making a makeshift picnic area at the moment. The squinty-eyed boy was the least trusting to it out of all of them, but he was apparently the leader when it came to food. Still, Teddiursa didn't need him and could just ignore him. The other boy appeared indifferent so Teddiursa wouldn't be able to get much from him, either. The girl, on the other hand, did remark that it was really cute. Maybe it could charm her if it played it cards right.

Teddiursa then looked around for a good scapegoat. It saw Serena's ridiculous looking, naked Mareep running around and immediately crossed that one out. There was no way it could frame that thing since it was all over the place. It then analyzed the others one by one. All of these Pokemon appeared to be goody two shoes and not capable of misbehaving. Teddiursa sighed. This would be kind of hard to pull off.

Serena's Poliwag happened to notice the fruit on the table, and its stomach growled. It didn't know why, it was just unusually hungry today and didn't want to wait for everyone to fix breakfast. It wanted food right now! Poliwag bounced over to where Brock had laid out some fruit, but Serena immediately stopped it.

"Now, Poliwag. You know better than to steal food," Serena scolded with her hands on her hips.

Poliwag turned to frown at Serena. It couldn't help it that it was hungry today! Serena saw its look and sighed.

"Fine. I'll let you have a small piece of bread to tide you over," she said as she took the nearby loaf of bread and broke off a small piece before she set it before Poliwag.

Poliwag saw the small piece of food and spat in disgust. This wasn't going to curb its hunger pains today. It wanted its food now! It gave a swift kick to the bread which flew through the air and happened to strike Mareep who was running by. It was just a small piece of bread, but naturally, Mareep overreacted and began spazzing out before shooting several bolts of electricity all throughout the area.

"Oh no! Calm down, Mareep!" Serena cried as she, Brock, and Ash went to stop it but not before Serena glared at Poliwag. "I've about had it up to here with your attitude, Poliwag. I tried to be nice and offer you some, but all you did was just kick it away because it wasn't a feast. This food better be here by the time we come back or you'll be the prime suspect!"

As the group and most of their Pokemon chased after the crazy Mareep, Poliwag rolled its eyes. I wasn't afraid of its trainer's threat. Humph. Like it would really steal food underhandedly like that. If it wanted something, it did it in the open, not privately. It kicked at the wet ground in aggravation before it walked away from the food. Teddiursa happened to see the display and got a mischievous smile on its face. Never mind about its earlier thoughts. It's found the perfect Pokemon to ruin.

Teddiursa made its way over to Poliwag who was busy pouting to itself. When it noticed the little bear Pokemon coming over to it, Poliwag rolled its eyes. What did this thing want? Poliwag had only known this Pokemon for less than five minutes, and it already didn't like it. This Teddiursa was so disgustingly cute, it made Poliwag sick.

Despite this, Teddiursa went over and extended its paw to Poliwag as a gesture of friendship. Poliwag stared at Teddiursa's paw for a moment before it gave the little bear Pokemon a deadpan expression. Teddiursa saw the problem as Poliwag didn't have any hands before it pretended to be super embarrassed and bowed in apology. Poliwag sighed before it turned to leave, but Teddiursa chased after it.

"Ursaaaaa!" Teddiursa called.

"Poli," Poliwag replied as it turned back around and stuck its tongue out at Teddiursa before it walked off again. It wanted to make it quite clear that it wanted nothing to do with this Pokemon.

Teddiursa narrowed its eyes at Poliwag. So it wanted to be like that, did it? Oh. It will make this Poliwag regret snubbing it like that. Fine. It didn't need to fake friendliness to this tadpole Pokemon anyway in order carry out its plan. Instead, Teddiursa marched over to where all the food was and looked around to see what the other Pokmeon were doing.

They were all playing and didn't seem to be paying attention to it. Perfect. Teddiursa saw the loaf of bread that the blonde girl was handling earlier. It took the bread and immediately began chowing down. It was starving.

Meanwhile, Poliwag was curious as to why this Teddiursa hadn't bothered it since it had been taunted. The tadpole Pokemon turned around, and its eyes widened when it saw Teddiursa eating the forbidden food, and it was even having more than its fair share! Poliwag immediately waddled over to Teddiursa and began shouting at it. Meanwhile, Teddiursa smirked to itself. Heh. It was right. This Pokemon did come over on its own.

Upon seeing that Teddiursa wasn't listening, Poliwag shouted even louder, and Teddiursa got a panicked look at how loud it was being and immediately shoved a piece of bread in Poliwag's mouth to shut it up. Unfortunately, Poliwag's shouting had alerted the other Pokemon, but they didn't turn around in time to see Teddiursa shove the bread in Poliwag's mouth. They only saw the tadpole Pokemon with a mouth full of food.

It was at that time that the Ash, Serena, and Brock were returning with Mareep. Teddiursa realized its great fortune. Poliwag, with the bread still in its mouth turned to see the group coming. It grew even more surprised when it saw Teddiursa began to cry. What the heck was it crying for?!

The group returned just in time to see Poliwag spit out the bread and Teddiursa crying. They gasped and ran over to scene. Mareep, meanwhile, had calmed down enough to where it had at least stopped shooting out electricity and went back to running around in circles. Once they reached Poliwag and Teddiursa, Serena glared at the tadpole Pokemon and placed her hands on her hips.

"Poliwag! Didn't I tell you that you weren't supposed to eat the food yet?! If that wasn't bad enough, you even ate the whole loaf of bread!" Serena exclaimed.

Poliwag's eyes widened in disbelief. They thought that it did this?! Poliwag looked down at the piece of bread they must've saw it spit out and then at Teddiursa who was crying. Dang. This did look pretty bad. The only thing was that Poliwag knew it didn't do it!

Teddiursa got up and ran over to Serena and started crying into her leg. The honey-blonde girl knelt down to rub its head, and Teddiursa gave Serena the extra cute look it was so good at giving.

"Were you upset because you saw Poliwag going after the food again, Teddiursa?" Serena asked.

"Urrrr," Teddiursa nodded, and Serena turned back to Poliwag.

"Is that really what happened, Poliwag?" she asked in annoyance.

Poliwag shook its head back and forth. It most certainly did not try to take any food this time. Sure. It was aggravated that it had to wait to eat, but it wasn't underhanded enough to try to steal food when no one was looking! It had no reason to lie. Poliwag knew if it did any wrong, it proudly did in the open. It was a troll, not a liar. Surely Serena knew that.

The tadpole Pokemon then noticed Teddiursa was giving it a faint smirk, and Poliwag's eyes lit up in understanding. This little sneak set it up on purpose! It was framed! Well, it wasn't going to just take that! Poliwag pointed its feathery tail at Teddiursa in an accusing fashion and began shouting at it.

"Hold on. You're saying Teddiursa was the thief?" Ash questioned.

"Hmm…," Brock mused.

"Poliwag, it's bad enough that you stole the food, but trying to pin the blame on another Pokemon is just low, even for you!" Serena scolded.

"Hey. Hold on, Serena. This is your Poliwag, after all. Doesn't Poliwag usually admit when it's done wrong with no remorse? The fact that it's refusing is a little strange," Brock reasoned.

Poliwag nodded frantically. Listen to the squinty-eyed boy! He knew what he was talking about! Serena seemed to be considering the option until Fennekin and Smeargle came over. Poliwag turned to them and smiled. Great! It had support! Surely they saw what happened!

That was when Poliwag was horrified when the two pointed straight at it. What?! They thought it was the culprit, too?!

"Fennekin!" Fennekin accused.

"Smeargle!" Smeargle agreed.

"So you're saying you saw Poliwag with its mouth full of food,too?" Serena asked, to which the two nodded.

Poliwag felt its blood boil. Those two didn't see crap! If anything, they only saw its mouth full of food after that sneaky Teddiursa had shoved it in there! Its anger morphed into sadness when it saw everyone was giving it a suspicious glare. They truly thought it was the thief.

"There you have it, Poliwag. Two witnesses who say they saw you with your mouth full of food over here. Besides, we saw you spit out the bread just as we came back. So you won't accept my offer to have a snack, but when we leave, you'll just get whatever suits you?" Serena frowned.

"Poli!" Poliwag cried and shook back and forth.

"I'm disappointed in you, Poliwag. I've really got to do something about you," Serena sighed.

Poliwag cast its eyes downward in defeat. Great. Nobody believed it now. Poliwag then noticed the Teddiursa had made its way over and patted the tadpole Pokemon's back consolingly. It may have seemed like a nice gesture to anyone was watching, but Poliwag could tell this was more of a taunt. The tadpole Pokemon immediately brushed off Teddiursa and shoved it to the ground, which made the little bear Pokemon start crying again.

"Poliwag, you've caused enough trouble already! Just please go somewhere away from the food and Teddiursa!" Serena said in annoyance.

Poliwag frowned and walked away from the group. Whatever. As the group watched it leave, Serena let out a sigh, but soon she felt Ash place a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw the raven-haired boy was giving her a concerned look.

"Are you okay, Serena? It isn't like you to get angry like that at one of your Pokemon," Ash noted.

Serena turned her eyes away from Ash. He was probably right. That's the first time Serena could recall actually being angry and shouting at one her Pokemon. She had been annoyed at Poliwag several times, but never truly angry.

"I know, Ash, but even Poliwag should know better. I specifically told it not to eat anything until breakfast was ready. Yet it doesn't waste any time in going after something as soon as we're away," Serena replied.

"Hey. Why don't we start breakfast? We're all a little cranky since we haven't eaten yet. We'll all feel better after we've eaten," Brock suggested.

Serena let out a smile. "Sure, Brock. Sounds good."

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Brock had finished the breakfast, and everyone was ready to eat. Misty had returned since then and had been told about the incident involving Teddiursa and Poliwag. Just like the others, she hadn't been too surprised about Poliwag's behavior and was disappointed just like the others.

"Okay, guys! Breakfast time!" Ash called to all the Pokemon.

The group of Pokemon ran over in excitement and eagerly awaited their food. Brock set down a plate for each of them which consisted of their favorite kind before he went to serve himself, Ash, Serena and Misty. Ash eagerly began to devour his pile of eggs while everyone watched in amusement before they helped themselves

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu asked Ash as it came over to Ash and offered ketchup. It had heard that some people liked ketchup on eggs.

"Hah. No thanks, Pikachu. I'm good with just salt and pepper on them," Ash chuckled.

"Chuuu," Pikachu sighed as it set its bottle of ketchup down and went over to its own plate of food. Unbeknownst to it, a certain bear Pokemon had snatched the bottle when no one was looking.

As the group was eating, Serena noticed all but one Pokemon had joined them. She looked over and saw Poliwag sitting by itself. Serena could tell it was angry, but it was also clearly upset which was rather unusual. She set down her fork before she looked at the others.

"I'm going to go talk to Poliwag," she told them, to which the others nodded in understanding.

Poliwag then noticed Serena coming over and promptly turned away from her. Serena also noticed this was rather odd. It wasn't like Poliwag to ignore her like that. It normally just rolled its eyes...or snickered. Despite this, Serena still went over and sat down next to it.

"Hey, Poliwag. Breakfast is ready. I know you're hungry so you can come dig in now," Serena said nicely.

Poliwag merely grunted but said nothing. No thank you. It had pretty much lost its appetite after being accused of something it didn't do. Upon seeing its reaction, Serena sighed again.

"Look, Poliwag. I'm sorry I yelled at you, but I did specifically tell you not to touch the food while we were gone, but you did it anyway," Serena said. "At least apologize so we can move on and forget the whole thing."

"Poli!" Poliwag snarled. It wasn't going to apologize for something it didn't do!

"Okay. Fine. If you just want to sit here rather than eat, then be that way. Everyone will be waiting when you decide to join us," Serena told it in annoyance before she stood up and walked away.

As she was walking away, Teddiursa had come along from behind her and astutely placed the finished bottle of ketchup right behind Poliwag before it followed her. The tadpole Pokemon was so aggravated and lost in its thoughts that it didn't notice the sneaky maneuver.

Serena had made it back and sat down next to Ash. The group could tell by her expression that things hadn't gone well. Ash gave her a sympathetic look.

"What happened, Serena?" he asked.

"Poliwag still won't let go of its attitude and admit what it did was wrong. It just ignored me the whole time. How can we move on if it's just going to have a bad attitude?" Serena asked rhetorically.

"This may sound crazy, Serena, but maybe your Poliwag didn't really do it," Brock spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Serena inquired.

"Well, remember what I said earlier. It isn't like your Poliwag to lie. It enjoys annoying us, but it wouldn't disobey a direct order from you like that," Brock replied.

"I know, but Fennekin and Smeargle said they saw it with food in its mouth, and we saw it spit the bread out," Serena sighed.

"Right, but none of us actually saw Poliwag eat the bread," Brock reasoned.

"What are you saying, Brock?" Ash asked.

"The only ones over there were Teddiursa and Poliwag, and nobody else," Brock stated.

"No way!There's no way that cute little Teddiursa would steal food like that!" Misty cried.

At that, the group turned to see Teddiursa happily eating its own meal that Brock had generously cooked for it. The little bear Pokemon noticed it was being watched and turned to give them its extra adorable look. Misty gushed at the cuteness.

"It's so adorable! How could a sweet, innocent face be a thief like that?" Misty cooed.

"Piiiika!" Pikachu suddenly cried which drew the others' attention.

"What's wrong, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu moaned.

"Your ketchup is gone?" Ash questioned.

"Piiika," Pikachu affirmed.

"Well, you must've left it around here somewhere," Ash reasoned.

"Hey, guys. Look over there!" Misty said and pointed.

The rest of the group followed her finger, and they gasped. The missing bottle of ketchup was right next to Poliwag. Had it been the thief again? They got up and ran over to Poliwag with Pikachu and Togepi going after them. Teddiursa saw them go after Poliwag and smirked to itself. However, this didn't go unnoticed by the other Pokemon, and they gave it a suspicious look.

"Poliwag, why did you take Pikachu's bottle of ketchup?" Serena asked once she reached it.

Poliwag rolled its eyes. It didn't take that yellow rat's ketchup. It didn't even like ketchup! Why would they think that anyway? It turned around to tell them so until its eyes found the empty bottle of ketchup that was behind it. When did that get there?! Poliwag got another horrified expression on its face when it knew where this was going. It had been framed again!

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu moaned again and gingerly picked up the empty bottle of ketchup. It then began to cry over its beloved tomato based product. It had been emptied and finished off too soon! It was so young!

The others sighed at Pikachu's over dramatic act while Poliwag thought it was being really stupid. It was just a dumb bottle of ketchup, after all. That Pikachu's affection for ketchup could really go over the top. Poliwag looked away and saw all the accusing faces at it. At that time, Teddiursa had come over again to watch the proceedings. It was almost enjoying this. Besides, the other Pokemon seemed to be on to it now so it shouldn't associate with them too much.

"Poli! Poli!" Poliwag cried.

"So you're saying you didn't do it again?" Serena questioned. "Then who did?"

Poliwag turned and saw Teddiursa giving it the same smirk it wore when it was first accused. Poliwag glared and pointed its tail feather again at Teddiursa. It had to be that stupid bear again!

"Urrrrr!" Teddiursa whimpered before it began to cry again.

Misty knelt down and began to hug the Teddiursa. "It's okay, Teddiursa. We know you didn't do it. Just ignore what the mean Poliwag says."

"Urrr," Teddiursa said and gave Misty its extra cute look.

"Now come on, Poliwag. You're blaming Teddiursa again? I'm trying to forget this whole incident, but I can't if you're going to keep doing this. What's gotten into you?! I'm so tired of you just...being you!" Serena shouted.

Poliwag felt tears burn its eyes that it was accused again. This was very unusual thing for it to do. Poliwag couldn't ever remember itself being this upset before. Poliwag then did something it never thought it would do. It was desperate now. It looked to the group, particularly Serena, and gave them a pleading look. This surprised them greatly. Serena's anger softened a little, but there was no denying the evidence.

"Look, Poliwag. How can you expect me to believe you? This does really look suspicious. How can we think otherwise?" Serena stated.

Poliwag shook as it felt the tears threaten to fall from its eyes. This couldn't be happening. Its reputation was turning against it. It really didn't steal anything! Not the stupid ketchup and not the bread! Nobody believed it. Unable to take it anymore, Poliwag let out its frustration with the only way it knew how. It shot a Water Gun straight at Teddiursa which knocked it on its bottom. Then, before the group could react, it shot a Water Gun at Serena.

Serena screeched as the cold water drenched her. She was about to scream at Poliwag, but saw the tadpole Pokemon was running off in the other direction. It wasn't long before it disappeared behind some bushes and was out of sight. Serena ran after Poliwag, and looked around for where it could've gone, too, but it was nowhere to be found.

"Serena? Are you okay?" Ash asked as he and the others caught up to her. "I can't believe Poliwag actually attacked you like that!"

"And I can't believe it attacked this cute little Teddiursa," Misty said as she gave the little bear Pokemon a hug.

"Neither can I," Serena sighed as she wrung her clothes. "Nobody would take a lie this far. Poliwag had to really be upset for it to use Water Gun on me like that, and that's wasn't a prank like I'm used to."

"I know. It kind of goes with my earlier theory that maybe Poliwag isn't the culprit," Brock said again.

"Still, if it isn't Poliwag, who could've done it?" Serena wondered.

Pikachu went over to Teddiursa to ask if it had any idea, but it stopped. Something was off. Pikachu gave a quick sniff. Its great nose could still smell ketchup somewhere, and it was coming from Teddiursa. The yellow rodent began sniffing around Teddiursa. The little bear Pokemon and the humans watched curiously and wondered what on Earth Pikachu was doing. Finally, Pikachu found what it was looking for.

"Pika!" Pikachu said in alarm.

"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Ash wondered.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied and pointed at Teddiursa's paws.

The group looked, and they gasped. Right there, between two of Teddiursa's paws was a small, trace dab of ketchup. Teddiursa must've seen what they saw as it got a frantic look on its face and sweat dropped. How had that rat been able to detect such a small amount of ketchup on it? That thing had a really unhealthy obsession for it.

"Hold on, now. Teddiursa, was it you that stole the ketchup?" Serena questioned.

"Urrr," Teddiursa replied and tried to play it off with a sweet, innocent look.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu accused, not fooled by its act.

At that time, the other Pokemon had come over. They had seen the incident with Poliwag and decided it was time to throw in their two cents about Teddiursa. They all formed a circle around Teddiursa so it couldn't escape. Teddiursa looked around and glared at them. Its plan was falling apart fast!

"Everyone?" Ash questioned.

All the Pokemon began to tell the group about how Teddiursa was smirking the entire time that Poliwag was being scolded. That was awfully suspicious behavior for someone who was a mere bystander. Not to mention there was a trace of ketchup that was on Teddiursa's paw. The group then glared at Teddiursa.

"Just as I thought, I think we found the real thief. It was also the only other Pokemon by the food other than Poliwag" Brock frowned.

"It's weird, though. I thought you caught Poliwag in the act when it had the food in its mouth," Misty muttered.

"It also spit it out. Teddiursa must've stuffed the food to frame Poliwag when it saw us coming," Ash figured.

"No way. My little Teddiursa would never do something like that," Misty said in worry before she knelt down in front of it. "Please tell me you weren't the thief, Teddi."

"Urrrr," Teddiursa responded with its cute look.

"What a cutie. How could we doubt an adorable face like that?" Misty cooed.

"Misty, stop kidding yourself," Ash frowned. "Teddiursa's lied and stolen from all of us. The worst part was that it was framing Poliwag."

"We aren't fooled by your fake act, anymore, Teddiursa," Brock said disdainfully.

Teddiursa growled in frustration. Shoot! It was so close to getting more food, too. These humans found it out, though! It had to get away. It wasn't about to let them capture it! Before it left, however…it had a few things to get.

Teddiursa shot a Swift attack at the Pokemon surrounding it, and they leaped out of the way. It then dashed over to Brock's backpack and picked it up before it ran off. The others gasped. Even after this Teddiursa was accused, it had no shame in stealing Brock's backpack. That was just despicable! They weren't going to let it get away!

"Hey, get back here!" Ash shouted as he, Misty, and Brock went after it, but they stopped when they realized Serena wasn't following or had said anything lately.

The honey blonde girl was on her knees, and she had the brim of her hat coming her eyes so the group couldn't see them. Small tears were streaming down her face as she cried softly to herself. Her Pokemon noticed this and surrounded her to console her.

"Serena?" Ash questioned.

"Oh, Ash. I feel so terrible right now," Serena sobbed. "I said some awful things to Poliwag and accused it of things it didn't do. Now it's run off, and I have no idea where it went to. It's all my fault! I should've known from the beginning to trust my own Pokemon instead of one I didn't know. Poliwag would never take a lie as far as it did."

"Hey. It's okay," Ash soothed as he went over and knelt down next to her. "We'll go try to find Poliwag while we're searching for Teddiursa. You'll be able to apologize to Poliwag then."

"Do…you think Poliwag would forgive me?" Serena asked hopefully as she looked up at Ash with her teary eyes.

"I know so. Poliwag's a troll, but I'm sure it's capable of forgiveness," Ash said with a thumbs up before he added with a chuckle to lighten the mood. "Just know it will probably be an expensive price."

"Hmmhmm, and it would be worth it to prove to Poliwag I really am sorry," Serena nodded before she stood up. "Alright. Let's go find them!"

* * *

The group had been searching for almost thirty minutes, but they hadn't found Teddiursa or Poliwag. Not even Pikachu's ketchup detecting nose could pick up their scent. Poliwag was a priority, but it was imperative they found Teddiursa, too. It didn't just hold the food for the group. It also had their guidebook, map, and other important items. It was a little disheartening for the group, especially for Serena.

"I hope Poliwag's okay," she muttered.

"Hey, Serena. Don't worry. We're going to find Poliwag. Remember, I don't think it would purposely run away from you," Ash told her.

"Hey, guys. Look!" Brock pointed.

In front of them was a Pokemon Center. This must've been the one that Brock saw on the map that was too far away for them to travel to the previous night. Had they already covered that much distance this morning? Still, this was good fortune. Maybe Nurse Joy could have a lead on where at least Teddiursa could be!

As the group entered the Pokemon Center, they could see it was fairly empty. It was clearly one of the least traveled ones. The group had no idea whether it was because of the warning signs or another reason. Regardless, that also meant that Nurse Joy wasn't busy and would be more willing to help them.

"Nurse Joy!" Ash cried as he and the rest of the group ran up to her desk.

"Oh my! What's wrong?" Nurse Joy asked in surprise.

"Our backpack was just stolen by a Teddiursa," Ash replied.

At this, Nurse Joy sighed which the group took notice of. By the way she was responding, she was clearly familiar with this type of story.

"Let me guess," Nurse Joy frowned. "Was the Teddiursa you found extra cute, extra cuddly, and extra sweet?"

"It was, but not nearly as much as you are, Nurse Joy. Why don't we search for it together and in the process search for true love?" Brock suggested with a goofy smile

"Be quiet, or you'll be searching for true pain," Misty growled as she pulled him back by the ear.

"Yeah. That's it," Ash replied, ignoring Brock's comment.

"That's how it fools everybody," Nurse Joy told them. "A few workers have put up a sign at the entrance to these woods to warn them about Teddiursa, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good."

"So Teddiursa's the terror of the woods," Serena figured.

"Why don't the workers just plainly say that a wild, cute Teddiursa lives here that likes to steal? How are we supposed to know the sign means a Teddiursa?" Ash wondered.

"The Teddiursa isn't ignorant of its actions. If it saw a sign that plainly was warning people of its true intentions, it would probably destroy the sign. That's why we have to keep it vague and hope people get the message," Nurse Joy replied.

"Man. I was still fooled big time," Misty muttered.

"Do you have any leads on where Teddiursa might be, Nurse Joy?" Ash asked.

"Yes. I have a map of the area with a few spaces marked where Teddiursa likes to stay. Hold on a moment, and I'll get it for you," Nurse Joy responded.

With that, Nurse Joy bent down and opened a drawer inside of her desk. She then pulled out a map before she unfolded it and handed it to the group. The four looked at it and could see a few circles which were assumed to be the spots Nurse Joy mentioned. One of them was clearly around the cabin where they were staying along with a few others. They nodded their heads gratefully to the Pokemon nurse.

"Thanks a lot, Nurse Joy. We'll return this once we find Teddiursa," Ash replied.

"Yes. Good luck. I just hope it can be stopped one of these days," Nurse Joy sighed.

Serena narrowed her eyes. That Teddiursa had caused too much trouble for her and her Pokemon, and their whole group in general. She wasn't going to just let it walk away once they found it.

* * *

The group had already searched two of the areas marked on Nurse Joy's map, but they still hadn't found Teddiursa. Deciding to take a more a logical approach, they each studied the areas Teddiursa liked and tried to figure out which one would make the most sense. If they were a Teddiursa in these woods, where would they go?

"Well, Teddiursa mainly stole my backpack because of the food, right?" Brock figured as he put his hand to his chin.

"Yeah," the rest of the group agreed.

"Teddiursa seemed pretty greedy so I don't think it's going to wait to try to finish that food," Brock continued.

"So what are you saying?" Ash wondered.

"It's going to want water to try to wash it down," Brock reasoned as he pointed to a specific spot on the map that was circled. "This place has a lake beside it. It's the farthest spot from where we are right now, but that has to be where Teddiursa is."

"Alright. Let's check there," Ash decided.

"Do you think Poliwag might be over there, too?" Serena asked hopefully.

"It might. It's a water-type, after all," Ash replied as they took off running.

Serena nodded as she followed. She just hoped they could find it soon so she could apologize to it.

* * *

Poliwag was trekking through the forest at its own pace. It had no interest in going back to Serena anytime soon. How could she accuse it of those stupid things that the dumb Teddiursa had done?! Poliwag knew it didn't have the best reputation, but it was proud of its naughtiness. If it had done something wrong, it most certainly would've admitted it. The fact that Serena had actually hurt its feelings was something Poliwag wasn't used to so it didn't know how to handle it. Poliwag couldn't believe that it had actually been out-trolled by something.

Poliwag then got a down expression on its face. Oh well. It's not like Serena or the others or even their Pokemon seemed to like it much anyway. Why would they want it? Serena probably openly embraced that Teddiursa into her team, totally fooled by its deceitfulness. Well, whatever made her happy was fine with it. Why should it care?

As Poliwag continued, it soon came across a small lake, and it smiled slightly. Well, if it wasn't going to be with its trainer anymore, this might make a nice a place to live for a while. It was in a nice, quiet place. The grass felt good. The weather was nice, and there would be plenty of shelter when the weather wasn't. It might even find a few other Pokemon to prank here. Best of all, it wouldn't have to see that slimy, sleazy…wait.

"Poli?" Poliwag questioned once it saw a Teddiursa against a rock.

The Teddiursa was sitting against a large rock as it careless tossed food into its mouth one after the other. Poliwag then noticed the backpack next to Teddiursa and recognized it as one of its trainer's companions. The tadpole Pokemon then narrowed its eyes. So it was bad enough that Teddiursa was stealing food from them and framed it, but now it had even stolen their backpack and didn't look the least bit ashamed! That actually made Poliwag quite angry. Poliwag started to run over to Teddiursa, but it stopped itself.

Why should it help Serena and the others now? They falsely accused it and said some pretty hurtful things. Why should it care? Poliwag grimaced as it remembered all of its past troubles with its trainer since it's been caught.

XXX

" _You're such a troll!"_

" _That's low, even for you!"_

" _I'm going to strangle you!"_

" _You need to do something about your bad attitude!"_

" _I've had it up to here with you!"_

" _How can you expect me to believe you?"_

XXX

Poliwag closed its eyes and promptly turned away from Teddiursa. Let that stupid bear eat their food! That was no longer its concern! Though Poliwag really wanted to kick this thing's butt, it wasn't going to do so while Teddiursa was eating. It certainly didn't want anybody to get the impression that it was protecting their food. It could wait for Teddirusa to finish, and then it could kick its butt. It may even use the backpack as a comfy place to sleep. Poliwag hoped they never found the backpack!

As Poliwag continued to march away from Teddiursa, a new wave of thoughts entered its head. Was this really the right thing? Well, of course it wasn't, but since when did it care about doing right? Still, was it the noble thing to do? Sure. Poliwag was angry with its trainer, but should it really not care about her at all anymore? She never cared for it, after all. Right? Right?

XXX

 _"I don't think you're as bad as you lead me to believe."_

 _"It was Poliwag that helped us find you, Serena."_

 _"Fine. I'll let you have a small piece of bread."_

 _"Thank you, Poliwag."_

 _"That was actually sweet of you."_

XXX

Poliwag also remembered all the times she's hugged it before, though it did hate to be hugged. Okay. So it liked it just little bit. Then again Serena hugged all of her Pokemon a lot. Still, Poliwag knew if she didn't really like it, she wouldn't hug it at all. Also, as Poliwag just thought, she could say nice things about it, though they were few and far between. The tadpole Pokemon let out a cry of frustration at the internal battle it was having. Dang it all!

Before Poliwag even knew what it was doing, it was sprinting back in the other direction to Teddiursa. It was going to stop this bear and get their food back! Sure. Serena was angry with it, but Poliwag would prove to her and the others that it was capable of good, too! It wasn't going to let his Teddiursa do anymore trickery!

Poliwag came charging into the clearing with a battle cry. The Teddiursa at first made a surprised yelp before it jumped out of the way. It then landed on its two legs and glared at the tadpole Pokemon. So it was back for more, was it? Teddiursa thought it had run this thing off. Furthermore, why was it wanting to protect their supplies after what they said to it?

"Teddiursa! Ursa!" Teddiursa yelled.

"Poli! Poliwag!" Poliwag yelled back.

Teddiursa smirked. So that's how it was, huh? This little pipsqueak thought that it could stop it? That was pretty amusing. As Teddiursa was about to show, its cute looks weren't all it had. It was also a skilled battler. It would teach this Poliwag not to mess with it!

With that, Teddiursa shot several star-shaped beams of energy out of the crescent moon shape on its forehead. Poliwag attempted to leap out of the way of the Swift attack, but the energy followed Poliwag and struck it in the backside. Poliwag grimaced, but it still turned around to shoot a Water Gun at Teddiursa.

The little bear Pokemon countered it with its Swift attack again. Both attacks then began competing in midair for dominance. Not in the mood to for this, Teddiursa ran forward while still using Swift, and this surprised Poliwag to where it had to cancel the attack. Teddiursa then delivered solid Slash in an uppercut motion to Poliwag. The tadpole Pokemon cried in pain and fell to the ground before it got back up.

Poliwag then realized the ground was still quite wet from the previous night's rainstorm so this was the perfect time to use the attack. Poliwag used its tiny feet to kick up some mud and hurled the glob at Teddiursa with the force of a fast ball.

This surprised the little bear Pokemon, and it got smacked right in the face with the mud and was knocked to the ground. It then began to claw at its eyes to try to get the mud out. Satisfied, Poliwag went over to the backpack and began to push it along since it didn't have hands. It really wanted to inflict more damage on this bad bear, but there were other priorities at the moment. If it hurried, it could get away and find the others to return the backpack.

About that time, the group was approaching the area, and they could hear the commotion going on. Curious, they hurried to the clearing and were surprised to see Teddiursa and Poliwag there, battling it out. Serena's eyes then shined in guilt. Even after all of the things that she said to it, Poliwag was still battling Teddiursa and trying to help them.

"Poliwag! I'm here!" Serena called. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Poliwag stopped pushing the backpack and stared in surprise at Serena. She was actually looking for it, after all? Wasn't she angry with it? Didn't she think it was a thief?

Serena noticed its expression and got a very sorrowful on her face. "Oh, Poliwag. I'm so sorry. I should've believed that you weren't the thief. You've been with me for a while now, and while you usually are up to no good, I still know you're not a liar. I'm so sorry. I promise I won't think of you as something like that again."

Poliwag said nothing and continued to stare at Serena. She was actually apologizing to it and said she was sorry? Poliwag resisted the urge to snort. It hated sob stories, but it actually liked this one, and it…err…felt its heart warm at its trainer's words.

"Poliwag. Please forgive me," Serena pleaded as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Poliwag blinked as it felt a tear of its own in its eyes. Shoot! It wasn't some sap for sweet stuff like this! Still, to hear that its trainer was sorry really made Poliwag feel a lot better. It was thinking of never seeing Serena again, but after hearing that, how could Poliwag resist? It was her little troll, after all. Poliwag closed its eyes and was about to accept Serena's apology before something happened.

"Poliwag, look out!" Serena cried.

At that time, Teddiursa had managed to get the mud out of its eyes and looked very angry. It charged forward at Poliwag with surprisingly quick speed. The tadpole Pokemon turned too late, and Teddiursa swung its paw and gave another Slash attack to Poliwag. It flew backwards and slammed against the rock Teddiursa was leaning on earlier. Shoot! It had forgotten all about that stupid bear!

Despite this, Teddiursa was relentless and intended to finish this Pokemon off. It charged forward with every intention to bash Poliwag's little body through the rock. It would teach this thing to get mud in its eyes like that!

"Poliwag!" Serena cried as she set down Togepi and ran towards it.

"Wait, Serena!" Ash hollered.

Teddiursa happened to see Serena coming and changed direction to her instead. If she was going to get involved, she was fair game to attack, too. Poliwag saw this and widened its eyes. Poliwag had just about enough of this Teddiursa. First, it stole from them. Then it framed it. Then Teddiursa attacked it, and now it was about to attack Serena. Poliwag wasn't going to let this thing terrorize them anymore!

Pikachu was about to dart in the battle to help Serena, but it soon found out it didn't have to. Something else beat Pikachu to it. Just before Teddiursa rammed into Serena, it was suddenly struck with a very powerful force. It didn't take the group long to figure out that force was Poliwag. The little bear Pokemon flew backwards and skidded along the ground before it got back up and blinked in confusion.

Poliwag stood in front of Serena protectively, and the group was quite amazed. That was very powerful coming from Poliwag. That certainly wasn't something they were expecting due to its small size. If they didn't know better, it was almost as if Teddiursa had been Mega Punched. That was impossible, though, since Poliwag didn't have hands. That was something they would expect more from…wait.

"Poliwag?" Serena questioned before she gasped as Poliwag began to glow a shiny white.

Poliwag began to swirl around before it grew larger and arms sprouted from its body. Its tail disappeared and its body filled out a little more. The glowing stopped, and in Poliwag's place was Poliwhirl!

"Poliwag, you evolved," Serena mumbled, stating the obvious before she added in even more awe. "And you did it to protect me."

Poliwhirl nodded its head before it shifted its attention to Teddiursa. The bear Pokemon was gritting its teeth at it. So what if it evolved?! Teddiursa still wasn't scared of it! It could still take it down! Teddiursa began to shoot another Swift attack at Poliwhirl, but Serena and Poliwhirl were ready.

"Poliwhirl, use Mud Shot!" Serena hollered.

Poliwhirl kicked up an even greater blob of mud and hurled it once more at Teddiursa. The Swift attack was destroyed by the mud, and it slammed once more into Teddiursa. The little bear Pokemon growled in frustration and tried to get the mud off of it before Serena issued her next command.

"Use Mega Punch!" Serena yelled again.

Poliwhirl charged forward and Teddiursa gave a nervous cry. It could hear Poliwhirl getting closer, but it didn't know where it was coming from. Poliwhirl charged up its fist and socked Teddiursa right in the stomach, and that felt so good to do it, too! The little bear Pokemon gasped as the wind was knocked from it, and it flew through the air and crashed onto the ground again where it didn't get up.

"Yes! That was so good, Poliwhirl!" Serena cheered.

Brock ran forward to retrieve his backpack next to Teddiursa and chuckled. Teddiursa had an aggravated expression as it tried to push itself up on its arms but was unable to. This Teddiursa finally got the whooping it deserved, and not even Brock felt much pity for how shameless it was.

"I believe this is mine," Brock said as he took his backpack.

Serena, meanwhile, stared at the Teddiursa and frowned. This thing had been quite the terror of the forest, after all. It was more trouble than it was worth. Sure. They were able to take it down and get back their stuff, but what was stopping it in the future? As soon as they left, this Teddiursa would just scam more people and steal. That wouldn't teach it a lesson. Serena knew how she could, though, and she pulled out a spare pokeball.

"Serena? You're actually going to capture it?" Ash questioned as he raised its eyebrows.

"I sure am," Serena answered. "I think this Teddiursa needs some discipline. I'll make sure to set it straight. Go, pokeball!"

With that, she threw the pokeball at Teddiursa, and the ball connected. Teddiursa growled in anger when that happened as it was sucked into the pokeball. The ball began to shake several times back and forth. The group continued to wait and sighed as it was taking quite a while. Teddiursa must be trying its absolute hardest to not be captured. At last, the pokeball _dinged_ to show the capture was successful.

Serena walked forward and picked up her new capture and sighed. She felt Charla's pokeball leave and briefly thought about what its life at Professor Oak's would be like without Ash's Charizard. She may have to find a solution for it.

Her eyes then went back to the pokeball containing Teddirusa. She had a few things to teach it, but now wasn't the time. It was quite a day, and she was pretty tired now despite it was still rather early.

"Well, I guess you got a new Pokemon," Misty commented before she added. "It's a troublemaker, but at least it's cute."

"I'm a little concerned too, Serena," Brock noted. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle Teddiursa. It's quite a troublemaker."

"Not to mention, now you have two Pokemon like that with you, Poliwhirl and Teddiursa," Ash finished.

"It'll be fine. Everything will work out," Serena chuckled as she turned to Poliwhirl. "Besides, I think Poliwhirl and I understand each other, now. Right, Poliwhirl?"

Serena then bent down to hug her newly evolved Pokemon, and it gave the equivalent of a smirk. It then mischievously shot a minor Water Gun attack at Serena again. The honey-blonde girl screamed again as she was drenched and she jumped back in recoil.

"Poliwhirl! I'm going to get you for that!" Serena screamed.

Poliwhirl gave a fake scared expression and slapped its behind with its hands to taunt Serena. That only annoyed the honey-blonde girl even more before she cried out in frustration and began to chase it around the clearing. She wasn't going to let Poliwhirl get way with that!

The rest of the group, along with Pikachu and Togepi, watched in slight amusement. Yeah. Serena and Poliwhirl clearly understood each other. Poliwhirl was still and always would be a troll, and Serena was usually the recipient of its pranks. That was the relationship they had. It was her little troublemaker. The group was also sure that really deep down, Serena wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **Serena's Poliwag has now evolved, and Misty's is soon to follow!**

 **Goldenrod City is next, and I have a some great things planned for it. I'm especially excited for the next chapter as I think it turned out really well. (maybe even my best chapter in this arc so far). Goldenrod City will be quite a long arc. In fact, it will be exactly five chapters long. How on earth can I spend five chapters in one city? Well, there's just that much I have to do there!**

 **Other big news: A new poll will FINALLY be out either the next chapter or the one after that. It also affects this series greatly so be on the look out for it. I'll announce it again when it's actually up.**

 **I doubt the next chapter will be out in October, but probably early November. See you all next time and have a good one!**

 **Chapter Twenty-One: Pokemon Psychology**


	21. Pokemon Psychology

**A/N: Well, guys, this chapter's out early! In celebration of an X/Y finale that left me very satisfied (as I'm sure most of you are), here it is. I'm in a very good mood right now so why not?! Enjoy this very important chapter and the lead up to the moment you all were waiting for. Yes. You know what I'm all referring to.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One: Pokemon Psychology

"Woah," Ash muttered in awe.

"Yeah…," Serena said in equal awe.

The group had finally made it to Goldenrod City. They had heard this city was big, but that was an understatement. The city, in fact, was gigantic. It was clearly going to be the largest city they ever visited. Saffron City was very big in Kanto, but Goldenrod City really stood out. The group couldn't believe the amount of skyscrapers this place had. They were almost a little intimidated to step foot in it.

"I can't imagine how many things there are to do here," Misty commented.

"Heheh. Yeah," Ash agreed as he gave a knowing look to Serena, who smiled back.

It looked like they had picked a great place to have their one year anniversary of becoming a couple. This place was enormous, and there would be no shortage of things to do. They would definitely want to do their anniversary the first chance they got, but there were a few other things that they had to do first.

It would be the site of several things for them. Ash would have his third gym battle. Serena would have her first Pokemon Showcase. Brock would most likely even participate in another Pokemon Breeder Competition. They would need to focus on these things first in order to succeed, and they had every intention of succeeding. Still, the things that ran through their mind of all they could do was incredible. The only thing was…what do they do first?

"Hey, Brock. I'm sure we could do my gym battle at any time. The gym's not going anywhere, but when does the breeder competition and the Pokemon Showcase start?" Ash asked.

"Man. I'm not sure. We've been out in the wilderness for so long I sort of lost track of the schedule," Brock frowned.

"I guess even someone as organized as you can't keep up with everything," Misty smiled.

"I think the best thing for us to do is go to the Pokemon Center. It'll likely have everything we're looking for there, and at the very least, I'm sure the beautiful Nurse Joy will know something," Brock suggested.

"Sounds good!" Ash agreed as he unclipped his pokeballs and released his Pokemon. "Come on out, everyone! See the big city!"

Ash released Chikorita, Noctowl, Houndour, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. Noctowl and Houndour stood faithfully by Ash and looked around at the gigantic city before them. Totodile was more interested in dancing, however, and Chikorita was more interested in snuggling Ash while Cyndaquil just took a nap.

As Ash watched his Pokemon do their own thing, needless to say he had a few reservations about his upcoming gym match. Houndour and Noctowl were strong and would probably have no trouble following his commands during the match, but Cyndaquil, Chikorita, and Totodile seemed to have their own agenda. Ash was too reminded of this in his last gym battle against Bugsy when he almost lost. Gary's harsh words still made him cringe.

Ash had trained his Pokemon a lot since then, but even so, Cyndaquil still couldn't light its flame properly, Chikorita still had an attitude problem, and Heracross still had an unhealthy obsession of tree sap. He could only imagine that the stag beetle Pokemon was probably sucking every tree at Professor Oak's lab dry.

Ash wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened at the Azalea Gym at all costs. Still, with his gym match approaching fast, Ash was now wondering if he was even ready. He sometimes wondered if his Pokemon's behavior could be corrected by something other than training. It seemed to run a little bit deeper than that, particularly with Chikorita.

"Chika! Chika!" Chikorita cooed as it snuggled against Ash's leg.

"Are you excited to see the city, Chikorita?" Serena asked.

Chikorita briefly stopped snuggling Ash to stare at Serena. For a while, the leaf Pokemon said nothing. It finally made a slight huff before it went back to snuggling Ash. Serena let out a sigh which didn't go unnoticed by Houndour. Though Serena wasn't its trainer, Houndour knew that this kind of behavior was unacceptable. This whole group was its pack now, and it wouldn't handle any insubordination.

Houndour gave a few short, angry barks to Chikorita. The leaf Pokemon turned and shouted back at Houndour before it fired a Razor Leaf in Houndour's direction. The dark Pokemon skillfully dodged the attack, but the leaves continued going until they struck Cyndaquil who was napping peacefully. Cyndaquil leaped in alarm at the sudden attack before it fired a Swift attack in a random direction. Unfortunately, that random direction was where Totodile was dancing, and it was struck from behind. The big jaw Pokemon turned around in surprise before it looked around to try to find who did the sneak attack.

Pretty soon, Houndour, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile were all in the others' faces and glaring at each other. Pikachu and Noctowl sensed the impending fight and hastily forced themselves in the middle. They then spread out their arms or wings to get the Pokemon far apart from each other.

"Guys, what's the matter with you?!" Ash cried in surprise. "We're on the same team. We don't have to fight because of a few misunderstandings!"

Houndour, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile cast their eyes downward in a guilty expression, particularly Houndour. It knew better than to behave like this. It would never start a fight, but it was just as guilty for reacting the way it did when Chikorita attacked it. Pikachu and Noctowl sighed. They couldn't play the mediator every time there was a fight.

Ash continued to watch his Pokemon before he folded his arms. He turned to look at Serena, Brock, and Misty, and he could tell they were thinking the same thing he was. These types of issues definitely went further than just training. Maybe he was going about this all wrong. There had to be something to help his Pokemon. Coming up with nothing, Ash frowned and sighed, too.

"Hey. Let's just get to the Pokemon Center," he muttered.

* * *

Silver glared as he stood outside Goldenrod City. He really didn't want to search here. In fact, Silver would say he hated this city. It was always so noisy, and the people here, especially the gym leader, were complete idiots.

Still, he had searched Violet City, Cherrygrove City, and Ecruteak City for any traces of Team Rocket but didn't find anything. Where the heck were those pansies hiding?! Silver slammed his fist against the Welcome sign to Goldendrod City which earned a few stares from passerbys. However, a quick glare from Silver forced them to just continue on.

The angry young man took a deep breath to calm himself. He had a strong feeling a lot of Team Rocket members were here. This city could likely hide a lot of them. Though Silver hated this place, he still knew a lot of places where they might hide. He also knew the perfect place to start looking first.

With that, Silver collected himself before he entered the city limits. He was going to find Team Rocket and make them pay for showing their faces again. They made the ultimate mistake by trying rise up. They would've been better off just staying down. Then he wouldn't have to try to find them and then destroy them…just like he did to the ones in Slowpoke Well.

* * *

The group had been wandering around Goldenrod City for almost twenty minutes now. It wasn't that they were lost. It was just taking them that long to wander through the streets to get to the Pokemon Center. Thankfully, the guidebook Brock had with him told them exactly where to go, but it was still quite a trek. Goldenrod City was nuts with people and buildings.

"Are we almost there, Brock?" Ash wondered.

"Hmm…according to the guidebook, we're only a little over halfway there," Brock answered.

"Y-you're kidding right? It's still another twenty minute walk?" Misty stuttered.

"Uhh…well…," Brock trailed nervously.

"Oh, brother. Isn't there some kind of shortcut we can take?" Misty asked hopefully.

"Well, there is the underground mall, but…," Brock started.

"But what?" Ash questioned.

"It's not the safest place in the city. There are usually a lot of thugs down there. I mean…security is pretty tight down there, but we could still possibly run into some trouble," Brock replied.

"What do you guys think?" Ash asked as he turned to Serena and Misty.

"I'm not really scared of any thugs," Misty answered before she lowered her voice. "After all, we've dealt with much more dangerous individuals before."

"I agree. We have our Pokemon with us, too, just in case," Serena agreed.

"Well, alright. We're actually pretty near one of the entrances," Brock said as he pointed at a stairway that apparently led underground about fifty yards away.

"Hey, Togepi. I'm going to put you in my backpack for right now. I'll take you out soon," Serena told the spike ball Pokemon.

With that, the group walked towards the stairwell. They could see several people going in and out of it. That at least reassured the group that they wouldn't be too out of place going to a place like this. They could see graffiti lining the walls, but what city didn't have some these days? They would just have to make sure to stick to the main path, and they should be fine.

* * *

Silver was trudging through the underground mall in one of the alleyways. It was his first stop in this crazy city. If he was a Team Rocket lowlife trying to hide from the outside world, this is definitely where he would hide. If he wanted to catch criminals, he had to think like a criminal. All he had to do was look for clues. If there was any Team Rocket members down here, there would have to be something.

Silver soon passed by two thugs who were smoking a cigarette against the wall, and they looked quite drunk, too, due to how they were stumbling and kept coughing on the cigarette. They looked really nasty from head to toe which told Silver they didn't even bother to keep clean regularly. Silver rolled his eyes in disgust. Smoking and drinking never appealed to him. He considered it a sign of weakness, and he hated the weak with a passion. These thugs were pathetic.

"Hey, you!" one of the thugs yelled out.

Silver simply ignored the guy and kept walking. These guys weren't worth his time. However, that only seemed anger the thug, and he went stumbling after Silver.

"Hey! You with the long hair like a little girl! I'm talking to you!" the thug shouted.

Silver stopped in his tracks and turned around to fix the thug with a deadly glare. It wasn't because the thug had insulted his hairstyle. Silver couldn't care less about that. It was because this loser was actually trying to start something with him. The cold man wanted to make it quite clear that he shouldn't be messed with. However, the thug didn't seem intimidated by Silver's glare and still marched right up to Silver with his buddy following him.

"What?" Silver uttered.

"What's with the crappy look you gave us? You got some problem with us?" the thug asked and tried his best to look intimidating. However, it wasn't working on Silver.

Silver sighed in aggravation. "As a matter of fact, I do. You idiots would rather waste your life getting drunk or being high every day than actually do something with your lives. You're so pathetic it makes me sick."

With that, Silver turned to leave, but that only seemed to enrage the thugs even more. First, this little punk gives them a dirty look and then he insults them by calling them pathetic? They were about to teach this guy a lesson.

"What'd you say to me?!" the thug shouted and went to clumsily swing his fist at the back of Silver's head.

However, Silver sensed the move coming, and he moved his head to the side to dodge the attack. So these losers wanted to pick a fight? So be it. Silver turned around and grabbed the first thug by the arm and twisted it before he used his other hand to grab the thug's jacket and slam him against the wall. Silver wasn't a world class street fight master, but he was good enough to take on these idiots.

The thug moaned in pain as Silver continued to twist his arm against the wall. The second thug came to help, but Silver's voice stopped him dead in his tracks. These guys were asking for it.

"You see that pokeball at the front of my belt? I have a Feraligatr in there that wouldn't hesitate to tear you limb from limb if you try to attack me again. Now, what should I do with your friend here?" Silver said darkly to the second thug.

"Hey, man! Lemme go! Lemme go! I-I-I'm sorry!" the first thug cried.

"Why should I?" Silver smirked.

"I-it was just a put on! A gag! Hahahaha! Yeah!" the second thug laughed nervously.

"Heh. Maybe I should send my Feraligatr out and have it crush you guys anyway. My Sneasel could use to work on the accuracy of its slashes. Not to mention my other four Pokemon would like some action, too. Hmm…what to do?" Silver sneered.

The two gulped nervously at that. They only had a couple of Grimer with him, and they would be no match for a Feraligatr or whatever else this dude had with him. They didn't quite know if this scary guy was bluffing or not, but the dark look in his eyes made them think he was leaning towards the truth. One thing was sure, they certainly didn't want to find out. This guy's ruthless eyes actually scared them.

"Hey man. We're sorry. We'll leave you alone and never bother you again. We promise," the second thug said slowly.

The first thug was no longer moaning in pain and was instead just fearing for his life. Would this guy really just kill them like that? The thug had several beads of sweat going down his head as he stared at the scary guy who seemed to be thinking it over. Finally, Silver gave his answer.

"Fine. You two aren't my concern anyway," Silver muttered before he let go of the guy.

The first thug gave a huge exhale of relief which was followed by a cough because of the smoke he was inhaling from earlier. His buddy came and made sure he was okay before they both looked up to see what the guy was going to do next, but he was already walking away from the two without a word. Just who was this guy anyway?

Silver stepped back into the main pathway of the underground mall and resumed walking. He wasn't really going to kill those guys unless he believed they actually posed a threat to him. Those guys were just losers who tried to act tough. Still, he did want them to know that he wasn't kidding around. If anyone did seriously attempt to harm him, Silver would show no mercy.

Silver stopped and looked around. He had heard there was some kind of underground passage here, but details were scarce. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself by asking one of the local vendors as they might think its quite suspicious. Well, whatever. There was still plenty of time left for him to search.

The cold man went to one of food stands to get something small to eat so he could just sit down and think. Once he got there, the food vendor greeted him with a typical smile found in any food service business.

"Large fry, please," Silver muttered.

"Yes, sir. Would you like anything to drink?" the vendor asked.

"No. I have a water with me," Silver muttered again.

The vendor nodded his head and rang up Silver's order before Silver paid for the food. About thirty seconds later, the vendor returned to Silver and politely handed Silver the fries and a few napkins. Silver gave a swift nod in the vendor's direction before he went over to one of the tables and sat down.

Silver grabbed his hair long hair in frustration. He knew those Team Rocket losers were here in the city somewhere. They had to be, but he just didn't know where. He should've squeezed information out of those ones in the Slowpoke Well before he killed them. If they resisted, he would've simply tortured them until they gave him the information he wanted, but whatever. It was in the past, and there was no sense on dwelling on it now.

As Silver took a fry and went to eat it, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Silver snapped his head to his right, and his eyes widened in horror. No. It couldn't be. Please. Anybody but him! How was the kid here of all places?! Why did he have to have the misfortune of seeing this kid again? Silver cursed his luck. He had to get of here fast. Searching for Team Rocket could wait. With that, Silver abandoned his fries and took off as fast as he could.

* * *

The group was walking through the underground pathway, and they were actually quite impressed. There was actually quite a variety of shops here. One of the things that particularly stood out to the group was a Pokemon Salon. It was one of the nicer things there. The group briefly considered to check it out, but they really needed to get to the Pokemon Center. They may try it later, though.

There was also a shady place ran by a lady who was pitching herb medicine. Apparently she claimed that her medicine worked better than any Potion, and it was cheap, but she admitted they tasted terrible. A quick grimace from Pikachu immediately told the group that they wouldn't be stopping by. They would never give any medicine to their Pokemon that they would actually detest.

"So far, everything appears okay down here," Serena commented as they passed a food stand.

"Yeah," Ash replied before there was a slight commotion.

A few people were pushed aside and made a cry of protest in front of the group. There were several shouts of aggravation before the small crowd of people simply huffed about rudeness and went on their way. Serena, Misty, and Brock shook their heads. Apparently, someone was in quite a hurry and forgot their manners. Just who on Earth would have to get somewhere that badly that they would actually have to shove people out of the way to get there? Some people.

The group turned to Ash, and the boy was staring straight ahead where the commotion was and had a slight look of surprise on his face. It was almost as if he was thinking hard about something, or if there was some sort of recognition on his face.

"Pika?" Pikachu questioned at seeing its trainer's strange look.

"Ash?" Serena asked, too.

"Uhh…nothing. Let's just go," Ash muttered.

"Well…I think the exit to for the Pokemon Center should be right here. After we get out, it'll only take a short walk," Brock mentioned as he pointed to a set of stairs to the group's right.

The group then continued on out of the underground mall. It was definitely an interesting place, but as Brock mentioned, not the safest of areas. As long as they didn't go in there at night, they should be fine. There were still a few thugs down there, but the group was sure to avoid them at all costs to prevent unnecessary trouble.

Before they stepped outside, Ash glanced back one last time. If he wasn't mistaken, he could've sworn the person hurrying through the crowd had thick, dark red hair and dark clothing. If Ash didn't know better, it looked almost like…

"Ash? You're sure you're alright?" Serena asked in slight worry. He still looked out of it.

"Yeah. Really. I'm fine," Ash smiled and shook his head. Maybe he was just analyzing the situation too intensely. The chances of that being who Ash thought it might be were quite slim indeed. He should just forget about it for now.

As the group stepped outside, they sighed in relief. There it was. Not too far away. They had finally made it to the Pokemon Center after an arduous amount of walking. It was also a lot bigger than the other Pokemon Centers they were used to seeing, probably because of Goldenrod City's size. Here, they could heal their Pokemon, and they could probably also find a great map of the city which would probably serve them better than the guide book they were using.

A couple of minutes later, the group was walking through the doors of the Pokemon Center, and they looked around. What they saw surprised them. They were expecting this Pokemon Center to be just as noisy and crowded as the rest of Goldenrod City. However, the crowd here was actually pretty reasonable. They must've come on the perfect day.

As the group approached Nurse Joy at her desk, they could tell something was different about this one. She still had the same hairstyle, outfit, and face as all the other Nurse Joy had. They then realized it was because this Nurse Joy was wearing glasses. So maybe eyesight was the only thing that wasn't shared by all Nurse Joys.

"Hello. What can I do for you?" the Nurse Joy asked kindly once they saw the group.

"Hey. I was wondering if you could check our Pokemon and find us a place to stay," Ash requested.

"You actually came on a great day. The gym leader, Whitney, is off today so business is slower today. It's normally so crammed here that they've had to expand this center several times," Nurse Joy replied.

"Well, hello there, my lovely Nurse Joy. Might I say that those glasses make you look very smart. Would you by chance be smart enough to know my love for you?" Brock asked in a goofy voice before Misty pulled him back by the ear.

"I'm sure she's at least smart enough to stay away from you," Misty muttered in aggravation.

"Well, now that you mention it, I do happen to have a degree in Pokemon Psychology," Nurse Joy replied to Brock, ignoring the pickup line he gave.

"Really? You're the first one we've encountered that has a second degree. That's impressive," Serena commented.

"Yes. Being the Nurse Joy in such a large city as this calls for some qualifications that go past the normal standard. Of course, that's not to discredit all of my cousins at the other Pokemon Centers. They're just as capable as I am," Nurse Joy smiled.

"Thanks for this, Nurse Joy. My Pokemon have been a little fussy today," Ash sighed.

"Really? How so?" Nurse Joy asked in interest.

A though then suddenly came to Ash. This Nurse Joy did say she had a degree in Pokemon Psychology. She might know something to tell him or have advice.

"It's just…I don't know how to explain it. I'm just worried about them. I train them hard, and they get stronger, but it doesn't change their behavior. I don't know if they're ready for a gym battle. I almost lost my last one," Ash frowned.

"Hmm…if you don't mind, I'd like to see them. Would you be willing to meet with me in my office tonight at seven o'clock? Business is slow today so it will be fine," Nurse Joy asked.

"What do you mean?" Serena wondered.

"I'd like to have you join me for a Pokemon counseling session. If you say that no amount of training is helping your Pokemon, then this must be a psychological factor. I'd like to help if I can," Nurse Joy elaborated.

Ash grinned broadly. This was better than he could've hoped for. Maybe after this, he would at least have an idea with what's going on with most of his Johto-caught Pokemon. One thing was sure. Only good could come from this so it would definitely be worth his time. They really did come on the perfect day.

"That sounds great! Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Ash exclaimed.

"My pleasure," Nurse Joy smiled.

"Nurse Joy, if you don't mind, I'd like you to take a look at a couple of my Pokemon, too. I have a few that are…different," Serena said for lack of a better word. Her Poliwhirl, Mareep, and new Teddiursa immediately came to her mind.

"I hope Nurse Joy won't get overwhelmed," Misty said.

"It will be no trouble at all. I have Blissey for backup who also is excellent with psychology. Any Pokemon that I can't handle will be taken over by it. They'll be just fine," Nurse Joy nodded.

"Nurse Joy, I need you badly, too…for psychological purposes that is," Brock spoke up as he got in Nurse Joy's face.

"Goodness! What's wrong?" Nurse Joy wondered.

"You see, I have this feeling in my heart…a sense of emptiness," Brock said as he put his hand over his heart and seemed to be in pain.

"I'm sorry. I only deal with Pokemon," Nurse Joy replied apologetically.

Brock hung his head dejectedly. Another Nurse Joy had refused him. Be still, his aching heart!

* * *

It was six-thirty in the evening right now in Goldenrod City. The group had just finished supper in the cafeteria of the Pokemon Center and prepared for Nurse Joy's counseling session. Before they did that, though, Ash had one phone call he had to make to Professor Oak, and he was a little apprehensive about it. He would be asking for a quite a special privilege that few people could do. He hoped it would go over well so he could make the most of this session.

Ash made his way over to the video phone and dialed Professor Oak's number while Serena, Brock, and Misty stood behind him. In truth, they were wondering, too, about what Professor Oak's response would be. They had never even thought to ask what Ash was asking for. They just assumed it was out of their reach and only reserved for champions, the Elite Four, or league winners.

After a few rings, Professor Oak picked up on the other line. It looked like he was in the middle of cooking his dinner, probably tofu. Upon seeing what the Professor was doing, Ash frowned. Great. He caught Professor Oak making his supper, and he probably couldn't talk right now. There was no other time Ash could ask, though.

"Hello, Ash, my boy!" Oak greeted as he held the video phone in one hand and chopsticks in the other.

Despite the friendly greeting, Ash was still nervous. "Hey, Professor Oak. I hate to do this while you're in the middle of cooking, but I have something important to ask you," Ash requested.

"Oh? What might it be?" Professor Oak asked curiously as he set down his chopsticks and gave Ash his full attention.

"Well…," Ash began as he took a deep breath and mentally crossed his fingers. "I was wondering if I could have seven Pokemon with me…just for the evening, though!"

"Hmm? Why would you need seven Pokemon with you, Ash? You know the limit for trainers is six Pokemon. It's in the official trainer's pledge, and the Pokemon League and Federation forbid it. Only very privileged trainers can do that. As much promise as you show, Ash, I'm afraid you haven't reached that level yet," Professor Oak stated.

"Well…you see…I've been having some trouble training most of my Johto Pokemon," Ash began. "The Nurse Joy here in Goldenrod City doesn't believe it's my fault, though. She wants to try to help in a counseling session. She has a degree in Pokemon Psychology."

"Ahhh…Pokemon Psychology, eh? One has to be very intelligent in order to achieve a degree like that," Professor Oak nodded.

"Smart and beautiful…," Brock murmured, but the group ignored him.

"Right. The reason why is because I really want all of my Johto Pokemon to be a part of this session…and Heracross has been with you since Totodile joined," Ash finished.

"Oh. Yes. Your Heracross. It was transported here the other day after you got your Totodile, I believe. Its stay here has been….," Professor Oak trailed.

"Wait. Is Heracross causing you trouble?" Ash questioned.

"Well…I wouldn't say trouble exactly. It's just it refuses to eat anything other the sap that comes from the trees here on the ranch. It's appetite for tree sap is incredible. This wouldn't be a problem, but I'm worried it will harm my trees…which would eventually harm the Pokemon that live in them. Tracey's been trying other forms of food, but Heracross refuses," Professor Oak explained.

"Oh…wow," Ash muttered, not knowing what else to say.

"Not to mention…your Ivysaur doesn't like it too much," Professor Oak added.

"Wait. Why would Ivysaur not like Heracross? It and Wartortle are some of my most welcoming Pokemon," Ash said in confusion.

"Well…apparently Heracross has taken a liking to the nectar that's in Ivysuar's budding flower. It's always trying to suck on Ivysaur's flower every chance it gets. Ivysaur always has to end up using Vine Whip to shoo it off," Professor Oak said.

Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock almost wanted to laugh at that. Poor Ivysaur. The image of Heracross trying to suck the nectar out of Ivysaur's flower was pretty funny…though apparently not for Ivysaur. Still, it did ring a bell that something had to be done to try to quell Heracross' appetite for tree sap. It knew not to do so in battle now, but it had to know that it couldn't do it always in its free time, too. Its life shouldn't resolve around food. It wasn't Snorlax.

"That's kind of why I need Heracross for this session. It's really important," Ash tried again.

"Hmm…I don't know. It's a lot of work to try to get this special privilege…even if it is for tonight. You have no idea what I would have to go through," Professor Oak replied doubtfully.

"Please, Professor Oak. Just this one time? I'm not going to leave the Pokemon Center or try to battle anyone with seven Pokemon. It'll just be for a few hours," Ash pleaded.

Professor Oak sighed. The truth was…he believed Heracross could use some counseling, too. According to Ash, all of his Johto Pokemon should be a part of this session, and he didn't have enough room for all of them. He was just missing one and couldn't afford to swap any of his Pokemon on hand for Heracross. He also knew Ash was trustworthy and wouldn't ask this unless it was absolutely necessary.

Professor Oak looked once more at the screen and saw Ash looking at him pleadingly. It really was important to him. Maybe he could cut he boy some slack and make the exception just this one time. As Ash said, it was very important, and he knew the difficulty of this.

"Okay, Ash. I'll let you have seven Pokemon for tonight only," Professor Oak relented.

"Alright!" Ash cheered along with Pikachu, Serena, Misty, and Brock.

"Just remember, you can't tell anyone I did this for you. I've never even done it for Gary. I don't want people to think this is a common occurrence," Professor Oak said seriously.

"Don't worry, Professor. I won't. My lips are sealed," Ash smiled.

"The Pokemon will be in good hands, Professor Oak," the Nurse Joy stated as she passed by the group on her way to the counseling room. Apparently, she was aware of the situation, too.

"Very well. Thank you, Nurse Joy," Professor Oak nodded towards the nurse.

"Thanks a lot, Professor! Really!" Ash said in excitement.

"You're welcome, my boy. I'll have Heracross over to the Pokemon Center in Goldenrod City in about twenty-five minutes. I have to make a call to the Silph Company and Pokemon League Corporation Office," Professor Oak said.

"Great! Thank you so much!" Ash grinned again.

"Oh no! My tofu's done! I have to go, Ash! Bye!" Professor Oak hurriedly said and hung up the phone.

Ash set the phone down and smiled. He did it. He was really worried that Professor Oak would say no, but he realized that was probably a little silly. Professor Oak was a very understanding man. Ash would just need to make sure he realized the hoops Professor Oak had to go through. As he and rest of the group knew, it was a very special privilege.

"That was good, Ash. I think we'll really get the most out of this session now," Serena smiled.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Yep! Hopefully this will be a great first step for everyone on my team!" Ash agreed.

* * *

The group was now sitting in a circle inside a large room now with Nurse Joy at the head with a clipboard. They needed one after all due to the amount of occupants that were in there at the moment. In addition to Ash's Pokemon, Serena had out her Poliwhirl, Teddiursa, and Mareep while Misty had out her Psyduck and Shellder. Surprisingly, all of the Pokemon were quiet at the moment with the exception of Mareep who was twitching uncontrollably like it was having some sort of seizure.

"Serena, I must ask if your Mareep is alright?" Nurse Joy asked in alarm upon seeing Mareep…and the fact that it had no wool.

"I…think it is. I know it's like this all the time. We just can't get it to sit still. It's too hyper for its own good, and it freaks out at the tiniest things," Serena explained.

"Hmm…," Nurse Joy mused as she wrote something on her clipboard.

"Do you think you can help it…or at least figure out why it's this way?" Serena asked hopefully.

"I'll certainly see what I can do," Nurse Joy answered as she pushed up the ridge of her glasses. "I've never seen a Mareep like this before."

"I don't think anybody has," Serena giggled lightly as she glanced at Mareep.

Nurse Joy then noticed Chikorita was in Ash's lap and snuggling into his chest. "Your Chikorita seems very affectionate to you. That's very sweet."

"Eheheheh. I guess it would be normally," Ash chuckled.

"Normally?" Nurse Joy inquired in interest.

"Well…I think it's nice that Chikorita likes me so much, but it's causing problems for my other Pokemon…and Serena," Ash replied.

"Problems?" Nurse Joy questioned.

"Yeah. Whenever I battle, Chikorita refuses to switch out until it's beaten. It also has a really strong dislike for Serena, and none of us can ever figure out why. I'm the only person Chikorita has warmed up to, and Totodile," Ash said with a frown.

"Hmmm…I think I know the problem," Nurse Joy responded as her glasses seemed to shine.

"Really? Please tell me," Ash pleaded.

"Your Chikorita suffers from envy," Nurse Joy replied.

"I'm envious of Nurse Joy," Brock muttered.

"One mental case at a time, Brock," Misty said in annoyance.

Ash looked down at Chikorita who was still snuggling into his chest. It wasn't like it was trying to hide its emotions from anybody. Chikorita could definitely hear that everyone was talking about it, but it wasn't even denying it. Maybe Nurse Joy was right, after all.

"Envy," Ash mused before he spoke up. "Why would it feel envy? I give Chikorita plenty of attention."

"When a Pokemon battles for their trainer, they are always doing their best to please them,and some to a greater extent than others like your Chikorita," Nurse Joy explained. "In Chikorita's case, it really wants to win for you, and when you want to switch out a Pokemon, Chikorita feels that you trust that Pokemon more than it so it's jealous."

"I wonder if that's why Chikorita always acts so coldly to the other Pokemon, especially Pikachu," Ash muttered.

He recalled all the times when he would have practice battles with random trainers whom he passed by. Chikorita did always seem upset when he would switch it out. It's just been getting worse lately, however. He recalled a particularly bad incident not too long ago when he was battling another kid and his Raticate. He wanted to switch Chikorita out for Pikachu, but Chikorita kept dodging his pokeball when he tried to recall it.

"Then why doesn't Chikorita like Serena? She's always so nice to it, and she's not a Pokemon," Ash wondered.

"Serena is your girlfriend, correct?" Nurse Joy inquired.

"That's right," Ash smiled, and he felt an undeniable flinch from Chikorita when he said that which didn't go unnoticed by Nurse Joy.

"It's just as I thought," Nurse Joy sighed. "It all links back to envy. Since Serena is your girlfriend, Chikorita knows that she's the most important person in your life, and Chikorita wants the same."

"But I do love Chikorita. It should know that," Ash frowned.

"I think what Nurse Joy is saying is that Chikorita wishes it was in Serena's place," Misty sighed.

"Ohhhhhh…," Ash mumbled before he looked at Nurse Joy again. "What do I need to do?"

"Unfortunately, something like this can only come with time. You need to let Chikorita know that you love and care for it just as much as your other Pokemon. You also need to let it know that teamwork is important and that you need to love your other Pokemon, too," Nurse Joy responded.

"But what about me?" Serena asked timidly.

"Deep down, Chikorita knows it can't have the same type of relationship with Ash as you do," Nurse Joy replied. "It just has a hard time accepting that. Once again, Ash just needs to show Chikorita that he loves and cares for it, too."

"I see," Ash muttered as he watched Chikorta continue to snuggle him.

Houndour noticed this and rolled its eyes. It knew what Nurse Joy was saying. Chikroita's just acting like a spoiled brat. Ash is the leader of a pack and needs to treat all of them equally. He shouldn't have to give special attention to one Pokemon just because it's jealous. Being the former leader of a pack, it would know.

"Is something wrong, Houndour?" Ash questioned once he saw the dark Pokemon's tense look.

Houndour merely gave a short huff in response. It wanted to growl in disapproval at Chikorita, but it didn't want to start a fight in the middle of a therapy session. It knew when it was supposed to behave itself unlike some others.

"What about my Psyduck?" Misty asked eagerly as she picked up and showed it to Nurse Joy. "What's going on in its head?"

"What do you mean?" Nurse Joy wondered.

"I love my Psyduck, but it's so goofy that there has to be something wrong with it!" Misty cried in exasperation.

Nurse Joy leaned forward and stared at Psyduck intently. The duck Pokemon stared blankly back while holding its head in its typical fashion. Nurse Joy said nothing as she continued to study Psyduck. Finally, Misty's curiosity got the better of her.

"What is it, Nurse Joy?" she asked eagerly.

"I can't find anything wrong with your Psyduck at all, Misty. It seems perfectly healthy, and everything seems alright in its head, too. I can tell just by looking at it," Nurse Joy answered.

"You-you're kidding, right?" Misty said in disbelief.

"Psy aye aye!" Psyduck cried proudly.

"Shellder!" Shellder chimed in and licked Misty's leg which caused her to shiver.

"I see your Shellder seems to like you very much, too! You must have a great bond with both your Psyduck and Shellder!" Nurse Joy smiled.

"You really think so?" Misty asked as she looked at both her Pokemon.

"Absolutely! There's nothing wrong with them! They just really like you!" Nurse Joy nodded in approval.

"Well…who knew?" Misty chuckled as she patted both her Pokemon. It seems like the Pokemon that gave her the biggest headaches just did it because they like her. Still, that didn't make them any less annoying when they were…being themselves. Speaking of Pokemon that were annoying when they were being themselves…

Poliwhirl and Teddiursa were both glaring at each other hatefully. It was quite clear that these two were not going to be friends unless something was done about it. The scheming Teddiursa caper was still fresh on everybody's mind. Ash, Misty, and Brock couldn't help but wonder what Serena was thinking when she decided to capture the Teddiursa, and quite frankly, Serena didn't, either. It was in just the heat of the moment, and she wanted to teach it a good lesson. That ire had died down a little over the past few days, though.

"Feuding Pokemon?" Nurse Joy figured as she watched the two.

As if to answer her question, Poliwhirl sprang forward and tackled Teddiursa to the ground. In response, Teddiursa gave a cry of rage and swiped its claw at Poliwhirl's face. The two Pokemon were soon in an all-out brawl on the floor of the Pokemon Center which created mayhem in the rest of the room.

Upon seeing the fight, Mareep began shooting several bouts of electricity all throughout the room which caused everyone to hit the floor. Pikachu, Heracross, Noctowl, and Houndour ran over to Poliwhirl and Teddiursa in an attempt to break up the fight. Cyndaquil and Psyduck merely stood to the side and watched blankly. Chikorita continue to try to snuggle Ash despite the chaos, and Totodile merely danced at the excitement that was going on.

Serena was crawling across the floor as she tried to get to Poliwhirl and Teddiursa while trying to dodge Mareep's erratic bursts of electricity. It was absolute chaos despite being a rather large room, and Serena knew her Pokemon were mostly at fault. It was pretty embarrassing. The two feuding Pokemon were still swinging at each other despite being held back by two of Ash's Pokemon.

Teddiursa was feeling particularly nasty at the moment, and it turned around and used Swift on Pikachu and Noctowl who were the ones restraining it. The attack forced the two Pokemon to let go, and Teddiursa dashed forward and began slashing at Poliwhirl who was still held back by Houndour and Heracross. Since it couldn't break free of the stronger Pokemon, Poliwhirl instead opted to just use Water Gun on Teddiursa.

Serena had enough. If they didn't stop soon, this whole room would be destroyed. Nurse Joy was trying to help them, and they were making things incredibly difficult. Serena's face turned as red as her sleeveless vest as she let out a tremendous scream.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Every activity in the room stopped at those two words. Everybody was staring at Serena in complete disbelief as the room was dead quiet. Even Mareep had stopped shooting electricity and was being quiet. Serena took deep breaths as she stood up and steadied herself as she glared at Poliwhirl and Teddiursa before her. The honey-blonde girl then noticed the stares of everyone and blushed in embarrassment. She then took one last deep breath to calm herself.

"Please, you two. Nurse Joy is trying to help. Try to set aside your differences for right now," Serena requested as nicely as she could.

Teddiursa then gave its extra cute look to Serena in order to get on her good side, but she did buy it. If anything, it only made her glare at Teddirusa again, and the little bear Pokemon shrunk back at knowing its fake cutesy poo act wasn't going to work anymore.

"Serena, I think it would be better if Blissey took a look at Poliwhirl and Teddiursa. It's calming presence should be enough to soothe those two enough to where they can be more manageable," Nurse Joy suggested as she and the rest of the group stood up.

"Okay. Thank you, Nurse Joy," Serena said apologetically.

It turned out Blissey didn't need to be called, though. All the racket that was going on in the conference room was enough to cause Blissey to stick its head through the doorway to make sure everything was okay. Upon knowing that it was being summoned, Blissey waddled its way into the room and gave a happy smile to Poliwhirl and Teddiursa.

"Blissey!" it said jovially.

Though the Blissey sounded peaceful and friendly, both Poliwhirl and Teddiursa could tell there was an underlying tone to do exactly what the Blissey was telling them to do or else. There was a hidden scary side apparently that they didn't want to see. The two trouble-making Pokemon shuffled out of the room as Blissey bounced after them. It then gave a small bow to Nurse Joy and the group before it left the room and closed the door on the way out.

"I wonder what Blissey is going to do to them," Serena wondered.

"Don't worry. Teddiursa and Poliwhirl are in good hands. I know Blissey will be able to calm them down enough to where they will at least talk it out," Nurse Joy reassured before she turned to Heracross, Houndour, Pikachu, and Noctowl. "I take it these are the peacemakers of your team, Ash?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call them peacemakers, but they are leaders," Ash replied. "Heracross and Houndour used to be leaders of their own kind so they're used to disputes. Pikachu was my first Pokemon and is used to playing peacemaker, and no one matches wisdom like my Noctowl to help out."

"I'm glad that some of your Pokemon have taken the initiative to help you out some," Nurse Joy smiled.

"Yeah. Though Heracross has a problem of its own," Ash agreed and glanced at his stag beetle Pokemon who glanced back at Ash.

"Really? What kind of problem?" Nurse Joy asked curiously.

"My Heracross really likes tree sap, and I mean _really likes_ tree sap…even to the point where it gets distracted from doing other things like battling," Ash said.

"So it's an obsession?" Nurse Joy figured.

"Yeah. I guess so," Ash shrugged.

"Hmmm…I'll be right back," Nurse Joy replied as she stood up and walked out of the room.

Once she left, there was a small silence among the group. Both the people and Pokemon all had different thoughts going on. Ash was thinking if this counseling session would actually help his Pokemon. Serena was wondering if Mareep, Teddiursa, and Poliwhirl would settle down enough to at least be trainable. Misty was staring curiously at Psyduck and Shellder wondering how Nurse Joy considered them perfectly normal. Brock was thinking along the same lines and Ash and Serena and worried for them. He was serious in the counseling session now and had pushed aside his desires.

"So what do think so far, Ash?" Serena whispered, though she didn't know why.

"I like it. At least I know what Chikorita's real problem is. I just hope we'll be able to work through it," Ash replied.

"I'm worried for my own Pokemon, too," Serena sighed.

"Hey. It'll be okay," Ash smiled as he reached over and touched her arm for comfort. "Our Pokemon know it, too."

"Thank you, Ash," Serena smiled, but a slight cough from Chikorita got their attention.

"It's fine, Chikorita. I can't forget about you, either. We'll all be just fine," Ash smiled.

"Chika!" Chikorita cried in delight as it jumped back into Ash's lap to snuggle into his stomach, which prompted Houndour to roll its eyes again.

"Hey, Chikorita. Why don't you go interact with the other Pokemon? Totodile looks pretty lonely over there," Ash pointed out.

Chikorita turned to look at Totodile who was doing its typical happy dance. It then noticed Chikorita was watching it and gave a small wave and beckoned it over. The leaf Pokemon glanced back and forth between Ash and Totodile before it sighed and went over to join Totodile. The big jaw Pokemon smiled at her choice before it did a happy dance again. The two Pokemon then began to converse as Ash and Serena looked on.

"Maybe the fact that Chikorita gets along with Totodile would be a good first step in socializing with the other Pokemon," Serena observed.

"And getting along with you, too," Ash added, to which Serena nodded.

At that moment, Nurse Joy returned, and she was holding a small jar of some substance. The others were wondering what it was until she opened the jar, and they got their answer.

Heracross gave a quick sniff of the air before it got an excited look on its face. It then began to fly over to the incredible smell of tree sap and went to dig its face into the jar only to stop. It got a puzzled look on its face and inspected what was in the jar. It smelled like tree sap, but something about it was…off.

"It's not really tree sap," Nurse Joy explained to Heracross and the rest of the group. "It's just a scented candle. I wanted to see for myself what I was dealing with."

Heracross sighed and slumped back over to the rest of the group. Man. It was really looking forward for the delicious sweet treat. Upon seeing its despondent look, Nurse Joy gave it a comforting smile.

"It's okay, Heracross. It's fine to love tree sap, but sometimes too much of a good thing won't be, especially when it comes to other priorities," she told it.

"Like Pokemon battling?" Ash suggested.

"Yes, or just other things in general. I propose a gradual decrease of Heracross' intake of tree sap to try to help it with its addiction," Nurse Joy said.

"Sort of like we're weaning it?" Serena asked.

"Precisely," Nurse Joy nodded.

"Is that really going to work?" Ash wondered.

"Yes. You see, Heracross loves tree sap so much that it thinks it can't function without it. You need to show it that it can. Just give a small amount of tree sap to Heracross a day, and then after a while, see what happens without it. Then Heracross should realize that the tree sap's purpose is just a nice treat rather than its life force," Nurse Joy smiled.

"Heheheh. I get it," Ash chuckled.

"Hera?" Heracross questioned.

"Sorry, Heracross. We know you like tree sap, but it's for your own good. You'll only have to settle for a small amount a day to try to curb your craving," Ash told it.

Heracross nodded. It would try, but it certainly wasn't going to be easy. Already it was picturing the sweet, gooey substance dripping into its mouth, and then deliciously sliding down its throat. Heracross then shook its head. Maybe it did have an obsession if that's even what it was thinking about at the moment. In fact, that was almost all it ever thought about.

"Going back to your other Pokemon, Ash, I understand that your Cyndaquil has trouble lighting the fire on its back," Nurse Joy said.

"That's right. I've been training it, and Houndour has been helping, too, but maybe you could figure out the reason why," Ash responded. "I think it's because Cyndaquil lived an easy life so it doesn't know how to respond to battle."

"Quil?" Cyndaquil asked in interest now that they were talking about it.

"That's exactly it," Nurse Joy nodded. "Cyndaquil's battle instincts have been suppressed because it's never had to use them."

"So I guess what I've been doing by having it battle often is the way to go?" Ash guessed.

"I think your Houndour has been helping, too. Cyndaquil just needs to literally search for the fire within itself and channel that energy to battle," Nurse Joy replied.

"Cynda," Cyndaquil muttered and gave a yawn.

Houndour made its way over to Cyndaquil and nodded its head at it. The dark Pokemon would make sure this Cyndaquil would be able to battle with pride one day just like it did. It was almost like having another pack member to look after.

"You're doing just fine, Houndour," Ash nodded with a smile.

Nurse Joy then shifted her attention to Mareep. The truth be told, she hadn't seen any Mareep…or Pokemon like this before. She's known some hyperactive Pokemon, but this Mareep took it to a whole new level. There had to be a root to all of this.

"Serena, would say Mareep is a happy Pokemon?" Nurse Joy questioned.

"Huh? Yeah. It'd say so. I've never seen an upset look on its face the whole time I've had it," Serena replied, a little caught off guard.

"I mean do think Mareep is happy with the way it is?" Nurse Joy elaborated.

Serena looked at Mareep who had begun twitching uncontrollably again. It was true that everyone recognized this Mareep as being different, but Serena never really thought about if Mareep liked the way it was. She just simply assumed so because she's never seen it sad. Sure. It was…naked, but that never seemed to bother it.

"I…really don't know," Serena replied.

"Serena, this may be a serious issue. The actions that you described to me about Mareep are not normal. This isn't merely a case of an eccentric Pokemon. It's something more," Nurse Joy stated seriously. "I just need one test to make sure."

"What?" Serena asked in surprise as she and the others gave Nurse Joy their full attention.

Nurse Joy then pulled a pair of rubber gloves out of her pocket before she slid them on her hands. She then went over knelt down in front of Mareep who turned to give Nurse Joy and inquisitive expression while still twitching. Nurse Joy sighed before she reached out and lightly touched Mareep with her rubber gloves.

As soon as she did that, it was like dynamite. Mareep seemed to give a panic attack as it began blasting electricity out of its body. However, thanks to Nurse Joy's rubber gloves, the effects for pretty minimal. Everyone still had to shield themselves. Finally, after about fifteen seconds Mareep had settled down, and Nurse Joy stood up with a frown on her face.

"It's just as I thought," Nurse Joy muttered.

"What is?" Serena asked asked.

"There's a reason why Mareep can't control itself or its electricity," Nurse Joy said. "Some Pokemon are born with deformities in their genes. It's very rare, but it can cause some Pokemon to lose control of their natural abilities."

"What do you mean?" Serena wondered.

"For instance, fire Pokemon can't control the fire in their body. Grass Pokemon can't maintain the health of their plant characteristics and become shriveled up, a poison type Pokemon is vulnerable to its own toxins, and an electric Pokemon…" Nurse Joy started.

"…Can't control its electricity. That's why it can't sit still, either. Its electricity is going haywire constantly," Serena finished.

"Precisely. This isn't a psychological problem," Nurse Joy stated. "It's a health problem, and it's very dangerous to Mareep."

"What-what's going to happen to it?" Serena asked fearfully.

Nurse Joy sighed and gave a sorrowful look. "Mareep's electricity will continue to build up and become too much for it to handle. Then it will eventually succumb to the pressure…and die."

Serena, as well as everyone else, stared in shock. This was crazy beyond words. All this time, they thought Mareep was just an eccentric, hyper Pokemon, but its health was in danger all along. This was truly important news. Serena's eyes began to well up with tears, and she began to cry.

"I-I had no idea," Serena cried before she felt a brush against her leg.

She looked down and saw Mareep staring up at her. It was the only one in the room who didn't appear upset by the information despite it was directly involved. It was smiling at Serena and twitching uncontrollably. As Serena saw it like that, she only realized now it couldn't help it. This tic movement was because it was sick and not because it was hyper. Her poor Mareep was in so much pain and it never showed it or complained. Serena bent down and hugged the electric Pokemon as the tears fell freely from her eyes. Mareep let out a slight jolt of electricity when Serena hugged it, but the girl didn't care.

The other Pokemon in the group were affected by this a lot, as well. In particular, Fennekin and Smeargle felt guilty. They had believed this Mareep to be extremely annoying and destructive with its spastic attitude. Now, they felt pity for the electric Pokemon. They should probably apologize to it later if they got the chance.

"Isn't there anything that can be done?" Brock spoke up.

"Please help it, Nurse Joy!" Misty cried.

"I'm afraid that this type of condition is above all Nurse Joy," Nurse Joy sighed.

"Then what can we do?" Ash asked.

"I'm going to refer you all to a wonderful Pokemon doctor in Cianwood City. He's famous for his incredible knowledge of Pokemon conditions and medicines. He may be the only one who can save your Mareep," Nurse Joy stated.

"Cianwood City? That's across the ocean! We'd never make it!" Serena cried.

"Please relax, Serena. While your Mareep's condition is serious, it isn't in any immediate danger. It hasn't reached a critical point yet," Nurse Joy said.

Serena breathed a little upon that. At least Mareep's life wasn't in danger…yet. That didn't make her any less concerned, though.

"That being said, the sooner this is treated, the better. Your Mareep will be fine the next few months, but once the critical stage is reached, there will be nothing that can be done for it," Nurse Joy said gravely.

The group exchanged glances with each other. It seems like they wouldn't be able to take their time leisurely strolling around while Mareep was like this. They would have to get to Cianwood City as quickly as possible. The group wondered if that would mean they would have to put Ash's gym battles, Serena's showcases and other activities on hold. Ash, however, had an idea.

"We could fly in a plane to Cianwood City from the airport here. I'm sure our parents will help us with the travel expenses if we tell them what's going on," Ash spoke up.

Nurse Joy must have read their thoughts based on what she said next. "The best thing you can do for Mareep is to act naturally and try to keep calm. You can still do activities that you would normally do. Though I advise against you wasting time, you don't want to travel at too quickly a pace. You have to put the least stress on Mareep as possible."

"Not to mention if we had to let Mareep out in the plane for any reason, it wouldn't go so well due to Mareep's tendency to shoot electricity everywhere," Brock said.

"So does that mean we have to go on foot?" Serena questioned.

"If what Brock says is true, then I'm afraid so, and it would put the less stress on Mareep," Nurse Joy frowned

"Okay…," Serena mumbled.

Nurse Joy got up from her chair and walked over to Serena. She placed a comforting hand on the girl's own and gave her a reassuring smile. Serena stared back at the Nurse Joy and could tell there was real wisdom there. This Nurse Joy knew what she was talking about.

"Please don't despair, Serena. I have every faith the doctor in Cianwood City will be able to take care of your Mareep," Nurse Joy encouraged. "Just know that your Mareep is already hyper enough as it is because of its condition. Don't let it overexert itself."

"So that means to make sure I don't use it in performances or battles until it's healed?" Serena questioned.

"That's right," Nurse Joy nodded.

Serena then once again looked towards Mareep, and she was filled with determination. Her Mareep wasn't worried…not that it would be…so she shouldn't be worried, either. She's going to be strong for her Pokemon and get it the best help possible! Now that she and the others had a true grasp on what was wrong with Mareep, they would be supportive of it in every way possible. This counseling session had proved rather enlightening, after all.

"If you don't mind, it might do your Pokemon some good if they spend the night in the special field area of our Pokemon Center. It's set up just like a natural environment and can really help all of your Pokemon relax and rest after tonight," Nurse Joy suggested.

All of the group's Pokemon seemed to perk up at that suggestion. The idea of being in a natural environment like that instead of pokeballs was quite appealing. Though the pokeballs were safe and comfortable, it was always nice to sleep…somewhat outside for a change.

"Sure. That sounds great," Ash replied with a smile. The truth was they could all use a nice rest after this evening.

* * *

The group exited the room from their session with Nurse Joy at the same time Blissey came out of another room with Poliwhirl and Teddiursa. The two Pokemon had slightly nervous frowns on their faces as they shuffled in front of Blissey back to Serena. The honey blonde-haired girl knelt down in front of the two Pokemon and offered them a smile.

"Hey, you two. How did it go with Blissey?" she questioned.

"Ur," Teddiursa mumbled.

"Poli," Poliwhirl mumbled, too.

"Blissey!" Blissey cried happily before it picked up the two Pokemon in each hand and practically crashed them into each other for a hug.

Poliwhirl and Teddiursa instantly put forced smiles on their faces and wrapped their arms around each other. The group couldn't help but sweat drop at this. They knew as well as anyone that the hug was totally forced. Blissey then set the two Pokemon down and gave them both a pat on the bottom like they were small children to shoo them along.

Both Pokemon burnt with embarrassment and aggravation. They couldn't believe this Blissey! How dare it try to make them be friends and find things in common! It also had the nerve to tell them to respect their trainer more! It was a total nightmare in that room!

"Poli," Poliwhirl muttered.

"Ursa," Teddiursa agreed.

The two Pokemon then stopped and stared at each other. That was the first time they ever agreed on anything. The two then narrowed their eyes at each other and promptly turned away which caused the group to shrug. At least it was a start.

"See. Blissey planted the seed," Nurse Joy whispered to the group.

"I guess on that note, it's been quite a night. I'm about ready to hit the sack," Ash said as he gave a stretch and a yawn.

"Any idea about what we should do tomorrow?" Misty questioned.

"My gym battle, of course. Serena's Pokemon Showcase isn't for another three days," Ash replied.

"Speaking of performances, are you going to do the Pokemon breeder competition, Brock?" Serena asked.

"Oh…well…," Brock stuttered.

He still remembered the last competition he did. He did it because Suzy was there to watch him, and he even won. Brock didn't doubt his skills, and it wasn't like he didn't believe he could win. He was just very modest when it came to Pokemon breeding. He had to have motivation.

"I might," Brock finally said.

"You know, if you can hold off the gym battle for one day, I have a suggestion of something for you all to check out," Nurse Joy spoke up.

"Really? What is it?" Ash asked curiously.

"The annual Pokemon Trade Festival. It's held in the city square of Goldenrod City. Trainers from around the world gather to show off and trade their Pokemon. I always find it really interesting!"

The group looked at each other. That did sound rather interesting. Though they didn't like staying in the cities any longer than possible due to Mareep, they knew they had to in this case because Serena's performance wasn't until three days from now. At least this gave them something to do for a day while they waited. If they went, Ash could have his gym battle the next day. Serena could do her showcase the day after that, and then Brock could do his breeder competition if he chose to. The decision was quite clear.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash smiled.

"Me, too!" Serena agreed.

"I can't wait to see all the Pokemon that will be there. There will probably be a lot of Pokemon we haven't even seen yet," Misty beamed.

"Count me in!" Brock nodded.

Poliwhirl and Teddiursa made a gagging face. These people were going to a trading festival? Why would they want to do that? Unless…the two Pokemon got scared looks on their faces. What if Serena decided to trade them off to someone else because she was tired of their shenanigans? What if the new trainer was mean and didn't tolerate them? Poliwhirl and Teddiursa clearly didn't know how good they have it with Serena as their trainer.

Serena noticed their looks and couldn't help but giggle. Still, she decided to mess with them a bit.

"Don't worry, you two. I won't trade you off if you behave," she smirked.

Poliwhirl and Teddiursa both saluted. They would be as good as gold! The two then looked at each other again and grimaced. Great. That was another thing they agreed on, and they hated it with a passion.

* * *

It was well into the nighttime in Goldenrod City. Everyone in the Pokemon Center had gone to bed, and all of the group's Pokemon were asleep in the nature area. It was so refreshing to sleep in a place like that. The water Pokemon of the group even had a nice pool to sleep in. However, one member of the group was still awake.

Chikorita stared up at the moon from the huge skylight that took up the ceiling. It had been thinking about what Nurse Joy and Ash had said to it. Was it really just being a nuisance with its affection to its trainer? A few of the other Pokemon seemed to think so, in particular Pikachu and Houndour. To be fair, though, Chikorita knew it wasn't like it had tried to be fast friends with them, either.

The leaf Pokemon then decided it should go on a nice walk to clear its head. It had a lot of thinking to do. It loved its trainer so much, but it was causing him trouble. Why? Why did he like the blonde girl so much?

Chikorita then looked towards the open door of the nature area. It knew it shouldn't leave the Pokemon Center, and this place was very comfortable. However, it just wasn't a great thinking spot due to all of the Pokemon here, especially since a couple were snoring. Houndour and the redhead's Gyarados sounded like a dang dump truck when they slept, and Psyduck and Cyndaquil's high pitched whistling, complete with a snot bubble, was really annoying.

With a sigh, Chikorita then began to move towards the door. It would just have to be quiet and make sure no one saw it leave. It would be back well before anyone woke up. It would be like it didn't leave at all. It wasn't even going to go very far. Chikorita then stepped by Serena's Mareep and watched curiously for a brief second before it continued on. Despite how wild and crazy and sick it was, the naked Pokemon was actually a very peaceful sleeper.

Chikorita had almost made it to the door when it heard footsteps behind it. The leaf Pokemon sharply turned around to see who was following it and discovered it was Totodile. The big jaw Pokemon had a disapproving look on its face. Chikorita sighed and continued to turn around, but Totodile stopped it.

"Toto, Totodile?" it asked, wondering what Chikorita was doing.

"Chika, Chika," Chikorita replied.

Totodile then went over to Chikorita with the intention to go with it, but Chikorita shook its head. It didn't need anyone to look after it. In case they've forgotten, it was a tough cookie and perfectly capable of taking care of itself! It then turned to leave again before Totodile stopped it again.

"Totodile," the big jaw Pokemon suggested.

Chikorita stopped and turned. So Totodile wanted to go with it now just to keep it company so it wouldn't get lonely? Well, Chikorita supposed it could live with that. Besides, it was rather sweet of Totodile to risk disobedience and go with it. This happy go lucky Pokemon did really make a conscious effort to be its friend, and Chikorita appreciated it. Totodile did have a certain charm to it. With that, the leaf Pokemon nodded its head to signal it was alright.

Totodile then smiled and nodded its head and ran up to walk alongside Chikorita. With that, the two Pokemon exited the area and made their way the doors to the Pokemon Center. The doors were locked, but Chikorita smirked and slapped the scanner next to the doors with its vines which forced the doors open. They then stepped out into the seemingly quiet streets of Goldenrod City.

Unbeknownst to them, a certain yellow rodent Pokemon had watched. It wanted to go after them and call them back, but it knew they wouldn't listen. Pikachu sighed as it made its way over to Ash's room. It wasn't being a tattletale, but it did believe Ash had a right to know what his Pokemon were doing at nighttime in a huge city.

Pikachu had to leap into the air to grab the door handle to Ash's room. Thankfully, he wasn't keeping it locked tonight. It then ran into the room and could hear the soft breathing of Ash coming from one of the two beds. The yellow rodent then climbed on his bed and shook Ash gently in order to wake him.

"Mmm…," Ash mumbled and turned over his sleep.

"Pika," Pikachu whispered as it shook him harder. Please don't make it shock him.

"What, Pikachu," Ash yawned as he opened his eyes and turned to the clock beside the bed. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Piiiiika," Pikachu frowned before it made a likeness of Chikorita and Totodile before prancing across the bed to signal they walked off.

Ash shook his head as he appeared a little more awake now. "You're saying Chikorita and Totodile walked off?"

"Chu," Pikachu confirmed.

Ash rubbed his eyes as he scooted out of bed. Why on Earth would those two leave the nature area like that? Though it wasn't as though Ash told them specifically to stay, he couldn't help but wonder why they would venture into the late night of a city that probably wasn't safe.

"Come on, Pikachu. Let's go find them," Ash mumbled, still somewhat asleep.

"Oh, my smart, Nurse Joy. You do look good with your dress off," Brock muttered goofily in his sleep. "Don't you want me?"

Ash grimaced at Pikachu. "Hey, buddy. You couldn't have woken me up about a minute earlier just so I wouldn't have to hear that?"

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu gagged.

With that, the two quietly but quickly walked out of the room. Whatever dirty fantasy Brock was having right now was something they did not wish to spectate.

* * *

Chikorita and Totodile ambled through the empty streets of the city. For as nutty as this place was during the day, it sure was quiet at night. As they walked, Totodile tried to strike up a friendly conversation with Chikorita, but the leaf Pokemon was quick to remind it that it wasn't in the mood for talking right now. It had a lot of thinking to do about the relationship it should have with Ash, Serena, and all the other Pokemon.

Totodile, however, for all of its silliness and happy dancing, was actually quite insightful. It knew that Ash was a human and Chikorita was a Pokemon. The relationship would never work out, nor was it supposed to. It was pretty clear that that this was what was bothering Chikorita.

"Dile. Totodile," Totodile said.

"Chikaaaaa," Chikorita muttered.

Totodile then decided to try this from a different angle. It decided to figure out exactly why Chikorita loved Ash so much. It wasn't there when the raven-haired boy had captured Chikorita so it was in the dark.

Chikorita then told Totodile about how Ash took care of it even after it was injured. Even though it ran off, he still then took the initiative to go out in a heavy thunderstorm just to find it. The poor boy had twisted his ankle, and it was all Chikorita's fault. It had spent its whole life wanting to be a loner, sort of like it was doing now, but Ash showed so much care for it. In short, Ash was like its hero.

Totodile nodded at the story, but then it shook its head. Though it was sweet, the feelings Chikorita had were all wrong. The leaf Pokemon looked inquisitively at Totoidile before it glared. What would it know?!

Totodile then sighed. "Dile. Totodile. Toto," it said.

"Chiiii?" Chikorita questioned, taken aback.

"Dile," Totodile nodded.

Chikorita then hung its head and felt slight anger. Totodile had just told that its feelings weren't real, and it was more in love with what Ash did rather than Ash himself. Still, as Chikorita thought more about it, the more of what Totodile said made sense. Was it all the feelings it had for Ash just in its head? Did it really like Ash like that, or did it just see him as a hero?

Totodile," Totodile reminded and told Chikorita that it was okay to like Ash, but the way it was feeling was causing trouble for everyone. It was being selfish and that it wasn't right.

Chikorita looked down to the ground. If any other Pokemon had told it this, Chikorita would've gotten very angry and ignored them. However, since it came from the one Pokemon out of the whole group that Chikorita considered a friend, it knew Totodile was wanting to help and told the truth.

The two Pokemon turned into a dark alleyway, and Chikorita let its emotions take over. It began to cry, and it was doing so for multiple reasons. It was crying because of the trouble it caused for Serena. It was crying because of the trouble and how rude it was to the other Pokemon. It cried because it had acted like a selfish brat this whole time. What hurt the most was that it just found out it its feelings for Ash weren't real. It was just hero worship. It had a lot of apologizing to do.

Totodile stood by solemnly and let Chikorita let its emotions out. It was surprised when the leaf Pokemon then dashed forward and gave Totodile a hug as it continued to cry. The big jaw Pokemon nodded its head and patted Chikorita's back consolingly. It knew that everyone would be able to work through this. It still had to remind Chikorita of one thing.

"Totodile," it said.

Yes. It was still okay to be great friends with Ash and even snuggle him every now and then. However, it told Chikorita that it shouldn't get jealous anymore, and Chikorita nodded its head. As long as it got to show its affection to Ash, it would be just fine, and Totodile believed so, too. After a couple of minutes, Chikorita finished crying and stared up at Totodile.

"Chika," Chikorita said thankfully with shining eyes.

"Toto," Totodile nodded in response before it did a happy dance that Chikorita was feeling a little better now, to which the leaf Pokemon giggled.

They were just about to leave and head back to the Pokemon Center when they heard a noise behind them. The two Pokemon turned in alarm and gasped when they saw two thugs walking through the alleyway. Upon seeing the two small Pokemon before them, they smirked.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" one asked.

"Looks like a couple of pipsqueaks are here in our alley," the other one responded before he turned to the other. "Do you think they're wild?"

"Who cares?" the first one replied with a shrug. "Finders keepers. They're ours now."

Chikorita and Totodile glared and got in a battle ready stance. There was no way they were about to be captured by these goons, especially not Chikorita. It had just made an amendment to try to turn over a new leaf, and it wasn't going to let them take it away from Ash!

"Heheh. So you two wanna play, huh? That's fine. It makes it fun," the first thug smirked again. "Go, Grimer!"

"Go, Electrode!" the other one shouted.

The two thug's Pokemon then appeared from their pokeballs and loomed over Chikorita and Totodile. The two smaller Pokemon backed up and grimaced. They went to run in the opposite direction, but the Electrode quickly rolled past them and blocked their exit. Chikorita and Totodile gasped now that they were surrounded. Despite this, they would fight with everything they had. It looked like a fight was in order, and they refused to lose.

"Heheheh. If you didn't want to be captured, you shouldn't have wandered out at night. If you had a trainer, they must've really hated you to cast you out like that," the first thug taunted.

That made Chikorita's emotions flare up. How dare this creep talk about Ash like that! He didn't know anything at all about him! In fact, Chikorita was sure that Ash was on his way to save them, right now! In fact, Chikorita knew he was! He would come along any second now and chase these goons off. Then Chikorita would leap into his arms to snuggle and apologize for acting like such a selfish brat all the time! The leaf Pokemon then fired a Razor Leaf at the thug to show it meant business.

The thug hastily moved to the side before he smiled which showed horribly dirty teeth. "Heh. You're one tough cookie. I like that. I'll definitely make sure to capture you first!"

The Electrode and Grimer then began to move in closer to attack the two smaller Pokemon. Totodile and Chikorita backed closer to the center. Totodile turned to Chikorita and nodded its head to let it know they were about to give it everything they have to try and get away. Chikorita was prepared as it crouched low on the ground. Here it comes. The two thugs were just about to order their Pokemon to attack when a new voice broke the silence.

"Hydro Pump," it said.

Out of nowhere, a massive blast of water shot through the alleyway and struck the Grimer and Electrode head on. The two Pokemon let out surprised gasps and were propelled backwards until they slammed into the ground, completely dazed. The two thugs gave a surprised cry as they glanced around wildly for who did that while Chikorita and Totodile turned into the direction of their savior.

They were expecting it to be Ash, but they gave a confused glance when they saw it wasn't. Instead, it was young-looking man with wild red hair, and he had a very powerful-looking Feraligatr next to him. The young man and his Feraligatr began to walk forward to reveal themselves more as Totodile stared up in awe at its final evolved form. Wow. It would look like that someday?

"Hey! What's the big idea, you little punk?! These Pokemon belong to us now! Get your own!" the first thug snarled.

"You idiots," the redheaded young man said coldly. "These Pokemon obviously belong to somebody. There's no way a wild Chikorita and a Totodile would be wandering the streets of Goldenrod City at night. Use your heads…if that's even possible."

"You little piece of…!" the second thug shouted, but he didn't finish his sentence because he was too angry and instead just snarled at the insult.

"Why don't you two just get out of here before either of you get hurt," the young man muttered somewhat threateningly.

"You don't scare us!" the first thug yelled.

The young man smirked. "Feraligatr, use Slash."

The mighty Pokemon turned to a nearby trashcan before it gave a powerful slash at the tin can. The thugs, as well as Chikorita and Totodile gasped in surprise, as Feraligatr cut the trash can completely in half! It didn't stop there. It continued to shred the trashcan before it was nothing more than a tattered piece of metal. The young man then turned back to the thugs.

"You three have until the count of ten to get out of here before my Feraligatr does to you what it did to that trashcan," he said before he began to count. "One…"

The thugs grinded their teeth in anger, but they knew a threat when they heard it. This guy was pretty scary and probably wouldn't hesitate to commit the deed if they didn't do what he said. They hastily returned their Pokemon and dashed off. They were long gone before the cold man even got to five.

The young man then glanced at Chikorita and Totodile who stared curiously back. Though this wasn't the type of guy they were expecting to rescue them, they were still grateful. They were pretty intimidated, though, especially by the Feraligatr, but they should still express their thanks.

"You two should get back to whoever your trainer is," the young man muttered. "It's irresponsible to wander off at night. I won't be there to save you next time."

Chikorita and Totodile nodded their heads in thanks and were about to run off, but they found they didn't have to. Ash soon came around the corner of the alleyway with his Pikachu, and when he saw the two, he let out a relieved smile.

"Chikorita! Totodile! There you two are! I've been looking for you guys. Don't scare me like that by running off without telling me first!" Ash told them.

Chikorita and Totodile grinned brightly that their trainer had returned to them. They ran past the young man and his Feraligatr and made their way to their trainer. The young man watched them, and when he saw who were there, he felt his blood run cold, and he felt like throwing up. This had to be some sort of sick joke. These Pokemon were _his?!_ Why was fate being so cruel to him?!

Ash knelt down and welcomed his Pokemon as Chikorita leaped into his arms while Totodile danced beside him. Chikorita then began crying to Ash which startled him initially, but he still welcomed it.

"Hey. It's okay now," Ash said as he rubbed Chikorita's head.

"Pika!" Pikachu said and gave a V shape at Chikorita and Totodile. The big jaw Pokemon returned it, and both Pikachu and Ash were surprised when Chikorita returned it, too!

Totodile then did a happy dance before it pointed enthusiastically at the person who had saved them. It wanted its trainer to meet him. Ash got the gist of what Totodile was saying before he turned to look up at the young man.

"So you saved Totodile and Chikorita from trouble, huh? Thanks a lot! My name's…," Ash began with a smile, but he soon stopped his sentence dead in its tracks when he saw who it was.

A bit of moonlight had cast down on the ground below where the young man and Ash were so they could get a clear view of each other. Ash had his mouth open in complete shock while the young man stared back in disgust that he had run into this person again, and so casually. He had been the one to save his Pokemon! This situation was completely unbelievable.

Totodile and Chikorita stared back in confusion at the suddenly tense atmosphere. Pikachu, however, recognized who it was, and it advised the two Pokemon to hang back a moment. Things could get ugly soon.

"It..it's you," Ash mumbled, almost at a loss words.

Yes. Ash and Silver Ketchum had just officially met each other.

* * *

 **This chapter was exhausting to write as I put a lot of effort into it. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Ash and Silver's meeting is next chapter along with a lot of other things that go on. In fact, the next chapter's title has somewhat of a double meaning. There is more then one fateful encounter next chapter.**

 **That's in November, however. Mareep's condition is explained in detail now, and the cure was revealed to be the famous doctor (pharmacist in the games) in Cianwood City. Pray for the poor Pokemon!**

 **See you all in November! Have a good one, and look forward to the next chapter.**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two: The Fateful Meeting**


	22. The Fateful Meeting

**A/N: Well, here's the chapter I'm sure some of you were waiting for. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Fateful Meeting

Ash and Silver continued to stare at each other in utter disbelief. None of them said anything for at least a minute. The cool, night breeze swept through the alleyway where to the two were standing. The small creeks of the wind made the tension that was surrounding the two even more unbearable. It was almost as if the two were waiting for the other to say something.

For Silver, however, there was nothing to be said. He didn't know why he was so cursed as to run into Ash ever since he read about him beating the Orange League, but here he was. He had run into him twice in the past month, and it was two times too many. Silver's fists clenched at how Ash was just watching him with his mouth open like some idiot. In fact, just seeing Ash's face in his direction was making him angry. Without a word, Silver and his Feraligatr promptly turned around and went to walk off. He didn't want anything to do with Ash.

"I know who you are, Silver," Ash called out after him.

That made Silver stop dead in his tracks, and he turned to give Ash a look of shock mixed with disgust. How on Earth did this kid know who he was?! They had never met before, and he was almost certain Delia or Red hadn't said anything. Even if they did, how on Earth did Ash know what he was supposed to look like?!

"I was told about you from my mom and my dad. I saw your picture when I won the Orange League. Apparently, you won, too, a while back," Ash said as if reading Silver's thoughts.

Silver took a deep breath. Okay. So he was wrong. Delia and Red did mention him to Ash, but why? What was the purpose? What did they hope to gain by revealing it? Why was it any of this kid's business? Well, whatever. Silver couldn't care less about what they did. The cold young man finally found his voice before he gave his response.

"Good. If you know who I am, then that's the reason you should stay out of my way," Silver said coldly. With that, Silver turned to walk away, but Ash's voice made him stop again.

"Why did you lie to me?" Ash asked.

Silver turned around to glare at Ash. Why was this brat still talking to him?! Can't Ash just leave him be and never see or speak to him ever again?

"What are you talking about?" Silver growled.

"Back in Violet City. You knew who I was, then, didn't you? That I'm Ash Ketchum. Yet you told me that we never knew each other. Why?" Ash accused.

Silver sighed as he felt a headache coming on. "I didn't lie to you. Yes. I knew who you were, but I technically didn't know you as we've never seen each other before…and I'd like to keep it that way."

"But why?" Ash asked again.

"Let me make something clear, _Ash._ I don't want anything to do with my life before I became a trainer. I don't want anything to do with Delia, Red, or anyone in Pallet Town. That includes you. My life sucks because of all of you," Silver snarled.

Pikachu, Chikorita, Totodile, and even Feraligatr looked on curiously. They certainly didn't have any input to this conversation. It was strictly between Silver and Ash.

Ash was quiet for a moment as he didn't know what to say. It seems the few mentions Delia and Red had about Silver were quite spot on. He was a very cold and angry individual. Ash had seen it at the Violet City festival himself. From what Ash understood, Silver believed Red and Delia to be liars, and he was shunned by all of his friends when word got out that he was the son of a criminal.

"Our mom doesn't hate you, you know," Ash muttered. "She worries about you all the time."

"Whatever," Silver snorted as he turned to walk away again with Feraligatr. "This conversation is over."

"How could you say that?" Ash breathed as he began taking short breaths. "Our mom worries about you and prays for your safety all the time. She's always thinking about you, and the only thing to can say is whatever!?"

"Shut up," Silver said dangerously. "You've never been in my shoes. You were born as probably the luckiest kid on Earth while I had the crappiest. You don't know what it's like to be me. Now for the last time, leave me alone."

"Look, just because you're the son of Giovanni doesn't mean you have to hate Mom, too," Ash said angrily. "She was actually kidnapped by Giovanni a while back, and he was going to kill her if me and my friends hadn't stopped him!"

That actually got Silver's attention. Wait a second. Did Ash say he stopped Giovanni and the other Team Rocket members? He recalled reading in the newspaper that Team Rocket had disbanded, and that a group of kids had stopped them. Was it really Ash who did a while back?

"You? You disbanded Team Rocket?" Silver asked in disbelief, completely disregarding the fact that Delia was actually kidnapped and faced death.

Ash grit his teeth at Silver's response for his utter lack of empathy but answered nevertheless. "Yeah, but now they're back."

Silver frowned at Ash. "So you know it, too?"

"Y-yes," Ash responded, not knowing where Silver was going with this.

Then, to Ash's surprise, Silver leaped over to Ash and grabbed him by his shirt. Pikachu, Totodile, and Chikorita all gave surprised yelps and looked ready to attack Silver, but a menacing growl from Silver's Feraligatr made them hold back. Still, the Pokemon had their guard up and were ready in case he was going to cause any trouble.

"Where have you seen Team Rocket?! Tell me now!" Silver ordered.

"W-why do you want to know?" Ash stuttered.

"Because Team Rocket is the root of my miserable life! I won't be satisfied until I've killed them all, especially Giovanni," Silver seethed.

"You-you've killed them?" Ash asked.

Silver didn't answer, but that was enough for Ash. The raven-haired boy then briefly thought back to the Slowpoke Well. There were bloodstains on the cave walls, and Kurt had told them that they suspected a young man with red hair had done it. As Ash looked at Silver's Feraligatr, it really looked like it could rip people to pieces. Had it been Silver, after all, who killed those Team Rocket members?

"I-I don't know. I just know they're back," Ash breathed.

Silver glared at Ash for a moment longer before he let out a grunt and released Ash. The raven-haired boy took a deep breath to calm himself as Pikachu went over to Ash and stared up worriedly at him.

"I'm fine, buddy. He didn't hurt me," Ash panted.

As he looked up, he could see Silver walking away again. He was disliking Silver more and more with each passing second.

"So you'd prefer to just be a loner for the rest of your life and hate everyone? Is that what you're doing in Johto?" Ash uttered as he felt his anger rise.

"That's none of your business what I'm doing," Silver mumbled without turning around. "If you don't know where Team Rocket is, then stay out my way."

"But…," Ash tried to protest, but Silver cut him off.

"I'm only going to say this once more," Silver growled. "Stay. Out. Of. My. Way."

With that, Silver and his Feraligatr turned the corner of the alleyway, and they were gone. Ash watched him go, and he didn't know what to think. Was that all Silver was really living for right now, to take down Team Rocket to make himself feel better? It was rather sad. In a way,they had the same goal, but their motives were completely different. Ash was doing it to protect those he cared about. Silver, on the other hand, was doing it for himself, and his way was a lot more brutal.

Ash shuddered as he thought about what kind of man Silver truly was. The fact that he said he wanted to kill everyone in Team Rocket was really unsettling. It seemed the apple didn't fall far from the tree, after all. Though Silver despised the fact, it seemed he had become a lot like Giovanni in that sense. He showed absolutely no remorse for anything.

Still, as Ash thought about it, Silver still couldn't be all bad. He did save Chikorita and Totodile from trouble, after all. Ash's mind was a mess right now at the wild encounter he just had with one of the people he least expected.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked.

"…Sorry, buddy. I guess I just spaced out for moment," Ash muttered. "Let's get back to the Pokemon Center. We wouldn't want anyone to worry."

With that, the four left the alleyway and made their way back. As they walked, Ash was wondering if he should tell the others about it. Should he even tell his mom about this encounter? She did plead with Ash to let her know if he ever met Silver, but after this type of meeting, was it best off not telling her? Ash didn't want to think of what his Mom would feel if she learned of how Silver's become. It would hurt her even more. Whatever the case, Ash knew this probably wouldn't be his last meeting with Silver despite the cold man's words. It was almost like fate that they were to meet.

Unbeknownst to Ash, Silver felt the same way.

* * *

It was eight o'clock the next morning in Goldenrod City as a van drove up to the famous Radio Tower. It was the tallest and most recognizable structure in Goldenrod City. It was the home of the best talk shows the region had to offer as well as the sponsor for many events that took place in the Johto region. The place was also known for its very generous donations to many charities. It was a very popular tourist destination when anyone would visit the city hoping to meet their favorite DJ. Naturally, the place was always busy from open to close.

This was all made possible thanks to the director of the Radio Tower, Hiro. He was a very generous man with a big vision. He wished for the world to know the wonders of Pokemon through his programs. He had loved Pokemon since he was just a little boy and had built this new and improved Radio Tower in place of the old, creaking one. Anyone who met the Director could tell that he was a great man who would give one the shirt of his back.

As the two humans and one Pokemon stepped out of the vehicle, they cranked their necks upward and took in the massive size of the Radio Tower. It was just as big as they heard. Still, they couldn't play around lest they get into trouble. They had specific instructions from their boss, Giovanni, and they weren't about to defy him.

"Who would've thought the boss would've gotten this van for us so we can travel faster?" Jessie mentioned.

"No kidding! I'm even more amazed how he was able to get one since he's supposed to be in hiding and all," Meowth added.

"Then does that mean we aren't the only ones who know where are boss is?" James wondered.

"Who knows about the boss and his connections?" Jessie shrugged. "It's not like he would tell us anyway."

With their disguises in place, except Meowth who would just act like a normal Pokemon, the trio set off into the Radio Tower. They went through the large sliding glass doors and took a look around the lobby. As expected, it was swarming with people even at this early hour. They had to admit they were rather impressed with the layout. No wonder people liked to visit this place. It even had a fountain in the center of the lobby! However, what this place had in fanciness, it apparently lacked in security. From the trio's understanding, there were already several Rocket members here in disguise, like they were. Jessie, James, and Meowth also knew they would have an inevitable encounter with them.

First, however, they had to get past the receptionist.

"Hello, there!" Jessie chirped as she, James, and Meowth strolled over to the desk where the receptionist was busy answering calls.

"Hello. I'll be right with you," the receptionist said kindly without looking at Jessie.

"Of course!" Jessie smiled.

After about the thirty seconds, the receptionist finished her call, and she took a deep breath as if she had been quite busy lately. She then brushed a strand of her long blonde hair from her eyes before she looked up at Jessie.

"I apologize for the wait. Now how can…I…help…you," the receptionist started, but put on a shocked expression when she saw who was in front of her. The disguises didn't fool her.

"Umm…yes. We're looking for DJ Archer. Is he available? He requested us to see him," Jessie lied. Jessie suddenly felt a little uneasy at how the receptionist's tone changed when she saw her.

"Did he now?" the receptionist asked rhetorically as she narrowed her eyes. "Strange. I haven't heard about that, _Jessie_!"

Jessie's eyes shot open as she peered closer at the receptionist. Her hairstyle may have been different, and she may be wearing glasses now, but there was no mistaking that face now that she was taking a closer look at it. James and Meowth's eyes also widened when they realized who it was. Great. This was already going to be hard.

"C-Cassidy?!" Jessie exclaimed.

"Where's Biff?" James suddenly asked.

"What are you three doing here?" Cassidy growled, completely ignoring James' question. She tried to keep her expression neutral so as not to attract attention. "You three have some nerve to show up here after disappearing for weeks. Proton's here, you know. If he sees you, he'll probably kill you on the spot."

"You're kidding. Proton's here?" Jessie gulped. This mission just got even harder. They would really need to have the ace up their sleeve that the boss prepared for them to pull this off.

"He sure is," Cassidy replied before she smirked. "You should've seen how mad he was when he found out you three ran off."

"Okay. If you want the truth, we really do need to see Archer," Jessie whispered. "We have direct orders from the boss."

"Liars," Cassidy spat. "No one knows where the boss is."

"Excuse me, ma'am. Could you direct me to the bathroom?" a little boy suddenly asked as he went over to the receptionist desk.

"Certainly, sweetie. Just follow that hallway, and it's all the way down on your left," Cassidy said kindly, putting on her façade again.

"Thank you, lady!" the boy said brightly before he scurried off.

As Cassidy turned back to Jessie, James, and Meowth, she could tell they were trying hard not laugh. Ugh! Being a kind receptionist was such a headache sometimes!

"Keep smiling. You three are on thin ice as it is. You have a lot of explaining to do," Cassidy frowned.

"Are you going to get us Archer or not," Jessie glared.

"Fine. If anything just so I can see how lame your excuse is," Cassidy replied before she put up a sign on her desk that said 'Back in Fifteen Minutes'.

Cassidy then scooted back in her wheelie chair before she stood up and gestured for the trio to follow her. She led them through the lobby before they went upstairs through the stairwell. Nobody said anything, but that was fine. Jessie, James, and Meowth disliked Cassidy just as much as she disliked them. As she led them on, the trio couldn't help but wonder where the real receptionist was as well as all the other DJs who were apparently replaced.

"So where is everyone?" James asked, voicing this thought.

"None of your business," Cassidy answered before she added, "And take off those disguises. There's no need for you to have them anymore."

Jessie and James did as told and took off their wigs and glasses. Meowth stood upright instead of on his four paws as they continued along. They eventually reached the fourth floor and went through the door that lead out of the stairwell. As they stepped in, they could see a few DJs and maintenance workers walking around. The trio couldn't help but wonder just how many of these were Team Rocket members and which ones were legitimate.

As they walked through the hall, they came across a middle aged man in a suit and hat. As he passed by them, he gave a jovial wave and a bright smile. Jessie, James, and Meowth raised their eyebrows in response while Cassidy gave a friendly wave and smile in return.

"Good morning, Director Hiro! How are you?" Cassidy greeted brightly.

"Ah, Cassidy! I couldn't be better!" Director Hiro replied.

"How's that project coming along?" Cassidy asked.

"It's going just fine! I'm sure that soon, everyone around will know our name! The Radio Tower will be known the world over, even as far as the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions!" the director smiled.

"That's what I like to hear! We're so lucky to have a director as caring as you!" Cassidy replied, though Jessie, James, and Meowth detected a bit of sarcasm there.

"I know! That's what I do!" Director Hiro laughed, but it sounded fake to the trio, too. Weird.

With that, they continued on. As Director Hiro passed by Jessie, James, and Meowth, he gave them a rather strange look that had a bit of surprise in it. It was quickly gone, however. The trio turned as they watched him leave, wondering what that look was for. However, he wasn't facing them anymore and had continued on without looking back and soon turned around a corner, out of sight. The trio then shifted their attention back to Cassidy who was still walking ahead of them.

"So that's the director? Does he have any sort of idea about what's going on here?" Jessie asked.

"I'm sure he does," Cassidy said with smirk.

"Well, what's he trying to do to stop it? Shouldn't we be worried?" James questioned this time.

"Oh. There's nothing he _can_ do about it," Cassidy chuckled.

The trio tilted their heads in a confused manner. For someone who knew their Radio Tower had been infiltrated by a criminal gang, he sure was acting…cheerful. It certainly wasn't the type of attitude they would expect him to have. Not to mention there was that strange look of familiarity the director gave them despite never meeting them before. Something weird was going on here with the director, and they were totally being kept in the dark about it on purpose. They really were in a bad position if their own team members weren't telling them anything.

As they walked along, they picked up a certain raspy voice that was speaking in one of the cubicles. Jessie, James, and Meowth gave each other a knowing look. So that's where he was. That very distinct voice could only belong to one person.

"And that wraps up this radio show. Stay tuned to our Goldenrod Sensation station to hear some groovy tunes of old! I'm DJ Butch signing out!" Butch said as he turned off the air button.

"Hey, Hutch. Look who we have here," Cassidy smirked as she came and casually leaned against his cubicle like she wasn't leading them on important business.

"It's Butch…not…you three?!" Butch exclaimed before he quickly gathered his composure.

"They claim they're here on an important mission from the boss," Cassidy whispered before she stifled a laugh. "As if the boss would trust them for anything."

Butch also let out a cough at Cassidy's comment. The three glared at Cassidy and Butch. So they still thought they were some joke, did they? Well, wait until they show them the proof that they did indeed see the boss and he assigned them on a personal mission. Jessie, James, and Meowth couldn't wait to wipe that arrogant smirk off of their faces, and especially Proton's if he was here as Cassidy claimed.

"Well, they requested to see Archer. I figured I might as well take them there, but I wanted you to see them, too, before the executives kill them," Cassidy smiled.

"Heh. That was thoughtful of you," Butch snickered before he got a call from his station phone. "Hello? No. No, there is no DJ Biff here! It's Butch, Butch, Butch! Get my name right! I say it on the air all the time!"

Butch slammed down the receiver and turned to talk to Cassidy again, but she was already walking away with Jessie, James, and Meowth. Butch slumped in his chair and put on a pouting face. It was so unfair how nobody got his name right. He wanted to be a DJ for this assignment in the hope that people would get his name right if they heard it all the time, but to no avail.

" _I seriously need to consider changing my name,"_ Butch thought bitterly.

As Jessie, James, and Meowth continued on, their fear actually turned to some confidence. They could be dead on the spot for showing their faces, but the fact that they said they had a special mission for the boss was leaving them untouched. That could only mean one thing…that both Cassidy and Butch believed them. Now they only had to get past the executives.

"Oh, Cassidy!" a female DJ called over.

The trio rolled their eyes at the constant interruptions that Cassidy kept giving them before they followed the blonde Rocket member over to the DJ who had called her. The DJ had pinkish-red hair that was held up by a braid and had stylish glasses. It wasn't someone the trio recognized so she must be one of the few actual DJs that were left here.

"Hi, Mary!" Cassidy smiled with a wink. "Nice radio show you did!"

"Thanks!" DJ Mary replied gratefully.

"By the way, when do you think you'll have your next show with Professor Oak?" Cassidy questioned.

"Oh. The actual taping won't be until next week, but the show itself won't be aired until a few days later. Why? Do you want to meet him?" Mary asked slyly.

"Oh! Do I?! He's the world famous professor, after all! I'm sure all the new workers here want to meet him!" Cassidy beamed before she called over her shoulder. "Hey, Biff! You hear that? Professor Oak will be here next week!"

"My name's Butch, not Biff!" Butch called back, not acknowledging Cassidy's comment.

"Is it a big deal that Professor Oak's coming?" Jessie asked, hoping she could squeeze some information out of Cassidy in front of Mary.

"Of course! We all want to meet him!" Cassidy laughed, but there was a bit of a triumphant tone as if she knew what Jessie was trying to do.

"I see…," Jessie muttered.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, Mary, but I need to get these two over to Archer. It's pretty urgent," Cassidy said and gestured to Jessie and James without even acknowledging Meowth. It was something the scratch cat Pokemon took offense to. Then again, he was just supposed to act like a regular Pokemon.

"Oh. It's nice to meet you," Mary said with a nod.

"You, too," Jessie and James mumbled back.

The trio actually did feel sorry for Mary and any other real worker here. They were oblivious to the danger that was surrounding them on all sides. Whenever Team Rocket did carry out whatever plan they had for the Radio Tower, the workers won't know what hit them. It made Jessie, James, and Meowth feel guilty about doing this assignment to help their boss. They were only doing it for fear of their lives by now.

"See you later," Cassidy smiled before she added, "Meet me for lunch at Goldenrod Café?"

"Sounds good," Mary nodded. "We can talk about Professor Oak!"

"I'd love that!" Cassidy squealed before she left Mary's station along with Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Will you quit stalling and get us over to Archer already?" Jessie uttered under her breath.

"Fine. Fine," Cassidy replied. "Archer has his own studio in a different room. He's over in here."

The trio felt anger at the former teammates once they realized just how badly they had been treated. Cassidy and Butch were clearly having a blast here in the Radio Tower while they had been stuck cutting off Slowpoke Tails. They really resented the Rockets for it, too. It made them not feel sorry at all that they had considered running away.

They eventually made their way over to a set of double doors which was presumably where Archer was. The trio couldn't help but wonder how Archer had gotten such a high position here when he hadn't been here very long. He had no experience working in the radio business so why would the director hire him like that? Something was really off, and the trio was curious about it, but it's not like anyone would tell them.

Cassidy buzzed the intercom outside the set of double doors and spoke into it. "Sir, we have some visitors here for you. I think you would be very interested in seeing them."

There was a slight pause before Archer's low voice came from other side. "Very well. You may come in."

Cassidy nodded before she pushed open the double doors and walked inside. As they stepped into the room, they could see Archer was behind a large desk filing papers. To any normal person, it would appear as though he was merely working his job, but the Team Rocket members weren't stupid enough to believe that was all he was doing in here.

As Archer looked up from his papers, his eyes immediately found Jessie, James, and Meowth, and they didn't even bother averting their gazes. They simply stared him straight in the eye back. If they were to get out of this and convince the executives of their mission, they couldn't show any weakness.

"Well, this is a surprise," Archer muttered. Despite the seemingly harmless comment, there was clearly a hint of malice in it.

"Reporting, Sir Archer!" the trio said with salute, trying to sound official.

"Stop it," Archer said darkly before he continued. "What are you three doing here? It wasn't in your orders to be here."

"We have received new assignments," the trio replied.

"That's strange. I haven't heard about it. Surely Proton would've told me if he put you somewhere else," Archer uttered as he narrowed his eyes.

Jessie, James, and Meowth could tell that Archer, as well as the rest of the executives, knew the whole story about them disappearing for a number of weeks. That was almost like them saying they abandoned the organization, an action that would prove fatal if they were to return. They couldn't tell if Archer was willing to hear them out, or if he was just planning a good time of when to kill them. They had to talk fast.

"It wasn't from Proton we received the new orders from," Jessie spoke up. "It was from the boss, Giovanni."

At that, Archer's eyes widened intensely, and he stood up from his seat. He nodded to Cassidy to show she was dismissed. Though the blonde Team Rocket member was anxious to see the outcome, she knew when she wasn't supposed to hear what was about to be said. She gave a salute to Archer and left the room. Right before she left, she gave a slight taunt to Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Heh. Good luck," she said mockingly before she closed the door, and Jessie's fists clenched. How she hated Cassidy.

"Very well. Wait one moment while I get Proton. He'll be here shortly," Archer finally said after a moment before he slid up his long sleeve and pressed a signal on his watch.

The four waited in awkward silence for a moment, not saying anything. Archer's eyes had narrowed since then, and he was giving the trio a very calculated look. Normally, they would shrink back under Archer's intense gaze, but they forced themselves to look neutral. They doubted Archer would simply let Proton kill them without hearing their story first if he was actually calling the man over.

A couple of minutes later, the double doors opened once more, and the most hated executive of the trio stepped in, Proton. It was clear he didn't know why he was called, and the second he saw Jessie, James, and Meowth, he put on the face of wild man.

"You three! I'm gonna wring your filthy necks!" Proton shouted as he actually lunged forward to commit the deed.

"Hold on, Proton. Let's hear them out," Archer said calmly as he held up his hand.

"Why should we? These three losers abandoned their posts and disappeared! Now they have the nerve to show up here?! Let's kill them!" Proton yelled.

The trio figured these doors had to be soundproof. There was no way Proton would be yelling like this if they weren't. Still, it almost gave them a slight sense of satisfaction to see Proton flustered like this.

"They say they have new orders from the boss," Archer continued.

"That's crap," Proton growled as he turned to glare at the trio. "They haven't seen the boss. No one knows where he is."

"I agree with Proton," Archer muttered. "Do you three have any proof you've seen him? Do note that if you don't, we will have no reason to believe you. Thus, we won't, and we will find a…suitable punishment for you three."

The trio nodded as they pulled out their trump card. It was a handwritten letter from the boss that explained everything. He even signed it to prove its authenticity. They calmly handed Archer the letter which he took from them. Proton also scooted in and read over Archer's shoulder so he could see, too.

"It's a handwritten letter from the boss," James stated.

"We know what it's supposed to be, you idiot," Proton spat before he and Archer began to read the contents of the letter.

 _I have sent Jessie, James, and Meowth on a personal mission for me. I have assigned them to the Radio Tower first to carry out this mission. They are to have free reign of the Radio Tower in order to complete this task. You are not to question them or get in their way. You will find out what it is I plan to do soon enough. Once they leave the Radio Tower, they are to go to Mahogany Town and work there to complete their mission._

 _Signed,_

 _Giovanni_

Archer and Proton finished reading the letter as they looked up at the trio. This was definitely a legitimate letter from Giovanni. There was no mistaking the handwriting. They had been with him long enough to know what his real notes looked like, and this was definitely one of them. That did indeed confirm they had met with the boss, as hard as it was to believe.

"Very well," Archer replied as he folded the letter and set it on his desk.

"We will now proceed with our mission," Jessie stated as they turned to leave.

"Hold it," Proton ordered, which forced the trio to turn back around. "Tell us where you found the boss."

"I'm afraid we can't do that. He forbade us to tell anyone," James replied.

"Don't screw around with us!" Proton roared. "If you three morons don't tell us where the boss is, I swear I'll…"

"Calm yourself, Proton," Archer sighed. "As much as I would like to know where the boss is, I'm sure he has a reason to not want anyone to know where he is. We can't force them to against Giovanni's wishes."

Proton shook with rage as he took deep breaths to calm himself. Jessie, James, and Meowth couldn't resist the smirks that came to their faces. As long as they had that letter, they were untouchable. They had free reign to do whatever they wanted as long as they fulfilled the mission. It would now be the executives who had to listen to them! It was almost too good to be true, and they would milk it for all it was worth. Seeing Proton and Archer like this really made it worth it. They couldn't wait to hear Ariana and Petrel's reactions, either.

"Well, you have a job to do," Archer spoke up with a nod after no one did anything. "Carry on."

"We'll do just that," Jessie stated as they turned and strolled out the double doors with a new sense of confidence.

As soon as they were gone, Archer massaged his temple as he felt a headache coming on. This certainly put a damper on things. Their boss had assigned those three to be the ones to carry out a secret mission for him that they had no idea about. Archer had no idea if it would affect their plans to take over the Radio Tower or not, but they had no power to say otherwise. If the boss found out they disobeyed his direct orders, wherever he was, they would be in deep trouble.

"I can't believe this," Proton spat. "They come back like they own this place after who knows how long and we have to listen to them? This is an outrage!"

"I don't like it, either, but we don't have a choice," Archer replied as he sat back down in his chair before an idea came to him. "Still, I don't fully trust them. Finding the boss couldn't have been all they were doing."

"Exactly," Proton agreed. "You know as well as I do that those three clowns were running away from us."

"Keep an eye on them, Proton," Archer said. "We don't know what it is they're doing, but we are smart enough to know what it is they aren't supposed to be doing if you get my drift."

A sinister smile spread across Proton's mouth as he understood. "With pleasure."

* * *

Ash was rather quiet as he ate breakfast. That was if you could actually say he was eating breakfast. Ash had the same forkful of food on his plate for five minutes. He was just sort of picking at it and not eating anything. This, of course, didn't go unnoticed by Serena, Brock, or Misty. Ash was the fastest and biggest eater out of all of them. To see him picking at his food let them know something was definitely bothering him.

Truthfully, Ash hadn't even mentioned his unexpected encounter with his brother the previous night. After he had the run in, Ash had sneaked back to the Pokemon Center after making sure Chikorita, Totodile, and Pikachu were back inside the nature room. Ash had then climbed into his own bed to go to sleep but was unable to because his mind was an active mess. That was another problem Ash was having as a matter of fact. He was very tired.

"Ash, that must've been your tenth yawn since you came down for breakfast. Did you sleep that badly last night?" Brock wondered.

"…No. That isn't it," Ash answered with another yawn.

"Ash, there's something bothering you. Please tell us what it is," Serena said in concern.

Ash sighed as he thought about if he should tell them. The truth was, there shouldn't be a reason not to tell them. He cast a glance over to Pikachu who was idly licking a bottle of ketchup as usual. The yellow rodent Pokemon knew what was bothering Ash as it had been there with him. It could sympathize with its trainer despite never being in a situation like that before. It was just the type of bond they had. Pikachu believed that if it was its place to speak and tell his friends, it would.

"What do you think, Pikachu?" Ash mumbled.

"Piiiiiiika," Pikachu responded as it turned to Ash as if to say it's up to him. Its personal feelings on the matter shouldn't be addressed.

"Ash, if something is wrong, tell us. You can trust us with anything," Brock tried this time, no longer joking.

"Well, something isn't…wrong, I guess," Ash started. "It's just something that's been on my mind that happened last night."

"What happened?" Serena asked again.

"Pikachu had woken me up last night because Chikorita and Totodile had left the Pokemon Center. Apparently they had run into some trouble and someone had helped them. That's what it is. I couldn't believe who it was that I saw," Ash muttered.

"Who was it?" Misty questioned this time.

"It was Silver. He's here in Goldenrod City," Ash finished.

The other three in the group exchanged glances with each other. No wonder Ash was lost in thought. They would be, too, if they were in his position. Here was a brother whom Ash never knew he had for most of his life, only to see him twice in random circumstances. It was almost like fate.

"What did he say? What was he like?" Serena wondered.

Ash's face darkened slightly. "He's a complete jerk," he uttered.

That description of Silver didn't surprise them. They recalled seeing him at the Violet City Sprout Festival not too long ago. He had seemed like a very intense, angry person then. To hear Ash talk about someone such as a long lost brother as a jerk after never meeting him was surprising, though. It was clear the meeting hadn't gone well.

"He wants nothing to do with me or Mom," Ash continued. "It was like the only things he knew how to say were 'Don't talk to me', or 'Stay out of my way'."

"Oh, Ash. I'm sorry," Serena told him as she rested her hand on one of his arms.

"Ash, I hate to put it like this, but maybe it would be best to do as he asks," Brock spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered as he looked up at Brock. "How can I just leave this alone?"

"I agree with you that Silver's a jerk, Ash. However, he's also an adult and chose to be that way. I don't pretend to know what he's been through, nor will I try, but Silver can choose to behave the way he wants. I don't agree with it, but if he doesn't want anything to do with you, you shouldn't try to change it. That will only lead to trouble," Brock explained.

"My mom is worried about him, Brock. I can't just ignore him," Ash stated with a frown.

"That's up to you if you want to tell your mom about when you saw him," Brock said as he crossed his arms. "Still, it's like you said, Silver's made it quite clear he doesn't want to talk to you. Don't antagonize him by purposely seeking him out."

"I don't even feel like I have to in order to see him," Ash muttered and he dropped his voice to little more than a whisper. "I always seem to find him by chance. Besides, there's something else about him that bothers me. He said he's after Team Rocket, too."

That piqued the other three's interest as they stared at Ash curiously. So Silver knew Team Rocket was back, too? How had he found out? Furthermore, why was he searching for them? Was he looking for Giovanni? Ash felt uneasy as he continued to tell his friends about his encounter with Silver even though he continued to talk. Earlier, he was quite reserved about it, but now that he started, it was hard to stop.

"He isn't doing it to stop them, though," Ash frowned. "He's doing it out of revenge. He's…admitted he even killed a few he's found."

The others let out a slight gasp at that. If Silver was capable of killing people just because he hated them, maybe they really should stay out of the way. Silver was turning out to be a rather dangerous individual, almost like a vigilante.

"I just know we're going to see each other again. When I do, I'm going to make him apologize to Mom. She's done nothing to him, and I won't let have him tear her up like that," Ash uttered.

"Ash…," Serena trailed.

This situation with Ash's brother was turning out to be rather complicated. The group had no idea of the words that were exchanged, but it was clear the two had a strong dislike for each other. Ash soon felt a hand placed on his shoulder, and he turned to see Brock now smiling at him…only to calm him down.

"Hey, Ash. I know this is serious to you, but this whole situation seems to have you on edge. Why don't you try to push it aside for now and let your mind relax. You're tired and didn't get much sleep last night," Brock advised.

"Thanks, Brock. I just…don't know how to deal with the situation right now," Ash muttered.

"You will in due time, Ash, and you know we'll support you," Brock nodded.

Ash nodded his head. Brock was right. They were all here to support him. Brock told him to stay away from Silver, he would. However, if fate brought Silver and him together again, Ash was going to get answers from him. Even if he never knew him before, Silver was still Ash's brother whether he liked it or not, and he was going to help…if he could.

"Hey, Ash. Are you still up to check out the Pokemon Trade Festival? It might help ease your mind a little since you love those things," Serena suggested.

"Heh. You bet I'll come," Ash finally smiled.

* * *

The group was now in the Goldenrod City plaza. Like most other things in the city, it took a rather long time to get to it. Thankfully, they were able to get a map inside of the Pokemon Center so they were able to navigate okay. Goldenrod City was always full of people, but this place was exceptionally crowded. The group constantly had to make their away around people as they walked. There was no personal space here!

"It's times like this where I'm glad I don't live in an enormous city," Misty commented. "All this noise would drive me up the wall."

"Agreed. Great place to visit, not to live," Brock nodded.

"Still, look at all the cool Pokemon they have here," Ash pointed out, returning to his usual excited self.

Sure enough, as the group looked around, they could see all kinds of Pokemon that they hadn't seen before. Ash and Serena wanted to take out their national dexes to try to scan them all, but they were too overwhelmed to do it. One Pokemon however, especially got their attention.

Quite simply, it looked like a blue blob with a black tail. It had a somewhat blank expression on its face, and it appeared quite stoic. Unable to help themselves, the group weaved their way around the people and made their way over to the Pokemon who was standing next to who presumably was its trainer. Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder and scurried up to the Pokemon and gave it a V-shape with its fingers.

"Pika!" it greeted.

"Wooooobuffet," the Pokemon muttered with a nod.

"I have to check this out," Ash said as he and Serena pulled out their national dexes, making an exception for this odd-looking Pokemon.

"Wobbuffet, the patient Pokemon. Wobbuffet are peaceful, friendly, and never attack first. Some say its black tail hides a secret," the national dexes said.

"Do you like it?" the boy standing next to Wobbuffet asked with a smile.

"Yeah. So I take it you this Wobbuffet is yours?" Ash questioned.

"It sure is! I've had it for quite a while! My name's Benny, by the way," the boy introduced.

"Hey, Benny. I'm Ash!" Ash replied.

"I'm Serena," Serena added.

"My name's Brock," Brock nodded.

"And I'm Misty!" Misty finished.

"Great! Anyway, Wobbuffet and I traveled here just for this festival. I was hoping to find someone who would trade with me," Benny explained.

"I gotcha. Well, your Wobbuffet definitely seems like an interesting Pokemon," Ash commented.

"Would you be interested in trading it with me?" Benny asked hopefully.

"Uhh…well…you see," Ash started awkwardly.

"I get it. No one else wants to trade it with me," Benny mumbled sadly and looked towards the ground.

"Well, we actually didn't come here to trade," Serena amended. "We're just here to check out all of the different Pokemon. Don't take it personally."

"Thanks, but this actually isn't the first time I've tried to trade Wobbuffeet," Benny said.

"What do you mean?" Brock asked.

"This is actually my second year at the festival with Wobbuffet. We came last year, but I couldn't find a single person to trade with me," Benny explained. "I know Wobbuffet's a great Pokemon. I just wish other people would see it, too."

The group did feel pity for the boy. They could understand how the boy would be a little down. It also appeared to be an insult to his Wobbuffet and not just him that everybody refused to trade with him. There had to be somebody in this plethora of people who would want to trade with Benny.

"What if we helped you?" Ash suggested.

"Huh? How?" Benny wondered.

"I'm a Pokemon Breeder!" Brock spoke up. "I bet I can have Wobbuffet looking like the best Pokemon in this festival!"

"Really?! You'd do that for me?!" Benny exclaimed.

"You bet! As fellow trainers, we know how important this is to you!" Ash replied with a thumbs up.

"Thank you so much!" Benny said gratefully.

With that, Brock took out a handy brush that he used to groom his own Pokemon. He then went over to Wobbuffet and begin to scrub it, to which the blob-like Pokemon sighed in contentment. It then raised its arm in a salute as thanks to Brock.

"Wooooobuffet!" it cried.

"I take it you like that, huh?" Brock smiled as he continued to brush it.

"Woooooo!" it replied with a nod.

The others watched Brock work on Wobbuffet with a smile on their faces. It didn't matter what Pokemon it was or if he had ever seen it before, Brock knew all the proper steps on how to care for a Pokemon. He truly was a remarkable Pokemon Breeder. After about ten minutes, Brock wiped his brow with a sigh and stood up. The group then took a good look at Wobbuffet, and it looked as good as new.

"There! I don't think too many people will be able to resist a Wobbuffet that looks as great as this," Brock stated.

"Wooooobuffet," Wobbuffet agreed.

Just then, the group saw a trainer that appeared to be in his teens traveling by. He had a Scyther with him, and as soon as Benny saw it, he got sparkles in his eyes. The boy then hurriedly called the trainer over, and the trainer and his Scyther shrugged to see what was up.

"Hey! That's an awesome Scyther you have! Would you be interested in trading Pokemon with me?" Benny requested.

"Hmmm…maybe. What do you have?" the teen asked in interest.

"This great and proud Wobbuffet right here!" Benny replied as he gestured to the patient Pokemon.

"Woooobuffet!" Wobbuffet added.

The trainer rubbed his chin as he inspected Wobbuffet. The patient Pokemon tried to look as presentable and great as possible as the trainer sized it up. Meanwhile, the group watched with hopeful expressions. Nobody could resist a Pokemon as awesome-looking as Brock made it.

"Hmmm…no thanks. I'm good," the trainer responded before he walked off with his Scyther.

The group hung their heads, especially Benny. This was going to be a lot harder than they thought. Still, there had to be _someone_ out there who wanted Wobbuffet.

"Hey, Benny. Why don't you stay put for a moment? We can go scout some people out for you?" Serena suggested.

"Great. Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it," Benny replied, but he was still rather down.

With that, the group set off. This way, they could still enjoy the festival while helping a fellow trainer to boot. They did hope someone would come along, though.

* * *

"Remind me why we came down here again, Jessie," James muttered as he, Jessie, and Meowth went through the plaza, now back in their disguises.

"Why not? We have free reign to do whatever we want around here, and the executives can't stop us. We'll get the mission for the boss done, but there's no reason why we can't enjoy ourselves while we're at it," Jessie replied haughtily.

"Meowth is almost happy for this. We're finally getting a little respect around here. Nothing satisfied Meowth more than seeing Proton's face that the boss actually assigned us to do a mission," Meowth added.

"You're supposed to be a normal Pokemon, Meowth. Shut up," Jessie whispered harshly.

"Meooooowth," Meowth purred in compensation.

"Anyway, I wouldn't exactly call it respect," James muttered.

"Who cares what we call it? They can't touch us as long as we're under the boss' orders," Jessie reasoned.

James and Meowth really couldn't argue with that. The boss' signature was their saving grace and the only thing keeping them alive at the moment. They were going to milk it for all its worth, though, because of their horrible treatment ever since the executives took over. It was nice to not be on the run for once.

"I hope everyone is enjoying the festival so far!" Director Hiro's voice sounded from the various speaker systems stationed throughout the area. "This festival is sponsored by none other than your very own Radio Tower here in Goldenrod City! Make sure to go to our homepage and give us a like for all the great things we do for you! Now sit back and enjoy the superb music from us."

As the music resumed playing on the speakers, Jessie, James, and Meowth rolled their eyes. For someone who was considered generous and caring, Director Hiro appeared to have a bit of an ego problem. Remind them again why this guy was so popular with the citizens. He was rather annoying, and they still hadn't forgotten that weird look he gave them when they first met him.

It was then the trio passed by Benny, and they couldn't help but quirk their eyebrows at the Wobbuffet next to him. It was standing idly to the side, and it seemed to be…watching Jessie. The red-haired woman was creeped out by the look and forced herself to look away. Still, she could feel as though the Wobbuffet was still watching her.

"Hey, Jessie. That Wobbuffet's watching you," James whispered as if she didn't know.

"Shut it! I know that. That's why I'm looking forward. There's no way I could imagine myself with a Pokemon like that," Jessie replied as continued on. "Besides, what would I trade for that thing anyway? My Lickitung? As if!"

Benny happened to hear Jessie's comment and hung his head down. He cast a sad look at his Wobbuffet who was still watching Jessie in interest. Benny raised his eyebrow but gave smile to Wobbuffet, nevertheless.

"Hey, Wobbuffet. Did that look like a good trainer to you?" Benny asked.

"Woooooobbuffet," Wobbuffet nodded.

"Hey, kid!" someone suddenly called out to Benny and ran over to him.

"What is it?" Benny asked in curiosity.

"That's a really cool Pokemon you have with you! I've never seen anything like it!" the boy said.

"You-You really think so?!" Benny asked hopefully.

"Yeah. If you'd like, I'll trade you my Kangaskhan for it," the boy said eagerly.

"That would be so awesome! Thanks a lot!" Benny replied gratefully before he turned to Wobbuffet. "Isn't that great, Wobbuffet? You'll finally get a new trainer!"

With that, the two boys made their way over to the nearby trade machine.

* * *

Meanwhile, the group was still trying to find a suitable trainer for Wobbuffet. They must've pitched the blue blob to at least ten people by now, but none of them were interested. It almost felt like the group would be obligated to trade for Wobbuffet if they couldn't find anyone. It wasn't that they thought Wobbuffet was a terrible Pokemon, they just loved their own Pokemon too much to trade. Well, they could do without Teddiursa now, but they would never give poor Benny a troublemaker like that.

The group then spotted two people and a Meowth walking by. Perhaps they would be interested in trading their Meowth for the Wobbuffet. They didn't know why, but there was an air of familiarity about the Meowth as they saw it but they pushed that thought aside for now. The group approached the two supposed strangers and gave them a smile, which happened to be Jessie, James, and Meowth.

As soon as the trio saw the group, they froze, but they quickly collected themselves. They didn't think they would ever see these kids again. Well, whatever. They just have to make sure they aren't recognized at all costs. These kids clearly wanted to say something, so to avoid arousing suspicion, Jessie and James smiled back while Meowth continued to purr normally.

"Hi! We were wondering if we could ask you a favor?" Serena inquired nicely.

"Oh? Um…sure! Ask away!" Jessie smiled back, but inwardly grimaced. What on Earth would these kids want complete strangers to do for them?

"We just met someone who has a really swell Pokemon with him. It's a Wobbuffet," Ash told them.

 _"That creepy blue blob we saw earlier?"_ Jessie thought in disgust before she put on a neutral look. "Okay. What about it?"

"If you were looking for a Pokemon to trade your Meowth with, it would be a really swell trade. Not too many people own a Wobbuffet. You'd have quite a unique Pokemon," Ash tried to pitch.

"What?! They won't trade me for stupid thing!" Meowth blurted out, but quickly covered his mouth.

The group looked in surprise at Meowth before them. They thought they were just hearing things at first, but there was no mistaking it if they all heard it. That Meowth definitely just spoke. They group then turned and looked in surprise at Jessie and James before them. There was only one group in the whole world they knew who owned a talking Meowth.

"You idiot! You have got the biggest mouth!" Jessie shouted as she pulled on Meowth's cheek as hard as she could.

"Meowth! I'm sorry! I just couldn't help myself! Who would want to trade with that blue blob?! Meowth cried.

"Meowth! You're making it worse!" James wailed.

"Wait. It's really you three, isn't it?" Serena gasped. "You're Jessie, James, and Meowth!"

"That's right, girl! We're out of here!" Jessie said as the three turned around and ran away as fast as they could.

"You three aren't getting away this time!" Ash shouted as they tore after them.

"Excuse us! Pardon me!" the Team Rocket trio hurriedly said as they bowled people over trying to get away from the group.

The group couldn't believe this. There had been a series of unexpected encounters since they entered this city. From what Serena told them, they were no longer a part of Team Rocket. Those three still knew something the group didn't, and they were determined to find out what it was.

Meanwhile, Benny and the other boy had just put each of their pokeballs on the trade machine. They then nodded their head at the man conducting the machine to show they were ready. Benny was so excited. He would miss Wobbuffet, but he was happy the Pokemon would now find a new home and wished it the best. He could now be prepared for an exciting new Pokemon.

Right at that time, Jessie, James, and Meowth were running by the machine, and Jessie crashed right into the boy who owned the Kangaskhan. The boy was knocked away due to the force of the impact, and Jessie lost her balance and fell right against the machine. As a result, Lickitung's pokeball rolled away from her uniform and pushed the pokeball containing Kangaskhan away.

James and Meowth both gasped as they saw the machine light up and initiate the trade between Jessie's Lickitung and Benny's Wobbuffet. Jessie, however, didn't notice what happened. She rubbed her sore back before she hastily stood up and grabbed Wobbuffet's pokeball before she looked towards Benny and the kid she ran into.

"Sorry, kids, but we're in a hurry! We've got to go!" Jessie said.

"But Jessie…," James started.

"I don't care, James! It can wait! Let's just go!" Jessie shouted as she started running again.

"But Jessie, you accidentally…," James tried again.

"Shut up! It can wait!" Jessie stated again.

Meanwhile, Benny picked up the pokeball containing his new Licktitung and stared at it curiously. Though this wasn't the Pokemon he planned on getting, it was still something new. He had finally traded away Wobbuffet and couldn't wait to meet his new Pokemon.

"Be happy, Wobbuffet. I'll miss you," Benny muttered.

Benny's eyes lit up when he saw the group running by. He then put a big smile on his face. He didn't know whether they had anything to do with the trade or not, but he still wanted to let them know what just happened.

"Hey, guys! Guess what?!" Benny exclaimed.

"Sorry, Benny. We've got to talk later," Ash hurriedly said as they passed him.

The group tried to weave their way around the group of people as fast as they could. Already, they were losing sight of the trio due to the sheer amount of people in the plaza. If there was even a space to see in front of them, they could easily keep up with the group. Jessie, James and Meowth sure were fast when they wanted to be.

However, the group had no luck. Jessie, James, and Meowth had disappeared behind a particularly large group of people, and then they were gone. The group panted as they came to a stop and frantically looked around to see if they could find any sign of the trio.

Ash let out a groan of frustration that they had gotten away again. He couldn't believe those three were still hanging around here. Even if they were wearing disguises, the fact that they were wandering around out here in the open was really strange. Didn't Serena tell them they feared for their lives? What were they doing in a large city then?

"I'm so confused. What were they doing here? From what they told me at the Ruins of Alph, they were running away," Serena muttered.

"It just goes to show they were lying, Serena. I'm even willing to bet that they were up to no good in the Ruins of the Alph," Misty said disdainfully.

Serena looked down. It certainly didn't seem like they were lying when she saw them in the Ruins of Alph. They never had any trouble admitting of doing wrong before so why wouldn't they in the Ruins of Alph? Not to mention, they had several chances to harm her in there but chose not to. If they believed she posed a threat, they could've easily taken care of her. Still…what was going on with that trio?

"Serena?" Ash questioned.

"I don't know, Ash. I think there's more to this story of Jessie, James, and Meowth. We didn't actually catch them doing wrong here. They were just simply walking around in disguises," Serena replied.

"I know, but I still don't like this. I won't believe them until I talk to them myself. They may have gotten away again, but I'll make sure they don't next time," Ash frowned.

"Hey, guys!" Benny called as he caught up with them.

The group turned and could see that Benny was grinning ear to ear. He looked like he just had the best day of this life. That could only mean one thing.

"I found someone to trade my Wobbuffet with me!" Benny exclaimed in excitement.

"Really? What did you get?" Serena asked in interest.

"Take a look!" Benny smiled as he released his new Pokemon, which was revealed to be Jessie's Licktitung. "I got it from a lady who was with a guy and a Meowth."

As soon as Benny said that, the group gasped. He said another guy and a Meowth? It couldn't be. Could it? If they recalled, Jessie had a Lickitung. There was no way she could've been the one to have Wobbuffet, right?

"I wish I got the chance to thank her. She appeared to be in a hurry. You guys just missed her after you ran by me," Benny said.

The group looked towards Lickitung for confirmation, and it nodded its head. The group exchanged glances with each other. Lickitung seemed to have found a loving trainer, but they suddenly felt really sorry for Wobbuffet. Jessie of Team Rocket was certainly not the ideal person to trade with.

"What's wrong, guys?" Benny asked in confusion once he saw their faces.

"Hey, Benny. That lady you traded with…," Ash started, but Brock placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"…is probably a very nice lady. I'm sure she'll take great care of Wobbuffet," Brock finished for him.

"Yeah. I hope so," Benny smiled.

The group gave nervous smiles at that. It was for the best that Benny didn't know the type of person who had his Wobbuffet now. They just sincerely hoped that Jessie would take good care of it. Still…that poor Wobbuffet.

* * *

Jessie, James, and Meowth didn't stop running until they got back to the Radio Tower. They entered the building and were taking several short breaths. Good. It looked like they lost them. If those kids had caught up to them, that would've been quite bad. Still, they knew they were around. What if they looked for them? Should they just lay low in the Radio Tower for a while and work on their assignment?

"Hello, there! You two look quite out of breath!" Cassidy called cheerfully from the receptionist's desk, though it sounded quite false.

Jessie wanted to give a retort, but she held her tongue. Everyone had to act as normal as possible to keep up their façade. If she insulted the receptionist, it would only arouse suspicion, and the last thing the trio wanted was to get in trouble after they had a free pass to do whatever we wanted.

"We'll just go on up to the fourth floor," Jessie smiled falsely.

"Take care!" James added.

"Meowth!" Meowth finished.

Without waiting for a response from Cassidy, the group hurried through the crowded Radio Tower up to the top floor. As soon as they entered, they gave a sigh of relief. At least no one was in here so they could work in peace.

"Let's go ahead and release our Pokemon," James suggested. "Go Weezing and Victreebel!"

The Pokemon soon appeared and stood faithfully by their trainer. That was until Victreebel gave a shriek and started to try to eat James as usual.

"Eeeeeek! I've already fed you today!" James cried as he tried to pull himself out of Victreebel's mouth.

"Right," Jessie nodded. "Go, Arbok and Lickitung!"

At that, Meowth and James froze. Shoot. That's right. They never got to tell Jessie what had become of her Lickitung. It looked like the moment of truth was right now. Well, she would've found out sooner or later.

Arbok appeared from Jessie's pokeball as expected…followed by the blue blob, and Jessie immediately gasped, as did James and Meowth. Even Weezing, Arbok, and Victreebell stared in surprise. They knew that Jessie had accidentally swapped Pokemon with someone, but they had no idea it was with a Wobbuffet.

"Woooobuffet," Wobbuffet said with a salute at its new trainer.

"I-I don't understand…," Jessie muttered. "How did…?"

"That's what we were trying to tell you earlier," James sighed.

"What do you mean?" Jessie asked.

"When you crashed into that kid, Lickitung's pokeball came loose and fell on that transfer machine," Meowth answered.

"Th-that's means…is this that same blue blob that was staring at me earlier?" Jessie grimaced.

"Wooooooobuffet," Wobbuffet replied as if to say she was correct.

"Then this Wobbuffet now belongs to meeeeeeeeee," Jessie moaned.

"Wooooobuffet," Wobbuffet said.

"Well, we might as well introduce ourselves," Meowth sighed as he went over to Wobbuffet and held out his paw. "Put it there, pal. You're now a proud member of Team Rocket."

"Welcome to our team," James nodded.

"Ohhhhh…I can't believe this," Jessie sighed before she relented. "I'm Jessie, your trainer."

"Wooooobuffet," Wobbuffet said.

"We might as well get started on our work and make the best of it, Jessie," James suggested.

"Right. The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can get out of this nightmare," Meowth added.

Jessie sighed again as she looked at her new Pokemon. They were right. There was nothing she could do about it now. It's not like she can just simply find the boy in such a large crowd and demand a trade back. Even if she could, there was no way they were going to go back outside with those kids running around.

"Okay," Jessie replied as they set to work on their assignment. "Let's just get it done so we can leave Team Rocket for good."

Unbeknownst to the group, Proton was just outside the door listening to their conversation. He had no idea what this talk about a Wobbuffet was about, but such a stupid Pokemon belonged with a bunch of stupid people so it was fitting. What had gotten his attention was the other part of their conversation.

So they were planning on leaving Team Rocket as soon as they were done, did they? He was right! He knew they weren't truly back. They really were running away and just happened to run into the boss by chance. Of course, he wasn't going to let them walk away just like that. Proton grinned evilly to himself. Oh, he was going to enjoy torturing those three over this.

* * *

 **The plot's moving forward! Fateful encounters happen this chapter. It almost makes you wonder which one it is? Ash and Silver, or Jessie and Wobbuffet? Both, of course!**

 **The third gym battle is next against Whitney. Let's hope Ash does better there than he did against Bugsy. Also, where did Silver disappear to now, and you will also see whether Ash decides to tell Delia about it. He'll probably need some advice first.**

 **Three more chapters to go in Goldenrod City: Ash's gym battle, Serena's showcase, and the anniversary chapter. The next chapter will be out later this month! Thanks for all the reviews and support.**

 **One more thing. A new poll is up. We have now reached the end of an era with the XYZ anime. With it, Serena leaves, and more pairings with Ash will arrive. This got me thinking. By the time Ash reaches Hoenn in this story, he'll be around thirteen and start to notice other girls. Should one of his female traveling companions provide some healthy competition for Serena to make her work harder. Of course, it's just a thought I had, and I'm not saying I'll do it or if I'll pick the winning option. I'm just curious what people want to read. Feel free to tell me your thoughts in the poll or a PM...not a review box!**

 **Chapter Twenty Three: Holy Miltank!**


	23. Holy Miltank!

**A/N: To me, Whitney's Miltank is overrated. I never had a huge problem defeating it yet I see all these memes people made about how Whitney and her Miltank almost made them quit Pokemon. The anime also played it up by having Ash lose (even though Miltank only used Rollout which a competent trainer should be able to take care of) Personally, I always thought Claire was harder if you didn't have ice type, and to a lesser extent Jasmine if you didn't have a fire-type. If I wanted to beat Whitney quickly, I just got a Machop, and it swept her team easily everytime. Without it, Miltank was always a fair challenge which I thought was good as you actually had to have strategy to beat it.**

 **Nevertheless, I still think I did a good job on this gym battle and dubbed the Miltank of doom as Whitney's strongest Pokemon. Here is the gym match, and I hope you all enjoy it. Happy early Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three: Holy Miltank!

It was seven in the morning in Goldenrod City. Most people were only just starting to get out of bed to prepare for their busy day. Within the next hour, Goldenrod City would once again be the liveliest place in all of Johto. However, one young man and Pokemon, Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu, were already wide awake and in the lounge of the Pokemon Center of Goldenrod City. He had a busy day ahead of him, also, and was using the video phone at the moment.

Since Ash didn't get much sleep the previous night due to his encounter with Silver, one would think that he would sleep in today, but he was actually up early. Ash was fired up and wanted an early start to his day so he could have time to talk to Professor Oak in private before his gym battle. Ash wasn't worried about waking up Professor Oak as he knew the man was usually up by five-thirty, a feat Ash Ketchum had done only a few times in his life.

"Ah! Good morning, Ash! I must say you're up earlier than usual," Professor Oak greeted.

"Hey, Professor Oak. Today's the day of my gym match in Goldenrod City," Ash stated, getting straight to the point.

"Yes. I think you said you are almost using the same Pokemon as your last gym match. Speaking of your Pokemon, your Noctowl is doing quite well here. I'm really enjoying studying its color pattern," Professor Oak replied.

"Heh. Yeah. I'll have to get it back soon. It's helped a lot with keeping the peace between my Pokemon and even the others. I owe it a few battles," Ash said.

"Indeed. In any case, do you think you're prepared for your gym match?" Professor Oak asked.

"Definitely. It isn't going to be a repeat of my last gym battle. I'm going to win with the skill a league winner should have," Ash replied in determination.

"Hmmm…I see Gary's words to you after your match in Azalea Town are still upsetting you," Professor Oak observed.

"You know what Gary said?" Ash questioned. He didn't recall ever telling Professor Oak the words exchanged between him and Gary.

"Of course. It wasn't Gary who told me, though. It was actually Leaf. She was really upset that you two had a fight and wanted me to talk to Gary," Professor Oak said.

Ash frowned and let out a sigh. Great. Now even Professor Oak believed that Ash gave a horrible gym battle and didn't deserve to win the Orange League. That was what Gary had him believe.

"Ash, what Gary said was wrong, and I let him know that," Professor Oak stated as if he read Ash's thoughts.

"Huh?" Ash questioned as he stared up in surprise at Professor Oak.

"Just as I told you. I had a nice long talk with him for almost half an hour," Professor Oak replied.

"What he said was true, though," Ash muttered.

"I'll admit that his description of your battle wasn't the most inspiring. You made rookie mistakes because of your pride as a league champion. However, you're also only human," Professor Oak stated.

Ash took in what Professor Oak said. Ash realized that Professor Oak hit the nail on the head now that he actually said it. He did somewhat put himself on a high horse Pokemon when it came to gym battles. He especially believed it after he defeated Falkner without even using all of his Pokemon. Since he won the Orange League, he considered himself a battle expert who could always formulate strategies to win. This included he believed he could use any Pokemon to win the match, including ones he hadn't trained yet like Chikorita, Heracross, and especially Cyndaquil.

He could've easily used Pikachu and Pidgeot and had a crushing defeat against Bugsy, but because he wanted to use all of his Pokemon equally in a mistaken belief to what he believed was fair, it almost cost him his gym match. It was a really harsh awakening, and Gary's words added to it.

"You and Gary both made the same mistake actually. You expected too much of yourself," Professor Oak added.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"When I told Gary you had won the Orange League after he came back, he was overjoyed. His hype for you was only added after you beat him one on one which was the first time you ever did so. He thought you were on your way to becoming and extraordinary trainer…and then he saw your Azalea Gym Match, which to him, was something he would expect a first year rookie to make. While he said your ideas and strength of your Pokemon were unmatched, the execution was rather poor. In short, he was disappointed because apparently you believed you could beat the gym leader no problem, too," Professor Oak elaborated.

"Heh. Yeah. He really let me know that," Ash mumbled.

"Pikachuuu," Pikachu consoled.

"That's where I told Gary that he was wrong. You're only human, Ash. Even though you didn't have one good gym battle, you can't let that or what Gary told you keep you down. You learn from your mistakes and you move on. You'll probably make more mistakes as time goes on, but you learn from those, as well, just as Gary did," Professor Oak stated before he added. "I think Gary had a change of heart after I talked to him."

"I did learn from it, Professor," Ash told him. "I really trained all of my Pokemon hard for this upcoming gym match and even had the therapy session which I think helped everyone."

"See? That's my point exactly. You learned from your mistake, and you know not to make the same one in the future. You aren't invincible, Ash, so treat each battle as if it's the Orange League finale and don't take anything or your Pokemon for granted," Professor Oak advised.

Ash nodded his head in understanding. Professor Oak was basically telling him the exact words Gary said, but it was a much softer blow with the elderly man's choice of words. Ash also felt a lot better after hearing that Gary regretted what he said to him…even though he was right.

"I think you should try to call Gary, again. You haven't spoken to him since Azalea Town. Am I right? He probably thinks you hate him," Professor Oak guessed.

"Yeah. Maybe I should," Ash replied.

So he and Gary had a bad exchange between words, especially on Gary's part. Apparently, Gary hadn't tried to call Ash not because he was mad at him, but because he was afraid Ash was the one who was mad at him. Gary and Ash had become good friends lately, and he wasn't going to let it sour over one incident. Ash would make sure to take the initiative to let Gary know everything was okay between them.

"Excellent, Ash. Now go out there and win your gym battle. Prove what you learned from your last gym match," Professor Oak nodded in approval.

"Thanks, Professor," Ash nodded before he switched topics to the real reason why he wanted privacy with Professor Oak. "Hey, Professor. There's something else I wanted to have your opinion about."

"Oh? What is it?" Professor Oak asked in interest.

"You know about Silver, right?" Ash questioned.

"Mmm…yes. I do. Your brother. I knew him when he was just a child, too. He was such a happy child only to become so hateful," Professor Oak frowned.

"Well…I just met him yesterday," Ash mumbled.

"Oh?" Professor Oak inquired.

"Yeah. It…could've gone a lot better," Ash muttered.

"I see. So the young man doesn't seem to have changed since he left Pallet Town all those years ago," Professor figured as he folded his arms.

"I guess not. Do you think I should tell Mom? I don't want her to know how hateful he still is to her," Ash said. "I don't want to upset her."

"Did she ask you to tell her if you ever found him on your travels?" Professor Oak wondered.

"She did, but ignorance is bliss, isn't it? As long as she doesn't know I met Silver, she won't ever get upset," Ash reasoned.

"That also means that she'll keep wondering how it is he's doing and be scared for his safety. If you tell her, she might be upset, but at least she will have peace of mind that her son is still alive…and well. It's called being a parent," Professor Oak pointed out before he added with a slight chuckle. "Heh. I still worry about my own son, Blue. He's an adult and the Kanto champion, but even I like for him to call me and let me know how's he's doing. Parents never stop worrying for their kids."

Ash let out a small smile at the humorous image of Professor Oak calling Blue to check up on him. Still, there was wisdom in what Professor Oak said. Even though the truth hurt, it may do Delia more good than harm. Her concern over whether Silver was alive and well would take priority over her concern if he hates her or not.

"Maybe I will tell her," Ash decided.

"It's your decision, Ash. Nobody will make you, and I won't tell Delia myself. I just merely gave you my interpretation of the situation," Professor Oak stated.

"Thanks, Professor. That actually helped a lot," Ash smiled.

"You're welcome, Ash. Now as I said, go out there and win the gym match like an Orange League Champion should!" Professor Oak stated.

"You bet! Catch you later, Professor!" Ash nodded as he hung up the phone, now filled with a rejuvenated sense of confidence in the coming gym battle.

Ash felt good after words of wisdom from the professor. Now, he was pumped up and ready to win the gym match. He was going to be totally focused and knew how to handle all of his Pokemons' quirks thanks to the therapy session. This match would prove all that he's learned. After all, he was basically going to be using the same Pokemon he used in Bugsy's match with the exception of one.

"You ready to win our third badge, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

* * *

A few hours later, the streets of Goldenrod City were once more crammed with people. The group, with Ash in the lead, nonetheless marched confidently on their way to the gym. According to Brock, it would be at least a thirty minute walk to the gym, but Ash didn't care. It just gave him more time to mentally prepare.

"So the gym leader's name is Whitney, and she uses normal types," Brock commented as he read the guidebook.

"Normal types, huh? Any more information?" Ash questioned.

"She seems to have a pretty formidable team, especially her strongest Pokemon. It usually takes all three of a trainer's Pokemon to defeat it," Brock replied.

"Does the guidebook say which Pokemon it is?" Ash wondered.

"No. It wouldn't be fair if it did," Brock reasoned to which Ash realized he was right.

"Well, it doesn't matter what Pokemon it is. I'm still sure we can win," Ash stated.

"Well, just try not to get overconfident, Ash," Misty warned.

"This isn't the same as last time, Misty. My Pokemon and I are totally ready for this!" Ash declared.

"Are your Pokemon ready, though?" Misty countered.

"Of course they are! With the exception of Cyndaquil, I'm going to use the same Pokemon I used against Bugsy. All of us are going to prove how all of our training paid off!" Ash stated.

"So who are you going to use in place of Cyndaquil?" Serena asked.

"Houndour, of course," Ash replied. "I'll have Cyndaquil watch the battle with me. Hopefully that will inspire it and help it learn to light its fire on its own."

"Sounds like a good decision to me, Ash. I think you can do it, too, this time," Brock approved.

As the group continued the walk to the Goldenrod City gym, they happened to pass by the performance hall. Serena's eyes lit up as she ran to the entrance doors of the performance hall. She clasped her hands as she stared up in awe at the building. It was dome-shaped and to at least be fifty feet high. This would be the site of her Pokemon Showcase debut.

"Hmm…it is quite a sight," Brock noted once he saw Serena's a look as she and the others came up behind her.

"I know," Serena muttered as she continued to stare up at the building.

She could see it now. She would give such an amazing performance, and everyone would be rooting for her. Serena's eyes sparkled. It was so close. It would be tomorrow! She was confident, but she was also getting a little flustered by how close it was.

"I have to prepare!" Serena exclaimed.

Ash grabbed Serena by the shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. The honey-haired girl stared into Ash's eyes, and they had a sincere and comforting look to them that made Serena relax.

"You are prepared, Serena. You've worked and studied really hard for this. I know you can do it," Ash encouraged.

Serena took deep breaths to calm herself. Yes. She would do just fine for her performance debut. She had all of her friends and Ash there to support her. It would go just fine. She would find that her fears were groundless. Truthfully, Serena wasn't even looking to do a knockout performance. She just wanted to not mess up and use this first one as more of a learning curve to do even better ones in the future. All she had to do was not look to win and just give a passable performance, and she won't end up disappointed.

"You're right, Ash! I can do this!" Serena said with a wink. "Now let's get to the gym so you can win!"

"There you go!" Ash nodded before he turned back around. "Let's go!"

About twenty-five minutes later, the group finally reached the gym. Ash strolled up to the double doors and proceeded to push them open…only to find they were shut. Ash raised his eyebrow before he noticed a sign on the door as well as the hours.

"Hmm…so the gym doesn't open until noon," Ash mumbled as he checked his Pokegear and saw it only was ten in the morning. This gym sure opened late compared to the others. Most were open by ten, and Ash wanted to ensure he was the first challenger today.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'd prefer to not just sit here for two hours," Misty commented.

"What else is there to do?" Ash questioned as he turned away from the gym door.

"Hmm…," Brock mused as he looked through the guidebook. "We could try to go to the Galleria. We haven't seen it yet."

"Oh! I vote the Galleria!" Misty said in delight. "That's supposed to be the best department store in all of Johto! We have to go!"

"I'm with you, Misty!" Serena smiled. "Think of all we could get there!"

Ash, Brock, and Pikachu stared at the squealing girls with an unreadable expression on their faces while Togepi laughed along with he girls from Serena's backpack. Well, it's not like they had anything better to do. If they heard correctly, the Galleria also held a lot of cool Pokemon merchandise and other things. They could find something to do there while the girls shopped. At the very least, there was a food court for them to eat at even if they had breakfast only a couple of hours ago.

"Well, I guess that's okay, but how do we get there?" Ash wondered.

"Hmm…it should be about another twenty minute walk to the Galleria," Brock said as he checked the guidebook again.

"Great! We'll have almost a whole hour and a half!" Misty exclaimed and leaped for joy.

"Let's go check it out!" Serena smiled as she and Misty turned and ran off.

Ash and Brock shrugged and ran after them. It was quite a turn of events. This time, it was Ash trying to keep up with the girls rather than the other way around. Apparently anybody could reach light speed with the proper motivation. Serena and Misty would be out of sight before long.

As the girls dashed towards the Galleria, they made a sharp turn around a corner, and Serena crashed face first into another girl who was going around the corner at the same time. Both girls fell to the ground and groaned in pain. Good thing Togepi was in Serena's backpack and not her arms at the time. Ash and Brock soon caught up to the girls and took a look at the girl Serena had crashed into. They then saw a Pokemon round the bend and gasped. It was actually Clefairy. The last time they had seen one was on Mt. Moon quite a while back.

"Ooooooh," the girl moaned.

The girl had pinkish-red hair that parted in the back of her head into pigtails. She appeared around the same age as Brock and was rather slender. Brock immediately got a goofy look on his face at the sight of another pretty girl.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't watch where I was going!" Serena apologized as she got to her feet.

"It's okay. I was in a hurry, too!" the girl replied as she got up, too, before she noticed Pikachu. "Oh, what an adorable Pikachu!"

"Uhhhhh, thanks," Ash muttered

The girl then leaned over and gave Pikachu a light kiss on the forehead to which the yellow rodent cooed in delight. The group then heard a huge thud and a moan of pain behind them. They turned and saw Brock holding his head in agony and appeared to have quite a bump on his head. Did he seriously just hit his head against a brick wall?

"I have a huge headache now. Perhaps you could kiss it, too, to make it feel better," Brock pleaded to the girl with tears in his eyes from both pain and desire.

Brock then felt Kabuto's pokeball shake and froze in fear. It had been quite a while since the prehistoric Pokemon had done that. Did it not approve of this girl, or did it just not approve of his method to try to get a kiss? Regardless, Brock knew he was fixing to be in more pain if he didn't straighten up.

"On second thought, I think I can take care of it myself," Brock moaned in disappointment.

"Nonsense! They say a little affection is just what some people need to make booboos feel better!" the girl replied and actually went over to Brock and planted a light kiss on his forehead.

Brock's face immediately turned red, and he fell over in complete bliss. He had a dreamy look on his face and looked like he had died and gone to heaven. Ash, Serena, Misty, and Pikachu all looked on in shock that the girl actually did it. Maybe even Brock could catch a lucky break sometime.

"Umm…like I said. I'm really sorry. We were on our way to the Galleria," Serena said as she took her attention away from Brock.

"What coincidence! That's exactly where Clefairy and I were going!" the girl smiled.

"So this Clefairy is yours?" Ash guessed as he knelt down to look at the fairy Pokemon.

"It sure is! I've actually had this Clefairy a long time before I even became a trainer. My name's Whitney!" the girl introduced.

The group looked up in surprise. If her name was Whitney…that was the name of the gym leader here, and they read that Whitney used normal types. She had a Clefairy even though that was technically a fairy-type. So…

"Are you the gym leader by any chance?" Ash asked.

"Oh? Yes. I am," Whitney confirmed.

"Well, my name's Ash Ketchum, and I…can…wait a while for the gym to open," Ash started strong but faded out when he realized it wasn't time yet.

Whitney let out a small giggle. "You must be a challenger. I'm sorry, but I'm sure you've already guessed the gym isn't open yet. Even if I were to call my assistant, she probably wouldn't even get there until the gym opened anyway."

"In that case, the Galleria is still on!" Misty cheered.

"I say we go there together and have the match afterwards! Ash can be my first challenger of the day!" Whitney suggested.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash nodded. That's what he wanted.

"Uhh…one thing, though, Whitney," Serena interjected. "You said you were going to the Galleria, too, but isn't it the opposite way from which you were coming from?"

"Oh? Was it?" Whitney asked, looking completely surprised before she let out a nervous chuckle. "I have been told I'm not very good with directions."

"Faaaairy," the Clefairy sighed. Apparently it was used to this quirk of its trainer.

"Our friend, Brock, has a guidebook. I'm sure he can help lead us there," Serena suggested.

"…That is if he'll get up off the ground," Misty mumbled.

Sure enough, the tanned boy was still lying on the ground with the same goofy look on his face. It was the like the shock of having one of the first pretty girls to kiss him was too much for him to handle. Ash went over and waved his hand in Brock's face.

"Come on, Brock. Snap out of it. All she did was just kiss a bruise you gave yourself," Ash said.

"You have no idea how much that meant. It's like I'm living a beautiful dream," Brock mumbled.

"If you don't get off the ground right now, you'll be living a nightmare," Misty growled.

At that, Brock sweat dropped and hopped off the ground. He then slapped himself a few times in the face to clear his head and pulled out the guidebook. All traces of the kiss Whitney gave him were gone.

"Yes. Of course. The Galleria it is! Follow me," Brock stated and began walking down the pathway with the group following him.

* * *

The group had been to the Galleria for about an hour now. They had almost taken a few wrong turns on the way there thanks to Whitney's terrible sense of direction. Brock's guidebook was always sure to lead them back on track, and they made good time.

Ash and Brock could've sworn the three girls visited at least thirty different department stores. How they did that in only an hour completely baffled them, but they had the shopping bags to prove it. Well, actually, it was mostly Ash and Brock who were doing the carrying. They had a pile of bags and boxes in their arms, and even Pikachu had a small bag that was draped on each of its arms. The girls were sure to show their appreciation.

"Thanks for being the gentlemen, you guys," Misty smiled.

"I like men like that!" Whitney agreed.

"You-you do?" Brock asked hopefully but sadly didn't get an answer.

"Why don't we buy you lunch for carrying all that stuff?" Serena suggested.

Ash's stomach growled in response. All that carrying of heavy objects quickly burned off his breakfast. It was only eleven forty five in the morning, but Ash could eat an early lunch. He peeked his head to the side since the boxes piled well above his head and gave a bright smile. Food was always the motivation to put him in a good mood.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash grinned.

With that, the group headed over to the Galleria food court. As they entered, they could see a picture of a cow-like Pokemon plastered on all areas of the food court. Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty raised their eyebrows at this strange display. Whitney, however, didn't appear to be fazed by this.

"Hey, Whitney. If you don't mind us asking, why are there pictures of that Pokemon all over the food court?" Serena asked.

"Oh! That's a Miltank!" Whitney smiled.

"Miltank," Ash muttered as he tried to unsuccessfully shift the weight of the boxes he was carrying to pull out his national dex. Luckily, Serena had hers to scan Miltank instead.

"Miltank, the milk cow Pokemon. Miltank milk is very nutritious and packed with vitamins," the machines informed.

"Okay. So why are all of these pictures here?" Ash wondered.

"It's advertisement to show that all of the dairy products here use Miltank milk. The cheese, the shakes, the butter. Everything is made from it," Whitney answered.

"What's so special about Miltank milk?" Misty wondered.

"More like what's not special about it. Miltank milk is highly nutritious and full of vitamins. It stays fresh for a very long time and tastes a lot better than products made from regular milk," Whitney replied.

"Hmmm…I don't know if we have products like that in Kanto," Brock commented.

"You probably do, but it isn't as widespread in the other regions as it is in Johto because Miltank is a Johto-native Pokemon. Because Miltank milk is so good, it's also pretty expensive so only the fanciest restaurants would have them in other regions," Whitney explained.

Whitney then led the group over to the ice cream stand that was located in the food court and gave them a big smile. She then turned to the worker and leaned her arm on the counter.

"Hello! I'd like five large vanilla milkshakes, please!" Whitney said.

"Sure!" the worker replied and went to make them.

Serena and Misty both went to retrieve money to pay for Ash and Brock's but Whitney quickly waved it away.

"Don't worry about that! It's on me! This is your first time to try a Miltank milkshake!" Whitney smiled.

"Great! Thank you so much!" the group said gratefully.

About a minute later, the worker returned with the milkshakes, and Whitney handed him the money. She then took a milkshake for herself and gestured for the group to take the other four. Misty and Serena immediately grabbed one while Ash and Brock had to set down their load first before they got one. The group then looked at each other before they each took a sip at the same time.

As soon as the treat entered their mouths, their eyes widened at the incredible taste. Ash felt like he had stars in his eyes and he leaped in the air for joy.

"It's soooooo good!" he shouted, which drew the attention of a few nearby people.

"Hahahahaha! Yeah! That's how most people react when they first taste Miltank milkshakes!" Whitney laughed.

"This is delicious," Misty sighed as she held her hand to her face and closed her eyes in contentment.

"We should eat fancy more often in Kanto just so we can try the Miltank products," Brock joked.

"It doesn't just stop there! There's Miltank cheese and butter, too!" Whitney told them.

"I have to try them all!" Ash exclaimed as he inhaled the rest of his milkshake.

"Well, there's plenty more where that came from! My Uncle Milton owns a Miltank farm," Whitney said. "I'll be happy to take you there sometime."

"That would be great!" Serena smiled.

Suddenly, there was a beep on Whitney's Pokegear, and the girl flipped it open to see what it was. As soon as Whitney saw the time, she let out a small yelp.

"Oh no! It's already noon and time to open gym! I'm late again! I hope my assistant isn't annoyed again!" Whitney gasped.

The group checked their Pokegear and realized that they lost track of time, too. Still, by the way Whitney was talking, and the way her Clefairy sighed, it wasn't like this was an uncommon occurrence for her to forget. Well, regardless, they all knew what this meant. It was finally time for Ash's third gym battle, and he got a determined look on his face. He was ready to win by skill, and not by luck.

* * *

Despite the fact that they were running, the group didn't make it back to the Goldenrod City gym until thirty minutes later because they had to drop off all the things they got at the Galleria at the Pokemon Center. As such, Whitney was quite late. As she expected, a teen girl who was presumably her assistant, was waiting rather impatiently outside of the gym door. She had her arms crossed and was tapping her foot on the group. Needless to say, this was nothing new to the girl.

"Hi! I'm sorry I'm late again!" Whitney said apologetically.

"Whitney, this is the second time this week you've been late," her assistant sighed.

"Sorry! No one has come to challenge the gym yet, have they?" Whitney inquired.

"No. Thank goodness they haven't," the girl replied.

"Great! I had promised to have my first match of the day with Ash here!" Whitney said as she gestured to the raven-haired boy.

The girl peeked beside Whitney and only just seemed to notice the group. She gave Ash a scrutinizing look before she shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay. Well, be prepared, kid. Whitney is pretty tough," the assistant said.

"No problem! I'm ready!" Ash declared.

"Good attitude!" Whitney approved as she pulled a set of keys out of her pocket and searched around until she found the correct one. She then went to the gym's entrance and unlocked the door before she went inside with her assistant following her. The group went afterward, and Brock had a dreamy look on his face.

"Man. Are all the girls that work at this gym beautiful?" he asked rhetorically.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Brock. We're here to watch Ash's gym match," Misty muttered.

"Haha. Yeah," Brock replied.

Once the group got inside the gym, the first thing they noticed was…nothing. This gym was quite plain compared to all the other ones they've been in. Some have been in what looked like a forest. Some were on top of a tall tower. There was even one inside of a volcano! This one had no special features at all about it. It was just a regular, bare room with a pokeball symbol in the middle of the floor.

"Well, at least there aren't any obstacles," Serena noted.

"That's for better or worse. While Whitney can't use the field to her advantage, Ash can't either. This really will be a test of his skill," Brock mused.

Whitney then made it to her side of the room while her assistant went off to the side and retrieved two flags from the nearby cabinet. Whitney then did a few arm stretches to prepare before she placed her hands on her hips and smiled at Ash.

"Well, Ash. What do you say we get this show on the road?!" Whitney called out.

"Sounds good to me, Whitney!" Ash replied.

"The rules are a three on three Pokemon match! I can't use substitutions, but you can make them anytime you want," Whitney told him.

"Normal gym rules for a normal type gym, too," Misty said.

"Also, Ash, we may have gotten along in the Galleria, and I owe you for carrying my stuff, but I'll still do everything I can to win!" Whitney reminded.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Ash stated.

"Good! In that case, would you please, Victoria?" Whitney asked with a nod to the assistant.

"Right! Trainers, please choose your first Pokemon!" Victoria ordered.

Ash turned his hat backwards. This was it. He was going to prove to his friends, his Pokemon, and to himself how much his training and therapy session has paid off. Ash took out his first pokeball and gave it a nod. He trusted all of them.

"Chikorita, I choose you!" Ash shouted and threw the pokeball forward.

Chikorita appeared from the pokeball, and surprisingly, it didn't go directly to Ash this time. It instead got a determined look on its face and spun its leaf around in an arc to show it was ready to battle. This didn't go unnoticed by the Brock, Misty, and Serena. The three were pleasantly surprised. Apparently Chikorita knew it was time to fight and not to snuggle.

"You ready to earn our first win of the match, Chikorita?!" Ash called.

"Chika!" Chikorita answered with a smile.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu encouraged Chikorita.

Chikorita turned around and gave Pikachu nod. This once more surprised the group. Normally, Chikorita was always most hostile with Pikachu or chose to ignore it. Here, it actually acknowledged Pikachu with a positive response.

"Wow. Maybe Ash's training and the therapy session helped, after all," Misty commented.

"I don't know what happened, but it looks Chikorita has finally decided to let go of its envy," Brock said.

Chikorita happened to hear Brock's comment and smiled to itself. Yes. It still liked Ash, but not like that. They could still be great friends, and Chikorita could snuggle with him when the time was appropriate. A great friend in Totodile helped it realize that.

"Hey, Whitney! I'm going to let out my Cyndaquil so it can watch the match like Pikachu. I want it to watch my other Pokemon battle to help it train some!" Ash called out.

"That's fine, Ash! More spectators make it all the better!" Whitney replied.

Cyndaquil appeared from the pokeball and gave a stretch and a yawn. It then looked up at Ash, and the boy knelt down to it and rubbed its head.

"Now, listen to me, Cyndaquil. I want you to pay close attention to this battle and watch how they attack. I think you'll learn a lot and it will help you light your flame so you can be an awesome battler in the future, too" Ash told it.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil nodded and went to stand by Pikachu who gave it a thumb's up.

"Well, Ash. I'm going to reveal my first Pokemon!" Whitney shouted out before she threw her pokeball. "I choose Furret!"

Whitney's pokeball opened up, and a tan-colored ferret-like Pokemon appeared. It gave a twirl on the ground and looked rather skittish. It then stood on its hind legs and quickly looked around before it crouched low to the ground and appeared ready to battle.

"Okay. A Furret," Ash said as he and Serena took out their national dexes to scan it.

"Furret, the long body Pokemon and the evolved form of Sentret. Furret are very slim, agile, and flexible. They are very adept at getting away when they are under attack," informed the machines.

"We can handle it. Right, Chikorita?" Ash said.

"Chika!" Chikorita nodded again.

"This is an official gym match between Ash and the gym leader, Whitney. There will be no time limit! Is everyone ready?" Victoria asked.

"I sure am!" Whitney smiled.

"Me, too!" Ash replied. Here it is.

"Begin!" Victoria declared.

"Alright! Use Quick Attack, Furret!" yelled Whitney.

"Jump, Chikorita!" Ash ordered.

As Furret began speeding along the ground, Chikorita extended its vines and slapped the ground to give it a boost. Furret's short legs were unsuited for jumping high so it had to cancel the attack and instead stare up at Chikorita.

"Use Razor Leaf!" Ash hollered.

"Dodge it!" Whitney countered.

Chikorita began shooting several large, sharp leaves from the air, but Furret didn't even attempt to move out of the way. Instead, it used its slender body to twist and turn and bend out of harm's way. It successfully dodged every one of the leaves which was rather impressive to the group. The national dex didn't lie when it said that Furret were flexible. As Chikorita began to descend from the air, Furret got ready, and Whitney initiated her attack.

"Use Shadow Ball, Furret!" Whitney shouted.

Furret began forming a dark, glowing orb in its front hands before it took aim and tossed it up at Chikorita. The leaf Pokemon had no way to dodge so it swung its leaf around at the Shadow Ball to try to knock it away. Is struggled for just a moment, but the Shadow Ball soon exploded which blasted Chikorita back onto the ground.

"Good job, Furret. Now use Double Edge!" Whitney told it.

Furret once more dashed towards Chikorita quickly, but the raven-haired boy had an idea.

"Use Vine Whip, Chikorita!" Ash ordered.

Chikorita then shot out one of its vines, but Furret easily maneuvered itself out harm's way. Its body was just too flexible for direct attacks to hit like that.

"Not gonna work, Ash!" Whitney smiled.

"I know," Ash smiled back. "Use Vine whip on Furret's feet!"

Chikorita's other vine extended from its neck, and it gave a sweeping motion at Furret. Once again, the Furret's ability to jump high was against it. Furret was tripped by the Vine Whip and fell flat on its face and skidded to a halt just in front of Chikorita.

"Now use Razor Leaf, Chikorita!" Ash hollered.

Chikorita swung its large leaf and several sharp leaves came out and struck the downed Furret at point blank range. The long body Pokemon grimaced as it was struck by the continuous barrage of leaves. Whitney, however, didn't appear worried.

"Use Fire Punch, Furret!" Whitney called.

"Fire Punch?" Ash questioned.

Despite the pain of the leaves, Furret ignited its fist and delivered a solid uppercut to Chikorita, and the leaf Pokemon cried out in pain, and it flipped through the air and landed on the ground a short distance away.

"Now use Ice Punch!" Whitney smiled.

Furret sped forward towards Chikrorita who was still struggling to get up and this time slammed a frosty fist to Chikorita's backside which forced the leaf Pokemon back onto the ground. Chikorita gritted its teeth in pain from the two super effective attacks in a row.

"Chikorita!" Ash cried in worry.

"My Furret is just full of surprises, isn't it, Ash?" Whitney smirked before she addressed her Furret again. "Use Shadow Ball, Furret!"

Ash had to agree. This Furret was a lot tougher than it looked. Still, his Chikorita wasn't out yet!

"Use Magical Leaf!" Ash hollered.

This time, Chikorita shot out several smaller leaves. Furret tried to twist its body around, but the due to the attack's nature, the leaves still struck it which forced Furret to cancel its Shadow Ball. It then had to retreat and hurried away from Chikorita and the barrage of tiny leaves that kept striking it. Chikorita now had some breathing room so it was finally able to pick itself up from the ground. It looked quite tired, though.

"How are you holding up, Chikorita?" Ash asked it.

"Chika!" Chikorita responded, albeit a little tiredly.

"Let's use Double Edge again, Furret!" Whitney yelled.

Furret once again dashed towards Chikorita, but the raven-haired boy knew what to do.

"Use Vine Whip on Furret's feet again!" Ash hollered.

Chikorita once more shot its vines in order to trip Furret, but this time the long body Pokemon twisted its body around so the Vine Whip caught it by its midsection. Despite that, Ash could still work with it.

"Slam it on the ground, Chikorita!" Ash hollered.

Before Chikorita could do that, both it and Ash were very surprised when Furret actually squeezed out of the Vine Whip! Just how flexible was this thing?! Did it even have bones?!

"That won't work this time, Ash!" Whitney smiled.

Ash gritted his teeth as he tried to think. There was just no hitting this Furret unless Chikorita kept using Magical Leaf. That wouldn't win him the battle, though. What else could Chikorita use to ensure a hit? Of course! He should've thought of it sooner. There was a perfect way to deal with an evasive Pokemon!

"Let's go for Double Edge again, Furret! I think they know not to try that again!" Whitney said.

Once more, Furret sped towards Chikorita to deliver a solid blow, but Ash knew what he had to do now.

"Jump again, Chikorita!" Ash hollered.

Chikorita once more slapped its vines on the ground and shot up in the air. He needed Chikorita to be in the air otherwise Furret would just evade the attack again which would ruin his plan. The long body Pokemon canceled its attack once again, but Whitney wasn't worried.

"Use Shadow Ball!" she ordered.

"Use Magical Leaf to counter the Shadow Ball!" Ash hollered. He just needed Chikorita to get past the inevitable Shadow Ball.

Furret once more formed a glowing dark orb in its hands and shot it towards Chikorita. The leaf Pokemon responded by shooting several small leaves at the Shadow Ball. As soon as they struck the orb, the attacks exploded in midair which caused a stalemate. That was what Ash was hoping for. A Shadow Ball fired by a ghost type would incinerate the Magical Leaf, but a normal-type Pokemon like Furret would have rather weak one compared to them.

"Now cover the battlefield with Sweet Scent!" Ash yelled.

Chikorita began to shake its leaf, and a pleasant aroma filled the air and spread throughout the gym. Everyone could smell the scent as it wafted around the gym. Serena was surprised as she could smell it this time, too. So this was what it smelled like. It seemed Chikorita didn't discriminate over who could smell its leaf now which Serena made a mental note of. Furret also appeared relaxed and got sleepy look on its face.

"Now Body Slam!" Ash hollered.

"Watch out, Furret!" Whitney cried.

Chikorita descended from the air and fell on Furret with its full body weight. Furret gave a strained cry and fell down on the ground with Chikorita still on top of it.

"Now Razor Leaf!" Ash hollered.

"Fire Punch!" Whitney called.

Before Furret ignited its fist and turned around to strike Chikorita, it was met with a face full of sharp leaves. Furret cried out in pain from the attack before Chikorita finally relented. The leaf Pokemon then leaped off of Furret and was panting quite heavily. Furret, however, was knocked out.

"Furret is unable to battle! The winner is Chikorita!" Victoria declared.

"Alright! We did, Chikorita!" Ash cheered.

Chikorita turned around and gave big smile to Ash since it won for him. Now was a good time to hug him! Despite the pain and how tired it was, Chikorita ran towards Ash and jumped into his arms and began to snuggle into his chest.

"Hahahaha! That's sweet, Chikorita! Way to go!" Ash told it.

"Chika! Chikari!" Chikorita cried happily.

Cyndaquil had watched the match and had a thoughtful look on its face. Chikorita was able to use its special attacks so effortlessly. Cyndaquil tried to search for that fire in its body, too. It tried to light its flame, but all that came out was another puff of smoke.

"It's okay, Cyndaquil. Don't push yourself. Just take it easy for now and enjoy the match," Ash told it.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil nodded as Pikachu patted its back.

That Furret had turned out to be quite a tricky opponent with surprise attacks. However, its speed and flexibility was all it had since it wasn't very strong. Once Ash had used Sweet Scent to stop Furret, it was all downhill there for the long body Pokemon.

"I guess he won that match with not too much trouble at all from Chikorita," Misty said.

"Yeah. Not to mention I actually smelled its Sweet Scent this time," Serena joked before she went over to Chikorita. "That was a good match Chikorita."

"Chika!" Chikorita replied from Ash's arms and gave a proud smile to Serena.

"Okay, Furret. Return," Whitney told it and returned it to its pokeball before she looked at Ash. "I have to say, Ash. Most people are baffled by Furret's flexibility. You, however, figured out exactly how to deal with it!"

"Thanks, Whitney!" Ash nodded.

"Now here's my next Pokemon, Ash. Be prepared," Whitney told him before she tossed another pokeball. "Dunsparce! I choose you!"

A rather strange-looking Pokemon with an even stranger look on its face came out of the pokeball. If there was one way to describe it, it looked like a very fat, derp-like snake with tiny wings and drill-like tail. It continuously wiggled on the ground which made it resemble a Magikarp that was flailing out of water.

"Uhhh…Dunsparce?" Ash questioned as he and Serena took out their national dexes.

"Dunsparce, the land snake Pokemon. This Pokemon is an excellent burrower with its drill-like tail. It can fly slightly with its wings," the national dexes informed.

Whitney must've noticed the group's expression as she gave a slight laugh. "Don't be fooled by Dunsparce. It's quite a formidable opponent and has won a lot of battles for me!"

"Umm…okay," Ash replied, wondering how that was so.

"Be careful, Ash. Remember that this is a gym battle! Whitney wouldn't use this Pokemon unless she was confident of a win with it," Brock warned.

Well, Ash realized Brock had a point. He knew better than to judge a book by its cover. He was going to take this Pokemon just as seriously as all of his opponents. Ash then looked down at Chikorita who was still in his arms.

"Hey, Chikorita. Is it okay if I let you rest a bit and use Houndour?" Ash asked.

"Chika!" Chikorita nodded.

Ash smiled at his Pokemon that it wasn't giving him trouble. It seemed things would go a lot smoother with Chikorita from now on. Ash was sure the therapy session helped a lot, but that couldn't be everything. Still satisfied with the results, Ash returned Chikorita to its pokeball and took out another. He then looked at Cyndaquil.

"Okay, Cyndaquil. I really want you to see this one," Ash told it before he released his next Pokemon. "I choose you, Houndour!"

The canid Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and crouched low to show it was ready for battle. It then gave a few growls to try to intimidate its opponent, but Dunsparce continued to have a blank look on its face and wiggle helplessly on the ground.

Cyndaquil gave its full attention to Houndour. The dark Pokemon sensed Cyndaquil looking at it so it turned its head and gave a nod to Cyndaquil. Houndour was going to fight fiercely but also pronounce its attacks more so Cyndaquil could get a good idea of how to use fire attacks. It was still sure that the fire mouse Pokemon would get it with enough practice.

"Okay. It's Dunsparce versus Houndour! Begin!" Victoria stated.

"Houndour, start things off with you Flamethrower!" Ash shouted.

"Hide by digging underground!" Whitney yelled.

Houndour blew the Flamethrower from its mouth, and it headed straight for Dunsparce. The land snake Pokemon didn't look like it would do anything at first. Then all of a sudden, its drill-like tail took action. It drilled into the gym floor before disappearing in a small hole, and Houndour's Flamethrower sailed just over it.

"Be careful, Houndour. That Dunsparce can come up anywhere," Ash warned.

Houndour nodded and listened for the vibrations beneath its feet. Since it used to be the leader of a pack, it knew a thing or two about hunting prey. This was no different. It just had to use all of its senses.

A few seconds later, Houndour jumped to the side as Dunsparce burst from the floor right afterward and just missed Houndour. It continued ascending into the air before Whitney called out her next move.

"Use Drill Run!" she ordered.

Dunsparce began spiraling through the air at a very quick place while using its tiny wings. It then turned its tail towards Houndour and began spinning towards it with the apparent intent of crashing into the dark Pokemon with its sharp side.

"Use Flamethrower!" Ash countered.

Houndour took aim and blew the stream of flames which were certain to completely envelop the land snake Pokemon. That was until Dunsparce's tail drilled through the Flamethrower and caused no effect. Apparently its tail was acting as a fan and blowing away the Flamethrower. It continued to go until it rammed right into Houndour which sent the dark Pokemon flying backwards until it hit the floor.

"Houndour! How are you feeling?" Ash called out.

He and the others were then rather surprised when they saw Houndour get up and appear quite tired. Surely that Drill Run hadn't caused that much damage, and there was no way Houndour would be panting after only one attack. Houndour was a lot tougher than that. Whitney noticed their expressions and let out a small smile.

"That's Dunsparce's special ability, Serene Grace. It doubles the chances of a secondary effect from an attack. Since Drill Run has a higher chance of landing a critical hit than normal, its chances were doubled again!" she informed them.

Ash frowned when he heard that. Okay. This Dunsparce was a lot tougher than it looked. The raven-haired boy could now see how this Dunsparce would have a few wins under its belt. He would have to be extra careful of its attacks from now on.

"Let's dig underground again!" Whitney told Dunsparce.

Dunsparce once more dug a hole into the ground with its drill-like tail and disappeared from sight. The group couldn't help but feel the cleaners of this gym had quite mess to fill up with all of the holes that Dunsparce probably did with each match. Pushing that aside, Ash would make sure that Dunsparce wouldn't try digging underground again.

"Use Smog in that hole, Houndour!" Ash yelled.

"Oh, no! Try to get out Dunsparce!" Whitney cried.

It was too late. Houndour quickly ran up to the hole and was already preparing its Smog before it even reached it. The dark Pokemon immediately blew the noxious smoke into the hole. There would be no way the Dunsparce could escape that unless it got out. Sure enough, few seconds later, Dunsparce burst from the ground in a puff of smoke quite a distance away from Houndour, apparently trying to get away from the smog, but it was unsuccessful. It then landed on the ground and shivered slightly from the poison effect.

"Oh no! Are you okay, Dunsparce?" Whitney asked worriedly.

Ash smiled as he just had to have Houndour last now. Dunsparce was on a timer until it eventually would succumb to the poison. He was sure it still had a few tricks up its sleeve, though.

"Use Ancient Power, Dunsparce!" Whitney called out.

Dunsparce glowed blue for a moment, and few seconds later, a circle of sharp rocks appeared and completely surrounded Houndour. The dark Pokemon growled at the rocks before they took aim and sped towards Houndour. The dark Pokemon did its best to dodge the attack, but one of them ended up hitting it, and Houndour growled again from the pain.

Ash's eyes then widened when he saw Dunsparce glow blue again, but this time, it wasn't because of the summoning of Ancient Power. He then realized that Dunsparce looked more formidable now and remembered that Ancient Power had a chance to raise the user's stats. Because of its ability, the chance was doubled. Ash grimaced. This Dunsparce was turning out to be quite a menace. Definitely don't judge a book by its cover.

"Use Drill Run!" Whitney called out. She knew as well as Ash that she had to wrap it up now that Dunsparce's stats were raised before the poison took its toll.

Dunsparce once more began spinning its tail like a drill before it leaped into the air towards Houndour, using its wings to get more distance. Ash knew he couldn't simply tell Houndour to dodge it as Dunsparce would simply change direction and go after it that way. Ash then smiled when he realized Dunsparce could change direction, but its wings were too short for it to change height.

"Use Flamethrower!" Ash hollered.

"Not going to work like last time, Ash!" Whitney smiled.

"On the ground!" Ash finished.

Houndour then pointed towards the ground and unleashed a powerful Flamethrower. The force of the flames hitting the ground were enough to push Houndour into the air out of harm's way. Dunsparce was just about to fly underneath Houndour so Ash had to time this right.

"Use Fire Fang!" Ash hollered.

Houndour descended from the air and made careful aim where it fell right on top of Dunsparce as it was passing by. Houndour then ignited its teeth and bit down on the Dunsparce which caused it to cry out in pain. However, it wasn't down just yet.

"Use Yawn!" Whitney yelled.

Dunsparce turned around and let out a Yawn right in Houndour's face. The dark Pokemon felt its eyes droop, and it sleepily slid off Dunsparce and onto the ground. It tried to fight off the effects of the Yawn, but it proved too much and Houndour fell asleep about ten seconds later. Ash gritted his teeth as Houndour was now a sitting Psyduck.

"Let's wrap this up with Double Edge!" Whitney called out.

Dunsparce seemed to grimace from the effects of the poison, but it still lunged at Houndour for a massive tackle which would surely knock it out. Ash knew this didn't look good unless Houndour were to wake up very fast. Ash's eyes then lit up when he remembered Houndour's special ability. He just hoped it would activate in time.

" _Come on, Houndour,"_ Ash thought.

He then let out a big smile when he saw Houndour open its eyes and shake itself awake thanks to its Early Bird ability. Ash knew he had to act fast as Dunsparce was almost upon Houndour.

"Use Flamethrower!" Ash yelled.

Houndour didn't even take a deep breath. It just unleashed a stream of fire as fast as it could. Despite it not being fully powered, the Flamethrower still engulfed the Dunsparce. It then missed Houndour and crashed to the ground a few feet away. It looked like it was going to get back up, but then it shuddered from the poison effects before it fell to the ground and didn't get back up.

"Dunsparce is unable to battle!" Victoria stated.

Ash took a deep breath. That Dunsparce was quite a challenging opponent due to its special ability. However, it seemed Houndour's special ability came out on top in the end. Ash knelt down and spread out its arms.

"Great job, Houndour! We did it!" Ash yelled.

Houndour turned around and ran towards Ash. Once it reached him, it sat down on its hind legs and allowed Ash to rub its head. It then licked him in the cheek to which Ash laughed.

Cyndaquil had watched the entire match closely and tried to take notes of how Houndour launched its fire attacks. The fire mouse Pokemon once more tried to light its flames, but like before, only a puff of smoke came out. Cyndaquil hung its head sadly as Ash and Houndour looked at it.

"Hey, Cyndaquil. It's okay. I know you'll get it eventually," Ash encouraged.

Houndour then gave a few barks of encouragement which made Cyndaquil feel a bit better. They were right. It just needed to search for the fire within its body and project it to its back…however that was supposed to happen.

"Ash is two for two now!" Serena grinned.

"Yeah. He's trying to redeem himself from his last gym battle. I didn't know Gary's words would have that much effect on him. It only appeared to upset him," Brock replied.

"I don't think it was just Gary who Ash received advice from. We all supported him, and he told me that he was speaking with Professor Oak this morning and that he felt a lot better afterward," Serena said.

"Ahh. Good advice from a good professor," Brock nodded.

"Does that mean that Ash will be able to make up with Gary?" Misty asked.

"I hope so. Them being mad at each other like this doesn't suit them," Serena frowned.

Meanwhile, Whitney let out a sigh and returned her Dunsparce. She knew she was down two Pokemon while Ash still had all three. However, two were already in low health, and she still had her strongest Pokemon with her.

"Well, Ash. I have to admit. You've put up a great gym battle so far, but you still need to beat my most powerful Pokemon!" Whitney stated.

"Is it your Clefairy?" Ash asked as he looked at the fairy Pokemon by Whitney.

"Heehee! Nope! My Clefairy prefers not to battle. However, you have seen this Pokemon before!" Whitney smiled.

"We-we have?" Ash questioned, not knowing what she meant.

"Yep. You just saw it today, actually! Here it is! Go, Miltank!" Whitney yelled and released her Pokemon.

The milk cow Pokemon soon appeared from the pokeball and let out a cry. Ash and everyone else's eyes widened. They certainly weren't expecting the cow-like Pokemon to be suited for battle. However, like with Dunsparce, they knew not to judge a book by its cover.

"My Miltank has won my most victories, Ash. There have even been times when a trainer has beaten two of my Pokemon with all three of theirs left and still lost," Whitney smiled.

"Wow. Really?" Ash asked as he looked at the Miltank.

"Mil! Mil!" Miltank cried for emphasis.

"Hmmm…," Ash mused as he looked at Houndour. "Hey, Houndour. I'm going to let you rest a bit in case I need you later. I've got to go with someone fresh."

Houndour gave a nod to show it agreed, and Ash took out its pokeball and returned it. He knew that his last Pokemon was going to be Heracross. It had a type advantage and was very powerful. However, he still hoped it was going to be enough to take out Miltank. It couldn't beat Bugsy's Scizor last time, but things were different now. It also didn't have any tree sap to distract it this time…not that it would thanks to its therapy session. Ash had prepared something for it before it battled, after all.

"Okay! Let's go, Heracross!" Ash yelled and threw his pokeball.

Heracross appeared from the pokeball with a cry and appeared ready for battle. That was until its stomach growled, and it felt a strong urge to eat some tree sap. Ash, however, was ready for it this time. He opened his backpack before he pulled out a very tiny jar of tree sap and opened it. According to Nurse Joy, he had to wean Heracross off of the tree sap.

"Okay, Heracross. Here's a small helping of tree sap to tide you over," Ash told it.

The stag beetle Pokemon got a huge smile on its face and flew over to the jar and devoured it in seconds. Meanwhile, Whitney, Miltank, and Victoria waited patiently. Ash chuckled and gave them an apologetic look.

"Sorry. My Heracross really likes tree sap and apparently needed some before the match so it wouldn't be fighting on an empty stomach," he said.

"It's okay, Ash!" Whitney giggled. "My Miltank likes to be groomed before every match!"

"Mil! Mil!" Miltank cried again.

Heracross then flew back over to the match and appeared ready. It wasn't full, but the small jar was enough to curb its craving for a while. As Ash said, it was time for it to battle and not to eat. It was ready now.

"Okay. Are the two trainers ready?" Victoria asked.

"We sure are!" Ash replied.

"Yep!" Whitney added.

"In that case, Miltank versus Heracross! Begin!" Victoria declared.

"Miltank! Use Rollout!" Whitney called.

"Brace yourself, Heracross! Use Endure!" Ash hollered.

Miltank got a running start before it leaped into the air and began rolling like a speedball towards Heracross. The stag beetle Pokemon leaned forward a little bit to prepare itself. A few seconds later, Miltank crashed into Heracross like a wrecking ball. Heracross winced once Miltank hit it, but it held firm and caught the huge ball in its powerful arms and horn.

"Hera," Heracross grimaced.

It began taking few steps back out of reflex as Miltank began to overpower it. A few beads of sweat were starting to come from Heracross despite just starting the match. Ash didn't want to wear out Heracross already so he had the perfect move to stop Miltank in its tracks.

"Use Counter, Heracross!" Ash shouted.

Heracross gave another cry before it gave a mighty heave, and a flash of light seemed to come from it. The stag beetle Pokemon then thrust out its arms, and Miltank went spinning backwards until it crashed into a wall. The milk cow Pokemon uncurled itself and had a dazed look on its face, but it quickly shook itself and stood back up.

"Great, Heracross! Now use your Megahorn!" Ash called.

Heracross' horn glowed, and it took flight and flew towards the Miltank who just stood there.

"Use Defense Curl!" Whitney yelled.

Just before Heracross struck Miltank, the milk cow Pokemon curled up into a ball and glowed slightly. Heracross' horn slammed right on top of Miltank, and the Miltank ball shuddered from the impact but, other than that, it didn't appear to do much damage.

"Now turn that into a Rollout!" Whitney shouted.

Before Heracross could react, the Miltank began spinning once more, and it struck Heracross right in the center. The stag beetle Pokemon grimaced in pain as Miltank sped by it and picked up speed. Heracross turned and saw Miltank circling back around to head towards it again, kicking up some dust from the gym floor due to its speed. What Ash, Heracross, and the rest of the group found impressive was that Miltank was expertly dodging the holes in the floor that Dunsparce had created, but that was beside the point.

"Brace yourself again, Heracross, with Endure," Ash told it.

Heracross held out its hands in preparation to catch Miltank again. This time, however, Miltank had gathered a lot of speed and came up faster than Heracross had expected. It hit the stag beetle Pokemon before it could prepare, and this time Heracross was knocked off its feet as Miltank passed by it once again.

Ash frowned as he knew that it was just going to get harder and harder to stop Miltank's Rollout the longer it went on. It seemed like Heracross' brute strength was no longer an option so he had to think of something else.

"Fly into the air, Heracross! Miltank can't hit you from up there!" Ash called.

"Is that what you think?" Whitney smirked.

Heracross took flight, and Miltank just missed the stag beetle Pokemon and rolled underneath it. Heracross then flew into the air well out of reach of Miltank. At least, that was the idea. The group gasped when they saw Miltank actually leap off the ground while in Rollout. The spinning Miltank crashed right into Heracross once again, and it gave a cry of pain. This time, the Rollout hurt quite badly, and Hearcross was knocked out of the air and onto the ground.

Heracross shook itself as it got off the ground, but it didn't have time to even catch its breath before Miltank struck it once more. Heracross flew the air and stuck the ground again. It gave a few short pants as it struggled to get up. Heracross and Ash soon noticed Miltank coming upon it fast. If they didn't hurry, Heracross would be a pancake.

"I've got it! Use Counter again, Heracross!" Ash hollered.

Miltank rammed into Heracross once more, and at first Ash thought the attack had failed. Fortunately, Heracross seemed to absorb the impact before it thrust its arms outward again. Miltank went flying backwards and unfurled itself in midair before it hit a wall and slumped to the ground.

"Finish this with Megahorn!" Ash hollered.

Though tired, Heracross took flight and flew towards Miltank once more. The milk cow Pokemon was taking short breaths and didn't appear to be able to get back up. Heracross was just upon the milk cow Pokemon to deliver the powerful attack, and Ash thought he had the match. That was until Whitney called out her next move.

"Use Attract!" Whitney hollered.

Miltank gave a wink at the approaching Heracross, and tiny heart shapes seemed to come out of it. Heracross didn't see this coming, and it was struck by almost every one. As soon as this happened, Heracross' eyes appeared to be filled with hearts, and it stopped its attack. It then landed on the ground and shyly waved at Miltank.

"Oh no. You've got to be kidding me," Ash mumbled.

"Nice try, Ash, but my Miltank still has that trick up its sleeve," Whitney said.

"Come on, Heracross! Snap out of it!" Ash yelled.

Heracross was clearly star struck as it didn't look like it was going to attack anytime soon. It was like it was under some sort of spell with the hearts in its eyes as it continued to stare at Miltank. Upon seeing that they had Heracross right where they wanted it, both Whitney and Miltank smirked.

"Use Stomp, Miltank!" Whitney called.

Miltank ran towards Heracross who made no move to get out of the way. Miltank then knocked it to the floor before it gave a hard stomp on Heracross' midsection with its hooves. The stag beetle Pokemon made a cry of pain, but the hearts never left its eyes. It was almost as if it enjoyed being attacked by Miltank. Miltank was relentless, however, as it continued to stomp on Heracross. It was clear this was going to be the strategy until Heracross fainted from exhaustion.

Ash, however, wasn't about to let Heracross just roll over and faint. There had to be something he could do snap Heracross out this trance. Yelling at Heracross wasn't helping, though. Ash was wondering if his words were even reaching Heracross. Could it hear him but wasn't able to break the spell?

Ash thought of similar situations when his or Serena's Pokemon had been in trouble from trances such as Hypnosis. Reaching them with words had always helped. They had never been under Attract, however. The only thing that would break Heracross of the spell would be if there was a word that would be stronger than its love for Miltank. Of course.

Ash almost wanted laugh at what he was about to scream all throughout the gym. Whitney, Victoria, and Miltank would probably think he's nuts. He and his friends, however, would know exactly what he was doing. Ash was almost thankful that Heracross still had its addiction. He then took one last look at Miltank continuously stomp on Heracross before he made his move.

"Heracross! Tree sap!" he yelled.

As expected, both Whitney and Victoria raised their eyebrows at him. Ash, however, didn't let that deter him.

"Think of tree sap, Heracross! Think of how sweet and delicious it is!" he shouted.

Heracross still had the hearts in its eyes as Miltank continued to stomp on it. The stag beetle Pokemon started shaking its head. What was it doing? It didn't love Miltank! It loved its trainer and tree sap! Upon seeing the Attract starting to break. Miltank began to stomp harder. Heracross was looking quite beat up and was probably close to passing out so Ash knew he had to be quick.

"Come on, Heracross! Remember where your love is at!" Ash yelled before he added, "And then use Megahorn!"

Heracross shook itself from the spell and grabbed Miltank's foot just before it delivered another Stomp attack which left Miltank dumbfounded and caused Whitney to gasp. Heracross' horn glowed before it slammed it right into Miltank's stomach. The milk cow Pokemon gasped in pain as Ash called out his next attack.

"Now use Close Combat!" he shouted.

Heracross got right in front of Miltank before it delivered a flurry of attacks to Miltank. The milk cow Pokemon gasped and cried out in pain with each attack that Heracross struck. Whitney was trying to call out attacks for Miltank to use, but Heracross was giving Miltank no room for movement. Finally, Heracross delivered a final solid punch were Miltank was sent flying. It continued to fly through the air until it slammed into the wall once more and slumped down.

Everyone in the gym waited for a while to see if Whitney's Miltank would get back up. Heracross and Ash were especially wary to get close in case Miltank decided to pull a sneaky Attract again. Ash didn't know if he would be able to pull off the same trick twice. Finally, after about twenty seconds, it was clear that Miltank wouldn't get up, and Victoria made her decision.

"Miltank is unable to battle! Heracross is the winner!" she declared.

Ash couldn't contain the smile that appeared on his lips. He actually won the gym battle without losing a single Pokemon. He and his Pokemon really did still have it in them. He was able to cover their weaknesses from this last gym match and snag a great victory. Now that was how someone who won the Orange League did a gym battle. He was even able to overcome the gym leader's toughest Pokemon, Miltank.

"That was awesome, Heracross! Way to go!" Ash called.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu added.

Heracross turned away from Miltank and flew towards Ash. The raven-haired boy only knew what his Heracross was doing a little too late and didn't have time to brace himself. The stag beetle Pokemon tackled him to the ground in a hug, and Ash couldn't help but laugh.

"Hahaha! I'm excited, too, Heracross, but take it easy!" Ash said.

"Hera!" Heracross cried in happiness.

Meanwhile, Whitney gave a sigh at her fallen Miltank. She walked over to it and gently helped Miltank sit up before she gave it a small smile.

"Hey, Miltank. How are you feeling?" she asked it.

"Miiiil," Miltank replied weakly.

"You fought hard and earned a good rest," Whitney told it before she returned it to its pokeball. She then looked over at Ash as Heracross continued to hug him.

Heracross eventually let Ash up off the ground, and the raven-haired boy decided that he needed to congratulate all of his Pokemon who participated. He then got out Chikorita and Houndour's pokeballs and released him. Upon being released, the two looked up at him expectantly.

"Hey, guys. I just want to let you all know that you did amazing. Let's keep it up! We earned this victory for real this time!" he encouraged, to which they and Pikachu all cried in agreement.

Cyndaquil shyly made its way over to Ash, and he gave it a smile before he knelt down and rubbed its back.

"I can't forget you, either, Cyndaquil. Did you learn anything?" he asked it.

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil responded before something unexpected happened.

A small burst of flame appeared from its back, and Ash had to jerk his hand away to keep from being burned. Then, just as quickly as the fire started, it went way. Ash, as well as everyone else in the gym, stared in surprise. That was the first time Cyndaquil had lit its flame on will rather than when it was just in extreme danger. Ash gave the fire mouse Pokemon a big smile.

"That's it, Cyndaquil! You're getting it little by little!" Ash exclaimed before he gave it a joking look. "Just make sure to watch your timing next time so you don't burn my hand!"

"Cynda!" Cyndaquil nodded in excitement, and it looked over at Houndour who gave it a look of approval.

"That was so good, Ash!" Serena smiled as she and the others came over

"Well done, Ash!" Misty added.

"That's how my future Pokemon Master should be!" Brock grinned as he nodded at Ash.

"Thanks, guys!" Ash replied before he turned to Serena. "Now we just need to have Serena be a winner at her showcase tomorrow!"

Serena blushed slightly as she looked down. It was unlikely. She highly doubted she would win tomorrow as there were probably other people who were competing who were a lot more experienced than her. Just as long as she didn't screw up and was decent, that was fine with her this time. Of course, she would like to win, but she also had to be realistic.

"Come on, Ash," Serena mumbled in embarrassment.

"You'll do amazing!" Ash encouraged anyway.

"Alright. Heehee. Thank you, Ash," Serena chuckled even though she doubted it.

The group then noticed Whitney coming over to Ash with a smile on her face. The girl reached into her pocket and presented a small circular, golden badge and handed out to Ash.

"Well, Ash, that was definitely an exciting gym battle! I had a lot of fun!" Whitney told him. "You rightfully earned this plain badge and didn't even lose a single Pokemon, either! I'm impressed. Normally, my Miltank can sweep whole teams!"

"Thanks, Whitney!" Ash replied as he took the badge and held it in front of him. "That's three out of eight badges!"

"You're well on your way, Ash! You're a third there!" Brock said.

"Yeah. Just don't let this win go to your head again. You still have to train and battle hard for all your other gym battles," Misty reminded.

"Don't worry, Misty. I've got this!" Ash replied as he turned to Misty who was standing with her back to the gym window.

Ash then suddenly fell silent when he noticed something, and his eyes widened. As soon as he turned to Misty, he saw a flash of thick, dark red hair. The raven-haired boy blinked, and then it was gone. Still, he knew he wasn't seeing things. There was no mistaking it. That dark red hair seemed to belong to…

"Ash?" Serena questioned once she noticed his expression.

"It's nothing," Ash replied as he shook his head and turned back to his friends.

Still, Ash couldn't get that image out of his head.

" _Was Silver watching my match?"_ he thought.

* * *

 **Ash now just needs to remember the talk he had with Professor Oak and treat each battle he has like he's competing in the finals of the Pokemon League, and he will be fine. Serena's performance debut is next, and it also sees the return of a familiar face you all were wondering about it. Now we just need to see if Serena will win.**

 **Now another new poll is up, and it has a flip side. Last one was if Ash should have any interest in other girls. Now it should be if any girls should have interest in Ash? This would also cause jealous Serena and make her work harder for Ash's affection. I'll do Serena's side on the next poll in the next update so make sure you all vote soon!**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support. I'm not quite sure if the next chapter will be out before November ends but you never know!**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four: Too Perfect**


	24. Too Perfect

**A/N: This was actually supposed to be the chapter that Shauna was introduced, but I changed my mind. Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor won't appear until Hoenn as I have more uses for them there. However, there is still a familiar face reintroduced in this chapter that you all wanted me to bring back. I hope you all enjoy this chapter of Serena's first performance.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Four: Too Perfect

Serena lay on her bed in the Goldenrod City Pokemon Center while reading a fashion magazine. She had her Fennekin and Togepi next to her, and both Pokemon were in different interests at the moment. Fennekin was adamantly reading everything Serena was while Togepi was more interested in fiddling with Fennekin's pokeball. It annoyed the fox Pokemon a little bit, but as long as that kept Togepi from drawing in the magazine like last time, it was fine.

The honey blonde-haired girl gave a yawn as she checked her Pokegear for the time. It was almost eleven o'clock at night. She then cast a glance to her right and saw Misty was already fast asleep. The two girls had stayed up discussing Serena's upcoming Pokemon Showcase. The redhead, of course, reassured Serena she would do just fine which she appreciated. That's all her friends had been telling her, but that didn't mean Serena couldn't exercise a healthy level of caution. This was her first time actually _performing_ _live_ in front of a large audience.

" _I just need to be decent,"_ Serena thought.

"Fenn!" Fennekin called out as it wanted Serena to turn to the next page of the magazine.

"Oh. Sorry, Fennekin," Serena replied as she quickly flipped the page.

Once she did, her eyes widened as she saw it was article about Aria. She had actually met the girl while she was in the Orange Islands, and Aria had even been kind enough to give her Fennekin to Serena. The honey blonde-haired girl could still recall how magnificent the Aria had performed and how graceful she was. It was beautiful and almost a form of art. Serena and the rest of the audience had been mesmerized the entire time. Serena then imagined herself just as wonderful as Aria and quickly gave a slight giggle.

" _Let's not get carried away,"_ Serena thought to herself.

Serena then gave another yawn. It was getting late, and if she did want to have any hope of doing well tomorrow, she would need a good night's sleep. Serena then closed the magazine which made Fennekin give a cry of protest. However, a quick yawn from the fox Pokemon made it blush in embarrassment since it was tired, too. Togepi's eyes were drooping as it lazily rolled Fennekin's pokeball back and forth.

Serena picked up Togepi and began to rock it back and forth as Fennekin curled up at the edge of Serena's bed. It had been promised that it would be the first one to perform tomorrow which it was really excited about. Fennekin had wanted Smeargle to participate with it, and Serena said they could as long as there was a part that allowed a duo. From what she had seen so far about the performance, there would. The two Pokemon had been working on some great combinations and couldn't wait to put them into play.

It wasn't long before Togepi had fallen asleep inside of its egg-like body, and Serena placed it next to Fennekin on the edge of her bed. Serena then pulled the covers over herself before she reached over and turned out the lamp on the bedside table. The girl then gave a sigh as she settled into bed, and she was soon asleep like everyone else in the room.

XXX

 _"Okay, Fennekin! We just need a little bit of this ribbon!" Serena said as she tied a nice bow around Fennekin's neck._

 _Serena was in the middle of her Pokemon Showcase right now. She was competing against two other girls whom she didn't know the name of. Serena was part of the last round so she had a tough act to follow after everyone else. She really had to dazzle the audience with Fennekin's outfit._

 _Speaking of outfits, Serena believed she had quite a great one, too. She was wearing a sleeveless pink and red dress with a large red bow on the top. She had on black pantyhose with red, sparkling flats to match her outfit. Lastly she had her long hair tied up into a large ponytail. Ash had commented on how cute she looked earlier that morning so now Serena had to make sure Fennekin looked just as great._

 _Despite Serena's excitement of her performance today, she wasn't feeling one hundred percent. She'd had a constant headache for the past week. Serena considered seeing a doctor about it, but the pain wasn't enough to make her worry. It was just mild discomfort. Besides, there was no reason to worry anyone. Still, sometimes it felt like something was trying to break free from her head, particularly when she was around a psychic Pokemon._

 _"Fenn?" Fennekin questioned._

 _"Hmmhmm. Sorry, Fennekin. I just spaced out for a moment," Serena giggled as she finished it up._

 _At that moment, the curtains around the room she was in fell over all the openings which signified that her time was almost up. Serena now just needed to add a few finishing touches, and she would be good to go. Serena put on a few colorful beads around Fennekin's tail and she cut the ribbon around Fennekin's neck until it was an appropriate length. Serena then stood back and admired her handiwork._

 _"You look adorable, Fennekin!" Serena beamed._

 _"Fennekin!" Fennekin cried. It thought so, too._

 _Just then, a ringing noise sounded throughout the hall which let everyone know that the time was up. Serena took a deep breath as Monsieur Louis announced the first girl to step onto the stage. Serena would be going last, but that was fine. She would be the last one to completely dazzle the audience._

 _"Remember Ash's words, Fennekin!" Serena told it. "Nothing we've done is a waste of time! We've worked hard to get here so let's win that Princess key!"_

 _"Fennekin!" Fennekin agreed happily._

 _Serena then gasped as she held her forehead. There was a shooting pain there that hadn't happened before. She had taken an aspirin earlier this morning, but nothing was helping it. Though it was only mild discomfort before, it was actually hurting right now. Was a psychic Pokemon out there doing tricks to aggravate her forehead? Serena wasn't even sure if that was the cause. Still, something about a psychic Pokemon messing with her mind seemed bring up a memory that she was supposed to forget. It would float into the back of her mind only to disappear. Did she forget something that was related to her headache?_

 _"Fenn?" Fennekin asked again._

 _"I'm fine, Fennekin," Serena muttered, despite the fact that she was holding her hand against her forehead. Maybe she would see a doctor after all once this showcase was over._

 _"And now, everyone. Feast your eyes on our final performer of the afternoon, Serena Gabena and her Fennekin!" Monsieur Louis called._

 _"That's us, Fennekin! Let's go!" Serena smiled despite the pain she was in._

 _"Fennnn," Fennekin said worriedly before it put a smile on its face so the audience wouldn't be suspicious._

 _The two then stepped out onto the runway, and the audience immediately erupted into cheers. Serena smiled and waved as Fennekin proudly walked beside her. Once they got to the edge of the runway, they would begin their show just like they practiced._

 _Despite Serena's headache, everything was going perfectly normal. The girl then turned to Fennekin and smiled brightly. There was no reason to worry about her performances. She really had a knack for this thing! With all of her friends, her Pokemon, and Ash with her, nothing could go wrong._

 _"Fennekin! Are you having as much fun as I am?" Serena asked it._

 _"Fenn!" Fennekin replied brightly._

 _There was suddenly an explosion from somewhere in the performance hall. Serena whipped around and saw a large portion of one of the walls had been blown out. It was at that moment that Serena's headache started to intensify tenfold. Serena was on her knees while clutching her head but didn't know why. She started screaming at the top of her lungs. Fennekin was lying on the stage covered in black burn marks, but how? What happened in such a short amount of time? People were running and screaming for the lives. There was shaking and rumbling as the performance hall seemed to collapse around Serena. What was going on?! There was suddenly a ringing inside of Serena's head, and then everything went black…_

XXX

Serena shot up in her bed, but she could still hear the ringing. The honey-blonde girl glanced around in panic before her eyes settled on the alarm clock on her bedside table. The ringing was just the alarm going off. Serena reached over and shut it off before she took a deep breath.

What on Earth was that all about? She was in the middle of a great performance only for things to turn south rather quickly, and she didn't know why. It was all an incoherent mess ever since she heard a strange explosion in the middle of her performance. Nothing made sense. Why was she screaming? Why was Fenneking injured and unconscious? Where was Ash in all of this? Why did she have a massive headache?

Serena suddenly felt her forehead out of instinct before she sighed again. There was no headache, nor was there any pain on any other part of her body, save the slight stiffness from just waking up.

"Good morning, Serena," Misty yawned from her bed as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Hey, Misty," Serena mumbled absently.

"Heh. Still a little sleepy, huh? Me, too," Misty said before she pulled off her covers and made her way to the bathroom.

Well, that wasn't it. Serena was really wanting to know what was the cause of the sudden chaos at her performance. Why did everything start skipping? It was like her mind was purposely playing a trick on her and keeping her in the dark.

"Toge!" Togepi chirped as it crawled over and sat on Serena's lap beneath the covers.

"Good morning, Togepi," Serena smiled as she picked it up and gave it a hug.

"Fennekin," Fennekin added as it walked across Serena's bed.

"You, too, Fennekin!" Serena replied.

Then again, ultimately, maybe it didn't matter what had caused all of that confusion. It was just a dream, after all. Serena's had several unsettling dreams in the past, and a few of them had proved to be quite bogus…or at least weren't anytime soon. Why should this one prove any different? Well, it felt so real, especially her headache, but it was still just a dream.

That headache she had her dream, however, felt oddly familiar. She remembered feeling something like that not too long ago, but she couldn't remember where. It was like some force was purposely keeping her in the dark about where she felt that particular headache and especially what had caused it. Why couldn't she remember?

 _"Wait! Tohjo Falls!"_ Serena recalled to herself.

That was it! It felt just like the time she was in Tohjo falls and had caused the cave around her to start to collapse. Why was it showing up now of all times, though? She hadn't felt a headache like that since then. Furthermore, Serena felt like it was being caused by a psychic Pokemon in her performance. Had a psychic Pokemon been the original cause of her headache? She couldn't remember.

 _"Should I be worried about my showcase today?"_ Serena thought to herself.

"Fennekin!" Fennekin cried and nudged Serena's arm slightly to get her out of bed and start moving.

Serena shook her head. Despite feeling real, Serena couldn't understand how it could be real. Regardless, it certainly couldn't have pertained to her Showcase today. Everything in that dream was going completely different from the schedule of the Goldenrod Showcase. For the time being, Serena will just dismiss it as a nightmare. However, if anything from that dream seemed to begin to take shape, Serena would be sure to take caution. The last thing she wanted was for whatever happened in that dream to actually happen.

* * *

The group stepped into the performance hall, and it was crammed with people. This was no surprise to the group by now as everything in Goldenrod City was crowded. There were even wide screen TVs hanging from the ceiling all around the room so people could watch the performances out in the lobby. There clearly wouldn't be enough seats for everyone. The group worked their way through the crowd as much as they could so they could to get to the registration desk. It took a while, but they finally made it.

"Welcome. Will one of you be competing today?" asked the receptionist.

"That's right! I am," Serena answered.

"Great. I'll just need to see your ID please," the receptionist requested kindly.

Serena did as told and pulled her pokedex out of her vest pocket before she handed it to the receptionist. The girl took the pokedex before she slid it into a scanner next to her computer. She then typed in all of Serena's information before she took out the pokedex and handed it back to Serena.

"There you are, Serena. You're all set. The backroom is all the way over to your right," the receptionist said and pointed to which door led to it.

"Great! Thanks!" Serena replied.

"Well, this is it, Serena. Your first contest," Ash said.

"I know. Wish me luck?" Serena asked.

"Always, but you won't need it. You'll knock 'em dead!" Ash grinned.

Serena flinched slightly once Ash said that, but it was only for a second. She had to remember that the dream she had last night was just that…a dream. Nothing today was even going to remotely resemble what had played out in that dream from her understanding.

"So anyway, I need to hurry on back so I can put on my outfit," Serena mentioned.

"You got it. Togepi and I will cheer the loudest for you!" Ash smiled.

"Best of luck, Serena. You'll do just fine," Brock told her.

"Definitely! Girl's intuition!" Misty added with a wink.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu finished for encouragement.

Serena looked around at all of her friends and nodded her head. They were all here to support her. Nothing bad or scary was going to happen today at her showcase. Even if she didn't win, that was fine. It would be quite easy to tell if showcases were for her or not after today. All she had to do was be decent for her first one. High hopes but low expectations.

"Well, hello there! Gosh! It's been so long!" a cheery voice said from behind the group.

Serena tilted her head to the side. That voice was very familiar, but it was one she or the others hadn't heard in a very long time. Serena spun around and gave a gasp when she saw who it was.

"M-Miette?!" Serena cried. "What are you doing here?!"

Sure enough, the blue-haired girl was standing there. It was none other than the girl who Serena had been so desperate to beat on their last meeting. It was the girl who teased her and berated her constantly the whole time…only to show her humane side at the end.

"Why, I'm here to compete in Pokemon Performances! What else?" Miette asked rhetorically with a giggle.

Serena stared in shock. She remembered her last encounter with Miette. It was well over a year ago when they first met in Saffron City. Miette had been quite nasty to Serena and believed her to be very incompetent to compete in the Battle Chateau. They parted on rather good terms, but to see her in Johto was still no less shocking. Goldenrod City was once again just full of surprise in encounters.

"Well, say something!" Miette said brightly after Serena had been standing stock still for the past ten seconds.

"Hi, Miette. So you said you're competing, too?" Ash asked instead.

"Yes. I am, Ash," Miette nodded before she pulled Serena into a hug and whispered into her ear. "So I see you're still traveling with Ash? Did you finally confess to him?"

Serena blushed and pulled away from Miette. "It's not really your business, but Ash and I have been going out for over a year now!" Serena replied proudly with her hands on her hips.

"Oh my gosh! That's so great! I'm proud of you!" Miette cooed as she hugged Serena and picked her up off the ground.

"Yikes! Miette! Put me down!" Serena cried. The blue-haired girl was surprising strong.

"Sooo…what brought you here to Johto, Miette?" Brock asked.

"Well, after I left Kanto, I wanted to try something new. That's when I read about Pokemon Performances and figured I could still look great while trying something new. They were close by in the Johto region so I came to do them!" Miette explained as she put Serena down.

"That mimics Serena's story quite a bit," Misty commented.

"Right! What are the odds I would've run into you guys again?" Miette smiled.

"Heh. Right. What are the odds?" Serena muttered. Somehow she wasn't as thrilled about seeing Miette again as the girl was about her.

"Oh! Director Hiro is here!" someone exclaimed.

Everyone in the performance hall turned to see the middle-aged man enter the building clothed in his usual suit and hat. He was smiling and waving to everyone as people applauded like he was going to be the star of the show rather than the performers. The group tilted their heads in interest. So this was the guy who headed all of the great radio shows in Johto. They had heard how this guy was pretty well-liked.

"Will you be watching our performances today?" a girl asked.

"Of course! I love seeing a good performance! This place does still stand due to my generous donations, after all! I'm a nice guy, after all!" Director Hiro laughed.

"Great!" the girl replied, despite the man's arrogant comment.

Director Hiro then made his way to pass the group, and they were surprised when he actually stopped beside them. He turned and seemed to be inspecting Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock very carefully. The group raised their eyebrows in question. Why was he looking at them like he's seen them before, and so intently, too? It made them really uncomfortable. Hiro must've noticed their discomfort as he quickly put a smile on his face, but to the group, it almost looked false.

"Hello there. My name is Director Hiro from the Radio Tower, but you probably already knew that," he introduced.

"Umm…yeah. Hello, sir," Ash replied as he and the others bowed in respect.

"So are any of you kids performing?" he asked.

"Uhhh…I am," Serena replied carefully.

"Well, I wish you luck, young lady. I must say I'll be watching you very carefully. I feel you hold a lot of promise," Director Hiro said as he held out his hand for Serena to shake.

"Umm…thanks," Serena responded as she slowly took the director's hand and shook it.

For a guy that was said to be extremely nice and well-loved, Director Hiro sure gave them the creeps, especially Serena. He seemed nice enough so far, but there was just something about it all that seemed…well…off. His eyes were boring into Serena, and the girl found herself shrinking under his gaze. Unable to take it anymore, she released her grip on his hand and turned away.

Director Hiro must've realized the tension he was creating. He gave a slight cough and turned away from the group and instead gave a hearty laugh.

"Hahahaha! Now, now. No need to be afraid of me! I'm just a really nice guy who loves radio shows. I hope you all will continue to show your support to us!" Director Hiro said.

"Of course. Your radio shows are great," Brock agreed, trying to diffuse the atmosphere, too.

"Well, I must be off to find my seat! Do take care!" Director Hiro smiled with a wave before he resumed walking towards the hall.

It proved to be rather hard, though, as a lot of people tried to get him to stop so they could talk to him. It was like meeting a celebrity to them. From the group's encounter with Hiro, though, he almost didn't seem to live up to his reputation. It was really weird.

"That was odd. I wonder why he was looking at you guys like that," Miette commented, clearly as much in the dark as they were.

"Ummm…I don't know," Serena answered honestly.

"I wouldn't worry about him, Serena. He seems sort of like a creep to me," Misty snorted.

"Yeah," Serena muttered.

"I say we forget about him and worry about your performance, Serena," Ash stated with a smile.

Serena felt herself feel a bit better at Ash's words. What a strange morning it had been. First her dream. Then Miette shows up. Now they all just had a weird encounter with the supposed loved director of the Radio Tower.

"So will you wish me luck, Ash?" Miette asked slyly with a sideways glance at Serena.

"Sure, but if you and Serena are competing with each other, I'll have to go with Serena," Ash replied.

Miette's shoulders sagged slightly while Serena put on a triumphant look. Hah. Take that, Miette! There was no way Ash would ever cheer for another girl over her! Miette still recovered quickly and took Serena by the hand.

"Well, come on, Serena! What are we waiting for?! Let's head backstage and catch up while we get ready!" Miette exclaimed as she began to pull Serena along.

"Miette! Slow down!" Serena cried.

The group watched the girls disappear in the crowd of people with amusement on their faces. Well, with Miette here, maybe that will fuel Serena to do better. Despite only meeting twice before, it seemed the girls had set up some sort of rivalry between them. With that, the group turned and made their way to the hall so they could find good seats. Though it was still an hour before the actual performance began, the seats tended to fill up rather fast.

* * *

Serena just finished putting on her dress in the changing room and looked herself over. She gave a small twirl to get a feel for performing and giggled. She was wearing a red and white dress with green hems, and the sleeves were rather long. It made Serena feel that if she leaped into the air, she would fly as gracefully as Pidgeot. Lastly she wore soft, green boots with a flower on them to match the hems and had a red bow in her hair. Ash would think she was so cute in this! Everyone else would, too!

The dream was all but gone from Serena's head by now. Nothing was playing out as how that dream predicted it would. She was wearing something completely different, and the requirements in this performance were different than what she was doing in her dream. Everything would be just fine.

 _"What if it just simply wasn't this performance your dream was referring to?"_

Serena's eyes went wide when that thought suddenly entered her head. However, she couldn't dwell on it too much as Miette's voice soon sounded from outside the changing room.

"Did you get caught in your dress, Serena? What's taking so long?" she asked.

"Um, coming!" Serena said as she hastily pushed the thought out of her head and came out.

Once she did, she could see Miette was already dressed and waiting rather impatiently with her arms crossed. She had on a dark blue dress with white frills that almost matched her hair, and there were two orange bows tied in her to make it look cuter. Once Miette saw Serena was out, she gave a smirk.

"Oh, don't you look adorable? I bet Ash can't wait to see you in that," Miette commented.

"Heehee. That's right. It's not just him I'm trying to look cute for, though. It's everyone else, too! Since I'm a performer, I want to dazzle the whole world!" Serena smiled.

"It won't happen because that will be me," Miette replied.

"Well, we'll just have to see, won't we?" Serena asked with her hands on her hips.

"Yes. We shall," Miette agreed.

"So what Pokemon are you going to be using?" Serena questioned.

"Oh. That's right. I'm going to use Skiploom and Smoochum," Miette answered as she opened up her pokeballs and released her Pokemon. "Meet Serena, you two."

On the left was a wide, green Pokemon with a large yellow flower on its head and large ears. It had stubby arms and stubby legs and was presumed to be Skiploom. The other was a small, humanoid Pokemon with short blonde hair and long bangs. It had a large, light purple head with a cream color body with short arms and legs and large lips. That had to be Smoochum.

"Oh. I've never seen those Pokemon before," Serena commented as she took out her national dex to scan them.

"Skiploom, the cottonweed Pokemon and the evolved form of Hoppip. This Pokemon likes to spread its petals to absorb sunlight. How much it opens it petal depends on the temperature. Smoochum, the kiss Pokemon. Its lips are the most sensitive part of its body. It usually kisses things first to examine them," said the machines.

"They're really cute, Miette," Serena told he blue-haired girl.

"Thanks. What Pokemon have you decided to use for your first performance?" Miette questioned.

"Oh, yeah. Meet Fennekin and Smeargle," Serena introduced as she let out her two Pokemon.

The two Pokemon appeared from Serena's pokeball and gave a greeting cry upon seeing Miette. The blue-haired girl let out a slight giggle and smiled upon seeing them.

"Well, I can tell you take good care of your Pokmeon. They do seem rather happy," Miette complimented.

"Yeah. I brush them every day, but Smeargle tends to have a habit of brushing itself with its tail," Serena giggled as she looked at the painting Pokemon.

Maybe it turned out Miette really wasn't as bad as Serena originally thought. There was a lot of misjudging on both of their parts. Though they were now against each other in Pokemon performing, it appeared it could at least be a friendly rivalry unlike at the Battle Chateau.

"Bonjour, everyone! Our Pokemon Showcase will soon begin! I'm honored to be your guide today, Monsieur Louis!" they heard the guide announce.

Even though both Serena and Miette were in the waiting room, they could still hear the roar of the crowd from where they were. That was just a testament to how many people had come out to see them today. Failure was no option. They had to dazzle everyone to be successful.

"Miss, you're one of the first ones up," a woman called as she stuck her head in and called to Miette.

"Oh. That's my cue! Catch you in a bit, Serena!" Miette said with a wave as she, Skiploom, and Smoochum left the room.

Once she left, Serena turned her attention to the large TV that was in the room. Her eyes were fixed solely on it. In a way, it was kind of a good thing she wasn't going first so she could know what to expect. Miette would never have that problem with how confident she was, though. She could probably just dive head first into anything the judges threw at her.

"Which one of these beautiful ladies will dazzle you the most? They will be performing right before your eyes! The winner will be awarded a coveted princess key! This key will unlock their potential to greatness to participate in the master class and become the Performance Queen of the Johto region!" Louis announced as he held up a sparkling key.

 _"Queen of the Johto region,"_ Serena mused.

"You won't be able to look away from the amazing performances today as they start now! Let's bring on our first lovely ladies and their task!" Louis declared.

 _"Here it goes,"_ Serena thought.

* * *

The group was currently sitting towards the middle front of the audience with Pikachu and Togepi in Ash's lap. Though it wasn't exactly front row seats, they were still really good and would still get an excellent view of the performers. Louis had just announced it would begin, and they were bringing out the task.

There were three parts of the stage that opened up into a hole on the stage. From the holes emerged ovens along with several baking ingredients. Everyone in the audience tilted their heads in interest. Okay. So they were clearly going to cook something.

"For our task to move onto the finals, our talented performers will be making delicious, beautiful, Pokepuffs right in front of your eyes!" Louis stated.

"Hmm…pokepuffs, huh? Those are one of the few things I don't know how to make. I should learn," Brock mused.

"Luckily Serena does from the cookbooks and magazines she's read," Misty commented.

"Serena's going to do great," Ash said.

"Let us now meet our first group of three performers!" Louis declared and snapped his fingers.

Another hole opened up in the stage, and the group saw three girls rise from the hole with Miette being one of them. They leaned forward in interest. Out of all the girls on stage right now, Miette looked the most confident. It appeared she knew a thing or two about making Pokepuffs, too.

"Our judges will be our gym leader, Whitney, our very own Nurse Joy, and Poke Chef, Nancy!" Louis introduced as he pointed to the three ladies on the side.

Nancy had a Jigglypuff. Whitney had her Clefairy, and the bespectacled Nurse Joy had her Blissey. The group smiled that there were some familiar faces for Serena. They were certain there was going to be no bias, but it may help Serena relax that the people and Pokemon her pokepuffs were going to weren't total strangers.

Each of the three girls walked over to their respective area and gave a nod to show they were ready. Louis turned around and smiled to the audience and gave the signal to start.

"Okay. Our performers Miette, Sarah, and Tina are ready! Now if you please!" Louis announced and snapped his finger as a timer set for fifteen minutes started on the large screen above the stage.

All three girls set to work on making the pokepuffs. They all appeared to be working very hard and were making careful decisions on what ingredients to use. A lot of their Pokemon seemed to be deciding on what the best ingredients were.

For Miette's part, her Smoochum was kissing all of the ingredients and Skiploom seemed to feeling all of the containers to figure which felt the best. Being such a light Pokemon made its touch rather sensitive.

" _I'll be great. No one can make pokepuffs as yummy as me!"_ Miette thought.

Once Miette got all the ingredients together in the bowl, she turned towards Smoochum and nodded her head. Smoochum nodded back and apparently used a Psychic attack to mix the ingredients as thoroughly as possible. While Smoochum was busy with that, Miette and Skiploom went to gather the decorations.

"Miette seems to be doing well," Ash muttered.

"We won't know for certain until the judges taste it, though," Brock reasoned.

"I don't think they'll be disappointed. Look at Pikachu and Togepi," Misty said in amusement.

Ash and Brock looked down, and both Pokemon had drool running down their face. They had their eyes closed in contentment at the pleasant aroma in the air. The group then gasped when Psyduck popped out of its pokeball with a cry upon smelling the pokepuffs.

"Psy aye aye!" Psyduck cried and made to leap off of Misty's lap to the stage below so it could have some.

"No, you goofy duck! Those pokepuffs aren't for you! They're for the judges!" Misty scolded as she held it back.

"Psyyyyyy," Psyduck muttered sadly and hung its head.

"Our performers will now move on to the finishing touches!" Louis stated once the timer hit two minutes.

All the girls began working hastily on decorating the pokepuffs as best as they could. After all, it wasn't just the taste they were being judged on but also how pretty they looked. The two minutes were then up, and a ringing sounded throughout the stadium.

"That signals our time is up! Now we will commence the judging!" Louis announced.

Miette and the other two girls walked over to the judges and presented the pokepuffs to them. They each took them graciously as their Pokemon looked on hungrily to them.

"These pokepuffs look exquisite," Nancy commented.

"Yes. I'm sure Blissey will enjoy every bite," Nurse Joy agreed.

"Ready to have delicious treats, Clefairy?" Whitney asked.

All of the Pokemon then tasted the pokepuffs while the three girls waited off to the side. The whole audience was quiet save for a few murmurs so the Pokemon could eat in peace and not be distracted on which one they thought was the best. Finally, all of the Pokemon finished and whispered into the ear of the trainer next to them. Nancy, Whitney, and Nurse Joy all nodded before they wrote down their votes on a sheet of paper and handed it to Louis.

"It seems our judges have made their decision!" Louis announced as he took the votes and read them. He then cleared his throat before he continued. "The performer that will be moving on to the free style round is…Miette!"

The crowd erupted into cheers as Miette gave a big smile while the other girls sighed in disappointment and hung their heads. Miette and her Pokemon then began to wave to the audience. She didn't have any doubt that she would get through this part easily. Now the real challenge would begin.

"Well, Miette passed. Now we just need to hope for Serena," Brock said.

"I have faith in her. She's not aiming high so she isn't nervous. As long as she's relaxed, she'll be great," Ash spoke up.

Meanwhile, Serena was watching Miette wave to the crowed. The honey-haired girl knew that her time would be coming soon, too. Now that Miette passed, Serena knew she had to pass this round, as well. Her Fennekin and Smeargle seemed to be thinking along the same lines as they looked prepared, too.

* * *

It turned out that it wasn't Serena who went next. She was actually one of the performers in the last round. One by one, Serena had watched them all on the screen as they diligently made their pokepuffs. Serena had no idea how each of theirs tasted or how her own would hold up to them. Judging by the Pokemons' faces, they had to be pretty good.

At last, a woman stuck her head in the waiting room and called out to Serena. "Miss, it's your turn to be on stage."

"Okay. Thank you," Serena replied as she and her Pokemon left the waiting room.

As she left, she passed by Miette who was just walking in. As they passed each other, Miette gave a slight smile at Serena as if to wish her luck to which Serena returned. With that, Serena exited the waiting room and made her way to the performance stage for the first time.

"Let me now introduce to you our final performers of the preliminaries: Layla, Serena, and Emily!" Louis announced and gestured to the floor as it opened up like it did before.

Serena felt herself rising to the stage and could hear the roar of the crowd grow louder and louder the higher she got. By the time, she got to the stage, it was almost a deafening roar. Serena looked around in wonder at all of the people who were cheering. Wow. This was a whole lot to take in. There were a lot of people here. Now Serena knew how Ash felt when he was in the Pokemon League. She wasn't quite sure if there were _that_ many people, but it sure felt like it.

"There's Serena! You can do it!" Ash hollered as loud as he could.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu added.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi laughed at seeing its mommy on stage.

"As explained before, our lovely ladies will have fifteen minutes to make best pokepuffs possible! Whoever wins will move on to the free style part of our competition along with the other three winners!" Louis explained.

Serena, Fennekin, and Smeargle then went over to their section while the others girls went over to theirs. Serena then took a look around at all the ingredients. Fennekin and Smeargle weren't especially skilled or had special abilities to pick out the best ingredients. She would definitely have to choose these ingredients on instinct alone. She hoped it would be enough. Then again, as long as she did decent, it would be okay.

"Our performers Layla, Serena, and Emily appear to be ready! Now if you please!" Louis yelled with snap of his fingers.

As soon as the timer started, Serena was off. She had a secret ingredient for this performance, the flour nectar. Smeargle immediately brought it to her while Fennekin gathered the other ingredients. Once they were gathered, Serena began preparing a few more things while Smeargle stirred with two spoons, one in its tail and the other one in its paws. Fennekin seemed to be directing Smeargle on how to stir best.

Serena thought it was good that she was using Fennekin and Smeargle for her first performance. The two got along really well and had great teamwork. They were completely flawless and not having any missteps. Serena could smell the pokepuff mix as she finished up, and she couldn't help but have her own mouth water. Everything was going great, and she wasn't nervous at all! She even had a big smile on her face as she was making them.

"Look at how happy Serena is," Misty pointed out.

"Yeah. It looks like she's having a great time!" Ash agreed. "Everything is going so well. Everyone's working together. You'd almost wouldn't know this was her first time."

"I'm impressed," Brock added.

The two minute warning soon came on the screen, and Serena got out her toppings. Serena then gave a signal to Smeargle and Fennekin. She wasn't going to settle for plain looking pokepuffs at all. If she wanted to win this, they had to look extra cute. Smeargle then masterfully took a small knife and began to cut the pokepuffs into shapes.

The audience leaned in a little closer so they could see what Smeargle was doing. They didn't have to wait for long as a close up of Serena, Smeargle, and Fennekin soon came up on the large screen above the stage. Ash, Misty, Brock, as well as the rest of the audience were impressed. Smeargle was making the three pokepuffs in the shape of itself, Serena, and Fennekin.

Once that was done, Serena set to decorating them with sprinkles and whipped topping. She just finished when the timer ringed to show she was done. Serena took a step back as she admired all of their handiwork.

The truth was Serena didn't think these pokepuffs could've turned out better. They looked absolutely perfect. Smeargle did an outstanding job creating the shapes of themselves which Serena was sure would score her some extra points for creativity. Not to mention the magnificent smell that the pokepuffs created. Fennekin and Smeargle really looked like they wanted to try the food, but they restrained themselves as it was for the judges.

"We shall now have our judges taste this last batch of delicious pokepuff treats!" Louis announced as all three girls brought their pokepuffs over to the judges.

Whitney gave Serena a wink and smile while Nurse Joy nodded her head once Serena gave them their pokepuffs. Serena knew there would be no bias here, but it still felt good to know that they supported her.

"Well, I think there's no arguing that Serena's pokepuffs look the best," Nancy commented.

"Of course, but the most important thing is they taste," Nurse Joy replied.

"Ready for another great taste test, Clefairy?" Whitney asked.

"Clefairy!" it responded.

With that, each Pokemon began to eat the final batches of pokepuffs before them. Since each of them already had four, they were getting slightly full but could still save room for one more. All of the ones they tasted were absolutely scrumptious, after all.

Serena stood off to the side along with other two girls and said a silent prayer to herself. Her heart and love went into making those pokepuffs, and she gave it everything she had. The honey blonde-haired girl smiled once the judges got to hers and seemed to be enjoying them. That was great. That means she didn't screw up on the taste. They just needed to taste the best now.

Meanwhile, Ash, Brock, and Misty were watching with anxious looks on their faces. They really hoped Serena would make it after how hard she practiced for today.

"Our judges appear to have made their decision!" Monsieur Louis announced as he twirled his baton and pointed to the three girls. "Which of these ladies will move on to the free style round?"

There was a dramatic pause as Louis was reading all of the votes. Once he was done, he cleared his throat again before he made his announcement.

"The winner of this preliminary round and who will be moving on is…Serena!" Louis announced.

The crowd, especially Ash, Misty, and Brock erupted into cheers. They even stood up in their seats and applauded for Serena. Pikachu and Togepi were on Ash's shoulders now as they cheered for Serena, too.

Serena herself couldn't believe it. She actually made it past the preliminary round and could move on to the free style round. She was already doing better than she thought she would. It was a lot better than decent which was what she was aiming for. Actually, it had gone perfectly. Not a single error was made while she and her Pokemon were making the pokefuffs. It was almost too good to be true.

"Wow. We actually did it," Serena muttered. "We've made it past the preliminaries!"

Her Pokemon gave a cry of happiness. Just like with their trainer, everything had gone perfectly without a single error. Whether it was beginner's luck or not, they didn't care. They were now ready to give an awesome performance.

Serena continued to watch the crowd to cheer for her before she sighed in contentment. Everything went this well, and now she just had to do it again. Maybe she could actually stand a chance, after all. Of course, the hardest part was up next. That would really determine if she was cut out for Pokemon performing.

* * *

Serena had just gotten back in the room with Smeargle and Fennekin with her. The showcase was taking a fifteen minute intermission now so the performers who made it could rest or do some last minute preparations. As soon as Serena entered, she was greeted by Miette who leaped in front her with a big smile on her face.

"Hey, Serena! You did great!" Miette complimented.

"Wow. Thank you, Miette," Serena replied.

"It makes me want to have my own pokepuff competition with you! Let's have one after the showcase!" Miette suggested.

"Oh. Heheh. I've had enough pokepuff making for today," Serena chuckled.

"Don't be intimidated by me, Serena. I love a good competition," Miette said slyly.

"I-I'm not scared of you! I just don't want to overdo it today!" Serena replied in a flustered manner.

"Hmmhmmhmm! You're so easy to aggravate, Serena," Miette giggled.

Serena sighed. Miette was right. The blue-haired girl had only met her twice, but it was like she had Serena all figured out. That also meant Miette knew how to push Serena's buttons which seemed to be her favorite thing to do. What was she going to do with her?

"So I can't help but wonder what got you interested in Pokemon performing anyway?" Miette asked.

Serena thought back to all the events that led up to this. It was quite a long story. It took her almost a full year to get fully invested into the idea of performing. Only with a little help from her mother, her friends, and a last minute nudge from Aria herself did Serena make her decision.

"Well, it's kind of long, but it started when a friend of mine named Calem gave me an article for it after I won the Battle Chateau," Serena began. "I pretty much disregarded the article for a while until my mom saw it."

"So your mom talked you into it?" Miette questioned with a tilted head.

"Oh. No. We talked about it, but she didn't have me convinced. It turned out I traveled with Ash to the Orange Islands, and while we were there, I made a Pokevision video. Apparently it was really good," Serena continued.

"Let me guess. Someone saw it," Miette figured and knew Serena knew what she meant.

"Yeah. Aria herself saw it, and I even got a chance to meet her at the Orange Islands," Serena said.

"You met Aria?!" Miette exclaimed.

Serena gasped and quickly covered Miette's mouth. She didn't want the girl to get too loud and be overheard. It was something Serena tried to keep somewhat secret so having a room full of strangers know that bit of information would make her highly uncomfortable. Miette seemed to have realized her mistake as she nodded her head to signal it was okay for Serena to take her hands away from her mouth. Once she did, Miette went on.

"So then what did she say to you?" she asked in a notably quieter tone.

"She helped me make the decision of what it is I need to do. I have quite a split team where half of them are battlers and the other half prefer not to. In order to make both sides happy, I'll do both battling and performances. Aria also gave me Fennekin," Serena replied with a nod down to her fox Pokemon.

"Wow. You'll be kept be busy. That's really cool that you met Aria, though," Miette said the last part in a whisper.

"Heehee. Thanks. So what about you?" Serena wondered.

"Are you kidding me? Mine is nowhere near as interesting as yours. I merely saw an ad and was interested to try it out because I want my Pokemon and me to look our best. Typical, generic, boring story," Miette yawned.

Serena shrugged. It was true her backstory to get into Pokemon Performing was a little more dynamic than others. That didn't mean Miette had to put her own story down, though. Though she hesitated at first, Serena slowly put her hand on Miette's shoulder and gave the blue-haired girl a small smile.

"Hey. The point is that you're here and competing, right?" Serena encouraged.

She was surprised that Miette laughed. "Like I care about how I got here. You don't need to tell me that!"

"Ugh…fine," Serena huffed.

Miette stopped her laughing and put an arm around Serena's shoulder. "Hahaha. See what I mean? You are too easy to annoy!"

Serena rolled her eyes. That was Miette for you. They had only met twice but they were already annoying each other as if they had known the other for years.

* * *

The performance hall was crammed full of people once again. The second half was only seconds away from beginning, and it was the part everyone was dying to see. It would be the freestyle round where the performers could really show off their Pokemon and themselves. Monsieur Louis appeared from a door in the back of the stage and tipped his hat to the audience.

"Thank you for waiting. Next is the freestyle performance," Louis announced as he came down the steps.

The crowd once more erupted into cheers at that. The group almost had to grimace from the volume of the crowd even though they were excited, too. Togepi looked slightly uncomfortable at all the noise so Pikachu had to reassure it that everything was fine.

"Once again, here are the five young ladies who made it past the first round," Monsieur Louis said as he gestured to the large screen behind him where the finalists, including Miette and Serena appeared. "Fasten your seat belts as these ladies dazzle you with brilliance and beauty! Our first to performer shall be Miette!"

With that, Monsieur Louis bowed and walked off to the side where Nurse Joy, Whitney, and Nancy were. At that time, a small hole opened up in the floor again, and Miette rose up to the stage along with her Smoochum and Skiploom. Miette wore a confident smile on her face as she looked out at all the audience in front of her. She wasn't nervous at all. Miette then gave a small curtsy before she began her performance.

"Skiploom! Use Cotton Spore!" she yelled.

Skiploom began twirling before it floated in the air and used Cotton Spore. It wasn't just any regular Cotton Spore, though. It gracefully came out of Skiploom's flower and even seemed to shine. Miette then pointed over to her Smoochum.

"Smoochum! Use Psychic!" she said.

Smoochum obliged, and its eyes glowed blue. Skiploom and even Miette herself were enveloped in the blue glow before they were both lifted into the air. Smoochum then guided Miette and Skiploom in a large arc over the stage. While it was doing this, Skiploom continued to use Cotton Spore. It became apparent that it was beginning to make a sparkling, Cotton Spore rainbow. All the while, both it and Miette twirled gracefully through the air as Smoochum guided them.

The audience stared in awe as they watched the magical performance take place. They knew it would take a lot training for Smoochum to guide two beings larger than itself with Psychic. That wasn't to shorthand Skiploom or Miette, though. Those two were in perfect sync as they danced through the air as Skiploom continued to make the sparkling rainbow.

Finally, the arc was complete, and Miette, along with Skiploom, landed safely on the ground. The audience began to applaud, but Miette wasn't done quite yet. She pointed at Smoochum for the finale.

"Use Ice Beam!" she told it.

Smoochum ceased its Psychic attack before it shot the Ice Beam towards the Cotton Spore rainbow. The ice mixed with the spores, and soon enough, the Cotton Spore sparkled even more than it already did. It resembled fairy dust and was very beautiful. The audience was mesmerized as the sparkles fell around Miette, and she and her Pokemon struck a pose to signal the end of her performance.

The crowd once more broke out into cheers. Ash, Misty, and Brock cheered themselves at Miette's great performance. She may be the rival to Serena, but it would be ignorant to say that it wasn't an awewsome performance. They knew she worked hard at it and deserved every bit of the applause she was getting right now.

Miette panted slightly as she smiled at the audience. She then gave a final curtsy before she walked off the stage.

* * *

Serena, Fennekin, and Smeargle had just watched Miette's performance, and they were stunned. Miette had done an excellent job, and it would be really hard to top that. Serena turned to her two Pokemon and gave them a determined expression.

"Okay, you two. Remember everything we practiced. I don't know if we'll be able to top Miette, but we can sure try and have fun while doing it. Remember. We're just here to have fun and get a feel for the performances," Serena told them.

"Don't be modest, Serena! I'm sure you'll do fine!" Miette chirped as she came into the waiting room and clapped Serena on the shoulder.

"I'm just not looking to win this time. This is only my first Pokemon performance ever so I don't want to set the bar too high. That way I can't end up disappointed. I want this performance to be a learning experience for me and my Pokemon. After this one, then I'll shoot for the top," Serena explained.

"Then I suppose you won't mind me winning this time?" Miette asked with a smirk.

"Hmmhmm! You really did do a great job, Miette," Serena acknowledged.

Serena could be happy for Miette if she won. Serena would try her best, but if her performance was good but not great, that was fine with her this time. The honey-blonde girl was having fun right now, and so were her Pokemon. That was most important to her at the moment. Honestly, Serena was doing better than she thought she would. Her Pokepuffs were absolutely flawless.

"Serena, you're on stage," the woman said as she came into the waiting room.

"Okay," Serena replied with a nod.

"Good luck, Serena," Miette said as Serena went out the door.

 _"Right,"_ Serena thought. _"Just a little bit of luck to give a good performance. My Pokemon and I worked so hard so we can't mess up!"_

Serena made her way down the hallway to where she would appear on stage. Her Pokemon walked confidently behind her. Serena had told them, too, to be realistic and not set their expectations too high for their first contest. Like Serena, they were just going to have fun.

Serena and her Pokemon stood on the platform that would raise them up. Once they were there, the platform began to rise, and Serena took a deep breath to calm herself. She could already hear the roar of the crowd getting louder and louder as the platform got closer to the stage. Suddenly, before she was fully up, she suddenly had an idea and turned to her Pokemon.

"What do you say we spin off the platform to wow the audience?" Serena suggested which got a nod from her Pokemon.

As soon as the platform stopped rising, Serena leaped in the air and spun gracefully, her dress flapped elegantly as she did so. Likewise, Fennekin even let loose a few small embers as it spun, and Smeargle had its tail release a few drips of paint for added color. The trio then landed flawlessly on their feet. Serena then curtsied while Fennekin and Smeargle bowed as the audience erupted into applause.

Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, and Togepi were cheering the loudest. Ash was standing up and shouting down to Serena as loud as he could. The way Serena and her Pokemon had gracefully made their way on the stage was wonderful. Not to mention he though she looked really pretty in that dress, though it was only in his subconscious.

"Go, Serena!" he yelled.

"And Serena enters the stage in style. I'm sure you all cannot wait to see what this lovely lady has in store for us!" Louis said enthusiastically.

 _"Wow. That worked better than I thought,"_ Serena thought to herself as she closed her eyes and prepared herself for the performance.

The crowd got quiet as they awaited Serena to start her performance. It was quite a contrast from how it was just seconds ago. Serena didn't want the crowd to wait too long so she snapped her eyes open and began her performance. This was her freestyle debut.

"Okay! You know what to do, Smeargle!" Serena said to it.

Smeargle nodded and immediately began shooting different colors of paint from its tail onto the stage. The audience nodded in approval at this as many Smeargle could only use one color of paint. It took training to get it shoot out different colors. Despite this, they couldn't help but wonder what it was doing. It looked like it was just making a mess. Serena, however, knew, and once it had given a sufficient amount of paint, Serena made her next move.

"Use Light Screen, Fennekin!" Serena told it.

Fennekin's eyes glowed blue as a colorful screen appeared in a burst of sparkles in midair. For the final touch, Serena turned to her Smeargle. The painter Pokemon had picked up a useful move from Sketch due to some of the flying types the group had with them.

"Use Whirlwind, Smeargle!" Serena called.

Smeargle stood on its tiptoes and began to spin very fast. As it spun, a huge gust of air began to move around the stage. The globs of paint then began to rise into the air in an extremely colorful cyclone. The audience then let out gasps as Serena and Fennekin themselves were soon taken up by the Whirlwind.

However, there was no fear from the two. With a beautiful background and cyclone of various colors around them, Serena grabbed Fennekin's paws as the two began to ride the Whirlwind. The honey-blonde girl could hear the audience cheering around her and smiled.

 _"We're actually doing it! I can't believe how perfect it is!"_ Serena thought.

"Wow. Look at how graceful Serena looks," Misty commented.

"She looks amazing," Ash breathed.

"I'm really impressed how well Serena is doing considering its her first time," Brock said, though if one didn't know better, he almost sounded concerned.

"Is something wrong, Brock?" Ash wondered.

"Hmmm…don't get me wrong. I'm happy Serena's doing well. It's just strange that it's going this well considering it's her first try," Brock elaborated.

"Well, I'm not complaining!" Ash smiled as he turned back and shouted up at the girl. "Go, Serena!"

Serena then let go of Fennekin, and then she and Fennekin began doing their own dance in midair. The colorful Cyclone continued to swirl around them as the sparkling background behind them added to its effect. Meanwhile, Smeargle continued twirling on one of its toes very quickly to keep up the Whirlwind, but it didn't look sloppy at all. The audience continued to applaud the dazzling performance.

Finally, Smeargle began to slow down ever so slightly, and the Whirlwind gradually began to die out. Serena and Fennekin continued to dance as they were slowly lowered to the ground. The many colors began to fall to the ground as Serena and Fennekin lightly touched the ground. It looked like the performance was done, but Serena had one last thing she wanted to do. She literally wanted to her performance to go out with a bang.

"Use Psybeam, Fennekin!" Serena told it.

Fenneking shot a colorful beam up into the Light Screen and colorful paint swirling around. There was soon a small explosion of color that wowed the audience. All that was left of the globs of paint fell down around Serena, Fennekin, and Smeargle like a drizzle. Serena then did a final curtsy while Fennekin and Smeargle bowed. Their performance was over.

The crowd erupted into cheers at Serena. Some even stood up in their seats as they clapped. Ash, for his part, was actually standing on his seat as he cheered for Serena. He was so proud of his girlfriend right now. She looked absolutely amazing!

"Careful, Ash. Don't fall," Misty teased.

"I'm not worried about that," Ash replied as he held Togepi above his head so it could cheer for its mommy, too.

Serena's eyes were wide at how much applause she was getting. She couldn't believe how great this performance was. Fennekin and Smeargle didn't miss a beat, and nothing was out of sync. She didn't make a single minor error the entire time. Everything was, quite simply, perfect. She gave a very perfect performance. Her pokepuffs were perfect, and the performance was perfect. She couldn't believe it. If Serena didn't know better, she would think it was too good to be true.

* * *

Three more girls went after Serena and delivered great performances. They all received applause for theirs as well. None, however, reached quite the same level as the applause Serena received.

Now, all five of the finalists, including Serena and Miette, were lined up in a row in front of the whole audience. Louis then made his way to the stage and took his hat off to bow. He then put it back on before he spoke.

"And now is the moment of truth. Who will win our exciting Goldenrod City Showcase? The ones who will choose will be none other than you, audience! You may now cast your vote to decide who you thought was the best performer. One. Two. Three!" Louis spoke

In front of the crowd was a set of small buttons with the girls' name on a small computer screen. The audience then each pressed the button next to the girl of their choice. As everyone was casting their, Serena tried to have as neutral of a look as possible. Miette, however, looked rather confident as she stared off into the audience. After about a minute, everyone had finished casting their votes, and the lights in the performance hall dimmed down for dramatic effect.

"The winner has now been decided! I am very pleased to say that this young lady won by many votes, as well!" Louis said.

The six girls on stage exchanged glances with each other. If what Louis said was true, it was pretty one-sided. Serena didn't think there was any way it could be her. After all, she wasn't even aiming to win. It must've been Miette.

"The winner is…Performer Serena!" Louis announced as the crowd erupted into cheers.

"Huh?!" Serena and Miette exclaimed at the same time.

The crowd stood up from their seats as they applauded for Serena. The honey-blonde girl just stared blankly back as if she was having a hard time processing this. She had won? She had beat out every other performer who probably had experience and did this well her first time? Serena was stunned as the whole crowd cheered for her.

Serena only seemed to snap out of her state of shock when Fennekin and Smeargle leaped into her arms in joy. The honey-blonde girl shook her head before she gave them each a smile.

"I can't believe it. We actually won," she said which received a nod of agreement from both Pokemon.

Louis then made his way over to Serena, along with Whitney, Nurse Joy, and Nina. The French man then took off his hat and withdrew a shining princess key from it. Serena couldn't help but wonder how he kept it under there the whole time, but that was beside the point. Louis then proudly handed the sparkling key to Serena.

"Congratulations on your win, Serena! I understand that this is your first Princess Key. May you continue to earn more until you can compete in the Master Class!" Louis encouraged her.

"Thank you very much!" Serena replied gratefully as she took it from him.

It felt weird to be actually holding a Princess Key of her own. Everything had gone so well. Maybe Serena underestimated her abilities as a performer. Maybe she really did have a knack for this. If she kept studying hard and practiced, she may be able to pull this off, after all. She was on her way to succeeding.

"Let's congratulate Serena as she has taken her first step to become the Queen of the Johto Region! Until next time…au revoir!" Louis announced.

Despite cheering along with Ash and Misty, Brock was a little apprehensive. He was definitely happy for Serena's win. She did a great job, but things had been a bit _too_ perfect for her first win. The things Serena did were pretty advanced and would take a heck of a lot of skill and practice. While there was no doubt Serena had worked hard, did she really do enough to be able to pull off a performance as perfect as that?

That's not all. Brock had tasted Serena's Pokepuffs on various occasions. They were extremely delicious, but this time they looked even better than usual…far better than how he was used to seeing. The judges didn't even think it was a contest on who made the best pokepuffs not only in that round, but in the whole show. Finally, Serena won by a landslide according to Louis in the votes.

"Brock?" Ash asked again once he noticed the tanned boy's tense look.

"Heh. I guess I'm just surprised Serena won so easily," Brock replied honestly.

"Well, of course! She was great!" Ash agreed as he went back to cheering.

"Heh. Yeah. She was," Brock said.

* * *

The group was standing outside of the performance hall. Serena had since changed back into her regular clothes. They were about to head back to the Pokemon Center, but they had to say goodbye to a new rival and friend first. Oddly enough, it was Miette. The group, especially Serena, didn't think they would ever consider the girl a friend based on their first encounter.

"So you aren't going to stay here for the night? You could always stay in me and Misty's room tonight," Serena offered.

"Haha! Thanks, but I need to get going. Now that you've beaten me twice now, I really have to study and get ahead so I can win and balance us out a bit," Miette replied.

"Yeah. Serena did awesome, didn't she?" Ash smiled.

"She sure did! It was perfect!" Miette agreed.

"Too perfect," Brock mumbled to himself.

"Did you say something, Brock?" Ash wondered.

"No. Forget it. I'm really happy that Serena won," Brock amended and gave a smile.

"Well, I guess I'll see you at another performance, then?" Serena figured.

"You sure will! Like I said! I'll win next time!" Miette replied and held out her hand for Serena to shake.

Serena took the handshake. Once she did, Miette jerked her forward so her mouth was right next to Serena's ear. Once she did, she gave a mischievous smile and whispered to her.

"Now that you're dating Ash, you know what the next step is, don't you?" Miette teased.

Serena blushed furiously and pulled away from Miette. She was only twelve and hadn't even thought of having that type of relationship with Ash yet! She was just happy being his girlfriend and spending a lot of time with him. She quickly glanced back to make sure Ash, Misty, or Brock hadn't heard Miette. Ash appeared clueless, but Misty and Brock appeared to know what Miette had whispered after they saw Serena's expression.

"Miette!" Serena exclaimed in embarrassment.

"Hmmhmm! It's sweet when you think about it!" Miette giggled.

"Please stop it!" Serena cried, still embarrassed.

"What's going on?" Ash wondered.

"Nothing, Ash. Just girl talk," Miette replied before she turned around and waved to the group. "See you all next time!"

"Alright. See ya, Miette!" Ash called.

"Take care," Brock nodded.

"Keep up with your performances so Serena can stay in shape," Misty said.

Serena shook her head to rid herself of her blush before she waved to Miette, too. "Alright. Good bye, Miette."

With that, Miette was off with a run. As she left, Serena sighed and shook her head. Why did Miette have to tease her so much like that? Was she just a romantic by nature, or did she just like to annoy Serena? Probably a bit of both. Well, whatever. Miette wasn't mean-spirited about it so Serena would just have to learn to accept that part about her. The blue-haired girl was soon out of sight, and Serena turned back to the group.

"I guess we should head back to the Pokemon Center," Serena suggested.

"That's right. You and Ash have a big day tomorrow," Misty said as they began walking.

Both Serena and Ash nodded. They agreed that once they had taken care of everything in Goldenrod City, they would spend an entire evening together doing all sorts of things. Though Ash had a few ideas of what he and Serena could do, he hadn't fully prepared his plan yet. He would have to do that tomorrow.

"We're going to have a blast, Serena. I'll make it really special for you," Ash told her with a thumbs up.

"I'm sure you will, Ash," Serena replied.

This had turned out to be a great day for Serena. She participated and gave a perfect performance and made a new friend in Miette. With how great everything turned out, one would think that dream Serena had last night was completely bogus and held no meaning. It was just a little nightmare and would stay that way. For now, Serena was just content to enjoy this victory and have an awesome evening with Ash the following evening. Everything would be just fine.

* * *

 **Cough. Foreshadowing. Cough.**

 **Well, enough about that. The next chapter is the one you all have been waiting for...the anniversary chapter. It will be out sometime in December, and that will conclude the Goldenrod City arc. I actually finished it a lot sooner than I thought I would. Heh. Well that's a good thing because it means faster updates!**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support. See you all in the next update with the anniversary chapter!**

 **Chapter Twenty Five: Love is in the Air**


	25. Love is in the Air

**A/N: A lot of you caught what I was going for with Serena's first win. It will be explained, but not right now. This is a happy chapter!  
**

 **Here is the anniversary chapter, along with a couple of extra things. I think this chapter turned out well so I hope it shows that you enjoyed it in the reviews. This will wrap up the Goldenrod City segment of the story. There should be about four to five chapters between this and when the group reaches Ecruteak City.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five: Love is in the Air

"Hey, Brock. It looks like there's a Pokemon Breeding Competition tonight at seven. Are you competing?" Ash asked as he pointed to an advertisement on the wall of the Pokemon Center.

It was only eight in the morning as the group was eating breakfast at the Pokemon Center. They had just came off of a lot of highs in the past couple of days. They were able to have a good therapy session with their Pokemon. It was successful with the exception of Teddiursa and Poliwhirl. It was mostly Teddiursa, though as it started the fight. Ash won his third badge, and Serena just won her first Pokemon Showcase and on her first try which was quite remarkable. To top it off, they had a date for their anniversary tonight, but that advertisement had caught Ash's attention so Brock would have something to do.

Speaking of the said Pokemon breeder, he briefly glanced at the advertisement before he went back to his breakfast. He shrugged his shoulders. It was clear to the group that he wasn't very interested just like last time when he heard about it. He was always too modest.

"No. I don't think so," Brock responded and took a bite of his eggs.

"I'll be there to support you, Brock," Misty tried.

"No thanks. It's not that. I just don't need to compete," Brock replied.

"You know, Brock, Ash and I will still hold off our anniversary so we can watch you compete," Serena offered.

"Oh no. I would never ask that," Brock said with a wave of his hands. "You've been planning this for a while, and it's been put on hold long enough! You two are having your anniversary tonight, and that's final!"

Ash and Serena both laughed when Brock said that. It was almost like he was a father ordering two children to do a chore that they both didn't want to do. He was just looking out for them and wanting what's best like any good friend and big-brother type would.

Still, that didn't change the fact that Ash, Serena, and Misty didn't want to look out for what's best for Brock, either. His skills as a Pokemon breeder were phenomenal, but he wasn't competitive at all. He had no drive to let the world know of his incredible ability. It was admirable that Brock never boasted of his talents, but how was he supposed to be a world famous Pokemon breeder if he never took part in any competitions?

"Brock, you're a great Pokemon breeder. There's nothing wrong with letting the world know it, too," Serena told him.

"Thanks, Serena, but I'm okay. Honest," Brock replied and gave her a reassuring smile.

The rest of the group sighed. Why was it that Brock had no ambition when it came to his Pokemon breeder skills? That was his goal ever since he joined them on their journey. Could Brock not being competitive be all of it? If the group didn't know better, they would suspect that becoming a Pokemon breeder wasn't really Brock's true goal in life.

The group was just about to ask Brock what was up. However, they saw someone approaching Brock from behind, and their eyes widened before they had a big smile break out their faces. Brock gave them an inquisitive look before he heard the voice that sounded like an angel calling from heaven.

"Oh my! Hello!" said the voice in delight.

Brock slowly turned around in his chair, and his squinting eyes shimmered at who he saw. It was none other than Suzy who was probably the person Brock admired…and loved…more than anyone on the planet, even more than Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. Brock's voice caught in his throat again as he tried to say the girl's name just like the previous time he saw her.

"S-s-s-s-s-s-s," Brock stuttered.

"It's Suzy, Brock," Suzy said with a giggle.

"I-I-I knew that! I-I mean…what I mean to say is…um…hi!" Brock cried.

"You're so funny," Suzy giggled again before she turned to others and gave a bow. "Hello to all of you, too."

"Hi, Suzy. So what brings you to Goldenrod City?" Serena asked.

"I'm here for the Pokemon breeder competition. After I saw how great Brock did at the one in Cherrgrove City, it inspired me to see them all," Suzy replied.

"Did you hear that, Brock? You inspired Suzy to see them all," Ash told him with a grin.

Brock turned crimson red, and he fell face forward in his food. His great win and performance inspired Suzy?! This was almost too good to be true!

 _"Pinch me. I'm dreaming,"_ Brock thought.

Misty picked up Brock's head from his food and handed him a napkin. The Pokemon breeder must've realized how ridiculous he looked as he quickly wiped his face. Brock knew he really had to get a hold of himself to keep from looking like an idiot in front of Suzy. He then heard another laugh from Suzy.

"Goodness, Brock. I didn't know it would have that big of an effect on you," she said.

The group tilted their heads in interest. Suzy had to be the most patient girl on the planet. She was only girl they knew who could put up with Brock's antics and laugh it off. Either that, or she was clueless to his signs of extreme attraction to her. She friend-zoned him in their last meeting, but that still didn't stop Brock from being head-over-heels for her. Honestly, it worried them a little bit.

"Brock, please tell me that you're going to compete in this breeder competition, too," Suzy pleaded and clasped her hands together.

The group sighed at that. Well, if there was one person who could get Brock motivated, it was Suzy. He wasn't even going to compete in the last breeder competition until Suzy said she would see him. Now that she was here, he was sure to say yes so he could impress her.

"Hmmm…no. I won't be in this one," Brock answered.

"WHAT?! PIKA?!" Ash, Misty, Serena, and Pikachu exclaimed in unison. Ash almost even spit out the orange juice he was drinking.

Brock was actually saying no to Suzy?! This was his total dream girl, and she said she would be watching the competition, and he said he wasn't competing?! Something was seriously wrong with Brock!

"Brock, are you feeling okay?" Misty asked as she put a hand to his forehead to check his temperature.

"I'm fine, Misty," Brock replied and brushed Misty's hand away. "I just simply don't want to be in this competition."

"Oh. That's too bad," Suzy said in slight disappointment. "I was hoping I could see more of how you care for your Pokemon."

"We don't need a competition for that," Brock smiled. "I'd be happy to show you how I do things anytime, Suzy."

"Great. In that case, if we both aren't competing, would you consider going to the Pokemon Breeder competition with me tonight still? We could watch it together and discuss all the techniques we saw," Suzy suggested.

"Suzy…are you…asking…me…on a d-d-d-d…," Brock stuttered.

"Date?" Misty finished.

"No! Misty! Don't say it! It's not a date unless Suzy says so!" Brock insisted as he turned beet read again.

"Well, I didn't exactly mean a date. I thought of it as a get together between friends," Suzy said with a smile.

"Suzy, I'd love that!" Brock exclaimed as he went up and grabbed Suzy's hands.

The group smiled, but they did hope that Brock didn't think of it as a date either, despite what he said to Misty. He was already down about Suzy friend-zoning him so they didn't want to see him wind up getting hurt again like he apparently did with Professor Ivy. They still had no idea what went on with her. Still, on the bright side, at least Brock had something to do tonight with a girl so they were happy for him.

One thing they were still wondering about was why Brock didn't want to compete in the breeder competition, though.

* * *

Jessie, James, and Meowth were diligently collecting the parts from various electrical equipment the Radio Tower. The past couple of days they had spent here had been rather…odd…to say the least. The trio was expecting constant dirty looks and obscene gestures from their supposed teammates, but no one had given them any trouble.

When Jessie, James, or Meowth said they needed something, one of the Rocket members would collect it for them without asking why. It was clear that orders had been passed down from the executives which told all Rocket members to obey Jessie, James, and Meowth. Whether this so called respect was false or not, the trio couldn't ask for it better at the moment. No one was questioning them at all.

"Hey, Jessie. About how much longer do you think it will take for us to finish up here and get to Mahogany Town?" James wondered.

"There's no telling. We just need to work as fast as possible," Jessie replied.

"Woooobuffet!" Wobbuffet cried as it popped out of its pokeball uninvited for the third time that day.

Jessie got a look of annoyance on her face. That blue blob had been a constant pain ever since she got it. While Lickitung had been very dutiful with its orders, Jessie had yet to find something useful about this thing. It was just…there, and it was annoying on top of it. Whenever Jessie would tell it to do something, it would just cry its name and due a saluting gesture. Why did she have to be so unlucky?

"Ohhhhh! Get back in your pokeball and stay there!" Jessie shouted before she returned Wobbuffet to its pokeball.

The doors to their top floor room opened which caused the trio to turn. Once they saw who it was, they put on a look of attention, but inside they were disgusted. It was none other than Proton. It was surprising enough that everyone was obeying them, but it was even stranger with Proton. He was actually being…nice to them. He hadn't called them names or belittled them or anything. In fact, bullying the trio almost seemed to be a hobby of his, but there was none of that.

"Hey. How's the job coming along?" Proton asked.

"We're working. We'll get it done eventually, Sir Proton," James replied.

"Hmm…did the boss give you a specific time to finish it?" Proton inquired and crossed his arms curiously.

"No. He just told us what to do and we're following his orders. We need to get back to work now," Jessie said honestly. Despite Proton not bullying them, they still hated the man and wanted him to leave as soon as possible.

"Well, we executives have talked it over, and we think you could use a little help with whatever it is you're doing," Proton spoke up.

"Help?" Jessie questioned as she raised her eyebrows at Proton.

"Right," Proton nodded. "You see, we don't have any idea what it is for the boss that you're doing, but we know it has to be extremely important. Therefore, it's best that it's completed as fast as possible."

"Umm…okay," Jessie replied as, James, and Meowth wondered what Proton was planning.

"The other executives and I are too busy to help, but we still enlisted one of our elite agents to assist you guys with whatever it is you needed. The faster the boss' work is done, the better," Proton finished.

As if on cue, a Team Rocket member walked into the room, and Jessie, James, and Meowth got a confused look when they saw who it was. They recognized this girl. Despite the fact that she was a high elite agent, she was one of the newer members of Team Rocket. She only looked about eighteen or nineteen years old with blonde hair that swirled down to her shoulders, but there was no mistaking her skills. Her nimbleness and athletic abilities were unmatched. Her enemies knew her as the Black Tulip, but members of Team Rocket knew her as…

"Domino will be helping you," Proton said once Domino stopped and stood by the trio.

"Umm…," Jessie mumbled, not sure of what to say.

"Like totally hi!" Domino greeted in what was clearly a fake tone.

"Hello," James replied anyway.

"I don't think I've actually met you three. I'm Domino!" the girl introduced.

"There's no better agent that could help you than Domino," Proton said with a nod.

The trio wasn't so sure. They exchanged glances with each other and were clearly thinking the same thing. Domino was the head of Team Rocket's combat unit. She was normally assigned to missions that involved undercover activity and was very trusted among the executives. Why would she be here assisting them when she could definitely be doing something else more...constructive?

Of course! Jessie, James, and Meowth suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable as they realized it. The executives didn't send Domino here to help them. They sent her here to spy on them! A girl like Domino was a prodigy on collecting information that didn't need to be repeated. If she was here, Jessie, James, and Meowth knew they had to be very careful. It also meant another thing. The executives didn't trust their audacity as being full members of Team Rocket.

"Is there a problem?" Proton asked as his usual smirk returned on his face. Apparently he knew that they knew the real reason Domino was here, too.

"Umm…," James started.

"It's fine," Jessie stated which drew a look of surprise from James and Meowth. Was she serious?!

"Good," Proton said before he continued. "Domino will be here each day, every day, until your mission with the boss is complete. She will also report directly to me with all that was accomplished that day. I'll be out of the Radio Tower the next few days so she'll report to Archer instead during that time."

"But you two don't even know what we're doing?" James protested.

"Oh, we don't have to. As long as we did something today, that will be good enough for Proton," Domino said, which the trio caught that she didn't even have to put 'sir' in front of his name like they did.

Truthfully, the trio couldn't stand Domino. She hadn't even been in Team Rocket long, and she was already one of the highest ranked members. Even with her obvious skills, it was still odd as there had been a few rumors floating around about Domino. Jessie, James, and Meowth suddenly had a disgusting thought in their head of Domino…earning…her position. They certainly wouldn't put it past Proton to rise her ranks as long as she fulfilled his…desires. It was rather sickening.

"I see," Jessie said as she narrowed her eyes.

So the fact that Domino would be reporting directly to Proton solidified their earlier assumption that Domino was spying on them. If they even put a toe out of line, Proton would hear about it which is what he apparently wanted. Then who knows what could happen to them. Suddenly, their life of luxury at the Radio Tower wasn't so bright.

"Well, I'll leave you four to get acquainted. I expect progress to be done every day. There won't be any worries with that," Proton said.

"Yes, Sir Proton," the trio saluted.

"I mean…it's not like you three were planning on running away, right?" Proton smirked evilly as he seemed to return to his sinister personality

Jessie, James, and Meowth blanched at that. What?! How did he know?! They were extremely careful to never discuss leaving Team Rocket as long as anyone else was around. The trio looked into each others' eyes as if trying to find some sort of information that they were the one who carelessly let that leak to the executives, but they found none. Jessie took a shuddering breath before she gathered her composure.

"Of course not, Sir Proton. We are fully fledged and faithful Team Rocket members forever," Jessie replied.

"Then I guess I'm done here," Proton said before he nodded to Domino and left the room.

"Great! So like where do we start?" Domino asked in her valley-girl accent.

The trio turned to Domino who was simply standing there with her hands behind her back and giving them a fake smile. Okay. So they had a spy now. What are they doing to do? They just couldn't catch a break. Each time it looked like they found a way out of Team Rocket, it was blocked in some way. It looked like they really were stuck in Team Rocket whether they liked it or not.

* * *

"Oh, no! What should I wear!?"

One would think that a girl would've made that statement, but it was actually Brock. The tanned Pokemon breeder was running around his hotel room and picking out various outfits before he would throw them to the side as he didn't think they were good enough. It was quite a sight for Pikachu who was laughing its head off at Brock's ridiculousness.

Ash, meanwhile, was busy fixing his tie to go along with the button-up shirt and slacks he was wearing. He didn't think he had ever dressed this nice since his first time in the Battle Chateau well over a year and half ago. As Ash watched Brock run around the room, he shook his head. Brock was acting like he was the one going to an anniversary than Ash.

"Hey, Brock. You aren't going on a date with Suzy. Why not just wear what you normally wear?" Ash suggested.

"I can't do that, Ash! This is the day I've dreamed for! I can't screw it up!" Brock argued.

Ash sighed again. Brock seemed to lose all of his wisdom when it came to spending time with a pretty girl. If Brock wasn't careful, he would screw up anyway because he was being too formal. Suzy said herself she didn't see it as a date, therefore Brock shouldn't treat it like one.

"Oh, Suzy would never like me in this," Brock moaned as he tossed another outfit to the side.

"You know you're overreacting right? This is Suzy we're talking about. I don't think she'll care what you wear to see a Pokemon breeding competition with her. You don't see me freaking out about going to my anniversary with Serena," Ash said, being the voice of reason for a change.

"It's different, Ash. Serena's your girlfriend. She'll like you no matter what you look like. I'm actually trying to impress Suzy," Brock rebutted.

Ash frowned. This is what he and the others were afraid of. If Brock seriously tried to impress Suzy, and she figured out what he was doing, he would be crushed once she told him the truth. The last thing they wanted was for Brock to turn into a recluse like he had with Professor Ivy. Besides, having two girls reject him like that may be more than what Brock could take.

"Brock, wasn't it you who told me a long time ago to not overdo it your first date?" Ash asked, trying a different approach.

"Yes. That was me," Brock replied as he continued to search for another outfit.

"Well, why don't you follow your own advice and just wear what you normally do," Ash said.

Brock put down the latest fancy outfit he found. He appeared to be in deep thought and fighting some type of internal battle. He took a brief look at his current clothes before he took another look at the outfit in his hand. He slowly put the outfit back in his bag and stood up.

"Alright, Ash. You're right. This is only my first date with Suzy. I won't overdo it," Brock said.

"Brock it's not a…," Ash tried again, but Pikachu interrupted him.

"Piiiiiika," Pikachu sighed with a shake of its head at Ash as if to say 'don't even bother'.

"Okay, Brock. Okay," Ash said as he went back to looking himself over in the mirror.

* * *

Ash walked back into the lobby of the Pokemon Center to find Serena already waiting for him there. She was sitting on the couch talking with Misty and Suzy. When she saw the raven-haired boy, her eyes lit up, and she beckoned him over to them.

As Ash went over to Serena, she stood up to greet him, and he got a good luck at what she was wearing. One would think she would wear what she did when she did her Pokemon Showcase, but this looked far more sophisticated. Serena wore a black and red dress with her hair styled up into a long ponytail held back by a sparkling black ribbon. She wore pantyhose, and as Ash looked down to her feet, he could see she was wearing something he had never seen before…a pair of red high heels. She must've bought all of this at the Galleria the other day as he didn't recall ever seeing these clothes before.

Ash's breath caught in his throat at how stunning Serena looked. He had actually stopped dead in his tracks as if getting closer to Serena would fade away her beautiful form like an illusion. Seeing as he wasn't moving, Serena instead went over to him and gave Ash a smile once she reached him. Ash was still at a loss for words. So it wasn't just an illusion. Serena really did look this beautiful. He suddenly felt really lucky to have her as a girlfriend.

"You look very handsome, Ash. Oh…and you're hair is even combed!" Serena smiled as she reached over and ran her hand through it.

Ash did nothing but turn red at the gesture. He just couldn't take his eyes off of how gorgeous Serena looked at the moment. Serena giggled at Ash's star struck expression before she finally spoke. His expression was too cute.

"Well, say something," Serena said.

"You-you look like an angel," Ash breathed.

Serena blushed herself at Ash's compliment. She looked down towards the ground and shuffled her feet a little bit. She had hoped Ash would like her outfit. She had picked it specifically for their anniversary.

Misty and Suzy merely stood to the side and watched the two with a smile. They looked so cute right now. It would be one of the best nights of their lives. It would just be the two of them. Not even Pikachu or Togepi would be with them as they and the rest of their Pokemon would be in the special field area of the Pokemon Center. Because Brock would be going out with Suzy to the Pokemon breeder competition, that left babysitting to Misty which she didn't mind. Besides, she had a romantic call to a certain boy she was going to make anyway.

"Well, you two should get a move on. Brock's already called to give you reservations to eat at the Goldenrod Star Tavern. You don't want to be late," Misty encouraged.

"Uhh…right," Ash agreed as he and Serena turned to leave the Pokemon Center.

As the two walked, Ash was wondering if he should try to hold Serena's hand. That was something they hadn't done for a while. He wasn't quite sure why. He just wanted to let everyone know that Serena was his girlfriend tonight. Well, they always had their matching pendants to prove their relationship with each other. Tonight, it just felt right.

Ash took a deep breath. He didn't know why he felt so nervous. Serena was his girlfriend, after all. Ash slowly reached over and took hold of Serena's hand before he interlocked his fingers with her. Serena felt the gesture from Ash, and her heart leaped for joy that Ash had been the one to do it this time. The two were soon out the door of the Pokemon Center to begin their incredible night together.

Both Suzy and Misty heard a screech behind them and turned just in time to see Brock skidding to a halt in the lobby. As soon as he saw Suzy, he made a beeline to her and bowed his head in apology.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Suzy!" Brock cried.

"Oh no, Brock. It's fine. You're actually early," Suzy chuckled.

"Oh? I am. Then…I hope you weren't waiting for me too long," Brock apologized instead and bowed his head again.

"Brock, chill out," Misty whispered.

"Umm…okay. So, shall we be going?" Brock asked.

"Hmmhmm. Of course, Brock. I'd be delighted," Suzy responded before the two headed out the door. Before they did, Brock turned around to Misty and called out to her.

"Hey, Misty. I don't think we'll be too late. Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Brock wondered.

"I'll be fine. Really," Misty answered as she held up her hand to shoo them away.

"Well, okay. We'll see you soon," Brock said as he and Suzy went out the door.

Once they left, Misty sighed to herself. She was happy that all of her friends had dates tonight even though she didn't. That didn't mean that she couldn't still make a certain call to a dark red-headed boy she met on the Orange Islands. Though she was envious that her friends' dates were close and hers was far away, Misty would make the best of it.

The redhead went over to the video phone of the lobby and dialed Rudy's number. She hoped that he was available right now. Misty sighed in disappointment as she thought she missed him. However, just before she hung up, the video phone turned on, and the face of Rudy appeared. Once he saw who it was, he put on the charming smile that Misty loved.

"Misty, it's so wonderful to see your face again," Rudy said.

"Heehee. You say that every time I call you," Misty giggled and blushed.

"I only say what's true," Rudy answered.

Misty's heart fluttered slightly. This would turn out to be a good night for her, after all.

* * *

Ash and Serena were walking through the streets of Goldenrod City. Even though it was nighttime, it was still early enough to where the thugs weren't out yet so the two weren't worried. They had just got done eating at the Goldenrod Star Tavern, and the food was quite amazing. Ash thought it was a little strange as they were probably the youngest couple there, but Serena still loved every moment of it.

"So what did you think of the food, Ash?" Serena asked him.

"It was great, but a little too fancy for me. I probably wouldn't want to eat there every day," Ash answered honestly.

"Well, still, thank you for that," Serena said and gave Ash a kiss on the cheek.

"Heh. You're welcome," Ash smiled.

"So what's next?" Serena wondered.

Ash looked like he was about to answer, but he suddenly found himself at a loss for words. He seemed to be working his brain on what they could do next. When Serena saw that expression on his face, she grew very worried. Ash did take her out tonight with a plan, didn't he? Please don't say that he had no idea what to do tonight. That would upset her greatly.

"Ash…," Serena started.

"Uh…come this way," Ash muttered as he took Serena by the hand before they rounded a corner. Serena had no idea where they were going, and by the looks of things, Ash didn't, either.

"Ash, where are we going?" Serena asked.

Ash didn't answer which caused Serena to frown. Great. After a few minutes, it appeared that they were just wandering around aimlessly. Serena had enough, and she gently broke her hand out of Ash's and furrowed her brows. Forgetting their anniversary was one thing, but if he truly forgot to plan it after all this time, she would be quite angry.

"Ash, you do have a plan, don't you?" Serena asked firmly.

"Well…yes," Ash answered in an unsure tone as he gestured to his left.

Serena turned, and her eyes lit up. Over to the side was a man in a suit who was standing by a few hot air balloons. He had one of the doors already open and was apparently waiting for Serena and Ash to enter. The honey-blonde girl glanced to the side and saw Ash had a grin on his face. Serena gave Ash an annoyed expression and pushed him playfully.

"Ash! You really scared me for a moment!" Serena told him as she began taking short breaths.

"Sorry, Serena! I couldn't resist teasing you for a second," Ash replied as he began to laugh before he added. "Of course I planned this whole thing out. Have a little faith in me."

Serena took a look at the hot air balloon in front of them. Truthfully, she was actually quite impressed that Ash had thought of this. She had a fantasy about flying over the beautiful Goldenrod City at night in a hot air balloon. To have it actually become a reality was wonderful. Serena's eyes shined that she was actually getting the opportunity to do this.

Serena continued to stare at Ash in mock annoyance before she sighed. "Fine. I'll forgive you," Serena said.

"Great. In that case, shall we, madam?" Ash asked in a gentleman-like tone as he held out his arm for Serena to take.

"We shall, sir," Serena replied formally and grabbed his arm. "It would be my pleasure."

The two preteens walked into the hot air balloon before the suited man bowed and stepped into the hot air balloon with them. He then pulled the lever down which caused the flame to shoot up into the balloon, and it began to lift off the ground. Serena beamed when she saw they were getting higher and higher off the ground. Already she could see the tops of the smaller buildings. Soon enough, they were over the buildings and Serena took a good look out over the city.

"Wow, Ash. Take a look," Serena encouraged him.

Ash walked over to where Serena was and saw how high up they were. He didn't have a particular fear of heights, but it was rather overwhelming to be up this high, and they were still rising. Serena grabbed his arm and leaned on it for support.

"It's okay, Ash," Serena told him.

"I know. It's just…woah," Ash muttered as he looked at lights of Goldenrod City below him. He could even see the Radio Tower off in the distance.

"It's the perfect temperature right now, and it's just the two of us up here," Serena said.

"Well, and our guide," Ash chuckled as he turned to the suited man.

Upon realizing he was being referred to, the man turned away from them and even put on a pair of earplugs so he couldn't accidentally listen in on their conversation. Serena and Ash didn't mind his presence so they almost laughed when he took the extra measure to give them some privacy. Still, they appreciated it.

Serena turned back and stared out at all the lights. Goldenrod City looked so pretty from up there. Goldenrod City was such a large city that it looked like an endless expanse of brightness. There were lights as far as the eye could see. Serena chanced a look down and could barely make out all of the cars that were moving along the lanes of between all the buildings.

Serena really had to give Ash more credit. Sure. He was goofy and rather forgetful, but he was also the sweetest boy she ever met even after all those years ago when he helped her wounded knee. She was really lucky to have him as her boyfriend. Serena couldn't imagine herself with anyone else in the world.

"You've got to see this, Ash!" Serena said excitedly.

Ash looked out the balloon and had to admit Serena was right. It was quite a view to see the huge city look so small below them. Ash then looked to the side when he felt Serena grab his hand. The honey blonde-haired girl was now giving him a very tender look and her eyes were shining. Ash knew what was coming, and he blushed.

"Thank you for this, Ash. Really," Serena said sincerely.

Serena then placed her hands on Ash's chest and stared into his chocolate-colored eyes. She didn't have to look up or down to stare into them. Serena remembered when she was taller than Ash at the start of their journey. However, in the almost two years since they've been traveling together, Ash had caught up to her, and they were now the same height. It wouldn't be too long before he was taller than her.

Ash felt his face heat up as he saw Serena continue to stare at him and thought he looked pretty stupid. If Pikachu could see his face right now, it would probably be laughing its head off. Ash just couldn't get his head around at how beautiful Serena looked right now. He suddenly especially hot, but thankfully he wasn't sweating.

Serena then felt herself lean into Ash, and Ash leaned in, too. Serena closed her eyes as she prepared to kiss Ash like she hadn't in a long time. Soon, their lips touched, and then they kissed. After a couple of seconds, Ash wrapped his arms around Serena's waist to deepen the kiss. Just like the first time they kissed, this one was just as amazing. They were both in pure bliss as they continued. It was just them and the beautiful lights far below them.

Their lips parted from the other after thirty seconds, and they breathed a sigh of contentment. The rested their foreheads against each other for just a moment longer before they turned back to stare out into the view ahead of them. Serena leaned her head on Ash's shoulder while Ash slipped his arm around Serena's waist to hold her closer. They then silently enjoyed the rest of the balloon ride.

* * *

It was about that time when the hot air balloon passed over the Radio Tower. There was a certain trio on the roof of the Radio Tower. When they saw the hot air balloon go overhead, it reminded them of when they had a hot air balloon of their own in the shape of a Meowth's face a while back.

"Man. Seeing that hot air balloon takes you back to the good old days of Team Rocket," Meowth commented.

"You mean when we actually liked being in the organization?" Jessie snorted.

"Don't say that, Jessie! Domino or Proton could be listening in!" James cried.

"Get a grip, James. There's no one on this roof but us," Jessie told him.

Still, James did have a point. They were under constant surveillance now and really needed to choose their words carefully. If they were to slip up in any way, shape, or form, the consequences would be severe. In fact, this time on the roof was the only moment of privacy they've had all day.

"So what do you suppose them people are doing in that hot air balloon?" Meowth wondered as they watched the balloon float away in the distance.

"Who cares? They're probably on some romantic date," Jessie shrugged.

"Ah, young love," Meowth gushed.

"There could an old couple in there," James pointed out.

"Or a middle-aged one" Meowth added.

"Maybe they're engaged," James suggested.

"Maybe they just married," Meowth also thought.

"Wooooooobuffet!" Wobbuffet cried as it popped out of Jessie's pokeball to join the conversation.

"Ugh! Make it stop! Who cares!?" Jessie shouted before she turned to Wobbuffet. "And you! Back in your pokeball!"

"Sorry, Jessie," James mumbled.

The trio fell silent after that. They continued to just stare up at the night sky without anything else to talk about. They couldn't even really find anything to talk about nowadays unless it was business related. Before they came to Johto, they could talk about whatever they wanted. They could joke around with each other. They could eat whatever they wanted with no restrictions. They had time to enjoy other activities. Those days were over. Whatever small time of freedom they had at the Radio Tower was now gone since Domino was watching them. It was like they were in a prison again, and they were afraid.

"James, I'm scared," Jessie suddenly said.

James and Meowth turned to look at her in surprise. Did Jessie actually say that she was scared?! She was never afraid of anything! She was always the brave one who would encourage them when times were bad. She was the one who had kept both James and Meowth from going insane when they thought they couldn't go on. To hear her admit that she was scared was quite a blow to them.

Jessie saw the way that James and Meowth were looking at her, and she growled in frustration before she turned away from them and hid her face. James and Meowth thought that they had just put Jessie in a bad mood again. That was when they gasped when they actually heard…sobbing. That was another shock to them. Jessie was actually crying!

The two stood there for a moment not knowing what to do as they watched Jessie cry. After all this time of her holding them together, she finally let her weak side show. All of the stress had finally taken its toll on her. James and Meowth exchanged glances with each other once again and had a silent exchange of words. Jessie was there for them so they would be there for Jessie.

"Go to her, Jimbo. She needs you more than me," Meowth whispered and broke the silence.

James nodded his head and took a deep breath before he walked over to Jessie. Her back was still turned to them as James approached her, but he could still hear her crying. James tentatively stretched out his hand before he placed his hand on Jessie's right shoulder and gently spun her around until she was facing him. When James saw her tear-stained face, his heart ached for her, but he didn't know quite what to say. He didn't have any practice so he had no choice but to just go with what came out of his mouth.

"Jessie…it…it's okay," James finally said.

"What…what are you talking about? How is any of this okay?" Jessie asked as she attempted to wipe her face of tears.

"No. I mean…it's okay to cry. You've done enough and don't have to put on a tough front with us anymore," James told her.

"W-what?" Jessie stuttered.

"You've been stressing yourself out trying to keep Meowth and me optimistic while we never really considered your feelings. I-I just wanted to let you know that we're here to support you, too. You don't have to put on a tough front for us anymore," James repeated.

Jessie took a shuddering breath. She couldn't believe James hit the nail on the head. It was true that the whole Team Rocket trio was scared, but it was Jessie who was taking the most stress. She was the one who always had to speak to the executives and was the only one of them who could talk them out of one of Proton's beatings. She just couldn't take it anymore and let her weak side show. Jessie was worried that by doing this, both James and Meowth would be completely lost. To hear them actually try to comfort her put a huge load off of her shoulders.

Jessie then felt no shame as she felt more tears flow, and she buried her face into James chest. James slowly put his arms around Jessie in a warm embrace and rocked her gently from side to side as they stood. Meowth stood off to the side and had a small smile on his face as he watched the two. It was times like this when their friendship could truly shine throughout all the darkness in their life right now.

"Hey. I have an idea," James spoke up after a moment.

"Wh-what is it?" Jessie stuttered as she looked up from James' chest.

"Why should those people in the balloon be the only ones to have a nice evening? What do say we have one on the rooftop of the Radio Tower?" James suggested.

"That's a great idea! You two should release your Pokemon!" Meowth piped up, realizing what James was planning.

"What? Umm…okay," Jessie muttered as she and James released Arbok, Wobbuffet, Weezing, and James' Victreebel. Surprisingly, Victreebel didn't try to eat James this time.

Meowth lugged over a few cases one at a time that he had gotten from the music room of the Radio Tower. When he opened them, there was a guitar, a keyboard, an accordion, a flute, and a French horn. He then passed each instrument around to each of the Rocket's Pokemon until they all had one. Meowth then took the guitar for himself. He then held up his three-fingered paws and counted down.

"A One…two…three, and start!" he cried.

The Rocket's Pokemon then started playing the various instruments. Truthfully, it sounded absolutely awful. There was no sense of rhythm or balance at all. The Rocket Pokemon might as well have just tossed the instruments around the roof to see what sound they made upon hitting the ground. Even that might've sounded better. Thank goodness nobody else could hear them right now.

For Jessie, however, it sounded absolutely beautiful. She clasped her hands as she felt her heart melt as all of her and James' Pokemon played just for her….even the newest member, Wobbuffet. The way the blue blob was spitting into the flute it held was absolutely adorable. Arbok was trying to keep its long body wrapped around the accordion to squeeze it while using its head to press the keys. Weezing had the French horn in its mouth, but it had no hands to make various sounds with it, and Victreebel was slamming its body on various keys of the keyboard at once. The instrument would probably break before long. Who could forget Meowth? The way Meowth strummed without even playing a chord was great.

Jessie's thoughts were then cut off when she saw James extend his hand out for her. She stared at the open palm for a second before she looked up at James who had another warm smile on his face.

"May I have this dance, Jessie?" he asked in a gentlemanly tone.

Jessie's eyes shined in happiness at she nodded her head. "I'd love to, James," she responded.

Jessie then took James' hand, and he led her over a small distance away from their Pokemon. He then put his hand around her waist, and they began to sway back and forth in circle. James kept his eyes fixed on Jessie's blue eyes as she stared back into James' green ones. Jessie couldn't believe how good of a dancer James actually was. His meekness and somewhat clumsy nature would suggest that he had two left feet, but he was really the opposite.

"James, I didn't know you could dance," Jessie commented.

"Well, it was one of the few good things I learned to do back in my mansion. I danced a lot with my Growlie," James replied.

"You slow danced with your Growlithe?" Jessie asked and got a somewhat disgusted look on her face.

"No. Of course not," James responded with a light chuckle. "It was with Jessiebelle."

"Oh," Jessie deadpanned.

"But that meant nothing to me! I'd much rather dance with you," James amended.

Jessie looked up at James at his last statement and blushed slightly. The blue-haired man seemed to have realized what he just said and blushed in embarrassment himself. He expected Jessie to punch him in the face, but instead, she placed her head against his chest. James continued to blush furiously before he regained his composure and continued to dance with Jessie while their Pokemon played the awful music beside them.

It was the best night the former Team Rocket members had in a very long time.

* * *

Brock and Suzy had just exited the Pokemon Breeder competition. It was around eight thirty in the evening, but that didn't bother the two. They had a really great time seeing all of the different Pokemon and techniques in the competition and were now just heading for a quick bite to eat at a local café since it was a little late. Of course, being two Pokemon breeders, they had to critique the competition.

"So which one was your favorite, Brock?" Suzy asked.

"Honestly, it wasn't the winning trainer and his Magmar," Brock answered he folded his arms. "I liked the Jumpluff that I saw. Its coat was absolutely beautiful, and its fluff almost seemed to shine which showed how much effort the girl put into it, but it only got third place."

"I see," Suzy said.

"Don't get me wrong. It takes a lot of skill to properly care for a Magmar because they're so dangerous. It probably got the guy the extra points he needed to win, but there is a way to brush a Magmar without singeing the bristles," Brock elaborated. "That was the part I wasn't too impressed with."

"You know, Brock, I actually agree with you one hundred percent," Suzy told him.

"You-you do?" Brock questioned as he turned to look at Suzy in surprise.

"Yes. The Jumpluff was my favorite, too, and I also know the way to brush Magmar without singeing the bristles," Suzy replied.

"You need to submerge the brush in water for at least ten minutes. Magmar's body is so hot, it will dry soon enough," both Brock and Suzy said at the same time and then laughed.

"Great minds really do think alike," Brock smiled.

"They do," Suzy agreed before she added. "I think it's wonderful that I can have someone else to communicate with about Pokemon breeding techniques."

"Me, too. Since I'm wasn't competing in the contest, I didn't have to worry about myself and was free to evaluate and learn from other Pokemon breeders," Brock replied.

"I know. Since we agree on so many Pokemon breeding techniques, it's like we're not learning from each other anymore like in our past meetings," Suzy said.

"Yeah. We can talk as equals…," Brock trailed. "Does that mean our rivalry is over?"

"I-I don't know," Suzy muttered, at a loss for words.

The two just stood there awkwardly for a moment. Suzy shuffled her feet back and forth while Brock cleared his throat and looked around. Brock certainly didn't want this silence to last any longer. He was with the girl of his dreams, and he wasn't about to blow it by running out of things to talk about.

"Let's not worry about it right now and just sleep on it," Brock suggested.

"That sounds nice," Suzy nodded with a smile before she turned and pointed. "Look, Brock! It's a photo booth!"

"Yeah. I see it," Brock said, not knowing what the purpose of Suzy saying that was.

"Why don't we go take a picture together?" Suzy suggested.

Brock almost lost his mind when Suzy said that. Suzy was actually wanting to take a picture with him!? Brock's face heated up to absurdly high levels as his composure began to come loose. The tanned Pokemon breeder enthusiastically nodded his head over and over.

"Yes! Yes! I'd love to! We should do that!" Brock cried.

"Then let's go," Suzy said as she actually took Brock by the hand and led him over to the photo booth.

Brock was about to have a meltdown once he felt Suzy's fair skin against his own. Despite being a Pokemon breeder, her hand was so soft compared to his rough hands from doing chores all the time. He was strongly resisting the urge to pass out in pure bliss on the spot. Suzy touching his hand like this was the best moment of his life so far.

The two eventually made it over to the row of photo booths. Luckily there wasn't a line for one of them so Suzy and Brock could go right in. They sat down on the seat and adjusted the settings until they found the one they wanted. Actually, it was mostly Suzy who did the settings as Brock could hardly move on his own as he was having trouble breathing since this was actually happening.

The first picture snapped, and Suzy took a look at what it looked like on the screen before she giggled which made Brock blush even more. Gosh, her giggle was so cute. Suzy was smiling in her usual way in the photo while Brock looked extremely stiff and looked like he was holding his breath.

"Loosen up, Brock," Suzy encouraged.

"Umm…okay," Brock croaked before forced himself to relax. The last thing he wanted to do was continue looking like an idiot.

"I have a wonderful idea," Suzy spoke up. "Why don't you let out Vulpix, and it can take a picture with us," Suzy suggested.

"Oh…umm…sure," Brock muttered as he released the fox Pokemon.

"Vul!" Vulpix cried in delight as it rubbed against Suzy's leg at seeing her again.

"It's wonderful to see you again, too, Vulpix. I miss you every day, but I know that you're in the hands of Brock so I never worry," Suzy said which caused Brock to turn red again.

"Vulpix!" Vulpix cried again before it leaped onto Suzy's lap.

"Come on, Brock. Scoot in. That way Vulpix looks like it belongs to you, too," Suzy told him.

"Uhhhh…sure," Brock mumbled as he scooted in.

Once he was close enough and touching Suzy, Vulpix stretched itself out so it lay across both Suzy and Brock's lap. Suzy seemed satisfied with that as she began setting the camera settings again to take the picture.

"Okay. Here it goes," Suzy said as the picture snapped and saw what it looked like. "That was really good."

Brock looked at the picture himself, and he had to admit it did. Suzy had that beautiful smile that he loved on her face. Brock didn't seem so tense anymore and had an easygoing smile on his face. To complete it, Vulpix was in the center and looked overjoyed at being with Suzy and Brock. It looked like they were having so much fun, which they were.

Brock then had a fantasy in his head about what it would be like if he was married to Suzy. They would be the ideal couple, and then he comically thought of Vulpix as their child. They were giving it baths together. They were reading to it together and rocking it to sleep. Brock's face heated up again at the silly thought before Suzy's voice snapped him out of it.

"Let's take a few more," Suzy said.

"Oh. Right," Brock agreed.

After a few more shoots, Brock, Suzy, and Vulpix soon emerged from the photo booth with a few pictures with them. They split the number of pictures between each other before they continued on to whatever café it was they planned on going to. As they walked, Brock couldn't help but notice that Suzy was walking unusually close to him. Brock didn't want to mention it though as she might be embarrassed and distance herself. Brock enjoyed it when she was this close to him.

"You know, Brock, I've had a wonderful time with you tonight," Suzy said.

"Yeah. Me, too," Brock agreed.

"It makes me sad that we'll have to part ways again soon. You have your own Pokemon breeder career, and I have mine," Suzy sighed.

"It makes you sad?" Brock wondered as he looked at Suzy.

"Well, of course. I enjoy being with you, Brock. We agree on so many things. We're like a perfect match," Suzy smiled.

"A…perfect match," Brock muttered as his heart pounded into overdrive

"Yes. That's why we're such great friends," Suzy said.

Brock's heart shattered at those words, and he almost felt like crying. All of those fantasies he was having about Suzy being married to him were just that…a fantasy. Brock knew he should've known by now that Suzy never would show any romantic interest in him. Friends were all they would ever be. If Suzy didn't like him, he may never find true love.

"Haha. Yeah. Friends," Brock said in a neutral voice, trying his best to mask his feelings and scooped up the remains of his broken heart.

"Actually…I'm not sure," Suzy suddenly added as she looked away.

"Huh?" Brock asked, wondering what she meant.

"I mean…we have such a great time together, and I really love it when I see you. When I'm with you, Brock…it's some of my best moments," Suzy said.

"It-it is?" Brock asked as his heart began to rebuild itself.

"Yes. I-I'm really glad we got to see each other and spend an evening together again," Suzy finished as she shuffled her feet again.

Brock continued to watch Suzy in her conflicted state. She was normally so calm and composed, but here she looked rather awkward with the way she was twiddling her thumbs. Brock couldn't help but think how adorable Suzy looked when she was flustered like this. Gosh, she was so pretty. Brock's breath caught in his throat as he struggled to say something. To hear that Suzy was hinting she felt more for Brock than friends had his heart jumping up and down. It was a rather stark contrast to how he felt just a second ago. Brock finally found something to say.

"It's okay, Suzy. Just think it over. D-don't try to force yourself into something you're not sure of," Brock told her.

 _"Gah! Why are you telling her this?! Tell her you love her and give her some sugar!"_ Brock's brain screamed at him.

"Thank you for understanding, Brock. Let's not try to force our feelings on each other when we aren't sure of them yet," Suzy agreed before she added. "I'm so relieved to hear I'm not the only confused one at the moment."

 _"Truthfully, you are,"_ Brock thought. _"I'm totally in love with you, Suzy, even more than Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy. I just wish you could see it."_

"There is one thing I'm sure of, though," Suzy spoke which got Brock's attention again. "I do know that I really am having a great time."

"Yeah. Me, too," Brock agreed.

"Thanks for spending time with me, Brock," Suzy said before she paused for a second and looked rather shy. Brock was wondering why she looked like that before she did the unthinkable…at least in his eyes.

Suzy leaned forward and stood on her tip toes before she gave Brock and a light and delicate kiss on his cheek. Suzy soon pulled back and was blushing slightly at what she just did. She was looking at Brock and awaited to see what his reaction was to what she just did.

Brock was actually having several reactions right now. Never mind Suzy touching his hand! _This_ was the best moment of his life! Brock's mind exploded in a burst of colors and happy things. His heart was thudding like a jackhammer in his chest. He was out of breath despite not holding any in. The biggest grin stretched out on Brock's face after Suzy did that. Whitney's kiss not long ago was nice, but Suzy's kiss sent him into pure paradise. Brock had several things he wanted to shout at Suzy. He wanted to scream that he loved her, too. He wanted to scream that he wanted her to be his girlfriend. He wanted marry her! Instead, there only one reaction from Brock that won out despite the many possibilities swarming around in his body.

He fainted.

"Oh my!" Suzy gasped as she cupped her hand over her mouth once Brock hit the cement.

"Vulpix?" Vulpix questioned as it wondered what was going on.

* * *

Misty had just finished talking with Rudy on the video phone. She had talked with the boy for over three hours, but she didn't care. His little sister, Mahri, even joined in on the conversation for a little bit before she had to go to bed. Misty thought it was great to see the little girl, as well. Misty gave a yawn and a stretch before she stood up to turn in for the night. That's when the doors opened to the Pokemon Center.

Misty turned to see Brock and Suzy walking in. Well, that was only half right. It was more of Suzy doing the walking, and she was trying to support and drag along Brock who only appeared to be half-conscious at the moment. Misty hurried over the two and got a worried expression on her face.

"What's wrong with Brock? Is he okay?" Misty asked worriedly

"I think Brock's fine. He's been like this ever since I kissed his cheek," Suzy responded and turned slightly red.

Misty thought she was hearing things, and she put on a look of disbelief. Surely Suzy didn't just say she actually kissed Brock. She's made it quite clear multiple times that she only saw Brock as a friend. Misty stuck her finger in her ear to clean it out just to make sure.

"I'm sorry. You said you kissed Brock?!" Misty cried.

"Well…yes. I did. He's…a very nice boy," Suzy finished, not quite sure how she wanted to end that sentence.

"Uhhnn…," Brock moaned.

Misty turned to look at Brock and raised her eyebrow. Well, then. Brock sure had gotten lucky with the girls on his trip to Goldenrod City. First Whitney kissed his forehead, and now Suzy had kissed his cheek. From what she could tell, Kabuto hadn't even bothered to come out of its pokeball. If this kept up, Misty wouldn't have the need to drag him away by the ear anymore.

 _"Well, Brock. It looks like you may have found a lucky break, after all when it comes to girls. I'm proud of you,"_ Misty thought.

"I think I should get Brock to his room," Suzy said after a while.

"Do you need help? I was heading back there, too," Misty offered.

"Oh no. I'm fine. Thank you, though," Suzy replied with a kind smile.

With that, Suzy shuffled off with Brock still having his arm around her neck for support. If one didn't know better, the poor guy almost looked hung over. He was hung over with love. Misty wondered if he would even remember what Suzy did after tonight. Misty then turned at the sound of the Pokemon Center doors opening again, and she turned to see Ash and Serena coming in again.

Misty smiled when she saw the two were hand in hand. Serena had her eyes closed and had her head resting on Ash's shoulder. She had nothing but content on her face at being with Ash like this. Ash, for his part, had his eyes open, and was gently guiding Serena on. He had a content smile on his face, too and almost didn't seem to notice Misty as they passed her.

The redhead couldn't help but think how cute they looked right now. They looked like a real couple and just seemed to love being with the other. It was clear Ash and Serena had a wonderful time, and she was happy for them. Misty had brief thought of teasing and asking them if they wanted to share a room tonight, but that would probably embarrass them and ruin the moment which Misty wasn't willing to do.

Ash briefly nodded his head to Misty as they silently passed while Serena didn't even seem to notice as she was too lost in being with Ash right now. This was the anniversary she had been waiting for, and he didn't disappoint. She hoped for many more anniversaries like this in the future.

"Ash…," Misty heard Serena breathe before the two went into the Pokemon Center hallway and disappeared from view.

Misty chuckled lightly to herself at how tonight was and their experience in Goldenrod City as a whole. It had definitely been one of the most eventful cities they had been to so far. Misty was almost sad that they would need to leave tomorrow morning. If they could just stay a few more days, they would, but their journey forced them to go forward…along with curing Serena's Mareep as quickly as possible.

Misty then thought of how everyone seemed to have a romantic night. There was Ash and Serena with their anniversary. Suzy and Brock had their…err…Misty didn't know what to call it after she heard Suzy kissed Brock. She had an evening of talking with Rudy, and unbeknownst to her, Jessie and James had their time together on the roof. Love was definitely in the air tonight.

* * *

 **Well, Suzy likes Brock but doesn't know it. What does that mean for the Pokemon Breeder? Hopefully, he can find his happy ending which may be the key to help him getting over Professor Ivy. He'll open up about what happened soon enough, and it will be great development for him and the rest of the group.**

 **The next chapter is the bug catching contest...and it won't turn out how you expect...at all. There isn't one or two familiar faces that return, but three! You'll never guess who either...well...the third one mostly! It has a couple of surprises in it.  
**

 **It'll be out later in December. I'll try to have it out before Christmas. We'll see. Thanks for all the reviews and support!**

 **Chapter Twenty Six: Release and Reunion**


	26. Release and Reunion

**A/N: This chapter came out early but for a reason. There is an important author's note at the bottom of this chapter so please read it.**

 **I took another one of my...risks...as you guys like to call it in this chapter. However, in the world of Pokemon, I have to explore all its aspects for this story to truly stand out...sort of like I did with Mareep's illness.**

 **Enjoy the chapter**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Six: Release and Reunion

The group was in high spirits. Just two nights prior, they had the best night of their lives in quite a while. It was filled with good times for them all. It was times like that they wished could stay with them a lot longer but life calls, and thus they must move on. That being said, it was a night a lot of them would remember for a long time.

Brock had been ecstatic when they said goodbye to Suzy the next morning. She had actually given Brock her Pokegear number so he could call her whenever he wished. The tanned Pokemon breeder responded by almost fainting once again, but Ash was there to catch him this time to prevent him from doing so.

The rest of them weren't quite sure what to make of Brock and Suzy now. They thought Suzy just liked Brock as a friend, but they didn't know what to think after they learned Suzy kissed him. Ash and Serena heard about it when Misty told them that morning. They were just as surprised as she was.

XXX

" _Man, Brock. You sure look happy today. Was watching the Pokemon breeding competition with Suzy that great?" Ash questioned._

" _Mnnnn," Brock mumbled._

 _Brock had his elbows propped up on the table while holding his head in his hands. He was just staring at seemingly nothing and grinning ear to ear. Ash was looking at him in concern while Serena wasn't paying too much attention. She was slowly stirring her cereal around in a circle with her spoon but not eating it. She was still thinking about the incredible night she had with Ash._

 _While the raven-haired boy enjoyed it just as much as Serena, it had more impact on Serena. She was in pure bliss last night. Even though it was late, the moments made it worth the wait. Ash sure was romantic when he needed to be._

 _"Well, did you and Suzy do anything else?" Ash pried as he took a sip of orange juice._

 _"Suzy kissed him," Misty said finally once she realized Brock wouldn't talk.  
_

 _Ash almost spit out his orange juice once Misty said that and coughed violently for a little bit. Pikachu's ears perked up as it stared in surprise at Brock. Even Serena had snapped out of her dreamlike state to look at Brock. Well, that was something new! A girl actually kissed him and not just to make a bruise feel better like Whitney had!_

 _"Brock, Suzy actually kissed you!?" Ash exclaimed._

 _"Heheheheheheheheh," Brock chuckled instead without looking at Ash. It was clear he wasn't going to get out of this state for quite a while._

 _XXX_

Still, with as great a time as Brock had, it was Ash and Serena who had the best night of all of them. The balloon ride had been absolutely great. The temperature and clear night were perfect for the evening to take place. Besides the conductor of the hot air balloon, who respected their privacy and was turned away the entire time, it was just them up there.

Not to mention, their first real, meaningful kiss since the end of the Kanto League happened that night, too. If anything, it only reaffirmed how much Ash and Serena cared for each other. Afterwards, Ash had brought Serena to her room, and they shared one last kiss before retreating for the night. It had been truly wonderful.

Now, as the group was walking, it was time to move on. They were leaving Goldenrod City behind them and were now heading to Ecruteak City. Brock was looking at the guidebook and appeared interested in something. He then looked up from it and called out the rest of the group.

"Hey guys. We're approaching something that I think might be interesting," Brock said.

"What is it?" Ash wondered.

"A bug catching contest. According to the guidebook, there should be one today. The winner wins a Sun Stone and can keep the bug Pokemon they caught," Brock smiled.

"B-b-bug?" Misty stuttered.

"Awesome! Count me in!" Ash stated without even thinking twice about it.

"H-hold on. Do we really have to do that? I mean…don't you already have a nice bug Pokemon in Heracross?" Misty asked hopefully. "Not to mention, Serena has Scyther, and Brock has Pineco."

"No way! If I want to be a Pokemon Master, I can't just settle on one bug-type! I bet there are several cool ones in there that we haven't seen yet!" Ash rebutted.

"You don't have to participate with us, Misty," Serena told her.

"I know…it's just…I'll be around them and…," Misty started but soon realized her arguments weren't good enough. She finally relented with a sigh. "Fine."

"Great! Which way, Brock!?" Ash asked in excitement.

"It's held in the Johto National Park," Brock answered. "If we keep on this path, we should run right into it."

"Awesome! Let's go!" Ash decided as he took off.

Serena and Brock weren't too far behind him as they ran, too. Misty, however, hung back for just a moment. She took a quick glance to her right and her left before she went after them. If there was a bug catching contest in the vicinity, a bug Pokemon could jump out and murder her at a moment's notice. There was no way she was going to stay back behind them by herself.

* * *

It only took the group about ten minutes to reach the park from where they were at. As they approached, they could see a large archway which must've been the entrance. Already, they could see a group of kids and teenagers lined up to participate.

As they went under the archway, they could see a notice beside it. Apparently, the bug catching contest didn't begin for another hour. That was okay, though. That gave them plenty of time to register and relax in the rest house a little bit before they began. They actually made really good time. With that, they got in line and awaited their turn to register.

Ash leaned to the side so he could get a good look at how many people were ahead of him. It would also give him a good idea about the number of contestants here. Clearly, there were a lot, but it was definitely reasonable. The bug catching contest was held several times year. If it was only an annual event, this place would probably be as packed as Goldenrod City was.

As Ash looked ahead, he spotted a very familiar hat on top of one of the people not too far ahead of him. Ash's eyes widened as he looked at the person next the boy in the cap and saw light blue hair in pigtails. Now convinced of who it was, Ash raised one of his hands in a wave and called out the boy and girl a few people ahead of him.

"Heeeeeey!" Ash called.

The shout out got the attention of Serena, Misty, and Brock. They looked so they could see who Ash was yelling at, too. Once they saw who it was, they gave a wide smile, too. The boy, meanwhile, appeared to have been the only one who heard Ash. He turned around, and his eyes lit up once he saw Ash. It was none other than Jimmy, the boy whom the group, especially Ash, befriended at the start of their Johto adventure and whose dad trained under his dad. Beside him was Marina, the bubbly girl whom Serena had talked with nonstop about Pokemon Performances.

Jimmy immediately got out of his place in line and hurried over to the group. Marina turned around and saw Jimmy running off and got somewhat annoyed look on her face.

"Where are you going, Jimmy? We'll lose our place in line!" Marina called after him.

"It's Ash and the others, Marina!" Jimmy yelled back.

Upon hearing that, Marina looked and indeed saw Jimmy running to the group. Marina gave a big smile herself and also left her place in line to go after Jimmy. The black-haired boy soon reached the group, and Jimmy outstretched his hand and gave them all a thumbs up.

"What's up, guys? Man, it's been a while!" Jimmy smiled.

"It sure has!" Ash agreed as he returned the gesture.

Marina came up soon afterward, and she and Serena gave each other a hug. Marina then proceeded to give Ash a hug, followed by Misty and then Brock. Jimmy chuckled that Marina had to give a hug to every friend she saw on their travels. He always just settled for high fives or thumbs up which wasn't too different from Ash.

"Oh, my gosh! How are all of you!?" Marina cried once she finished hugging everyone and also looked at Pikachu and Togepi. "And how about you cuties!"

"Pika!" Pikachu answered in the affirmative.

"Toge!" Togepi laughed.

"We've been doing great! What about you two?" Serena questioned.

"See for yourself!" Jimmy replied as he pulled his badge case out and showed the group two badges. "I've already collected two badges! I trained hard and beat Falkner my first try. We then went to Ecruteak City, and I faced the gym leader there. He was really tough, but I still managed to beat him!"

"That's awesome, Jimmy! Wait to go!" Ash approved with a nod.

"How many badges have you gotten, Ash?" Jimmy wondered.

"I just got my third from Goldenrod City," Ash answered as he opened the inside of his jacket to show Jimmy and Marina. "We just left there and are heading to Ecruteak City."

"Man. I've only been to Goldenrod City once, but I hear that place is crazy. We were on our way there, and Marina's been really anxious to see it," Jimmy noted.

"Speaking of which, I won my first performance in Goldenrod City, Marina!" Serena grinned.

"How super cool! I'm so happy for you, darling!" Marina cooed as she gave Serena another hug. "I've been practicing really hard so I can win, too!"

"I know she'll be awesome," Jimmy stated.

Marina blushed lightly at Jimmy's comment which didn't go unnoticed by the group. Apparently, the relationship had been growing in the time they've spent together. There was just something about traveling together which seemed to bloom romance. It happened with Ash and Serena, after all. If they weren't mistaken, there was probably something going on with Gary and Leaf, too, but they would never admit to it.

"So I take it you guys are here to enter the bug catching contest, too?" Jimmy guessed as he switched topics.

"I'm so in!" Ash decided.

"Me, too!" Serena nodded.

"Eheheheh. Count me out," Misty said.

"I'll be happy just watching. Besides, I can stay and keep Misty some company," Brock replied before he added as a joke, "Who knows if there are any scary bug-types to get her while she's there."

"Brock!" Misty cried, but she didn't deny what he said.

"Well, I guess that means the four of us will be competing. Just look out because I'm gonna win this one!" Jimmy claimed.

"Ha! That won't happen because I'll win!" Ash replied.

"In your dreams, Ash! You may be the better trainer, but I'm taking my Cyndaquil with me into this contest, and it'll catch me some awesome bug-types!" Jimmy argued.

"I'm bringing Pikachu with me, and it's not going to let me down!" Ash rebutted.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

The rest of the group watched two competitive boys, and Marina let out a light giggle. As long as Ash was around, Jimmy would always try his best. Jimmy and Marina didn't know it, but this situation wasn't too different from Ash and Gary. Marina then turned to Serena and held out her hand.

"Well, may the best bug catcher win," she said. "I'm just here to hopefully catch a Pinsir. I could use a tough Pokemon on my team since none of them are evolved yet."

"Right!" Serena agreed and shook Marina's hand.

"Now why can't you and Jimmy be like that, Ash?" Misty asked.

"Because we're going to win!" they both answered at the same time.

The two boys then looked at each other and gave a hearty laugh. They weren't totally serious about wanting to beat each other that badly. Jimmy was grateful to Ash for showing him the ropes, and they had a friendly rivalry with each other. This would be their first actual competition against each other so it would be a good way for them to know their status as a trainer when compared to each other.

* * *

Ash, Jimmy, Serena, and Marina were lined up outside the park limits with about thirty other kids or teenagers who would be competing in the contest. Brock and Misty were in the rest house and would be watching the contest from a large projector, and Togepi was with them. The group all had the Pokemon they would be using out. Ash was using Pikachu. Jimmy was using Cyndaquil. Marina was using Totodile, and to Ash's surprise, Serena was using Teddiursa.

As Ash saw the little bear Pokemon standing by Serena's side, he couldn't help but question her choice a little. Teddiursa had given more than its fair share of trouble, and Serena even considered releasing it on one occasion. It was ten times worse than Poliwhirl. While Poliwhirl was a prankster and a troll, Teddiursa was just…well…an unkind word.

"Uhh…Serena? Are you sure it's a good idea to use Teddiursa?" Ash wondered as he gave a suspicious look to the little bear Pokemon who was whistling innocently by Serena.

"I'm sure. I think Teddiursa and I could really use a trust exercise like this," Serena said before she turned to Teddiursa, "And you better behave yourself, too. We're here to win this contest and not cause trouble."

"I think this Teddiursa is adorable!" Marina cried as she crouched down and hugged the little bear Pokemon.

"Urrr," Teddiursa said as it looked at it looked up at Marina with its charming eyes which caused her to squeal in delight.

"Don't be fooled, Marina. Teddiursa isn't as innocent as it appears to be," Serena muttered as she glared at Teddiursa for trying to charm Marina.

"Ur," Teddiursa growled at Serena for telling on it and walked back to her side where it crossed its arms.

"If you're going to have a bad attitude, I'll simply use another Pokemon for this contest," Serena told it.

Teddiursa immediately lost its cross expression and smiled really wide before it used its charming eyes on Serena. This was the first time since it was caught that Serena was using it for something. If it screwed up, it wouldn't be out of that dang pokeball for a long time. The honey-blonde haired girl wasn't fooled by its act, but at least it wasn't acting like a brat anymore. She rolled her eyes and turned away from it. Once she turned away, Teddiursa narrowed its eyes. It'll show her for embarrassing it. As long as it wasn't caught in the act that is.

"Whatever," Serena mumbled.

Ash and Pikachu worriedly glanced back from Serena to Teddiursa. Just to be on the safe side, maybe they better stay with Serena at all times. While they were sure the girl would be fine on her own, they wouldn't put it past Teddiursa to sabotage the other trainers which would get her disqualified. It was just more trouble than it was worth. Serena noticed their expressions and gave them a reassuring look.

"I'll be fine. I'd sooner quit the contest before I let Teddiursa do anything," Serena said.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Ash replied.

"Is Teddiursa really that much trouble?" Jimmy asked as he watched the seemingly innocent Pokemon.

"You have no idea," Serena said.

Teddiursa glared as it watched Ash and Serena badmouth it. Okay. Well, everything they said was true, but that still didn't mean Teddiursa had to like it. If it wasn't Serena's Pokemon, it would show them just what a troublemaker it could be right now. However, Serena had proven that she was stronger than it was, and she would really let Teddiursa have it if it messed up. The best thing it could do was just go along with this contest. It could help her win the contest through its own means. Teddiursa didn't like Serena, and she didn't seem to like it either, but she kept it fed. Free meals were the reason Teddiursa followed them in the first place. It wasn't like she would ever do anything unexpected to it, after all.

Ash then decided to take his mind away from Serena's Teddiursa and instead looked at Jimmy's Cyndaquil. In contrast to his own, this one already had the flame on its back lit and was ready to compete. Ash suddenly had a mental image of his own Cyndaquil not having its back lit and taking nap complete with a snot bubble before the contest began. Maybe he should introduce his Cyndaquil to Jimmy's if they had time after the contest.

"Okay, everyone! If I can have your attention, I will now explain the rules of the bug catching contest!" the host said as he got on a small stage in front of everyone. "Trainers are only allowed to use one Pokemon each, and to catch a bug Pokemon for this contest, you must use a one of these special park balls."

Everyone looked at the special pokeball as the man held it up. It was the same size as a regular pokeball and was green on top and had what looked like bug wings coming from the button. The group wasn't quite sure how these park balls were different from regular pokeballs, but they would roll with it. It's not like it was a big deal.

"Also, trainers can only have one park ball each and can only catch one bug Pokemon at a time. Keep trying until you think you have a winner! Our judging committee will decide who wins when the time is up!" the man continued.

At that time, another man came by with a box and began handing out the park balls to all the participants. The fact that they could only have one made it slightly difficult. There wasn't unlimited catching so they would have to release a previous capture in order to try for a new one. Once everyone got their own park ball, the host then raised his hands.

"Is everyone ready?" he asked and received a nod from the participants. "In that case, the bug catching contest begins now! Go!"

With that, all of the participants dispersed in varying directions. Ash and Jimmy were ahead of everyone else as they wanted to be the first to try to find any Pokemon they came across. In contrast, Serena and Marina were casually walking behind most of the group. They believed that if they waited and were the last ones in the area and patient, something good would jump out at them.

* * *

Meanwhile, Brock and Misty were inside the rest house, and they had seen everyone take off. Brock was looking on in interest while Misty was looking slightly nervous. She was trying to distract herself by playing with Togepi which didn't go unnoticed by Brock. He turned and sighed at the redhead.

"You know there aren't going to be any bug Pokemon in here, right?" he asked.

"Of course I know that, but that doesn't mean they won't be on the projector" Misty muttered as she looked up. Right on cue, a close up of a Weedle a trainer had run into appeared on the screen. "Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!"

"Relax, Misty. It can't get us from there," Brock reassured.

"Yeah, but it's in high definition so it's just as bad as seeing a bug Pokemon in person," Misty grimaced.

Brock frowned and went back to watching the bug catching contest. Well, everyone could at least count on him to watch them.

* * *

Serena and Teddiursa were walking side by side as they explored the park. So far, they hadn't come across anything remarkable. They had seen only a single Caterpie but didn't bother to get it as they knew it wouldn't win them the contest. Though the two hadn't spoken a word to each other since they started the contest, Serena knew she would have to break the silence sooner or later. It was the only way she could bond with Teddiursa.

"Sooooooo…," Serena started as she tried to start a conversation. What would she say to this little jerk anyway? She had to think about it as the automatic words would be pretty negative.

"Nice weather, huh?" Serena started lamely.

Serena didn't really get to start a conversation as Teddiursa snorted and turned away from Serena to show it had no intention of talking to her. Serena glared and stopped which made Teddiursa stop, too. Serena placed her hands on her hips and stared down at the little bear Pokemon.

"What is with you and that attitude? I'm actually trying to talk to you, and have to act like a jerk! Do you have any redeemable feature about you?!" Serena cried.

"Urrrr," Teddiursa said as it gave Serena its charming eyes just to mock her.

"Fine. You're cute on the outside, but you're inside is completely rotten!" Serena shouted.

She should've traded Teddiursa away while she had the chance at the trading festival. The therapy session did very little for it. Though it and Poliwhirl were on slightly better terms, the same couldn't be said for Serena and the rest of the Pokemon. The truth was all of the Pokemon disliked it, even Pikachu and Totodile who tried to befriend everyone. Teddiursa didn't like them, either. Serena just had to face the fact that Teddiursa didn't fit with their team. It was too much of a…whatever. If Teddiursa couldn't get any better, Serena would only have one choice which she didn't like.

"You're impossible," Serena cried as she turned away from Teddiursa but soon spotted something in front of her.

A Pinsir was in a patch of tall grass with its back to them. It appeared to be foraging around for some food. Serena smiled that it seemed to be distracted so it would be easier to catch. A Pinsir was sure to earn her some great points. However, that would mean she would have to work together with Teddiursa which was something she wasn't looking forward to doing.

"Alright, Teddiursa, let's…what are you doing?!" Serena cried.

Teddiursa had picked up a rather large rock in its paws and took aim at the Pinsir. Serena's eyes widened in horror as she saw the little bear Pokemon chuck the rock at Pinsir as hard as it could. The stone flew through the air and struck Pinsir right in the back of the head. Serena gasped as she put her hand over her mouth as she knew this wouldn't end well.

Sure enough, Pinsir turned around and appeared to have a glint in its eye as it saw Serena and Teddiursa. So it was these two that had disturbed it and pulled a sneak attack? Serena was about to apologize until she noticed that Pinsir was especially staring angrily at her. Serena understand until she turned to the side and saw that Teddiursa was pointing its paw at her to indicate _she_ was the one who threw the rock. That little turd!

Serena turned back to the angry Pinsir and waved her hands in front of her face frantically. "No! No! It wasn't me! Honest!"

Pinsir narrowed its eyes at Serena suspiciously, but it seemed to decide to let the matter go as it turned back around to forage for food. Serena sighed in relief that the Pinsir was understanding...at least more than Teddiursa. She turned and was about to give Teddiursa a piece of her mind but stopped when she saw Teddiursa already had another stone in its hand to throw at Pinsir.

"Don't do it!" Serena screeched.

Teddiursa didn't listen, though. If Serena wanted to win this bug catching contest, only it had to remain healthy. If it was too weak to battle, Serena wouldn't be able to catch anything. By throwing these stones, it could cause enough damage for its trainer to catch them. So what if it blamed her? She wasn't the one who had the guts to throw stones in the first place.

The stone flew through the air once more, and Teddiursa smirked when it struck Pinsir again. Like last time, the bug Pokemon turned around angrily to see who did it. Teddiursa prepared to point at Serena again, but this time it cried out in surprise when it saw Serena was already pointing her finger at it! Teddiursa got a panicked look on its face as the Pinsir sprung out of the grass and clicked its pincers angrily at it.

Teddiursa knew it was in deep trouble if it didn't split. It turned around and ran away as fast as it could. Pinser's instincts took over, and it chased after Teddiursa with the intent to teach it a lesson for throwing rocks at it. Though Teddiursa had shown the girl was to blame the first time, Pinser had a sneaking suspicion it was lying.

Serena watched as Pinsir completely bypassed her without a glance. Its sights were to only catch Teddiursa and leave her alone. Though Serena knew Teddiursa deserved this, she decided to follow after them to see what would happen. Teddiursa was still her Pokemon. With that, Serena took after them but suddenly had weird thought that entered her mind if she and the rest of them would be better off without Teddiursa.

Teddiursa continued running fleeing the trail as the Pinsir gave chase. Though Teddiursa was fast, Pinsir was faster, and it was gaining on it. The little bear Pokemon soon cried out once it hit a dead end of trees in front of it. They were too dense for it to fit through! It had nowhere to go! Teddiursa spun around and gulped when the Pinsir leaped into the clearing and blocked all forms of exit.

Teddiursa took a few steps back out reflex as the Pinsir crept closer. Teddiursa shot a Swift attack at Pinsir to protect itself and keep it back. The star shapes struck Pinsir, and it grimaced in annoyance before it once again resumed its hunt for blood. If anything, Teddiursa only made it angrier than it was. It was toast if something wasn't done!

Teddiursa then saw Serena come in behind Pinsir into the clearing, and it actually smiled in relief. Teddiursa immediately cried out for help, but it was surprised when Serena didn't do anything! She was just watching with an unreadable expression on her face as if wondering what she should do. Teddiursa once again cried out for Serena to help it as Pinsir got closer. This was the perfect time for her to throw the park ball and capture Pinsir while it was distracted, after all!

"Teddiursa!" it wailed to Serena as the Pinsir was almost upon it now. It looked pleadingly at Serena for help. Surely she didn't think it deserved to be mauled by this Pinsir. It was a snot for sure, but this?!

Serena watched the scene in front of her. One side of her was telling her that Teddiursa deserved this. It was nothing but trouble since she caught it. Teddiursa was always rude and hateful and was such a fake to get what it wants. It was the equivalent of a rotten, spoiled, hateful brat. Maybe she should just turn away and let Pinsir deal with it. Teddiursa shouldn't be her problem anymore.

Still, the nicer side which usually won out was telling her to help Teddiursa. It was bad and had no redeemable qualities, but it was still her Pokemon, and she was its trainer. She had a responsibility to love and care for all of her Pokemon, and she did. However, Teddiursa was just an extremely difficult Pokemon to love.

While she could recall at least a couple of happy instances with her Pokemon, even Poliwhirl, the same couldn't be said for Teddiursa. The fact that it was her newest Pokemon was no excuse. When Serena originally decided to capture Teddiursa, she thought she could teach it some discipline, and coupled with the psychology lesson would help it change its ways. However, that didn't work. Serena even wanted to use it in this contest so they could try to work together to win so they could be closer, but all Teddiursa did was cause trouble and be a jerk the whole time.

Was Teddiursa just a hindrance to her and the rest of the group? Would they be sad if she released it? The answer of course was no, and neither would she. Teddiursa wouldn't miss them, either. It's made it quite clear it loathed being with them on multiple occasions, and she's only had it for a couple of weeks! The truth was Teddiursa just wasn't right for her or anyone else in their group. Things don't always sometimes work out the way you want them, too, but it's for the best. Serena's clutched the park ball in her hand as she made her decision.

Teddiursa screamed in panic as the Pinsir lunged forward. The little bear Pokemon threw its hands over its head to protect it as best as it could, but soon saw it didn't have to. A park ball struck the Pinsir from behind and opened up. Pinsir halted its advance and turned inquisitively just before the park ball sucked it inside. It then fell to the ground and shook back and forth as Pinsir struggled to break free. After a moment, it _dinged_ to show the capture had been made.

Teddiursa watched nervously as Serena walked over and picked up her capture. She stared at the park ball for a moment before she sighed and shifted her attention to Teddiursa. The little bear Pokemon grimaced as it was probably in for it now. Still, whatever she had in store for it, Teddiursa would take. She did just save it, after all.

"Are you alright?" Serena asked she knelt down and was eye level with Teddiursa.

Teddiursa's eyes widened. She was actually concerned about its well-being after it purposely provoked a Pinsir and tried to blame her?! It could've been her who was being chased, and Teddiursa knew it would've probably laughed at the scene. Then when they were both worn out, Teddiursa would go in for the capture, but instead the roles were reversed and it was chased.

Guilt started to well up inside Teddiursa as it analyzed Serena's character. She actually really was a nice person, and it was an absolute scum bag. It was a liar, a cheater, lewd, crude, and just about every unlikable quality something could have. She didn't owe it anything, but she still saved it, and it wasn't just to capture Pinsir. Serena captured the Pinsir to save it. Teddiursa began to think maybe it had it pretty nice with Serena afterward.

They never got along, but she still fed it and gave it shelter. These were things Teddiursa never had when it was a wild Pokemon. It always had to mooch off of others…just like it had with Serena and the rest of her group when it first met them. It was then captured by them which it absolutely hated. It was too focused on what it had lost rather than what it gained and was determined to let the group know it. All that, and Serena was still concerned for its well-being.

Teddiursa felt conflicted as it actually felt itself growing to like Serena. Maybe it could handle being her Pokemon after all. No. It would handle it. Teddiursa had gained a lot since it was captured by Serena…especially a home. Teddiursa knew it wouldn't kill it to be nice to Serena from now on and show her its gratitude. It could turn over a new leaf, or at least not act like a snot all the time and listen to Serena whenever she tells it something. Their relationship could go from there.

Teddiursa then noticed that Serena was still watching it and awaiting an answer. Not wanting to make her wait anymore, Teddiursa nodded its head.

"Ursa," it replied shyly.

"That's good," Serena replied and took out Teddiursa's pokeball. She had her eyes closed and appeared to not want to see what she was doing.

Teddiursa hung its head. Okay. It was ready to work with Serena for the rest of the bug catching contest and help her win for real, but it was being sent back to its pokeball. It lost its chance and had misbehaved again, but Teddiursa would accept it. The little bear Pokemon figured it would just have to prove its loyalty to Serena the next opportunity she gave it. Teddiursa would prove that it could change.

That's when it gave a cry of surprise when Serena hurled Teddiursa's pokeball to the ground with all her might, and it shattered on impact.

Teddiursa felt like it had been punched in the stomach several times when Serena did that. It couldn't believe what had just happened. Serena just shattered its pokeball! Didn't that mean that she was…releasing it?! Teddiursa looked up and saw Serena exhale deeply that she had done what she did.

"This is the best for both of us, Teddiursa," Serena said. "When I first captured you, I thought you could change, and that we could work as a team. I realize now it was just arrogant of me to think that. Not even the therapy session helped."

Teddiursa's eyes shot up in alarm. It struggled to say something to Serena. It wanted to let her know that it could change. Sure, it was a jerk the entire time she'd had it, and not once did it show any gratefulness for what she'd done for it. She even gave it a chance to use it in a contest, and it could've been her who was almost hurt because of its nature. Teddiursa regretted that now! It wanted to stay with Serena and prove its loyalty now!

"It was unfair to you, too," Serena continued as her voice shook a little bit. "You never wanted to be my Pokemon, and you caused trouble for me each day. The fact that you purposely tried to put me in danger proved it. You caused trouble for all the other Pokemon, too. You never even attempted to be anybody's friend."

Fine! That was true, but that was in the past now! Teddiursa wanted to shout at Serena that it didn't feel that way anymore! It only just now realized it liked being with Serena! However, Teddiursa kept choking on its own words because it was in such shock from what Serena had done. Serena took Teddiursa's silence as cue to keep going.

"I'm sorry. I never should've tried to capture you and force you to be my Pokemon when you didn't want to be. Now you don't have to be. You're free to go. I'm releasing you. At least here you'll be in a Pokemon reserve park," Serena finished as she stood up. "Goodbye. I hope one day you'll find a trainer who's good enough for you."

"Teddiursa!" Teddiursa finally cried out.

She was good enough for it! Teddiursa wanted to be with her! Teddiursa ran up to Serena and clung to her leg. It then looked up and gave its charming eyes to Serena. However, that had the opposite effect on Serena that Teddiursa had intended. Serena's tired expression morphed into a glare.

"Please just stop it. No one buys your fake cutesy poo act anymore," Serena told it, and with that, she shook Teddiursa off her leg and hurried away.

As Serena left, she began to think of the times she and Teddiursa had shared. She struggled to find at least one good time that would cause her to change her mind and turn back around to retrieve Teddiursa. She couldn't find anything, though. They were all bad. It just didn't fit on their team or wanted to be her Pokemon. It was for the best. It was that thought that kept Serena going, and she never once looked back to Teddiursa.

Teddiursa fell on its behind as it watched Serena leave. It couldn't believe this had just happened. Serena had actually released it, but that couldn't be true. Teddiursa waited for about a minute seeing if…hoping if Serena would return and say she was just kidding.

The little bear Pokemon realized how ridiculous that would be. Serena wasn't cruel enough to play a joke like that…like it was. Teddiursa looked down at the ground, still trying to process it and not wanting to believe it was actually left alone now. It wanted to run after Serena and tell her it wanted to be her Pokemon and not be wild anymore, but it didn't move.

It had been a terrible Pokemon to Serena. It wanted to change now, but it was too late. Teddiursa had reaped what it sowed. The first real tears in a very long time started to fall from Teddiursa's face as it realized it would never get another chance to prove itself. It had screwed up terribly. Now what was it supposed do? Serena…please come back to it.

"Ursa," it whimpered.

* * *

"Okay, Pikachu. We'll just get a little closer," Ash whispered to the yellow rodent.

"Chuuu," Pikachu responded quietly.

They had just stumbled upon a Scyther. If they could capture this one, it would be a winner for sure. It looked pretty tough, but that wasn't to undermine all the other Scyther that Ash had seen in his travels, especially Serena's and Tracey's. All Scyther just looked tough to begin with.

Ash was as quiet as he could as he crept closer with Pikachu right at his side. When the timing was right, Ash would order a Thunderbolt, and he would throw the park ball. Hopefully, Scyther would be theirs and wouldn't break out. If it did, run like heck because it would be ticked.

Pikachu was charging up, and Ash was just about to order Pikachu to attack when great misfortune struck. The Scyther happened to turn around, and Ash froze as did Pikachu. Did this Scyther have some sort of sixth sense? How did it know they were behind it? Not only that, but Scyther seemed to have a pretty good idea of what they were going to do. It glanced back and forth from the park ball in Ash's hands to the Pikachu next to him who was frozen in attack animation. The Scyther then got an angry expression on its face and hacked the tall grass beside it to bits.

"Scyther!" it cried angrily.

"Uhh…let's get out of here, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

With that, they turned around and began running away as fast as they could while the angry Scyther gave chase. They passed by a couple of trainers who looked inquisitively only to leap out of the way just before Scyther mowed them down. Ash glanced behind him to see several trainers giving him confused glances before he flashed an apologetic look and kept running.

"Why do Scyther hate me!?" Ash yelled.

With the exception of Tracey's, Ash always seemed to have a bad experience when it came to a Scyther. It was as if fate was telling him he wasn't allowed to get one. It was so cruel.

Wait. What was he doing running away?! He was Ash Ketchum and a future Pokemon Master. He wasn't going to let a ticked off Scyther stop him. He was just going to beat it. Ash turned around stood right in Scyther's way as it got closer. Pikachu stopped, too, and stood by Ash's side. He was just about to order Pikachu to attack when another surprise happened.

A flutter of wings came up from behind Ash and flew past him before spraying out a pollen. It must have been Stun Spore as Scyther screeched to a halt once it entered the powder. It got a strained expression on its face before it turned around and flew away. Chasing this human and his Pikachu weren't worth if it was going to get a face full of Stun Spore.

Ash watched the Scyther leave and looked up at the flutter of wings in front of him that had jumped in to save him. Ash smiled broadly when he saw it was a Butterfree which would be another winner. He may not get Scyther, but he would get this Butterfree! It had to be friendly, too, if it tried to save him. Ash held up his park ball to the throw at the Butterfree but stopped when the Butterfree turned around.

As soon as it did, the Butterfree flew straight at Ash and tackled him. Ash and Pikachu both cried out as they thought Butterfree was attacking him. Pikachu charged up a Thunderbolt, but it stopped when it saw the Butterfree wasn't harming Ash. It was hugging him! Ash shook his head of the dizziness from being knocked over and wondered what on Earth this Butterfree was doing. He then noticed something around its neck, and his eyes lit up in remembrance.

It was a yellow ribbon.

XXX

 _Ash then stood up and looked down so the brim of his hat was covering his eyes._

 _"Good bye, Butterfree," he muttered. He didn't realize it, but a few tears were beginning to come to his eyes._

 _"I'm sure your babies will be beautiful," Serena said while smiling to Butterfree._

 _"Best of luck to both of you," Brock added._

 _"You two will have such a happy life together," Misty finished._

 _The pink Butterfree then left the cliff and flew into the air to wait for Ash's Butterfree._

 _"Freee?" Butterfree asked as it looked up sadly at Ash._

 _"Don't worry. I'll just tell the other Pokemon that you went on a trip, and maybe you will come back some day," Ash replied._

 _Pikachu then went up to Butterfree and shook its hand. Pikachu then went on to tell Buttefree that it knew Butterfree would be able to achieve its dream, which caused Butterfree to smile._

 _"Well, you don't want to keep your mate waiting, do you?" Ash told it, attempting a smile._

 _Butterfree nodded as it flew into the air with the pink Butterfree. They then turned around and began to fly into the sunset with the other Butterfree. Ash's Butterfree was taking several looks back._

 _"Bye bye, Butterfree!" Misty, Brock, and Serena called._

 _"Pikachu!" Pikachu waved._

 _As Ash watched Butterfree leave, he began recalling all that he and Butterfree had been through together. He remembered how he first captured it as a Caterpie after it freaked out Misty. He remembered how as a Metapod, it won a fight against Samurai's Metapod and protected him from a Beedrill. He remembered its great battles in the Pewter and Cerulean gyms. He really would miss Butterfree, but he also knew that this is what Butterfree really wanted: to start a family of its own, and that was enough for Ash._

 _"Butterfree…," Ash trailed as tears began fall from his eyes._

 _"Hey, Ash. Butterfree is almost out of sight," Serena told him._

 _Upon hearing this, Ash snapped out of his thoughts and ran towards the edge of the cliff._

 _"Take care, Butterfree! Good luck, buddy!" he called._

 _Butterfree heard its trainer's voice and looked backwards again to see Ash waving at it._

 _"I'll always remember you! Thank you for everything! Good bye, Butterfree!" Ash yelled._

 _Ash's Butterfree began to have tears streaming down its eyes, too. It had many great memories with Ash. It could never have become the Butterfree it had today without Ash. It could not have asked for a better trainer. Hopefully, it would see Ash again someday. With a final nod and wave to Ash, Butterfree turned around and fought the urge to look back again._

 _The last distinguishable feature from his Butterfree among the others was the yellow ribbon that was around its neck._

XXX

Ash was looking at that same yellow ribbon.

"B-Butterfree?" Ash stuttered as he looked in shock at the Butterfree in front of him. "It-it's really you."

"Freeeeeeeeee!" the Butterfree cried and nodded its head eagerly to confirm Ash's question. Ash looked slightly older than when Butterfree saw him last, but there was no mistaking it once Butterfree caught sight of him. It had spotted Ash through the trees and couldn't resist seeing him again.

"Butterfree! How've you been, buddy!?" Ash shouted joyfully as he sat up and embraced his old Pokemon in a huge hug. Pikachu wasn't far behind and leaped up to hug Butterfree, too.

Butterfree continued to smother Ash with an affectionate hug. It was so happy to be reunited with its old trainer once more. It soon got off of Ash and nodded its head several times as if to ask Ash what all he had done since it was released.

Ash smile broadly as he showed Butterfree his three badges from Johto. "Check it out. I've already gotten three badges from the Johto region! I'm here to compete in the Silver Conference!"

"Freeee!" Butterfree approved.

"And would you believe that I actually I placed in the Top Four at the Indigo Plateau and won the Orange League?" Ash asked rhetorically.

"Freeeeeee!" Butterfree nodded happily.

Ash couldn't believe it. After all this time, he just believed Butterfree would be nothing more than a great memory, but here it was. Butterfree had always held a special place in Ash's heart. It was the first Pokemon he captured…as well as the first Pokemon he released. It had flown over the ocean to start a family and…that's right.

"That's right, Butterfree. You have a family, don't you? Where are they?" Ash wondered.

Butterfree seemed to smile as it flew a few feet off the ground and beckoned for Ash to follow it before it took off. Ash completely forgot, nor did he care, about the bug catching contest as he anxiously followed Butterfree off the main pathway. Ash was so excited to see all of what Butterfree had been up to since it left, and Ash bet that Butterfree couldn't wait to see how Ash had been doing.

After a few minutes, Butterfree flew under some thick brush and into a small clearing. Ash could barely fit inside the small alcove and had to crouch down and crawl underneath it. Once he emerged, he stood up and smiled at what he saw.

He saw Butterfree slowly fly over to the other side of the clearing before it rested. Next to Butterfree now was none of other than the pink Butterfree whom it had chosen to be its mate. The pink Butterfree seemed to recognize Ash and showed surprise before its gaze relaxed and it nodded in welcome to the raven-haired boy and Pikachu.

"Hello. I take it Butterfree's been really good to you, huh?" Ash asked it.

"Freeeeee," the pink Butterfree nodded in confirmation.

"That's great. It's quite a Pokemon, isn't it?" Ash smiled which earned a blush from the two Pokemon.

Ash then noticed movement behind the pink Butterfree and stared in curiosity. The pink Butterfree seemed to know what Ash was looking at and looked towards Ash's old Butterfree to see if it was okay. Butterfree nodded as it totally trusted Ash, and the pink Butterfree scooted slightly to the side to show what was behind it, and Ash's eyes widened significantly.

Behind the pink Butterfree were about five or six tiny Caterpie. They slowly crawled out from behind the pink Butterfree and stared curiously at Ash. They had never seen a human before. Butterfree had always been careful to shield them and keep any human eyes away from them in this park. They weren't ready to go off on their own yet. Ash, of course, was an exception.

Ash felt a little silly once he felt tears come to his eyes. His old buddy, Butterfree, had become a dad. He wiped his eyes and gave a slight chuckle to Butterfree. It was a heartwarming sight to see the little Pokemon watch Ash.

"Wow, Butterfree. I got you when you were just a Caterpie. Now look how far you've come. I'm proud of you," Ash told it.

Butterfree blushed in embarrassment which caused Ash to laugh. Ash then noticed that one of the baby Caterpie had crawled up to Ash, and the raven-haired boy knelt down and outstretched his arm. The Caterpie looked on curiously for a moment before it began to crawl up Ash's arm. Ash smiled at the familiar tickling sensation as the Caterpie worked its way up. He then turned back to Butterfree.

"This takes me back to when you were a Caterpie and you would crawl up my arm," he said.

"Freeeeeee," Butterfree replied as it recalled the memory, too.

"Pika Pi," Pikachu said as it walked over to the baby Caterpie and waved its arms to greet them. The baby Caterpie gave slight cooing sounds before they surrounded Pikachu and began to slowly smother it with affection. Pikachu struggled slightly to try and stand back up, but the baby Caterpie were relentless.

Ash couldn't help but laugh at Pikachu's predicament. He was sure that Butterfree or its mate would have no qualms about the Caterpie referring to Pikachu as their uncle.

Ash then felt a buzz from his Pokegear, and when he checked it, he was interested to see that it was Serena. It was rather strange that she was calling him during the bug-catching contest. Was she in trouble? Ash answered the Pokegear and spoke quietly so as not to alert the baby Caterpie.

"Hello?" he greeted.

"Hi, Ash. Where are you at?" Serena wondered. For some reason, she sounded rather down.

"Serena? I'm far in the east section of the park. What about you?" Ash wondered.

"That's good. I'm in that area, too? Can I come see you? I have something to tell you," Serena said.

"Oh. Sure. I'll be right there," Ash confirmed before he hung up his Pokegear and turned to Butterfree.

"Hey. I'm going to go get Serena. Is it okay if I bring her back here?" Ash requested.

"Freeeee," Butterfree nodded as it trusted Serena, too.

"I'll be right back," Ash said as it turned and slowly made his way around the brush. As he was going through, he couldn't help but wonder what it was Serena wanted to tell him.

* * *

Serena had been walking by herself ever since she released Teddiursa. She hadn't attempted to go back to the safe house or even look for Marina. She just simply walked along the path. She had seen a couple of bug Pokemon, but they didn't look as good as a Pinsir. Even with a captured Pinsir, which was a strong Pokemon, Serena couldn't get herself to be excited about it. She didn't want a Pinsir that badly, especially since it meant giving up Teddiursa.

Still, the little bear Pokemon had brought it on itself. The troublemaker made it quite clear it didn't wish to be a trained Pokemon. It was despicable and preferred a life of lies and deceit to get what it wants. Serena couldn't have a Pokemon that would make her and the rest of the group miserable for the rest of their lives. It was a little disheartening as Serena had made a promise to herself before she started her journey to never release one of her Pokemon because she couldn't handle it. Yet, here she was.

Serena heard a rustle of bushes and looked up. She expected another bug Pokemon to come out, but she raised her eyebrows when she saw Ash emerge. What was he doing in the bushes? Did he think the better bug Pokemon were off the main path?

Ash smiled once her saw her, but it morphed into a frown when he saw her down expression. He hurried up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"What's wrong, Serena?" Ash asked seriously.

Serena figured there was no point in beating around the bush. "I released Teddiursa," she stated.

Ash's eyes widened as his initial response. His eyes then softened before he pulled Serena into a gentle embrace. Serena accepted the hug before she hugged Ash back. The truth was Ash wasn't too surprised at this bit of information. He just didn't expect it to be so soon. Teddiursa just wasn't a good fit for their team.

"I-I think you did the right thing, Serena," Ash tried to comfort. "I think it was for the best. Both us and Teddiursa would be happier if it was in the wild."

"I know. It's just I really thought I could help it to change," Serena said. "It just refused every time I tried to reach out to it. I even tried to use it in this bug catching contest to form trust between us, but it tried to have me mauled by a Pinsir."

"It did what?" Ash asked as he released Serena from her hug and looked her in the eyes.

"It's just as I said. Its plan backfired, though, and it was the one who almost got it from Pinsir instead. I stepped in and caught the Pinsir, and then I left Teddirusa," Serena explained.

Ash almost felt his fists clench. What kind of twisted Pokemon would willingly put its own trainer in danger like that? A truly despicable one! Ash didn't think he would ever think this, but Teddiursa deserved what it got. Teddiursa didn't deserve the love and training Serena would give it.

"It's okay, Serena. It isn't your fault, and you left Teddiursa in a good spot where it would have a ready supply of food. You released it knowing it would be safe so don't feel bad," Ash encouraged.

"I know," Serena muttered.

"Hey. I have something to tell you that might cheer you up," Ash stated which drew Serena's attention back to him. "You'll never guess who I saw here."

"Who?" Serena wondered.

"Come on. I'll show you," Ash said as he gently grabbed Serena's hand and led her back off the main pathway in the bushes.

A few minutes later, Serena and Ash entered the clearing. At first, Serena was confused and Ash was amused as all of the baby Caterpie were now crawling all over Pikachu's body, and the yellow rodent was laughing at how much it tickled. It seemed they had taken a liking to Pikachu quite fast.

Serena didn't know what this was about until her eyes settled on Butterfree and its mate. She recognized those two, especially because of the yellow ribbon that Butterfree was still wearing. Serena instantly felt her negative feelings evaporate at seeing Ash's Butterfree again. She knelt down and gave them a big smile.

"Butterfree! It's so good to see you again!" she said.

"Freeeeeee!" Butterfree agreed.

"These must be your babies. I'm so happy for you!" Serena stated as she looked around at the baby Caterpie covering Pikachu.

So Butterfree found happiness with its mate. It started a family and was living happily with its children. Serena blushed as she suddenly had a thought about her and Ash being married. They would have a whole bunch of children around smothering Uncle Brock and Aunt Misty just like the Caterpie were with Pikachu. Still, it was heartwarming to see how happy Butterfree truly was.

"Hey, Serena. I think this will help you with Teddiursa, too," Ash said.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked as she turned back to Ash.

"If I never released Butterfree, it wouldn't have found true happiness. It would still be with me, and while we would still be great friends and Butterfree would love staying with me, its true happiness was found because I released it to be with its mate," Ash said.

"I don't think these situations are entirely the same, Ash," Serena sighed.

"I mean…you did what was best for both you and Teddiursa. Because it was for the best, I don't regret releasing Butterfree so you shouldn't regret releasing Teddiursa," Ash tried.

Serena let out a small smile. "Alright, Ash. I'll try not to."

There was then a loud voice that sounded over the intercom from the rest house. "Attention, participators of the bug catching contest, there is only five minutes remaining. Please wrap up any battle you may be in with a Pokemon and make your way back to the rest house for judging."

Ash turned back to Butterfree. The bug catching contest was ending already, and he knew he had to leave. He wasn't even worried that he didn't catch a single bug Pokemon. It was all worth it just because he got to see Butterfree again.

"Well, Butterfree, I guess it's time for us to say goodbye again," Ash said, which received a nod from it. "I miss you every day, but I feel a lot better now knowing where you're at and how you're doing. I'll know from now on that you're safe here so I don't have to worry about you."

"Freeeeee," Butterfree nodded

Ash reached over and rubbed its head. "Take care of yourself and your family. You're doing a great job so far. I'm really proud of you, Butterfree" Ash told it.

"Me, too," Serena added.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu said to Butterfree as it recalled the conversation it had with Butterfree when it was still a Caterpie. It had told it that it would soar the skies one day as a Butterfree and reach its dreams, and now it here it was.

Serena watched the scene and smiled to herself. Seeing how great Butterfree was doing here eased her tension about releasing Teddiursa back out into the wild. She shouldn't feel bitter anymore about doing what she did. She would still remember the…okay…there were no good memories she's had with Teddiursa. She could still wish for its happiness, though.

* * *

"And the winner of the bug-catching contest is Serena Gabena who caught a Pinsir!" the host announced to everyone.

The participants were all lined up side by side while the spectators stood a little farther back. Serena walked up to the host and accepted the Sun Stone that was given to her. It was an orange rock in the shape of a sun. Serena knew that this could be used to evolve certain Pokemon. The honey-haired girl smiled to herself that she had a certain Pokemon that would benefit greatly from this Sun Stone…particularly if it wanted to participate in her performances which it probably did.

"Congratulations. You may also keep the Pinsir," the host told her.

"Thank you," Serena nodded as she turned back to the audience as everyone clapped for her.

"Man. I was so close to winning with my Scyther," Jimmy muttered as he clapped along with the others.

"At least you caught something good. I didn't even catch anything," Marina sighed. "They kept breaking out of the park balls I threw at them."

"Heh. Don't feel bad, Marina. I didn't catch anything, either," Ash smiled.

Ash knew his situation was a little bit different, though. Once he ran into Butterfree, he didn't care about winning the contest anymore. He just wanted to spend the rest of his time catching up with his old buddy. Now that Ash knew where Butterfree was, he had no worries about it. He could come and visit anytime he wanted.

As Serena came back down from the stage, she was soon joined by all of her friends. They all knew what she had done with Teddiursa now, but they chose not to mention it. Ash had already spoken to her, and she had done a lot of thinking by herself. She may hear Brock's thoughts of the situation, however, should she choose to. He would be happy to help.

"Congratulations, darling!" Marina cheered as she gave Serena a hug first.

"Thanks! I'm really glad I got this Sun Stone. I know exactly who I'm going to use this on when the time is right!" Serena smiled.

"Your Gloom?" Misty figured.

"That's right, but before I do that, we'll have to train really hard!" Serena stated.

"I know you'll do fabulous!" Marina encouraged.

"Oh! That's right," Serena remembered as she held out Pinsir's pokeball to Marina. "Why don't you take this Pinsir? You didn't catch any Pokemon, and I'm happy enough by winning a Sun Stone. I remember you saying you wanted to capture one before we started the contest."

"Wow. Really?" Marina gasped as she stared with wide eyes at Serena. "What would I do with a Pinsir?"

"I'm sure you could find some pretty interesting things with it in a performance," Serena winked.

"You're really giving it to me?" Marina asked as she took the pokeball and teared up. "Thank you so much! I promise I'll take good care of it!"

"Heh. That Pinsir fits her snappy personality," Jimmy chuckled.

"What was that, mister?!" Marina cried as she turned to glare at Jimmy.

"Heh. Relax, Marina. I was just kidding," Jimmy said before he turned to Ash. "So what are your plans, now?"

"We're heading up to Ecruteak City!" Ash declared.

"I think you'll like it there," Jimmy grinned. "There's a lot of history there about the legendary Pokemon Ho-oh and Lugia."

"Really?" Ash asked, interested.

"Yep! Based on what we learned there, we think they're still around in this region somewhere. How cool would it be if we ever saw Ho-oh like you guys did," Jimmy said and whispered the last part so they wouldn't be overheard.

Ash and Serena nodded in response. They still could never forget the first day of their journey when they saw Ho-oh. It had been a truly amazing and rare sight, and only their family and friends knew of their discovery. With what Jimmy just told them, Ash and Serena may learn why Ho-oh chose to appear before them among all people.

"We're going to head down to Goldenrod City so Jimmy can work on getting his third badge, and I'm going to compete in my first performance!" Marina told them.

"I wish you the best of luck. You have to win for sure," Serena said.

"After you've motivated me by giving me a generous gift like this Pinsir, how could I say no?" Marina questioned rhetorically.

"Best of luck, man. You rock and you rule," Jimmy stated as he and Ash clapped hands.

"You, too. Now that we both have badges, we'll have to meet again in the Pokemon League," Ash said.

"You bet. I'm not ready yet, but if we see each other again before the league, I'd really love to have a Pokemon battle with you, Ash. My dad has been asking me every time I talk to him to see if I've done so," Jimmy smiled.

"You've got yourself a deal, Jimmy! I'd love to!" Ash replied.

"Great!" Jimmy nodded. "Just watch out because I'm training hard just like my dad did when he studied under yours!"

It was time to say goodbye to Jimmy and Marina again. The group would've liked to spend more time with them, but they met during a contest, and they had to move on as quickly as possible…mostly for the sake of Serena's Mareep. They would really have to catch up with the two the next time they met which they hoped would be soon. Ash had a promised battle with Jimmy now, after all.

As Ash remembered his Butterfree, it reminded him of his own journey. Butterfree had found its calling in life, and Ash still had to do his…to become a Pokemon Master. He still had a long way to go, but just maybe he's on the right track now. He just had to take all of the battles he was in seriously and follow the advice his dad, Red, gave him.

Serena looked back once more to the open expanse of the park. This was where she would be leaving her Teddiursa to live from now on. She half-expected it to be behind her, but it wasn't there. Serena sighed and turned back around. Teddiursa would be just fine here.

* * *

It was nighttime, and Teddiursa was wandering through the woods. After it had gotten out of its stupor that Serena had actually released it, it had been searching for her or the other members of her group the whole time. It managed to make its way out of the safety of the park and had been looking for the past couple of hours. It knew that the group was heading in the direction of Ecruteak City so it might as well go there. If it kept on this path, it may run into Serena again.

Teddiursa really hated itself right now and couldn't believe the situation it was in. However, it knew it had nobody to blame but itself. It had been such a jerk the entire time it was with Serena, and only now did it see what kind of person Serena was. Even after it put her in danger, she still saved it. Teddiursa knew then that Serena was the type who would keep it happy for the rest of its life, but that time had passed now. Teddiursa had to make amends with her!

The little bear Pokemon's stomach rumbled, and it grimaced as it held its stomach to try to curve the hunger pains away. It could really use some honey or some of that good Pokemon food the squinty-eyed boy made. Though Teddiursa never admitted it, that guy was one heck of a cook. Teddiursa truly didn't know it when it had a good thing going by being with the group. Teddiursa then began to think if Serena would even take it back. Hopefully so.

As the hungry Pokemon continued along, it heard voices, and its face lit up. It hurried along towards where it heard the voices. In the best case scenario, it would be Serena and her group. In the worst case, it would be random trainers whom Teddiursa could still mooch food from by using its charms. At least some way it would get food! As Teddiursa got closer, it could start to make out what the people were saying.

"Ugh! I can't believe we had to go all the way out here to catch our helicopter to Mahogany Town. This walk is killing me," one person muttered.

"Shut up. We had to park it out here. Don't you think a helicopter in the middle of a big city with huge "R" on it would alert too many people?" another person answered.

"Sorry, Sir Proton," the other person muttered.

"Ariana will be waiting for you guys in the helicopter to take you there. Your new assignments are to be with her to help with the Evolution scheme," the one known as Proton said.

Teddiursa got a confused expression at the conversation that took place. These people didn't sound like the friendliest bunch. Teddiursa would normally just walk away by now, but the mention of an evolution scheme piqued its interest. It found a nice bush to hide in so it could listen in a little more.

"Oh right. With us being at the Radio Tower and experimenting with Radio waves, we've learned we could use that on the Lake of Rage!" a new person realized.

"Right. Magikarp are worthless, but Gyarados could rake us in a lot cash needed to finish our plan at the Radio Tower," Proton confirmed.

"Will this experiment even work? There's a chance these Magikarp could die instead due to the exposure of radiation," another voice said.

"Who cares? They're just Magikarp. Besides, we have a few Pokemon lined up to test out the radiation before we blast the whole lake. Hundreds of dead Magikarp would draw too much attention to us," Proton replied.

Teddiursa grimaced at that. It sounded like it heard some information that wasn't to be repeated. Whatever these people were up to was no good. It had to get away from them and fast! It had to find and tell somebody what these people were up to. Teddiursa had very few morals itself, but it wasn't actually evil like these people appeared to be. What should it do, though? It's not like it had a trainer to tell anymore.

"Hold on," the voice belonging to Proton said before Teddiursa heard the release of a Pokemon from a pokeball. "Houndoom, Flamethrower."

Teddiursa was wondering what this Proton guy would be ordering Flamethrower for. It soon got its answer and cried in pain when the flames shot through the bush that Teddiursa had been. The little bear Pokemon was engulfed by the flames and pushed out of the shrubbery where it landed on the ground. It had been gotten good with that sneak attack and was covered in burn marks as it struggled to get up.

Teddiursa was soon picked up by its throat and lifted off the ground. It was face to face with a man with teal hair and slanted eyes with a snarl etched on his face. He had a huge red R in the center of his uniform and had a terrifying Pokemon that looked like a cross between a dog and a demon next to him. There were at least six other people with the same type of uniform he had. Teddiursa figured the one holding it had to be their leader and Proton.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? It looks like a spy!" Proton accused. "Did you think we wouldn't notice you were there!?"

Teddiursa wanted to fire a Swift attack in Proton's face, but the way he was choking it and the amount of pain Teddiursa was in made it unable to do so.

"The question is now…what do we do with you," Proton uttered as his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, well. It's just a Teddiursa, Sir Proton. What can it do?" a Rocket grunt said.

Teddiursa nodded its head eagerly. That's right. It was just a cute little Teddiursa who was passing by innocently! It didn't hear a thing. For emphasis, Teddiursa used its charming eyes on Proton in hopes its cuteness would get him to let it go.

Proton openly laughed that. "Hahahahaha! You actually think that crap will work on me? I don't give a Raticate's hat about you or anything else cute!"

Teddiursa's heart sank at that. It was really losing its edge with its charm. Maybe they could still let it go? Please?

"You know what? You actually came at a good time," Proton said before he added. "I'm sure you know this since you overheard us, but we're going to do a little experiment in Mohogany Town."

"Oh yeah. I remember we were looking for another suitable Pokemon," one grunt said.

"That's right. You get to be one of our test subjects," Proton uttered as he gave Teddiursa a sinister smile.

Teddiursa was terrified beyond belief at the look Proton was giving it. The little bear Pokemon had no idea what it had gotten itself into. It was in deep trouble. Teddiursa wildly glanced around for any sign of Serena…hoping she would jump in and save it, but she never came. Teddiursa knew that Serena was gone for good, and it would never see her again. It had a very cruel life ahead of it…if it survived that is.

* * *

 **Teddiursa hasn't made its last appearance...well...sort of. The good news is this isn't Butterfree's last appearance, either! It will be seen again some time in Johto. Jimmy and Marina won't appear until after Ash's 6th badge, and Ash and Jimmy will have their battle. Serena will use her Sun Stone on Gloom in due time to evolve it into Bellossom for her performances.**

 **Okay. As for the important announcement, there is going to be on a hiatus on this fic. My computer has broken in more ways than one. I can no longer type properly or surf the internet properly or even post chapters properly. It was quite an arduous task to get this one posted. As a result, until I get a new computer or fix this one...this fic won't be seeing too much progress, and I won't be able to reply to PMs, either. I have to do a lot file transfers and recover lost writing, too. There certainly won't another chapter this month...and probably not one in January, either.**

 **I'm very sorry, and I promise I'll get this story rolling again as soon as I can. Until next time, have a good one. I may even have two chapters waiting for you guys on my next update to make up for lost time.**

 **Sincerly,**

 **Jason, a.k.a Fanaticlaguy06**

 **...And for the love of all that is good...please just use the review box to actually review the chapter and not just to comment on my situation. That's what the PM box is for. I won't see them until I come back, but you get the idea.**


	27. Brock's Heartbreak

**A/N: Yes everyone. Your eyes do not deceive you. This is an update. I finally got my computer fixed and can now start posting regular chapters again. I know I said I could possibly have two chapters out when I return, but that didn't happen. Coupled with what was wrong with my computer, which was a hard drive and installation board issue, along with writer's block, I didn't get as much writing done as I hoped.**

 **This chapter could've been out a little earlier, but as luck would have it, my computer broke AGAIN after only a couple of days of getting back. So after several repairs, it's as good as new, and I'm back!**

 **Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait. It's actually one a lot you had been wondering if I would ever get to it. Well, I have now. Please enjoy this chapter after the brief hiatus.**

 **Merry belated Christmas and belated Happy New Year!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Seven: Brock's Heartbreak

"Ah. It just doesn't get any better than this," Brock muttered.

Brock was relaxing on a beach right now in the Orange islands. The weather was absolutely perfect. The temperature was warm but not hot. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and there wasn't any noise pollution. The only sound Brock heard was the soothing waves as they rolled back and forth along the beachside. The tanned Pokemon breeder even had a delicious lemonade that he was sipping right now.

Of course, none of that compared to the last thing that completed this experience. His head was resting in Professor Ivy's lap right. She had her lab coat off and was wearing nothing but a bikini underneath it. Brock thought she looked amazing in it, and he wanted to tell her so, but he was so relaxed right now that he didn't want to break this moment.

"It's been wonderful to have you here with my assistants and me, Brock," Professor Ivy told him as she stroked his hair.

"Yeah…," Brock mumbled in bliss.

He was in the lap of the girl of his dreams. This was paradise. It just didn't get any better than this.

"Brock, will you marry me?" Professor Ivy asked.

Okay. Brock took that earlier thought back. It didn't get any better than _this_. Professor Ivy was actually asking him to marry her?! Brock didn't even think twice about it. He shot up from Professor Ivy's lap before he grabbed her hands and looked her straight in the eye.

"Yes, Professor Ivy! Of course I'll marry you!" Brock cried.

"You're going to be my husband, Brock. Call me Felina," Professor Ivy laughed.

"Okay, Felina!" Brock said eagerly.

To him, calling her by her first name only sealed their love for each other. They would no longer have a professor-assistant relationship or a master-houseguest relationship. It would be a husband-wife. Brock was overjoyed. Nothing else needed to be said, but something had to be done. Brock suddenly leaned in to kiss Felina Ivy. She leaned in to. Their lips touched, and Brock's mind was going gaga. Now he was sure nothing could get any better than this! It was pure paradise!

All of a sudden, Brock fell forward and went face first in the sand. He spit out some of the sand that filled his mouth before he looked up and stared in confusion at what he saw.

Professor Ivy was standing there with another man. The two's arms were interlocked and they were laughing at Brock for his clumsiness. Brock shook his head before he finally found his voice at the strange scene before him.

"What's going on? Who's this?

"Oh, Brock. I've decided to marry John," Professor Ivy told him.

"You...what...but you just proposed to me!" Brock protested.

"You're a sweet kid, Brock, but John is so much more manly," Professor Ivy said before she and the man known as John kissed.

"No!" Brock cried.

How could this have happened?! Why was this happening!? None of this made any sense! Why was Professor Ivy choosing this guy over him!? Brock couldn't understand what was wrong with him.

"Goodbye, Brock," Professor Ivy said as she and John turned around and began to walk away.

Brock picked himself off the ground and went to chase after Professor Ivy and John. He couldn't let her just get away. However, bad luck made him trip, and he fell face first int he sand again. By the time, he looked up, Professor Ivy and John had disappeared from view.

Brock began taking short breaths at what had just transpired. He just lost the woman of his dreams. What was he supposed to do now?!

"Brock?" a new voice asked.

Brock turned to the side, and standing there was Suzie. She had her hands over her heart as she watched Brock.

"Suzie?" Brock questioned before he collected himself and stood up. "I'm very glad you're here. I could really use some cheering up and a friendly ear."

"In that case, I have great news! I'm getting married to Zane!" Suzie said in delight.

Brock was at a loss for words. He was just dumped by Professor Ivy and really needed help from Suzie, his other love, right now. She just broke his heart yet again by saying she was marrying another guy. Brock didn't even know this Zane person! How was he supposed to respond?

"As a friend, you'll attend our wedding, won't you?" Suzie asked him.

"F-friend?" Brock stuttered.

"Of course. That's what we are, right?" Suzie asked again.

Brock couldn't take it anymore. His broken heart only shattered into a million more pieces. Two of the most beautiful women it the world told him he was just a friend. Why wasn't he good enough to be anyone's husband. He had always been friend-zoned but thought he might find true happiness with Felina or Suzie. Now, that hope would never come true. His paradise was lost and he would never find true happiness. He couldn't handle the pain in his heart right now. Brock suddenly found himself on his knees and yelling in pain at the top of his lungs.

XXX

Brock quickly sat up in his sleeping bag. Being as level-headed as he was, he knew it was just a dream, but it was still a terrible dream. It had started off great only to turn into a horrible nightmare. Brock groggily rubbed his eyes and checked the time on his Pokegear. It was still about twenty minutes before his Pokegear alarm would go off.

Brock momentarily contemplated if staying in his sleeping bag the extra twenty minutes would be worth it…not really. Brock always woke up before the others anyway so he could get an early start on his cooking duties. That way, by the time everyone else was awake, he would have breakfast ready for them. He did that each day, every day.

Still in his pajamas, Brock slowly climbed out of his sleeping bag before he crawled over to his backpack to pull out a fresh change of clothes. He then began to get dressed inside of his tent while Ash and Pikachu were still asleep next him. Brock wasn't worried about waking them as they were really heavy sleepers. It would take a lot more than Brock moving around in their tent to wake those two up.

Once he was done, Brock slipped on his shoes before he left the tent and let the cool morning air greet him. It did feel very nice this morning despite Brock's somber mood. He walked a few paces forward so he could get a good look at the sun that was slowly coming over the horizon. It was the start of another beautiful day, but that nightmare brought back bad memories. He shuddered at the thought.

Brock reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper that he had been keeping. It was none other than Suzie's number. She had given that to him and requested that he call her whenever he wanted. Originally, Brock was ecstatic to receive such a blessing. Now, he was a little apprehensive. He really liked Suzy, but if he ended up sounding like an idiot, she wouldn't like him back. Even worse, what if what happened with Professor Ivy was the same with Suzie. In short, he was afraid to call her, especially because she still had friend-zoned him despite her kiss.

" _Hmm…what to do?"_ Brock thought as he stared at Suzie's number.

He didn't want to be fooled into thinking somebody was in love with him again when they weren't. Brock certainly didn't want Suzie to think he liked her when she didn't by calling her. She was the one who gave him her number, but still. A situation where Brock thought a girl liked him reminded too much of…

"Looking at something?"

"Gah!" Brock cried as he spun around to see who it was who sneaked up on him.

He was a little surprised to see Misty standing there. While it was true that she was usually the next to wake up after Brock, this was still very early for her. The chances that they both woke up early today were rather slim indeed. Unlike Brock, however, she was still in her pajamas. She hadn't even put her hair up in its usual side ponytail yet.

"Misty, what are you doing?" Brock asked.

"I was lying in my sleeping bag and heard movement outside my tent. When I looked outside, you seemed to be staring really intently at that piece of paper," Misty observed.

"Heh. Yeah. I guess I was," Brock muttered as his head drooped back down to stare at the number.

"Not to pry, but I have to wonder what it is you're looking at," Misty said as she went to stand next to him.

"It's Suzie's Pokegear number," Brock said simply.

"Is it that hard to read that you have to study it like that?" Misty joked as she peeked at the piece of paper herself.

"No. It's just…oh! Look at the time! I need to start breakfast!" Brock said as he checked his Pokegear. With that, he quickly walked off to gather his cooking utensils.

Misty frowned as she watched him go. She knew he was just making an excuse to avoid her question. Honestly, she didn't know what the big deal was. All Brock had to do was simply call Suzie. It shouldn't be that hard so what would he be nervous about? She gave him permission, after all. What was going on with him?

* * *

"These pancakes look awesome, Brock!" Ash exclaimed as he looked hungrily at the stack in front of him.

"Heh. You say that every time I give them to you," Brock chuckled as he finished passing out the plates of pancakes to everyone.

"I only say it because it's true!" Ash replied before he dug into his food like a Snorlax.

"Careful, Ash. You don't want to choke," Serena giggled as she pulled Ash up to keep his posture steady.

"I just really love them!" Ash said with his mouth full of food.

The raven-haired boy then began coughing rather violently. Ash must've started choking on the pancakes because he was eating them too fast. Luckily, Serena was there, and she patted Ash's back a few times to help the food go down. Once it was, Ash took a deep breath and smiled at Serena.

"Heh. Thanks, Serena. I guess I could slow down," Ash said sheepishly.

"I'm just looking out for my boyfriend," Serena smiled.

Brock watched the two with a smile on his face. Serena was right. They were really lucky to have each other. The tanned Pokemon breeder wouldn't be surprised if they ended up marrying each other one day. He and Misty had teased them about it before, but he did honestly believe it. He was very happy for them. Still, Brock thought it would be nice if he had a girl who felt for him the way Ash and Serena feel about each other.

Then there was Misty who had Rudy. They weren't traveling together or spending every moment with each other like Ash and Serena were, but they were still in some sort of long distance relationship with each other. Misty still made a promise to go back to Rudy once she completed her dream of becoming a water Pokemon master. They would probably end up together.

Brock then even thought of Gary and Leaf. Those two had been traveling together ever since they started in Johto. One would have to be blind to not think something was going on between them. Ash and Serena had been ready to tell them to just kiss each other and get it over with. Speaking of Gary, Ash still had yet to call him.

Brock couldn't help but sigh inwardly. It seemed that everyone he knew had someone to call their own except him.

"Brock, are you okay?" Serena asked once she saw his down expression.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'm great," Brock smiled and waved his hand dismissively.

"Well, I say we get our Pokemon some exercise before we start moving again. What do you say, guys?" Ash asked as he looked to the side to address them. He got a cry in the affirmative from each of them.

"Sounds good. Why don't you guys go play with your Pokemon, and I'll clean up," Brock suggested as he stood up from his seat.

"But it's my turn to do the dishes," Misty spoke up.

"That's okay, Misty. You just relax. I've got it," Brock nodded.

"Well…okay. I don't really have anything else to do so I guess I could make a call to Rudy," Misty shrugged and pointedly looked at Brock to see his reaction.

As expected, Brock noticeably flinched. He quickly recovered, but Misty was able to spot it in time. She gave a mental note that something was wrong with Brock right now, and it probably had something to do with his love life. He was clutching Suzie's phone number rather tightly in his hand when she spoke to him earlier that morning.

Brock himself realized he had flinched, too, and he instantly regretted it. Now his friends would probably know something was wrong with him and would want to know what. Truthfully, Brock didn't know what was quite wrong with him, either. It was just a silly dream he had…albeit a very scary and truthful dream. The words that had come out of those beautiful women whom he loved cut through him like a knife. He already had his heartbroken with one of them and didn't wish to go through it with the other.

Brock was thankful when Misty didn't question him, but knowing her, she wouldn't let the matter go that easily. To reassure her, he flashed her a smile which Misty returned. Brock had known Misty long enough to know that wasn't a genuine one. With that, Brock purposely turned away and began cleaning the pots before he would start on his and the others' plates.

* * *

A couple of hours later, the group was enjoying the leisure time before they set off again. Ash and Serena were playing with their Pokemon but making sure to be careful around Mareep. Misty was still talking to Rudy, and Brock was grooming his Pokemon.

At the moment, Brock was on his Golbat. As he scrubbed it, the bat Pokemon could sense something wrong with its trainer. It wasn't that it knew from the way Brock was grooming it or because he looked sad, Golbat just knew. It just knew Brock that well.

The bat Pokemon made a few clicking sounds at Brock as he brushed it. The Pokemon breeder looked up at Golbat and raised his eyebrows. This alerted Onix, Kabuto, Stantler, Vulpix, and Pineco. Onix had been with Brock the longest out of all of them, and it could tell something was wrong, too, but chose to stay silent. Golbat chose not to, however.

It clicked its pincers once again at Brock, and this time, Brock let out a slight chuckle.

"Heh. I should've known. Nothing gets by you," Brock said.

Golbat nodded its head at Brock. Ever since it had been a Golbat, Brock had been able to detect its Supersonic hearing. That was a feat no normal human would be able to accomplish. Both Brock and Golbat knew that they had to have an incredible bond for that to happen. As a result, Golbat cared for when Brock was feeling down, and likewise, Brock cared for it when it was down.

"I don't think you're going to let this go until I tell you," Brock muttered as he received another nod from Golbat.

Brock's other Pokemon gathered around him to hear, too. Brock smiled that all of his Pokemon cared for him like this. He gave a quick glance to see what Ash, Serena, and Misty were doing. They still seemed preoccupied with how they were playing with their Pokemon. Misty had just finished her call with Rudy and had gone to join them. Yeah. They all had a great bond with their Pokemon. Brock was sure that their Pokemon would want to know what's going on, too…just like they want to know when something was wrong with their Pokemon.

"Hey, guys. Thanks for worrying about me," Brock said before he continued. "Umm…what do you guys think of Suzie, or how do you think she feels about me?"

Vulpix, of course, was the first to react. It gave a happy cry to indicate it still loved Suzie a lot. At its reaction, Brock chuckled and rubbed Vulpix's head.

"Hah. I knew you would react positively, but how do you think Suzi feels about me?" Brock repeated.

All of Brock's Pokemon seemed to be thinking it over. From what they could tell, it seemed Suzie liked Brock a lot. They could already tell he was crazy about Suzie at least. However, this was nothing new to his Pokemon. They remembered having a similar conversation with Brock a few months ago in regards to Professor Ivy. In the end, he got his heart broken. They didn't want to see Brock go through that again. They knew where Brock was going with this, and so they chose to remain silent.

Brock took their silence as a cue that they weren't sure. Even Kabuto, who was really good at stabbing Brock when it didn't approve of his flirting, was silent. Brock smiled sadly as he looked down. His Pokemon were just looking out for him, and he appreciated that. Still, the fact that they didn't know how Suzie felt about him only made him more nervous. The last thing he wanted to do was call her and blow it.

"Yeah. I thought so. I'm not sure, either," Brock muttered as he resumed brushing Golbat.

Behind him, Ash had briefly stopped playing to look at Brock. For some reason, Brock wasn't being his normal, cheerful self when he groomed his Pokemon. Serena had stopped as well when she saw Ash. The honey blonde-haired girl went over to Ash and looked at him inquisitively. She then saw that Ash was watching Brock and then turned back to him.

"Hey. I guess we both know something's up with Brock," Serena spoke.

"Yeah. I don't know what, though," Ash replied.

"I think it has something to with Suzie," Misty said as she came up from behind them.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked as he turned to look at her.

"He's afraid to call her," Misty stated simply.

"That doesn't sound like Brock. He was so happy when Suzie gave him her number. I thought he would try to call her the first chance he got," Serena said.

"It makes me wonder if something else is bothering him," Ash muttered.

"Why don't you ask him?" Misty suggested.

Ash sighed as he looked over to the tanned Pokemon breeder. He knew better than to just stupidly shout out at Brock to ask him what's wrong. Brock would never tell him like that. The best way to go about doing this was to get Brock alone. He might be more willing to do it in private than in front of all of his friends, especially Serena and Misty since they were girls.

"Okay. I'll ask him tonight," Ash responded.

Unbeknownst to them, Brock had overheard them. Growing up with almost a dozen brothers and sisters had given him the ability to pick up on the faintest sounds. Brock appreciated their concern. He really did, but he didn't think they could help him with this. It was something he would have to try to figure out on his own…if he could.

" _Thanks guys, but I don't think any of you would understand. None of you have been in the same situation I have,"_ Brock thought.

The group had a rather uneventful rest of the day. They had made some progress on their way to Ecruteak City and spent the day chatting about various things. Nobody had mentioned Brock's strange behavior to him or asked him if anything was wrong. However, Brock was smart enough to know they weren't going to let it go like that. They were probably just waiting for a better time to ask him. The best thing he could do was just reassure them that he would be just fine.

" _And I will. I wasn't nervous before,"_ Brock had thought to himself. _"It's just that dream brought my fear out of hiding."_

The group had now set up camp for the night and was getting ready for bed. Ash and Brock were in their tents and getting into their sleeping bags. Ash gave a yawn as Pikachu went to the foot of the sleeping bag and sprawled itself out as usual. The raven-haired boy gave a sideways glance at Brock. Despite Misty telling him to, Ash hadn't said anything. There was just never a good time to bring it up, and Brock certainly wasn't going to do it on his own.

Ash then noticed the piece of paper in Brock's hand. That was definitely the sheet of paper that Suzie had written her Pokegear number on. Brock seemed to be having some sort of internal battle before he sighed and stuffed it back into his backpack. Well, Ash wasn't going inquire about it so there was only one thing left to say to the guy.

"Night, Brocko," Ash said.

"Good night, Ash. Sleep well," Brock replied as he situated himself in the sleeping bag before he turned out the small lantern.

" _I'll sleep fine, but what about you?"_ Ash thought to himself before he likewise got comfortable and went to sleep.

As Ash and Pikachu drifted off into sleep, Brock had a few thoughts running through his head. Maybe this whole fear about Suzie was a little silly. He was scared of calling Suzie, and he was worrying his friends because of it. He was the one who was supposed to look out for them…not the other way around. He was like their big brother. He couldn't worry them with his own problems. Brock decided he should just forget about the dream he had and keep it to himself. He usually had much better control of his emotions than he had today. With that, Brock drifted off to sleep, too.

That was until he had another bad dream that night due to his fear plaguing him that day.

* * *

"Good morning, guys. Breakfast is up," Brock said with a yawn once he saw the rest of the group come out of the tent.

"It's strange for you to yawn, Brock. You're normally wide awake by now," Serena pointed out as she tried to stifle her own yawn. Man, those things were contagious!

"Hah. Yeah. I guess even the great Brock is tired every once in a while," Brock smiled as he tried to dismiss the conversation. He knew where this was going.

"So you didn't sleep well last night?" Misty inquired.

"Well…I just had some bad dreams," Brock admitted.

It was true. He had another bad dream the night before. He didn't know why this situation was starting to eat at him like this. He had a lot of bad dreams a few days after what happened with Professor Ivy, but he got over them. Now, they were back, and they were costing him sleep. He just wanted to forget this whole situation and have everything go back to normal.

" _But after the love of my life, Suzie, gave me her number, I can't,"_ Brock inwardly thought.

It made him wonder, though. Why wasn't he just giving her a chance? Could simple fear just be the factor that's keeping him from calling her? Seriously. What could a simple phone call do to him? Brock knew that even if Suzie didn't think of him as more than a friend, she would still be happy that he called. They could talk about all sorts of things just like they did when they were together. What was stopping him? Brock wanted Suzie to love him…right?

"You had bad dreams?" Misty questioned as she narrowed her eyes and gave sideways glance at Ash.

The raven-haired boy felt Misty's stare drill into the side of his face. Ash knew that she was silentky asking him why he didn't talk to Brock last night after he said he would. He turned and gave a sheepish look to Misty and shrugged his shoulders.

"There was never a good time to bring it up," Ash mouthed to her.

Brock had picked up on the silent exchange going on between Ash and Misty and gave a faint smile. "Heh. I guess the better question is if you two are okay," he joked.

"Yeah, Brock. We're fine," Misty replied as she, Ash, and Serena sat down.

Brock nodded his head before he passed out the food to everyone before he helped himself. The tanned Pokemon breeder than sat down before he gave another yawn. He was just so tired today and he didn't feel like eating. While Ash inhaled his food as usual and Misty and Serena had their fair share, Brock just picked at his food. They were already done, and he had just had a couple of bites.

"Hey, Brock. Why don't you go sleep for a little bit so you're not so tired? We'll take care of all the chores today," Serena suggested.

"Okay. Thanks, Serena," Brock replied as he stood up and walked over to the tent.

As Brock was walking, his earlier thoughts of Professor Ivy went into his head, and he shook them away. Rather than sleeping, he was going to give calling Suzie another try. He had put it off long enough. If he didn't call her soon, Suzie would think she gave him her number for nothing. It was time to nip this in the bud! Brock confidently pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket and disappeared inside the tent.

As soon as he was inside, Misty frowned at Ash. He looked back at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"What?" he asked.

"I want you to check on Brock and see how he's doing. I'm worried about him. He doesn't normally act like this. Something happened in between now and two nights ago. Whatever it is, it's hurting Brock, and I hate to see him this way. Don't listen to his excuses that he's fine. We all know he's not," Misty told him.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu suddenly agreed

Ash glanced at his partner's sudden two cents before he sighed. He knew Misty was right. He was a really deep sleeper, but if he wasn't mistaken, he could subconsciously hear Brock tossing and turning and mumbling incoherently in his sleep. Brock clearly wasn't lying when he said he had bad dreams, but what could they be about? The raven-haired boy had been no stranger to bad dreams himself, but they proved to be some sort of prophecy. These dreams that Brock was having seemed to be a little different, though.

"Alright. I'll go," Ash replied as he stood up.

"Misty and I will take care of everything out here, Ash," Serena said before she add him. "We just feel this is a guy problem Brock is having so you're the only one who can talk to him."

Ash nodded before he turned around and headed towards the tent with Pikachu following him. Ash was just about to enter when he stopped. Pikachu stopped as well and perked its ears up. It wasn't quiet inside of the tent like he expected it to be. He heard the sound of heavy breathing. He and Pikachu got a look of alert on their faces before they quickly entered the tent.

Brock had his legs pulled up to his chest and held his Pokegear at arm's length. He was panting heavily and had one hand holding Suzie's number and the other one holding the Pokegear. Ash then noticed that Brock was sweating profusely and had a terrified look on his face. Put quite simply, he looked like a nervous wreck.

"Brock?" Ash called.

"Ash!" Brock cried before he quickly hid his Pokegear and Suzie's number behind his back. "What's up?"

"I want to ask you that question," Ash retorted as he fully entered the tent. "Brock, what's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean? I'm fine…just a little tired," Brock replied. Ash knew he was going to say that so he had a counter for it.

"We can all see that you're tired, Brock. What is it that's making you tired? You haven't been yourself these past couple of days, and you're either clutching Suzie's number like your life depends on it, or you're throwing it away like it's going to catch fire!" Ash stated.

"Well…," Brock started, but Ash stopped him.

"We would just simply say that you're scared to call Suzie, but the way you're acting about it isn't normal. What happened, Brock?" Ash asked, getting directly to the point.

"I'm scared, Ash," Brock mumbled.

"Are you scared to call Suzie because you're worried she'll reject you or something? Is it because of what happened between you and you-know-who?" Ash questioned and purposely avoided saying Professor Ivy's name so Brock wouldn't become a hermit.

Brock sighed. Those dreams he was having were stirring up bad memories of his past on Valencia Island, and why he ran away. Because of this, everyone was worried. Unfortunately, Ash was only half right with his assumption of how Brock truly felt. He didn't know the whole story. It wasn't a simple rejection that made him curl up in a fetal position. That wasn't behavior of a normal person…just like this wasn't.

Brock thought that once he got away from Valencia Island that he could travel again with Ash, and everything would be okay. For a while, it was. That was until Suzie entered into his life again, and she stirred up Brock's hormones just as much as Professor Ivy. He loved Suzie with all his heart, but he only expected friendship between them. That was until she kissed him that night and gave him her number. While he was so excited that night, it subconsciously stirred up memories from his time on Valencia Island through his dreams, and now…here he was.

"It's not just that, Ash. I'm not that pathetic," Brock said quietly.

"I know you're not, Brock. That's why we want to know what it is. You've always been there for us, and we're here for you," Ash said in rare moment of clarity.

Brock looked up at Ash. This was his little buddy who, along with Serena, Brock had been teaching to learn how to properly take care of himself. When he first met Ash, he was a determined and likeable, yet immature boy who didn't know the first thing about taking care of himself. It was like that all throughout their travels in Kanto. Now, here he was almost two years later, and he grown up quite a lot. He wasn't as prone to bragging or rashness, and he could show moments of maturity at times…like now. Brock wondered if he could really tell Ash what his problem was.

The gears in Ash's head were turning as he tried to figure out something to say to Brock. He reached over and placed a comforting hand on Brock's shoulder. He had done this a few times with Serena after they had a disagreement or to comfort her. He had never done this with Brock before. To see him being the one to try to help Brock except the other way around was quite odd.

"Brock, please tell me what's wrong. I know I'm not the best person in the world to give advice, but I do know that you're my friend. I really want to help you. I can't if you don't tell me what's wrong, though," Ash said.

Brock looked like he was about to say something, but he suddenly got a depressed look on his face and resumed the fetal position. It seemed like even thinking about Professor Ivy's name had that effect on him. He wanted to tell Ash what it was, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Hey, Brock. Come on. Snap out of it," Ash tried as he snapped his fingers in front of Brock's face.

"I don't want to talk about it," Brock mumbled.

Ash sighed and looked towards Pikachu. It seemed that the only way to get Brock to talk were drastic measures. He hated to do this to Brock when he was incredibly down, but it was necessary to help Brock which was a lot more important. The raven-haired boy nodded his head at Pikachu, and the yellow rodent returned the gesture.

"Pikachuuuu!" Pikachu cried as it unleashed a Thundershock on Brock.

Ash suddenly realized it was a bad idea to have Pikachu use that in an enclosed space like their tent. He probably should've left before he ordered Pikachu to that. Ash had to duck and dodge around the tent to avoid the electric shocks himself.

"What are you two doing in there?!" came Misty's voice from outside the tent.

"Sorry! Trust me! I had to do it!" Ash called back.

He then turned back to Brock, and thankfully it had the desired effect. The tanned Pokemon breeder shot up from his fetal position at the speed of light and wildly glanced around. Given his surprised and flustered state, it made Ash wonder if Brock ever realized how he was when Professor Ivy's name was mentioned or thought of.

"Who?! What?! Where?!" Brock cried.

"Brock, you're still with me. You were going to tell me what's bothering you," Ash reminded.

Brock visibly relaxed, but he still looked reluctant. "I don't know, Ash. It brings up too many bad memories. I want to try to move on, but I can't," Brock replied.

"Come on, Brock. You can do this. You aren't one to run away from your problems. I've always seen you rejected by girls, but you were always able to pick yourself up and be perfectly normal," Ash tried to encourage.

Brock hung his head. "Yeah…I guess. It's just this was different."

"Will you still tell me? Misty, Serena…me. We all hate seeing you like this," Ash said.

Brock frowned. He did owe them an explanation, after all. He didn't know if Ash would be able to help him, but he also knew they would continue to worry about him until he said something. Brock then took a shuddering breath as he calmed himself. He then gave a final look at Ash who had a serious look on his face.

"Okay, Ash. I'll tell you," Brock finally said.

It was then that Brock relayed to Ash and Pikachu his tale of why he left Professor Ivy and the root of his fear for calling Suzy.

XXX

 _"Whew. That should just about do it," Brock said to himself as he wiped some sweat from his brow._

 _Brock was on the roof of Professor Ivy's home. He had just finished fixing the roof of her home from the leak it had. He had meant to fix it sooner, but he was too busy fixing other things. In the months Brock had been living with Professor Ivy and her assistants, he had fixed the leaky sink, the toilet, a leak in the air conditioning, among many other things. This was the last thing needed before Professor Ivy's home was perfect._

 _He then handed some boards to Onix. The large rock snake Pokemon then took them in its mouth and set them on the ground. About that time, Professor Ivy had walked out of her home. She stood back a little and peered up at Brock so she could see him on the roof._

 _"Brock, the lunch I made is ready," Professor Ivy called._

 _Brock grinned broadly upon seeing the professor. The sound of lunch sounded really great right now. He had been fixing the roof since early this morning and was pretty exhausted. Though Professor Ivy making lunch would be unheard of at one time, she now cooked almost just as much as Brock, though she still wasn't as great._

 _Brock had been working with Professor Ivy each day and night to teach her how to properly cook and clean…just like he did when he was with Ash, Serena, and Misty. Though she struggled and messed up a few times at first, by the end of the first month, she was able to take on some of the household chores and even cook to give Brock a break sometimes._

 _The Pokemon breeder went over to the ladder leaned against the roof before he carefully climbed down where Professor Ivy was waiting for him. She took another look up at the roof and smiled gratefully at Brock for his work._

 _"Thank you very much, Brock. The things you have done for the girls and I know no bounds. I don't see how we made it without you," she said._

 _"Heh. I've told you before, Professor, I'm happy to do this. It's no trouble at all," Brock replied with a smile._

 _"Brock, haven't I told you that you don't need to keep calling me Professor? You can call me by my first name, you know. I think we're familiar enough with each other by now," Felina Ivy stated with her hands on her hips._

 _"Hahaha, yeah. Sorry. I keep forgetting…Felina," Brock chuckled._

 _"There. That's better," Professor Ivy smiled faintly._

 _"You still looking forward for tonight?" Brock asked, changing the subject._

 _"Of course. I still find it strange that you just want to take me out tonight," Felina responded._

 _"Well, you see…I just want the mood to be really special," Brock said as he rubbed the back of his head as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks._

 _"I'm sure whatever you have planned will be wonderful, Brock," Professor Ivy reassured as she walked forward and gave Brock a gentle hug._

 _Brock's blush covered the rest of his head, and it was soon the color of a tomato. He almost felt steam erupt out of his ears because of how warm he felt from being hugged by the beautiful professor. Man, did he feel like the luckiest guy on Earth by getting to stay here on Valencia Island._

 _"Now come on in. I don't think you've tried some homemade lasagna from me," Professor Ivy stated as she released Brock from the hug and went to walk inside._

 _Brock watched her leave and breathed a contented sigh. Felina had no idea what Brock was planning for her tonight. Though what Brock was going to do would have most people scared to death, Brock wasn't and was confident Felina would accept. He was going to propose to her tonight. They had spent so much time learning from and getting to know each other the past few months, how could she not?_

 _Brock, of course, being instantly smitten with her played a huge part in his decision. However, he was sure that Felina loved him, too. She's given him hugs on multiple occasions like just now, and she's often told him that he was the best thing that's ever happened to her and the girls. To Brock, he and Professor Ivy getting married just felt right. Heck, she even told him she loved him on one occasion!_

 _"Waaaar," Onix growled softly as it leaned its long body down and gave a sly look at Brock. It and all of his other Pokemon knew what Brock was doing tonight._

 _"Shhh! I don't want Felina to get suspicious!" Brock whispered to his first Pokemon._

 _"Waaaar," Onix chuckled before it turned its body away from Brock and looked back expectantly at him._

 _"No. I'm not giving you an extra long brush today just so you'll keep your mouths shut," Brock frowned before he turned it into a smile. "However, I will give you an extra long brush because we're friends."_

 _Onix seemed to find that acceptable and nodded its head before it scooted off to go play with the other Pokemon. Brock watched his Onix go and was glad to have it. He had all of his Pokemons' support for this. He could do it. This was going to be the best night of his life._

 _"Excuse me, young man. Does Felina Ivy still live here?" a voice asked to Brock's right._

 _The tanned Pokemon breeder looked to the side. There was a man there with dark brown short hair and a goatee. He looked probably in his thirties and was holding a suitcase. Brock looked inquisitively at the man in front of him. It was weird that a man would just walk right up and ask if Professor Ivy lived here. Most people who wanted to see her would try her lab and wouldn't address her by her first name. As such, Brock immediately became protective of Professor Ivy and the girls. He wasn't about to let some creepy stalker know anything._

 _"If you don't mind me asking, sir, who are you?" Brock asked suspiciously._

 _"Oh. I'm sorry," the man apologized with a bow. "My name is John. I'm an old friend of Felina's. I haven't seen her in almost two years."_

 _"I see. Yes. This is the residence of Professor Ivy," Brock replied, feeling a little more relaxed upon studying the man a little bit. He didn't appear to be a bad person.  
_

 _"That's great. Thank you, young man," the man said and went to walk in, but Brock stopped him._

 _"With all due respect, sir…we were just about to eat lunch. I could let Professor Ivy know you're here to see her after we're done," Brock suggested, still uncomfortable with the idea of a stranger just waltzing into Professor Ivy's house, even if he said he was an old friend._

 _"Oh? You live here, too?" the man asked in surprise._

 _Before Brock could answer, Professor Ivy had poked her head outside the door to see what was taking so long. Felina Ivy never got the words out of her mouth before her eyes found the man who claimed to be named John was next to Brock. Her eyes lit up in surprise, and her mouth hung open. It was quite a strange look on her face considering she normally looked a little sleepy._

 _"John?" Felina questioned._

 _"Hello, Felina. It's been a while," John said with another bow._

 _"I…what are you doing here?" Felina wondered._

 _"I…I came to see you, of course," John answered._

 _"Oh…," Felina trailed._

 _Brock looked back and forth between the two with a look of confusion. Okay. So this man clearly wasn't lying when he said that he and Professor Ivy knew each other. Still, the way that the two were looking uncomfortably at each other wasn't typical of how a friend would greet another friend._

 _"Professor Ivy…what's…it's John!" Charity shouted as she poked her head out the door._

 _"John's here?" Hope and Faith questioned as they looked outside, too._

 _"John is here!" Charity confirmed as she pointed._

 _"Hello, Charity, Faith, Hope. It's been a while," John said pleasantly._

 _Brock, however, was completely lost. "Umm…if you don't mind me asking…what's going on?" Brock wondered._

 _"Brock…I…this is John. He's my ex-husband," Professor Ivy said awkwardly._

 _If Brock's eyes were capable of popping out of their sockets, they would've done so right there. His mouth almost dropped to the ground as he stared in absolute shock at the two people before him. Of all the things he expected, this was not one of them._

 _"WHAAAAAAAT?!" Brock exclaimed._

* * *

 _"John, where have you been all this time, and why come back now?" Felina wondered as the six were seated in Professor Ivy's house._

 _"Yeah. You were gone forever. We thought we'd never see you again!" the triplets said in unison._

 _"I…I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say. I left to find a bit of soul searching, and now I'm back," John replied._

 _"John…that doesn't change the fact that you left the girls and I to fend for ourselves…not to mention you broke our hearts," Felina sighed._

 _"I know. It was a terrible thing I did. I'm just glad you got along okay without me. The house looks great, and the food you cooked was delicious," John said._

 _"This actually isn't thanks to me," Felina frowned. "It's all thanks to Brock. Without him, I don't how the girls and I could've made it. Ever since Brock entered our lives, only good has come from it. He's cleaned our house, and he taught me how to cook."_

 _"Is that so?" John asked as he looked towards Brock and nodded his head. "Well, thank you young man for taking care of Professor Ivy and the girls."_

 _"Umm…you're welcome," Brock mumbled._

 _His head was a whirl right now. He had been under the impression that Professor Ivy had been single her whole life. Now, here comes some man who barged in and said he was Professor Ivy's ex-husband. Brock didn't know how to respond to this man. Should he not like him? Should he be welcoming? He wasn't sure._

 _"You see, Brock, before you came along, it was John who took care of all the household duties and cooked for us," Felina explained. "He was almost just like you in regards to his fanciness."_

 _"Heheheheh. Yeah. I was quite the neat freak," John chuckled._

 _"Still, we all trusted you, and then you left on some personal journey so you could say you could find yourself and left the girls and me alone. It was a terrible thing you did, John," Felina told him with a glare. "It's thanks to Brock that we were able to pick ourselves back up again."_

 _"Brock's the best!" the triplets nodded in agreement_

 _Brock almost felt a sense of pride well up inside of him due to how highly Felina Ivy and the girls were regarding him. He had no idea about Professor Ivy's past with another man. It would make sense, though, that she or the triplets wouldn't tell him. It wasn't his business, and it apparently hurt Professor Ivy and the triplets for what he did._

 _Brock wanted to stand up and shout at John for leaving a beautiful woman like Professor Ivy to fend for herself and take care of her assistants while managing a Pokemon lab. He wanted to shout that it was a very irresponsible thing to do and that he was lucky Felina Ivy was such a welcoming and kind woman to allow him back in her house. However, he held his tongue as it wasn't his place to speak._

 _"I know…I'm very sorry. If only you knew the truth of why I left," John sighed._

 _"It doesn't matter, John. The point is you left, and I'd prefer not to discuss this anymore in front of Brock or the girls," Professor Ivy said dismissively._

 _"I see," John said quietly as he stood up from the chair. "I figured that you would say that after what I did. I'll be at the Pokemon Center and leave you all alone, but please believe me when I say that I still think you are the most amazing and beautiful woman on this entire planet."_

"That makes two of us," _Brock thought to himself. It was the only thing he found himself agreeing with John about so far._

 _John then slowly walked out the door with everyone staring after him. Once he was gone, Professor Ivy sighed as she massaged her temple. She then looked apologetically at the triplets and Brock._

 _"I'm sorry. I think I'm going to go lie down right now and take a nap. I need one," Felina said._

 _"Can I get you anything, Felina? Water? A fluffy pillow?" Brock offered._

 _"You're sweet, Brock, but no thank you. I'll be alright. We're still on for tonight, too," Professor Ivy responded._

 _"I understand. Take all the time you need. Charity, Hope, Faith, and I can handle the duties at the lab," Brock reassured._

 _Felina smiled at Brock and then got up from her chair to retreat to her bedroom. Brock watched her go and turned back to the door of Professor Ivy's house were John just left from. How dare some man come back here after leaving Felina and the triplets by themselves like that and try to take her back! A wonderful woman like Professor Ivy deserves someone so much better, someone who cares about her and someone who is always willing to be there for her in her time of need…someone like him._

 _It only reinforced the idea of what Brock had planned for Professor Ivy tonight. It was going to be the right thing._

* * *

 _The sun was setting on Valencia Island. The sky was painted with many colors, but it mostly had red mixed in with it. The temperature was perfect, and of course, the best part to be on an island at sunset was the beach. That was where Brock and Professor Ivy were at the moment._

 _The two sat on the beach together as they watched the sun set and the waves roll gently back and forth against the shore. A refreshing sea breeze was coming in which gently made their hair sway back and forth. To Brock, it made Felina Ivy appear even more beautiful and angelic than she already did. Man was he head over heels for her._

 _Brock and Felina had just finished their picnic on the beach. Brock had made a delicious smoky potato salad dish with barbeque sauce. He had watermelon on the side and baked a scrumptious apple pie for dessert to go along with it. Professor Ivy rubbed her belly and sighed in contentment at the amazing food Brock had cooked. Her table manners, as well as the triplet's, had gotten much better ever since Brock arrived._

 _"Thank you for that wonderful picnic, Brock. It was on the perfect day at the perfect spot," Felina told him._

 _"Yeah. It was," Brock agreed and felt fortunate that everything was going great so far today…with the exception of meeting a certain ex-husband who wanted Professor Ivy back._

 _It was only going to get better. Brock had arranged for a firecrackers show to be launched tonight on the beach. They could watch the firecrackers together. Then combined with the food they just had and the atmosphere they were in, Brock would make his move._

 _He was going to propose to Felina Ivy._

 _The tanned Pokemon breeder then smiled when the fireworks went off on the beach. They had started right on cue when they were supposed to. There was no delay at all where Brock and Felina would sit in awkward silence as they awaited the fireworks. This only filled Brock with more certainty that she would accept._

 _"Oh my. I didn't know there was a special occasion tonight. We sure picked a good night to have a picnic," Felina commented._

 _"Well, I was actually the one who arranged to have the fireworks show tonight," Brock admitted._

 _"You? What's the occasion, Brock? I wasn't aware. I know it isn't my birthday or any of the girls," Felina replied in surprise._

 _"Heheh. Well, these fireworks are actually going off for you…and me," Brock said. There was no going back now._

 _A look of confusion crossed Professor Ivy's face. However, this didn't deter Brock. He wasn't expecting Felina to get it right away. He wanted this to be a surprise, after all. The good news was she wasn't rejecting him, and that caused him to push forward._

 _"You see…Felina, these past few months have been some of the best of my life. I've never been happier than when I've been with you and the girls," Brock said seriously._

 _"That's sweet of you, Brock. The girls and I haven't been better since you've been around, too. You've been such a great help to us all, and we love you for it," Professor Ivy smiled._

 _"I'm so happy to hear you say that," Brock said, getting encouraged by her words. "You mean a whole lot to me, Felina."_

 _"You mean a lot to me, as well, Brock, but I don't understand what you're getting at. You first take me out to a nice picnic, and then you have a fireworks show go off saying it's for us. What's the occasion?" Felina asked again._

 _Brock took a deep breath. Here it comes. For good luck, Brock started imagining Felina Ivy being overjoyed at the news he would tell her. She would say that he means a lot to her, too, and accept the proposal. They would be married and possibly even having a child together. They would have an intimate, loving relationship with the triplets and their own child and Pokemon lab to take care of. They would be the perfect couple._

 _"Felina…I love you. Will you marry me?" Brock requested and got out a small black box before opening it to present an engagement ring._

 _Felina Ivy's eyes went wide for the second time that day. Her breath seemed to catch in her throat as she struggled to find her response. After about a good ten seconds into staring into Brock's hopeful face, Felina found her voice, but it was still only one word._

 _"Brock…," Felina started, but Brock spoke again._

 _"I know this seems sudden, Felina, but I just feel as though we're perfect for each other. No other woman in history has made me feel the way I do about you. We complement each other so well and have so much in common. We've learned a lot from each other and also about Pokemon. With as close as we are and the fact that we're living together, marrying you just feels right. I promise you I would love you every day for the rest of my life and be the best husband ever," Brock finished._

 _There. Brock said it. He just poured his whole heart out to Felina Ivy and gave her several reasons on why they should marry. There was no way she could refuse him! All she had to do was say the magic words, and he would be hers forever. He would never leave her side._

 _"I-I don't know what to say," Felina muttered._

 _"You could say yes," Brock smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood, but to his surprise, Felina didn't return it._

 _Professor Ivy reached out and touched Brock's cheek with her hand. Brock felt like he could melt under her touch. Man, it just didn't get any better than this. He was about to be engaged to a beautiful woman. He would be in his ultimate paradise._

 _"I have no doubt you'd be the best husband in the world, Brock," Felina said, which caused Brock feel like he was in heaven again since she agreed. "However, I can't return your feelings."_

 _"You…huh?" Brock questioned, clearly confused. Maybe he misheard her. "What?"_

 _"Brock, I'm…I'm forever grateful for you that you're in my life. I love you, too, but not the way that you seem to love me," Felina elaborated._

 _"I-I-I….uh…," Brock was taking several deep breaths. This couldn't be happening. The mood was so perfect, and he know he said the right words. What did he do wrong?"_

 _"Oh, Brock. I'm so sorry. Please don't be upset," Felina said worriedly as the boy seemed to be hyperventilating._

 _"Felina…I…why? Did I do something wrong? Did I upset you in anyway? Please tell me! I promise if there's something about me that you don't like, I'll fix immediately! I promise! I'd do anything for you!" Brock cried._

 _Felina's heart hurt to see Brock like this. Here he was thinking that it was because of him that she was rejecting him. However, the reason was totally outside of his control. He was the nicest and sweetest boy she ever met, and she really hated to hurt him. However, he had to know the real reason._

 _"Brock…I'm…I can't feel that way about you. I don't see you how you see me. I'm thirty three years old, and you're…sixteen. I'm over twice your age," Professor Ivy said truthfully._

 _Brock felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer and beat his heart senselessly until it shattered into a million pieces. Brock was completely devastated now that he found out the true way Professor Ivy felt about him. She didn't say it directly, but she didn't have to. He was too young for her. While he viewed her as perfection in woman form, she only viewed him as a sweet and lovable…boy. Ugh! That was so far from where he wanted to be with her!_

 _"Oh….," Brock choked as he suddenly felt very sick to his stomach._

 _"Brock…please listen to me," Felina stated as she cupped Brock's face in her hands to keep him from passing out. "The girls and I love you. That much won't ever change. You're still a member of our family. Even though we can't be husband and I wife, I still want you to live with us."_

 _Though still devastated, Brock was starting to get some of his senses back now that the shock was wearing off. He took a deep breath as he stared into Professor Ivy's lovely face. She was looking at him, and her eyes were filled with worry. Even though she just broke his heart, Brock could tell that she still genuinely cared for him and still wished for him to stay with her. She did love him just as she said, but not the way he wanted._

 _"Brock…I know I just broke your heart, and it really hurts me that I had to do it, but please know that I still want you to stay with us. Can I count on you?" Professor Ivy asked hopefully._

 _Brock wasn't quite sure how to respond right now. So it seemed like he just lost his chance to be with Professor Ivy. He was too young, but wait! That seemed to be the only problem. He wouldn't be a sweet lovable_ boy _for much longer! In just a few short years, he would be an adult…and more specifically a man!_

 _He just had to be patient. Once he became a man, there was no way Felina would see him as boy. She would see him as a man…a big, strong, perfect, lovable man! Brock's mind started to fill with fantasies of what he would look like as an actual adult. He liked what he saw, too. He would be a stud that no woman could resist…that included Professor Ivy. His heart would always belong to her, but he just needed to wait. That was acceptable. He would be patient and try again when he's older._

 _"Are-are you feeling a little better?" Felina asked in an unsure tone upon seeing Brock's happy face._

 _"Yes. Much better," Brock said now filled with a new sense of determination._

 _"Does that mean…?" Felina started._

 _"Of course I'll stay with you and the girls, Felina," Brock said. "I love you all, too!"_

 _"Oh, Brock! That's so wonderful! I'm so thrilled to hear you say that!" Felina exclaimed as she hugged him. "We can still be one, big, happy family!"_

 _"Definitely!" Brock agreed as he returned the hug._

 _Brock could live for this right now. He couldn't selfishly make Felina feel that way about him when she couldn't. Despite having his heart broken, Felina didn't completely say it was out of the question. They could go on living just the way they had. Brock would still be in his paradise. There would just be a slight delay in it._

 _The last firework then went off. Even though the sky had finished lighting up, Brock's heart couldn't be burning brighter. Everything would be okay._

* * *

 _Brock was walking through the tropical forest on Valencia Island. It was late at night now, and Professor Ivy still hadn't come in. He was sure that she was still out doing her late night researches. If that was the case, he could find her to give her some company. He even brought a few rice balls with him like usual in case she wanted a snack._

 _This was all a token of good will to show Brock that there would be no hard feelings between him and Felina. He could prove that they could continue living just the way they were. Brock hummed to himself as he strolled through the forest to look for her._

 _However, he found it strange that she wasn't in her usual spots. He had just checked all of the areas where she studied Pokemon, but she wasn't there at all. Needless to say, Brock was a little confused. If she wasn't in any of these areas, where was she? Did they manage to miss each other and she was already back at her house?_

 _Figuring there was no other explanation, Brock turned around to head back. He didn't want Felina to worry by discovering he wasn't there. After all, he told her he was going to stay, and he was. As long as there was that small string of hope that Felina might like him one day in the future, he would stay by her for all of his days. He just had to prove himself._

 _As Brock headed back, Brock's ears were able to pick up slight mumbling. He perked his head up as he tried to listen where it was coming from. If he wasn't mistaken, he thought he heard Professor Ivy's voice. The other voice was one he was less familiar with, but it still sounded like he heard it before. Unable to help himself, Brock followed the sound of the voices. As he got closer, he could indeed tell that it was Felina's voice. Not one to eavesdrop, Brock would just check to make sure she was okay and head back once he confirmed it._

 _Brock soon found his way out of the forest and onto the streets of the small town on Valencia Island. As soon as he was out, he immediately spotted Felina Ivy. She was sitting on a bench with her back turned to him about twenty feet way. However, as Brock knew, she wasn't alone. Brock's eyes narrowed when he saw John, her apparent ex husband was with her. What was he doing here? Didn't Professor Ivy make it clear that she didn't want to see him?_

 _Feeling protective, Brock went to advance on them, but he soon stopped. John apparently wasn't trying to hurt Felina. In fact, he sounded rather gentle. Brock relaxed as there was no need to get physical with this guy. Still, maybe he should stick around just to make sure Felina was okay. Once they were done and John hadn't attempted to make a move on her, Brock would head back. Brock slid back into the trees to hide himself as he listened in. He hated to eavesdrop but he found it necessary for the good of Professor Ivy._

 _"John…," Professor Ivy trailed._

 _"Felina…I know I screwed up. It was a terrible thing. I've regretted it every day," John stated, and he sounded sincere._

 _"Then why did you leave? I want to know right now. You owe me an explanation. Was it because you thought I wasn't good enough for you? Because if that was it…you're way too late now," Felina stated._

 _"No. It wasn't like that at all. If anything, it was the opposite," John said._

 _"What?" Professor Ivy inquired._

 _"Felina, you were the most perfect woman in the whole world while I was just an average Joe. You came from a family of incredible, wealthy people and had a great upbringing. You were brilliant, and all of your efforts paid off. You became a Pokemon professor at such a young age. Meanwhile, you know I never had the best life growing up. I struggled in school, and never excelled at anything. I only had a normal business job while you were perfect in every way," John told her._

 _"I don't understand," Professor Ivy said._

 _"Felina…I felt I wasn't worthy to have a woman as incredible as you. You were the best, and I believed you only deserved the best. I was far from what you deserved. That's why I left. I was hoping you would find someone worthy of your love," John said sorrowfully._

 _"That's silly, John," Professor Ivy asserted and placed her hands on her hips._

 _"What do you mean?" John asked in a confused tone._

 _"I get to choose who I love, John. It doesn't matter who you are or what your past or upbringing was like compared to mine! I didn't care about any of that. It was you that I loved, and I loved everything about you…even if you just called yourself an average Joe. You were still perfect in my eyes! Shouldn't that have been enough?" Felina cried._

 _John took a deep breath and looked towards the ground. Brock could tell that he knew he hurt Professor Ivy. Even so, he should've know by now that he blew his chance with her._

 _"I know you're right. That's why I came back. I wanted to make things right with you, Felina. After I did some thinking, I realized that you wouldn't care about any of that. Love is unconditional, no matter what the circumstances are. That's the way I've always felt for you. Felina, please give me another chance," John pleaded._

 _"John…I…I don't know. So much has happened since then," Felina frowned.  
_

 _"I-I know. I'm so sorry, Felina. I'm so sorry. Even if you don't take me back right away, I just want a chance to prove my love for you again. You have my word that I won't ever leave you again. I promise to stay by your side for all of my days," John told her, similar to what Brock said to her earlier._

 _"John…it's...," Felina stated, and John sighed._

 _"I just wanted to let you know how I felt and how wrong of me it was. I know that. However, if you wish it, I'll leave forever and never come back. I would never want to hurt you again," John stated._

 _Brock was watching all of this and shook his head at John. He almost…almost felt sorry for him. Still, at least he realized he messed up. Brock wished the guy the best and hoped he found love with another woman. However, it would be impossible to find someone as great as Professor Ivy. At least she could send John away peacefully. Satisfied that nothing bad would happen, Brock went to turn back to Professor Ivy's house, but certain words made him stop._

 _"John…everyone deserves a second chance," came Professor Ivy's voice._

 _Brock spun around at that those words, and the scene before him made his mouth drop open. Felina was holding John's head up with her hand and was giving him a very tender look. Upon understanding what Felina meant, John gave her a hopeful look._

 _"You…you mean…," John started as he began to breathe heavily._

 _"Yes, John. I honestly never stopped loving you, but I was just so hurt. I do want you back in my life," Felina declared._

 _John's eyes welled up with tears at Felina's words, as did Felina's and Brock's. However, Brock's reason was different. John leaned forward and embraced Felina in a loving hug, and Felina returned it. They stayed that way for a few moments before John broke the silence._

 _"Felina, you truly are the most amazing woman in the world to give me another chance. We can start off small, and I certainly won't ask you to go back to the way we were immediately. We can take it slowly. Just hearing you say these words mean more to me than you can imagine. I'm so happy," John said._

 _"Yes. We'll take it slow, but it will be okay. I know the girls will be happy to have you back in our lives, too. I know you'll love Brock, too. He's a wonderful boy," Felina explained. She had no idea that Brock was still hoping to marry her once he was older._

 _"I'm sure he is," John replied. "I look forward to getting to know him, too."_

 _That's when the clincher happened. Felina and John leaned forward until they lightly kissed each other on the lips, and it was definitely how lovers would kiss each other. Well, that was two people who were getting a happy ending. However, the one other person wasn't._

 _Brock felt his world crashing down on top of him as he saw Felina and John kiss. He actually dropped the rice balls he was carrying onto the ground due to his shock. How…how could this happen?! He had been clinging to the hope that Felina would one day love him the way he loved her if he just waited a little bit. Now, he'll never get that chance! If Felina was back with her ex-husband, then Brock knew he stood no chance and was completely shut down._

 _Not only that, but Professor Ivy had referred to him as a 'boy' again. Those words stung Brock almost as much as the kiss. That was truly all she saw him as, and now that she had found someone, that was all he would ever be to her. Even when he grew up, he would always just be a young, lovable, sweet boy to her. In short, Brock was devastated._

 _His paradise was lost._

 _Brock turned and ran as fast as he could away from the scene. He didn't think he had ever ran so fast in his life. He just wanted to get away. He wanted to get away from John. He wanted to get away from Charity, Faith, and Hope. He wanted to get away from Felina Ivy. He wanted to get away from Valencia Island. He couldn't stay here anymore. It hurt too much. He had just forever lost the love of his life, and there was nothing he could do about it…_

 _XXX_

"I was gone the very next morning," Brock mumbled as he finished his story. "I wrote a quick goodbye letter wishing her, John, and the triplets the best, and then I was gone. There was no way I could bear to stay."

Ash's mouth was hung open once Brock was done. So that's what this all as about. Professor Ivy didn't just simply reject Brock, she stomped all over it until there was hardly anything left. She even was going to get back with her ex-husband after Brock had proposed to her. That would leave anyone in a complete state of devastation. No wonder Brock curled up into the fetal position every time her name was mentioned.

"Brock…I…," Ash started until something else happened that he didn't expect.

Brock sniffed a few times and took a few shuddering breaths. Tears began to fall from his eyes. They weren't just a few either, they were a lot. Ash and Pikachu could tell these were different than the tears Brock had shown before. They weren't the tears of Misty pulling on his ear. They weren't the tears of Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny pushing away his advances on them. They were genuine, hurting, tears. Ash believed this was the first time he ever saw Brock truly cry.

"It hurts, Ash. It hurts," Brock muttered through his tears.

Ash was at a loss for words at his hurting best friend. Brock truly loved Professor Ivy and it wasn't just simple infatuation like with Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny. What had happened to Brock would devastate anyone. He had every right to be as upset as he was.

Ash suddenly felt shame and looked down. He, Misty, and Serena had been so callous about it, too. They simply brushed it aside whenever he would curl into the fetal position every time Professor Ivy's name was mentioned. They would even make fun of him for it. Brock was always there for them, and he was hurting so much this entire time, and they were so uncaring about it. Even if they didn't know the truth, Ash felt like a complete jerk. He was sure Misty and Serena would feel the same if they found out the truth.

"Brock…I'm…so…sorry," Ash said as he struggled to find the right words to say.

"Piiiiiii," Pikachu added. It felt just as bad for Brock.

"Wh-what for?" Brock stuttered as he looked up at Ash, tears still coming from his face.

"For acting like how I did when it came to…you know who," Ash said. "We didn't know the full story and thought it was a situation like with Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny. I'm so sorry, Brock. We were wrong. We…especially I…should've been there for you to help just like you've always been there for us."

"It's okay, Ash. You didn't know," Brock replied. "Besides, my Pokemon have been here to help a little, too."

"It doesn't matter," Ash said as he shook his head. "Brock, you do so much for us, and we gave so little. I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry."

Brock could tell Ash was being genuine with what he said. Though Brock never thought badly of him, Serena, or Misty for how they treated him after Professor Ivy's name was mentioned, it still felt good to hear that. Not to mention, it also felt good to Brock to get that story off his chest. He had been bottling it in for so long until he reached the stage he was at now because of those dreams. Brock didn't think he would, but he felt so much better after telling his story.

"Hey. As I said, it's okay, Ash. You're my little buddy. We're bros," Brock said as he dried his tears held out his fist to Ash.

Ash stared at the open gesture for a moment and grinned. "You bet. We're brothers."

Ash then held out his own fist to Brock before they fist bumped and pulled it into a brotherly hug. Pikachu smiled and cooed in happiness at the heartwarming scene. Though it was clear that both Ash and Brock had real blood brothers and weren't related, they were still closer. This was one of those things that they wouldn't share with their real siblings…especially in Ash's case.

"Thanks, Ash," Brock finally said.

"For listening to you?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah. I feel a lot better now," Brock sighed in relief as he let go of Ash.

"So what are you going to do now?" Ash wondered.

Brock frowned as he once more reached into his pocket to pull out Suzie's number. After getting his heart crushed by Professor Ivy, he didn't think he could handle another heartbreak like that. What if Suzie didn't love him the way he loved her? She had kissed him, yes, but he didn't want to be pulled into another false sense of security with love as he did with Professor Ivy.

"I don't know, Ash. I'm…scared to call Suzie," Brock admitted.

"You won't know how she really feels unless you try to make progress with her," Ash advised.

"I know. It's just…," Brock started, but Ash stopped him.

"Look, Brock. I know losing Professor Ivy truly hurt you, but you…can't let that control your attempt to find true love. I know you, Brock, and trust me. You deserve to find a girl and be happy," Ash told him having another rare moment. He was surprised at the words that were coming out his mouth.

"But…what if Suzie has some past lover that comes back?" Brock protested.

"Then prove to her that you're the better choice!" Ash exclaimed. "Brock, you have so many awesome qualities that would blow every other guy out of the water! Serena and Misty would certainly agree! If a girl can't see that then you don't want her anyway!"

Brock chuckled before he once more looked at Suzie's number. Ash was right. He would never know unless he tried. Besides, no one said he had to rush things with Suzie. He just had to spend more time with her. If the time ever approached for him to confess, he would take it. If for some reason she didn't return his feelings, that was okay. There was still someone out there waiting for him.

"You're right, Ash. I'll do it," Brock nodded.

"That's great, Brock!" Ash smiled.

Brock then took out his Pokegear. He then took a deep breath before he finally began to dial Suzie's number. Now that he was actually doing it, Ash and Pikachu crawled out of the tent to give Brock some privacy. Though Ash was sure it wouldn't matter to Brock if he was there or not, it just felt right to do it this one time.

Ash stood up from outside the tent and saw Serena and Misty had just finished cleaning the dishes. Upon seeing Ash had just emerged from the tent, Serena and Misty ran over to him and Pikachu with Togepi waddling after them.

"Hey, Ash. How'd it go?" Serena asked worriedly.

Ash couldn't help but smile as he turned back to the tent. Though it sounded rather muffled, they could hear Brock's voice from inside the tent. Judging from Ash's face and the happy tone in Brock's voice, they could put two and two together.

"Brock called Suzie, after all?" Misty guessed.

"That's right," Ash nodded.

"So does that mean he's no longer afraid?" Serena asked hopefully.

"Yep," Ash confirmed. "I think Brock will be just fine now. I think…he can finally move on from Professor Ivy."

Serena and Misty smiled in relief at Ash's words. With that, they walked away from the tent to complete the rest of the chores. They would give Brock the day off so he could relax and get over his fear that had been plaguing him the past few days. He deserved it.

If things worked out, Brock just might be able to get his broken heart repaired, after all.

* * *

 **And there is my take on what happened with Brock and Professor Ivy. I hope it was acceptable to all of you. Now, Brock's finally recovered from his loss and can move on. Let's hope the poor guy can get some true love in his life now!**

 **Here are some previews of what's to come in the next chapters:**

 **Togepi's first battle**

 **Who Keeps Togepi**

 **Brock catches a new Pokemon**

 **Group arrives at Ecruteak City**

 **Ash and Gary meet and battle**

 **Ecruteak Gym battle**

 **I hope you guys are still sticking with me after having to wait so long. I've said it once, and I'll say it again that I'm determined to see this series through to the end! Please stay with me until then!**

 **The next chapter should be out in early February. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight: Pokemon Sumo Wrestling**


	28. Pokemon Sumo Wrestling

**A/N: To the few people who keep complaining that I refer to Pokemon as 'it' in this series:**

 **If you recall, the anime, and even the games which are the source material for all things related to Pokemon, refer to Pokemon as 'it'. It would be convenient if the anime used 'he' or 'she' so we would know the gender of all the group's Pokemon, but it doesn't. I have all of Ash and Serena's Pokemon genders for this fic in my profile. My own reason for not using gender pronouns for Pokemon is so it saves me the headache of trying to keep track of the gender of every single Pokemon every person owns as I write. Please understand that it is quite tedious when you consider a fic of this size. That's why the gender listings on my profile are there for your reference.**

 **On to other matters, I got this chapter out a day early for you guys. I think you guys will like this chapter as it shows a different style of Pokemon battling than the ones you are used to. There was an episode like this in the Johto arc so I loosely based it off that. I thought it would be a fun adaption as well as give a plot item to a certain Pokemon...maybe.**

 **Please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Eight: Pokemon Sumo Wrestling

The group had just come across a small town. They had been traveling for almost a week without any sign of civilization. One of the things they learned was that the way from Goldenrod City to Ecruteak City was pretty barren. There was the National Park, this town, and that was most likely it. On the other hand, it may have meant they were getting a little closer to Ecruteak City, too.

"I'm glad we made it to this town. We were starting to run a little low on supplies," Brock noted as he patted his backpack for emphasis.

"It looks like another nice, traditional, Japanese town," Misty commented as she looked around.

Indeed, there were several old-fashioned, Japanese buildings here. One of the notable trademarks of the Johto region was for all the modern cities it had, it had an equal number of traditional towns. Violet City, Azalea Town, and this place were perfect examples of that. They heard Ecruteak City and Mohogany Town were the same way. That still didn't mean this town wouldn't have a Pokemon Center.

They were just about to look for the said Pokemon Center when they heard a loud _thud_ followed by some shouting. The group ran forward to investigate what it could be, and they got their answer rather quickly. A couple of large Pokemon, namely a Nidoking and a Miltank were battling…well…sort of. They weren't using any sort of real attacks at all. Everything they were doing was purely physical. There was also a ring that was about ten feet wide and ten feet across that they were standing in. A crowd of people was formed around the Pokemon as they cheered on in excitement.

Another thing that was odd was that there was no one ordering any commands to the Nidoking and Miltank. Every move they were making was done completely on their own. There were two people off to the side that were a little closer than the crowd of people who were probably their trainers. Still, not one of them was saying anything.

"What's going on?" Ash wondered as he saw the strange way the Pokemon battled.

"These Pokemon are practicing for a sumo wrestling competition," a man replied as he watched.

"Sumo wrestling?" Serena questioned.

"That's right," the man replied.

Then on cue, the Nidoking gave an extra hard shove on the Miltank. The milk cow Pokemon stumbled backwards a couple of feet. Once it did, one of its hooves was out of the ring, and a gong was sounded off to the side by an elderly man in a robe. At that, the cheering became even louder as the old man made an announcement.

"The winner of this match is Nidoking!" he declared.

"How was it won when Miltank wasn't knocked out?" Ash wondered.

"It's because it stepped out the ring," Brock answered this time. "In sumo wrestling, one wins if their opponent falls on any body part other than their hands feet, or if they step out of the ring."

"Oh. I get it," Ash realized.

The Nidoking and Miltank then stepped off the battlefield, and brand new Pokemon entered the ring. This time it was Blastoise and a Golem. Like Nidoking and Miltank before them, the two Pokemon began to grapple with each other. Also, there was no trainer giving them orders.

"Well, this sounds interesting. Maybe we could get some more information from Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Center," Ash suggested.

With that, the group set off to find it. They were interested in seeing how this sumo match would turn out, but they were pretty tired. They could learn more about what this craze was all about at the Pokemon Center.

As they left, Togepi was making various punching motions with its stub arms to mimic the sumo Pokemon. Serena looked down at the Pokemon and giggled at it. She thought it was cute, but Togepi wasn't looking for being cute at the moment. It wanted to be tough.

* * *

"Here are your Pokemon. I'm pleased to say they're all healthy," Nurse Joy smiled as she handed the pokeballs back to the group. With that being said, Nurse Joy was already aware of Mareep's illness so the group didn't need to keep being reminded. All of their other Pokemon were in good shape, though.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Ash responded as he and others took their respective pokeballs. He then switched the subject. "I was wondering what this craze of Pokemon sumo wrestling was all about."

"Yes. It's a big tradition of this town. It's become so popular that we even started having competitions a few times a year," Nurse Joy said.

"So the reason why there were so many people practicing was because there must be one coming up?" Serena guessed.

"That's right. There's actually one tomorrow," Nurse Joy nodded. "Visitors, of course, are welcome to watch."

"I want to enter," Ash said immediately.

Everyone turned to look at Ash and chuckled nervously. He had never even heard of Pokemon sumo wrestling before today, and he was already wanting to compete? Well, that was typical Ash to try any type of new challenge no matter how strange or foreign it was to him. Still, there were a few things he had to figure out before jumping right into it.

"Sooooo…what Pokemon are you going to use?" Misty asked.

Ash sweat dropped at that. Man, he had a whole slew of Pokemon to choose from. Who would be best for a situation like this? He had several strong Pokemon that could stand up to the challenge. Pikachu began waving its hands up and down at Ash. It could pull off some sick moves in order to get its opponent out the ring! Surely Ash would pick it!

"If it helps, the minimum weight of a competing Pokemon at least has to be eighty kilograms," Nurse Joy informed Ash as Pikachu fell forward on its face. What a rip off! These people should know size doesn't matter! Big things come in small packages!

Upon hearing that, Ash immediately grinned as he thought of the perfect Pokemon. "I've got it…Snorlax!" he exclaimed.

"Uh…Snorlax?" Brock, Misty, and Serena questioned in unison.

"Of course! No Pokemon is as heavy as Snorlax! It could easily blow any Pokemon out of the ring!" Ash explained.

"That's great, but how are you going to get Snorlax to participate?" Misty asked.

"I'll find a way. Besides, Snorlax and I have come quite a way since I first caught it. I don't think it'll let me down," Ash responded.

"If you say so," Misty sighed, hoping he was right.

"Well, if you're that determined to compete, then this might help you," Nurse Joy said as she handed Ash a small book.

Ash took the book and read the title…"Basics of Pokemon Sumo". Well, for a lack of an original title, it at least got to the point of what the book was about. Ash smiled as he checked out he book's front and back. With this thing, he'll have a Pokemon sumo star in no time!

With that, Ash hurried over to the video phone with the rest of the group following him. He eagerly picked up the receiver and hastily dialed Professor Oak's number and waited for it to ring. A few rings later, the Pokemon professor of the Kanto region answered the phone, and his face brightened upon seeing Ash.

"Ah! Hello Ash, my boy! What can I do for you this time?" Professor Oak greeted.

"Hi, Professor! I need you to send me Snorlax right away," Ash said.

"Okay. What's the big rush, though?" Professor Oak inquired, noticing Ash's eagerness.

"I'm going to enter a Pokemon sumo competition, and the weight minimum is eighty kilograms. I know I have a few Pokemon that at least weigh that much, but Snorlax is my best bet," Ash told him.

"I see. Well, one won't argue with that," Professor Oak agreed as he folded his arms. "I'll be happy to send you, Snorlax, but which Pokemon will you send me in exchange?"

"Oh, yeah," Ash mumbled.

He always hated this decision. Each time he called Professor Oak to get a new Pokemon, he had to trade another one of them, too. He longed for the day when he might be able to hold more Pokemon on him than six. However, that was only allowed with special cases like his Pokemon therapy session or with special trainers. In fact, the only person Ash knew who was allowed to hold more than six Pokemon was Blue or Lance. Ash wasn't sure about his own dad, but he wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

"Why not send me Houndour? You've told me that it is an extremely loyal and protective Pokemon to you. I would like to study that a little bit," Professor Oak suggested.

"Umm…okay. I guess so," Ash replied as he fished out Houndour's pokeball.

This was the most logical decision so far as he already had another fire-type on his team. He could probably trade it back once he was done with the sumo competition. Though Snorlax liked being with Ash, it liked being at Professor Oak's lab a little more due to its endless supply of fruit there.

Ash placed Houndour's pokeball on the transfer system while Professor Oak went to retrieve Snorlax. It took a few minutes as it was probably a chore for Professor Oak to convince Snorlax to leave the all you can eat buffet his lab seemed to offer. Even so, he still returned and likewise placed Snorlax's pokeball on the transfer system before he pressed a button.

The pokeballs soon disappeared in a bout of electricity before they reappeared on the other end of the system. Ash and Professor Oak then held up each pokeball to show that they were each received successfully.

"Got it, Professor. Thanks!" Ash smiled.

"You're welcome," Professor Oak responded and switched topics. "By the way, Ash, I have a bit of news that might interest you. You're nearing Ecruteak City, aren't you?"

"Yeah. It shouldn't take us too much longer to get there…maybe a week," Ash replied.

"Well, I just learned that Gary and Leaf are approaching Ecruteak City, too. Gary's been wanting to see you, you know," Professor Oak informed Ash.

"He has?" Ash asked in surprise.

"Yes. If I let him know how close you are to each other, I'm sure he'd be willing to wait for you. That might be a good time for you two to make amends with one another," Professor Oak said.

Ash looked down as he let those words sink in. In one of his latest conversations with Professor Oak, he was told that Gary had realized he was wrong with how he yelled at Ash. Though Ash had been meaning to call him to let him know everything was okay, it just didn't seem like a mere phone call would work. If two friends were fighting, they should try to work it out in person. The opportunity seemed to be presenting itself right here so Ash knew he shouldn't waste it. Serena, Brock, and Misty were both wondering how Ash would respond, too.

"Thanks, Professor. Please let Gary know I'll be in Ecruteak City soon. I'd like to see him, too," Ash told him.

"Excellent, Ash. I'm sure Gary will be pleased to know that. I'll be sure to tell him," Professor Oak smiled before he added. "It wouldn't do for good rivals like yourselves to continually be on bad terms with each other."

"Right. I don't like this fight with Gary, either," Ash replied.

"Well, I guess that will wrap up everything. Take care, you all!" Professor Oak waved and addressed Serena, Brock, and Misty this time, too.

"Bye, Professor," they all said before the phone was hung up.

Brock came up from behind Ash and clapped his shoulder lightly. "So, Ash, how do feel about meeting Gary?"

Ash took a deep breath. "I'm sure it'll go just fine. Gary's already committed to meeting me halfway so I just have to do it, too.

"That's good, Ash. I hate that you two were fighting," Serena commented.

Ever since Ash had his confrontation with Gary, Serena hadn't talked to him, either. She had been pretty mad at Gary, too, for kicking Ash while he was down by shouting at him that he forgot his anniversary with her. She'd forgiven him since then, but it would feel odd to call him right now. However, that meant she hadn't talked to Leaf, either, as she was with Gary. She missed her best friend, too.

Those meetings would come soon, but right now, Ash had a sumo competition he wanted to win.

* * *

"Come on out, Snorlax!" Ash called as he released the gluttonous Pokemon.

The pokeball opened up and revealed Snorlax. Unsurprisingly, Snorlax was fast asleep upon coming out of the pokeball. Professor Oak hadn't informed Ash if Snorlax had just eaten a huge meal or if it had just simply been sleeping all day and just needed to retrieve it. Ash sighed as he realized he should really start to consider carrying around a Pokeflute.

Regardless, Ash decided to make the best of it as he didn't necessarily need Snorlax to move right now. He was going to be busy reading the rules, and he could teach Snorlax once he was done. The raven-haired boy sat down on the porch of the Pokemon Center and began to read the rules of Pokemon sumo wrestling.

"Okay. The first rule of Pokemon sumo wrestling is that a Pokemon can't use any type of attack, whatsoever. It can only use its physical strength. I was already told that," Ash read to himself.

"I'd say Snorlax has plenty of that. It just needs to learn how to utilize it," Misty said as she and rest watched Snorlax sleep.

"A Pokemon wins when any part of its body is pushed out of the ring or if another part of its body touches the ground other than its hands or feet," Ash read again.

Ash figured Snorlax shouldn't have any trouble with that. It was hard enough to knock over or push as it was. Ash figured as long as he was making wise decisions about what to tell Snorlax, he should have this in the bag.

"The third rule is that trainers do not command their Pokemon at all during the match. A Pokemon must make its own decisions the entire time...what?!" Ash exclaimed.

Ash then cast a glance at the still snoozing Snorlax. Great. How on Earth was he supposed to win if he wasn't going to be commanding Snorlax? He had a hard enough time getting it to wake up and battle. If he wasn't issuing any attacks, Snorlax would be fast asleep the second the match started. If it didn't feel like battling…which was often…there was nothing Ash would be able to do about it.

Ash ran over to Snorlax and started shouting in its ear to get it to wake up. It had no effect. Heh. Ash knew that wouldn't work, but it's not like he had any better ideas.

"Come on, Snorlax!" he shouted, but only got snoring in response.

The rest of the group sighed. Ash wouldn't even have to worry about Snorlax battling on its own if he couldn't get it to wake up. Ash crossed his arms and frowned at Snorlax.

"Do you guys have any ideas of what could wake up Snorlax?" Ash asked.

"I could try to have Poliwhirl wake it up with its Water Gun," Serena suggested as she took out Poliwhirl's pokeball. "Go, Poliwhirl!"

"My Poliwag can help, too!" Misty added as she took out her own pokeball. "Go, Poliwag!"

The two tadpole Pokemon appeared from their pokeballs in different fashions. Misty's Poliwag appeared ready to listen to Misty and humble with its attitude. Serena's Poliwhirl, of course, looked like it was using the move, Nasty Plot, as usual. If only Poliwhirl could naturally learn the move, it would be perfect for it. Poliwhirl then turned and smirked down at Misty's Poliwag. Heh. It was still a small fry. The things it could do to taunt it.

"Hey, you two. We need you both to use Water Gun on Ash's Snorlax to wake it up," Serena told them before she gave a suspicious look at Poliwhirl. "Just don't overdo it. We don't want an angry Snorlax on our hands."

Poliwhirl briefly thought about the possibility of annoying Snorlax but thought better of it. Serena did have a fair point. Being flattened like a pancake from one of Snorlax's Body Slams certainly wasn't desired. It and Misty's Poliwag then turned to Snorlax and did a light Water Gun attack on the sleeping Pokemon.

The cold water was splashing right on Snorlax's face, but the sleeping Pokemon looked no closer to waking up than it did before. Some of the water was even going in Snorlax's mouth as it opened its mouth to snore, but Snorlax would just guzzle it out and continue to sleep. Poliwhirl soon got tired of using Water Gun since it was achieving no results and stopped along with Misty's Poliwag. The group was beginning to lose hope that they may never wake up Snorlax in time for the sumo competition.

"Man. What am I supposed to do now?" Ash muttered as he slumped down.

"Attention everyone! Don't forget to sign up for the Triannual Pokemon Sumo Event! The winning Pokemon will receive a year's supply of Pokemon food and a King's Rock!" an announcement reminded from the nearby sumo stadium.

As if by magic, Snorlax gave a snort in its sleep before it opened its squinting eyes and looked around. Did it hear a year's supply of Pokemon food? Snorlax scratched its stomach and got an excited look on its face. That sounded absolutely delicious right now! The group noticed this, too, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Of course the only thing that could wake up Snorlax besides a Poke flute would be the mention of food," Misty commented.

"Great! So you'll compete Snorlax?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Snorlax…," Snorlax grunted before it stood to its feet a lot faster than one would expect for such a heavy Pokemon.

"With the proper motivation, I think Snorlax would be a great competitor. Few Pokemon would be able to push it around," Serena smiled.

Snorlax, however, wasn't the only Pokemon who had motivation. Serena's Poliwhirl heard that the other part of the prize was a King's Rock. It still had the bitter memory of how it lost its precious King's Rock to the treacherous Slowking when it was first captured on that fishing pole. It was lost under the stupidest of circumstances, too!

Now, however, that could all change. Opportunity was once more knocking on its door to get another King's Rock! Poliwhirl knew it couldn't let this chance go to waste! It would reclaim what was once stolen from it! Then when the time was right, it could finally use the King's Rock to reach its dream and evolve into a Politoed! With moves like Swagger and Perish Song, it could be the ultimate troll it always wanted to be! Poliwhirl hastily turned to Serena and tugged on her skirt.

"What is it, Poliwhirl?" Serena asked as she looked down at it.

Poliwhirl slammed its fist into a palm and rubbed its gloved knuckles. It then pretended to push and shove things to let Serena know what it wanted. It would compete in this tournament and destroy any Pokemon that stood before it…even Snorlax. Serena knew what it meant and gave a sad smile down to it.

"I'm glad that you want to compete Poliwhirl, but you're too light," Serena told it.

Poliwhirl grabbed its head in frustration and gave a loud cry. Geez! What did it have to do to get another King's Rock? Was that so much to ask?! Everyone else looked at Poliwhirl in confusion. Why did it want to compete in Pokemon Sumo so much anyway?

"What's wrong, Poliwhirl?" Serena questioned as she knelt down in front of it.

Poliwhirl skillfully used its hands and formed the shape of a King's Rock with them. Serena's eyes, as well as the others, lit up in understanding. Of course! Poliwhirl wanted to win a King's Rock to replace the one it lost. Serena had always felt a little guilty about it falling on her Slowpoke after a series of unfortunate events. She simply never thought of replacing it. Even though Poliwhirl didn't exactly have the noblest intentions and was a troll, it still deserved to have another one.

"I guess we can't blame it. Poliwhirl isn't very gracious, but it honestly has never complained to you or bothered you to get a new King's Rock. It's been rather patient. I'm sure if you attempted to win the sumo competition yourself, it would make Poliwhirl very happy," Brock suggested.

"Poliwhirl, if it means that much to you, I can use Charla to compete and try to win you the King's Rock," Serena offered.

Poliwhirl's eyes lit up at that. Serena would do that? It then turned around and hugged Serena's face and clung on tightly. Serena gasped as she tried to pull the excited Pokemon off of her head. Poliwhirl wasn't exactly a small Pokemon.

"Get off me, Poliwhirl! You aren't Omanyte!" Serena shouted.

"Well, it looks like we're going to have some competition, Snorlax," Ash laughed as he patted Snorlax's belly.

"Laaaaax," Snorlax agreed. It wasn't worried, and it was determined to win that food!

Meanwhile, Misty's Poliwag shook its head at the overenthusiastic Poliwhirl. All this over a King's Rock? Poliwag honestly didn't care which evolution branch it took. It would go with whatever Misty thought was best for it.

* * *

The group had found a nice, open field to practice for the sumo wrestling competition. Both Charla and Snorlax were out of their pokeballs and looked ready to practice. Charla was a bit confused at first about competing in a sumo competition being a girl and really having nothing to gain. However, a quick explanation from Serena motivated Charla to do its best for Poliwhirl…even though Charla didn't particularly like the tadpole Pokemon.

"I think it would be best if we tried to start off with our smaller Pokemon before you fight each other," Ash suggested, to which the two Pokemon nodded.

Poliwhirl was the first Pokemon to volunteer and eagerly jumped in front of Charla. If it wanted Charla to win, it was going to whip the fire lizard into shape! Poliwhirl hopped back and forth on one foot and pretended to punch invisible enemies. Charla and the rest of the group rolled their eyes at Poliwhirl.

"Poliwhirl, This is sumo wrestling. You aren't getting ready for a boxing match," Serena reminded.

Poliwhirl stopped its antics and crouched low on the ground as did Charla. Brock stood on the side so he could be the judge. He then held up both his hands to sound official.

"Okay. On the right side of the invisible ring, we have Charla. On the left side is Poliwhirl. Begin the match!" Brock declared.

Poliwhirl stomped over to Charla and tried its best to look intimidating against the bigger Pokemon. The tadpole Pokemon then shot forward and attempted to wrap its arms around Charla in an effort to throw it. Charla sweat dropped as it watched Poliwhirl. The tadpole Pokemon wasn't getting anywhere and was letting out several groans in an attempt to push Charla back. Push! Push!

"Poliwhirl, are you trying to throw Charla or give birth to it?" Ash joked, which caused the others to laugh.

Poliwhirl narrowed its eyes. So that's how they wanted it, huh? Be comedians? It was trying hard over here! Do something, you darn overgrown fire lizard! Charla sighed before it thrust out its stomach to Poliwhirl. The tadpole Pokemon was knocked backwards on its back and appeared quite dazed. As if to taunt Poliwhirl, Charla let out a yawn at how little effort that took.

"Um…the winner is Charla!" Brock announced and pointed in Charla's direction.

Poliwhirl growled in annoyance at how easily it was beaten. It'll show that Charizard! Poliwhirl leaped to its feet and shot a sneak Water Gun at Charla. The fire lizard roared in pain and surprise at the suddenness of the water splashing against it. Charla then turned and gave an evil eye at Poliwhirl.

The tadpole Pokemon then grimaced once it saw what it did. Boy was it in for it now. True to Poliwhirl's thoughts, Charla ignited its fist and delivered a solid uppercut to Poliwhirl which sent it flying sky high. The group turned and watched Poliwhirl as it somersaulted through the air before hitting the ground about a hundred yards away. The group sighed a little as they did feel sorry for Poliwhirl. However, it was the one who instigated the attack to invoke Charla's wrath. Speaking of Charla, it snorted out a puff of smoke and turned away.

"I think we should probably use a bigger Pokemon to help you out, Charla," Serena said as she and the others turned back around to it. Charla sighed as the only worthy opponent for it was its boyfriend. It still missed Charizard but knew it would return some day.

"I know. I can't really think of anything that will match Snorlax so we're definitely at an advantage," Ash stated.

"Laaaaax," Snorlax mumbled.

"Even so, weight alone won't win this Ash. Charla and I will have the skill to win!" Serena declared.

"You know, Serena, it's actually been a while since we were against each other in a competition," Ash noted as he turned to her.

It was true, too. The last time Ash and Serena could remember actually competing against each other was the Saffron City Fighting Dojo a long time ago. Heck, they hadn't even had a Pokemon battle in a really long time. They remembered doing one between Serena's Hitmonlee and Ash's Hitmonchan before they got to Fuchsia City, but that was it. It was always good for them to go against each other every now and then so they know how they fare against the other. It's just that battling the other never really comes to their mind.

"It has," Serena agreed.

"You two should do this more often. Brock and I see you guys succeed at so many things that it's hard to tell which of you is stronger," Misty added.

"Well, this is one way to find out which one of our Pokemon is more physical," Ash replied as he adjusted his cap. "I think I found the perfect training partner for Snorlax and Charla. Come on out Heracross!"

The single horn Pokemon emerged from its pokeball. As soon as it did, Ash took out a small jar of tree sap from his backpack for Heracross to snack on. Heracross had been getting a lot better with its addiction now that Ash had been weaning it off. Every time Ash fed Heracross a serving of the tree sap, he would always use a little less than the previous time.

Even so, Heracross still couldn't resist the sweet treat when it was offered to it. The single horn Pokemon made beeline straight towards Ash and took the jar. The group was expecting it to gobble down the tree sap in one gulp as usual, but it actually paced itself this time. Maybe it really was getting better.

"Hey, Heracross. Snorlax and Serena's Charizard are going to be competing in a sumo wrestling contest. With as strong as you are, they could really use your help to get them prepared," Ash told it.

"Hera!" Heracross replied in the positive.

Heracross then got in front of Snorlax first and crouched low. Snorlax was too big to crouch so it simply stood there. Brock stood off to the side like before and raised both of his hands. Hopefully this should go better than Poliwhirl against Charizard.

"Okay. The match will now begin!" Brock announced as he brought both his hands down.

Heracross withdrew its head and went towards Snorlax with the intent to ram it with its horn. Heracross then collided with Snorlax for what looked like quite an effective hit. Unfortunately for Heracross, its horn sunk in to Snorlax's stomach. However, the group gasped in surprise once Heracross gave a mighty push with its powerful horn, and Snorlax was actually pushed back a few steps.

Snorlax was actually startled so much itself that it didn't catch itself and stumbled out of the invisible ring. If this had been an official match, Snorlax would've been out. This immediately sent off a red flag in both Ash and Snorlax's head as they realized they weren't invincible. Snorlax would have to practice hard to win, too. It may have a weight advantage, but if didn't learn to balance itself, Snorlax would have just as difficult a time as the other Pokemon…especially against a powerful Pokemon like Serena's Charizard.

By this time, Poliwhirl had caught back up to the rest of the group after taking a massive clobbering from Charla. It decided it was best to just sit this one out now. As frustrating as it was that Poliwhirl felt so helpless, it still appreciated that Serena and Charla were willing to help it. As long as that Snorlax wasn't unstoppable, they would have a chance.

"Okay, Snorlax, I think we're going to need to work on keeping your feet planted," Ash suggested after the display.

"Laaaaax," Snorlax sighed as it turned to Ash.

"It may seem easy because of how heavy you are, but Heracross just showed we have a long way to go," Ash told it as he pulled out the rule book again and looked at it. "Let's try a palm strike."

Snorlax lifted one of its heavy arms and thrust it forward. However, Heracross easily dodged to the side and unleashed a flurry of counterattacks. Snorlax gasped and stumbled backwards once more until it was out of the ring. Another loss for Snorlax if it was a real match.

"Heh. Yeah. We have some work to do," Ash smiled sheepishly before he pulled himself together. "Treat this like a real match, Snorlax. Show us what you're made of!"

Snorlax nodded and once more looked towards Heracross. The single horn Pokemon crouched low and prepared for any attack Snorlax would throw at it. Snorlax raised its arm and thrust it forward again. As expected, Heracross easily dodged the sluggish movement and unleashed another flurry of attacks.

"Come on, Snorlax! Try to fight back!" Ash encouraged.

Snorlax shielded itself as it fought the urge to move backwards or out of the way from the barrage of attacks. Snorlax grit its teeth as it tried to find an opening. Heracorss was good and was giving it little opening for a counterattack, though. Snorlax was doing a lot better at keeping its ground, but it wouldn't do too much good if it couldn't attack. There was only one thing to do which was use its huge weight to its advantage.

Rather than use its hands, Snorlax used its stomach and pushed itself forward. It was uncomfortable due to all the palm strikes from Heracross, but it managed to bump into Heracross and knocked it backwards. Snorlax then followed up by stomping forward and thrust out its palm. It struck Heracross, and the single horn Pokemon was knocked backwards out of the invisible ring and onto its bottom.

Ash grinned broadly at Snorlax as well as the others, and even Heracross. The only one who didn't appear thrilled was Poliwhirl. The tadpole Pokemon crossed its arms and looked troubled. If this Snorlax was going to get too good, it would lower their…its chance to get another King's Rock. Serena noticed its expression and frowned down at it.

"Now, Poliwhirl, I know you really want your King's Rock back, and Charla and I are going to do our best to win, but that still doesn't mean we can't be happy for Ash and Snorlax that they're getting the hang of it," she scolded.

Poliwhirl snorted and turned away. There was no way it would ever cheer for the enemy. That Snorlax was an obstacle to its dream. Serena rolled her eyes and turned away. There was no point in trying to reason with Poliwhirl. In addition to being a troll, it was also really stubborn sometimes.

"You feel up to go again, Heracross?" Ash asked it as he helped it off the ground.

"Hera!" Heracross nodded and would work with Serena now. It knew it was going to take a beating today but was happy to do it. It could probably have a nice tree sap snack if it worked hard enough.

Pikachu also decided to get into the sumo competition spirit. It had a bottle of ketchup a short distance away in front of it. Pikachu narrowed its eyes at the offending bottle. This field wasn't big enough for the both of them. Well…maybe it was, but that was beside the point. Pikachu raised one of its tiny legs to the side before it slammed its foot back down on the ground. It had seen sumo wrestlers do that on the television before they fought.

Pikachu then sprang forward and tackled the glass bottle. The ketchup bottle went flying backwards and Pikachu smirked in triumph. That was until the glass bottle hit the ground and shattered on impact.

The crashing sound alerted the group, and they turned in alarm. Pikachu gave them all a cheesy grin at the mess it made. Togepi was laughing at how funny Pikachu was being, as usual. However, it still thought the idea of finally being able to fight was interesting if everyone else was doing it.

Togepi ran forward and attempted to tackle the broken ketchup bottle itself, but everyone gasped in alarm and all made a grab for it. Serena was the first, and she swiftly scooped Togepi off the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. Togepi got a confused look on its face and turned back to look at Serena. Weren't she and its daddy wanting to train it soon?

"Man. That was close," Ash sighed before he turned to Pikachu. "Hey, buddy. Try to be more careful with the things you…wrestle with."

Pikachu frowned. Well, maybe if its trainer would start buying plastic bottles instead of glass, this wouldn't have happened now, would it?

* * *

The day of the Pokemon Sumo Competition had now arrived. Despite it being a small town and an event that was held a few times a year, there were still many spectators. There at least had to be maybe three or four thousand. They all piled into the stands that were set up around the arena to see a nontraditional Pokemon battle. For those tired of seeing fancy special moves, this competition would only focus on a Pokemon's brute strength which made it more appealing.

Brock and Misty were among the many people in the crowd. They piled in and managed to find a seat near the front since they came early. They weren't worried about deciding on who to root for between Ash and Serena. They were both their friends and would be happy no matter which of them won, and they knew Ash and Serena would feel the same way.

"It's too bad we don't really have Pokemon that are suitable for this kind of competition," Misty commented.

"I know what you mean. I have Pokemon that meet the weight requirement in Onix and Graveler, and you have Gyarados, but they aren't really suitable for sumo," Brock agreed.

"Hmmhmm! They should have a Pokemon competition reserved for the largest Pokemon. My Gyarados against your Onix…no special moves!" Misty said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was something like that out there. If there is, I'll hold you up to it," Brock replied.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi cried from Misty's arms as it hopped up and down eagerly.

"Hey, Brock. Is it just me or has Togepi been anxious to fight lately?" Misty asked as she looked down towards the spike ball Pokemon.

"I've noticed it, too, and I'm sure Ash and Serena have, as well. We shouldn't be too surprised. Togepi's hardly a baby anymore. It's almost a Pokemon's natural instinct to want to battle. It's still naïve, but I'm sure that some battles would fix that," Brock noted.

"I trust Ash and Serena's parenting skills, and I'm sure they'll handle transitioning Togepi well. I just don't know how they'll do it," Misty said.

"We just have to trust them, and we can help, too, if they need it," Brock responded.

Togepi listened to the exchange going on between Misty and Brock and got an excited look on its face. It bobbed happily in Misty's lap that it might get the chance to train soon. It couldn't wait to try some of its moves it had practiced along the way. Togepi knew it was no perfectionist at these attacks, but that's what training was for!

Meanwhile, Ash, Snorlax, Serena, and Charla were in a sort of locker room as they awaited the competition to begin. Ash was a little nervous as he was the among the first competitors to participate. This put him at a slight disadvantage as he didn't know what to expect. He only really practiced with Heracross yesterday who was just as inexperienced as Snorlax was. Ash had no idea how strong the Pokemon actually competing were.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Serena asked as she rubbed his shoulder.

"I'll be fine. I just wish Snorlax wasn't the first to fight," Ash answered honestly.

"Laaaaax," Snorlax spoke up from beside Ash.

Ash, Serena, and Charla turned to look up at Snorlax and saw it actually had a determined look on its face. It stared down at Ash and gave him a nod of its head to show that it was ready. This was more than a little surprising to the three as Snorlax rarely showed motivation for anything. Of course, they knew it was only in this competition for the year's supply of food that it would get. Even so, it was still a first for Snorlax to reassure Ash that it would try its best.

"Alright, Snorlax. I trust you. You'll win this for sure!" Ash told it.

"Lax," Snorlax agreed.

"Don't forget that Charla will be competing, Ash. Charla always tries its best, too," Serena told him.

Both Pokemon had their own motivation for wanting to win the competition. Snorlax wanted to win for the Pokemon food, and Charla wanted to win for the King's Rock. That was more than enough to know that this was going to be a very fierce competition indeed.

At that moment, a bell chimed from outside the room, and they knew that meant it was time for the tournament to begin. With that, Ash and Snorlax turned and made their way out of the locker room.

"Good luck, you two!" Serena called after them with Charla giving a slight growl of encouragement, too.

As Ash, Snorlax, and Pikachu stepped out into the arena, they were surrounded by a crowd of people. Of course, this crowd wasn't even close in comparison to the Pokemon League or the Orange League. Off to the side of the arena, there was an enormous stack of food which let all the Pokemon know what they would be getting should they win.

Snorlax, of course, was quick to spot the food and got a hungry expression on its face. It turned away from its trek to the center ring in the arena and instead went towards the Pokemon food. Ash gave a gasp of surprise and hastily ran in front of his Snorlax and spread his arms out to block its path. Snorlax tilted its head in confusion at Ash. They eat before and after the match, right?

"You can't eat the food yet, Snorlax. It's only yours if we win," Ash told it.

"Laaaaax," Snorlax sighed. Man, it hated battling on an empty stomach. Nonetheless, it relented and went back towards the ring. Ash and Pikachu sighed in relief that Snorlax listened to reason and followed it.

"Welcome to the Triannual Pokemon Sumo Wrestling Competition everyone. We hope you enjoy witnessing the raw power these Pokemon have. As always, there can be no attacks or special attacks…just the Pokemon's own strength. Trainers may not command their Pokemon but may offer encouragement and support. The winner will receive a one year supply of Pokemon food and a King's Rock!" an old man spoke through a microphone.

"Laaaax," Snorlax smiled upon hearing the mention of the Pokemon food again.

Snorlax then reached the center ring, and it, Ash, and Pikachu saw that their first opponent was a Machamp. Ash grimaced as they were already starting off with an extremely tough opponent. There was no doubt that Machamp's four arms would be very challenging to defend against. Ash just had to have faith that his Snorlax knew what it was doing despite the short amount of training it had.

"Frooooom the east…Snoooorlaaaaax. Frooooom the west…Maaaaachaaaaamp!" the referee declared. "Face your opponents, and let the match begin!"

Machamp didn't waste any time in leaping forward and begin assaulting Snorlax with its four powerful arms. Snorlax gave a cry of surprise at the quickness this Machamp showed and began to shield itself as best as it could. However, while it was receiving minimal damage, that was doing nothing for keeping its ground. Snorlax was being pushed back at quite an alarming rate for so early on.

"Come on, Snorlax. Remember what we practiced! You have to fight back if you hope to win!" Ash shouted.

"Keep up those attacks and don't give it an opening, Machamp!" the Machamp's trainer encouraged.

Snorlax heard Ash, but it was almost impossible to defend against Machamp's four arms. Snorlax may have the weight, but Machamp had the strength. The only thing it could do was try to use its bulk to its advantage. Snorlax sucked in as much air as it could as Machamp continued to strike it. Snorlax then gave a might heave and jumped into the air.

Machamp was got off guard by this and stumbled backwards due to its momentum being broke. Snorlax then reached forward and grabbed one of Machamp's arms before it swung the superpower Pokemon in an arc to throw it out. It looked like that might be the match, but Machamp had other plans.

It grabbed Snorlax with its three other arms and used the momentum of Snorlax's throw to pull Snorlax backwards. Snorlax gasped as it felt all one thousand plus pounds of it falling to the ground. Ash and Pikachu gasped, as well, as if Snorlax's back touched the ground, it would be out and Ash would lose. He couldn't believe how tough these matches were. Snorlax was just out its league. There was no telling how much experience this Machamp had.

That's why everyone was astonished when Snorlax threw its hands backwards and managed to catch itself on the ground with its arms just before its back touched. Ash breathed a small sigh of relief. Snorlax wasn't out yet, but that seemed to be the key word…yet. Snorlax was now just a sitting Psyduck that was barely holding on with its massive body in a highly uncomfortable looking back bend. Its whole body was exposed to Machamp to give it a finishing move.

Speaking of the superpower Pokemon. It landed skillfully on its feet just inside the ring from Snorlax's toss. It then stomped over to Snorlax to decide the best way to end this. It could always palm strike its stomach, and the sheer force would make Snorlax's arms and legs give way. Machamp knew it could also attack one of Snorlax's limbs which would work just as well. Regardless, Snorlax was in trouble.

"Come on, Snorlax! You can do this!" Ash encouraged.

"Piiiiika!" Pikachu added.

Snorlax struggled as it tried its best to keep from falling. It groaned loudly as it saw Machamp stand over it and prepared to deliver a finishing move. Snorlax didn't want this. It had to win this so it could get a year's supply of food. It had to win this for Ash! It must!

Snorlax pushed upwards with all its might. Its muscles screamed in protest at how uncomfortable this move was. Snorlax itself winced. Coming from that back bend and back on its feet was definitely no small task. Ash and Pikachu were amazed at flexible Snorlax was. One wouldn't be able to guess it by looking at the large Pokemon. Ash really did own a one of a kind Snorlax.

Now that it was upright again. Snorlax turned and belly barged the stupefied Machamp. The superpower Pokemon went soaring backwards and fell on its back outside of the ring. It was out in more ways than one. The judge then raised his hands to show the match was over.

"Machamp has been knocked out of the ring and therefore disqualified! The winner is Snorlax!" the judge announced as the crowd broke into cheers.

"Awesome! You did it, Snorlax!" Ash cheered.

Snorlax was rather pleased with itself. It just won the competition and now could enjoy some delicious food. With that, Snorlax turned and made a beeline straight for the year's supply of food. Ash gave another cry and ran after it.

"No, Snorlax! You haven't won the competition yet! We only won one match!" Ash shouted.

"Snoooor," Snorlax mumbled in disappointment and stopped.

"Well, look at it this way, Snorlax. You're one step closer to getting all of that food for yourself," Ash tried to reassure.

"Snorlax," Snorlax sighed.

Brock and Misty continued to cheer for Ash for quite a while until they sat back down. They couldn't help but think it was rather humorous with how Snorlax kept thinking it was time to chow down on that food. It definitely was an easy to understand Pokemon. As long as Snorlax kept thinking it would get food, it would do whatever it took to get it. Based on the impressive performance it just gave, Snorlax might be able to pull it off, after all. However, they still had to see the other Pokemon as well as Serena's Charla. Those two had been with each other a lot longer than Ash and Snorlax.

* * *

Serena and Charla would be in the last round. It was ironic that Ash and Snorlax were the ones going first, and they were last. Even though going first had its disadvantages, going last wasn't very desirable, either. After seeing all the strong opponents ahead of them, Serena and Charla knew they had to set the bar just as high. It was a little intimidating to be honest.

Ash and Snorlax were resting off to the side in the locker room. Ash was rubbing Snorlax's back to soothe it a little bit from the strain that must've happened from its heavy body being in a back bend. The sleeping Pokemon smiled in contentment at its trainer massaging it. The way the two looked now really made Ash and Snorlax seem like a team. Even Pikachu was helping, but its tiny hands weren't doing a lot for the much bigger Pokemon.

Serena and Charla were both seated on one of the benches as they prepared mentally. It was mostly on Charla's end, though. The flame Pokemon almost appeared to be meditating. Serena figured it must've picked up a few lessons from her Hitmonlee as it was the only Pokemon she knew that she or any of her friends own that would teach Charla this. In all honestly, Charla probably needed to have its mind relaxed on a regular basis since losing its boyfriend in Ash's Charizard. Charla was strong and could make it through, however.

However, the calm atmosphere was broken when the bell rang outside to signal it was time for the next competitors. Charla slowly opened its eyes and stood up from the bench. It was totally ready for this. It may be inexperienced, but it was a smart Pokemon and would try its hardest to win for its trainer and for that little troll.

"You've got this, guys," Ash told them as he continued to rub Snorlax's back.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena smiled as she and Charla left the room.

Like Ash before her, Serena heard the roar of the crowd as she and Charla entered the arena. She was able to spot Brock and Misty in one of the front row seats and waved to them to which they waved back. Serena then looked forward and saw her opponent coming in from the other side. Apparently their first match would be against an Ursaring…definitely a challenge, but Charla could do it.

Serena and the other trainer stopped a short distance from the ring while Charla and the Ursaring continued on until they were in. The Ursaring gave a slight growl at Charla to which the fire lizard returned. Charla wasn't about to let this bear Pokemon intimidate it that easily. The two stared into each other's eyes as if trying to dare the other to back down.

"Frooooom the east, Chaaaaarizaaaaard! Frooooom the west, Urrrrrsariiiiig!" the judge announced before he brought his hands down. "Face your opponent. Let the match begin!"

Ursaring was the first to make a move. It charged forward at Charla to attempt to push it out quickly. However, Charla stepped to the side in order to dodge the attack and pushed on Ursaring's back. The bear Pokemon stumbled forward and almost ran out of the ring but stopped just in time. It then hastily moved away from the edge and glared at Charla who smirked back.

Enraged that it was now being taunted, Ursaring gave a roar and charged forward once more. Charla again stepped to the side to dodge it, but Ursaring turned with it and rammed into Charla. The fire lizard gave a roar and had to sacrifice a few steps backwards in order to keep its balance. It then shook its head to focus again but didn't have a lot of time.

Ursaring charged again to push out Charla. Rather than dodge like before, Charla grabbed Ursarings shoulders, and the two Pokemon were now locked in a grapple. The two Pokemon strained and grunted as they tried to overpower the other.

"Come on, Charla! You can do it!" Serena yelled.

"Don't give up, Ursaring! You're the stronger Pokemon!" the Ursaring's trainer encouraged.

Ursaring then gave a mighty roar as it lifted Charla of the ground. Charla have a roar of protest as it was picked up and now at the Ursaring's mercy. If this wasn't a sumo wrestling match, Charla would take flight and give Ursaring the ride of its life. However, flying was apparently forbidden so Charla didn't have the option.

Charla then flipped through the air as Ursaring arched it over its head. Charla did its best to reposition its body and managed to land on its feet just in time. However, Ursaring and Charla's arms were still interlocked even thought their backs were facing each other. The two Pokemon were both trying to find a way to untangle themselves without exposing an opportunity for their opponent to strike.

 _"They're at a stalemate right now. They can't stay like that forever,"_ Serena thought as she saw each Pokemon didn't want to give in.

However, Charla gave a massive tug on Ursaring, and the bear Pokemon gave a surprised cry at being pulled back like that. Charla then used that opportunity to break its arms free from Ursaring. It then swiftly turned around and rammed its body into Ursaring's back. Ursaring stumbled forward, but it managed to catch itself once more just before getting knocked out of the ring.

Charla then rushed forward to finish the job, but it got smacked in the face by a quick palm strike from Ursaring. This stunned Charla just long enough for Ursaring to wrap its arms around Charla in quite literally a bear hug. Charla was now immobile.

Ursaring then began to run forward to the other side of the ring, and Charla could do nothing to counter it. Charla struggled as hard as it could, but Ursaring's grip was surprisingly tight. The edge of the ring was becoming closer and closer.

Serena could do nothing but watch with worry. Unless Charla did something fast, they were going to lose. She felt so helpless right now.

Ursaring now reached the edge of the ring. However, rather than throw Charla out, it made a big mistake. Ursaring began to fall forward with Charla still wrapped in its arms. Even though both Pokemon would fall, Charla would hit the ground first and be the loser. The fire lizard Pokemon decided to use this small opportunity as best as it could.

As they were falling, Charla gave a mighty heave and used the ball of its foot to sharply turn itself to the side and brought Ursaring with it. Charla then used the momentum to complete the turn until Ursaring was the one underneath it. The bear Pokemon didn't have time to rectify the situation until they both hit the ground. Even though Charla was still in Ursaring's bear hug, Ursaring still hit the ground first and therefore lost.

"Ursaring has fallen on its back and therefore disqualified! The winner is Charizard!" the judge declared.

"Alright, Charla! You did it!" Serena cheered as she heard the roars of the crowd around her.

Ursaring let go of Charla and admitted defeat from underneath it. Charla smirked once again and got off Ursaring to let it up, too. It then went and made its way over to Serena who was waiting for it. The two then hugged each other once Charla made it over.

"I'm proud of you, Charla! We won our first match! Now we just need to win a few others, and we'll be the winners!" Serena said.

Charla gave a soft roar at Serena, and the honey blonde-haired girl looked up. She knew what Charla was trying to tell her.

"Yeah. I know. We still can't get comfortable. There's a chance we may go up against Ash, and while we don't how strong the others are, we know how tough Snorlax is," Serena replied.

* * *

As the sumo competition continued, the opponents just got tougher and tougher. Each time, however, Ash and Serena managed to overcome their opponents even though a couple had been some rather close calls. Amazingly, they were now in the finals and would be competing against each other. It was a good thing as well as a not so good thing. Both of them definitely didn't want to lose after coming this far. They each had their own motivations to want to win.

A fifteen minute intermission was given so the finalists could prepare as well as let the audience get out of their seats if they needed to leave for a small moment. Though Ash and Serena had shared a locker room before, they were now in separate ones since they would be against each other the next round. Each one of them was talking to their Pokemon and trying to come up with their own strategy to win.

"Okay, Snorlax. Just one more win, and that one year supply of Pokemon food is all yours," Ash told it from his own locker room with Snorlax and Pikachu.

"Laaaaaax," Snorlax muttered as it imagined all of the delicious food going down its throat. Of course, the words 'year's supply' meant very little to it. Both Ash and Snorlax knew it would probably finish off the food in one sitting.

"Listen, Snorlax. I know all of our opponents have been tough and we've barely managed to win on them, but Serena's Charla will be the toughest. It's beaten just as many opponents as we have," Ash said.

"Snorlaaaax," Snorlax agreed.

"Right. The best thing we can do is try to immobilize as many body parts of it as possible like the first opponent did against it. If Charla breaks free, we could be in some serious trouble," Ash advised.

Snorlax nodded its head once more. Being as large as it was, getting its whole body around Charla shouldn't be too difficult of a task. It just had to make sure to do it early on so as to not allow Charla time to get the upper hand.

Meanwhile, Serena and Charla were in their separate locker room, and even Poliwhirl was out. The tadpole Pokemon was leaping up and down that Charla had gone this far in the tournament just for it, and Poliwhirl even attempted to hug the fire lizard, but Charla was quick to move out of the way. Nevertheless, Poliwhirl was feeling quite bright at the possibility of getting a King's Rock back.

"Charla, Snorlax is going to be a really tough opponent, but you have a lot of speed compared to it. We should use that to our advantage. As long as Snorlax doesn't get ahold of you, you should be able to come out the victor!" Serena encouraged.

"Poliwhirl!" Poliwhirl added, too.

Charla gave a soft growl to let Serena know that it would do its best. It then looked down and nodded to Poliwhirl. Apparently, the tadpole Pokemon would be watching the match, too. That was fine as it was the main reason that it and Serena were competing. It wasn't Poliwhirl's fault that it didn't meet the weight requirement otherwise it would probably be the one fighting for the King's Rock. Even though having others do the work for it wasn't past Poliwhirl, it still did appreciate Charla's effort.

A bell then sounded outside to let them know the final battle was upon them. Serena, Charla, and Poliwhirl put their hands or claws in before they broke off and headed out.

Once Serena was outside in the arena, Ash was coming in from his side, as well. Serena smiled that one of her Pokemon was about to go up against Ash's. It wasn't exactly a Pokemon battle, but it was close enough.

Brock and Misty were rooting the loudest of the whole crowd. Ash's Snorlax and Serena's Charizard were indeed competing in the final match. Just as they said, they were cheering equally for each one. Togepi cheered as well at seeing its mommy and daddy going against each other. It couldn't wait to see the outcome. It hoped to be down there with them one day soon.

Snorlax and Charla stepped into the ring while Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Poliwhirl stood on their respective sides of the battlefield. Ash and Serena stared intently into each other's eyes, but there was no ire, just determination. They were determined to see which of them would come out on top after not going against each other in so long.

"Frooooom the east, Snooooorlaaaaax! Frooooom the west, Chaaaaarizaaaaard! Face your opponents! the judge presented.

Both Snorlax and Charla crouched low to prepare. Here it goes.

"Begin!" the judge declared.

Charla was the first to make a move this time. It hastily scooted around Snorlax and got behind it before Snorlax could sluggishly turn around. Charla then gave a few swift palm strikes to Snorlax's large backside followed with a shove with its shoulders.

Snorlax groaned in discomfort and stumbled forward at the quick attacks. It finally managed to turn around but was met with a palm strike to its face. Snorlax quickly shook off the shock and went to grab Charla, but Charla moved out of the way which caused Snorlax to lose balance. Snorlax then began to wobble terribly as it tried to remain upright.

"That's it, Charla!" Serena encouraged.

"Try to hold on, Snorlax!" Ash shouted.

Charla rushed forward and pushed on Snorlax's back as hard as it could. Snorlax cried out and began hopping forward so it wouldn't fall over. However, that cost it precious space in the ring, and it was now right on the edge where Charla wanted it. All it would take now is a slight shove or another hop, and Snorlax would be out.

The fire lizard Pokemon hurried forward to deliver the final push, but Snorlax wildly swung its arm backwards in an attempt to strike Charla. It worked as Snorlax's large arm smacked Charla right in the face. The temporary stun was enough for Snorlax to regain its balance and get a few steps away from the edge of the ring. It was still in the game.

"Nice work, Snorlax!" Ash smiled.

Not one to be discouraged, Charla rushed forward once more to dish out some impressive palm strikes. This time, however, Snorlax grabbed one of Charla's arms and flung it over its head. Charla strained itself as it tried to keep its full body in the ring and dug its heels into the ground to keep from doing so.

A few rumbles a second later indicated that Snorlax was coming in to push it out. However, Charla regained its footing and hastily stepped to the side. However, Snorlax turned with it and still delivered a solid push. Charla fought back as hard as it could and used its raw strength to keep from being pushed out. However, Snorlax took this opportunity to wrap Charla in a bear hug.

Charla struggled inside Snorlax's immense bear hug and was completely immobilized. This one felt almost twice as strong as the Ursaring's hug it was in earlier. Not to mention that Snorlax wasn't going to simply attempt to slam Charla in the ground like last time. It was going to carry Charla until it was out of the ring.

"Try to break free, Charla!" Serena cried.

"Poli! Poli!" Poliwhirl cried in desperation.

Snorlax then began taking deliberate steps to the edge of the ring to throw Charla out. It seemed Ash's strategy of immobilizing Charla was working perfectly. Charla hardly even had room to wiggle as Snorlax's grip was so tight. Charla grimaced as it refused to go down this easily. It roared and managed to get one of its wings free before it slammed it down on Snorlax's arm which forced it to let go.

Charla wanted to take several breaths to recover from the bear hug, but it had to move lest Snorlax comes in for another one. The last one had been too close. Charla knew its feet were just inside the ring so it had to rectify that. Charla rushed forward before it grabbed one of Snorlax's arms and swung the hardest it had ever swung before, even letting out a mighty roar for emphasis.

Everyone, even Ash, Pikachu, Serena and Poliwhirl, gasped in surprise at the incredible feat of strength from Charla. Snorlax was among the heaviest Pokemon so just simply seeing it airborne was shocking enough.

Ash grit his teeth as he thought this was it. There was no way Snorlax would be able to recover from this and still be in the ring. Charla's throw was just too strong. It would either land out of the ring or on its back…probably both. Either one would have Charla be the victor. However, Charla was a very tough opponent, and he could still be happy Serena won. Too bad his Snorlax wouldn't get that year's supply of Pokemon food.

Snorlax, however, had other plans. It strained its body and let out a groan as it maneuvered its heavy body perfectly until it was upright again. Ash, Serena, and Charla's eyes widened at that as they all knew what was coming. Unfortunately, it would be against the rules for Charla to take flight to avoid the ensuing crash.

All one thousand plus pounds of Snorlax came smashing down onto the ground and actually created a small crater. The whole stadium shook so much that one would've thought Snorlax actually used Earthquake even though it hadn't. Everyone gasped as a lot of them nearly lost their balance from the massive crash…even Charla.

Snorlax used this opportunity to rumble forward and push Charla as hard as it could. Charla went skidding backwards as it was still unable to recover from the shaking in time. There was a small pause as everyone, as well as Serena, Poliwhirl, Ash, Pikachu, and the judge had all looked to see just how far Charla skidded back.

It was revealed that Snorlax had pushed Charla back just hard enough for it have one foot out of the ring. However, one foot was all it took for Charla to lose and Snorlax to be the victor. The match had been decided. With that, the judge nodded his head and raised his hands.

"Charizard is out of the ring and therefore loses the match. The winner is Snorlax!" the judge declared and waved his hand in Snorlax's direction.

Ash had a big smile spread across his face at that announcement as the crowd broke out into applause. However, it was nothing compared to Snorlax. The large Pokemon scratched its stomach before it happily turned to Ash.

"You did it, Snorlax!" Ash cheered as he ran towards it with Pikachu.

"Laaaaaax!" Snorlax cried and ran for Ash, also.

Ash knew how much Snorlax weighed and that the incoming hug might be rather uncomfortable. At the moment, he didn't care, however. His Snorlax just did an incredible feat by being a sumo wrestling champion. It deserved to celebrate with its trainer. Ash was just about ready to leap into Snorlax's arms but stopped when it ran right past him and Pikachu.

Ash turned in confusion and saw Snorlax didn't stop running until it reached the year's supply of food. Snorlax then wasted no time in sitting down to make itself comfortable before it began devouring the food in front of it. Finally, it's getting to enjoy the food. Ash laughed sheepishly at his Snorlax's antics. Why was he not surprised?

"I should've known," Ash mumbled to himself before he turned to Serena and Charla.

He saw that Serena and Charla were taking it well and weren't the ones that needed comforting. It was actually Poliwhirl. Serena and Charla were talking to Poliwhirl who was down on its hands and knees and looked absolutely dejected. A waterfall of tears was springing from its eyes because Charla lost. It did seem to be quite a pathetic sight.

Ash was glad to have an excuse to look away from Poliwhirl when an old man, who was apparently the owner, came up to him with a rock in the shape of a crown in his hand. He then gave a toothy grin to Ash and handed him the stone.

"Well done to you and Snorlax, young man. You have now won the King's Rock as your reward. Use it however you see fit," the man told him.

"Thank you, sir!" Ash replied gratefully.

"Of course, your Snorlax will receive the year's supply of Pokemon food, but it appears that goes without saying," the old man said as he and Ash turned back to Snorlax.

The gluttonous Pokemon was amazingly almost done with the food already. It was eating several boxes at once and showed no signs of slowing down. Then again, compared to eating several islands worth of fruit when Ash first found it, eating a year's supply of food in one sitting was entirely possible for Snorlax. The huge Pokemon finished the rest of the food in about a minute. Snorlax then gave a huge yawn and scratched its stomach. Its work was completed, and it won the sumo competition for its trainer and got the food. With that, Snorlax fell on its back and went into a deep sleep. It was exhausted.

Ash couldn't help but chuckle now that Snorlax had its…share…of food so it wasn't going to wake up for quite a while. It would probably be best to send Snorlax back to Professor Oak's lab so it could sleep there. Ash knew he would definitely need to get used to that about his Snorlax. He would only be able to use it for a short amount each time.

Ash was soon joined by Serena and Charla. They were a little disappointed that they lost, but they were still happy for Ash. Serena gave Ash a hug and Charla gave him a nod.

"You and Snorlax did really well, Ash! I thought Charla had won for a moment. Who would know that your Snorlax was so flexible?" Serena said.

"Hahaha! Yeah. I definitely don't have an ordinary Snorlax!" Ash agreed as they took a look back at the now sleeping Pokemon.

Ash looked down and noticed Poliwhirl was the only one who hadn't congratulated him yet. The tadpole Pokemon was no longer on its hands or knees, but it wasn't facing Ash. It was looking down towards the ground, and it was hard to tell if it was angry or upset…probably both.

Ash took a look at the King's Rock in his hand and thought about what he could do with it. The item was so supposed to help stun an enemy Pokemon more. It wasn't that useful to him. Not to mention that he didn't really have a good Pokemon to give this to for evolution. Poliwhirl, on the other hand, would thrive on this item. It would also help it reach its dream to become a Politoed one day. Ash gave a sigh and held out the King's Rock to Poliwhirl.

"Hey, Poliwhirl. Why don't you take the King's Rock?" he suggested which caused a gasp from Serena and Charla. Poliwhirl looked up at him in confusion. "You need it a lot more than I do."

Poliwhirl stared at the King's Rock for a moment. Ash…was really going to give it the coveted item. It wasn't dreaming or anything, was it? So long Poliwhirl had waited for the moment to get another King's Rock. It would be a really cruel joke if Ash was kidding. As if he was reading Poliwhirl's thoughts, Ash nodded his head.

"Go on. Take it. It's really okay. You do deserve to have back what was taken from you, after all," Ash smiled.

Poliwhirl's face lit up considerably at that. It quickly grabbed the King's Rock from Ash's hands before he could change his mind. Poliwhirl then held the item high over its head like a trophy. It finally got another King's Rock! Now it could finally evolve into a Politoed when the time was right! It could be the ultimate troll it always wanted to be! It would make sure to never let this thing go. Heck. Poliwhirl would even super glue the item on its body if it had, too! Hahahahahahahahaha! Poliwhirl then began to rub its hands together like it was plotting something evil. Oh! The things it could do! It just had to be patient for a little longer.

Ash, Serena, and Charla sweat dropped at the overenthusiastic Poliwhirl. Ash was beginning to wonder if letting Poliwhirl have a King's Rock was a good idea, after all. There was no telling about the things it would do to them or their Pokemon if it was a Politoed. Oh boy. Poliwhirl was going to make sure to work their nerves all the time now.

Brock, Misty, and their Pokemon had all entered the arena to congratulate Ash at this time. Misty's Poliwag saw Serena's Poliwhirl laughing hysterically with the King's Rock in its hands and grimaced. Yeesh. What was that thing's deal? Well, whatever. Have fun with that. Poliwag would just accept whatever comes its way.

* * *

The group was on the road once again, and they had stopped to take a small break. They had all of their Pokemon out, and surprisingly, the only one who wasn't playing…or stroking a King's Rock like it was a precious artifact in Poliwhirl's case…was Togepi. The spike ball Pokemon was staring at a tree and appeared be practicing its Charm attack as it was shooting several small, pink, hearts from its body.

Ash and Serena went over to it with a curious expression. This was the first time they had seen it away from them and not wanting to play. It looked serious for a change.

"Togepi, don't you want to play?" Serena asked as she knelt down.

Togepi shook its head and continued to shoot pink hearts from its body. It wanted to train right now so it could win for its mommy and daddy!

"Hey, guys. I think it's time," Brock said as he came up behind them. "Togepi could barely keep in Misty's lap during the sumo competition. It looked like it wanted to fight, too."

"That's right. It's also tried to tackle the ketchup bottle from earlier. I think it's tired of being babied and wants to grow up now," Misty added.

"Is that true, Togepi? You're ready to start battling?" Serena asked it.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi replied.

"Well, how could we say no to that? If you think you're ready, then so do we!" Ash stated as he smiled.

"That's great! We're so proud of you, Togepi!" Serena exclaimed as she picked it up and gave it hug with Ash joining in.

"We'll start training first thing tomorrow! You'll be an awesome battler in no time, Togepi!" Ash told it.

"But...which of you is going to keep it?" Misty wondered, and Ash and Serena froze.

That was a good question. They were both Togepi's parents, but didn't trainer regulations state that they could only carry six Pokemon on them? They certainly didn't want to send Togepi to Professor Oak's lab so soon. Ash and Serena looked back at Togepi who was giving them a curious statement as Brock, Misty, and Pikachu stood around them. They hoped they would be able to figure something out soon as to who would be Togepi's official trainer.

* * *

 **Poliwhirl is the Gollum of Pokemon with its King's Rock. My precious...my precious.**

 **Well, the next chapter finally begins Togepi's training as well as answers the question about if either Ash or Serena keep Togepi. The answer may surprise you. Brock gets a new Pokemon next chapter, too. The one he's getting shouldn't be that hard to figure out if you consider where the group is in Johto.  
**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support everyone! See you all later this month!**

 **Chapter Twenty Nine: Training Togepi**


	29. Training Togepi

**A/N: Here's the next chapter, everyone! Not a lot to say except please enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Training Togepi

Togepi was staring at its opponent with an uncharacteristic, yet determined look on its face. The opponent Togepi was facing was Misty's Poliwag. The tadpole Pokemon was staring back at Togepi. Though it was going to go easy on Togepi, it was still going to fight a little bit to give Togepi a taste of what a real Pokemon battle was like.

Yes. Today was the day that Ash and Serena had finally decided to start training Togepi. The spike ball Pokemon had been eager to battle almost to the point of trying dangerous stunts. It definitely had inherited Ash and Pikachu's battle spirit. Now, it was going to test some of the things it had been practicing. Of course, it was starting off small which is why Misty's Poliwag was chosen.

Though it wasn't weak by any means, Misty's Poliwag was definitely among the gentlest and smallest of all the Pokemon the group owned. Pikachu could battle it and definitely go easy, but Ash and Serena were wary about Togepi being hit by electric shocks its first battle. Being sprayed by small Water Guns was a good first step.

Being more specialized in battles, it would be Ash who would be commanding Togepi for its very first match. He and Serena had checked their pokedexes to try to figure out which moves a young Togepi would have. Their options were limited, but they could work with a few things. Ash had a determined smile on his face as he watched Misty on the other side of the field. Brock and Serena were off to the side, and Brock would be acting as a judge. Brock looked back and forth between the two Pokemon and two people before he cleared his throat.

"Are you all ready?" he asked.

"I am," Ash replied.

"Me, too," Misty agreed.

"Priiiii!" Togepi even added. It would finally get to battle.

"Well, in that case, you guys can begin," Brock declared.

"Poliwag, start of the battle with you Water Gun attack," Misty told it.

Poliwag took a breath and shot a spray of water at Togepi, though it did hold back the power a little bit. The water headed straight for Togepi, and the spike ball Pokemon didn't look the least bit scared. It was ready to receive its first battle command from its daddy.

"Dodge it, Togepi, and use Sweet Kiss!" Ash ordered.

Togepi lumbered out of the way and easily dodged the slow Water Gun. It then looked at Poliwag and had several small pink hearts come from its mouth. Ash and Serena couldn't help but feel proud at seeing Togepi use an actual attack. Poliwag stood there as it prepared to take the attack. It had been told to let Togepi's attacks hit it only for this battle to which it accepted. Everyone knew Togepi wasn't going to hit that hard for its first battle anyway so nobody was worried about Poliwag getting too injured.

The hearts popped all over Misty's Poliwag, and it got a goofy look on its face and started stumbling around. Togepi cheered and made happy cries that its first attack connected. Now Poliwag was confused.

"Great job, Togepi. Now use Extrasensory!" Ash said.

Togepi closed its eyes as it focused on the confused Poliwag. The tadpole Pokemon was still stumbling around before it grimaced and was knocked to the ground. That was the strange thing about Extrasensory. The Pokemon was always attacked by some strange, unseeing power. Misty gasped as she decided it was time for Poliwag to recover from its confusion.

"Use Water Gun on yourself, Poliwag!" Misty said.

Poliwag looked up through its confusion and shot a Water Gun up in the air. The water fell all over Poliwag like rain, and the tadpole Pokemon shook its head as it regained its senses. Upon seeing this, Ash looked at Togepi.

"Hey, Togepi. Take note of how Misty cured her Poliwag's confusion. In case this ever happens to you, we'll need to figure out a counter to get you out of it," Ash told it.

"Toge!" Togepi nodded to show it heard him.

"Why don't you take a nice nap, Togepi?" Misty smiled before she ordered her next attack to Poliwag. "Use Hypnosis."

"Your Poliwag can join it," Ash smiled. "Use Yawn, Togepi."

Hypnotic waves came from Poliwag's eyes as Togepi opened its mouth and gave a huge, contagious yawn. The attacks connected, and both Pokemon got a sleepy look in their eyes. They tried to keep themselves awake, but it was rather fast. They had to end this match fast or else it would end in a draw since both Pokemon would be helpless when asleep.

"Use Water Gun, Poliwag!" Misty told it.

"No so fast, Use Encore, Togepi," Ash countered.

Though it was getting sleepy extremely fast, Togepi began clapping its hands very fast in an applauding manner. Poliwag gave a sleepy smile as it was affected by the attack. It then began to emit hypnotic waves at Togepi as it was now locked into the attack. Ash knew he had to give another attack fast.

"Okay, Togepi, dodge and use Extrasensory!" Ash commanded.

Togepi sleepily moved out of the way of the slow-moving Hypnosis and concentrated once more. Poliwag gave a flinching motion again as it was struck by the Extrasensory, but it still didn't deal enough damage. Togepi, meanwhile, couldn't stay awake any longer as it curled up into a ball and went to sleep. After another weak Hypnosis, Poliwag fell forward, fast asleep, as well. Now that both Pokemon were asleep, the match would end in a draw as both were unable to battle.

"This match is a draw!" Brock declared.

Ash nodded his head as he went to pick up Togepi. Serena came over to, and Ash picked up the spike ball Pokemon before he shook it gently to wake it up. Togepi gave a yawn before it sneezed lightly and opened its eyes. It then saw its mommy and daddy looking down at it and gave a happy cry.

"Hey, Togepi. You did great your first match," Ash said.

"That's right. We're very proud of you," Serena stated.

"Toge?" Togepi questioned in confusion. It didn't win so why were they proud?

"It didn't matter whether you won or lost," Serena told it. "What matters is that you used all of the attacks Ash told you to very well, and you were great at following his direction. You'll only get better as you get more experience."

"Serena and I can't wait to watch you get stronger with each battle. We have a lot of faith in you, Togepi," Ash smiled.

"Piiiiika!" Pikachu chimed in.

"Just make sure you keep practicing. Our Pokemon can't go easy on you forever," Serena warned.

Togepi looked at its parents and Pikachu and gave a happy cry. It wasn't naïve enough anymore to think it was the strongest Pokemon out there. It knew it still had a long way to go before it was good enough for any serious battles. Not to mention, it was probably even cute enough to participate in a few Pokemon showcases.

Misty, meanwhile, had gone over Poliwag and picked it up in her own arms. The tadpole Pokemon groggily opened its eyes and looked up at Misty. The redheaded girl then gave it a small smile.

"That was well done, Poliwag. You did great in helping Togepi with its first battle," Misty said.

"Poli!" Poliwag replied.

"Hold on just a second," Misty said as she set Poliwag down and reached into her backpack to pull out a Potion. She then poured a small amount of it into Poliwag's mouth to help it recover from the minor damage it received from Togepi's attacks. "Feel better?"

"Poliwag!" Poliwag cried in delight before something unexpected happened.

Poliwag began to glow a shining white. Misty's eyes lit up in surprise as she certainly wasn't expecting this, especially after a small practice battle with Togepi. Poliwag must've been ready to evolve for quite a while for this to be the case. Come to think of it, Misty was starting to wonder when her own Poliwag would evolve since Serena's evolved a while back.

The rest of the group came over to watch as Poliwag increased in size and grew arms, and its tail disappeared. When the glowing stopped, in Poliwag's place stood Poliwhirl. Despite her surprise, Misty seemed to get hearts in her eyes as she gave her newly evolved Poliwhirl a hug.

"Hooray! I just got a dreamy Poliwhirl! I'm so happy!" she cheered.

"Poliwhirl!" Poliwhirl nodded, glad that its trainer approved of its evolution.

The rest of the group smiled, too, now that Misty's Poliwag had finally evolved. With that, Ash and Serena looked down at Togepi who was staring in awe at the evolution that just took place before it. Seeing that always fascinated the spike ball Pokemon.

"See, Togepi? Poliwag's gotten a lot stronger now so your battles won't be easy forever. That's okay, though, because you'll get stronger right along with them," Ash stated.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi cheered. It couldn't wait to have a real competitive first battle once it was good enough and maybe even evolve one day.

* * *

Togepi was beat that day. It had its first battle and worked extra hard at aiming to try to perfect its attacks the rest of day. However, Togepi's child mindset still won out, and it gave a huge yawn and curled into ball as the group prepared to go to sleep that night. Togepi gladly welcomed Serena who picked it up and rocked it slowly to make it fall asleep faster. Togepi then snuggled into Serena and gave a contented sigh.

"How much longer do you think until we'll be in Ecruteak City, Brock?" Serena asked as she rocked Togepi.

"We're almost there. I'd say we should get there in just a couple of days," Brock replied.

"I'll see Gary again," Ash muttered as he poked at the campfire.

"You aren't nervous, are you, Ash?" Serena asked him.

There was a slight pause before Ash gave his response. According to Professor Oak, Gary wanted to see him and was willing to wait for them to get there. That alone should be enough to reassure him. They would be able to sort things out for sure.

"Nah. I'm not nervous. I guess I just don't know what I'll say to him," Ash responded.

"You could start with 'hi'," Misty smiled.

"Heh. I know that. I meant afterward," Ash chuckled.

"Just start up a conversation. Everything that needs to be said will fall into place," Serena advised.

"Yeah. I guess so," Ash muttered again and gave a half smile. The last thing he wanted at the moment were for things to remain awkward between him and Gary. This was especially true since they had been on their way to becoming good friends since they started their journeys.

Serena then looked down and noticed the soft breathing coming from Togepi and realized it was asleep. She then looked at her Pokegear and saw it was ten-thirty at night. That was a good sign to show it was time for them to start getting ready for bed themselves.

"Well, I'll go tuck Togepi in and be back out in a second," Serena stated as she stood up from the log she was sitting on.

"I'll help, too. I have a feeling I won't be doing this for much longer, after all," Ash said as he stood up, too.

"Alright. Misty and I will put out the campfire and pack up for the night," Brock reassured them.

As Serena, Ash, and Pikachu disappeared into the tent, Misty turned to Brock and gave a small smile. It warmed her heart to see the two acting like real parents. Having Togepi want to battle and not be treated like a baby anymore reminded Misty of two parents who were sending their child to school for the first day.

"I think they raised Togepi quite well, Brock. They were good parents," Misty said.

"Yeah. Of course, they still received help from Uncle Brock and Aunt Misty," Brock grinned.

"Heehee. I always loved babysitting Togepi. I could sometimes even imagine it as my own child," Misty smiled.

"Heh. Maybe in some alternate reality, you are Togepi's parent," Brock joked.

"Oh, please," Misty said with a roll of her eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash and Serena were tucking Togepi into Serena's sleeping bag. The spike ball Pokemon was already fast asleep. It had a big day, after all. Tomorrow would be even more training for it. Pretty soon, it would be able to take on tougher opponents and be ready for a real battle. Togepi was growing up.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu cooed as it got beside Togepi and curled up, as well.

"Okay, Pikachu. You want to sleep in here with Togepi and Serena tonight?" Ash asked.

"Piiiika," Pikachu yawned, but nodded to show that was correct.

"Alright," Ash replied.

Serena put her arm around Ash and rested her head on his shoulder. It was sad whenever Cubone had to grow up and start battling on its own for sure. However, with Togepi, it felt a little different. Ash had hatched it from the egg he found, and they had been taking care of Togepi ever since it was born. It was almost as if Togepi was their actual child, and they were its super young parents. Ash and Serena, of course, weren't ready for a real human baby yet.

"I think Togepi will be just fine, Ash. It'll be great at whatever it does," Serena said.

"Yeah," Ash mumbled.

It was rather tranquil inside the tent right now. The only sounds were the light breathing of Togepi and Pikachu. Ash and Serena watched them as they slept with content smiles on their faces. Pretty soon, Ash and Serena would go to sleep themselves and have good dreams. It was so peaceful.

"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

…That was until their ears were assaulted by that inhumane, horrible scream. Ash and Serena almost jumped out of their skin in fright at the sudden outburst. As if that wasn't bad enough, both Pikachu and Togepi were awakened, and Pikachu actually sent off a few bolts of electricity in its surprise. The noise, combined with Pikachu sending out a small Thundershock, frightened Togepi, and it immediately began to cry. The peaceful, soothing moment in the tent had turned into utter chaos in only five seconds.

Serena hastily picked up Togepi in an effort to settle it down while Ash and Pikachu bolted out of the tent to see what on Earth had made that noise. Ash and Pikachu were alert and looked around hastily for anything out of the ordinary. Brock and Misty looked just as freaked out as Ash and Serena had and were staring in a direction of the forest where the noise apparently came from.

"What's going on?!" Ash cried.

"So you heard it, too, huh?" Misty questioned.

"Obviously," Ash retorted. "I'm sure Ecruteak City even heard it! What was that?!"

"Well, we don't know. Misty and I were just getting ready for bed and…," Brock started, but…

"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The horrible noise happened once more. Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu leaped in alarm once again, and they heard more crying from Togepi inside the tent. Okay. Clearly this was going to be a continuous noise. They needed to find out what it was right now, or they wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

The group tentatively looked towards the woods where the screaming was coming from. They exchanged glances with each other as if telling the other to go ahead of them, but neither of them were moving. Misty and Brock motioned for Ash to go on ahead of them.

"Go on, Ash. You have Pikachu. Our pokeballs are already in our tent. Besides, we'll be right behind you," Brock urged.

"Uhh….," Ash muttered a little apprehensively.

"Piiiii…," Pikachu groaned, as well.

Ash took a deep breath. Okay. It was just a little…no…a loud scream. That didn't mean it was anything dangerous, right? He'd been in scarier situations than this before. Heck, he'd even had an infamous criminal gang have their guns pointed at him before and survived an airship crashing into the ocean. He could deal with a little screaming from the dark forest during the night. Ash took a step and then…

"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Um…no thanks! I'm good!" Ash hurriedly said and stopped dead in his tracks once again.

"Ash, please go see what's going on. We'll never go to sleep if it keeps up," Serena pleaded from the tent. She was obviously trying to get Togepi to go back to sleep, but that was impossible with the offending racket.

Ash turned his hat backwards and put on a brave face. Okay. He could do this. He had to be courageous for Togepi. The spike ball Pokemon was just now getting out its shell…figuratively. He or Serena certainly didn't want it to be scared and become clingy to them again. Ash nodded to Pikachu who nodded back. Together, they began walking in the woods towards where the sound was coming from. Brock and Misty brought up the rear with Brock bringing a flashlight.

As they ventured towards the noise, they realized it wasn't dead quiet like they expected it to be between the screams. They could hear a faint sound, but it was muffled and hard to make out what kind of sound it was. The group exchanged confused glances with each other but continued on. As they got closer, they could hear the sound getting a little louder. It almost sounding like…crying…well…bawling.

"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The group grew alarmed when that scream sounded again. It was clear now that whatever was crying was also the one doing the screaming. They ran forward through the trees as fast as they could. What on Earth could be producing such a loud wailing? Whatever it was, the crying was getting closer and closer. They broke through a small clearing, and the crying was now very clear. Whatever was producing that noise, it was right in front of them.

Brock shined his flashlight around the clearing as he tried to find the source of the noise. However, he couldn't find anything. Was it invisible or something? Was it a ghost Pokemon playing a prank? It wasn't likely. It didn't sound like one. Still, it had to be something. Brock pointed his flashlight down to the ground, and they finally saw what was causing the noise.

"Huh? This little guy?" Brock questioned in confusion.

It was a small Pokemon that resembled a short tree sapling. It had large eyes and stubby legs. It was on its behind and crying its eyes out. It didn't even appear to notice the group that was staring down at it.

"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The group cringed as the terrible scream was emitted yet again. Still, they were rather impressed. Apparently, this Pokemon, whatever it was, had quite a set of lungs if it could produce a noise like that. So it had been the one who was practically scaring them half to death. Despite their confusion, they were a little relieved as well as a little annoyed that this was all that it was. Even so, why was it bawling in the first place?

"Let's see what Dexter says," Ash muttered as he took out his national dex as Brock kept his flashlight shined on the Pokemon so they could still see it.

"Bonsly, the bonsai Pokemon. It looks as if it's always crying, but it is actually adjusting its body fluid levels," the national dex informed.

"So is it really crying now?" Ash questioned.

"I can't tell," Misty responded. "So what now?"

"We can't just leave it here. It looks really lonely," Brock said as he went over to the small Pokemon and knelt down next to it. "It's okay, little guy. We won't hurt you."

The Bonsly finally quit its wailing, much to Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu's relief, and looked up at Brock. The tanned Pokemon breeder gave Bonsly a warm and inviting smile. He wanted to reassure the little Pokemon that there was nothing to be afraid of. Everything was going to be okay. Brock could feel a connection with this Pokemon already.

That was until Bonsly leaped forward and tackled Brock to the ground. The bonsai Pokemon hit Brock squarely in the chest, and Brock toppled backwards on to his behind. The Bonsly then glared at Brock, and Brock glared right back at it.

"Hey! What's the big idea? I was trying to help you!" Brock cried.

At that, the Bonsly's eyes once more welled up with tears. It wasn't long before the tears turned into a wailing again. The group grimaced at the Bonsly. This was going to present some sort of a problem if they couldn't get it to calm down.

"No! Wait! I'm sorry! Please don't cry! I didn't mean to shout!" Brock hurriedly said so the Bonsly would be quiet again.

The Bonsly settled down once more and looked at Brock. It still had tears running down its face. Okay. So it was clear that this Pokemon was a bit of a crybaby, but what could they do? They couldn't help but wonder where its parents were, if it traveled with them, that is. Regardless, they couldn't just leave it here, right? It was apparently very scared and lonely.

"Hey. It's okay. Everything will be alright," Brock soothed as he reached out to touch the Bonsly.

This time, Bonsly, didn't try to attack Brock. It just simply watched him until the Pokemon Breeder rested his hand on Bonsly's head. He then began to rub it back and forth as Bonsly laughed at how good felt. Brock then picked it up and cradled it in his arms not too differently from how Serena used to cradle Togepi.

"See? I'm not so bad, am I? How's that feel, little guy?" Brock asked it, to which Bonsly laughed again.

"What's going on?" Serena asked as she entered the scene with Togepi in her arms. Upon not hearing any news for a while, she was worried and had decided to see if everything was alright. Togepi's face was still a little tear-stained, but it had stopped crying by now.

"We found the out what was making that screaming," Ash replied as he pointed in Brock and Bonsly's direction.

Serena's eyes widened once she saw Brock holding the Bonsly. Like the others before her, Serena found it hard to believe that such a small Pokemon was capable of being that loud. Not even Togepi would cry that loudly which was saying something.

"So what are we going to do with Bonsly?" Ash wondered.

"Well, as Brocks said, we just can't leave it, Ash," Misty told him. "We should make sure it's properly taken care of."

"I agree. Let's take it back to the camp, and I'll give it a bottle. You guys won't mind if I use one of Togepi's old bottles, right?" Brock requested to Ash and Serena.

"No. Not at all," Serena replied.

With that the group headed back to camp with Bonsly in tow. The bonsai Pokemon looked quite content in Brock's arms, but it was staring up at him curiously. As they walked, Ash leaned over to Serena and whispered in her ear.

"Hey, Serena. Is it just me, or do we always seem to have a baby Pokemon in our group?" he asked.

"No. It's not. Every time one of our Pokemon grows up, another one takes its place," Serena whispered back.

"Toge?" Togepi questioned.

"No. You're not a baby anymore, remember? You've grown up," Serena told it.

Togepi nodded its head. That was right. It was no longer a baby and would become a strong and dependable Pokemon!

* * *

Brock just finished heating a bottle of Pokemon formula and showed it to Bonsly who was now staring curiously at the bottle. Brock nodded his head to show it was okay. Apparently, this Bonsly had never been around any type of civilization and hadn't adapted to drink from a bottle. The tanned Pokemon breeder couldn't help but wonder what Bonsly had been eating before. It couldn't eat solid food even if it wanted to.

"You drink from it, Bonsly. You suck on it…like this," Brock said and did a demonstration where he sucked on the bottle himself and resisted the urge to make a nasty face. Pokemon formula was clearly not adapted for the taste buds of people.

Brock then tilted the bottle downward for Bonsly, and the bonsai Pokemon began to drink from the bottle. Brock smiled once he saw it drinking.

"I bet you were hungry, huh? Well, don't you worry because Brock's here now," Brock soothed.

Ash, Serena, and Misty resisted the urge to chuckle as they watched Brock. He was acting like more of a parent to Bonsly than Ash and Serena did to Togepi. He was baby-talking to it and everything. He grew up with almost a dozen younger brothers and sisters so he was used to dealing with anything young. After all, most of what Ash and Serena learned about being a parent, they learned from Brock.

Ash gave a huge yawn and checked his Pokegear. Man. This thing with Bonsly was really keeping them up late. It had been almost an hour since they first heard the noise, and it was now almost eleven-thirty. Ash should be in his sleeping bag by now and fast asleep. Pikachu and Togepi were already asleep in his and Serena's lap respectively, after all. Still, Ash, as well Serena and Misty, wanted to see what would play out in regards to Bonsly.

"There's a good Pokemon," Brock cooed as Bonsly finished off the bottle. "How does that feel?"

"Bonsly!" Bonsly cried happily before it switched moods and began crying.

"Ugh! What could be bothering you now?! I just fed you so you can't be hungry!" Brock exclaimed.

Bonsly then leaped out of Brock's arms and tackled him in the face. Brock fell over backwards off the log, and Bonsly continued tackling him. Brock was using his arms to block Bonsly's tackle and grimaced at the pain. This certainly wasn't turning out as he hoped. Talk about a moody Pokemon.

"Bonsly! Why are you…attacking…me?! I'm trying…to help…you!" Brock cried in between blocking.

Bonsly was relentless, however, with its assault. It cried out continuously each time it crashed into Brock. Ash figured it was time for him to intervene and shook Pikachu awake. He then pointed in Brock and Bonsly's direction to show the yellow rodent of what the problem was.

"Hey, Pikachu. Do you think you could send a small bolt over to Bonsly to help out Brock?" he asked.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded

Pikachu then charged up a little bit before it sent out a small, short, static bold over to Bonsly. The bonsai Pokemon saw the bolt coming and leaped out of the way just in time. Its eyes then watered up, and it began crying before it ran away in fear. The group gasped at the sudden departure of Bonsly and chased after it.

"Bonsly! Come back! We were just trying help Brock! We weren't trying to hurt you!" Ash called after it.

Brock frowned as he used his flashlight and searched some of the nearby bushes for any sign of the baby Pokemon. Did a small bolt from Pikachu really frighten Bonsly that much? It had a very timid nature and got scared quite easily. Brock wanted to find it so he could reassure it they could still be friends. He just wasn't keen on being constantly attacked for no reason. Why did Bonsly do that anyway? What was its deal?

"Any luck, Brock?" Misty asked as she watched Brock search through the last of the surrounding bushes.

"No," Brock sighed as he came over and slumped down on the log he was originally sitting on.

"Sorry, Brock. I didn't know Bonsly would take off like that," Ash apologized.

"Piiiii," Pikachu added. Maybe it tried to make its aim too accurate.

"It's okay, guys. I think all of us weren't expecting Bonsly to run away," Brock replied.

"I don't get it, though. Why would Bonsly just start attacking you like that after you helped it and was trying to figure out what was wrong?" Misty spoke up.

"Hmmm…," Brock mused as he folded his arms.

That Bonsly was certainly a strange one. Most Pokemon would act grateful after being fed a meal, but Bonsly did just the opposite and didn't seem satisfied at all. Well, Brock took that back. It looked happy for the briefest of seconds before it started crying and attacked him. Then it freaked out and ran away at the first sign of trouble.

"I hate to say it, but I think it would be best if we went to sleep," Ash yawned before he added. "If Bonsly wants to come back to us, it will. Besides we'll have better luck running into it in the daytime than at night."

"Right. I just wish I could figure out that Bonsly," Brock muttered before he looked over at Ash and Serena. "Hey. Your aura and ESP wouldn't happen to be working, would it?"

"No. Not right now. At least, not for me," Serena giggled but realized Brock had a point. It had been quite a while since she or Ash had used their abilities. Were they dormant right now?

"Well, you guys are right. I can't think when I'm tired like this," Brock said as he stood up. "Let's hit the sack. Hopefully we'll run into Bonsly again."

The group figured that was a good plan. If they wanted to be rested enough for travel tomorrow so they could reach Ecruteak City in time, they needed to go to sleep now. With that, they each headed to their respective tent to call it a night.

* * *

It was the next morning, and Togepi was about to have another small battle. This time, it was against Pikachu. Of course, since Pikachu didn't want to hurt Togepi with its shocks like before, it would mainly be using its more physical attacks. Any electric attacks it used, it would make sure to go really slow so Togepi could focus more on dodging. The yellow rodent was really good at restraining itself.

Since Ash would be the one commanding Pikachu and battled with Togepi yesterday, it would be Serena doing it this time. It almost took her back to the first time she had commanded Cubone in battle against the Chateau Chatelaines in Kanto. The lonely Pokemon had grown a lot since then, and Serena was sure Togepi would do the same. She couldn't wait to watch it become better at battling every day until it was able to keep up with the other Pokemon.

Brock would serve as the judge, and Misty would be sitting this one out. That didn't really bother her as she still got a dreamy Poliwhirl yesterday which she was still excited about. The stronger her water-types were, the closer she was to completing her dream of becoming a water Pokemon master.

Unbeknownst to the group, they had another spectator to the match. Bonsly was watching from the bushes nearby. It had noticed the little Togepi last night and how the spike ball Pokemon was very young just like it was. However, here it was, looking very ready to fight while Bonsly knew all it would do was cry and run away…just like it had last night. It was going to stay here quietly and secretly cheer for Togepi.

"How are you feeling, Togepi?" Serena asked it

"Prriiiii!" Togepi chirped to show it was ready.

With that, Brock raised his hands again. "This is going to be a practice battle with Togepi versus Pikachu. You may begin when ready," he said.

"Okay, Pikachu. Use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered.

"You hear that, Togepi? Pikachu is going to be using a really fast attack so try to dodge it," Serena told the spike ball Pokemon.

Pikachu dashed forward at a very quick speed and hit Togepi, but it pulled its strike back considerably so all Togepi got was a slight bump. Togepi stumbled backwards and blinked in surprise a few times because of how fast Pikachu was. How was it supposed to dodge that? It looked up to Serena as if asking for help, and the honey blonde-haired girl smiled sympathetically down at it.

"I know it's hard to dodge Pikachu like that, but you still have to try. You'll only get better with experience. Part of battling is knowing what angle your opponent is going to strike from," she explained.

"How about I tell you where Pikachu is going to strike from this time," Ash suggested to Togepi. "It's going to be coming in from the right so you dodge to the left."

Togepi nodded its head and got into a defensive stance. It could do this.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu shot forward once more towards Togepi. As Togepi watched it, it could indeed see that Pikachu was focusing more on the right just as its daddy said. Togepi curled into a ball and rolled out of the way. It was close, but Ash, Serena, and Pikachu were proud that Togepi did it.

"Good job, Togepi! Now attack back with Extrasensory!" Serena told it.

Togepi seemed to focus on its inner power, and Pikachu made a grimacing sound as it was attacked in surprise by the unseeing force. However, the yellow rodent quickly shook its head and brushed off the attack. Ash then looked over at Togepi on the other side of the field.

"Hey, Togepi. I'm not going to tell you which way Pikachu is coming from this time. You're going to have to decide for yourself," Ash told it.

"Priiii," Togepi nodded.

"Okay, Pikachu. Use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded again.

"Get ready, Togepi. Even if you can't dodge, try to find out some way to counter attack Pikachu," Serena said.

Pikachu crouched down and sprinted towards Togepi again. Togepi tried to follow Pikachu's movements, but it was just too quick. Knowing that it couldn't dodge, Togepi hid in its shell and curled into a ball. Pikachu struck Togepi with its shoulder, and Togepi went rolling backwards. Because it had hit inside its egg-like body, it received no damage. Togepi then decided to use its momentum to try something new.

Ash and Serena were about to praise Togepi until they saw Togepi turn back around while still curled up and roll towards Pikachu. It kept going until it slammed into Pikachu, and the yellow rodent was knocked backwards. The yellow rodent stared in surprise for a moment until a big smile spread across its face. It looked like Togepi had just learned a new move.

"That's great, Togepi! It looked like you just learned Rollout!" Serena smiled.

Togepi uncurled from its ball-like shape and smiled broadly. If this kept up with it learning new moves, it would do well in battle in no time. It knew they were never going to be this easy and would only get harder, but that's what these practices were for!

"Let's try a Metronome now, Togepi!" Serena suggested.

Togepi then began waving its tiny arms back and forth. Everyone, including Bonsly, looked on in interest as they watched Togepi. Metronome was a completely random move so it was always suspenseful as anything could happen. After a few seconds, Togepi's arms glowed blue before going back to their original color.

Everyone waited for something to happen, but nothing did. Togepi blinked a few times in confusion as the group watched it. Well, wasn't it going to do something? Why wasn't it doing some type of attack or look like it was improving one of its stats? Something did happen, right, or did Togepi's Metronome turn out to be a total dud?

Togepi frowned as it looked down in shame. It had been so sure it did Metronome correctly so why didn't anything happen? Great. How was it supposed to be a good battler if it couldn't even get one of its own attacks right? This battle with Pikachu was a lot harder than Misty's Poliwag. Serena and Ash both gave Togepi a sympathetic smile and went to comfort it.

"Hey, it's okay, Togepi. You can't let this get you down. So what if you didn't use a good Metronome attack? You still did great, and you learned Rollout, too!" Ash encouraged.

"That's right. Ash and I are really proud of you," Serena agreed.

"Don't forget about your big brother, Pikachu," Ash smiled as he gestured to the yellow rodent.

Togepi looked over at Pikachu, and Pikachu held up its two fingers in a V-shape. "Pika!" it said happily.

Togepi smiled back and went back to its normally chipper self. It shouldn't expect to be great right off the bat. This was just part of battles. It would have to accept that it would make mistakes, and that it wouldn't feel down. Togepi would remain strong and keep trying. Cyndaquil wasn't giving up lighting its flame properly, and it was actually getting pretty close, so Togepi would keep at it, too, until Metronome was perfected!

All of a sudden, it got rather quiet in the area, and a strong breeze blew through. The group looked around in confusion as the wind was fairly light today. The weather wasn't supposed to have gusts like this. Pikachu's ears perked up, and it turned around just in time to see a beam of light heading towards it. Due to its complete surprise, Pikachu didn't dodge in time and was struck by the light.

The group gasped as Pikachu flipped through the air and landed on its back. Ash, as well as the others, ran towards Pikachu to make sure it was okay. The yellow rodent sat up and appeared rather dizzy. What on Earth was that?

"Uh…I think Metronome worked, after all," Ash muttered.

"Yeah. It used Future Sight. No wonder we were fooled," Serena voiced as she and the others turned to look at Togepi.

The spike ball Pokemon laughed jubilantly that its attack worked. Togepi had nothing to fear about it using its attack incorrectly, after all. It did just fine, but there was a delay because it happened to be Future Sight, and it was powerful enough to make its big brother, Pikachu, pretty dizzy, too!

Deciding that was enough training with Togepi today, Pikachu fell on its back again and raised a hand in defeat. The group gave a slight chuckle before Brock made his decision.

"Pikachu has forfeited the match so the winner is Togepi!" he declared.

"See? You did just fine, Togepi! Congratulations!" Serena cheered as she picked up Togepi and gave it a hug.

"You alright there, buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

The yellow rodent hastily stood up and nodded its head. That Future Sight attack didn't necessarily hurt it. That was more of a surprise than anything and left it dazed. Pikachu was made out of tougher stuff than that. Upon learning Pikachu was fine, Ash went over to congratulate Togepi, as well as Misty and Brock.

Bonsly watched from the bushes and thought about what took place. Togepi was a young Pokemon just like it was, and yet it was not afraid to battle or get hurt at all. Sure, it knew everyone was going easy on it, but it still wasn't afraid. Bonsly knew it always ran away at the first sign of danger, however. The second it saw a bolt from that Pikachu, it turned and ran away.

Bonsly then felt ashamed of itself and began to cry. It hated itself for being such a weakling and a crybaby. It couldn't control its emotions, though. Bonsly then noticed that everyone, particularly the squinty-eyed boy had been alerted by the crying. As they made their way towards the bushes, Bonsly knew it had two options. It could stay here and be found by them looking pathetic, or it could run away again. Which to do?

Not wanting to appear weak, but not wanting to run away, either, Bonsly made its decision. It would be just as ready to battle as that Togepi was. It then leaped out of the bushes and tackled Brock in the chest.

Brock gasped in surprise as he fell over backwards on the ground. Bonsly landed on top of Brock and began bouncing up and down. See? It wasn't a weakling, after all. It was facing a human who was many times its size! It was brave! That was until Bonsly saw Brock glaring at it, and it shrunk back in fear.

"You have a bad habit of doing that, you know, Bonsly," Brock muttered.

"Bonsly?" Bonsly questioned.

"Really. Why do you keep attacking me? I try to help you, and you accept my help, but then you do something like this," Brock wondered.

"Bonsly," Bonsly said sadly as its eyes watered at being scolded.

"Were you watching our battle this whole time?" Ash asked it this time.

Bonsly looked up to Ash and nodded its head. If it could see other young Pokemon be tough, it could do the same thing. Bonsly began then bouncing up and down. It then began crying again.

"Why were you watching it? We thought you ran away from us last night," Serena said.

Bonsly looked towards the ground in shame. Yes. It had run away. However, it had these people who were here to keep it company. That's why it stayed near them. Now, upon seeing Togepi fight, Bonsly wanted to learn how to be tough, too.

"Bonsly, are you lonely?" Brock questioned. "That's why you crying last night when we found you, wasn't it?"

"Bonsly," Bonsly muttered as it looked down.

"You know, you don't have to be lonely if you come with me," Brock offered.

"Bonsly?" the bonzai Pokemon questioned in surprise.

"Really. It's okay. Just try to not tackle me so much. It hurts a little," Brock replied and laughed slightly.

The bonzai Pokemon got a huge grin on its face as it began bouncing up and down in happiness. The group smiled at Bonsly's enthusiasm until it stopped and seemed to think over something. Its face then grew serious and it leaped at Brock into his chest. This time it wasn't a tackle, but Bonsly was thrashing around. It wanted to fight just like that Togepi if Brock was going to capture it. Bonsly wanted to show it wasn't a weakling.

"I get it. Bonsly wants to learn how to be tough, and the first step is to have you battle it before you capture it," Ash stated.

"So you want to battle me, Bonsly?" Brock questioned.

"Bonsly!" Bonsly replied eagerly.

"You got it. I'll battle you for your capture then," Brock declared as he stood up and went a short distance away from Bonsly. The others stood back, as well.

Brock then took out Kabuto's pokeball and threw it forward. While the other of Brock's Pokemon were rather large, Kabuto was just the right size to take on Bonsly. The only other option was Pineco, and it still had its habit of exploding. It wasn't ideal for a match where Brock was trying to capture a Pokemon. Thus, Kabuto it was. That was fine, though, as Brock hadn't battled with it in a while.

Kabuto came out its pokeball, and upon appearing, clicked its pincers at Bonsly. The bonzai Pokemon shrank back a little at Kabuto trying to intimidate it, but it put on brave face. It would go through with this battle.

"Why don't you make the first move, Bonsly?" Brock suggested.

Bonsly nodded its head. Everyone was expecting Bonsly to rush forward at Kabuto, but it did quite the opposite. To everyone's surprise, it started crying. Brock titled his head in confusion, as did Kabuto, as they watched Bonsly cry. Okay. Was it not up to battle, after all?

"Bonsly, what's wrong now?" Brock wondered.

Bonsly then suddenly stopped crying and leaped forward and crashed into Kabuto. The fossil Pokemon flew backwards and landed on its dome-shaped back. It wiggled a few moments to find its balance before it hopped upright again. Brock got a look of understanding on his face. Ah. So those were fake tears to get them to drop their guard.

"So you think you're clever, don't you?" Brock smirked at Bonsly, who laughed in triumph. "Well, how to you like this, then? Kabuto, use Aqua Jet."

A boost of water appeared from behind Kabuto and propelled it forward. As soon as it did that, Bonsly began crying once again. Brock, however, knew better this time. He wasn't going to back down again.

"Those are fake tears, Kabuto! Don't hesitate to attack it!" Brock commanded.

Kabuto continued going forward and crashed into Bonsly. The super effective attack knocked Bonsly high into the air, but it wasn't out yet. It summoned rocks and began hurling them at Kabuto for a Rock Throw. Kabuto merely watched as the rocks struck it. Being part rock-type itself, it did very little damage. Bonsly looked on in confusion that it's attacks had little effect. Was it really weak, after all. Upon noticing his expression, Brock shook his head.

"That isn't it, Bonsly. You're using a rock-type attack against Kabuto. It's not very effective because Kabuto is part rock-type. It isn't because you're a weakling," Brock reassured.

Bonsly nodded its head as it would try something else now. It then ran towards Kabuto and began flailing around. Kabuto resisted the hits so it didn't hurt very much. However, it was still rather difficult to find an opening.

"Try Absorb, Kabuto!" Brock shouted.

Kabuto's eyes glowed, and Bonsly stopped in its tracks. It then got a strained look on its face as the energy was beginning to get sucked from it. Brock figured this was enough, and he readied his pokeball and threw it towards Bonsly.

"Go, pokeball!" he said.

Bonsly saw the pokeball coming towards it and shut its eyes. Would it be scary inside of the pokeball? Would it be relaxing? Bonsly wasn't sure. It did know this was going to be a new experience for it regardless. The ball connected with the bonzai Pokemon, and it was sucked inside. The pokeball then shook for a few moments and _dinged_ to show Brock's new capture.

Brock smiled and went over Bonsly's pokeball and picked it up. He then rubbed Kabuto's shell on a job well done before he returned it. So he just got a new Pokemon in Bonsly. Now he could teach it how to be tough and end its loneliness.

"Welcome to our group, Bonsly," Brock said as he felt one of his pokeball's teleport away.

Brock knew it to be Stantler's. He figured now was a good time to have it away from him a while. It could meet all of its new friends at Professor Oak's lab and spend time with them there. When the time was right, Brock would again add it back to his team. This would be a good experience for the big horn Pokemon.

"Great job, Brock. I guess we've got another baby Pokemon in our group, after all," Ash said.

"Yeah. I'll release Bonsly from its pokeball in a little bit. I'm sure it hasn't had anything to eat today and would love a good bottle," Brock replied.

"I guess Togepi's baby items are going to Bonsly, now," Serena shrugged.

"Toge?" Togepi questioned as it looked up at Serena.

"That's right, Togepi. You haven't even used a bottle in a while and have been eating regular Pokemon food like the others. You don't need them anymore," Serena told it.

"Speaking of Togepi, what are you two going to do with who keeps it? Also, I hate to bring this up, but it sees you as its parents. Would you two really be okay with sending it back to Professor Oak's lab sometimes?" Misty asked.

Ash and Serena looked at each other. That was true. Unlike with Serena and Cubone, where Serena was simply its surrogate mother for a time, Togepi really did think of Ash and Serena as its parents. They supposed they could keep it in their party at all times like Pikachu. They would also feel weird about just putting it in a pokeball.

Then there was the thing about whose Pokemon Togepi would be. It belonged to each of them equally and would benefit from both trainers. It was going to be a really tough decision indeed. Togepi was ready to be trained so they had to come to a decision. Ash sighed before he gave his answer.

"Serena and I will talk about it tonight," Ash replied.

* * *

Ash and Serena were sitting in front of the campfire that night. Only Pikachu and Togepi were out with them right now. Brock was feeding Bonsly a bottle from inside his and Ash's tent while a small lantern was on in Misty and Serena's tent. The redhead was probably reading a book right now. They both gave Ash and Serena some privacy right now so they could talk over their decision on what to do with Togepi.

Ash sighed for what might've been the sixth time in a minute. Both he and Serena had already been out here for ten minutes and hadn't said anything. They were each too busy thinking of an idea on what to do with Togepi. Meanwhile, Togepi and Pikachu were staring back and Ash and Serena as they awaited them to say something. Even Togepi knew this was a serious discussion about it and didn't say anything.

"Man. I don't know," Ash finally groaned to break the silence, though it did nothing to remedy their problem.

"Oh, Ash. I know. Togepi means a lot to both of us. We both would love to have it as one of our Pokemon," Serena said.

"Yeah," Ash agreed.

Togepi was a unique Pokemon that would definitely add some creativeness to Ash's battles. Likewise, the same held true for Serena and her Pokemon showcases. Togepi could do so much, but they had to make a decision. Serena sighed herself before she leaned over and whispered in Ash's ear so Togepi wouldn't hear this.

"Ash, why don't you keep, Togepi? It was your egg, after all. Not to mention, I was the one who ended up keeping Cubone. It's only fair," she told him.

Ash frowned before he gave his response. "I appreciate what you're saying Serena, but Cubone was yours to begin with. Besides, you've helped raise Togepi just as much as I have. I'm not even sure if Togepi would work best to be raised on battles with me. I want to give this a little more thought than that."

Serena nodded her head at Ash's response. She wanted to have Togepi be her Pokemon just as much as Ash's, but he still found the egg first which is why she offered. However, with Ash being how he is, he wouldn't accept it. Should they battle over who gets to keep Togepi? Then again, that wouldn't be good, either. It would really confuse Togepi if it saw its parents battling for it. They didn't want to give Togepi the impression that they were fighting.

"Well, I guess even though one of us keeps Togepi as an official member of our team, we could still let the other use Togepi whenever needed," Ash spoke.

"What do we do about the pokeball situation, though," Serena pointed out. "I wouldn't feel comfortable putting Togepi in one since we've raised it since hatching from an egg."

"I…guess it can stay out of its pokeball then like Pikachu," Ash muttered before he added. "If I kept Togepi, I think I would be the only trainer in Johto to have two Pokemon outside of their pokeballs at all times."

"I still think you should keep Togepi," Serena sighed.

"I know, but even if I did keep Togepi, I would be keeping Pikachu and Togepi in my party at all times. That only leaves room for four other Pokemon with me," Ash replied.

The raven-haired boy looked down and grabbed his head in frustration. Man, this six Pokemon limit was really not doing him or Serena any favors here. If he had won the Pokemon League, he probably would've been awarded an extra Pokemon with him to have with him. However, he didn't, and both he and Serena were between a rock and a hard place.

Ash then felt something brush against leg, and he saw it was Togepi. The spike ball Pokemon was looking up at him in worry. It could tell its parents were troubled by something, and it was the cause of it. Togepi didn't want them to be sad on its account. It tried to squeak happily at Ash in an effort to get him to smile. The raven-haired boy did indeed do that, and he bent over and picked up Togepi.

"Don't you worry, Togepi. We'll figure something out that makes you, Serena, and me all happy. Everything will be just fine," Ash reassured it.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu added, as well.

"We'll be arriving in Ecruteak City sometime tomorrow. Do you think we should call Professor Oak and ask him for advice?" Serena wondered.

Professor Oak was genius at figuring out arrangements and just Pokemon in general. While Professor Oak wouldn't make the decision for Ash and Serena as it's theirs alone. He would at least be able to point them in the right direction.

"Okay," Ash nodded.

* * *

The group smiled at the city in front of them. They had finally arrived at the historical and mythological Ecruteak City. It looked like an old-fashioned, Japanese City, but there were two things in the city that really stood out. There were two very tall towers on each side of the city. They were even taller than the Radio Tower, or one was in any case. The other tower definitely looked like something had happened to it…like a fire.

"Those must be the Brass Tower and the Bell Tower, the oldest buildings in Johto," Brock mentioned.

"The what?" Ash questioned.

"They were built over a thousand years ago to celebrate the legendary Pokemon of the area, Lugia and Ho-oh. The Bell Tower is said to house the legendary Pokemon, Ho-oh, while the blackened building was the Brass Tower. Legend has it that Lugia once rested there until it burned a long time ago," Brock replied.

"Ho-oh and Lugia?" Ash and Serena questioned at the same time.

While Misty had seen Lugia with them, only Ash and Serena had seen Ho-oh, also. They still remembered that first day of their journey when they saw a Ho-oh fly over the rainbow. It was truly an incredible sight. So according to legend, Ecruteak City was home to Ho-oh. Wow. Ash and Serena weren't particular history buffs, but Ecruteak City must have some really cool legends that have been passed down that they would love to hear. It was probably going to be the most interesting city the group had visited yet.

This would also be home to Ash's fourth gym battle. There wasn't a Pokemon Showcase in this city for Serena, but that was okay, as their next stops, Olivine City and Cianwood City both would. Ecruteak City also had a dance theater which housed the mysterious kimono sisters. It also had a lot of nature trails and old sights to see. This place was also where the group would be meeting up with Gary and Leaf. If they kept their word, they should still be in this city somewhere.

First thing was first, though. They needed to go the Pokemon Center and get their Pokemon checked on, and Ash and Serena needed to make an important phone call to Professor Oak. Brock took out his guidebook and flipped through the pages until he found the map of Ecruteak City.

"Okay, guys. The Pokemon Center actually isn't too far from here. We should actually get there quite quickly," he said.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi chirped.

"It's okay, Togepi. We'll get it sorted out," Serena reassured as the group set out on their way to the Pokemon Center.

They arrived about ten minutes later, and the group couldn't help but notice how out of place the Pokemon Center looked compared to the rest of the city. It was probably the only modern looking building in the entire city. Even a picture of the Ecruteak Gym in the guidebook appeared to be old-fashioned. Well, whatever. What would an old-fashioned Pokemon Center look like anyway?

The group walked inside the Pokemon Center and found it was relatively quiet. There were a few other trainers here, but it certainly wasn't crowded. It should be relatively easy to get a couple of rooms to sleep in while they were here. As usual, Nurse Joy was behind the desk, and the group walked over to her. The Nurse Joy smiled and bowed to greet them.

"Hello. Welcome to our Pokemon Center," she said.

"Yes, Nurse Joy. We'd like a room, please, as well as have all of our Pokemon checked up on," Brock requested.

"Of course. I'd be happy, too," Nurse Joy smiled.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Brock smiled back as he handed her his pokeballs.

He had just fed Bonsly a bottle so it would be fine for it to have its first checkup. Brock then turned back to rest of the group to see why they hadn't given their pokeballs to Nurse Joy yet. Instead, he found they were all gawking at him, even Pikachu and Togepi.

"What?" Brock questioned in confusion.

"Brock, are you feeling okay?" Serena questioned

"What do you mean?" Brock wondered.

"How…how did you just have a normal conversation with Nurse Joy?" Ash asked in amazement.

"I know. I already had my hand ready to pull you back by your ear," Misty said as she actually had her hand raised to do the deed.

"Oh…uh…I guess I can just restrain myself better. If I want Suzy to like me, I can't go flirting with every beautiful girl I see. Speaking of Suzy, I should probably call her today," Brock responded thoughtfully.

"So…is your obsession with Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny over?" Misty asked cautiously.

"Oh no. I still think they're all beautiful, and I can still tell the difference between them. If you look closely, you can see that the buns on this Nurse Joy's head are about half an inch shorter than the other Nurse Joys," Brock explained.

"Yep. Same old Brock. Only he can do that," Ash said, fully convinced.

"Ummm….," Nurse Joy started awkwardly, not having a clue what was going on.

"Don't worry about it, Nurse Joy. Just know that you were saved from something that would probably annoy you," Misty said.

"Oh. Okay," Nurse replied, still a little confused.

Ash, Serena, and Misty handed Nurse Joy their pokeballs. The only Pokemon they didn't give over was Togepi as it was involved with their next order of business. They made their way over to one of the vacant video phones. Ash would be instigating the call so he sat down while Serena stood beside him and set Togepi down on the table the video phone was on so it could be seen, too. Brock and Misty were behind both of them.

Ash dialed the number to Professor Oak's lab and heard it ring a few times. Sure enough, the phone was picked up, and the image of Professor Oak appeared on the screen. The elderly professor smiled when he saw the group.

"Ah, hello there! I take it you all made it to Ecruteak City safely then," Professor Oak concluded.

"Yeah. We did, Professor," Ash nodded.

"Togepriiii!" Togepi added.

"Why hello there to you, Togepi, and Pikachu, too," Professor Oak greeted.

"Togepi is actually the main reason we're calling you," Ash muttered.

"Oh?" Professor Oak asked in interest. "What's the problem?"

"Well, you know we've been taking care of Togepi just like it was our baby," Serena spoke this time. "Now, we've decided to train it. It no longer wants to be babied."

"Hmm…that's a good thing, isn't it, or you two don't want to see it grow up?" Professor Oak inquired.

"No. It's nothing like that. We're really proud of Togepi. Our problem is that we don't know which of us should keep Togepi," Ash explained.

"Why is that?" Professor Oak wondered.

"Well, if one of us were to keep Togepi, we would have it in our party at all times…just like Pikachu. It would feel weird to send a Pokemon that we see as our baby to you and swap it out like our other Pokemon," Ash said.

"I told Ash he should keep Togepi since it was his egg, but then he would have only four Pokemon to swap from at all times which keeps his options limited with use of his Pokemon. I don't know if I would feel right having Togepi, though," Serena frowned.

"Ah, I think you're being rather selfless, Serena, by wanting Ash to have Togepi, but that still leaves him with quite the dilemma," Professor Oak nodded.

"Exactly," Ash replied.

Professor Oak folded his arms as he appeared to concentrate. It appeared as though Togepi never got in the way of Ash or Serena's six pokeball limit because they never really 'captured' it. They merely hatched it from its egg. Now, if they were going to be using Togepi for battles or showcases or anything else, it would have its own pokeball, and thus, occupy a spot in their party. Professor Oak could certainly understand why they wouldn't want Togepi in a pokeball or swap it out. This made it rather difficult. Professor Oak wanted to help them out, but what could he do? They clearly were expecting some sort of solution from him.

"Professor?" Ash questioned.

Professor Oak did indeed come to a conclusion, and he got a knowing smile on his face. Of course. The answer was so obvious that Ash and Serena probably never thought of it. It technically didn't break the rules of the Pokemon League Federation, either, as long as they kept doing what they were doing.

"Did you think of something, Professor?" Ash asked hopefully upon seeing Professor Oak's face.

"Yes. Why don't you two keep caring for Togepi as your baby and not capture it in a pokeball?" Professor Oak questioned.

"We have to, though, if we're going to be training it. Right?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Well, Togepi is you and Serena's baby, correct? Why can't it still be your baby even if you're going to be using it?" Professor Oak inquired and gave the group a wink.

A look of understanding crossed Ash and Serena's face as they started to realize what Professor Oak was saying. What he was suggesting to them sounded almost too good to be true. As long as they never put Togepi in a pokeball, it would never count as one of their party Pokemon. However, if Togepi chose to stay with Ash and Serena and wanted to battle or perform in showcases with the two as it saw fit, they wouldn't be breaking any rules as that was Togepi's decision. It would still count as a Pokemon in battle so they certainly couldn't use it as well as six more Pokemon, but still, that was great.

"Seriously, Professor? You'd really let us do that?" Serena pleaded and clasped her hands.

"I see it as two parents who are still taking care of their baby. Nothing more, and nothing less," Professor Oak smiled. "As long as you never officially capture Togepi, and it chooses to stay with you, there isn't anything I can do to stop you from using it.

"Wow. Th-thank you so much, Professor! You're the best!" Ash said gratefully.

"You're welcome," Professor Oak replied.

"Right," Ash nodded.

"Did you hear that, Togepi? You want to stay with Ash and me, right?" Serena asked it.

"Togepriii!" Togepi chirped. As if it's mommy really had to ask it.

"Then it's settled!" Serena squealed as she picked up Togepi and gave it a huge hug. "Ash and I couldn't be happier, right now. You'll be an amazing Pokemon someday, Togepi!"

"Toge! Toge!" it laughed. Togepi could tell the issue had been resolved, after all, and with positive results, too. It wouldn't be causing trouble for its mommy and daddy, after all.

"You guys are going to have your hands full," Misty giggled.

"Of course, Misty and I are still here to help in any way," Brock added.

Yes. Everything was going to be just fine. Togepi was learning how to train little by little, and it looked like both Ash and Serena were going to keep it. The six Pokemon limit really had them at a disadvantage, but Professor Oak had shown them the solution. This was definitely great that they could continue with Togepi as if nothing had changed between them.

"Wait until I tell Leaf. She's going to be so excited!" Serena beamed.

"Yeah. We still have to find Leaf and Gary," Ash agreed.

"Actually, it looks like you don't have to," Professor Oak spoke up as he noticed someone had come up behind the group.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"Well, Ashy boy. You and Serena sure look happy about something," a familiar voice stated from behind them.

Ash's eyes widened as he slowly turned around. He immediately recognized the voice, and as Ash saw who it was, that only confirmed it. Standing behind them was none other than Gary Oak. The spiky-haired boy had his hands in his pockets and had a small smile on his face. For a while, Ash didn't say anything, having remembered their last meeting ended on a bad note. It had ended sour for Serena, too, whenever he called Ash out on forgetting their anniversary, but she had forgiven him since then. There was still salt between Gary and Ash, though.

"Hey, Gary," Ash muttered.

"Hey, Ash," Gary muttered back.

* * *

 **I think this answer with who keeps Togepi will satisfy everyone. It really makes sense once you think about it. Now I know Togepi's battles were less than spectacular, but what do expect? It will be having real battles in due time.**

 **I chose to go ahead and introduce Brock's Bonsly early since you can get a Sudowoodo around this point in the game, and I've also said a few times that Brock won't be traveling with the group in Sinnoh. It kind of makes you wonder when I introduce his Croagunk then, and his Happiny. Don't worry. They're in this series, too, but won't come along until much later.**

 **It's now time for Gary and Ash to meet and resolve their issues. The next chapter will out later in February. Have a good one and thanks for all the reviews and support!**

 **Chapter Thirty: Gary's Promise**


	30. Gary's Promise

**A/N: A lot of people brought up that they think the solution solves nothing as it opens up Togepi to be captured by other trainers. However, when you really think about it...it's a moot point. Togepi is in no more danger now than it was when Ash and Serena were caring for it like a baby. Not to mention that Togepi is more mature now and knows not to wander off on its own. Another thing was that if either Ash or Serena owned Togepi, there would've been half the fan base telling me that the other should've gotten Togepi. This was the best solution.**

 **Okay. Ash is finally meeting Gary again in this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **Disclamer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty: Gary's Promise

After the greeting, the two boys didn't say anything to each other. They just continued to stare at one another for about ten seconds. Not wanting it to get really awkward, Gary gave a slight cough, and he turned to address Serena. He nodded his head at her.

"Hey, Serena. How's it going?" Gary greeted.

"I'm fine, Gary. It's good to see you again. We haven't seen you in a while," Serena replied.

"Heheh. Yeah. That was probably my own fault, though," Gary acknowledged before he turned to Brock and Misty. "How about you two?"

"I'm doing just fine, Gary. Thanks," Brock smiled.

"Me, too!" Misty smiled.

"Thanks for waiting for us, Gary," Ash said in an attempt to break the ice before he realized something. "Wait a second. Where's Leaf?"

Gary rolled his eyes a little bit before he responded. "You know how that girl is, Ash. She can't sit still for one second. She's off touring the city and tried to literally drag me along, but I finally convinced her to just let me stay here for a while."

"Yeah. That sounds like Leaf," Ash chuckled as he thought about the hyperactive girl.

"You have no idea how hard it is to keep up with Leaf in travel. I'm just glad we got to the city so I could catch a break. She wears me out," Gary said.

That was definitely no secret. Though it was close between Ash and Leaf in terms of energy and excitement, Leaf won out by just a little bit. Even when they were traveling in the Orange Islands, it showed when Leaf chose to climb a huge mountain with Ash even though she didn't have to. Granted, it was to impress an older guy, but she still did it. Ash and Serena both got amused looks on their faces as they thought about Leaf excitedly running around all over the place and Gary struggling far behind and tired out. That probably wasn't too far from the truth, actually.

"So have you challenged the gym leader yet, Gary?" Ash wondered now that he was becoming a little more comfortable with him.

"I sure have. See for yourself how it went," Gary smirked as he took out his badge case and showed his four badges. The first three were the Zephyr Badge, the Hive Badge, and the Plain Badge. The last badge was purple and was in the shape of a spirit with eyes painted on. That one had to be the Fog Badge. Ash had heard the gym leader here used ghost-type Pokemon so that badge seemed quite appropriate.

"So was he pretty tough?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. Morty's ghost Pokemon are full of tricks. You, however, won't have any trouble, Ash," Gary told him with a smile.

"Right," Ash nodded as he wondered what kind of tricks Gary was talking about.

"Hey, Ash. Can we go somewhere to talk?" Gary requested.

Ash knew this was coming. Here was the part where they would settle their differences and the argument they had. Ash knew he and Gary weren't upset with each other anymore, but it still needed to be talked out in order to fully get through it. They had exchanged a few sentences with each other to ease the awkwardness, but now they had to address the issue at hand.

"Sure, Gary," Ash nodded as he turned back to Serena, Brock, and Misty. "What about you guys? What are you going to do?"

"Well…," Serena trailed as she rubbed her neck as she wasn't quite sure. There were so many things they could do in this city.

Gary smiled. "I think Leaf was going to check out the Ecruteak City history tour over at the museum. If you guys go there, you might run into her."

Serena smiled at the notion of seeing her best friend again. Not to mention the opportunity to learn a lot about the history of the city sounded quite interesting. Brock, as well as Misty nodded their heads at that idea.

"Sounds good to me. I bet this city has a lot of cool lore around it," Brock said thoughtfully.

"I know. I wonder if any of it involves water Pokemon," Misty spoke up.

"Does that sound good to you, Togepi? We can see Leaf again," Serena asked with a smile at the spike ball Pokemon.

"Togepriiii!" Togepi chirped.

"So you and Serena are still taking care of that Togepi, huh?" Gary asked.

"Actually, no. We're training it now, and that's what we were on the phone with Professor Oak about. He's letting us both train it and be both our Pokemon!" Serena revealed brightly.

"Wow. That's really cool. I know grandpa wouldn't do that for just anyone," Gary said in surprise.

"You should find an egg and raise it with Leaf, Gary. You know she'd love that," Serena giggled and gave him a sly look.

Gary blushed and turned away. "N-no way! I don't want to raise an egg with Leaf! That isn't me!"

"Maybe I should pitch the idea to Leaf when I see her," Serena grinned playfully.

"W-whatever! Let's just go, Ash!" Gary pleaded, eager for this conversation to end.

"Sure, Gary," Ash nodded.

Inwardly, Ash agreed with Serena, though. Gary obviously liked Leaf, and she obviously liked him, but he just couldn't admit it. Ash briefly wondered what it would be like if the two were to raise and egg together. Leaf would pamper it and want to study every aspect of it while Gary would no doubt take good care of it if not feel a bit awkward. Ash realized Gary's treatment of the egg wouldn't be too different from his.

With that, Ash and Gary left with Serena, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togepi not too far behind them. Gary and Ash went one way while the rest went another. They would meet up again soon, but for now, Gary and Ash needed to talk and work past what had happened.

* * *

Ash and Gary had walked for about ten minutes without saying anything to each other. It wasn't the awkward silence they had when they first saw each other again. It was just they were each thinking their own thing and were deciding what to say to the other when the time did come to talk. They were basically just gathering their thoughts, and anything that needed to be said would be said.

The two rivals soon find a park bench on a rather isolated trail on the edge of the city. This would probably be a nice spot they could go to without too many interruptions. Gary sat down first on the left of the bench while Ash sat down next on the right. They both sighed, and Ash was about to say something, but Gary beat him to the first words he needed to say before anything else.

"Ash, I'm sorry," Gary stated.

Ash closed his mouth from what he was about to say and nodded his head. He knew Gary needed to go ahead and get that off of his chest before they could continue. With that, Ash smiled at Gary to reassure him.

"It's alright, Gary," Ash said.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you like that and made a jerk out of myself and you, but I mostly did it to me. I especially shouldn't have called you out for forgetting Serena's anniversary. That was a pretty stupid thing to do," Gary sighed.

"Yeah. Serena was pretty mad at you, more than I was," Ash admitted.

"I figured she would be so I guess I should apologize to her, too," Gary said before he looked towards the ground. "It's just I was so angry that I wasn't thinking about what was coming out my mouth. I said a lot of things I know I shouldn't have."

"Gary, why were you so angry, anyway? That wasn't like you," Ash wondered.

"Well, as usual, the problem wasn't so much of you as it was me," Gary started.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"It's pride, Ash. That's something I'm well known for. After I lost at the Indigo League, my pride took a huge blow so that's why I left to find myself. After having several months to think to myself with just me and my Pokemon, I came to accept who I was. I wasn't perfect, but I still was prideful of who I was, but I made sure not to boast about it now. As a result, my relationship with you and everyone else improved," Gary explained.

"What does that have to do with me?" Ash inquired.

"You're my rival, Ash. I had expected a lot out of you. Since I was a strong trainer, I knew I had to have strong rivals…especially after you beat me. After I saw how you almost lost to Bugsy and how the Pokemon you used behaved, it made me mad. I couldn't believe how the trainer I lost to back in Pallet Town was acting like a complete beginner. It made me ashamed," Gary replied as he furrowed his brow.

Ash frowned. It was true that his match with Bugsy wasn't his fondest of gym battles. Ash was pretty embarrassed most of the match, and it was way too close. It was saved only by Cyndaquil's flame igniting at the perfect moment so it could pull off a surprise Flamethrower before it was knocked out. Still, he and everyone else weren't expecting Gary to rub it in like that at the time and make him feel even worse than he already did.

"After I talked to Grandpa, though, he made me realize that everything I said to you was wrong," Gary continued. "Of course, I didn't understand at the time, but Grandpa really gave me something to think about."

"What did he say?" Ash wondered.

"He made me realize that it's just who you are, Ash," Gary smiled.

"Huh? That I always act like a beginner trainer?!" Ash exclaimed.

"No, Ash. I didn't mean it like that," Gary said as waved his hands in front of him before he elaborated. "I meant that you're a strong believer in giving all of your Pokemon a chance at everything. I criticized you because we both knew you could've won the match easily by using Pidgeot and Pikachu, but you chose not to because you wanted your other Pokemon to have a taste of battle, too."

"Yeah. It was kind of stupid, though," Ash admitted. "You were right when you said I shouldn't have used my Pokemon seriously like that when they were just caught."

"Did your Pokemon enjoy the battle, though?" Gary inquired.

"Huh?" Ash questioned.

"I asked if your Pokemon enjoyed the battle," Gary repeated before he added. "Did you enjoy it?"

Ash grimaced as he thought about the battle after just replaying it in his head and all the mistakes he made. Still, if he tried to think of it in a new light, maybe there was a bit of clarity in what Gary was asking. His Pokemon definitely did seem happy and willing to battle, even Heracross after Ash talked to it, and even the sleepy Cyndaquil. Ash remembered he was able to come up with some great strategies to win against the odds, in particular with Chikorita. He also showed great maturity by being able to reason with Heracross when it was sucking the gym's tree sap supply. Ash also remembered he was able to keep a cool head the entire match and not get upset even though he realized he might lose. Though it had its share of problems, Ash's match with Bugsy did have a few highlights in it. Overall, Ash still won, right?

"Yeah. We did. My Pokemon were really excited to battle. What Pokemon isn't?" Ash replied.

"Isn't that all that matters then? That you and your Pokemon had fun?" Gary prodded. "Those are what Pokemon matches are all about, and I think I forgot that."

"Yeah. I guess so," Ash relented with a smile.

"That's what I understood about you, Ash," Gary stated. "I know that no matter what the situation is, you're always fair and never show favoritism to any of your Pokemon…except maybe your Pikachu, but that's understood since it's your first Pokemon. I can say for sure I always use my strongest Pokemon against any gym leader, and I thought you should've done the same as me."

"Yeah," Ash mumbled.

"That's where I was stupid. You have your own way to train Pokemon, and I have mine. As a result of you always making sure your Pokemon battle, you have a pretty balanced team in terms of strength. That's impressive," Gary said.

Ash thought about what Gary said. With a few exceptions, it would be hard to say which of his Pokemon were stronger than the other. They all appeared to be on equal ground.

"I still think I should've trained with my Pokemon more before using them against Bugsy," Ash replied.

"It's all good, Ash. While those Pokemon wouldn't have been my choice for the battle, it fit right in with who you are. You and your Pokemon both had fun, and you won in the end. Though I believe I was right in saying you want to take every battle seriously, we also can't forget that battles are supposed to be fun ways for a Pokemon and their trainer to bond and even form a connection with their opponent," Gary stated before he added. "So you made a mistake in your battle with Bugsy. You still got the most important aspect of any Pokemon battle which is they're supposed to be fun. It's a sign of a great trainer."

"Yeah. I love all of my Pokemon, and I just want to be fair to them. Though I don't always make the best choices, I haven't really regretted anything I did," Ash said.

"And you're still a great trainer, too, Ash! I never told you this after Bugsy's match, but some of those strategies you came up with were pretty awesome!" Gary smiled. "That's one of your best traits in any match! I'm always really eager to see what you come up with next!"

"Heh. Thanks, Gary," Ash muttered in embarrassment at the praise Gary was giving him, now.

"Anyway, that's what I wanted to tell you, Ash. I just wanted to let you know that I realized I was wrong and shouldn't have reacted so harshly to you…especially when you were just being yourself. Will you forgive me?" Gary requested and held out his hand for Ash to shake.

Ash smiled. Of course he would forgive Gary. What friend never fought on occasions? Both Ash and Gary made mistakes back there, and they admitted them to each other.. They could finally move forward and just put it behind them…just like any friend would. Ash clapped his hand into Gary's and they gave a hearty shake of their hands.

"You bet, Gary. Friends," Ash nodded.

"Yeah. We're rivals, but first and foremost, we're friends," Gary agreed.

"Yeah," Ash nodded.

"In fact, remember how I said that Pokemon battling is a great way to connect with your Pokemon as well as with your opponent?" Gary reminded. "What do you say you and I have a Pokemon battle with each other? I know a good spot here in the park."

Ash's eyes lit up at that suggestion. He could never refuse a challenge. Any opportunity to battle Gary was one he would surely jump at. He and Gary were pretty equal in terms of Pokemon battling so it would definitely be a good one to watch.

"I'm in, Gary!" Ash grinned.

"Great. What do you say we go find the others first?" Gary suggested.

With that, Ash and Gary stood up. As a sign that they were indeed friends, Gary slung his arm over Ash's shoulder as they walked. Everything was going to be just fine between them. The fight they had was now water under the bridge. Now they could start anew, and of course, the best way to fully set aside any differences they had was with a Pokemon battle.

Gary took out his Pokegear and dialed Leaf's number. After a few rings, Leaf picked up on the other end. All though Ash wasn't the one with a Pokegear against his ear, Ash could still hear Leaf's excited voice on the other end of the phone.

"Gary!" Leaf exclaimed. "I just ran into Serena, Brock, and Misty! Does that mean Ash is with you!?"

"Uh, yeah. He is. We finally managed to sort things out between us and…," Gary started, but Leaf cut him off.

"Well, where are you guys now so I can see Ash?" Leaf questioned without waiting for Gary to finish.

"We're over here in the park near the entrance to the city," Gary answered.

"Great! We'll be over there in a little bit! See you soon!" Leaf cried in excitement.

"Yeah. You, too," Gary replied before he hung up the Pokegear and turned to Ash. "Someone's excited to see you if you couldn't tell."

"Heheheh. Yeah. I haven't seen Leaf since Azalea Town, either," Ash chuckled.

"Pesky girl," Gary muttered under his breath.

Ash wasn't quite sure if Gary meant that as a nickname for Leaf or simply because he found her annoying. It was probably a combination of the two. In fact, if Ash remembered correctly, Gary's father, Blue, called Leaf's mother a pesky girl all the time, too. It seemed as though that nickname was passed along to the next generation.

About ten minutes later, Serena, Leaf, Misty, and Brock, had found Gary and Ash in the park in the park. As soon as Leaf saw Ash, she ran up and gave him a big hug which Ash returned. It was clear that the girl was excited that Ash and Gary had patched things up between them and there was no more awkwardness. She finally released Ash and gave him a bright smile.

"It's so good to see you again, Ash. Serena's filled me in on what you all have been up to, but I want to hear it from you," Leaf told him.

"Well, let's see, I won a Pokemon sumo wrestling competition. Serena and I have started to train Togepi. I caught a Noctowl, a Totodile, and a Houndour. I got my third badge," Ash listed as he tried to remember all he's accomplished since he last saw her. "What about your pokedex?"

"Check it out!" Leaf smiled as she showed it to him. "I've already seen over seventy of the Pokemon native to the Johto region!"

"Seriously?" Ash asked as he took a good look at it. "Where all did you go to find this many new Pokemon?"

"You have no idea about some of the places she's dragged me. The question is where we _didn't_ go," Gary muttered.

"Ignore Gary, Ash. He's enjoyed seeing all the new Pokemon, too," Leaf told him.

"I guess we haven't really stopped to check all of the surrounding areas for new Pokemon because we've all been traveling at kind of a fast pace," Serena said. It didn't need to be said why they were as everyone was aware of the situation now.

"That's okay," Leaf reassured. "I'll be happy to share some of this information with you guys tonight at the Pokemon Center."

"So you guys are staying the night?" Ash inquired.

"Of course we are, Ash!" Gary replied this time. "Leaf and I haven't seen you in so long that it would be nice to catch up."

Ash and Serena grinned at that. It would be nice for them to spend a lot more time with Leaf and Gary today. It would be just like old times. Brock and Misty weren't bothered by this, though. Even though they weren't as close to Gary and Leaf as Ash and Serena were, they still understood what great friends the four were and appreciated it.

"So are you ready to battle, now, Ash?" Gary asked.

"You bet!" Ash nodded.

"I can't wait to see that," Serena commented.

Gary smiled. "What better way to let off some steam? We haven't battled since Pallet Town."

That statement was true. In their last battle, Ash had won, though it was quite difficult. Both Ash and Gary had gotten stronger since then and captured a lot of new Pokemon. To see how they compared to each other now was going to be quite interesting.

"That's an idea," Brock approved. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be the judge."

"Sounds good," Gary nodded.

The group made their way over to an open field in the park so they would have plenty of space. Ash and Pikachu stood on one end while Gary stood on the other. The rest of the group was in the middle. Togepi squirmed a little in Serena's arms as it wanted to battle, too. Serena giggled a little bit before she gave it a sad smile.

"I'm glad you're eager to battle, Togepi, but I don't think you're ready to take on Gary yet," she told it.

"Priiii," Togepi sighed.

"Togepi has grown up a lot since I last saw it. Normally it likes to be cuddled and treated like a baby," Leaf commented.

"It has. Ash and I had been thinking about training it, but we never got around to it until Togepi insisted we start itself. We're really looking forward to what Togepi can do once it's ready for a real battle or a Pokemon Showcase," Serena replied.

"I'd love to see that, too," Leaf said.

Meanwhile, Ash and Gary took out their pokeballs as they decided who their first Pokemon should be. The Pokemon Ash had with him right now were Pikachu, Totodile, Chikorita, Heracross, Cyndaquil, and Noctowl. He had swapped out Noctowl with Snorlax after he won the sumo competition with it. Who would be best to start this off with?

"Hey, Ash. Does a three on three battle sound alright to you?" Gary called.

"It sure does!" Ash yelled back.

Okay. So three Pokemon. Ash figured he would go with Pikachu, Noctowl, and Totodile for this match. He was sure Noctowl would be able to bring something new to the table with its abilities, and Totodile was a strong water type that could pack a punch. This was subject to change depending on what Pokemon Gary would choose, but so far those were the Pokemon Ash decided on.

"This will be a three on three match between Gary Oak and Ash Ketchum," Brock stated as he took out a coin. "Choose heads or tails. The side it lands on will decide who goes first."

"Heads," Ash said.

"Tails," Gary said.

Brock flipped the coin into the air before he caught it and slapped it on his wrist. He took a close look at which side it landed on before he gave his declaration.

"It's landed on tails so Gary will choose his Pokemon first," Brock nodded over to Gary.

"Fine by me," Gary shrugged. "I think I know of a good Pokemon to start this match off with. Scizor, I choose you!"

Gary threw his pokeball, and the metal insectoid Pokemon appeared outside of it. Ash remember facing one of these back in Bugsy's gym. It was certainly no pushover. The raven-haired boy wasn't about to put Cyndaquil through something like that again so it was out. Chikorita had a terrible match up against it, and Heracross wouldn't be very effective. So far, it definitely was seeming like Ash's original plan of using Pikachu, Totodile, and Noctowl was still in effect.

"Noctowl, I choose you!" Ash decided and threw the pokeball forward. Since Scizor was partly a bug-type, that should give Noctowl a slight edge even though the steel-type balanced it out a little bit.

Noctowl gave a hoot upon appearing from its pokeball and cocked its head to the side as it sized up its opponent. Both Leaf and Gary widened their eyes upon seeing Noctowl's unique size and color. Leaf immediately began recording Noctowl's information in her pokedex.

"Pretty cool Noctowl you have there, Ash," Gary commented. "The question is how strong it is."

"I think it's strong enough to take out your Scizor!" Ash said with determination as Noctowl gave a hoot of agreement.

"We'll see," Gary replied.

"The three on three match will start now. The trainers may begin when ready!" Brock announced.

"Use Agility and then Metal Claw!" Gary shouted, wasting no time in going on the offensive.

Before Ash or Noctowl could even blink, Scizor shot over to Noctowl and delivered a solid swipe of its glowing claw in Noctowl's face. Noctowl gave a hoot of pain as it flew backwards, but it found the right air current and was able to take flight away from Scizor before it crashed into the ground. Ash knew that Scizor were almost purely physical with his battle from the previous one. He had to take a few defensive measures.

"Use Reflect, Noctowl!" Ash hollered.

Noctowl hooted as what looked like a glowing glass wall appeared before it faded into invisibility. Gary didn't look deterred, however. He knew the strength of his Scizor and that it would strike hard enough for Noctowl to feel the attacks. Besides, he had a couple of tricks up his sleeve so it would be countered.

"Use Swords Dance, Scizor!" Gary called.

Ash grimaced once Scizor began spinning like a fan. With as high as Scizor's attack was going to get, Reflect would almost be completely negated. He had to get Noctowl to attack, or they would both be in serious trouble if Scizor's attacks hit.

"Use Extrasensory!" Ash hollered.

Noctowl closed its eyes and seemed to concentrate. Scizor, meanwhile, had just finished the Swords Dance before it flinched and arched its back in pain at the force that hit it. Ash frowned as he saw Gary smirk. Even though the attack hit, it wasn't quick enough to stop the Swords Dance.

"Great job, Scizor! Now use Brick Break to shatter that Reflect!" Gary ordered.

"Use Hypnosis!" Ash hurriedly called.

Scizor took flight towards Noctowl at breakneck speed as the owl Pokemon's eyes glowed blue. One of its specialties was being able to use that attack without the hypnotic waves being visible. The time when it made the group think they were someone else before it was captured was still fresh in its head. As a result, Scizor was able to fly right into the waves and got a sleepy look on its face.

The sudden sleepiness caused it to wobble slightly. Noctowl was able to fly out of the way of Brick Break, and Scizor soared underneath it. That was close. However, because Scizor was moving so fast towards Noctowl, it didn't get the full effect of Hypnosis before Noctowl had to cancel the attack. It wasn't going to be sleeping anytime soon. Still, Ash took advantage of Scizor's clumsiness.

"Use Air Slash!" Ash hollered.

Noctowl turned around and shot two blades of wind at Scizor after it flew underneath it. The currents slapped Scizor square in its back, and the Pincer Pokemon grimaced in pain and was knocked a few yards downward. Fortunately, it seemed to have flinched once again, and Ash needed Noctowl to perform another attack.

"Use Zen Headbutt!" Ash yelled.

"Try to shake it off, Scizor, and use Bullet Punch!" Gary encouraged.

Noctowl's head seemed to flash as it flew downward and made a beeline to the flinched Scizor. Right before it was able to connect, Scizor recovered from the flinch and delivered a very swift Bullet Punch to Noctowl's stomach. The owl Pokemon hooted in pain but was still able to complete the Zen Headbutt. It crashed into Scizor's midsection, and the pincer Pokemon spiraled downward until it crashed into the ground which kicked up a layer of dust.

Both Ash and Gary waited to see what the status of Scizor was, but it seemed that it wasn't out yet. Gary's Scizor hastily jumped to its feet, and clicked its pincers to show it could still fight. Ash sighed as he looked at his own Noctowl who was panting. Even though Bullet Punch wasn't an incredibly strong attack, and Noctowl had Reflect up, that Swords Dance had made a world of difference.

"Your Noctowl's good, Ash, but I think my Scizor is a little better!" Gary said before he turned to it. "Use Bullet Punch again!"

Scizor took flight and sped towards Noctowl before it delivered another solid strike, this time in Noctowl's face. Noctowl hooted in pain once more, and Gary saw his chance to seal the match.

"Use Brick Break!" Gary hollered.

"Get away, Noctowl!" Ash yelled.

Noctowl turned around to try to fly away, but Scizor was too quick. It raised a glowing pincer and slammed it down on Noctowl. The invisible wall around Noctowl completely shattered, and Noctowl took a nosedive straight into the ground. It didn't kick up a huge cloud of dust like Scizor had due to the size difference so Ash and Gary could see that it was still conscious, though barely. Noctowl was hooting weakly and was having a lot of trouble getting to its feet. Gary would fix that, though.

"Finish this with Iron Head!" Gary hollered.

Scizor lowered its head and sped straight for the downed Noctowl. Ash frowned as he knew he only had once option to try to stop Scizor. He just hoped it was enough to get Scizor to slow down just a little bit so Noctowl could move out of the way. If Noctowl wasn't quick enough, it would surely be knocked out by the Iron Head.

"Use Extrasensory!" Ash yelled.

Noctowl gave a weak hoot and closed its eyes and tried not to concentrate on the coming Scizor. It needed to focus. Thankfully, Noctowl was very level-headed and not one to be distracted. Scizor was smacked by the unseen force, and the pincer Pokemon grimaced and slowed down just enough for Noctowl to flap its wings and hop out of the way.

Scizor, as a result, missed the Iron Head and crashed headfirst into the ground. Everyone in the group grimaced as that had to hurt. Scizor wasn't out yet, though, and it hastily tried to get up again, but this time, it was met with Noctowl right in its face.

"Use Hypnosis!" Ash hollered.

"Use Bullet Punch!" Gary yelled.

Thankfully, priority didn't win out this time as Noctowl began shooting out the invisible hypnotic waves just as Scizor was lifting its claw to attack. The pincer Pokemon stopped midway and got a sleepy expression. It wasn't able to get away from this Hypnosis like last time because it was at point black range. Scizor tried to fight the effects, but eventually Hypnosis won out, and it fell over on its back, fast asleep.

"Scizor!" Gary cried out.

"Finish this with Dream Eater!" Ash hollered.

Noctowl's eyes glowed blue, and black aura surrounded Scizor. The pincer Pokemon writhed in pain in its sleep, but then it went still. Now it wasn't just asleep, it was knocked out, too. With that, Brock raised his hand and pointed to the now slightly more recovered Noctowl.

"Scizor is unable to battle, and the winner is Noctowl!" Brock shouted.

"Great job, Ash!" Leaf shouted from the sidelines.

"Hey! Whose side are you on!?" Gary cried to her, but everyone could tell he was just joking.

"I can root for both of you!" Leaf called back.

"Heh, whatever," Gary smirked before he turned back to Ash. "Your Noctowl's pretty impressive, Ash. The way it can use invisible waves with Hypnosis is really something!"

"Thanks!" Ash replied.

"However, you still have another two of my Pokemon to defeat, and I think they're going to be a lot tougher!" Gary said as he returned Scizor.

"You've been around Gary a lot, Leaf," Serena said to the chestnut hair-colored girl from the sidelines. "Which of Gary's Pokemon are some of his strongest?"

"Scizor is definitely one. He has a few others that I know he is going to use since he'll be taking his match with Ash seriously," Leaf answered. "I have an idea on who his next one is."

"As I said, your Noctowl is good, but it's not good enough to tackle my Arcanine!" Gary said as he held up what was apparently Arcanine's pokeball.

"Yeah. That's who I thought," Leaf confirmed.

Gary threw the pokeball forward, and the large-dog like Pokemon came out of the pokeball. It gave a howl and crouched low. It then bared its teeth at Noctowl who hooted back to it.

Ash remembered facing Gary's Growlithe a long time ago in Saffron City. It had apparently evolved since then and gained a lot more experience. This battle with it was going to be many times more difficult this time. Ash briefly thought about his own fire dog-like Pokemon in the form of Houndour and how it was very protective of him. Ash wondered if Arcanine was protective of Gary in the same way.

"You still good to go, Noctowl?" Ash called out.

Noctowl hooted in the affirmative. It felt a little bit better after regaining some of its stamina from Dream Eater. It still had some fight in it. Ash nodded his head to it.

"Alright. Let's do it," he said.

"Noctowl versus Arcanine! Begin!" Brock shouted.

"Dig underground, Arcanine!" Gary called out.

Arcanine obeyed and hastily dug a hole before it went inside. Ash smiled as looked over at Noctowl. There would be no way for Arcanine to get Noctowl if it flew into the air.

"Fly into the air to get away!" Ash called out.

Noctowl gave a mighty flap of its wings and took flight into the air. Now, no matter where Arcanine came out, it wouldn't be able to attack.

"Your Noctowl isn't getting away that easily, Ash!" Gary smirked. "Continue to dig a few more holes, Arcanine!"

Arcanine burst out of the ground before it began to dig another hole. It then jumped in that one, and a few seconds later, it burst from the ground again and started on another hole. Ash tilted his head in confusion as he had no idea what Gary was planning, but knowing him, it wasn't anything good. He must know what he's doing even though Ash wasn't understanding right now.

"Use Echoed Voice!" Ash yelled, trying one of Noctowl's quickest attacks.

Noctowl gave a loud cry that sounded throughout the field. The soundwaves flew downward and struck Arcanine as it was still digging the hole. The large dog-like Pokemon grimaced from the loudness as Ash moved in for his next attack.

"Use Air Slash!" Ash hollered.

"Use Flame Burst!" Gary countered.

Noctowl flapped its wings and shot the two blades of air to Arcanine while Arcanine gave a sudden explosion of fire towards Noctowl. The Air Slash slammed into Arcanine who grit its teeth in pain before it resumed digging the hole. Noctowl, meanwhile, was struck by a few of the fire balls, but not all of them due to how far away it was from the attack. It hooted in pain but quickly recovered.

That was all the stalling time Arcanine needed to finish digging another hole before it jumped back underground once more. Now, there five holes in the ground, and Arcanine didn't jump out again. Ash wondered what on Earth Gary was planning.

"Let's play a little game of 'Guess Which Hole', Ash," Gary smirked.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"Use Flamethrower, Arcanine!" Gary shouted to answer Ash's question.

A stream over fire blasted out of one of the holes Arcanine had made straight towards Noctowl. The owl Pokemon gave a surprised hoot and hastily tried to move out of the way. It almost made it, but the Flamethower was still able to singe some of its feathers. Noctowl hooted in pain again.

It was then another Flamethower came out. This time it came from another hole. A few seconds later, a third Flamethrower came out of a different hole. Then another one came out of a different hole. Noctowl was flying around like mad as it tried to avoid the random Flamethowers coming out of the holes Arcanine had made. It was having a very hard time and was getting singed quite a lot.

"As I said, Ash, your Noctowl isn't safe up there, either!" Gary told him.

Ash had to hand it to Gary that this was pretty clever. Gary was just going to keep using this strategy until Noctowl got hit and fell to the ground where it would be vulnerable. He knew he couldn't have Noctowl get closer to the holes, though, as that would only make it easier for Arcanine to get Noctowl with Flamethrower. Ash's eyes then lit up as he remembered that Noctowl had quite good ESP, though.

"Use Confusion, Noctowl!" Ash shouted.

Another Flamethrower shot up from a random hole, and Noctowl barely dodged the attack but still got singed. It's eyes then glowed blue, and as another Flamethrower came from a hole, Noctowl redirected the flames back into one of the holes. Another Flamethrower came up, and Noctowl used Confusion again to curve the flames back into another hole.

A few seconds later, Arcanine came out of one of the holes it dug and coughed. Though its own flames weren't necessarily painful to it as it was a fire-type, it was still really uncomfortable to be trapped in the ground with flames coming at you from every side.

"Great job, Noctowl!" Ash cheered.

"It's not over yet, Ash!" Gary called out. "Use Flame Burst!"

Another explosion of fire came out from Arcanine, and Noctowl once again tried to dodge the many fire balls that came towards it. It hadn't even noticed it had dropped altitude a little bit. Gary noticed this and came up with a new strategy.

"Use a high Flamethower, Arcanine!" Gary yelled.

"Use Extrasensory!" Ash yelled, but still wondered why Gary commanded that.

Arcanine tilted its head back and shot a Flamethower at Noctowl before it flinched in pain. However, it seemed to miss terribly and go way overhead of Noctowl. The owl Pokemon grimaced from the heat and instinctively flew downward to avoid getting singed again. That was exactly what Gary wanted. It was now in Arcanine's range. He looked over at Arcanine.

"Use Extreme Speed!" Gary commanded.

Arcanine leaped high into the air at incredible speed. Noctowl didn't even have time to blink before all of Arcanine's body weight crashed right into it. With its Reflect gone, Noctowl hooted in pain as it was knocked out of the sky and made a beeline straight for the ground. It hit the ground again which kicked up some more dust. This time, however, Noctowl didn't get up. It gave a weak hoot before it went limp, knocked out.

"Noctowl is unable to battle! The winner is Arcanine!" Brock declared.

"Way to go, Gary!" Leaf cheered this time, which caused him to grin at her. If the group didn't know better, they thought they might have seen a slight blush appear on Gary's cheeks.

"Noctowl, return," Ash said as took his pokeball and retrieved the owl Pokemon. He then gave smile at the pokeball. "You were great and fought hard, Noctowl. Take a nice rest."

"So what Pokemon do you think Ash will use, Serena?" questioned Leaf.

"Ash doesn't have many Pokemon who can take on Arcanine effectively," Serena answered. "However, he does have Totodile."

"Knowing Ash, he'll probably use it now. His Cyndaquil, Heracross, and Chikorita would be no match for Arcanine, and he probably wants to save Pikachu," Misty elaborated this time.

"It'll take a lot more than a type advantage to beat Gary's Arcanine," Leaf responded. "Gary's had a lot of victories with it."

True to Serena and Misty's thoughts, Ash figured his best and only bet was to go with Totodile with the exception of Pikachu. Ash nodded his head as he brought out Totodile's pokeball. "I choose you, Totodile!" he yelled.

The big jaw Pokemon appeared from the pokeball. Once it did, it began to dance happily and bounced from one foot to the next. Gary chuckled while Leaf giggled in delight at the jolly Pokemon.

"That Totodile is so cute! I love its dance!" she commented.

"Yeah. Ash's Totodile really brings a lot of joy to our group," Misty replied. "I actually competed with Ash because we couldn't tell which of our pokeballs caught it, but Totodile chose him in the end. I think it still made the right choice."

"Your Totodile seems pretty cheerful, Ash, but let's see how it does in battle!" Gary said.

"More than you can think! Right, Totodile?" Ash asked it.

"Toto!" Totodile nodded, having stopped its dance by now to battle.

"I can say the same about Arcanine. It's beaten a lot of water-types in the past," Gary informed him.

"We'll see," Ash responded.

"Arcanine versus Totodile! Begin!" Brock declared.

"Use Take Down, Arcanine!" Gary ordered.

Arcanine gave a bark before it charged forward at the awaiting Totodile.

"Use Water Gun on the ground, Totodile!" Ash hollered.

Totodile knew what Ash wanted, and it shot its Water Gun at the ground to propel itself in the air. It then arched high through the air straight towards the charging Arcanine. Totodile then carefully positioned itself and landed right on Arcanine's back. The dog-like Pokemon stopped its advance and turned to growl at Totodile to which the big jaw Pokemon happily waved back.

"Get Totodile off of you!" Gary yelled.

Arcanine began a series of crazy movements to get Totodile off. The big jaw Pokemon was struggling to stay on and looked close to losing its grip. Ash then figured he might as well use Totodile's large mouth to its advantage.

"Use Bite to help keep you on!" Ash hollered.

Totodile bit down with its strong jaws onto Arcanine's back, and Arcanine gave a howl of pain before its movements became even more erratic due to the pain. However, Totodile held firm. After a few moments, Ash decided it was time to let go before Totodile wore out.

"Use Water Gun, Totodile!" Ash called.

Totodile released Arcanine from its jaws for the briefest of moments. That was all Arcanine needed to give a powerful jerk of its body which sent Totodile flying off. The big jaw Pokemon still had time to open its mouth and deliver a solid Water Gun right into Arcanine's side before it got too far away. Arcanine howled in pain once more as Totodile landed on its feet.

"Great, Totodile!" Ash cheered.

"It's not over yet!" Gary declared. "My Arcanine can withstand a lot! Use Extreme Speed!"

"Scary Face!" Ash countered.

As expected, Arcanine seemed to disappear because it was moving so fast, and it crashed into Totodile which sent it flying, however Totodile still made sure to look down straight at Arcanine. Its eyes glowed as it gave Arcanine an evil eye. The dog-like Pokemon growled and turned away in fear from the attack. Arcanine wasn't scared of Totodile, but it was the power of the attack.

"That should help us against Arcanine's Extreme Speed," Ash encouraged Totodile, who nodded.

"You think so, Ash?" Gary rebutted and called out, "Use Extreme Speed again, Arcanine!"

Ash and Totodile both gasped as Arcanine disappeared again due to its speed before it slammed into Totodile once more. The big jaw Pokemon was sent flying, and Gary made his next move.

"Jump into the air and catch Totodile!" Gary ordered.

Arcanine made a mighty leap in the air and caught Totodile in its mouth like it was catching a stick. Totodile began squirming like mad in an effort to break free from Acanine's grip, but the dog-like Pokemon overpowered it.

"Totodile, use Water Gun!" Ash shouted.

"Use Crunch!" Gary commanded.

Arcanine bit down with its sharp teeth, and Totodile cried out in even more pain as it struggled to get free. It managed to crane its neck upward and shoot a Water Gun right in Arcanine's face. The dog-like Pokemon jerked its head and threw Totodile from its mouth. Totodile landed on the ground and skidded a few feet before it stopped. It slowly stood up while Arcanine shook its body from the Water Gun and growled at Totodile.

"Use Outrage!" Gary called.

Arcanine's body glowed, and it began making several rampaging movements similar to what it did when Totodile was on its back. Totodile cried out as it began leaping out of the way from Arcanine's crazy movements. It was hard, though, due to them being so unpredictable. Ash needed Totodile to use a powerful move of its own to match Arcanine.

"Use Thrash!" Ash countered.

Like Arcanine, Totodile began to make a series of erratic rampaging moments throughout the battlefield. Through both Pokemon's wild attacks, they began to strike each other continuously, and it almost looked like an all-out brawl. Both Pokemon were taking heavy damage, but Arcanine managed to give an extra hard blow to Totodile's head, and the big jaw Pokemon was sent flying.

Totodile landed on the ground hard and struggled to get up as Arcanine stopped its rampage and looked a bit dizzy, but it was still able to fight. Totodile panted heavily as it tried to push itself off the ground, but the pain was too much from the Outrage, and it fell down, knocked out.

"Totodile is unable to battle!" Brock declared.

"Gary's Arcanine is amazing," Misty breathed.

"I told you. It takes a lot more than a type advantage to beat Arcanine," Leaf frowned. "It's definitely one of Gary's top three strongest Pokemon."

"Who are the others?" Serena questioned.

"His starter, Blastoise, and his Umbreon," Leaf replied.

"Gary has an Umbreon?" Serena asked.

"Yeah. He told me he raised it from a baby while he was away. It lost as an Eevee against Ash's Pikachu, but it didn't lose much after that. It eventually evolved into Umbreon and is one of Gary's most used Pokemon now," Leaf explained.

"Do you think he'll use it in his match with Ash?" Serena wondered.

"No doubt. Gary wants to win this match against Ash as much as Ash wants to win. He won't hold anything back," Leaf answered.

Serena turned back to the battlefield. If Gary was going to use Umbreon in this match, Ash will have his work cut out for him. He only had one Pokemon left while Gary had two. Granted, Arcanine had been severely weakened, but it could still fight. Ash still couldn't use Heracross, Chikorita, or Cyndaquil while Arcanine was still on the field. He had to use Pikachu.

Ash was thinking along the same lines of Serena and looked towards the yellow rodent. Pikachu sparked its cheeks and looked at Ash with determination. It wasn't about to let Ash lose to one of his greatest rivals.

"Totodile, return," he said as he recalled the Pokemon and looked at the pokeball once it was. "Thanks, Totodile. You did great against weakening Arcanine."

"Pika!" Pikachu said.

"You up for taking on two of Gary's Pokemon, Pikachu?" he asked.

"Pika!" it answered and nodded its head.

"In that case, let's do it! I choose you, Pikachu!" Ash declared.

Pikachu dashed forward and sparked it cheeks once more. It was feeling great and pumped for a good battle. Arcanine crouched low as it prepared to battle once more, also.

"Hmm…your Pikachu. As expected," Gary nodded.

"Yep, and it's ready to win, too!" Ash smiled.

"Heh. We'll see," Gary smirked.

"Pikachu versus Arcanine! Go!" Brock nodded.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

"Use your Extreme Speed, Arcanine!" Gary yelled, too.

Arcanine shook itself from its confusion, and both Pokemon launched at each other with incredible speed. Pikachu hadn't felt the effects of a Scary Face so it was a little faster. It rammed into Arcanine's side which knocked the dog-like Pokemon off balance, but Arcanine was able to push back and knocked Pikachu away. The yellow rodent hit the ground but quickly jumped to its feet.

"Use Flamethrower, Arcanine!" Gary shouted.

"Counter it with Thunderbolt!" Ash said.

Both Pokemon shot their respective attacks at each other. For a second, both Pokemon seemed to be at a stalemate as they competed for dominance. Due to Arcanine's sheer size and power, though, it began to win out. Arcanine began taking a few steps forward to give more force on its attack while Pikachu took a few steps back out of reflex.

Ash frowned as he watched what was going on. He couldn't let Arcanine get the upper hand like this. Ash then looked and noticed since Arcanine was much larger than Pikachu, it had to look down in order to shoot its Flamethower. As a result, there was a lot space for Pikachu to run underneath it. If he were able to get Pikachu past the Flamethrower, Arcanine would be wide open for an attack.

Pikachu was beginning to sweat from the constant heat of the Flamethrower as it got closer and closer. It hoped Ash would think of something soon like he always did. That's when Ash put his plan into action.

"Hurry, and use Agility to run forward!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu canceled the Thunderbolt and immediately dashed forward. The Flamethrower passed just overhead as Pikachu ran towards Arcanine. Pikachu was soon underneath Arcanine, and the dog-like Pokemon didn't react fast enough before Ash called out his next move.

"Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" he shouted.

Pikachu let out huge bolts of electricity which shocked Arcanine from underneath and soon spread to its whole body. Arcanine howled in pain from the attack. Pikachu soon relented and noticed Arcanine wobbling heavily over it.

"Hurry, and get out of there, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu complied and quickly ran out from underneath Arcanine just as the massive dog Pokemon came crashing down on the ground. It gave a weak growl before it went still and was finally knocked out.

"Arcanine is unable to battle! The winner is Pikachu!" Brock announced.

"Great job, Pikachu! Let's do it again!" Ash encouraged and gave it a thumbs up.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed and gave Ash a thumbs up back.

Serena breathed a sigh of relief. She knew Pikachu would be able to get Arcanine, and it was able to do so without taking too much damage. However, based on what Leaf said, Gary still had his last Pokemon, and it was going to be Umbreon.

"Well, Ash, as I expected, this has been a really fun battle. Not too many people have taken down Arcanine even with three Pokemon," Gary said. "For my last Pokemon, it should be familiar to you and Pikachu. Your Pikachu won against it before, but it won't this time."

"What is it?" Ash questioned.

"See and found out. Go, Umbreon!" Gary called and threw the pokeball forward.

The pokeball opened, and a pitch black fox-like Pokemon appeared. It was very sleek and had red eyes and small yellow rings around its feet and ears and tail. It gave cry and looked at the opponent in front of it. Umbreon recognized this Pikachu was one of the few who had beaten it as an Eevee. Umbreon wanted retribution now.

"Umbreon," Ash muttered as he and Serena took out their national dexes.

"Umbreon, the moonlight Pokemon and one of the evolved forms of Eevee. It receives energy from the power of the moon. The rings on its body glow when it attacks," the machines informed.

Ash put away his national dex and looked at Pikachu. "Just because his Eevee is evolved now doesn't mean we can't win again. Let's do it, Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Remember that Umbreon and I want to win this one, too!" Gary reminded.

The rest of the group stood off to the side as they watched Pikachu and Umbreon. Both Pokemon would definitely be trying their hardest for their trainers. They were each using one of their most reliable Pokemon right here. It could really go either way.

"Alright. Pikachu versus Umbreon! Begin!" Brock announced.

"Pikachu! Start things off with your Quick Attack to get close!" Ash yelled.

"Use Screech, Umbreon!" Gary shouted.

Pikachu dashed forward and was quickly approaching Umbreon, but a sudden and horrible cry came from Umbreon, and it stopped Pikachu dead in its tracks as it had to cover its ears. Unfortunately, it stopped just in front of Gary's Umbreon which is what Gary wanted.

"Use Toxic!" Gary ordered.

While Pikachu was still covering its ears from the Screech, Umbreon launched a disgusting blob of sludge from the pores of its skin at Pikachu. The yellow rodent was knocked backwards once the sludge hit it, and it slowly got to its feet. Ash grimaced as Pikachu coughed and appeared quite sick. With growing horror, Ash knew that his Pikachu was already on a time limit. The thing with Toxic was that the poison only got worse as time went on.

"Use Electro Ball, Pikachu!" Ash hollered, knowing that Pikachu's speed over Umbreon would help out.

"Use Sand Attack!" Gary called.

Pikachu formed a glowing, electric orb in front of it as Umbreon charged and kicked up cloud of dust at Pikachu to throw its aim off. The yellow rodent, however, leaped in the air to avoid the dirt and smacked the yellow orb with its tail at Umbreon. The moonlight Pokemon looked up just in time to see the orb crash right into its face and cause a small explosion.

"Use Iron Tail!" Ash continued.

Pikachu used the momentum in its tail from hitting the Electro Ball to begin spinning in an arc as its tail glowed. Pikachu cut the through the dust of the explosion and slammed its tail right onto Umbreon which caused a cry of pain to come from the moonlight Pokemon. Pikachu then rebounded off of Umbreon once the move was complete

"Don't let it get away, and use Faint Attack!" Gary shouted.

Umbreon turned around, and its eyes glowed which seemed to catch Pikachu off guard. Umbreon then slammed its body into Pikachu, and the yellow rodent was knocked to the ground. Ash frowned as that Umbreon's defense was pretty good if it could recover from two attacks in a row that fast. Ash figured he would have to cripple Umbreon in some way if he wanted win.

"Use Nuzzle, Pikachu!" Ash called.

Pikachu leaped to its feet but not before coughing due to the poison. It then sprang at Umbreon and latched onto its face. Umbreon seemed surprised by this and tried to shake Pikachu off as the yellow rodent rubbed its sparking cheeks on Umbreon's face as much as it could. Umbreon had enough and gave a pained cry and flung Pikachu off. The yellow rodent landed on its feet but soon fell over as the poison was getting worse.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" Ash encouraged.

"Umbreon!" Gary called in worry.

The moonlight Pokemon was grimacing, and electricity was surrounding its body. There would be times when it would be fully paralyzed, and Ash knew he needed to use that to his advantage.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

While Umbreon was still unable to move, Pikachu launched the stream of electricity at Umbreon and really let the moonlight Pokemon have it. Umbreon cried in pain from the attack, and Ash decided Umbreon should have another one, but by that time, Umbreon had recovered from its brief paralysis.

"Use Thunderbolt again!" Ash hollered.

"Use Dark Pulse to counter it!" Gary shouted.

Both Pokemon shot their respective attacks at each other, but they were evenly matched so all it caused was an explosion in midair. Ash saw Pikachu sway and keel forward as the poison took effect once more. He needed to end this fast if he hoped to win. He had to use one of Pikachu's most powerful attacks.

"Use Wild Charge!" Ash hollered.

"Use Return and match that power!" Gary shouted.

Pikachu gave a cry as its body surrounded with electricity. It then charged forward to where it knew Umbreon was. It was like a great ball of static running across the field. However, Umbreon's eyes glowed throughout the smoke caused by the two attacks colliding, and it sprang forward and rammed into Pikachu. The group knew that attack must've hurt because it didn't take a genius to know that Gary had a great bond with his Pokemon, and Return was most powerful when a trainer and Pokemon's bond was at its strongest.

The yellow rodent shouted in pain, but it wasn't ready to get knocked back again, though. It had to press on! Pikachu grit its teeth and continued pushing forward. Umbreon gave a gasp as Pikachu continued to push it back little by little due to the power of its Wild Charge. Pikachu then sprang upward and its charged body crashed right into Umbreon's chin with in a powerful uppercut motion. This time, it was Umbreon who was knocked high into the air. Gary watched with worry as Umbreon then fell helplessly back to the ground.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered to finish it.

Pikachu charged up its electricity to deal the finishing blow, but it began coughing again and only managed out a small bolt which didn't even reach Umbreon. The moonlight Pokemon then hit the ground and appeared to be in a lot of pain but not knocked out. Pikachu, meanwhile, tried to charge up another Thunderbolt to hit Umbreon and finish the match, but its face was turning blue from the poison, and it was getting weaker and weaker.

"Come on, Pikachu! You can do it!" Ash hollered. "We can win this!"

"Get back up, Umbreon!" Gary pleaded.

The whole group watched as both Pokemon struggled. Pikachu was trying desperately to shoot out its electricity, but the poison was really taking its toll now and kept affecting Pikachu even when it moved. It had reached its limit. Meanwhile, Umbreon was breathing heavily as it struggled to its feet. Umbreon was basically a sitting Psyduck and would probably be knocked out if Pikachu could land another attack.

Finally, the poison became too much for Pikachu. The yellow rodent grit its teeth as it tried one last time to fire a Thunderbolt, but it wasn't able to. Pikachu fell to the ground and was knocked out. Meanwhile, the group looked towards Umbreon as it finally managed to struggle to its feet. With Pikachu down and Umbreon now standing, the match had been decided.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. Since three of Ash's Pokemon has been knocked out, that makes Gary the winner of this match!" Brock announced.

Gary walked over to his Umbreon and gently helped it up before he rubbed it on the head. "You did super, Umbreon! That Pikachu was a tough opponent again."

"Um!" Umbreon cried weakly but happily.

Ash gave a sigh and then a sad smile. That had been really close, but in the end, Umbreon's poison outlasted Pikachu's health. That was definitely the hardest match he and Pikachu had in quite a while. That was one thing Ash could always count on from Gary, a great battle that could go either way. That's what made them rivals.

Ash went over to Pikachu and picked it up. He gently tried to shake Pikachu to wake it up, but it was out cold from the poison. Ash then saw a hand extend to him from his right, and he turned to see Gary holding out an Antidote to him. Ash smiled and gratefully took the Antidote before he sprayed it on Pikachu. After a few seconds, the yellow rodent made a slight groan and weakly opened its eyes.

"Hey, buddy. How are you feeling?" Ash asked it.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu mumbled.

"Don't worry. You did great," Ash assured.

"I agree. Your Pikachu is just as tough as ever," Gary said before he added. "I think it's safe to say that if it wasn't for Umbreon's Toxic attack, your Pikachu would've came out on top again! Your Noctowl and Totodile did a great job, too!"

Ash smiled as he turned back to Pikachu. Even though he lost, he wasn't upset. He fought hard and gave Gary a good battle. He took it seriously as did Gary. Gary was definitely tougher than most gym leaders he had ever faced. It was like Ash was facing someone in the Pokemon League every time.

"Thanks, Gary," Ash replied.

"I only said the truth. I wouldn't expect anything less from my pal and rival!" Gary grinned.

Serena, Leaf, Brock, and Misty had joined them by that time. Serena gave Ash a hug to reassure him while Leaf gave Gary a hug for a job well done. Gary blushed and squirmed out of Leaf's tight grip before he gave a slight cough and turned away. Leaf pouted slightly but didn't bother trying to hug him again. Serena tried not to giggle at Gary's stubbornness towards Leaf showing him affection.

" _You're having to work for Gary's affection like I had to work for Ash's,"_ Serena thought to herself.

"Say, Ash. I can't wait to battle you in the Johto League Silver Conference," Gary told him.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"I mean I'm not going to settle for anything less than us facing each other in the finals of the Johto League!" Gary explained.

"Come on, Gary. You know that's unlikely. There's a chance you guys could face each other before the finals," Serena said.

"I don't see it that way. I just have a feeling that's how it will be this time. Intuition, destiny, whatever you want to call it. Ash and I are meant to face each other in the finals!" Gary declared.

Ash thought about what Gary said. The each believed that they were the strongest trainers they knew. Granted, there was no telling who would be in the Silver Conference. They hadn't heard anything about Tyson or Paul competing, but even if they were, Gary and Ash believed themselves to be stronger than them now. It would be really cool if they had a huge showdown at the Johto League. They had been tying, and trading wins and losses back and forth. It truly was hard to tell which of them was stronger. A full six on six battle saved for the Johto League Silver Conference would put that situation to rest, however.

"So are you in, Ash? Let's promise to face each other in the finals of the Pokemon League!" Gary said as he held out his hand for Ash to shake.

Ash stared at the open gesture for a moment before he smiled. He took Gary's hand and gave a wide grin. "You bet! The finals for sure!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Gary grinned back.

The rest of the group was happy that Ash and Gary were getting along again. All they needed to do was talk and have a good battle to set things right. They were friends and rivals once again who promised to face each other in the Johto League Finals. As unlikely as the match up was to happen, Ash and Gary could have confidence that they would have their ultimate showdown soon enough. When they did, it would definitely the greatest match than either of them had before.

* * *

 **That wraps up this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Next chapter is the Ash's fourth gym battle against Morty. I'm still looking forward to when the group reaches Olivine City and Cianwood City soon enough. There are going to be some...events that occur.**

 **Please continue to show your support for this story. It's what keeps me going. The next chapter will be up in March, and I'll see you all then! Have a good one!**

 **Chapter Thirty-One: From Ghost to Ghost**


	31. From Ghost to Ghost

**A/N: This chapter came out a little later than I originally intended. I had a small case of writer's block, but it's all gone now. Please enjoy this chapter and Ash's fourth gym battle.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-One: From Ghost to Ghost

"Charizard, use Blast Burn!" Ash hollered.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Cannon!" Gary hollered, as well.

It was a heated match between Gary Oak and Ash Ketchum. The two had worked hard for this moment and were now facing each other in the finals of the Silver Conference. They were surrounded by tons of people, including their friends, who were watching the exciting battle. It had been a close match the entire time with both Ash and Gary gaining an advantage for a time. No one knew how this would play out. Normally, a crowd of people was able to tell who the stronger trainer was in a final's match, but that wasn't the case here.

Both Ash's Charizard and Gary's Blastoise erupted the most powerful attacks they could muster. Blast Burn was said to the be one of the most powerful fire-type attack, and likewise was true with Hydro Cannon. Both Pokemon had worked hard to use these moves against a worthy opponent, and the time happened to be now.

Such power was emitted from the two attacks that Ash, Gary, as well as the audience had to shield their eyes from them. It had been a while since anyone in the stadium had seen such power and passion into the attacks. It was the sign of two Pokemon who were trying their absolute hardest to win against the other. Both Pokemon had taken heavy damage already, and it was coming down to these last two attacks. Charizard and Blastoise were throwing everything they had into them.

The two incredible attacks slammed into each other, and a massive explosion took place. Gary and Ash were knocked off of their feet as a surge of energy rushed back at them from a rebound. Some of the audience members even let out a yell of surprise at the bright light that was emitted from the collision. Thankfully, nobody was injured. The power of these two Pokemon were really something.

Ash shook himself from the dizziness he got as he got off the ground to see the results. Gary did the exact same. Unfortunately, there was nothing but a huge cloud of dust and smoke that was surrounding the field. Nobody could see inside of it at all. There was no telling if both of the Pokemon were still standing. Was just one of them standing, or were both of them down? It was just too thick, and there wasn't a sound at all coming from inside the crowd to tip anybody off of who was still conscious.

The smoke and dust finally settled after a full minute. The stadium was dead quiet in their anxiousness to see the outcome. Both Ash and Gary were staring intently into the cloud as they tried to make out anything they could. Finally, the faintest outline of a few shapes began to take place. After another thirty seconds, they could see the full outlines, and both Ash and Gary gasped once they saw what the outcome was.

Another thirty seconds passed, and the rest of the crowd was able to make out the results, too. One of the Pokemon was down, and the other was standing triumphantly over the other. A winner had finally been decided from the long and arduous battle between the two long time rivals. The judge raised his flag as the decision was made.

"Our champion of the Johto Silver Conference has been decided! The winner is…"

 _Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!  
_

Ash shot up in his bed as the alarm on his Pokegear went off. The raven-haired boy hastily looked around the room as he got a good look at his surroundings. He wasn't in the middle of a heated battle with Gary Oak anymore. He was just simply in his room at the Pokemon Center in Ecruteak City.

"Ash, could you shut that thing off?" Gary mumbled from the bed next to his. Brock didn't say anything, but it was probably true that he wanted the alarm off, too.

Ash reached over and turned off his alarm before he shook his head. Man. What a wild ride of a dream that had been! He was actually in the finals of the Silver Conference facing Gary just like they had promised yesterday. Did his alarm really have to go off right before the winner was named? Ash mentally cursed his luck before he reached over and scratched Pikachu's cheek who was curled up at the edge of the bed.

"Morning, Pikachu," he greeted.

"Chaaaaaa," Pikachu yawned. It had been awakened by the alarm, too, but was still tired.

Ash leaned back before he gave a stretch and thought about the dream he had. If he didn't know better, it was almost as if it really wasn't a dream. It felt so real. As unlikely as it was, would he and Gary really face off in the finals of the Silver Conference with a battle that fierce?

Then again, some things of it were unlikely. For one thing, he was using Charizard, and it was in the Charicific Valley training to be the strongest Charizard right now. The two Pokemon were also using moves that he had never heard of before. What were Blast Burn and Hydro Cannon? Just some attacks his active imagination made up? Whatever they were, it still sounded cool in the dream.

Ash smiled to himself and let out a chuckle. Ultimately, it was probably just a neat dream he had. His aura, as dormant as it had been, didn't feel like it was on so it couldn't be something of a prediction, could it? Well, regardless, Ash didn't need to worry about the Silver Conference right now. Instead, he was focused on one thing today, and that was to earn his fourth gym badge from the Ecruteak City gym. Then he would be halfway to the Johto Silver Conference.

* * *

As Ash went into the lobby with Pikachu to wait for everyone else, he discovered the only one of his friends in the lobby was Leaf. She was seated on the couch of the Pokemon Center and was holding a flower in her hand. She was picking off the petals one by one and mumbling to herself. It didn't take genius to know what she was doing. Ash raised his eyebrows as he walked over to her. She was so transfixed she didn't notice Ash until he was right next to her.

"Seriously, Leaf? You're resorting to _that_ to see if Gary likes you?" Ash joked once he reached her.

"Gah! Ash!" Leaf gasped as she quickly hid the flower behind her back.

"As far as I know, even Serena didn't do that when she liked me, and she's liked me for a lot longer than you've liked Gary," Ash stated before he smirked. "Then again, Serena isn't as loopy as you are."

"Alright, Mister. If you think you're so smart, then why don't you tell me if Gary likes me or not," Leaf asserted and placed her hands on her hips.

"Uh…well…," Ash started as Pikachu rolled its eyes. As if Ash would be able to give any love advice, and to the opposite gender on top of it.

Leaf frowned as she tapped her foot and awaited Ash's response. The raven-haired boy rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. Leaf did have a point. If he was going to criticize her, he should've been prepared to give an appropriate back up plan.

"You…should probably ask Serena about that," Ash replied as he blushed in embarrassment. Leaf sighed and lost the look of annoyance on her face.

"Please, Ash," Leaf pleaded as she took Ash's hand and gently pulled him down so he would sit next to her. What signs did you do to show Serena that you liked her? I want to know if Gary is giving me the same ones. You and him are more alike than you realize."

"It was really Serena who showed me all of the affection. I was the one who was oblivious and didn't respond to it," Ash said truthfully. "Once I was certain I liked Serena, I let her know."

"Oh. So I guess that means Gary doesn't like me if he hasn't said anything," Leaf said glumly.

"Well, maybe not," Ash amended. "I mean…he could just be confused about his feelings for you. I know I was for a while and had to sort out my feelings for Serena."

"I see," Leaf replied.

"But...it was Serena who admitted her feelings first," Ash stated. "You may have to do the same for Gary to get his emotions kicked in like Serena had to do for me. I don't think Gary's going to do this on his own."

Leaf thought about what Ash had told her. She remembered having this conversation with Serena at one point. Serena already knew she liked Ash, but she was unsure if Ash liked her back. He was a typical, oblivious, ten year old boy at the time so he wouldn't even be thinking about the concept of having a relationship if Serena didn't spell it out for him. Leaf sighed as she realized she would have to follow her own advice to get through to Gary.

"Lovely," Leaf mumbled as she leaned her forehead on Ash's shoulder.

"I can't help you with the right moment to tell Gary," Ash continued and patted Leaf on the back. "Serena needs to tell you that. All I can say is that Gary likes you enough to let you travel with him. Before he wanted to travel alone so that should at least tell you he feels a lot closer to you than he did."

"Hmm…," Leaf mused. "Maybe…,"

Before she could finish the comment, Serena entered the room. She immediately spotted Ash and Leaf and went over to them with a smile. Leaf raised her head from Ash's shoulders so Serena wouldn't get the wrong idea. Serena wasn't jealous of Ash and Leaf and knew not to question anything. Still, it would look weird if Leaf kept her head there too long.

"Good morning!" Serena said brightly as she sat down next to them.

"Hey, Serena. Leaf has something to ask you," Ash said bluntly and then grunted in pain when Leaf slapped his back.

"Not here! I'm going to ask her when it's just the two of us!" Leaf said in annoyance and embarrassment.

"Oh. Right," Ash muttered as Pikachu laughed at the two's antics.

Serena giggled herself. She had a good idea what it was probably about due to the way Leaf was blushing at the moment. As her best friend, Serena would do her best get Leaf to work up the courage to tell Gary her feelings. It was clear that it was getting time to do that. She really did hope the best for Leaf as she had been in the same situation. Serena would've been anxious for so long, and Leaf had been helping her out. Now, it was her turn to repay the favor.

"I'll be happy to talk to you, Leaf. Just let me know when," Serena told her.

The rest of the group began to file in the room one by one. Brock was the next one to up, followed by Gary a couple of minutes later, and lastly was Misty. Now that the group was completed, it was time for at least one of the groups to head out to Ash's fourth gym battle. However, that still left in question what Gary and Leaf were going to do now.

"So you're going to watch me battle Morty, too?" Ash questioned Gary curiously.

The spiky brown-haired boy did confess that he didn't want to stay in one spot for too much longer. He and Ash had made peace with one another and could part on good terms. Both groups were planning on leaving Ecruteak City today for their own reasons, but Ash still wondered if Gary was watching him battle again.

Gary bowed his head as he thought about Ash's proposal. The group couldn't tell if he was actually thinking about it hard or if he was pretending to in order to keep them in suspense. After a moment, Gary opened his eyes and nodded his head.

"Sure. I'll watch. This time, however, I won't be watching as your rival. I'll be watching as your friend," Gary replied.

Ash, as well as the others, grinned broadly at Gary's response. That would make the next battle feel a lot less awkward for Ash. Gary was just going to watch him for moral support just like Serena, Leaf, Misty, and Brock would. There would be no pressure now. There really shouldn't be anyway. Ash had planned this battle out perfectly and knew the exact Pokemon he was going to use here. He had every confidence in these Pokemon that they could take care of the gym leader. It was part of following Gary and Professor Oak's advice to take every battle seriously. That was one thing that Gary had been right about.

With that, the group set off towards the Ecruteak City Gym. According to Gary and Leaf, it was only about a fifteen minute walk from the Pokemon Center to the Ecuteak City Gym. Gary and Leaf had already been there so they were able to lead the others without Brock having to consult the guidebook.

"The gym leader uses ghost types, right?" Ash asked Gary as they went along.

"Yeah. His name's Morty, and he claims to be friends with a lot of ghost Pokemon," Gary responded.

"He sounds like a pretty scary guy if a lot of ghosts like him," Misty commented.

"He isn't scary at all. He actually seemed to be pretty nice, and he knows a lot about the lore of Ecruteak City," Leaf answered this time.

"Scary guy or not, I have the perfect Pokemon to battle him with!" Ash smirked before he named them. "Noctowl, Haunter, and Houndour!"

The rest of the group nodded in approval of Ash's decision. Though Noctowl was a part normal type, it could use Foresight to reveal ghost-type Pokemon. Haunter would be fighting fire with fire, and Houndour's dark typing would be great on ghost types. If Ash battled well as he usually did, he should earn another victory.

Still, Morty was a gym leader for a reason. He would be no pushover. Ash had learned that all too well about gym leaders by now. Also, ghost Pokemon were some of the types of Pokemon Ash had the least experience with in battling against, along with fairy and dark types. That still didn't mean he couldn't be confident, though.

The group arrived soon arrived at the gym, and Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock took a good look at it. Like with the rest of the city, the gym appeared to be a fairly traditional Japanese building as the guidebook had showed. One would think that a gym that housed ghost-type Pokemon would look a lot more intimidating, but it was very normal looking, even more so than Goldenrod City's gym. Morty must like to keep things simple.

Ash opened the set of double doors, and he and the others stepped inside. Once they were in, the group found there to be a reception area of sorts. They were in a hallway with a set of two doors. One was on their right and another was on their left. In the center was another set of double doors. That was probably were the gym was. A receptionist was working the desk.

"Hello. How can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm here to battle the gym leader, Morty," Ash requested.

"I'm sorry. Morty is busy teaching a class right now. He should be through in just a few minutes, though. I'm sure you'll be able to battle him then," the receptionist replied.

"That's right," Gary remembered. "Morty teaches a lot about ghost Pokemon as well as the lore of Ecruteak City. He's pretty knowledgeable about it. Leaf and I had to wait when we came, too."

Ash nodded his head, and the group sat down on a row of chairs nearby. Ash checked the time on his Pokegear and saw it was almost eleven in the morning. That's when Morty's class would probably end.

"Look, Ash," Serena said to him and pointed forward.

Ash looked ahead where Serena was pointing, and his eyes widened. It turned out there was a large painting on the wall. It wasn't the fact that there was a painting but what was in the painting. It was one of the than the legendary Pokemon, Ho-oh. It had its wings spread out majestically and appeared to be crying out. The painting looked so real and powerful it was as if it was an actual Ho-oh there.

That wasn't all. There was also a painting of another Pokemon next to Ho-oh. This one was the picture of its opposite, Lugia, the other legendary Pokemon. On top of seeing Ho-oh, he had also been fortunate of enough to see Lugia back in the Orange Islands. Whether there was another one in this region or not was unknown to him.

Underneath those paintings, though, was a painting of three Pokemon whom Ash wasn't as familiar with. They all appeared cat-like and had an air of royalty about them. One was red and was spewing out powerful flames. The other was yellow and surrounded by a lot electricity, and the final one was the only one Ash recognized. It was blue and seemed to be surrounded by powerful waves, Suicune. He had seen this Pokemon at the start of his journey in Johto, along with Serena, Brock, Misty, Jimmy, and Marina.

Before Ash could ponder on these thoughts any longer, one of the doors in the hallway opened up, and a group of children filed out the door. They looked to be a few years young than the rest of the group as they made their way out the door. A young man was the last to leave. The man was tall and had long blonde hair that almost reached his shoulders held back by a headband. He was probably in his twenties. The man gave a wave to the students who left.

"Thanks for joining me today, class. I hope you all learned something about the ways of ghost Pokemon," he said.

"Thank you, Mr. Morty," the students replied as they left.

Once the last student left, the man known as Morty looked, and his eyes settled on the group of trainers who were sitting down and the one boy who was near the painting. He smiled and walked over to them.

"Hello. My name is Morty. I'm the gym leader of Ecruteak City," he introduced.

"Hi there. I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash returned the introduction, being the one closest to Morty.

"I'm Serena," Serena smiled.

"I'm Misty," Misty said.

"And I'm Brock," Brock finished.

"Heh. You should already know Leaf and me," Gary said.

Morty nodded and went over to Ash. "I see those paintings have caught your eye. They're pretty incredible, wouldn't you say? The artist put a lot of detail in them. Ho-oh, Lugia, and their three messengers: Entei, Raikou, and Suicune."

"Yeah. They look just as real as they did when I saw them," Ash muttered absently.

"Excuse me?" Morty asked as he turned to look at Ash in surprise.

"I've seen Ho-oh and Lugia, too," Ash said, realizing there's no sense it hiding it now that he's said it out loud.

"I doubt it. You must've seen some other Pokemon," Morty immediately said.

Ash turned to look at Morty and frowned in confusion. He certainly wasn't expecting Morty to just outright deny his claim like that. What made him so sure in thinking that Ash was mistaken anyway?

"I really did," Ash insisted. "I've seen Suicune before, too, and so have my friends."

Morty's eyes widened as he turned to look at the others. Serena, Misty, and Brock all nodded their heads. Though Gary and Leaf hadn't been with them to see the Pokemon, too, they were aware of the story and knew they weren't lying. The young man sighed as he tried to process the information Ash told them.

"As unlikely as it is you've seen Suicune and Lugia, they're a lot more likely than Ho-oh," Morty said.

"What makes you say that?" Ash wondered.

"Ho-oh haven't been seen in over two hundred years," Morty answered.

"What? Why?" Ash wondered.

"As for the Johto region, it used to roost here in Ecruteak City on top of the Bell Tower. The people of old even seemed to worship Ho-oh. Lugia also was said to have rested on the old Brass Tower parallel to it," Morty started.

"So why aren't they there now?" Ash questioned.

"A group of greedy thieves broke into the Brass Tower one day in the hopes to steal its treasures and capture Lugia for their own selfish gains. Unfortunately, the struggle caused a fire to break out which nearly burned the whole tower to the ground. In fear, Lugia fled, as did Ho-oh for it worried the same thing would happen to its home should it stay."

"I've heard of this legend," Brock spoke up. "This is also the origin story of Suicune, Entei, and Raikou."

"That's right," Morty confirmed. "Sadly, three Pokemon had perished in the flames that consumed the Brass Tower. Before it left, Ho-oh was said to have resurrected the three Pokemon into Suicune, Entei, and Raikou. They were going to watch over the land in its absence and bring word to Ho-oh should a disaster strike the Johto region."

The group thought about what Morty said. That almost seemed to match the story of Celebi, as well. They were only going to appear to trainers who played a part in stopping a great disaster, and they would only appear once that disaster happened. That was why Lugia had appeared in the Orange Islands…to stop a disaster. Ash wondered if that meant one was going to happen since he and Serena saw Ho-oh, Lugia, and Suicune already, or was it all just an interesting story?

"While there have been few sightings in the past of Lugia, Suicune, Entei, and Raikou, absolutely no one knows the whereabouts of Ho-oh. People have searched for it their entire lives and never even found a hint. I have a friend named Eusine who has been obsessed with finding Ho-oh and Suicune. He's very smart, and even he hasn't found anything," Morty finished.

"We actually met a man named Eusine a while back," Serena spoke this time. "He told us he was looking for Ho-oh and Suicune, too."

"Oh? So you've met Eusine?" Morty inquired.

"That's right. He believed us," Ash insisted.

"I'm sorry," Morty frowned. "After everything I've told you, you'll have to forgive me for doubting your claim."

Ash sighed as he realized there was no sense in arguing with Morty about it. If he didn't believe Ash, that was fine. In fact, it was probably for the best that Morty didn't know. It wasn't something that the group publicly talked about anyway. Ash had just accidentally let it slip out when Morty mentioned who was in the paintings.

"Well, believe what you want," Gary shrugged to Morty. "I still believe them."

"Me, too," Leaf nodded.

"Very well. We shall each have our own opinions," Morty relented before he changed topics. "Anyway, what was it I could do for you?"

"I'm here to challenge you for a gym match," Ash declared.

"Oh. A challenger? Well, I accept it. You should be an interesting one to face considering all you've told me, Ash. Follow me," Morty smiled before he turned and walked down the hallway.

Ash wasn't quite sure if that comment was meant to mock him or not. Regardless, he still nodded his head and went after Morty as did the others. As they were walking, Serena placed her hand on Ash's shoulder to give him comfort as he seemed rather annoyed right now. He turned and saw Serena's blue eyes staring back at his.

"It's okay, Ash. We all know you aren't lying. Even if I didn't see any of the Pokemon along with you, I would still believe you," Serena reassured.

"Thanks, Serena," Ash replied as he seemed to brighten up a little bit.

"I guess we just have to see it through Morty's perspective," Brock whispered.

"From what I've seen, he likes hard evidence which we don't have," Gary added.

Morty and the rest of the group then walked through the set of double doors that was on the edge of the hallway. It led to a large room which was apparently the battle room. It looked normal enough, and Morty continued over to his side while everyone else stayed on the side closest to the door. The receptionist came out from behind the group and walked to the center of the gym to act as the judge.

"So Ash? I'm curious. How many badges have you earned so far?" Morty questioned.

"I've already earned three, and I've also competed in the Indigo Pokemon League and was in the Top Four, and I won the Orange League!" Ash responded.

"That's really impressive. I guess there's no sense in trying to go easy on you. I'll use my full power and my two strongest Pokemon on you," Morty stated.

"So it's going to be a two on two match?" Ash questioned.

"It is. Will that be okay with you?" Morty asked.

This was a little unusual. Most gym leaders Ash faced were three on three. Why was Morty only wanting to use two Pokemon? Was he testing Ash's potential as a trainer by only using his strongest Pokemon? Was he wanting to see if Ash was the special trainer he claimed to be? Ash wasn't quite sure what was up.

"It is a little strange," Gary piped up and voiced the others' thoughts. "When I faced Morty, he used three Pokemon against me."

Ash realized this would create a small problem. With only two Pokemon to be used in this match, it left a lot less margin for error. That also meant that he would have to not use one of the Pokemon he planned on using. The raven-haired boy then saw Morty was apparently waiting for Ash to answer his rules. Finally, Ash nodded his head.

"Yes. That's fine," he replied.

"Excellent," Morty replied. "If you're ready, let's get started."

"I'm ready!" Ash nodded.

"This will be an official gym match between Morty, the Ecruteak City gym leader, and Ash. A fog badge is at stake. It will be a two versus two Pokemon match!" the receptionist and judge declared.

"I'll choose the first Pokemon, Ash," Morty said and threw the pokeball forward. "Go, Misdreavus!"

The pokeball opened and revealed a greenish ghost-like Pokemon. It had no visible arms or legs, and its body seemed to look somewhat like a dress. It had red gems around its neck, and its ghostly body seemed to have what looked like flowing hair on its head. It gave a mischievous giggle once it was released.

Ash and Serena pulled out their national dexes to scan the new Pokemon. "Misdreavus, the screech Pokemon. This Pokemon receives energy by the fear it gathers from scaring people. This Pokemon has a very terrifying scream," the dexes informed.

"Yeesh. This Pokemon is a little cute but sounds a bit creepy," Misty commented and shivered slightly.

"He used Misdreavus against me, too," Gary said. "It was pretty nasty."

Meanwhile, Ash was trying to figure out the best course of action here. He wasn't going to send out Haunter just yet. Haunter would be effective against Misdreavus, but the same held true for Misdreavus against Haunter. He had no idea what bag of tricks Misdreavus had up its sleeve and would rather not take a gamble like that yet. Noctowl would be able to reveal any ghost-type and could resist ghost-type moves, but it had no moves that were effective. His best bet would be to go with a dark-type Pokemon like his Houndour first.

"I'm thinking to start with Houndour. What do you think Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu confirmed to show it agreed with Ash.

"Then that's what I'll do!" Ash declared and threw his pokeball forward. "Houndour, I choose you!"

The pokeball opened up, and Houndour appeared. It gave short bark before it sat down on its hind legs obediently to await the battle. Misdreavus did a few floating somersaults through the air and let out another mischievous giggle. Houndour didn't fall for the taunt and instead still sat patiently. That was one of the many good traits of Ash's Houndour. It got annoyed easily but never truly flustered to where it would be distracted.

Togepi squirmed excitedly in Serena's arms as its daddy prepared to battle. Serena smiled down at the eager Pokemon.

"You've started battling, too, Togepi. Ash and I can't wait to see the day you actually battle a gym leader, too," Serena told it.

"Toge!" Togepi agreed.

"Are the trainers ready?" the judge asked.

"I am," Morty answered.

"So am I," Ash nodded.

"In that case, the match will begin now!" the judge declared.

"Use Mean Look, Misdreavus," Morty immediately said.

Misdreavus' eyes glowed for a moment as it pinned Hounour with a dark look. The dark Pokemon growled out as it stared back in Misdreavus' eyes. Ash, however, was a little confused. Why would Morty not be wanting Ash's Houndour to retreat? He could understand it if Misdreavus was strong against Houndour, but it was quite the opposite. Something had to be up.

"Watch it, Ash! That Misdreavus has some pretty unique moves! Don't let Houndour's typing get you comfortable!" Gary warned.

Ash nodded his head. He knew better by now to know that Morty wouldn't be wanting Houndour to leave unless he had plan. He then called out to Houndour.

"That's alright, Houndour. Let's show that ghost that you aren't afraid of not retreating! Use Odor Sleuth so you can keep track of it!" Ash yelled.

Houndour took a few sniffs until it could identify Misdreavus. It then crouched low now that Misdreavus wouldn't be able to get away with turning invisible. Houndour could sniff it out.

"Great. Now Misdreavus can't hide," Ash nodded to Houndour.

"Who's hiding?" Morty asked before he called out an attack. "Use Power Gem, Misdreavus."

The beads around Misdreavus' neck began to glow and shot out like a ray of light towards Houndour. The dark Pokemon leaped out of the way several times as Misdreavus continued to shoot at it. Ash's eyes widened as Power Gem was a rock-type move which would be super effective if it hit. So this Misdreavus had a few tricks up its sleeve, after all.

"Use Flamethrower to stop that attack!" Ash hollered.

Houndour leaped out of the way and shot a stream of fire from its mouth. Misdreavus saw the fire coming and immediately halted its Power Gem before it turned invisible. The Flamethrower hit nothing but air, but that was okay. The Flamethrower did its job.

"Try to find where Misdreavus went to, Houndour," Ash told it.

Houndour nodded and sniffed around the room for any sign of Misdreavus. It was dead quiet. Even though it had used Odor Sleuth, Houndour knew Misdreavus had to be quite distance from it as its scent was quite faint. Houndour didn't want to signal to Ash until it fully knew where Misdreavus went to.

"Use Confuse Ray," Morty said.

Houndour's eyes widened as it smelled Misdreavus coming in fast. It gave a short bark to Ash to let him know it was ready to attack. Ash took the cue and immediately issued an order.

"Use Crunch!" Ash yelled.

Houndour turned to the right and leaped forward just as Misdreavus was materializing. Before Misdreavus could use the Confuse Ray, it was caught in Houndour's jaws, and the dark Pokemon gave a vicious bite. Misdreavus cried out in pain from the super effective attack but still managed to turn its eyes towards Houndour, and they glowed blue. Houndour quickly looked away to avoid being confused, but that left it wide open for an attack.

"Break yourself free with Shadow Ball," Morty said.

Misdreavus took advantage of Houndour's hesitation and quickly formed a shadowy orb and shot it towards Houndour. The dark Pokemon was struck in the face at point blank range. Houndour gave a cry and released Misdreavus before it backed away and pawed at its face from the Shadow Ball hitting it. While Shadow Ball may not have been a very effective attack to Houndour, the proximity and where it struck Houndour caused it to be quite painful.

"Use Power Gem," Morty tried again.

Misdreavus once more shot rays of light from the beads around its neck. This time, Houndour wasn't quick enough to dodge, and it was struck with the rays of light. Houndour growled as it was knocked off its feet and hit the ground rather painfully. Nonetheless, it quickly stood up to show it wasn't out by a long shot yet.

"Great Houndour! Use Smog to hide yourself," Ash told it.

Houndour shot a noxious smoke from its mouth that covered the whole battlefield. The dark Pokemon made sure it didn't use it in excess to where it would reach the humans, though. Now that both Pokemon were covered by the Smog, it was hard to tell what any of them were doing. Morty, however, appeared quite relaxed.

"I don't believe your Houndour will too keen on sniffing for Misdreavus in that Smog, either," Morty said before he added, "Turn invisible, Misdreavus, and use Power Gem."

Though nobody could tell, they were sure Misdreavus was no longer in sight for Houndour. However, they could see various rays of light shining through the Smog. However, the movements were so erratic that it was hard to see where they were coming from. Misdreavus must've been darting all over the place.

Houndour, for its part, was doing its best to dodge the Power Gems, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Ash, however, had a plan. He knew that Misdreavus was still inside that cloud of noxious smoke somewhere. As long as it was, he could still pull this off.

"Use Flamethrower in the smoke!" Ash told it.

From insdie the cloud, Houndour nodded its head and began to shoot various Flamethrowers around inside the Smog. For a while, it appeared nothing was happening. After a while though, Morty gasped, and the rest of the group smiled as the Smog was beginning to turn red from the heat. It wasn't long before the Power Gems stopped, and they could hear cries of pain from inside that definitely belonged to Misdreavus.

Houndour was able to withstand the heat, but Misdreavus was not. It was getting roasted inside of the poisonous flame cloud. Ash saw his chance and got another attack ready for Houndour.

"Houndour, use Flamethrower on Misdreavus now!" Ash told it.

Houndour was able to pin point Misdreavus' location now that it had stopped moving, and it shot a Flamethrower which engulfed Misdreavus and pushed it out of the flame cloud. The group watched as Misdreavus sailed out through the room until it hit the back wall. Ash knew it was time to finish it.

"Use Crunch!" Ash told it.

Houndour leaped out of the cloud as well and got a running start towards Misdreavus as it prepared the finishing move. Misdreavus was slumped against the wall and made no effort to try to get out of the way. It was very weak but not completely knocked out. One good hit from Houndour would do it. It looked like Houndour was about to win until something unexpected happened.

"Pain Split," Morty said.

Misdreavus' eyes glowed once more, and Houndour was hit with a sudden onslaught of pain. The dark Pokemon was so startled by the sudden pain that it canceled its Crunch out of reflex. Misdreavus, on the other hand, looked a lot healthier and quickly floated out of harm's way. Houndour, however, ended up crashing into the wall.

"Pain Split?" Ash questioned.

"It does what it sounds like," Morty informed him. "I took advantage of your Houndour's low damage and my Misdreavus almost being too weak to battle. They now have an even amount of health."

"It's a good move, Ash. That Misdreavus did the same thing to me when I least expected it," Gary frowned.

"That's just one of the many things in my Misdreavus' bag of tricks," Morty said.

Ash frowned but quickly calmed himself so he could remain level-headed. This Misdreavus was indeed tricky like Gary had said. He doubted Morty would use Pain Split again as both Pokemon were sufficiently weakened now. However, Ash was almost positive there was something else about Misdreavus that he didn't know about yet, and it probably still had something to do with its Mean Look from earlier.

"Are you okay, Houndour?" Ash asked it.

Houndour shook its face from its crash into the wall before it panted a little bit. That Pain Split really took it by surprise. Though it wasn't even close to the energy it had earlier, Houndour could still fight, and it barked encouragingly at Ash to prove it.

"Now use Power Gem!" Morty said.

The much healthier Misdreavus began to blast the beams of light from its beads again. Ash knew Houndour would have to get rather aggressive so it could finish the screech Pokemon could pull off another surprise.

"Use Feint Attack!" Ash yelled since there would be no way Misdreavus could dodge it.

Houndour leaped in the air and got behind Misdreavus which took it by surprise. Houndour then then slammed into Misdreavus, and the screech Pokemon was knocked out of the air and onto the ground.

"Use Fire Fang!" Ash yelled again.

Houndour ignited its teeth and landed on top of Misdreavus before it bit down. Misdreavus howled in pain as it the burning bite sank in.

"Use Shadow Ball to break free," Morty said again.

Misdreavus once more launched a quick Shadow Ball at Houndour's face. It struck at pointed blank range again. Despite the shock of the attack and how much it hurt from being hit in the face again, Houndour instinctively held firm this time. It knew that it needed to do this fast so it pushed through the pain and kept attacking.

"That was great, Houndour! Way to hang in there!" Ash smiled before he gave his next command. "Turn that Fire Fang into a Crunch!"

Houndour then bit down harder on Misdreavus, and the screech Pokemon writhed in pain as it tried to break free from Houndour. It looked like Ash's aggressive attacks might work, but unfortunately, this Misdreavus had one more trick it could use.

"If your Houndour is going to take out Misdreavus, then Misdreavus is going to take Houndour down with it," Morty said. "Use Perish Song."

Gary's eyes widened when he heard that. "Get Houndour away, Ash!" he called, but it was too late.

Misdreavus began giving out a bunch of shrill cries that sounded a little bit like singing. Houndour began to grit its teeth as it backed off from Misdreavus to get away from the haunting notes, but that was doing nothing. It appeared to be in quite a bit of pain. Ash raised his eyebrows in confusion when he saw Misdreavus appeared to be in just as much pain as Houndour.

"What's going on?" Ash wondered.

"It's Perish Song," Morty explained. "Any Pokemon who hears this only takes a short while until they faint, including the user. It's part of the strategy I use with Misdreavus, especially against a type its weak against like your Houndour. I use it as a last resort to take out powerful Pokemon. If someone recalls their Pokemon, the effects are canceled, but your Houndour is unable to retreat right now."

"That's why your Misdreavus used Mean Look right when the match started in case it was losing," Ash realized.

"That's right. There's nothing your Houndour can do now," Morty confirmed.

Ash felt totally helpless as he watched his Houndour get weaker and weaker. The dark Pokemon was trying its best to fight the effects of the eerie singing of Misdreavus, but it couldn't get past it. Houndour tried to leap up to Misdreavus and use Crunch to end the match, but its legs felt like dead weights, and it was only getting worse. Misdreavus was steadily falling towards the floor as it felt its strength leave, but it kept singing until the very end. Finally, Misdreavus fainted, and Houndour fainted along with it.

"Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" the judge declared.

Ash's mouth was hanging open as he saw his Houndour unconscious on the floor. It was putting up such a good fight and probably would've won, but Pain Split and Perish Song changed everything. Gary wasn't kidding when he said that Misdreavus was an extremely tough Pokemon. Ash worriedly looked at Morty who gave Ash a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Ash. Your Houndour will be just fine after a good rest. Even though I'm a trainer of ghost-types, I would never put your Houndour in great harm, especially when it was to my own Pokemon, as well," Morty told him.

"Right," Ash muttered as he recalled Houndour and looked at the pokeball. "Thanks a lot, Houndour. You battled great."

"I wouldn't have expected anything less from a ghost-type gym leader," Brock commented. "Morty would definitely know that a ghost Pokemon's greatest strengths aren't in their power, but their abilities. Morty played to Misdreavus' strengths perfectly."

"Ash only has one Pokemon left so who do you think he'll use?" Serena asked.

"He'll need to use Haunter or Noctowl," Gary answered. "They're the only ones who can stand up to Morty's most powerful Pokemon."

"Which Pokemon is that?" Serena questioned.

"His Gengar," Gary replied.

Sure enough, Morty took out another pokeball and threw it forward. It opened up to reveal a very formidable-looking Gengar. It gave an eerie laugh once it appeared and patiently waited to see who its opponent would be.

Ash took a deep breath as he thought of his options. Gengar could learn a variety of moves so there was no telling what moves this one had. He knew that Thunderbolt was a popular move on Gengar that it could learn through a technical machine. If it knew that move, Noctowl would be at a serious disadvantage. He could use Pikachu, but the yellow rodent didn't really have anything that could counter a Gengar. Ash frowned as he realized he only had one option left. Gengar might overpower it, but they could still pull off a win.

"Your Misdreavus isn't the only Pokemon who likes tricks," Ash told Morty.

"Oh?" Morty inquired, interested.

"Yep. My Haunter enjoys tricks and pranks, too, but not the same kind," Ash said in an attempt to lighten the mood after the somber effects of Perish Song.

"I see," Morty nodded. "But can it handle my Gengar?"

"I think so," Ash replied before he threw his pokeball forward. "Go, Haunter!"

The pranking ghost Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and did few flips in the air. It felt good to be able to battle again. Haunter then saw its opponent was its evolved form. However, instead of looking worried, Haunter pointed and laughed at it which caused Gengar to widen its eyes in surprise.

Haunter then floated over to Gengar and held out one of its disembodied hands for Gengar to shake, Gengar obliged and reached out to shake Haunter's hand. However, there was a buzzer in Haunter's hands and Gengar was immediately shocked upon getting buzzed. Haunter then began to laugh at its joke, and Morty's Gengar did, as well.

Morty's Gengar then stuck out its tongue and used it to wipe its eyes off its face. It then showed its eyes on its tongue to Haunter who looked quite amused. Both Pokemon began to crack up again after that.

"Heh. A ghost Pokemon's nature never changes," Ash muttered with a sweat drop as he and everyone else watched Gengar and Haunter make friends with each other.

"BLEEEAAAHH!" Haunter yelled as it popped its eyes out of its head.

"Gengar! Gengar! Gengar!" Morty's Gengar laughed.

"Okay. Okay. We're glad you guys are getting along," Morty smiled. "But don't forget that we are in the middle of a gym match."

Morty's Gengar nodded and floated away from Haunter back to its side of the field. Ash's Haunter did likewise and laughed the way back before it looked ready to battle, too. It then knew that it was time to get serious and try to win this match. It and Gengar could laugh and make jokes afterward.

"Be careful, Haunter. I know Gengar is probably stronger than you, but we still have what it takes to win," Ash reassured.

"Haaaaunter," Haunter agreed.

"Gengar versus Haunter! Begin!" the judge announced.

"Gengar, use Shadow Ball," Morty said.

"Use Sucker Punch, Haunter!" Ash commanded.

Gengar formed a shadow orb in its hands, but Haunter vanished before it appeared right in front of Gengar and gave a shadowed punch across Gengar's face. Gengar reeled back from the strike, but it still launched the Shadow Ball and struck Haunter square in the face. Haunter grimaced from the pain and sailed backwards before it hit the floor.

"Sucker Punch is a good way to make sure your Haunter attacks first, Ash," Morty commented. "Even though its super effective, don't forget that Gengar's attacks are stronger. It'll take more than that to win."

"Try this then! Use Dark Pulse, Haunter!" Ash hollered.

"Use your Dark Pulse, too, Gengar," Morty ordered.

The two dark auras shot out of both Pokemon's hands before they met in midair. Gengar's began to push Haunter's back before it won out and flew towards Haunter. The ghost Pokemon quickly flew out of the way of being struck before it let loose another Dark Pulse. Gengar looked up before it was struck by the Dark Pulse. Gengar gritted its teeth in pain from the super effective attack, but held firm. Morty had trained it to endure a lot of super effective attacks.

"Not bad, Ash, but your Haunter is still no match for Gengar," Morty said.

"We're just getting started," Ash replied.

"Use Thunderbolt, Gengar," Morty called, and Ash secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At least that told him that he made a good call by not sending out Noctowl.

Several bolts of electricity shot out of Gengar, and Haunter began flying out of the way to dodge them. Now that it was distracted, Morty knew Gengar could get Haunter with a good hit.

"Use Shadow Punch, Gengar," Morty said.

Gengar seemed to concentrate before a shadowy hand seemed to appear from the wall and struck Haunter from behind. Haunter knew this attack all too well, and it never missed. Only now it was on the receiving end of it.

"Use Hypnosis now that it's down," Morty commanded.

Gengar began to emit waves from its body straight towards Haunter. The gas Pokemon looked up and was immediately struck by them. Haunter grimaced as it felt its eyelids began to droop. The gas Pokemon began to strain itself as it felt the psychic waves overpower its consciousness.

"Come on, Haunter! Fight it, and use Shadow Ball!" Ash said.

"If Haunter falls asleep, Ash will be in trouble. Surely Haunter can do something," Gary said.

"It can, actually," Serena smiled. "You haven't seen Haunter battle like the rest of us have," Serena replied.

"What do you mean?" Gary questioned.

"Hush, Gary. You'll see," Leaf whispered.

Haunter's eyes finally gave way, and it fell into a deep sleep. A snot bubble began to emerge from its nose as it breathed in and out in perfect sync. Gengar grinned now that its opponent was completely helpless. All it would need to do now is get close to use Dream Eater, and then…waaaaait a minute.

Morty was about to command Gengar to use Dream Eater, too, but he seemed to realize what Gengar noticed. Morty then smirked before he ordered his Gengar to use another attack.

"Nice try, Ash. Use Shadow Ball, Gengar!" Morty said.

Gengar formed the shadowy orb and threw it straight at Haunter. The gas Pokemon's eyes snapped open once it realized its fake sleeping trick didn't work this time. Unfortunately, the orb still struck Haunter which caused a small explosion on impact. Haunter was blasted into the air where it struck a wall. It then shook from the pain it was in now. That Shadow Ball got it good.

"Your Haunter may be a master at playing pranks, Ash, but things like that won't work on Gengar," Morty said.

Ash frowned as he was so sure that would get him the upper hand if he could lead Morty and Gengar into a false sense of security. Then again, Morty was a gym leader and not an ordinary trainer. Ash was beginning to run out of ideas in order to get the upper hand.

"Use Shadow Punch," Morty said.

"Sucker Punch!" Ash cried.

Before Gengar's Shadow Punch could strike Haunter, the gas Pokemon once again vanished before it disappeared again and struck Gengar across the face. Gengar's shadowy fist then punched Haunter from behind, and Haunter was knocked to the floor once again.

"Let's finish this with Night Shade," Morty commanded.

"Counter it with your own Night Shade!" Ash hollered.

Haunter looked up as Gengar was shooting out a black-colored bean from its hands. Haunter responded with its own Night Shade. The two attacks then struck and began to compete for dominance. They appeared to be evenly matched.

"Come on, Haunter! You can do it!" Ash encouraged.

Haunter began putting everything it had into the Night Shade. It grunted as it tried to force the Night Shade forward. It had to win for its trainer. Everyone's eyes then widened when it looked like it was actually working! Haunter gasped as it struggled so hard to overtake its evolutionary form's attack. It was hard, but it certainly wasn't impossible.

Gengar, meanwhile, grit its teeth as it saw the two Night Shades getting closer to it. Haunter continued to yell as it worked hard for Ash to win. Despite its joking nature, Haunter could still be serious when the need arose, and this was no joking matter. Ash began to smile and Morty gasped as the two Night Shades began to overtake Gengar, and the shadow Pokemon began to cry in pain.

"Keep it up, Haunter!" Ash cheered at Haunter's will.

Suddenly, the two Night Shades began reversing direction. The group gasped as it appeared Haunter was beginning to tire out. Despite working extremely hard to get the upper hand on Night Shade and succeeding briefly, Haunter had still taken a lot more damage than Gengar so its energy was running out. Despite this, Haunter still struggled to keep the Night Shade going. It couldn't break the attack, though, unless it risked getting hit so it kept on.

"Come on, Haunter!" Ash encouraged, but to no avail.

Haunter cried out as the Gengar's Night Shade completely shut out its own. The gas Pokemon did its best to shield itself until it was completely overtaken by the Night Shade. Now the group was unable to see Haunter anymore and just a shape of blackness.

"Your Haunter definitely has some great effort, but I don't think it was powerful enough to stand up to Gengar. We've had too much experience," Morty said.

"I hate to say it, but do you think Morty's right? Was Haunter in over its head?" Misty wondered as they watched Haunter continuing to be pelted by the Night Shade.

"Piiiiika!" Pikachu called out. It had taken out its evolutionary form before, and so could Haunter!

"Come on, Ash. Have one of those Ash miracles happen again! You can do it!" Gary said.

"Don't give up, Haunter!" Leaf shouted.

Haunter, meanwhile, was continuing to be blasted by the Night Shade. It wouldn't be too long before all of its energy was depleted. It could feel itself becoming weaker and weaker, but despite that, it was still trying to turn things around, and it could! It just had to find a way to do so.

Serena watched with worry as if Haunter was knocked out, this would be Ash's first gym loss in quite a while. Morty was able to play to the ghost Pokemon's strengths perfectly which was probably why he was a gym leader. She knew Jimmy had beaten Morty, but he was also a rookie so Morty probably didn't use his full strength. Gary won, but he claimed to have a lot trouble doing so and used three Pokemon. Morty was definitely proving to be among the more challenging gym leaders Ash has faced so far with his ghost Pokemon's bag of tricks.

That's when Ash felt a certain energy from Haunter, and he smiled. It was finally time.

"I actually wanted you to beat me in this match, Ash, to prove you were a special trainer. Ho-oh would only show itself to special trainers, but how am I supposed to believe you if you can't beat me when I'm using my full strength?" Morty commented with slight disappointment.

"Haunter's not out yet!" Ash shouted.

Everyone else in the room was wondering what Ash meant until they saw a glow of white coming from where Haunter was. Gengar immediately halted its Night Shade and shielded its eyes from the sudden onslaught of brightness.

A large glowing shape began to ascend into the air until it sprouted arms and legs to become more human-shaped. Ash grinned as everyone else gasped at what was happening. Haunter was finally evolving! Sure enough, when the glowing stopped, in Haunter's place was none other than a Gengar!

"Gehehehengar!" Ash's new Gengar laughed upon evolving.

"Way to go, Haunter…err…Gengar!" Ash cheered.

"Wow. Talk about good timing," Misty said.

"I think Ash will be able to match Morty's strength with no problem now. He has that determination and so does his Gengar. He definitely has what it takes to win now," Brock agreed.

"Heh. Well, this certainly is interesting, Ash. Even though your Haunter evolved, don't forget that it's still taken a lot more damage than my Gengar," Morty reminded.

Sure enough, despite just evolving, Ash's Gengar still appeared quite worn out. That wouldn't discourage Ash or Gengar, though. They could still turn it around!

"Use Shadow Ball!" Morty commanded.

"Use own Shadow Ball, Gengar!" Ash hollered.

Both ghost Pokemon hurled their dark orbs at each other. Instead of Morty's Gengar overpowering Ash's like last time, they instead collided in midair and exploded, even matched. That was the kind of break Ash needed.

"Use Shadow Punch!" Ash yelled.

Through the smoke, Ash's Gengar lengthened its arm and snaked its way through before it punched Morty's Gengar square in the face. Morty's Gengar reeled back from the much more powerful punch now, but Morty called out his next attack.

"Use Night Shade," Morty tried.

"Counter it with Dark Pulse!" Ash yelled.

Both Pokemon let loose the similar-looking attacks, only Dark Pulse seemed to be more associated with aura and Night Shade was more beam-like. The two attacks struck, and both Pokemon made sure to not just have a draw this time.

"Go headfirst into it, Gengar!" Ash yelled.

While still using Dark Pulse, Ash's Gengar rushed forward which seemed to startle Morty's Gengar. Ash's Gengar grunted as it pushed through its opponents Night Shade. The opposing Gengar began to back up a little bit since Ash's Gengar was coming in at such a high speed.

"Stop it cold with Hypnosis," Morty commanded.

Morty's Gengar began to emit the waves from its body, but Ash's Gengar merely closed its eyes since it knew where it was going. It finally pushed through the whole Night Shade and delivered a Dark Pulse straight in its opponent's face. Morty's Gengar cried out pain and was blasted onto the floor of the gym.

"Shadow Punch, and then Shadow Ball," Morty said.

Morty's Gengar quickly recovered, and it concentrated so a shadowy arm appeared from the wall and struck Ash's Gengar again so it was knocked to floor. It then began to form a shadowy orb in its hands to strike Ash's Gengar on the way down, but Ash had a way to halt Morty's Gengar in its tracks.

"Use Lick!" Ash hollered.

Ash's Gengar quickly extended its tongue and licked Morty's Gengar right across the face. The opposing Gengar seemed quite surprised by the move and quickly grimaced at it. Morty then gasped as he saw his Gengar was struggling finish the Shadow Ball and was shaking. Lick was unconventional but was quite effective when it needed to be.

"Use Shadow Punch to grab Gengar!" Ash hollered.

While Morty's Gengar was stunned, Ash's Gengar managed to land on the ground on its feet. It then concentrated, and instead of one, there were two ghostly hands that emerged from the wall and grabbed Morty's Gengar by each of its arms to hold it in place. Morty's Gengar struggled violently as it tried to break free, but it was completely stuck.

"Now use Shadow Ball!" Ash commanded.

"Try to break free, Gengar!" Morty shouted.

Ash's Gengar formed a shadowy orb in its hands and launched it at Morty's Gengar. The opposing Gengar's eyes widened as it saw the attack coming closer and closer. There was nothing it could do, though, as the shadowy hands were holding it in place. Pretty soon, there was massive blast of energy as the Shadow Ball met its mark. Morty's Gengar yelled in pain from the attack, but it couldn't move because of the shadowy hands holding in place so it took the attack full force.

Ash's Gengar released its hold on Morty's Gengar, and the opposing Gengar fell backwards onto its back. Everyone waited to see if Morty's Gengar would get up, but it didn't. It was knocked out and had been defeated. Of course, that only meant one thing.

"Morty's Gengar is unable to battle! The winner is Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" the judge announced.

"Alright!" Ash cheered.

Ash's Gengar smiled brightly and disappeared into the floor before it reappeared in front of Ash and laughed heartily. Ash laughed, as well, and gave a thumbs up to his new Gengar.

"Great job, Gengar! I knew you could do it, and I love the new look!" Ash told it.

"Genhenhen!" Gengar continued to laugh.

"You did it, Ash!" Serena cheered as she hugged Ash and was followed by Leaf.

Ash grinned as they let go at him, and he saw Gary there with his hand outstretched. Ash nodded his head and took Gary's handshake.

"You did a great job, Ash. You had a hard time with Morty, but I knew you'd come out on top," Gary told him.

"Thanks, Gary!" Ash replied.

"Ash," Morty said to him as he approached Ash along with his own beaten up Gengar.

Morty then reached into his pocket and presented a badge in the shape of a ghost head and was purple to Ash. The raven-haired boy nodded his head before he took the badge from Morty and stared at it for a moment.

"The fog badge. That's four down and four to go. What do you think, Pikachu?" Ash asked it.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Toge!" Togepi cried from Serena's arms.

"Heh. Don't worry, Togepi. I'll try to use you in at least one of my gym battles here, but you need to get a lot tougher first," Ash reminded.

"That was a good fight, Ash. Your Gengar and Houndour were really formidable opponents. Maybe you are a special trainer, after all. I believe now that you very well may have seen the legendary, Ho-oh," Morty said.

"Thanks, Morty. I'm glad," Ash responded.

"In fact, why don't you and your friends stay in Ecruteak City a little while longer? I can tell you all about the lore of Ho-oh and Suicune as well as give you all a tour of the two towers. I'm sure it would be helpful to you should you encounter them again," Morty offered.

The group looked at each other as it did seem like a really good deal. They had come in contact already with significant Pokemon of the Johto region. If they could gather advice from Morty, it would be helpful in letting them know what it all meant. As of right now, they only knew the Pokemon would appear to those who would play a large part in saving the Johto region, but from what?

However, there was one thing the group was in a hurry for. They hadn't forgotten about Mareep.

"I really appreciate the offer, Morty, but we can't take you up on that right now. There's something else we have to take care of Cianwood City," Ash replied.

"Oh. I see," Morty nodded.

"Hey, Ash. Don't forget that we're going to be making a second trip through Ecruteak City," Brock reminded. "We'll have to pass through here again to get to Mahogany Town."

Ash's eyes lit up when he heard that and turned back to Morty. "Hey, Morty. Would it be okay if you told us about all that once we come back through the city?"

"Of course it will. I know there must be obligations that are more important at the moment. Whenever you're ready, come back and see me. I'll happily explain it to you all," Morty replied.

"Thanks, Morty!" Ash nodded.

"Hey, Ash. Where did your Gengar go?" Misty questioned as she looked around.

The group turned in confusion. Gengar was just beside Ash a second ago. Great. It must be up to another one of its pranks. Misty was on alert as she quickly looked around. Next to Ash, Misty knew she was Gengar's favorite target because she was so prone to freaking out and gave the best reactions. Sure enough, Gengar appeared behind and gave a loud cry.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhh!" Misty screamed in surprise as Gengar laughed.

"Well, it seems like even upon evolving, Gengar isn't going to give up its pranking nature," Brock figured.

"Of course it won't," Ash laughed along with Gengar. "That's just part of who it is!"

"Great…," Misty muttered.

* * *

The group was now standing outside of Ecruteak City. Now that Ash had won his gym badge, they had to get moving once again in order to cure Mareep's illness. They really wanted to stay here a while, but they would get a second chance. However, it appeared Leaf and Gary wouldn't be coming with them.

"You sure you don't want to come along with us?" Serena asked sadly.

"We would, but Leaf and I want to check out Mt. Mortar for a little bit before we head to Olivine City. It's supposed to have some tough Pokemon that can help me train," Gary replied.

"We're going to climb to the very top!" Leaf asserted.

"Heh. Yeah. Have fun with that," Gary muttered.

"You aren't doing it with me, Gary?" Leaf gasped.

"Of course not. That's more Ash's forte," Gary replied as Ash chuckled.

"Sorry, Leaf," Ash said.

"It's alright, Ash," Leaf reassured before she turned to Serena and gave her a hug. "Gary and I will be hoping that everything turns out alright with Mareep. It'll be just fine, Serena."

"I hope so," Serena muttered as she looked at Mareep's pokeball.

"Hey, Serena. We're getting close, and it's going to receive the best care possible. The resident Nurse Joy confirmed that Mareep still hasn't reached the critical stage yet. We just need to get it checked up on at any Pokemon Center we stop by. If there's an emergency, I'm sure we'll be told what to do," Brock reassured.

"We're all supporting you," Misty added.

"And we're not going to let anything bad happen to it!" Ash finished as he gave her a thumb's up.

Serena relaxed once she saw Ash smile. That was smile he gave when he just had a feeling that everything was going to be alright. So far, he hadn't let her down yet. Mareep could get through this.

"Okay," she nodded.

"Well, you guys better head out. Then we will," Gary motioned.

"Alright. I'll catch you later, Gary," Ash said.

"Right on, Ash," Gary replied as the two clapped hands before he pulled Ash in a little closer. "Also, don't forget about that promise we made. I want to keep hearing about your victories, Ash!"

"You got it, Gary!" Ash nodded. It was good that the two were parting on good terms now rather than bad.

Serena then hugged Leaf next and whispered in her ear. "Whenever you're ready to talk about Gary, let me know."

"Eheheheheheh. Right," Leaf blushed as everyone except Gary had a knowing smile on their faces.

"Brock, Misty. You two take care of Ash and Serena, too," Gary said to them.

"Of course. Though they probably won't need our help for much longer," Brock replied as he smiled down at Ash and Serena.

"Yeah. They can enjoy being ahead of Leaf and me for a change," Gary nodded. It was actually quite true. Most of the time it was Gary and Leaf who were more ahead in their journeys than the rest of them.

The group gave one final wave before Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty turned around to head out of Ecruteak City. They were now going to be on their way to Olivine City with Cianwood City just across the sea. Though their time in Ecruteak City was cut short, they would still be getting another chance to learn everything on their second pass through.

"Make sure to tell us about your gym wins and Pokemon Showcases!" Leaf called after them.

"We will!" Ash and Serena shouted back.

Leaf and Gary continued to wave at the group until they were out of sight. Once they were, they dropped their arms to their side. Gary then smirked and turned around. He went to walk off and thought Leaf was right behind him, but when he didn't hear her footsteps, he stopped and looked behind him to see Leaf merely standing there. She was twiddling her thumbs and looked like she was dying to say something.

"What's up, Leaf?" he asked her.

"I…I…," Leaf started and blushed significantly. "I'm really glad we're traveling together."

"Huh? What's up with that all of a sudden?" Gary inquired and raised his eyebrows.

"Umm…nothing!" Leaf quickly said and mentally cursed herself for sounding so stupid.

"Well, okay. I'm glad we're on this journey together, too," Gary replied as the two resumed walking.

As they were, Gary was starting to piece together the similarities of the way Leaf was acting around him with how Serena acted around Ash before they got together. Gary looked over at Leaf who was purposely looking forward and had a thought. Did Leaf actually have feelings for a guy like him? Maybe he better do a little test to find out. He wondered if Ash might have any advice for him in the future.

* * *

 **And that wraps up Ecruteak City: Part One. It was brief, I know, but that means all the good stuff, (i.e. legends, Kimono girls, Suicune again) will happen in the second part.**

 **For the record, I KNOW that Haunter only evolves into Gengar through trade. However, that is a really strange concept that doesn't seem to work well in the anime world, and it's shown. There have been many Pokemon that needed to evolve from trading that evolved through other means. Heck, I even remember in the Exeggecute episode that it evolved without even using a Leaf Stone. The only time I remember a Pokemon evolve through trading was Jessie's Pumpkaboo. Understand that it's just a lot easier, especially in this story, to have Pokemon that evolve by trade to just evolve normally.**

 **The next chapter will be out later in March! See you all then and have a good one!**

 **Chapter Thirty-Two: The Pokemon Mafia**


	32. The Pokemon Mafia

**A/N: I know the situation in this chapter may seem rather bizarre and improbable at first, but it will make a lot more sense once the explanation is given towards the end of the chapter.**

 **I hope you all enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Pokemon Mafia

It had been a few days since the group left Ecruteak City. Now, they were on their way to Olivine City which was by the ocean. Across from that ocean would be their current destination which was Cianwood City. As of right now, they were still making great time. Like all paths leading to cities, however, there were multiple ways to get there, and each one had their own pros and cons. This fork was a little different from the other ones, though.

"Great. Just what we need," Ash sighed as he and the rest of the group looked at the fork in the road.

"Piiiii…," Pikachu agreed.

The way this fork in the road was different was that one way definitely seemed to outweigh the other one as far as safety goes. On the path to the right, the sign read _"Beware! Do not Enter! Pokemon Are Extremely Dangerous!"_ , while the path on the left had no such sign. Based off of that, the choice was quite clear which one they should take.

"I don't know about you guys, but I would definitely choose the one that doesn't have any dangerous Pokemon," Misty voiced.

"Agreed," Serena nodded.

"Huh? That's funny," Brock muttered as he inspected the guidebook.

"What's up, Brock?" Ash wondered as he and the others turned to the Pokemon breeder.

"The guidebook is saying the complete opposite of what these signs are saying," Brock answered.

"What do you mean?" Serena questioned this time.

"I mean…in the guidebook it says that the path on the left is the dangerous one, and the one on the right is safe," Brock replied.

The group raised their eyebrows and turned back to the fork in the road. On one side, the arrow that claimed had the dangerous Pokemon seemed to go down a clear path through a nice field while the other appeared to lead into a dark forest off in the distance. It seemed a little cliché, yes, but that's exactly what they were looking at.

"Are you sure the guidebook didn't make an error? The dark forest looks a lot scarier than an open field," Misty argued.

"What kind of dangerous Pokemon does that guidebook describe?" Serena wondered.

"Uhh…it says that the Pokemon in this area are known to attack people who pass through. Trainers have been extremely injured, and crimes such as thievery have taken place. Police have investigated the area, and they've designated the area as off limits to any trainers until they are sure of what's taking place," Brock read.

"So…organized crime is going on in those trees," Misty figured and shivered slightly.

"It seems so," Brock mumbled.

"Are Pokemon capable of committing organized crimes like that?" Ash wondered and looked at Pikachu as well as Togepi.

Pikachu perked its ears up and cocked its head in curiosity at Ash. Was he calling it stupid and not capable of plans? Upon seeing Pikachu's expression, Ash put on a look of embarrassment and waved his hands in front of his face.

"Sorry, Pikachu. I didn't mean it like that. What I meant was that I didn't know Pokemon did evil on their own like that. It's mostly because of their trainers," Ash elaborated.

"Like Team Rocket's Pokemon," Serena added.

"Anyway, I don't want to find out what kind of crimes any Pokemon would commit," Misty frowned as she turned back to the dark patch of woods in the distance.

"Me neither. Things like this make me a little nervous," Serena said. "Let's just go the safe way."

"The guidebook, though…," Brock muttered as he looked back and forth from the guidebook to the sign. Why were they contradicting each other?

"Hey, Brock. I'm with Serena and Misty. I think the guidebook just made an error. I mean…the sign is right in front of us, and it's pretty obvious where the paths lead," Ash reasoned. "The dangerous side seems to go through some dark woods which we've never had good experiences with while the other goes through an open pathway with plenty of nice scenery."

Brock sighed as he realized he couldn't really argue with that logic. Maybe the guidebook really was wrong in this case. It was just strange because one would think that with something as serious as this situation that it would've been double-checked for accuracy. It almost made Brock wonder if some of the unfortunate instances they were in was a result of an erroneous guidebook.

"Alright. Let's go," Brock relented.

With that, the group veered off to the left which led away from the dark forest. The incident was a little strange, but it could be easily avoided if one were to use their head a little. The sign clearly stated which path was safe and which one wasn't…no matter what the guidebook said.

As the group left, a pair of red eyes showed through one of the nearby bushes, and its eyes glinted with the trick it just pulled. What those humans didn't realize was that all it took was a few loose nails and a little flip of the sign to completely confuse them. They had no idea that they were actually heading into danger, and they, along with their possessions would be very much exploited. The red eyes then disappeared back in the bushes to alert the others of their next victims.

* * *

Gligar was flying in the high in the sky again. Since its bout in Cherrygrove City, the fly scorpion Pokemon had been able to help many Pokemon and trainers. It had helped them find lost items, or it was able to solve feuds between many Pokmeon. As a result, Gligar had met many people and Pokemon alike, and it was also well-liked. It made Gligar feel good on the inside to be a hero to so many people…even though it was rather clumsy and had strange habits.

Still, with all the Pokemon and people Gligar had met so far, the most interesting one of them had been Ash Ketchum. The raven-haired boy and his group had been the first ones Gligar encountered since it was kicked out of its gang for being incompetent. Thus, they held a special place in Gligar's heart, and Ash had also been the nicest of the trainers Gligar had met.

Gligar still remembered when it had been given the arduous task of watching the trees for any sign of Heracross last time. It had almost screwed up badly, but Ash, his Pikachu, and his friends had shown up to keep it company and not let it do the task alone. Gligar sometimes wondered what that group had been up to since then.

Now, Gligar was on new case. It had heard rumors of Pokemon causing a lot of trouble for many people west of Ecruteak City which is where Gligar happened to be at. The area was said to be quite dangerous, but Gligar wasn't scared. It was determined to get to the bottom of this and solve this case just like all the others. Granted, it would also seem like the most dangerous case Gligar had done so far. Gligar approached the area that the group was in previously and flew down to the ground.

Gligar then landed in front of the fork in the road to find out which path it would take. One seemed to go into a dark forest while the other off into an open field. Gligar winked and stuck its tongue out as it scratched its head with its claw. Based off the scenery, Gligar decided it should take the one that led to the dark forest if it wanted to search for clues. With that Gligar took flight to the woods but accidentally clipped the sign on the way by which flipped the arrow back to its proper placing.

If only Gligar had been there a few minutes earlier…

* * *

The group had been walking for about thirty minutes so far since leaving the fork in the road. As the sign had suggested, nothing evil had happened. The odd thing was that the open field the group had been going through seemed to be leading towards a dark forest. The group couldn't help but raise their eyebrows at this. If they didn't know better, the forest they were heading to looked just as creepy as the supposed dangerous one.

"Hey, Brock. Does the guidebook mention anything about a creepy forest on both sides of the road?" Misty asked as the group entered the forest.

"Hmm…yeah, but…," Brock started as he scratched his head in confusion.

"But what?" Misty pressed.

"I don't know. This whole thing seems really weird. I'm still unsure about the guidebook being wrong, but logic and the sign shows otherwise," Brock answered.

"That was until we arrived here," Serena muttered as she looked around at the tall trees that only seemed to get more threatening the further they went in.

Togepi gave a few worried cries at the scenery the group was in. Despite wanting to battle and get tougher, the spike ball Pokemon still did tend to get scared at the appropriate situation. Serena nodded her head at Togepi and placed it in her backpack to keep it safe.

"Uhh…I'm sure it's just a coincidence. Right, Pikachu?" Ash asked, but he seemed to be asking himself that question more than Pikachu.

"Piiii," Pikachu sighed. It had a bad feeling about this place.

"Do you think we should turn around?" Serena inquired.

"If we go back, we'll just run into that other creepy forest," Misty protested. "We have to get to Olivine City at least one way."

"I say we stop and eat lunch before we go any further. The sign didn't mention anything about dangerous Pokemon this way, but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared," Brock figured.

The group decided that was a good plan. They found one of the few clearings in the forest and set down their backpacks. Brock got out a loaf of bread and some lunch meat in order make a quick lunch of sandwiches. Misty gave a stretch as she sat down on the ground as there were no logs to sit on in the area. Serena took out Togepi who seemed to have relaxed a little and played with it while Ash sat down and unclipped his badges from his jacket.

The raven-haired boy then sat down and began to polish his badges with Pikachu helping out a little. Ash took a lot of pride in the four badges he currently owned. As a sign of that pride, Ash wanted to always make sure they had a nice shine and took good care of them. He would never have done this in his journey through Kanto, but now that he was older, he wanted to be more responsible for his belongings. The irony...

"Careful, Ash. You may shine a hole in those badges with as much as you've done it lately," Misty joked as she watched Ash.

"I think it's great that Ash is doing this. It actually makes me want to start shining my princess key," Serena stated as she and Togepi went over to him.

"Your princess key is already so shiny, it may blind us if you did that," Ash smiled.

Serena giggled lightly and laid her head on Ash's shoulder as she watched him work. Ash hummed a light tune as he did so which Serena found rather soothing. She was comfortable and could probably take a quick cat nap as Brock put together his super subs.

As the group relaxed, a few more pairs of red eyes showed themselves from the bushes around them. They had been informed that this group had a variety of goodies. Their eyes darted around the area for anything that looked good from this group. They immediately found the four badges that Ash was shining. Those would be perfect to add to their group's collection. However, there was something, or rather two things, that really caught their attention.

They were two platinum chained pendants with a golden heart in the middle. The boy and the girl closest to them were wearing them around their necks and appeared quite content at the moment. Their informant was right! These people were the jackpot! Their boss would love these items! It's too bad these people wouldn't have all this stuff for much longer. Heh. Yeah right. Like they would care for their well being. The pairs of eyes narrowed as they disappeared back into the bush to decide the perfect time of when to strike.

It wasn't too much longer before Brock finished the submarine sandwiches. Misty was already by his side ready to eat so Brock looked over at Ash and Serena and called out to them.

"Hey, guys. Lunch is ready. Ash, why don't you take a break and come have some?" Brock suggested.

"I'll be done in a second. You guys can go ahead and start without me," Ash replied before he turned to Serena who was still leaning on his shoulder. "Aren't you hungry, Serena?"

"Mmm…I can wait," Serena replied contently. Leaning on Ash's shoulder was just too comfortable at the moment to leave, even for lunch.

Ash smiled before he went back to shining his badges. Brock and Misty got the message that Ash and Serena wouldn't be joining them at the moment so they went ahead and started. Togepi went to see if it could have some as well when it tilted its head in curiosity. Pikachu set down the fog badge it was helping Ash polish and went over to see what Togepi was staring at. Once it saw, Pikachu also tilted its head as well, and called over to its trainer.

"Pika," it said, which alerted Ash and Serena.

Ash turned around which forced Serena to pick her head up from Ash's shoulder. She also turned, as did Brock and Misty. They weren't quite sure what they were looking at. It sort of looked like four tail feathers that were sticking out from the bushes. Were they Pokemon?

"What do you suppose those are?" Ash asked to no one in particular.

To find out, Pikachu walked over to the four tail feathers and inspected them. There was no movement at all from them so Pikachu decided the only way to figure this out was to pull on the feathers itself. The yellow rodent reached out with its small arms and gave a hard yank. Pikachu then leaped in alarm when there was a cry of annoyance from the tail feathers, or rather, who the tail feathers belonged to.

Pikachu leaped back and sparked its cheeks as it prepared for whatever came out of the bushes. The tail feathers disappeared back into the bushes and the four Pokemon stepped out. The Pokemon were very small and were black in color and resembled a raven. They had crooked beaks and the top of their heads had what resembled a witch's hat. These Pokemon would've looked quite scary if they weren't so tiny. They were hardly bigger than Pikachu.

"What are those?" Ash wondered.

"Krow!" the Pokemon cawed.

"Hmm…they're Murkrow," Brock frowned.

Ash and Serena pulled out their national dexes so they could check the information on the newest Pokemon.

"Murkrow, the darkness Pokemon. Murkrow are very mischievous and are said to bring misfortune on those who see it," said the machines.

"I've heard of Murkrow," Brock spoke up as the others turned back to the Murkrow. "There's a lot more to them than meets the eye. I'd be on your guard in case they try to attack."

The group then turned to watch the Murkow who were simply staring back. Pikachu still had its cheeks sparked, ready to give the Murkrow the shock of their life if they tried anything. Togepi went forward in case Pikachu needed help, but Serena held it back. She wasn't ready for Togepi to try fighting against a particularly suspicious Pokemon yet.

"Do you think these Murkrow are the dangerous Pokemon?" Misty wondered.

"I don't think so. Weren't the dangerous Pokemon supposed to be in the other direction?" Ash questioned.

"Arghh! I don't know! This whole thing is confusing! How do you know both ways aren't dangerous!?" Misty cried.

"Well, the Murkrow haven't tried to attack us yet. Maybe they're friendly," Serena suggested.

Ash decided to tackle this situation head on. If he was to figure out anything, he had to question the Murkrow directly. Whether they told the truth or not was a different story.

"Okay, guys. What's up? What are you planning?" Ash asked.

The Murkrow seemed taken aback by the harsh tone Ash was giving them. Instead, the Murkrow bowed with their heads to the ground and put one of their wings across their breast. The Murkrow then began to sing. Though they weren't exactly great singers, it didn't appear malicious. The four Murkrow then hopped from one foot to the other as if they were performing some kind of show.

"Uhh…I guess these Murkrow can't be all bad if they're giving us a performance," Ash muttered.

"They don't seem like the type of Pokemon that would get people lost on a mountain," Misty added. "I would even go as far as to say if you look past their reputation, they're almost cute."

The Murkrow inwardly smirked to themselves. Excellent. Their ruse was a success just like it always was. They just needed to put on this act for a little longer before they went in for the goodies. The Murkrow continued to hop and sing. They made sure they were getting closer to the badges and the trainers wearing the pendants with each passing second.

"I still say we should be on our guard," Brock frowned. "It could be a trick."

Upon hearing that, Ash instinctively moved a little closer to his badges which didn't go unnoticed by the Murkrow. Hmm…so these humans were a little smarter than it seemed. If they weren't going to make this easy, the Murkrow would have to take these items by force which they had no problem doing. It's just that their trickery was less messy. Even so, they still hopped closer to Ash, Serena, and Ash's badges.

"You guys are pretty talented, but don't you think you're getting too close to continue performing?" Ash questioned. Despite this, the Murkrow still edged ever closer.

Not feeling comfortable anymore, Ash reached to grab his badges, and that's when the Murkrow made their move. They gave a loud squawk and flew straight at Ash. One of them then latched onto his pendant and tried to snap it right off his neck. Another one went to grab Serena's pendant, but she had a little more time to react and was able to grab on before the Murkrow was able to snap it off. Seeing as Serena wasn't going to let go of it, the Murkrow began to pull on her hair. The other two Murkrow went for Ash's four badges.

Ash quickly recovered, and his first instinct was to have Pikachu use Thunderbolt on the Murkrow that was attacking Serena. However, he soon realized that wouldn't be such a good idea as Pikachu would probably char the pendant and shock Serena, as well. Instead, he charged towards Serena and the Murkrow while Brock and Misty went after the Murkrow attempting to get Ash's badges.

Chaos soon broke loose. Ash completely tackled the Murkrow to the ground, and it gave a caw of surprise. It then began to mercilessly peck at Ash in an attempt to get him to let go. Ash reached for Noctowl's pokeball and pressed the button to release it.

"Noctowl…I choose you," Ash grunted from the pain of Murkrow pecking him.

The owl Pokemon was released from its pokeball, and Ash let go of the Murkrow so the two could engage in battle. Ash then turned to see the Murkrow that originally attacked him had his pendent in its mouth and seemed to be taunting him. Meanwhile, Misty and Brock were fending off the other Murkrow and were getting pecked quite ruthlessly. Misty sent out her Starmie while Brock sent out his Onix. The rock snake Pokemon then surrounded the badges with its large body. Upon seeing this, the Murkrow narrowed their eyes and pulled back a little bit.

Ash nodded to Pikachu who nodded back. The rodent then leaped into the air and launched a Thunderbolt at the offending Murkrow with the pendent. The Murkrow cawed in pain upon being hit by the electric attack, and it dropped Ash's pendant. The raven-haired boy dashed forward and caught the pendant just before it hit the ground.

Ash then stood up and nodded to Serena. Now that everything seemed to be protected and safe, it was time to get rid of these troublemakers. Serena threw forward her pokeball and called out Charla. The fire lizard Pokemon gave a roar upon appearing and glared at the Murkrow. The darkness Pokemon sweatdropped upon seeing the fire lizard and attempted to attack it all at once.

However, Charla took a deep breath and used Flamethrower on all four of the Murkrow. The four Murkrow were engulfed by the flames and cawed in pain before they fell to the ground, covered with several burn marks. The Murkrow then weakly looked up and saw the angry trainers and Pokemon glaring down at them for attacking and attempting to steal their belongings.

The Murkrow who had attempted to steal Ash's pendant gave a weak caw to the other Murkrow. They all nodded, and they stood up before they hobbled forward a few steps and took flight and flew away from the group. The group never let their eyes off the Murkrow until they were completely out of sight. Now that the ordeal was over, they all sighed.

"Is everyone okay?" Brock asked.

"I'm good," Misty replied. "I just have a few scratches from when they attacked me."

"Same here," Ash stated before he turned to Serena. "How about you, Serena?"

"I'm okay," Serena replied as she attempted to fix her hair from when the Murkrow was pulling on it. Charla then walked up to Serena and handed the girl her hat which had gotten knocked off in the scuffle. Serena smiled at Charla before she took the hat and placed it back on her head.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi cried to let everyone know it was okay, too.

"I take back what I said about those Murkrow being cute and not the type to get you lost on a mountain," Misty said with disdain as Brock knelt down to pull out a first aid kid.

Brock took out some disinfectant and a few cloths to wipe the small drops of blood coming from the scratches. They weren't too serious and wouldn't require a bandage. With that, the group began to clean off their small wounds while the Pokemon kept on the lookout in case any of the Murkrow came back.

"Those Murkrow were aggressive, but they weren't anything a competent trainer wouldn't be able to handle," Brock spoke up.

"Well, I guess we're likely to run into a few less than friendly wild Pokemon occasionally. It's happened before," Ash shrugged before he added. "At least they're gone now, and they didn't take anything valuable."

"And they didn't get our pendants," Serena smiled as she looked at her own pendant.

"Yeah. I think mine is going to need a new chain, though," Ash frowned since his was damaged earlier by one of the Murkrow.

Serena then went over to Ash lifted his hands in hers so she could see the pendant better. The platinum was indeed feeling rough and would need replacement. That Murkrow must've pulled quite hard and scratched it up with its talons. Even so, Serena gave Ash a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, Ash. I'll just gave a quick fix with some polish. Once we get to Olivine City or Cianwood City, we can get a proper replacement," she said.

"Alright. Sounds good," Ash nodded.

"Well, I suggest we go on and get out of these woods and eat our sandwiches on the way. I still have a bad feeling about this place. Who knows if there are more Pokemon like those Murkrow," Brock suggested.

With that, the group returned their Pokemon and continued on to try to get through the spooky woods they were in. Despite their optimism that the worst was now over, they still couldn't get out of their minds that it was a possibility they could've chosen the wrong path after all. Maybe it wasn't the guidebook that was making the mistake.

On a tree branch high above the group, the Murkrow watched them with contempt. They had flown out of sight before but were quick to double back around unseen by the group or their Pokemon. It looked like things would have be done the _very_ difficult way to get those valuables from those humans. Their boss demanded it. Their gang controlled these woods and all the wild Pokemon in it. These humans were just about to see how dangerous their gang could really be.

* * *

The group was finding these woods to get even weirder the further they wandered in. One would think that they would see some wild, young Pokemon playing happily, but they saw no such thing. They had only seen a couple of wild Pokemon, but they fled so fast upon seeing sight of people that it was almost like they weren't there at all before. It wasn't the typical fleeing that a Pokemon would do upon sensing a human, either. Both Pikachu and Togepi felt there was nothing but absolute terror. What would cause these wild Pokemon to be so scared at the slightest movement? It didn't help matters that the group felt they were being watched.

"Piiiikachu," Pikachu told Ash.

"I feel it, too, buddy. There isn't something right about this forest, and it wasn't just the Murkrow we ran into earlier," Ash replied.

The group then turned and saw a Nidoran male peering at them from a bush, and it was shivering so violently that the group thought it was going to explode. Serena knelt down and extended her hand to the Nidoran in an effort to ease its fears. Maybe if she could get it to come out, they might get some information on the wild Pokemons' behavior here.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you," Serena said gently.

Her efforts were in vain, however. The Nidoran male turned and darted away with a cry of fear. Serena sighed and stood back up.

"I just don't get it," she muttered.

"Do you guys think we should turn around and go the other way, after all? This place is turning out to be scarier and more dangerous than any Pokemon the sign was warning us about," Misty shivered.

"Hmm…I wonder," Brock uttered as he folded his arms.

"What is it, Brock?" Ash wondered.

"I wonder if we were tricked somehow," Brock spoke.

"Tricked? What do you mean?" Misty asked.

"I'm thinking the guidebook was right all along. Now that I think about it, that sign appeared really loose to the post it was on. I think someone…or something might have switched the direction of the sign on purpose to get someone to go down this way," Brock hypothesized.

"You…you've got to be joking," Misty gasped.

"The only other option I can think of is that all of this uneasiness is just in our heads," Brock frowned.

"Let's go with the second option!" Misty said frantically before she shut her eyes tight and chanted, "It's all in our heads! It's all in our heads! It's all in our heads!"

"Then that means…the dark and threatening woods with the dangerous Pokemon that the guidebook mentioned…," Ash trailed.

"Would be these woods," Brock finished.

Ash, Serena, and Misty gulped at that. If what Brock said was true, then that meant they were in a whole lot of trouble. First was the Murkrow attack. Then there was the feeling of nervousness and extreme fear from every living thing in the forest, and now this. They needed to decide what to do and fast.

"Should we turn around?" Serena asked.

"There shouldn't be a need to," Brock uttered. "Whatever wanted us here knows we're already here. It's not going to let us get away so easily. We're being watched."

"Brock…you're scaring me," Misty muttered and began taking short breaths.

At that, several red eyes began to show from the trees and bushes around the group. The group gasped and pressed their backs against each other. They were all shivering now as they had no idea what they were in for now. Serena put Togepi in her backpack for safekeeping and Pikachu had its cheeks sparking. Each member of the group had their hand on one of their pokeballs because it looked as though things were about to get ugly.

The owners of the red eyes showed themselves and stepped out of the bushes or flew from the trees. They all let out menacing caws at the group like a predator about to pounce on its prey. The group gave confused looks as they looked at the Pokemon around them, recognizing them instantly. They were the ones causing the uneasiness? Surely not.

"Murkrow?" Ash questioned, but then let out a cry at what happened next.

One of the Murkrow spat out a knife that it had been holding in its beak straight at Ash. It flew through the air and went right over Ash's head, taking his hat with it. The knife continued going until it struck a tree and embedded itself in the bark with Ash's hat pinned to it. The group's shock at what happened turned to terror as they looked at the menacing Murkrow around them, and that's when they noticed something different about these Pokemon.

They were all holding some kind of weapon. Like the first one, some of the Murkrow were holding knives in their beaks while a few even had…revolvers? That couldn't be right. One even pointed to the sky before it clicked the gun with its wing and shot it into the air to prove it knew how to use it. What the heck?! The group was freaked out and thoroughly confused right now. Where on Earth had these Murkrow gotten weapons? That wasn't all. Where had these Murkrow learned how to even use them?! If the situation wasn't so dire and bizarre, it almost would be humorous at seeing such small Pokemon handling weapons like this.

"What do you want?!" Ash called out, trying to mask his fear.

"Krow," one of the Murkrow answered and gestured to Ash and Serena's neck.

Ash looked down and gasped when he saw what they were referring to. Those Murkrow still wanted Ash and Serena's pendants. Ash looked up and glared defiantly at the Murkrow.

"There's no way I'm letting you Murkrow take our pendants! They hold a lot meaning and value to both Serena and me! They aren't yours to have!" Ash shouted.

The Murkrow almost seemed to smirk at Ash and got a little closer to bring their weapons more into view. It was clear they were reminding the group of who had the upper hand here. They were sure to attack the group if they kept resisting. They should've let them have the goods while they had the chance. Now look where it's gotten them. Ash's hand slowly reached towards one of his pokeballs, but the Murkrow were quick to spot it.

"Krow!" the Murkrow cawed angrily, and one of them threw another knife towards Ash. This one landed right by his foot, and he froze.

"Ash, don't provoke them!" Brock whispered harshly.

"What are we supposed to do then?!" Ash asked through clenched teeth.

The Murkrow gang cawed again and gestured once more to the pendants around Ash and Serena's neck. It seemed they weren't giving them any choice. Either the group gives the Murkrow what they came for, or be attacked, and possibly even killed. Serena took a shuddering breath as she turned to Ash.

"Ash…I…I hate to say it, but let's give our pendants to them," Serena said slowly.

Ash was surprised to hear that come from Serena of all people. She held their pendants in the highest regard, even more so than Ash. Even with as dangerous as the situation was, that still didn't make it any less shocking.

"Serena?" Ash questioned.

"Don't…make me repeat it," Serena sniffed as tears came to her eyes.

"I agree," Brock mumbled. "Misty and I both know how important those pendants are to you, but the most important thing right now is keeping everyone alive."

Ash grit his teeth as he glared at the gang of Murkrow. They were all waiting to see what the group would do. However, if one were to judge by their previous actions, the Murkrow wouldn't give the group too long to decide before they made the decision for them. It didn't take a genius to know what that decision would be, either. Ash shut his eyes and managed out a single word.

"Fine," he muttered.

Understanding what he meant, the Murkrow that had thrown the knife at Ash originally nodded and called back to two Murkrow behind it. The two darkness Pokemon flew towards the group and hovered in front of Ash and Serena's faces for a moment as if to taunt them. Then none too gently, they lifted the necklace and pendant off Ash and Serena before they flew back over to the rest.

The group waited to see if the gang of Murkrow would leave now that they got their pendants, but they didn't budge. It was as if the Murkrow were still awaiting for the group to give them something else. Ash had enough and shouted out to the Murkrow.

"You've got what you wanted, right?! Leave us alone!" Ash hollered.

"Ash…," Serena trailed.

"Krow. Murkrow," the Murkrow at the head cawed.

"What? What else do you want?!" Ash cried.

The Murkrow finally pointed to Ash's jacket, and the raven-haired boy gasped. They still wanted his badges? The badges that he worked so hard to get? The badges that were a testament to how he and his Pokemon had worked to together as a team and how they overcame some of the tougher trainers in their quest. Those badges didn't belong just to Ash, but his whole team of Pokemon. Not only were these Murkrow wanting to steal the most sentimental thing he and Serena had, they were also wanting to steal these, too.

"I…you…my badges," Ash whispered.

"Krow!" the Murkrow nodded to confirm his suspicions.

Ash's hand slowly went towards his jacket, and the Murkrow were eyeing his every movement to make sure he didn't try anything. The raven-haired boy reluctantly opened his jacket to show his four badges pinned on the inside. He then unclipped each of them and tossed them over to the awaiting Murkrow. In all of his wildest dreams, he never thought something like this could happen to him or the others, but it was. Not only was this a wild and crazy situation in general, but it was also humiliating for anyone to lose their badges from theft…even though he was being threatened.

A member of the Murkrow gang each picked up a badge with their beaks. They then gave one last taunting squawk to the group before they began to slink back, but they still had their weapons raised. Once they were back far enough, they took flight and began to disperse. Each of them going a different direction. Apparently, they were doing this in order to confuse the group so they wouldn't know which direction to take.

It wasn't long until the Murkrow were out of sight, and all of the group breathed a sigh of relief. Well, most of them did except for Ash. As on as they were gone, Ash took off in the direction of the ones he saw had his and Serena's pendants. However, Brock immediately grabbed Ash by his shoulder to keep him from doing anything stupid.

"Hold it, Ash! You can't be serious to go after them!" Brock cried.

"They have our pendants and my badges!" Ash protested. "I can't let them get away with it!"

"Okay. What do you plan to do then?" Brock questioned as he folded his arms. "Do you mean to chase them while their holding revolvers and knives? Not even our Pokemon could help us in this situation without getting seriously injured or even…"

Brock didn't have to finish the sentence for Ash to know what he meant. Even so…

"We can't just let them go! We have to do something!" Ash yelled.

"Like what?" Misty asked.

Ash's exasperation dissipated once Misty said that. They both had a point. What _was_ he going to do about it? What _could_ he do about it? Despite this, that didn't make Ash any less frustrated and angry. He let out a loud, angry yell which caused Pikachu to tilt its head and Togepi to cry.

"Ash, I want everything back just as much as you do, but we also have to think about what we can do about it, if anything," Serena said as she tried to calm Togepi.

"Ash, you know those are just things that were taken from us, right? They can be replaced. I'm sure if you let the gym leaders know what happened, they would gladly give you a replacement badge, and you can always buy new pendants for you and Serena," Misty suggested.

"It isn't the same," Ash asserted. "The pendants Serena and I have hold so many memories. They represent all the time we shared since getting together. When those Murkrow stole the pendants, it was like they stole our memories with them. It's the same with my badges. Any replacement badge I received wouldn't be the same one that I…that we earned."

Serena's heart warmed that Ash felt so strongly about their relationship and the pendants they wore. As upset as she was, she also knew they had approach this logically if they ever wanted to get anything back. Still what could they do about a Pokemon criminal gang that knew how to use weapons?

Brock walked forward and placed his hand on Ash's shoulder in comfort. The raven-haired boy looked up to see the Pokemon breeder give a nod and a resolute expression.

"If we're going to have any hope of getting the pendants and badges back, we're going to have to alert the police," Brock stated.

Ash sighed in resignation. Everyone was right. This was even more dangerous of a situation than when they went up against Rico, the Pokemon hunter. It would be foolish to blindly chase after the Murkrow when they were armed. Their hideout could be anywhere in the forest so they had no leads at all. The police did say they were investigating so any information the group thought they could give them would be very helpful.

"Okay. Let's find the nearest Pokemon Center," Ash stated as he went to retrieve his hat that was still pinned to the tree.

As soon as they did that, the group heard a cry above them. They looked up in alarm as they thought the Murkrow might be coming back. However, the cry was completely different from any Murkrow. The figure that made the noise was getting even closer. The group squinted their eyes to try to make out what was above them.

"Look up there!" Serena exclaimed.

"It's a Pidgey!" Brock declared.

"It's a plane!" Misty deduced.

"No, It's…oh shoot!" Ash cried once he saw the figure was heading straight for him.

Ash hastily got out of the way, but the figure wobbled slightly as it was flying and was now heading towards the new place where Ash was. Ash went to run out of the way again, but the figure pulled up to keep from crashing into the ground again, and was now flying straight for Ash again.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ash shouted as it seemed like the Pokemon was homing in on him.

Unfortunately, Ash hit a dead end of trees. He turned around just in time to see the figure crash into him, and they both fell to the ground. Serena, Brock, and Misty gasped as they went over to see if Ash was alright. As it turned out, the Pokemon that had just flown into Ash was none other than Gligar. The two struggled for a moment before Ash was able to jump to his feet.

Ash shook his head of the impact and looked down before him. Gligar winked and stuck out its tongue in excitement that it was seeing Ash again. Once the group saw those gestures, they knew exactly who this was. Ash smiled broadly.

"It's you, Gligar!" Ash stated. "Man! We haven't seen you since we were in Cherrygrove City! It's great to see you again! How have you been?!"

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar answered while winking and waving its claws up and down in excitement.

"I got you! Still being a hero, huh?" Ash grinned.

"Gli!" Gligar replied with a nod.

"And it's still just as cute as ever!" Misty blushed and put a hand on cheek.

"Let me show my…oh…yeah," Ash muttered as he was about to show Gligar his badges, but they were no longer there.

"Piiiika," Pikachu tried to comfort.

Gligar tilted its head in confusion at Ash's sudden change of demeanor. He went from happy to sad just like that. Gligar then looked around at the rest of the group and saw they had sullen expressions on their faces, as well. Being the hero that it was, Gligar wanted to make things right with them. Gligar felt it was its job to protect others and help them out.

"Gli?" Gligar questioned.

"I'm sorry we're meeting again after what just happened," Ash mumbled. "The truth is…we were just robbed by a flock of Murkrow."

"Gli?" Gligar questioned again.

Did he say a flock of Murkow? Were they the same group of Murkrow that it had come here to check out? Gligar originally started off by going the opposite way, but it hadn't found a lead on anything. There was just a normal dark forest. Then it tried this way and saw a bunch of Murkrow flying off in different directions. Gligar decided not to follow them as they completely outnumbered it. Was that the group that had stolen from them?

"Gli! Gligar!" Gligar cried as it stuck its tongue out and winked. Any information they could give it would be extremely helpful. It'll get the group's items back!

"Wait. The Murkrow gang is the reason why you're here in the first place?" Serena guessed.

"Gligar!" Gligar nodded.

"Do you know anything about them?" Ash asked hopefully.

At that, Gligar sighed and hung its head. No. It had absolutely not lead on where they nested or how they did what they did. All it heard was rumors of some sort of mafia Pokemon gang here in the area. Also, how was Gligar going to get their things back when it knew so little about these Murkrow? Gligar felt completely useless since it didn't know anything.

"Hey, Gligar. It's okay," Ash told in an attempt the cheer it up. "The fact that you're here to try to help us and everyone else out with the case speaks for itself. This world needs more Pokemon like you."

"Gligar," Gligar nodded as it stuck out its tongue. Ash's words made it feel better.

"It's probably better that you don't go after this group by yourself, anyway," Brock spoke this time. "We were actually going to the nearest Pokemon Center to report what happened. You're welcome to come with us."

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar nodded eagerly.

With that, the group continued to make their way through the spooky forest with Gligar in tow. At least meeting Gligar again was one good thing that had come out of this situation so far. Still, that didn't make the situation any less serious. Hopefully, they could get some lead on what's really going on from the police.

* * *

It had turned out the local Pokemon Center had been well-versed in the attacks. The group weren't the only ones there who had reports of stolen items. This had apparently been going on for quite some time. Many trainers were sitting on the couches glumly. Some even had their Pokemon out to comfort them of whatever it was they lost.

"Yes. Unfortunately, you're the third group this week who's had their belongings stolen," Nurse Joy sighed.

"We were tricked," Brock frowned. "Our guidebook said to go one way, but the sign told us to go the other. I bet those Murkrow were the ones who flipped the sign."

"Perhaps so," Nurse Joy replied. "The police have changed the sign back to its original place numerous times already, but the Murkrow always find a way to switch it."

The group frowned. These Murkrow were not only dangerous, but they were clearly very smart. They weren't dealing with just ordinary Pokemon here. They had no idea Pokemon were capable of using weapons like that. Pokemon weren't supposed to be inherently evil like this, but they were acting a lot like some organized crime group as the guidebook described. Where had they learned all of this from exactly? The thought sent a chill down their spine.

"Your best bet is to use the video phone on the other side of the lobby and report what was stolen to the police. I just want to warn you that they've already had many calls about it so you'll have to forgive them if they sound callous," Nurse Joy told them apologetically.

"Right," Ash nodded as they and Gligar headed over to the video phone, but not before they were stopped by someone.

"Hey. Wait. I remember you guys," a voice spoke up from behind them.

The group turned around and saw one of the boys who was seated on the couch had gotten up and dashed over to them. He had light brown hair and a huge cowlick on his head. He then reached out and pointed his finger directly at them.

"You're those trainers I met in New Bark Town a long time back!" he declared.

The group struggled for a moment as they recalled everyone they met in New Bark Town: Jimmy, Marina, Lyra, Gold, Crystal, Professor Elm…who was that other boy again? He had been a rather hyper individual. Upon seeing their expressions, the boy sweat dropped and gave them a pleading expression.

"You guys…do remember me, right?" he asked hopefully.

"Uh…oh right! You're Vincent!" Ash salvaged.

"That's right!" Vincent beamed and held out his hand. "How have you guys been?!"

"Well, I wish I could say we were doing good, but we're not," Ash sighed, but he took Vincent's handshake anyway.

"Oh. I know. My badges were stolen from me," Vincent moaned. "I had heard about those dangerous Pokemon and thought I could stop them. Boy, did they prove me wrong. All that happened was I got a beating, and then then those Murkrow stole all my badges."

"Wait! You actually went after those Murkrow by yourself?!" Serena exclaimed and put her hand over her mouth.

"Uh…yeah. I thought if I could stop them and save people that it would impress Marina," Vincent said sheepishly before he added. "I guess I was being pretty stupid."

"You can say that again," Misty frowned and then rose her voice. "Do you have any idea that they could've harmed you a lot more than just a few scratches! They have weapons, you know!"

"I know. I get it now…ma'am," Vincent winced, intimidated by Misty's tone. "I've already had an earful from Marina, Mrs. Crystal, and my parents. Please don't give me another one."

"Fine," Misty replied irritably. She'd heard of some people who were willing to try anything for love, but that really took the cake.

"The important thing is you're okay…well…mostly," Serena tried to reassure since they now noticed that Vincent had a few bandages on him.

"Anyway, I've been here at the Pokemon Center for at least a week just waiting to hear from the police if they have any lead on where my stuff has been taken," Vincent mentioned.

"You've been here that long?" Ash asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, but some of the trainers have been here longer," Vincent replied before he turned to a miserable-looking girl on the couch. "That trainer's been here for a month. She had a lot of her things stolen and can't even continue her journey until her items are recovered because she's missing her essentials."

The group was shocked at this. So many trainers had to put their journeys on hold due to these Murkrow. The things they lost were just as important to them as the items Ash and Serena lost to them. This was terrible. The only thing some of them could do was just wait for the case to be solved…if it could be solved, and who knows how long that could take.

Ash's expression got hard as he spun around and stormed over to the video phone with Pikachu following him. He was going to get as many answers as he could about this Murkrow gang. Seeing all of these trainers who were just like him in this state made his blood boil. The group, as well as Vincent, seemed a little startled by Ash's change in mood.

"Uh…is he okay?" Vincent asked a little awkwardly.

"I don't know," Serena replied truthfully as she went after Ash.

Ash sat down in front of the video phone and hastily dialed the number to the police station. As the phone started ringing, Serena caught up to him and tried to get his attention, but he ignored her. That was weird. Ash always acknowledged her. Why or what was making him so angry right now? After a while, an Officer Jenny appeared on the screen.

"Route 38 Police Department. What's the emergency?" Officer Jenny asked professionally.

"My name is Ash Ketchum, and I'd like to report a case of stolen items," Ash replied firmly.

"Very well. May you tell me the items that were taken?" Officer Jenny requested.

"Two heart-shaped pendants that belonged to my girlfriend and me…as well as my four Johto League gym badges. A group of Murkrow stole them," Ash said.

At that, Officer Jenny sighed. She set down her pen and paper and gave Ash a sympathetic look.

"Hmm…another group that was attacked by the Murkrow. I'm sorry, young man, but we're doing everything we can to try to get everyone's things back. Unless you have new information for us, you'll have to wait just like the others," she said.

"I don't. What's being done about it so far?" Ash wondered.

"Right now, our police are still deciding on the best course of action to take. We are going up against a big threat. They are armed, after all. We have to find the safest route possible," Officer Jenny answered.

"I don't get it. How do Murkrow know how to use weapons like that, anyway?" Ash frowned with as shake of his head.

"We believe the Murkrow have a leader. One person claimed they saw much larger Pokemon commanding the Murkrow from behind while he was being attacked. We think it's a Honchkrow."

"What's a Honchcrow?" Ash wondered as he took out his national dex and punched it in.

What appeared was a dark blue avian-like with a plumage of someone dressed in formal attire. It had a large crest that resembled a hat and had black talons. It looked rather intimidating in all honesty.

"Honchkrow, the big boss Pokemon and the evolved form of Murkrow. Honchkrow are very ruthless and have been known as the "Summoner of Night," the national dexes informed.

"You see, from the information we gathered, we think their Honchkrow leader used to belong to an infamous crime lord," Officer Jenny explained.

"What makes you think that?" Ash wondered.

"A couple of years ago, there was a mafia group that was that was terrorizing the Johto region. It wasn't too different from the group known as Team Rocket in the Kanto region. They were very ruthless, attacked in groups, and were known to use guns and knives very often in order to get what they wanted. Nobody would live once they decided to kill them. Their boss was the worst of them all, and he always had a Murkrow by his side," Officer Jenny recalled.

"What happened to them?" Serena asked this time.

"We finally caught him, and we managed to confiscate all of his Pokemon…except his Murkrow. It escaped and was never found. However, with all the reports that these Murkrows' behavior and how they like to use knives and guns in their attacks, we believe their Honchkrow leader was the same Murkrow we were never able to catch, and it's formed its own mafia gang and evolved since then. It's taught them how to use weapons from watching its boss and the members of its old gang," Officer Jenny explained.

"That's so scary," Serena muttered. "To have a Pokemon that's inherently evil like that."

Ash looked down at what Honchkrow looked like once more. It really did seem to fit the description of what a mafia boss would like if it were a Pokemon. As Ash continued to stare at the Honchkrow, he felt his anger grow. He couldn't stand groups like this ever since his encounter with Team Rocket. To hear how a Pokemon has escaped and now formed its own group…it couldn't be tolerated. Ash then felt something dark growing in him.

"We don't know how long it will take us to solve this case, but our police force should be taking action sometime within the next week to try to locate their hideout. We have to ask for your patience and cooperation until then," Officer Jenny said.

"Right," Ash uttered lowly, and Serena gave Ash a weird look with how creepy his voice sounded right now, but Officer Jenny didn't seem to notice.

Ash hung up the phone, and stood up. Brock, Misty, Vincent, and Gligar all came over as well as they wanted to learn any information Ash had learned so far. The three humans then rose their eyebrows at how dark his expression looked.

"Pika pi," Pikachu said, not liking Ash's expression, either.

"This isn't going to be tolerated anymore," Ash muttered. "We're going out there and crushing that whole gang. I'm not going to let them terrorize anymore people."

"Ash, that's crazy!" Misty exclaimed.

"Yeah, dude! You saw what happened to me when I did that!" Vincent cried as he gestured to his injuries.

"I don't care. Those police are useless right now. There are more trainers being hurt every day because of their inaction! Waiting a week for them to do anything is too long! Who knows how long it will take them to gather anything after that! We have to do this on our own if we want results!" Ash shouted, and it actually was drawing the attention of a few other trainers in the Pokemon Center.

"Hey, Ash. Try to calm down," Brock said and tried to put his hand on Ash's shoulder, but Ash knocked it away.

"I can't stand criminals," Ash growled through clenched teeth. "Pokemon or not, they need to be _punished_ for what they've done. I'll make them pay."

Ash then curled his hands into fists as they shook. The group felt a shiver up their spines from Ash's words. What was going on with him? This didn't sound like Ash at all. It was like a completely different person was standing before them. By the way he was speaking, it didn't even sound like Ash was doing this to help the trainers, but he was only doing it to hurt the criminals.

"Ash, wh-what's wrong with you?" Serena stuttered.

"I'm _fine_ ," Ash said forcefully as he headed towards the door, and Serena shrank back a little from the harsh tone he gave her.

"Where are you going?" Brock called.

"I already told you. I'm going to destroy that Honchkrow and its gang," Ash growled. "They aren't going to terrorize anymore people. If you guys aren't coming, I'll just do it by myself."

It was then the group noticed something strange about Ash besides his behavior. He was too far away a distance for the other inhabitants of the Pokemon Center to notice, but his eyes seemed to be glowing slightly red. They grew alarmed. It was like his aura, but completely different. If they didn't know better, they would say he was possessed. Even Gligar was confused. It never recalled the happy trainer it had grown to like to be like this.

"Ash, you can't be serious. You'll get yourself killed!" Serena cried as she and Pikachu ran forward.

"So are we supposed to just wait here while more people get hurt by this gang!?" Ash roared, and Serena stopped dead in her tracks.

Now everyone in the Pokemon Center, even Nurse Joy, had their attention drawn. They were all watching the scene taking place. Serena was getting quite scared as Ash had never yelled at her like that before. When Serena spoke next, her voice came out as barely more than a whisper.

"I know it's not a good thing, Ash, but there's nothing we can do about it right now. I hate that we lost our pendants and your badges, too. We all do, but you're getting yourself in danger," she tried to reason.

"Alright then. What should we do?" Ash growled.

"Let's go ahead to Olivine City while all of this gets sorted out," Brock suggested. "Don't forget that we'll be passing through this area again. Maybe by the time we're back, everything will be back to normal."

"I agree, Ash. We can't be here any longer than we have to. This is over our heads, even more so than Rico. Letting the police handle this is our only option," Misty added.

"That isn't acceptable. I'm not about to let those crooks run rampant while we're off continuing our journey," Ash argued.

"Ash, we can't stay here any longer. We still have to help Mareep," Serena reminded.

"Mareep can wait!" Ash hollered, and everyone gasped at how he could say such a thing. "This needs to be dealt with now!"

"Ash, what's wrong with you?! Stop acting like this!" Serena cried as tears came to her eyes.

She didn't understand. She had never seen Ash act this way. However, Brock and Misty had. Ash was acting just like that time he had after Rico stole their Pokemon from them. He had been angry enough then to almost fight Brock, and it really terrified them both. Brock and Misty were hoping that had been only a one-time occurrence, but here it was again.

Togepi began to cry at how scary its daddy was acting. Despite this, Ash didn't even acknowledge Togepi. He just kept staring angrily at his friends as his eyes continued to glow red.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu said worriedly, never seeing its trainer act like this before, either.

"Ash, you aren't thinking clearly!" Brock asserted. "I don't know what's going on with you, but this isn't the Ash we know! The real Ash would never act so angry and callous!"

"Fine! I'll do it myself!" Ash roared. "And I swear if any of you try to stop me again, I'll…"

 _Slap!_

The sound Serena's hand hitting Ash's face startled everyone in the Pokemon Center. The whole Pokemon Center was almost completely quiet. The only sound now was Serena's heavy breathing as she retracted her hand from slapping Ash. The raven-haired boy stood there with his head turned to the side for quite a while before he slowly turned back around, his face full of shock.

"Who…are you?" Serena breathed.

Ash reached up and felt his cheek, which was a little red. The group then noticed that his eyes seemed to go back to normal and were no longer glowing bright red. Despite that, they, as well as everyone else in the Pokemon Center were no less terrified by what they just witnessed.

"Serena…I…," Ash trailed, but couldn't finish his sentence.

In truth, Ash was just as scared as the rest of them were. What was he saying, and how could he be so unreasonable? Why was he acting so…dark himself? He remembered he did this once before after his Pokemon were stolen. He had this darkness build up inside him until it exploded into wrath and darkness. It was happening again.

The worst part was this was more serious than the last time. Ash had been thankful that Misty and Brock had been the only ones to see it previously as Serena had been unconscious at the time. Now, he just lost control again in front of a lot more people. Pikachu saw it. Togepi saw it. Vincent saw it. Nurse Joy saw it. Gligar saw it. Everyone else in the Pokemon Center saw it, and the worst part was Serena saw it.

Ash looked around at everyone in the Pokemon Center. Nobody was saying a word as some were looking up at him in shock while others…fear. He was acting like a crazy vigilante. Ash then looked back to his friends, and they all looked even more terrified than the others. Ash couldn't believe this had happened again, and why was it happening? It was becoming too much for him to take. He had shaking breaths as he said his next line.

"Excuse me," Ash whispered before he turned around and ran out of the Pokemon Center, leaving many truly terrified people behind him at what they just witnessed.

Ash didn't know where he was going right now. He just knew had to get away for a moment and think. What was going on with him? How could he have let this happen? A million thoughts were running through his head. What's everyone going to think now? That he's some kind of psychopath? Ash didn't know. The only things he knew were that he was scared, and he wanted to know why this was happening.

Meanwhile, back in the Pokemon Center, Serena was still shaking. The girl was trying to take deep breaths to calm herself, but it was extremely difficult. How could Ash act like that? It couldn't have been him. There was no way that was her Ash. The girl then felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder and turned to discover it was Brock, and he and Misty had a solemn expression.

"Brock?" Serena questioned as tears ran down her face.

"Serena, there's something Misty and I haven't told you. This isn't the first time Ash has lost control like this," Brock said.

"Woah. He's flipped out before?" Vincent muttered, but a look from Brock made him be quiet.

"Wh-what?" Serena whimpered.

"Let's go to the back," Brock gestured as he walked away with Misty, Serena, Pikachu, and Togepi following him. "We'll tell you everything there."

* * *

 **Ash lost control again. I told you that I don't just simply forget things that seemed significant before. That still includes Serena's own "loss of control" in the Tohjo Falls chapter. Something involving that may happen sooner than you think, too.**

 **The question now is what Ash is going to do about it now that a lot more people know? Well, the next chapter might provide some answers as to what exactly is going on. Maybe the next chapter will come out just as fast as this one had. It depends on how fast I'm able to work on this fic. I just happened to have a lot of time the previous week.**

 **The chapter should...or maybe not...be out before April. I'll just have to see. Thanks for all the reviews and the support! Until next time, have a good one.**

 **Chapter Thirty-Three: Light and Darkness**


	33. Light and Darkness

**A/N: Okay. It's time for Ash's outbursts to be brought to light and give the explanation. I know this chapter took slightly longer than usual, but I've been busy. Honestly,the next chapter may take a couple of weeks, too, because I'll be busy again. Regardless, I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Please enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Three: Light and Darkness

Brock had just finished explaining to Serena everything that had happened the day Rico stole the Pokemon. Serena listened to everything Brock had told her and had an unreadable expression on her face. She was trying to process the information and was having difficulty. She just couldn't see how or what could be wrong with Ash. Even if it had something to do with his aura as Brock suggested, why would it make him act like that? Ash wanted to use his aura for good, and it had been used for good so far, not to hurt others.

Pikachu hung its ears and let out a soft whimper. It thought it knew everything about its best buddy, but here was a side it had never seen. Togepi didn't fully understand the situation, but it could still tell something was definitely off about its daddy. Brock and Misty appeared quite upset, as well, as they watched the three in front of them take it all in. At last, Serena's unreadable expression morphed into sadness. Brock then reached out to her again.

"Hey, Serena. I know it hurts. We all want to know what's happening with Ash," Brock said sympathetically.

"It's isn't just that," Serena sniffed before she wiped her eyes. "Why didn't he tell me? I thought we weren't going to keep secrets from each other."

"Maybe it's because he didn't want you to worry. It's the same reason you've kept a couple of things from him," Misty tried.

"This is different," Serena rebutted. "This is hurting him and us. How could he not tell me? I thought there weren't supposed to be secrets like that from us anymore."

Brock and Misty didn't have an answer for that. They continued to watch the sobbing girl in front of them. The only person who would be able to answer all of her questions would be Ash himself. However, they had no idea where he had run off to. That didn't stop Serena, however.

"I have to find him," Serena stated as she dried her tears and turned around, along with Pikachu and Togepi.

"We know you want to talk to him, Serena, but you don't know where he went. We should at least wait until he comes back," Brock reasoned.

"I'll find him. I don't think he could've gone far," Serena replied before she turned to Pikachu and Togepi. "Are you both coming?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

"Togepriiii!" Togepi added.

"Alright, Serena. Just be careful. We don't know if Ash is wanting to talk, and there's still that gang of Murkrow out there," Brock warned.

"Thank you for telling me this," Serena said to Brock and Misty. "I've just got to find out why this is happening to Ash."

With that, Serena hurried out of the back hallway with Pikachu and Togepi in tow. As she passed by the people in the Pokemon Center, she noticed everyone had more or less gone back to their normal conversations. She spotted Vincent and Gligar chatting about various things, and once they noticed Serena, they tried to call out to her, but she just gave them a short nod before she continued out the door.

Brock and Misty soon came back out into the lobby of the Pokemon Center and joined Vincent and Gligar. The fly scorpion Pokemon gave a wink and stuck its tongue out in greeting before it cast a worried look towards the door of the Pokemon Center. It had grown to like Ash and didn't like it when something fishy…and scary was happening to him. Its heroic instinct wanted to take effect, but something like this couldn't be handled by justice.

"Man, they really care about Ash," Vincent muttered.

"You have no idea, Vincent. You have no idea," Misty agreed with a smile. "Serena would do anything for him."

"And a Pokemon's bond with its trainer is very strong...especially with Ash, Pikachu, and Togepi. As you gain more experience, you'll see for yourself, Vincent," Brock added.

"I hope Marina sees me in the same light someday," Vincent sighed which caused Misty, Brock, and Gligar to fall over in disbelief.

* * *

Ash was leaning against a tree in the woods and had his hat pulled over his eyes so no one could see his expression. That was probably for the best, though. If someone were to see it, they would see confusion and shame. It was an odd combination.

The raven-haired boy had no idea what was going on with him. The first time it happened, Ash was worried, but he brushed it off as a fluke after a few days. Now, when he heard about the gang of Murkrow and how they've been stealing from people, he lost control again. He just got so angry. It was almost like he was Aerodactly when it lost control of its emotions.

This was different, however. Ash wasn't acting on instinct like Aerodactyl had. This was coming from a deep part of his soul that felt like some kind of energy that was manifesting inside of him. It sort of was like the few times when he felt his aura was activated, but it felt strange at the same time. Wasn't aura supposed to be used for good? If it was his aura, why was it making him act like that? What was going on?

Ash then decided that a phone call to his dad was definitely in order. He or his Uncle Riley would definitely be able to explain things. Riley was impressive and closer in case of an emergency, but his dad was still the better aura user from his understanding and would probably know more. Besides, it had been a while since Ash had talked to his dad, anyway.

Ash instinctively reached to take out his Pokegear and mentally cursed his luck. In his haste to get away from everyone, he left his backpack in the Pokemon Center. If the Pokegear wasn't so bulky, he could carry it around his pocket like Brock or most adults did. For now, he just could carry his national dex in them. Either that or he needed deeper pockets. Well, whatever. It couldn't be helped now.

Ash sighed as he wasn't ready to go back to the Pokemon Center yet to retrieve it. He just wanted to be alone for right now and think to himself. If he could just stay here for a while and gather his thoughts, he might be able to calm down enough to face his friends without breaking down.

Before his arrival in Johto, this had never happened before. Now, it's happened twice in the span of just a couple months. It made Ash worry. Would he snap like that again? What's worse? What if he really ended up hurting someone because of it? The thought made Ash extremely uncomfortable.

" _Just calm down,"_ Ash thought to himself. _"Don't get so worked up over something you don't understand yet."_

"Ash?"

Ash snapped out of his thoughts and widened his eyes in surprise. Serena was standing there along with Pikachu and Togepi. All three of them were looking at him in concern mixed with worry. As they watched Ash slumped against the tree and saw the expression on his face, they could tell he had it pretty rough, too. They could only imagine what was going through his head right now.

Ash turned his head away from them to hide his face. He was really hoping no one would chase after him. However, he realized that was a silly thought. Of course Serena, Pikachu, and Togepi would be concerned for him and do that. Even so, that did nothing to ease his guilt right now.

Pikachu scurried up to Ash and got on top of his shoulder before it rubbed its cheeks against his and let out a light cooing sound. Togepi went forward and hugged Ash's leg. The raven-haired boy looked up at the Pokemon showing him affection before he looked up at Serena. He then gave them all an apologetic smile.

"Thanks for that," he muttered. "I'm just not in the mood to see anyone right now."

"Ash, we're just really worried about you," Serena told him.

"I'll be fine," Ash said automatically.

"Brock and Misty told us that this has happened before," Serena stated and saw Ash grimace.

"I-I was hoping you three would never have to see me like that. I...I...I never meant...," Ash said after a pause.

He was surprised when Serena hurried forward before she bent down and and pulled him into a hug. Ash didn't return the hug and just had his mouth hanging slightly open. Why would she even want to touch him after what he did.

"Shh...you don't have to apologize Ash. I know you didn't mean to," Serena whispered.

"S-Serena? H-How?" Ash started, but Serena knew what Ash was going ask and answered for him.

"Misty and Brock told us, Ash," Serena said as she released him from the hug.

Ash didn't reply and instead turned away. Though Serena's hug made him feel only a little better, he still felt really guilty.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Serena inquired.

Ash sighed and hung his head. He knew she was going to ask him that. Pikachu and Togepi were also looking at Ash curiously, especially Pikachu. They were best buddies and shared everything with each other.

"Is that what you came here to ask me?" Ash mumbled.

"No, Ash," Serena replied before her expression changed to one of concern. "I'm here because I care about you, and so do Pikachu and Togepi. We want to know what's going on."

Ash finally looked up at Serena, and he still had a troubled look on his face. As Serena saw Ash look like this, her heart went out to him. She hated seeing her boyfriend look so confused and miserable. Serena knelt down so she was eye level with Ash and gently grabbed his hands with her own.

"Please tell us what's wrong, Ash. Maybe we could try to help," Serena pleaded.

Ash doubted they would be able to help him with something like this. It was completely outside of their control. However, as Ash looked into Serena's pleading figure, he felt his walls break down. She looked absolutely sincere in her concern with him, and it made Ash think. Serena was his girlfriend, and something as potentially serious as this needed to be shared among them. Even if she can't help, she at least needed to know. There weren't supposed to be any secrets between them, Pikachu and Togepi included.

"I don't know how to describe it exactly, but when I feel an…intense emotion…particularly anger, I can't get it to go away easily," Ash started. "It's like it continues to build inside me."

"A feeling?" Serena questioned as Pikachu and Togepi listened to.

"Right," Ash nodded before he continued. "It sort of feels like my aura, but I don't see how that's possible. Rather than a warm feeling and a sense of strength when it's activated before, it feels…dark. Not evil, exactly, but…not right."

"Why would your aura make you act like that, though?" Serena wondered.

"That's what I don't understand. I would never say or do those things when my aura was activated before," Ash replied.

"We know you wouldn't. That's why we were concerned. Whoever that was yelling in the Pokemon Center wasn't you," Serena said.

"I know. I'm sorry, but I'm determined to get to the bottom of this," Ash declared, and his voice sounded a little stronger now. "I'm going to call my dad. If this has anything to do with aura, he'll know exactly what to do."

"You have all of our support, Ash. You're a really strong person, and you've always been able to overcome anything. We know you'll make it through this. That's one of the reasons why I lo…" Serena trailed before she blushed.

"Why you like me?" Ash smiled.

"That's right, Ash," Serena nodded. Maybe it was too soon to be throwing around the word 'love'.

"Thanks, Serena," Ash said. "I won't keep any secrets from you anymore. I just ask that you do the same for me."

"Of course, Ash," Serena nodded before they gave each other a warm embrace with Pikachu and Togepi joining in.

While they were embracing, Serena had a thought. _"Am I keeping secrets from Ash? Is there something going on with me that I haven't been telling him?"_

Serena had a suspicion that there was, but she couldn't think of it at the moment. Regardless, the most important thing was helping Ash right now.

* * *

It was almost ten o'clock at night now. Ash was the only trainer out in the lobby of the Pokemon Center. The only other person in the room with him was Nurse Joy who was working on the computer and wouldn't be a distraction for him. She would probably head to her own room to go to bed shortly. Everyone else had retreated to their rooms for the night. The exception was Gligar who preferred to sleep outside. Either that or it was wanting to keep watch. Ash really did admire that Gligar's dedication.

Needless to say, the day had been rather awkward for Ash. Even though his talk with Serena made him feel a little better, he still received a few strange stares from other trainers at the Pokemon Center once he finally returned. A few quick glares from Serena made them immediately avert their gazes, but that didn't ease Ash's uneasiness.

The only ones who hadn't treated Ash funny were Brock, Misty, Vincent, and Gligar. After making sure he was alright and that he was going to talk to his dad later on, they knew to make no more mention of the incident. They were worried about Ash, of course, but Brock and Misty were confident that Ash would be getting the advice he needed.

Ash sat down on the couch and pulled out his Pokegear from his backpack. He stared at it for a moment and silently prayed that his dad would answer the phone. Being as busy as Red was with whatever it was he did, it was always very difficult to get a hold of him. That's why Ash usually tried to call him at night when he would probably be less busy.

Ash dialed Red's number and held the Pokegear to his ear as it began to ring. As it rang, Ash was contemplating how he should explain it to his dad. He could just be completely straight forward and tell him what's going on, but how would he lead into it? Ash wasn't even quite sure if it was aura-related. Still, his dad was his best bet on telling him what's going on.

Ash frowned when he heard it go to Red's voice mail. Great. He was just as busy as ever. Ash really wondered what it was that Red did that kept him so busy. The people who knew were Blue, Professor Oak, Riley, Rose, and probably Yellow. Not even his mother knew, but she trusted Red so Ash did, too. Red had promised to explain everything one day, but for now, Ash had to be patient. That still didn't make it any less disappointing when his dad didn't answer, though.

Ash's eyes then lit up when he saw his Pokegear ringing. A quick look confirmed it to be Red, and Ash smiled. He eagerly pressed the answer button and held it to his ear. Sure enough, Red's voice was on the other side of the phone.

"Ash? Sorry. I just missed your call," came Red's voice.

"It's okay. Hey, Dad," Ash replied.

"How are you, son? I haven't heard from you in a while," Red said.

"Heh. I could say the same for you," Ash smirked.

"You got me there," Red responded with a slight chuckle before he continued. "What's going on?"

"I've been good. I just got four badges," Ash stated, not feeling the need to say he just had them stolen by a Murkrow gang.

"You're a chip off the old block, Ash. You'll be winning the Johto League in no time," Red said with a smile in his voice.

Ash wished he could agree with his father's statement, but after what happened today, he didn't think so. He and Serena lost their most precious possessions, and he lost control of his own emotions again. It hadn't been the best of days. If only Ash was feeling as high as he was after winning the fog badge. Then again, this is what he was calling his dad for in the first place.

"Ash?" Red asked when he didn't get a response from Ash after a while.

"Sorry, Dad. I've had a bad day today, and I really need your help with something," Ash told him.

"You got it, Ash. What's wrong?" Red inquired, his tone more serious.

"Hey, Dad. Aura can only be used for good, right?" Ash questioned.

There was a pause before Red spoke. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Red's response wasn't what Ash was hoping for. If Red outright answered him that aura could only be used for good, his fears would've been eased. However, the question asking Ash to elaborate confirmed his fear. Aura was a lot more complex than he originally thought. Maybe his outbursts had to do with aura, after all. With that, he gave Red his explanation.

"Dad, this has happened twice now. Whenever I get really angry about something…it's like I can't control myself. I feel like I have something inside of me when this happens. It sort of feels like aura, but it also feels different at the same time. I have all of these violent outbursts at my friends or anyone who talks to me," Ash explained. "What is that?"

Now, it was Red's turn to be silent. Ash waited on the other end as he let his dad process the information that was relayed to him. The raven-haired boy was a little nervous about how his dad would respond. Finally, after about thirty seconds, Red spoke again.

"When did it first start?" Red questioned.

"Ummm…a couple of months ago," Ash recalled.

"It's happening so soon…," Red mumbled to himself

That immediately grabbed Ash's attention. So his father knew something, after all.

"What's happening soon?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Calm down, Ash," Red told him before he continued. "Yes. It does have something to do with your ability to use aura. Tell me, when did you experience this?"

"Well…," Ash began. "The first time was a couple of months ago when my friends and I had an encounter with an evil Pokemon hunter named Rico. He had stolen our Pokemon, and I was so angry that I hadn't been able to protect them and lost all reason. I even attacked Brock."

"Yes. I was told about your encounter with the Pokemon hunter, and I'm relieved to see you're alright after that. I'm sure nothing I say wouldn't be anything you already heard about how dangerous that is," Red said disapprovingly.

"Yeah," Ash muttered somewhat sheepishly.

"And the other time?" Red pressed to bring it back to the topic at hand.

"It was just today. There's this evil gang of Murkrow going around that acts like an organized crime group. They carry weapons and everything. Their leader is said to be a crime lord's old Honchkrow. They stole my badges and the pendants Serena and I got each other," Ash said.

"Are you okay, Ash? Did they hurt you?" Red asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, Dad. We escaped with just a few scratches. We didn't put up much resistance when they demanded our items," Ash reassured.

"Okay. The important thing is you or the others weren't hurt. So when did the you experience this incident with your anger?" Red questioned.

"It was later on. The police weren't being much help in this incident to me, and I wanted revenge on those Murkrow and the Honchkrow for stealing from us and putting so many people in danger. Then it happened again. Serena was able to snap me out of it, though," Ash mumbled.

"Aura can be like that," Red said more to himself than Ash.

"But Dad…this doesn't feel like the other few times my aura has activated," Ash replied.

"I know. It isn't going to, Ash. There's something about aura Riley or I haven't told you yet," Red sighed.

"So what's going on?" Ash wondered.

"You have the gift of aura, Ash, and you're a descendant of Sir Aaron, one of the greatest and renowned aura users of all time. He was a hero, no doubt, and you loved listening to the stories of his accomplishments and deeds when you were younger. Then you knew Riley and I and how we used our aura for good. I suppose that built up a fantasy in your head about aura and the good it accomplishes, but unfortunately, that isn't how it works," Red ended in a low voice.

"What do you mean?" Ash inquired.

"Just as there were heroic and renowned aura users like Sir Aaron, there were also those who used their aura for other things…not for the good of others, but it was for the good of themselves. They were called dark aura users," Red informed.

"Dark aura users?" Ash questioned.

"Yes. They're aura users who became corrupted by their power and were won over by the dark side of aura. Their power was absolutely terrifying. Dark aura users were no stronger than any other aura user, but the difference was they rarely had control of it and were very destructive to everything and everyone around them, and even to themselves. They've killed countless people through the ages. Some were by accident because they couldn't control it, and some weren't. One thing was certain. Few people lived if a dark aura user turned their power on them," Red said solemnly.

"H-how were they stopped?" Ash wondered.

"Dark aura users were so unstable with their powers and were driven mad. Most were destroyed by the very aura they were using, and the others would commit suicide," Red said lowly.

Ash felt a wave of fear wash over him. There were actually people out there who did things like that? Aura was supposed to be a gift used to help others. Who would be selfish and hateful enough? Well, Ash could honestly think of a couple of people, namely Giovanni, but there was no way someone as evil as him would be chosen to take on a great power such as aura.

Red seemed to know what Ash was thinking based on his next sentence. "They weren't dark aura users by choice, Ash. The problem was the aura became too great for them, and the darkness won out over the light."

"Still, what does that have to do with me?" Ash wondered, but he dreaded the answer.

"When one's aura powers are first awakened, there are two sides competing for dominance. One is the light aura, and the other is the dark aura. Those outbursts you've had, especially when you experience great anger…it's the dark aura trying to take control," Red informed.

Ash gulped at that, and he felt very uneasy. "The dark aura was trying to take control of me?" he echoed.

"Yes. Right now, you're the one in control and so is the light aura, as it starts off with everyone. However, the dark aura is doing everything it can to change that. It's steering you in a path where it can feed off your negative emotions and desire for vengeance. Once it learns how to push you in just the right direction...," Red trailed.

"Stop, Dad. I don't want to hear anymore," Ash grimaced and shut his eyes.

All this time, Ash was excited to have a gift like aura. Now, he wasn't so sure. It almost seemed like a curse if it was doing this stuff to him. The last thing he wanted to do was turn into a dark aura user and cause harm to his friends, his Pokemon, and especially Serena. Tears started to form in his eyes at the thought.

"I'm telling you this for your own good, Ash. You need to know this so it doesn't happen to you," Red said firmly.

"Why did I have aura, anyway? I should've just been born normal. I don't want to hurt them, Dad," Ash cried as his voice shook.

"Ash, get a hold of yourself. It doesn't have to be that way. You're a good person, Ash. As long as you hold true to what you believe and not give in the lure of the dark aura, you'll be just fine. You just need to know the difference in what true power is and what isn't. Remember, you need to think of your aura as a gift and not a burden," Red reassured.

"Why is this happening, Dad?" Ash whispered.

"It's something all aura users experience. Riley experienced it. I experienced it, and I'm sure Sir Aaron experienced it, too. We've just been strong enough to overcome it, and I know that you have what it takes, too," Red replied.

"What do I have to do? How can I make sure the dark aura doesn't win?" Ash asked, almost desperately.

"Calm down, Ash. Everyone learns as they are trained in the ways of aura in their late teenage years. However, it seems yours is developing a bit early. I was planning on teaching you myself when you turned sixteen, but I don't think it can wait that long now," Red said almost thoughtfully.

"It is?" Ash questioned.

"Oh yes. Riley and I weren't properly trained until we were sixteen. You, on the other hand, are developing them early. You'll need at least some aura training when you're thirteen," Red stated.

"Really? That soon?" Ash gasped. His thirteenth birthday was just a few months away.

"Yes. I guess I should say congratulations," Red said, and Ash detected a hint of amusement in his voice to lighten the mood.

"Heh. So are you going to teach me?" Ash asked, feeling a bit better.

"No. Unfortunately I'd be unable to that early. Riley will be your teacher," Red said. "I'll make sure to discuss the details with him in due time."

"Oh," Ash mumbled. Though he really liked his uncle, the fact that he was missing out on his dad training him was a bit of a bummer.

"Hey. Don't think you're being shortchanged by having Riley teach you. You've seen for yourself how capable he is. Heck, he's even beaten me a few times in a few friendly aura sparrings," Red laughed.

Ash grinned, too. His dad was right. Ash was getting to train a lot earlier than his dad or Riley anticipated, for better or worse. He shouldn't be worrying about who teaches him. It was a great way to spend time with his uncle, too.

"Alright," Ash smiled, but then the concern came back to his voice when he thought of something. "Wait a minute, you said I won't start training until after my thirteenth birthday. What if the dark aura tries to take control again before then?"

"There are a few tips I'm going to give you to ensure that doesn't happen," Red told him immediately as if he was expecting that concern. In fact, he probably was.

"What are they?" Ash wondered.

"First of all, don't think about revenge. Think about justice instead. There's a difference between the two. Based on what you were telling me about Rico and the Murkrow gang, you were focused more on revenge and harming them rather than putting them to justice," Red told him.

"Okay," Ash replied with a nod.

His dad was right. All that time, he was getting so angry at the Pokemon mafia and the Pokemon hunter which was when it struck. If he can keep his anger in check and instead want to protect instead of hurt, he would be fine.

"Second, and most importantly, don't ever think you aren't good enough. Think of all the friends and family you have who love you and support you. You're a strong and great person, Ash. Never forget that," Red informed.

"That shouldn't be too hard," Ash smiled as he thought about his friends and Serena.

"I mean it, Ash. The dark aura loves to come after you when you're at an emotional low. No matter what happens, you have to remain strong. I hope it doesn't, but being an aura user, you may run into times that are a lot worse than a Pokemon mafia gang or a Pokemon hunter, and that's when it's going to strike," Red said seriously.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Ash asked, feeling uneasy again.

"It'll be okay, Ash. As long as nothing like that happens, you'll have nothing to worry about. Just keep in mind what said, that you're a strong and great person. Don't let anyone or anything try to make you think otherwise," Red stated.

"Umm…okay," Ash muttered, wondering where this was coming from.

"Ash, if I didn't believe in you, I would be there first thing tomorrow morning to confine you to a cage and never let you out," Red said.

"Wait! What?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Hahahahaha! I was kidding, Ash! I would never do that to you. Just know that I trust you. That should be good enough to let you know that you have the strength to overcome any obstacle that heads your way," Red told him.

"Geez, Dad. Don't scare me like that," Ash muttered before he let out a chuckle. "Old man."

"Hey, now. I'm still pretty young. You'll be my age someday, too," Red frowned.

"Right. In like a million years," Ash said mischievously.

"Heh. It'll happen sooner than you think, and when it does, you can expect to see me laughing right in your face," Red said, and Ash was sure he was smirking on the other end of the Pokegear.

"Yeah, but then you'll be an even older man so I'll laugh harder," Ash laughed.

"Heh. You got again," Red relented before he switched topics. "Well, I hate to cut it short, Ash, but I'm going to have to end this conversation here."

"Oh. Okay," Ash sighed. Ash and his dad were having a good father to son talk, and now Red had to get off. Ash really did wonder what his dad did sometimes that made his free time so limited.

"Remember that you can call me anytime you want to talk. I may not always answer, but I'll always return the call," Red reminded.

"Right. I understand," Ash nodded before he asked, "When will I see you next?"

"Well, it may be sooner than you think. After all, I do have an old friend to return to you," Red replied with amusement.

Ash's eyes lit up. "You mean Aerodactyl?!"

"You got it," Red confirmed and added. "Aerodactyl's been dying to see you, too. I would love to see you use it in one of your Johto gym battles and the Silver Conference."

Ash grinned broadly upon hearing that. The thought of him getting to meet Aerodactyl soon really brightened his mood from the somber feeling he had earlier about his aura. At least now they could end on a happy note.

"When is it?!" Ash asked eagerly.

"You'll see me and Aerodactly soon, Ash. It won't be too long. I promise," Red replied.

Ash's excitement died down a little, but he was still happy. "Alright. I trust you," Ash replied.

"Great," Red said from the other end before he closed it out. "Take care, son."

"Thanks, Dad. You, too. I…miss you and can't wait to see you," Ash replied.

"Me, too, Ash. Me, too," Red agreed. "Goodbye."

"Bye," Ash finished.

Red's end clicked on the other end to show the call was disconnected. Ash had his Pokegear lingered around his ear a moment longer before sighed and put it back in his backpack. Another conversation with his dad had ended, and he didn't like it. Still, it was very informative. Now that he had a better idea of what was going on with his aura, he could let his friends and Pokemon know in the morning. With that, Ash slipped his backpack back on and headed towards his room to sleep for the night.

Unbeknownst to Ash, in an unknown part of the world, Red had his Pokegear lingered next to his ear a moment longer before he sighed and placed the Pokegear in his own backpack. Another conversation with his son had ended, and he didn't like it.

Like father like son…

* * *

Ash entered the cafeteria with Pikachu the next morning, and he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't receive any odd stares from people like he did yesterday. It was probably safe to assume that the incident had been put behind them. Pikachu gave a smile at Ash from his shoulder and patted it in comfort at which Ash chuckled in return.

"It looks like it's safe to be in public again, buddy," Ash said, and Pikachu nodded.

Ash then spotted Serena, Brock, and Misty already at a table. Once they saw him, they beckoned him over and Ash nodded his head. He got in line, which was actually longer than usual because so many trainers were staying at the Pokemon Center right now due to the Murkrow gang, before he got his food and went to join his friends. Pikachu leaped off Ash's shoulder onto the floor and joined Togepi while Ash sat down in the booth. Upon seeing that Ash didn't looked so troubled, it made his friends feel a lot better. Still, they had to ask him themselves for confirmation.

"You feeling okay, Ash?" Brock asked first.

"Yeah. I had a talk with my dad last night. He helped a lot and let me know what was going on," Ash replied.

"What all did he say, Ash?" Serena inquired.

Ash gave a few glances around him to make sure no one was listening in. He then leaned his head forward a little which prompted the others to, as well. Ash then began to speak lowly so he wasn't overheard.

"It really does have something to do with my aura. My dad said when someone is born with aura, there is a light side and a dark side. While a person is developing them, the two sides try to compete with each other to win," Ash started.

"So are your outbursts…," Misty began, and Ash nodded his head

"That's right. Whenever I get really angry like I did when Rico stole our Pokemon or when that Murkrow gang stole from us and others, the dark aura was using that to try to take control of me, and the results…have a bad effect on me as you saw," Ash finished.

Serena, Brock, and Misty stared in surprise at Ash. They never knew an aura user would experience something like that. Like Ash, they believed that aura was used how the person chose to use it. They didn't know there was some force that was trying to take over the soul.

Serena then looked the side and had a brief thought. What if her ESP was the same way? Did it have a good and bad side? Well, it had to have a bad side due to their experience with Sabrina a long time ago. Also, there was the time it briefly went out of control at Tohjo Falls after…some incident she couldn't remember happened. Serena suppressed a shudder at the thought. She really hoped the day never came when she would lose control and end up like Sabrina had…or worse.

"Serena?" Ash questioned when he saw she looked spaced out.

"Oh! I'm good, Ash," Serena replied and flashed him a smile before she went back to the topic at hand. "So is there a way to overcome it?"

"My dad gave me few tips to help out. As long as I follow them, I should be fine," Ash replied, but he still had a lingering thought about how serious his dad sounded when he was telling him those tips.

"Is it aura training?" Brock wondered.

Ash nodded his head in response. "Yeah. That's part of it. Dad said that most people start their aura training around fifteen or sixteen, but mine are developing a little early since I'm already having outbursts like this. My dad wants to start my training soon after I turn thirteen."

"That soon?" Brock asked.

"But what about your Pokemon journey, Ash?" Misty added.

Ash looked down. That's right. His Pokemon journey. It was the whole reason he was traveling in the first place. His Pokemon journey had been the best thing that ever happened to him. He met so much amazing people and Pokemon. It was filled with great times…and bad ones. Still, if he was aura training, how would he continue his journey? Red hadn't mentioned that to him.

"I-I don't know," Ash responded truthfully, and Serena placed her hand on Ash's shoulder.

"It'll all work out okay in the end, Ash. Your father knows that your Pokemon journey is very important. I'm sure he'll find a way," Serena reassured.

Ash smiled in response. Serena was right. His dad and Riley were able to continue their Pokemon journeys despite training with their aura. Ash just had to trust his dad and believe he already had a solution worked out for him.

A pair of hands was abruptly slammed down on the table next to the group, and they jumped in alarm. They turned to see Vincent there, and he was panting like he was out of breath. Sometimes, this guy really needed to take a chill pill.

"Vincent, what's up?" Ash asked.

"Some girl just came in from being attacked by the Murkrow gang, and she's pretty injured…almost as much as I was when I was attacked! She claims she even saw their leader!" Vincent said frantically.

The group looked at each other for only a few seconds before they quickly finished their food and left the cafeteria with Vincent. They hurried out into the lobby and saw there was already a small crowd gathered around one of the couches of the Pokemon Center. They made their way over and tried to peer over some of the people to get a better look, but it was a little difficult.

They then noticed Gligar standing on the arm of the couch looking down to where the girl apparently was. The group could hear the girl muttering to everyone about what she saw, and they were all looking on intently.

"Those Murkrow were really scary. They pointed all of these knives at me, and then their leader showed up when I wouldn't give them what they wanted," the group overheard.

"What was their leader like?" someone in the crowd asked curiously.

"It was this really creepy-looking Honchkrow, according to my pokedex. Only…it was a lot bigger than what my pokedex described. It was almost as big as me," the girl muttered.

The group exchanged glances with each other at what they heard. So that confirmed that Officer Jenny's theory was correct. Their leader was indeed a Honchkrow, and from what this girl was saying, it was a lot bigger than the average one. A Murkrow could only evolve into a Honchkrow through the use of a dusk stone so Honchkrow were rare enough. This must be a very powerful Honchkrow to be able to control organized crime like this.

"Man. What are we supposed to do now?" another person from the crowd asked rhetorically.

Nurse Joy and her Chansey then came over with a first aid kit and a splint. She pushed her way through the small gathering and gave a nod to the Gligar.

"Thank you for helping her in, Gligar. We're lucky to have you with us right now," Nurse Joy said to it, and Gligar nodded while sticking out its tongue in response.

Nurse Joy then opened her first aid kit and pulled out some disinfectant and some bandages. She then made a few waving motions with her hands to signal to everyone to back off a little bit and let her treat the girl. The gathering of people obliged and backed up a little bit. As they did so, the group was finally able to get a good look at the girl.

She appeared to be a couple of years younger than Ash or Serena, maybe ten. She was of average build, not too thin, and not too wide, and had reddish-brown hair that was tied in two pigtails that curled to the side at the end. She was covered in cuts and bruises, and the group also noticed that she wasn't moving her arm and was clutching it gingerly. It was probably broken which explained the splint that Nurse Joy was had with her. They couldn't believe how ruthless this Pokemon mafia group was! They made no distinction about who they attacked as long as they got what they wanted.

"We'll take care of those cuts in a little bit. Right now, I have to take care of your broken arm," Nurse Joy told the girl, which confirmed the group's thoughts. "I'll be able to get you a proper cast soon, but for now, this splint will have to do."

Nurse Joy then set to work on the girl as the group and Gligar watched. The girl was moaning in pain and muttering something under her breath that sounded like "my Vulpix", but it was hard to make out. Once Nurse Joy was done applying the splint, she took out some disinfectant and sprayed the girl's wounds, which earned a few cries of pain from the girl, but the Chansey stroked the girl soothingly to try to calm her down. Nurse Joy then gave a sigh of relief before she spoke to the girl again.

"Now I want you to take it easy and not move the arm very much until I get you cast. It's just a fracture, but it can get worse if you're careless with it. Once you're feeling better, you can tell the police what you know," Nurse Joy told her.

"But Nurse Joy, they…they…they stole the pokeball that had my Vulpix in it!" the girl sobbed.

The group gasped at that. That gang even stole a Pokemon from someone? Stealing possessions was one thing, but to steal their Pokemon, that was too far. Ash glared and curled his hands into a gentle fist, but he kept his anger in check. He wasn't angry and wanted revenge on the Murkrow. He was angry because of what this girl was probably going through and the injustice of it all. They had their Pokemon stolen before, too, so the group could sympathize with how the girl was feeling.

"I'm very sorry about that. I know it hurts terribly, but the police are going to do everything they can to get your Vulpix back. Please take it easy until then. You may use the video phone whenever you're ready," Nurse Joy said soothingly.

"But Nurse Joy…," the girl began, but Nurse Joy interrupted her.

"With those injuries, I have to advise against it. If you try to go after that gang of Murkrow and their leader, you could end up a lot worse," Nurse Joy said firmly before she softened her tone. "I'm very sorry what happened, but please, at least wait until you're better."

With that, Nurse Joy stood up and walked away with her Chansey. Now that they saw the girl was going to be okay, the gathering of people dispersed a little bit. Ash, Serena, Brock, Misty, Vincent, and Gligar remained, however. They stared at the girl sympathetically and were about to go talk to her, but they gasped when the girl sat up and painfully got her feet. She didn't even pay the group a single glance as she made her way to the Pokemon Center door.

"Uh…hey. Where are you going?" Ash wondered.

The girl spun around and fixed Ash with a hard stare. "Huh? Who are you?" she asked somewhat rudely.

"Oh. Umm…I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash introduced, a bit startled by the heated response.

"Whatever," the girl replied before she turned around and resumed walking towards the door.

"Wait. You aren't really meaning to go back out there, are you?" Misty questioned.

The girl turned around again with another glare. "What's it to you?! Those stupid Murkrow and that Honchkrow have my Vulpix! I have to get it back!"

"But Nurse Joy said you need to…," Serena began, but the girl cut her off.

"I don't care! My Vulpix could be in danger, and I'm not going to just sit here and wait for it to be rescued! Who knows how long those police will take!?" the girl replied angrily.

"Her red hair reflects her fiery personality," Brock whispered.

"Like someone we know," Ash whispered back and gave Misty a knowing look.

"What was that, Ash Ketchum?" Misty inquired hotly and pulled on Ash's ear.

"I heard that! I'd normally take offense to it, but I won't. You're right! I have the passion and fire of a fire-type Pokemon! They're the best of the best type of Pokemon. With the exception of a couple, especially water Pokemon, they're all I try to go after!" the girl spoke and appeared to get…fired up.

"Umm…okay?" Ash muttered, not knowing what else to say to that, but he was shoved out of the way by Misty.

"Hold it. You got a problem with water Pokemon? What's wrong with them?" Misty questioned heatedly.

The girl raised her eyebrow and then smirked. "Heh. What's right with them? Everyone knows fire-type Pokemon are the best. Who are you, anyway?"

"I'm Misty, and Water Pokemon are the best!" Misty exclaimed.

"No they're not! Fire Pokemon are the best!" the girl yelled back.

"Water Pokemon!" Misty shouted.

"Fire Pokemon!" the girl rebutted.

"Great. We're getting more stares," Serena mumbled and blushed in embarrassment. The rest of the people in the Pokemon Center probably thought everyone in their group was crazy. First, they were staring at Ash yesterday, and now Misty.

Thankfully, Brock was there to step in. "Hold it, you two. Both of you just met each other. Try not to start it off by fighting and make a scene."

"Humph, fine," Misty grumbled as she realized Brock had a point.

The girl rolled her eyes. "You're all hopeless. I'm out of here."

"Wait, it's too dangerous...uh...," Ash trailed as he realized they didn't know the girl's name yet.

"It's Macy, and I don't care what you have to say or how dangerous it is," the girl now known as Macy replied.

"Look, I know how you feel. We've had all of our Pokemon stolen before, too," Ash stated as he tried to reason with the girl.

"Then you should know how worried I am rather than try to stop me," the girl responded and placed her one good hand on her hip. "Who are you to tell me what to do anyway?"

Ash sighed. He supposed she was right. He had never met or heard of this girl before. Yet, here he was, trying to keep her from going after her Pokemon. He didn't really get a say on what this girl did or not. One would call this being nosy rather than being concerned. Ash admired this girl's passion for her Pokemon as he originally wanted to do the same thing when Rico stole their Pokemon. Still, with those injuries, he knew Macy wouldn't get far.

Ash clenched his fist but didn't say anything. He hated the injustice of this Murkrow gang. He no longer wanted revenge. He just wanted to see them brought to justice. They had terrorized and injured enough people, and they even stole this girl's Pokemon. The police force was moving too slowly to take care of it.

Ash had a desire to help out everyone who had been a victim of this Pokemon mafia's attacks. He wanted to protect them and not let them feel the pain of losing a Pokemon. They had to be stopped as soon as possible. Ash then felt something grow in him, but it wasn't the uneasiness of his dark aura, it was the refreshing, soothing feel of the light. Ash realized then that his strong desire to protect everyone had awakened his aura once again. Ash narrowed his eyes as he knew what he had to do now.

Macy, however, frowned when she saw Ash's silence."I'm glad you understand. Unless you're going to rescue my Vulpix yourself, butt of my business."

"Alright. I'll rescue your Vulpix," Ash replied.

Macy lost her angry expression and blinked a few times in confusion. "What? You will?"

"You will?" Misty, Brock, and Serena echoed at the same time.

Ash nodded his head. "That's right. I'm going to save your Vulpix and stop that Pokemon gang. I'm not going to let them terrorize anymore people."

"Hold on, Ash. Remember what we talked about and how it's too dangerous? Why don't we follow our own advice?" Brock questioned.

"It'll be fine, Brock," Ash replied as he turned around to face his friends. "Trust me. I feel it in my soul that I can do it."

The group's eyes then lit up as they knew what Ash meant. The way he worded it could only mean that his aura had activated. Despite this, they still looked a little uneasy.

"Even so, Ash, don't forget that those Murkrow have all kinds of weapons at their disposal. Who's to say they won't use them on you?" Misty asked in concern.

"It doesn't matter. I can do this. We've all been through some pretty tough times and even gone up against Giovanni, and we've survived. I think we can overcome anything we set our mind, too," Ash stated before he turned to Pikachu. "Are you in, buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu answered and pumped its tiny fist into the air.

Vincent, Macy, and Gligar weren't sure where all this was coming from so they merely watched in wonder at Ash's pep talk. For Macy's part, she thought it was very brave and heroic how Ash was selflessly going to save her Vulpix himself. That was the mark of true gentleman and fine boy. Not to mention, now that Macy as getting a good look at Ash, she thought he was pretty handsome. She then got a dreamy expression on her face as she looked at Ash, but the others didn't notice.

 _"Wow. What a man,"_ Macy thought.

Serena, Brock, and Misty were still a little unsure about this. It was true that Ash seemed confident, and they would have his aura to help tremendously. This was a little reckless, but when everything was weighed out, it was no worse than the other times they were reckless and came out on top in the end. Serena was the first to step up.

"If you're going, Ash, then so am I. You won't do it alone," Serena told him.

"Thanks, Serena," Ash nodded before he turned to Brock and Misty. "What about you guys? I won't force you, but your help would really be appreciated."

Misty and Brock looked at each other a moment before they turned to Ash. They were always the more cautious ones of their group so they knew the danger. However, this was a huge change in Ash from how he was handling the situation yesterday. He seemed collected and totally focused on the task that he was going to do. That reassured them that Ash was stable. Though they were nervous, the believed Ash knew what he was doing.

"Yes. I'm going," Misty replied.

"I am, too. I suggest we form a plan first before we go after them, though," Brock suggested.

"Definitely. We'll form one after we leave the Pokemon Center," Ash agreed and nodded.

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar called and hurried over to Ash. It then winked and stuck its tongue out as it waved its claws around eagerly.

Ash smiled at the fly scorpion Pokemon. "Of course you're welcome to come along, Gligar. We'll need all the help we can get."

"Gli!" Gligar responded happily. Wanting to be a hero, Gligar just couldn't sit by idly while one of its favorite people was heading into danger.

"I'm still injured and learned my lesson the first time about those Murkow and their leader. I'm going to stay behind," Vincent stated.

"That's okay, Vincent. It's probably for the best," Serena told him.

"Right. Just be safe," Vincent nodded.

"Well, we just had a good breakfast. I say we go ahead and go since we have all day. This Pokemon mafia group isn't going to terrorize anyone else for another day," Ash declared as he adjusted his cap.

With that, he turned around to go, but he saw Macy was still in front of him. The girl was staring up at Ash googly-eyed and had a massive blush on her face. Ash suddenly got really awkward and was wondering why Macy was looking at him like that. Just before now, it seemed like every expression the girl had given Ash was either angry or passionate. This was rather new.

"Oh, Ash! You're so caring and brave! I wish you the best of luck!" Macy cried.

"Oh…uh…thanks, Macy," Ash said and was surprised when Macy grabbed one his hands with her good one.

"I'd love to get to know you better. Maybe when you come back with my Vulpix, we can," Macy cooed.

Serena raised her eyebrows at Macy. That girl better not be trying to hit on her Ash. Serena sighed as she wanted to call out to Macy that Ash already had a girlfriend, but now wasn't the time to start an argument. Still, she should probably keep a close eye on Macy. She trusted Ash, but not this girl who seemed to be rather impulsive so far.

"Uh…okay. Maybe," Ash replied awkwardly as he was starting to get an idea of what Macy was implying.

"Well, we should probably get going," Serena cut in as she stepped between Ash and Macy. The fiery girl gave a huff that Serena had interrupted their moment, but she said nothing.

"Right. We'll be back before you know it. You all take care," Ash nodded and silently thanked Serena for stepping between him and Macy.

With that, the group turned and hurried out of the Pokemon Center. They knew they were heading into a lot danger, but something this serious couldn't be ignored. It wasn't just about getting back their lost possessions. It was about stopping a group of dangerous Pokemon thieves who were terrorizing travelers. They were the Pokemon equivalent of Team Rocket, and it was going to stop now.

They were all nervous with the exception of Ash. He had his friends, his Pokemon, Gligar, and he had his aura to help him through this. He knew they were going to succeed. That gang of Murkrow and their Honchkrow leader were going to be brought to justice. They didn't know where the Honchkrow's headquarters were, but they were going to find it somehow and someway.

Vincent and Macy walked over to the threshold of the Pokemon Center as they watched the group leave. Those people were about to do what they couldn't. For Vincent and Macy, they could see that this was a good group of trainers for them to look up to. Vincent could now see for himself why Jimmy and Marina talked so highly about them when he would speak to them through Pokegear. He then turned to Macy and saw she had reverted back to her googly-eyed expression.

"Ash is amazing…," Macy breathed.

"Yeah. I suppose he is," Vincent agreed before he turned back towards the forest where the group disappeared a second ago. _"Be careful, guys. Come back safely."_

* * *

 **The showdown with the Pokemon mafia is up next, and it has a pretty decent surprise in it that I'm sure a lot of you won't see coming. I'll work hard to make it as interesting as possible. It may take a while to write the chapter, but I hope it will be worth the wait. With any luck, it may not take so long. Well, it will at least be out before May. I can promise you that.**

 **See you all soon, and until then, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Thirty Four: The Big Boss Pokemon**


	34. The Big Boss Pokemon

**A/N: Ah...forget this chapter for taking long. I know you guys are eager to see the outcome of this arc so here it is. On the other hand, the next chapter really will take a while to complete as I had to devote a lot of time and effort to finish this chapter. I like the end result. This is the biggest chapter in the arc so far so please enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Big Boss Pokemon

"Well, this scenery is familiar," Misty frowned.

The group was once again walking through the dark forest of the Murkrow Mafia. Despite being through here once before, that didn't make it any less spooky. Wild Pokemon still fled before the group even had a chance to spot them, and they still felt like they were being watched. The difference now was that the group knew what to expect, and they were in these woods intentionally.

Ash was leading the way, and he didn't give Misty's comment a response. He was too focused on what the task at hand was. He was determined to get Macy's Vulpix back as well as all the items that were stolen from him, his friends, and everyone else. Whether that was because his aura was activated or not was anybody's guess. One thing was certain. It was boosting his confidence and in a good way. It wasn't blind like when his dark aura was activated. He truly believed he could take on this Murkrow gang and their Honchkrow leader.

"Let's stop here before we go any further," Brock suggested, and the group came to a halt. "Any place past here is probably extremely dangerous. We're going to need a plan if we plan to get through this."

Pikachu sniffed along the ground to make sure there weren't any suspicious Pokemon nearby. The yellow rodent had made sure to learn the Murkrow's scent when they were robbed. The only things that it smelled were a few Rattata or Nidoran. They wouldn't be causing any problems. Pikachu then gave the signal to the group that there were no disturbances around so it was safe to talk.

"Did you have anything in mind, Brock?" Serena asked.

"Well, even if we find out where their hideout is, they probably have guards on all sides. Those Murkrow are smart, and they're probably armed again, too," Brock muttered, and everyone sighed at how bizarre the words 'Murkrow' and 'armed' sounded in the same sentence.

"How do we even get past a bunch of crazy Murkrow with weapons, anyway?" Misty wondered.

"We'll need a distraction," Ash said immediately.

"You mean…bait?" Serena gasped.

"Well…," Ash trailed.

Now that he thought about it, that was a very unpleasant thought. The last thing Ash wanted was to put one of his friends or his Pokemon in danger. Maybe there was a way to do it that would cause the Murkrow not to attack them. Before he could respond, Misty brought up another point.

"Okay. Let's say we make it past the guards, what next? I'm sure they aren't the only ones who are armed. What will we do about the ones we actually have to confront to get everyone's stuff back?" she questioned.

"My aura," Ash answered.

Everyone exchanged glances with each other. Ash was really putting a lot of confidence in his aura this time. That was risky. So far, Ash's aura has been a hit or a miss. Sometimes, it had helped them out greatly while other times it got them in even more trouble. Ash wasn't a master of his aura yet like Red or Riley were. If his aura went out at any time during their mission, or if he lost control of it, they would be in serious trouble.

Ash noticed their expressions and gave them a serious look. "I understand that you guys are a little nervous. It feels like we're taking a huge gamble, but you can trust me. I have a good feeling that it'll turn out okay this time."

The others knew how confident Ash sounded, and truthfully, it did reassure them a little bit. They were glad he felt like he couldn't fail, but that didn't necessarily guarantee success. Serena cast her eyes away as she couldn't meet Ash's gaze. She was ashamed that she wasn't fully trusting him on this matter. On the other hand, she also knew she shouldn't just blindly trust him like she did in the past. Safety was still a concern, and despite her, Brock, and Misty's willingness to come with Ash, he didn't seem to have fully planned this out. Then again, that's why they were gathered in a circle right now.

Serena then felt Ash's hand touch her arm and he stroked it gently. Serena turned back to Ash, and he had a sincere and reassuring smile on his face. There wasn't a trace of a lie in it at all.

"It'll be okay, Serena. I won't let anything bad happen to us. You can trust me," Ash told her.

Serena nodded her head. How could she disagree with Ash when he sounded so honest right now?

"You're right, Ash. I'm sorry," Serena apologized.

"We all believe you, Ash. We just don't want to leave any bases uncovered," Brock added.

"Right," Ash nodded as an idea came to him. "We don't have to create a big enough distraction to where the Murkrow would think they're in danger. We just need enough to get them to investigate. Then while they're looking, we can slip past them into their hideout."

"This is risky. We're going to have to rely on all of our Pokemon for this one," Brock sighed.

"I know, but we've got to bring these Murkrow and their Honchkrow leader to justice somehow. It's just…hard," Ash relented.

Despite how confident Ash was, this situation really didn't need to be taken lightly. It would be extremely dangerous no matter what they did. Serena, Brock, and Misty each folded their arms as they thought of their own plan. There had to be something they could do that would make that gang drop their guard. Even though it didn't seem like it, they had to at least have one weakness.

Brock then smiled broadly as he felt a light bulb turn on in his head. That was it! The answer was so obvious. That gang really loved shiny objects! That was their weakness! It would be that obsession that would be their undoing.

"Hey, guys. I think I've got it," Brock spoke up, and turned to Gligar. "We're going to need you for this one."

Gligar perked its bat-like ears up and listened attentively. It would do whatever it took to be helpful in this situation.

* * *

Pikachu had been sniffing along the ground for thirty minutes, and the group lagged behind rather tiredly. Ever since they had come up with their plan, they hadn't had any luck in finding the Murkrow mafia's hideout. This was a large area, and they could honestly be anywhere. When Rico stole their Pokemon, Serena had her ESP available to help them find it. Now, they had to rely on Pikachu's nose.

Well, scratch that. There was one other Pokemon they were relying on.

"See anything yet, Gligar?" Ash called up to the fly scorpion Pokemon as it flew overhead.

Gligar shook its head as it continued to scout the area. Though the group had other flying type Pokemon, most of them had already been used against the Murkrow so they were familiar with the group's Pokemon. Gligar was the one of the only ones who hadn't been seen so it was the safest bet so far.

"I have to hand it to those Murkrow. I don't think they are trying especially hard to hide their headquarters, but they picked a good place to put it," Brock muttered.

"No wonder the police haven't found it yet, and I'm sure they have Growlithe and Arcanine on the case, too," Serena said.

"That doesn't make it any less frustrating," Misty sighed.

"Hey, Misty. I really appreciate your support by coming with us, but you don't have to if you don't want to," Ash stated as he turned to look at her.

Misty got a guilty look on her face once Ash said that. He was right. She chose to come along with them because Ash is her friend, and she certainly didn't want him to do this by himself. She wanted him to have as many friends as possible with him if he was that determined to put an end to this Murkrow mafia. She shouldn't be complaining.

"No. I'm sorry, Ash. I really do want to help you. I just wish the hideout was a little easier to find," Misty said apologetically.

"It's okay, Mist. I'm really glad you're here with us. You know we wouldn't be able to do it without you," Ash smiled.

"Heh. Don't go overboard," Misty joked.

"I'm not. Would I lie about this, Serena?" Ash asked the honey-blonde girl and pretended to be offended.

"Hmmhmm! No. He's being honest, Misty," Serena giggled.

"You guys," Misty sighed and rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

At that moment, Pikachu perked its ears up and started to sniff a little more frequently. That immediately drew the group's attention, and they all turned to look towards the yellow rodent.

"Do you smell something, Pikachu?" Ash questioned.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

At the same time, Gligar flew back down from the sky and started to make excited sounds and wave its claws up and down constantly. It was a little hard to decipher because it was winking and sticking its tongue out in its excitement.

"Woah. Calm down there, Gligar. What did you see?" Ash questioned as he motioned with his hands for Gligar to settle down.

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar cried and pointed with its claws to its right.

"Is that where you're picking up something, Pikachu?" Ash asked the yellow rodent to confirm it.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu responded in the positive.

The group then looked and saw that the two Pokemon were looking in a very thick patch of forest that went off the main trail. There appeared to be several thorns, vines and trees in the way. It would be rather tough to traverse through this. Thankfully, Ash had a Pokemon that would be helpful in this sort of situation.

"Chikorita, I choose you!" Ash said as he let the leaf Pokemon out of its pokeball.

Chikorita appeared and snuggled against Ash's leg upon being released. Despite getting over its crush on Ash, that still didn't mean it didn't still like to affectionately rub against his leg. Ash chuckled at Chikorita's antics before he pointed the thick patch in front of him.

"Hey, Chikorita. I need you to walk ahead of us and create a path to help us get through," Ash told it.

"Chika!" Chikorita nodded as it ceased its affection and hurried forward.

Chikorita then used its Razor Leaf and began cutting up several of the bushes and vines so everyone could get through. Once it was through, Chikorita signaled to the group that the path was better now, and it continued forward with the group following it.

As they walked, the woods were becoming even rougher, and Chikorita was starting to become a little tired from using so many Razor Leafs and Vine Whips. Ash saw this and gave an apologetic look to the leaf Pokemon.

"I'm sorry, Chikorita. I know you're working hard," Ash told it.

"If I had my Scyther with me, these woods would be no problem for it," Serena commented.

Chikorita shook its head to show that it was fine. It still retained its stubborn nature and refused to take a break until its task was completed. Ash had to hand it to his Chikorita with how much it had matured since he first captured it. The once jealous and bad-tempered Pokemon had now turned into a hardworking and friendly member of Ash's team, though it was still stubborn at times. That would probably never change.

After another ten minutes of fighting their way through all the brush, the group could see a clearing coming into view, and they halted. Through the thick trees, they could see what looked like a large cave. The group then looked at Pikachu and Gligar, and the two nodded their heads. Pikachu crouched low and sparked its cheeks to indicate that it detected the Murkrow in the vicinity.

"Great job, Chikorita. Return," Ash whispered and returned the leaf Pokemon to let it rest. Now it was time to decide their next course of action.

They crept a little closer and could make out a few Murkrow standing guard. Seriously? This Pokemon mafia really took their security to the next level. That made things a little difficult. The group knew that they couldn't simply battle the Murkrow as that would cause a commotion, and more Murkrow would probably arrive…along with their weapons. That was most undesirable. That meant that they had to set their plan into action a little earlier than they would've liked. If they didn't, they would never make it past the guards.

"What do we do, Brock?" Serena questioned as quietly as she could.

Brock set down his backpack before he opened it and pulled out a pair of shiny spoons. These, of course, had no real value. However, the Murkrow wouldn't be able to tell from far away. By the time they realized they had been tricked, the group would already be long gone. Of course, the group also knew they had to be quick as the second the Murkrow saw the ruse, they would immediately become suspicious and alert the rest.

"We planned to do this in the cave to cause the distraction, but we'll have to do it here now. Gligar's the only one of our flying Pokemon that the Murkrow shouldn't recognize. It's going to show itself to the Murkrow and wave around the spoons to get their attention. It's then going to fly away. If the Murkrow are fooled enough to thinking Gligar has something of value, they'll probably chase it," Brock explained.

"That's when we'll sneak in," Ash realized.

"Exactly," Brock nodded.

"What do we do once we're in, though?" Misty wondered. "It's probably extremely dangerous in there, and we won't have any shiny objects to distract the Murkrow with."

"I know," Brock frowned as he folded his arms. "That's the flaw."

"My aura can get us through," Ash repeated from earlier. "It won't fail on me."

"Are you really willing to take that chance, Ash?" Brock asked seriously.

"I am," Ash nodded. "In the past, my aura has always activated when I needed it the most. It saved us when I went against Giovanni, and it's helped us find Rico. This is the same thing. Something like this is too important for my aura to fail on me. I know this will sound crazy, but after talking with my dad last night, it's almost as if the aura _knows_ it can't fail on me."

The group raised their eyebrows at that. From the way Ash was speaking, he made it sound like his aura had a mind of its own. Pikachu seemed interested while Togepi looked confused. That was impossible as aura wasn't a living thing. Ash noticed the looks they were giving them and hardened his stare to show it was serious.

"It's true. Aura is connected to my soul, and right now, I really want to use it to help everyone and bring the Murkrow and their leader to justice. My aura knows that. It'll stick by me until the end just like it did with Giovanni," Ash stated.

The group exchanged glances with each other. Ash really seemed to believe in himself and his aura so they should, too. Pikachu was the first as it nodded its head and climbed up on his shoulder and gave him a thumbs up. Serena and Togepi gave their approval next followed by Misty, Brock and Gligar. Ash looked around at all of his friends and smiled gratefully.

"We believe you, Ash. We'll trust you," Serena voiced.

"Thanks, everyone," Ash sighed in relief. "I won't let you down."

"Well, we better set our plan into motion," Brock spoke up as he turned to Gligar. "Are you ready?"

"Gli!" Gligar responded eagerly but quickly lowered its voice so the Murkrow wouldn't hear it.

* * *

The Murkrow standing guard lazily swayed their heads as they watched for any intruders. Being on guard duty for today was a huge bummer. They wanted to be inside with all the fancy jewels and pendants and other shiny things their gang had stolen. That wasn't the case, however. The Murkrow realized their job was important, but it wouldn't hurt to have a few shiny things out here to play with while they watched.

That's when they noticed a few sparkles coming from the brush to their left. The Murkrow cocked their heads in interest and squinted to get a closer look. They then noticed a few objects poke out of the bushes which only added to the shininess the Murkrow saw. With that, they took a few steps forward to investigate.

While they were doing that, Gligar was behind the bush and waved the spoons back and forth to draw the Murkrow closer. It didn't want to be seen until the last second when it had the Murkrow's complete attention. Then it would draw them away.

The group watched from behind a few trees. So far it was working. Brock couldn't help feel a sense of pride that the Murkrow found his silverware interesting enough to check out.

"No one makes dishes shine like Brock," Serena whispered as they watched.

The four Murkrow continued to hop forward as they got closer. It was like a free steal right here. These objects were just begging to be taken. They knew they should be watching guard, but this would only take a second. The Murkrow turned around just to make sure no one was there before they turned back to the spoons.

 _"Just a little bit further,"_ Ash thought.

That's when the Murkrow made their move. The hopped forward the rest of the way, and one of them took hold of the spoons with their beaks and began to pull on them. The Murkrow were surprised, however, when they felt resistance. Aggravated by this, they pulled a little harder, and Gligar leaped out of the bushes with a cry. The Murkrow gave a startled yelp and backed away to figure out what was going on.

The fly scorpion Pokemon then landed on the ground and waved the spoons in front of the Gligar in a taunting fashion. At that, the four Murkrow narrowed their eyes and gave Gligar an evil look. So Gligar thought it could mock them and get away with it? They'll show it, and they'll take those objects while they're at it!

The Murkrow gave an angry caw and flew straight at Gligar. However, Gligar was prepared for this, and it immediately turned and flew off in the opposite direction. The Murkrow were so enraged that they forgot about their posts and continued to chase Gligar. They would catch up to it and introduce it to a world of hurt! If they had their knives with them, that Gligar wouldn't stand a chance.

Unfortunately for them, Gligar was clumsy but still fast. It was having no trouble keeping ahead of the Murkrow. It was flying at the perfect speed. Not fast enough to where they would give up the chase but no slow enough to where they would catch up to it. Gligar turned around and stuck out its tongue while winking at the Murkrow. They gave another angry caw and had a new mission in mind: to catch Gligar and take its shiny objects!

Once they were all out of sight, the group quietly slipped out of the bushes and made their way towards the cave entrance. Phase one of their plan went by without incident, but that was the easy part. As the group gazed into the cave, it did look pretty intimidating.

"Okay. Is everyone ready? We have no clue what's going to go on in there," Ash stated.

"I'm ready," Serena said.

"Me, too," Brock nodded.

"Let's do it," Misty finished.

With that, the group walked into the supposed Pokemon mafia hideout. It was a pretty dark, but they opted out of using a flashlight in here as it might grab the Murkrow's attention. They had to be as quiet as possible. If they ran into any trouble, they would have to be quiet about getting out of it, too. That would be toughest part.

From high on top of the cave, however, another Murkrow had seen the whole thing. So these humans actually had the gall to wander so willingly into their hideout? They were either very brave or very foolish. Well, they won't be able to leave here without regretting their decision. It and its comrades would make sure of that. The Murkrow smirked to itself before it took flight and flew towards another opening in their cave. It should alert their boss and ask how it wants them to deal with these trespassers.

* * *

The group was making sure to have absolutely no conversation between them as they wandered through the cave. Even Togepi wasn't making any noise. It stared idly in Serena's arms as they continued to carry it throughout the cave. It didn't really like this place. It was really spooky, and the spike ball Pokemon wanted to voice its protest, but it knew it had to keep silent. It just hoped they would hurry up and find their belongings so they could leave this scary place.

Even after a few minutes of wandering, the group was beginning to get a little unnerved by all of this. They hadn't had any resistance at all so far. If their last encounter with the Murkrow gang was any indication, it was that there were a lot of them. Even though this was a rather large cave, it surely shouldn't be this empty. The group knew they were all thinking the same thing so not even that needed to be said.

Unfortunately, it was getting even darker as the light from the outside of the cave was diminishing. Serena hit her knee against the cave wall because she couldn't see where she was going. The honey blonde-haired girl gasped in pain, but tried to make that the only sound she made. Ash, Misty, and Brock stopped as they couldn't really tell what happened.

Brock had no choice but to set down his backpack and feel around for his flashlight. He shined it towards Serena and motioned for her to sit down which the girl obliged. She set Togepi down next to her and gave an apologetic look to Brock, but the Pokemon breeder waved it off. Nobody could really blame her since their visibility was virtually zero. It looked like they would have to use the flashlight from now one after all.

As Brock began to treat the small scrape on Serena's knee, Togepi was starting to get upset. It was all of these Murkrows' fault that its mommy was hurt right now. If those Pokemon wouldn't have stolen all of their belongings, they could still be happily continuing their journey right now. Pikachu patted Togepi's back for comfort, but Togepi didn't really feel better from it.

Once Brock was done, Serena stood up but wobbled slightly from the pain of the scrape but was otherwise okay. Ash then took the liberty of carrying Togepi to give Serena more comfort. They all then nodded to each other and resumed walking.

As soon as they did, Ash's eyes widened as he felt a presence coming their way fast. Unfortunately, the only light provided now was Brock's flashlight. With nothing to go on, Ash's hand immediately went to his pokeballs, but he grimaced when he felt a stab of pain on that hand. There was rush of wind by Ash's belt, and he gasped as it felt unusually lighter. Serena, Misty, and Brock had similar situations and Brock waved his flashlight all over the cave for the source.

He finally managed to shine his light on the retreating backs of several Murkrow. The worst part was what the Murkrow were carrying in their talons. They had a pokeball in each one! Brock frantically shined the flashlight on each of their belts, and the group realized with growing horror that they just had their pokeballs stolen by the Murkrow! They had taken advantage of the darkness and used their stealth to strike and mock the group. Things just got bad very quickly.

"No!" Brock exclaimed and went to chase after the Murkrow, only trip over a small stalagmite that jutted from the ground. The Pokemon breeder groaned in pain as he tried to get back up. Unfortunately, the Murkrow were already out of sight.

"Oh, no! What do we do now?!" Misty cried.

"Misty, calm down!" Ash warned.

"How can I be calm?! There's no point in being quiet now! The Murkrow apparently know we're here, and we just had our pokeballs stolen!" the redhead exclaimed.

Ash grimaced as he realized she was right. His aura detected the Murkrow too late for him to react in time. If he could see, they would've been able to protect their Pokemon, but his aura only allowed him to sense the presence of others…not see in the dark.

"Nice going, Ash! Now not only did you lose your badges and pendant to those Murkrow, but now we just lost all of our Pokemon! We thought your aura would help us out here! All you did was just lead us to more trouble!" Misty shouted.

"Quit it, Misty! Don't blame Ash!" Serena said angrily.

"He's the cause of this, and he told us to trust him! If we had stayed at the Pokemon Center like we were supposed to and let the police handle this, none of this would've happened!" Misty rebutted.

"You could've stayed at the Pokemon Center! You chose to come with us!" Serena pointed out.

"I thought Ash knew what he was doing! We never should've trusted his aura to help us out! Sure! It may have helped once, but it's done nothing but screw us over ever since then!" Misty seethed.

Ash shut his eyes at Misty's harsh words. He hated to admit it, but everything she said was correct. Badges and pendants, while very valuable to him and Serena, were still just objects. Their Pokemon, however, were entirely different. Their Pokemon were their friends, allies, and partners. They were completely irreplaceable. Not to mention, they were completely defenseless against any assault the Murkrow gang decided to do now if they were in their pokeballs.

"Piiii," Pikachu tried to comfort Ash as it and Togepi were the only ones left

"Misty, I'm sorry," Ash mumbled.

"You're sorry?! That's all you have to say?!" Misty hollered.

"Misty, stop! Not all hope is lost. We can still get our Pokemon back. Yes. The gang knows we're here, but that means we no longer have to stay quiet and worry about wandering around in the dark. It actually can put us at an advantage to an extent," Brock tried to reason.

"What do you think we should do then, Brock? Because I'm not going to listen to any plan Ash has!" Misty replied hotly.

"Well…I…," Brock stuttered as he tried to think of something.

"Misty, we can still get our Pokemon back," Ash tried.

Misty spun towards Ash and gave him a very heated glare. Ash averted her gaze as he couldn't look her in the face. His friends had really placed their trust in him to get in through the cave safely, and now something like this happened. All of their Pokemon had just been stolen, and it was his fault.

"Misty, we're not going to abandon our Pokemon," Brock said.

"Don't you think I know that, Brock?! I would do anything for my Pokemon, and there's no way I'm leaving this cave without them!" Misty asserted before she started taking short breaths because she was about to cry. "That…that…still doesn't mean that…we're probably going to get killed trying. We're completely defenseless now!"

Unable to hold it in anymore, Misty finally began letting the tears fall from her face and started to cry. Ash, meanwhile, had never felt so helpless in his life. He was so confident that his desire to help his friends and everyone else would be enough for his aura to get them through this. However, things like that were just fairy tales. This was all his fault. He rushed into danger again, and the worst part was his friends had paid the price, too. He honestly had no idea what to do.

Togepi looked back and forth between everyone in the group. It hated to see them fight like this. It's mommy and daddy were upset, and it was all those Murkrows' fault. Togepi didn't care that it was weak. It wanted to really show that whole Murkrow gang what's what. They stole all of their friends, and it wanted to get them back!

Togepi took a quick glance among the group and made sure no one was looking. Even Pikachu was trying to look back and forth between the group to figure out who it should comfort. With that, Togepi quietly slipped away in the dark to try to find out where those Murkrow went to.

Brock stepped up to Ash and folded his arms. "Well, Ash? What's it going to be?"

"Huh?" Ash questioned as he looked up at the Pokemon breeder.

"It's crunch time, Ash. We've really encountered a dangerous situation with no good options. We can either leave now and abandon our Pokemon, or we can try to rescue them," Brock stated firmly.

"Come on, Ash. Misty is just upset. She didn't mean all of those things she said," Serena added.

"One of you decide. I can't ever make good decisions for us. I just get us in trouble, aura or not," Ash muttered as his voice shook.

As Ash said that, it felt like his aura was taking a hit. He had so much confidence in it, but it was failing him. No matter what Ash did, something bad always ended up happening with his decision. Why couldn't he have the power to be a good leader? Why couldn't he ever lead properly?

"Ash that's not true," Serena replied. "We all still believe in you and your aura. We know you can figure something out."

"No, I can't. You all were right. You shouldn't have trust me or my aura. I can't do anything right. I'm just not…good enough," Ash shivered as he fell on his hands and knees.

Ash then had a weird feeling in his stomach. It felt like his aura was being drained and getting fed to something else. It was that strange feeling again that sort of felt like aura but a little bit different at the same time. It made him feel powerful, but even then, Ash knew he just didn't have what it took to get them out of this situation. It was over his head.

"Ash, you need to stop with your self-pity. Yes. We lost our Pokemon because of poor planning and blind faith, but with the only two bad options available, we have to choose the lesser of two bad decisions and give it all we've got," Brock asserted.

"How can you guys say that after what's happened?!" Ash cried out, which startled everyone. "Every bad situation we've been in was because of me!"

The strange sensation inside of Ash was growing stronger. It was almost like it was forcing itself on him. His light aura still struggled to stay with him, but it was incredibly difficult. The strange sensation did make Ash feel a lot more powerful than his other aura. If he could tap into it, maybe he would stop being so weak and be able to help his friends.

Not to mention, Ash thought of making those Murkrow pay for stealing his Pokemon, while he was at it. He could make them suffer for it and give to them what they deserve. It wasn't enough to just to stop them. He wanted them to hurt...

Ash then felt two soft hands cup his face. He looked and saw Serena had knelt down and was giving Ash a tender expression. She didn't look angry or upset, just soothing. The growing darkness inside of Ash halted briefly as he listened to what Serena had to say.

"Every bad situation we've gotten out of was because of you," Serena said gently.

Ash's eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

"It's true, Ash. You may think that every bad situation was because of you, but that's not it. We're all still alive today because of you," Serena continued.

"What do you mean?" Ash breathed.

"I mean what I said. Ash…we would've been dead a long time ago if it wasn't for you. You've saved us and others so many times. I still remember when you first saved Misty and me so long ago at Mt. Moon. It wasn't only then. We were saved at the Silph Company because of your bravery. You defeated Giovanni in a six on six Pokemon match at his gym and forced him to flee. You saved the entire world when we were on the Orange Islands, and most recently, you saved me at Tohjo Falls when I went missing. It's all because of you," Serena elaborated.

The darkness inside of Ash seemed to be evaporating at Serena's words. He felt his heart grow warm. She really believed that? As Ash studied her face, he saw no trace of deception in her eyes. Ash then looked towards Brock and saw that he looked the same. Pikachu did, too.

"But…what about now? We lost our Pokemon because of me," Ash protested.

Rather than get upset, Serena instead smiled gently at Ash. She rested her forehead against Ash's forehead. She then spoke a sentence that made Ash forget about all of fears and doubts. Normally, it was Ash who needed to give Serena comfort, but his was the other way around, and truthfully, it felt really good.

"Then just save us like you always have in the past," Serena whispered.

Ash finally lost his hopeless expression and smiled himself. All of the bitterness and feelings of worthlessness and not being good enough were forced back down deep inside of him. It was replaced once again by the warm feeling of his aura. His negativity had disappeared and he felt and believed like he could get them out of any situation, including getting their Pokemon back from a Murkrow mafia and their leader.

Still, there was one more thing.

"What about Misty?" Ash questioned as he looked towards the redhead.

Misty was no longer crying, but her face was still tear-stained. The girl blushed and turned away from Ash. Despite the hostile gesture, her words seemed to express how she really felt at the moment.

"I don't hate you, Ash, and of course I'll still talk to you. Even though I knew it was dangerous and I kept complaining, why do you think I still came with you?" Misty asked.

"Why?" Ash wondered, as he wanted to know, too.

"It's because you're my friend, and I care about you," Misty said quietly. "Even though I believe that you make dumb mistakes, what Serena said was true. You lead us out of every bad situation."

"But earlier…," Ash began, but Misty stopped him.

"I'm upset, Ash, and you're the easiest person to lash out at. You always work so hard to keep us together, and I'm always powerless to stop anything. You and Serena have your powers, but I have nothing. I feel as though if I had powers like you or Serena, I could make a difference, too, but I don't. That's why I tend to blame you for every bad thing that happens," Misty sighed.

"But you're still a vital member of our team, Misty" Brock stated.

"And so are you, Ash," Serena said before she finished. "Will you pull out another one of your 'Ash miracles' for us?"

Ash looked down so his friends couldn't see the tears coming from his eyes. They all really believed in him, even Misty. They believed he had what it took to get them out of any situation. He was good enough to protect them. Yes. He made a mistake, but he was just going to make it right again! He was going to keep trying until this Pokemon mafia was brought to justice. He was never going to give up!

"Thank you, Serena. Thank you, everyone," Ash muttered before he felt himself embraced by Serena. Any presence from his dark aura was now completely gone.

Ash felt himself hugged by Pikachu next, and then Brock, and finally Misty. Here were all of his friends. They were all here to support him. They were in a very dangerous situation, but there was no way they were going to abandon their Pokemon. It was now or never. They were going to get them back. The moment was cut short, however, when they all noticed something.

"Wait. Where's Togepi?" Ash questioned.

Everyone let go of Ash and looked around. Brock shined his flashlight in all directions, but he didn't see it anywhere. Ash quickly used his aura to find out if he could sense Togepi, but it wasn't anywhere around them! It was with growing dread that the group realized that Togepi had wandered off. Why would it do that, though? It knew better now!

"Togepi! Togepi!" Serena called, but got no response.

It was confusing. Before, they could understand Togepi for wandering off because it saw something interesting or it wanted to explore. It didn't know that danger it was in. That was no longer the case, however. Togepi knew to stay with them. The only thing they could think of is that Togepi had a reason if it purposely just wandered away from them when no one was looking.

"Oh no! Togepi's in this dangerous cave by itself!" Serena gasped.

"It's okay, Serena. It couldn't have gotten far!" Ash reassured again. "We're going to find Togepi and the rest of our Pokemon!"

"Are we going to do this, guys?" Brock asked.

"We are. We're going to the heart of the cave. No more setbacks or self-pity. We're getting everything back and bringing those Murkrow and their leader to justice no matter what!" Ash assured.

Filled with a new sense of determination, the group took off through the cave.

* * *

Togepi had a look of resolve on its face as it waddled through the cave. It didn't know why, but it just felt like it knew where it needed to go. One would call it intuition or instinct. Togepi didn't know. It just knew it wanted to find those mean Pokemon and everything back so its friends and mommy and daddy would be happy again.

Togepi raised its small eyebrows in curiosity. It looked like the cave was starting to expand out into a larger area. This must be the way to go. Togepi kept going forward and saw it opened up into a very large room. There was a small bit of light coming in from the top of the cave. That must be their entrance. The spike ball Pokemon was a little uneasy, but it pressed on. It knew it was being watched, and the sounds it heard next confirmed it.

A lot of cawing filled the room as the Murkrow showed themselves through the light. Now who exactly was foolish enough to come after them like this? Whoever did so apparently had a death wish. They all stared down at their intruder, and once they saw what it was, they appeared to be confused. It was a…Togepi of all things?

Even so, a few of the Murkrow flew down from their perches and landed right in front of Togepi. They circled the spike ball Pokemon as if they were trying to size it up. From what they could see, there was nothing at all scary about this Pokemon.

"Krow! Murkrow!" one of them said.

Togepi looked around, and its eyes lit up when it saw a pile of different things scattered around the room. It all appeared to gather into one huge pile. From how everything in it sparkled, that must be where the Murkrow placed all the items they stole. There was also something next to the pile that was still in the shadows, but it wasn't moving so Togepi ignored it for now. Instead, it pointed to the pile of stolen items the Murkrow had acquired.

"Toge! Toge!" it cried.

The Murkrow in front of Togepi looked back at what Togepi was pointing to and turned back. This pipsqueak was actually telling them to return their stolen treasures? Ha! That wasn't likely! This Pokemon was trying to act all big and bad. They weren't the least bit intimidated.

Every Murkrow in the room began to caw in laughter at Togepi for its brave act. So it thought it could get back these things on its own? That was too funny! As if to emphasize this, a couple of the Murkrow flew back to their treasure hoard and sifted through the items for a bit before they found the ones they wanted. They recognized this Pokemon now and knew the perfect things to set it off.

The two Murkrow then flew back over to Togepi and dangled the two things in front of it. Togepi recognized those two items immediately. They were the symbol of its mommy and daddy's love for each other. It was none other than the two golden heart-shaped pendants with a platinum chain. Togepi made a grab for the pendants with its stubby arms, but the Murkrow immediately flew just out of Togepi's reach which caused it to miss.

The Murkrow gang began to laugh again at Togepi's failed attempt. They then lowered the pendants again above Togepi, and it reached again. Just like last time, the Murkrow pulled up at the last second, and Togepi missed the pendant by inches which caused the Murkrow gang to laugh again. Togepi frowned that it was being mocked like this. If it knew any useful moves, it would show them what's what! Despite this, it was still determined to get back its mommy and daddy's pendants!

Togepi then heard a caw which sounded a little different come from the shadows. It was loud and commanding. The spike ball Pokemon didn't quite know what it was, but it didn't sound the least bit friendly. It wasn't mocking or cawing in amusement like the Murkrow were. It sounded dark and sinister.

The Murkrow immediately halted their laughter, and their looks grew serious. Apparently, their master was telling them to quit goofing off and deal with the intruder immediately. About two other Murkrow flew from their perches and circled Togepi to intimidate it. Togepi continued to look on with defiance as it watched the Murkrow.

The corrupt Pokemon then gave what sounded like a battle cry before they dive-bombed towards Togepi. The young Pokemon gasped as it saw the speed they were coming at. Despite this, it still held firm. Togepi didn't care that it was weak. It would endure as many beatings as it took to get their friends and pendants back! Even so, it shut its eyes to brace itself for the onslaught of pain that was coming.

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Togepi opened its eyes and saw a powerful bolt of lightning shoot over it. The Thunderbolt struck the two Murkrow dead on, and they cawed in pain before the attack ceased. They then fell to the ground and twitched a few times before they went limp, knocked out.

A few outraged cries began to sound out from the room from the sudden attack, and they soon got their answer. Ash, Serena, Brock, Misty, and Pikachu came running into the room. Pikachu sparked its cheeks and growled at all of the Murkrow to let them know there were plenty more Thunderbolts where that one came from.

The group looked and immediately spotted Togepi staring in bewilderment at them before it. Serena and Ash ran forward, and Serena immediately picked it up and gave it a hug.

"Oh, Togepi! You had us so worried! Don't wander off in such a dangerous place such as this! Why would you do that?!" Serena cried.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi replied and pointed to the two items behind it that were dangling from the talons of the two Murkrow who had taunted it earlier.

The group looked, and they gasped when the saw the items. The two Murkrow looked down at what they were holding and cawed in aggravation when they saw their blunder. Great. Now these punks knew where their pendants were. Well, it didn't matter as long as they dealt with them right now.

"Uh…guys…we have more company than that," Brock said nervously as he looked around.

The rest of them looked, and sure enough, there were many, many Murkrow staring down at the them menacingly. The Murkrow then reached to the side and picked up their trump cards. Ash drew in a sharp intake of breath when he saw they now had their weapons. Just like last time, they now had a bunch of knives and guns pointed in their direction, and the Murkrow clearly weren't afraid to use them.

A mighty squawk sounded throughout the room again, and the group jumped in alarm. Their heads then jerked to the side when they saw movement by the pile of belongings. There was a huge flap of wings as the being hovered out of the shadows and into view. It continued moving forward until it was right in front of the group. It then planted its talons on the ground and looked at the group in contempt.

The group shrank back at the intimidating Pokemon. Just as they saw in the pokedex, it was a dark avian-like Pokemon that resembled someone in formal attire. It was said to be ruthless and dubbed the 'Caller of night". It was none other than the Pokemon mafia's leader, the infamous Honchkrow, and just like Macy said, it was a lot bigger than the average Honchkrow. It was almost as big as Ash and Serena!

"So…this i-is…their leader," Misty stuttered.

"Kroooooow," the Honchkrow uttered lowly and narrowed it eyes.

Pikachu jumped in front of the group and sparked its cheeks at Honchkrow. Togepi struggled to get out Serena's arms so it could be protective, too, but Serena held firm. Despite Pikachu's threatening gesture, the Honchkrow didn't appear worried at all. It just looked in disdain at Pikachu before its eyes shifted back to the humans in front of it.

Ash knew that if he was going to have any chance against this mafia gang, they were going to need to get their Pokemon back. Ash then used his aura senses to scan the room as he tried to find them. He had to find a way to stall for time.

"You're the one behind all of the attacks, aren't you?" Ash stated.

"Kroooow," the Honchkrow nodded.

"We want the things back you stole, including our Pokemon," Ash asserted, but he already knew the answer.

"Krow," the Honchkrow uttered lowly before it used one of its large wings to point to the exit. It was basically telling them to leave now or else.

Ash continued to scan the area, and he managed pick up on his own Pokemon's essence. Not just his, but Serena, Brock, and Misty's Pokemon, too. Ash masked his triumph by keeping his expression neutral. He didn't want this gang to think something was up.

"You don't have any shame for what you do at all," Ash said in disgust. "Pokemon and humans like you are just low. You don't care about anyone but yourself. You just want what you when you want, and you don't care who your hurt or how you get it."

Once more, the Honchkrow brushed off Ash's words and pointed to the exit. It cared nothing for what this human had to say. It lived for beautiful objects and to acquire power and nothing else, just like its trainer before it. The big boss Pokemon was starting to lose its patience, and when it did, these humans would be dead. They better go while they had a chance. To emphasize this, the Honchkrow gave a chilling caw up towards the ceiling, and all the Murkrow around them pointed their weapons at the group.

Brock, Misty, and Serena couldn't help but draw in a deep breath at that. They wanted to leave, but there was no way they were leaving here without at least their Pokemon. They really hoped Ash knew what he was doing. Meanwhile, Ash was trying his best to concentrate on the pokeballs in the room. It was like he was trying to channel some sort of message to him with his aura.

 _"Come on, guys. I know you can hear me,"_ Ash thought before he turned up to the many Murkrow surrounding them.

"Why do you take from this Honchkrow? What's in it for you?" Ash questioned.

All the Murkrow in the room widened their eyes at this. Even Honchkrow did. What the heck was this boy talking about? They did it for power! They did it to be recognized! The Murkrow began a bunch of angry caws at the group, but Ash didn't appear fazed. He had to keep this up.

"So you do it for power and for the shiny objects?" Ash deduced. "Tell me, does any of this stuff go to you, or just your boss?"

The Murkrow were driven to silence at that. They all exchanged glances with each other as if they were all asking one another the same question. Did they ever get a share of the profit? The Murkrow then appeared to have a thoughtful look on their face. This kid did have a point. They never got to revel in any of the items they stole! Everything was for their boss! They always got nothing!

The Honckrow leader narrowed its eyes as it saw the confused expression on the Murkrow. This human had spoken long enough! It had given them a chance to leave, but that moment has passed. They were going to die here today. Honchkrow then have a loud and commanding caw for the Murkrow to kill the humans, but it was surprised when the Murkrow hesitated.

Infuriated by this, the Honckrow powered up and fired a powerful Dark Pulse into the large army of Murkrow. The Murkrow in the path gave a surprised yelp and flew out of the way just in time. The Dark Pulse hit the back wall of the cave which caused the room to shake. The Murkrow then sweat dropped that their boss had just tried to attack them like that. They then resumed to ready their weapons, but Ash's voice made them stop.

"I get it. This Honchkrow controls you through fear," Ash sighed. "You're worried that if you disobey the Honchkrow, it would attack and possibly kill you. Am I close?"

"Kroooooooow!" the Honchkrow cried angrily at Ash and fired a Dark Pulse at Ash this time.

Pikachu jumped in front of Ash and fired off a Thunderbolt to counter it, but the large Honchkrow's Dark Pulse was too powerful. It overtook Pikachu's Thunderbolt, and the yellow rodent was knocked backwards, but thankfully, Ash was there to catch it.

"Pikachu! Are you okay?!" Ash asked with worry.

"Chuuu," Pikachu nodded tiredly. That was a seriously powerful Dark Pulse, though.

Togepi frowned once more. It was starting to dislike this Honchkrow less and less. Togepi knew it was always happy and bit of a crybaby, but nobody would threaten its family like that. The spike ball Pokemon had enough. This mafia group had caused nothing but trouble for them, and Togepi wanted to stop them! It then began to wave its arms back and forth. It knew this was a gamble, but it was counting on something big to happen.

"Togepi? What are you doing?" Serena asked, but her attention was drawn away from it as the Honchkrow gave another angry cry.

The big boss Pokemon flew up to the Murkrow above it and began cawing angrily at all of them. The Murkrow began to cower in fear now that their leader was threatening them like this. Far from the sinister Murkrow the group had met in the forest, they really did look scared at the moment. It almost made the group pity the Murkrow.

"You don't have to listen to Honchkrow!" Ash hollered to them, which caused the Murkrow to look at him again. "Go and live your lives the way you want! Is a life of crime and harming others really what you want, or are you doing it because you're afraid of what Honchkrow will do to you?!"

At that moment, the group's Pokemon then flew back to their original owners and were covered in a blue light. The Honchkrow and the Murkrow gave a surprised yelp at this as the pokeballs soared underneath them. Ash smiled broadly as Misty, Brock, and Serena gasped in astonishment. As the pokeballs were returned to his belt, Ash looked toward them and gave them a message through his aura. There was also an unfamiliar one that landed in his hand which probably contained Macy's Vulpix.

 _"Thanks, guys. I knew you could hear me,"_ Ash thought, to which the pokeballs wiggled to let Ash know he was right.

"Oh my goodness! My pokemon! They're all here!" Misty cried in delight as she hugged all of her pokeballs. "When I let them out, I'm going to kiss them all, even Psyduck and Shellder!"

"Hey, everyone. I hope you all can forgive me for letting you get away from me like that," Brock said as he smiled gently at his Pokemon.

"You're all here. We have Ash to thank. I'm so glad that you all appear unharmed," Serena sighed in relief once she saw all of her pokeballs looked undamaged.

The Honchkrow couldn't have been more dumbfounded by this. With its bulging eyes and beak dropped open, it almost looked comical. Still, even if those brats did have their Pokemon back, it didn't matter, they were still outnumbered! It was time to end this once and for all. The Honchkrow once more turned back to the Murkrow and ordered them to kill.

The Murkrow appeared conflicted. They looked back and forth between their leader and Ash. He was certainly an odd fellow. At first, they believed for him and his group to just be another one of their victims. He was more than that, however. He was actually brave enough to come face them head on despite knowing the dangers and that he could get killed easily by them. He was also the first person out of any of them to try to stand up to their leader. They had always been too cowardly to do it, but here he was actually having the gall to shout at it!

"What's it going to be, Murkrow?" Ash asked seriously as he gave them all a defiant look. "If you're going to kill us, then kill us, but only do it if that's what you really want. Don't let Honchkrow make you do it."

The Murkrow kept looking back between the evil, threatening look of Honchkrow and Ash's gentle, but serious eyes. Who should they listen to? If they obeyed their boss, this human and his friends would be killed. There would be no more voice of reason, and they would continue to follow their boss's orders just as they always had. They would continue to steal and harm other Pokemon and people, and they would do it all for the glory of themselves…no…not them. Their boss. They never got to keep any of the items. It was all for Honchkrow.

On the other hand, if they listened to this boy, they would get to follow their own lead. They could do what they wanted to do. They could be mischievous but not dangerous to any Pokemon or trainer. They could live out their days doing what they wanted. When they first joined the gang, Honchkrow had them all believe that they would receive glory along with it, and it taught them how to use weapons like knives and guns.

None of that was true. The only one receiving glory and reaping the benefits of _their_ hard work…was Honchkrow. It had lied to them all along. No more. Based on the options the Murkrow were faced with, the choice was clear.

One of the Murkrow tossed the knife out of its mouth, but not towards the group. It just threw it carelessly from its beak and let it clang on the cave floor. It then turned around and flew to the exit of the cave to live its own life. It didn't feel like being a lackey and getting nothing for it anymore.

Honchkrow, obviously, was not pleased and gave an enraged caw and began shouting threats at it. The Murkrow didn't care. It was done with this gang. It soon flew out of the opening at the top and out of sight.

Feeling more confident, several of the other Murkrow began to toss aside their weapons, too. After them, more did! Several more began to fly away to the exit above them. The Honchkrow looked around as its ire turned to fear as it saw all of its underlings were abandoning it. The Honchkrow began to caw angrily at all of them, but the Murkrow ignored it. They outnumbered that Honchkrow and weren't going to listen anymore.

"I-I don't believe it," Serena muttered in awe as the whole group watched the Murkrow retreating. Meanwhile, Togepi was still waving its arms. It wanted to bide as much time as possible to get the best results.

Ash himself was amazed. He couldn't believe the Murkrow had actually listened to him. He was really only doing that to stall for time, but his reasoning actually worked. His words were able to get through to the Murkrow that this wasn't what they wanted. It made sense, too. He doubted that such a large group of Pokemon actually enjoyed harming and terrorizing everyone if given the choice.

Finally, the last of the Murkrow gang tossed aside their weapons and flew to the exit. The Honchkrow's angry caws became desperate as it tried to call them back. This couldn't be happening! They were actually leaving it! Honchkrow began shouting out bargains to them such as sharing in the goodies from now on, but none of the Murkrow listened. It wasn't long before the last one left, and the Honchkrow was all alone.

The Honchkrow glanced its head around wildly as it tried to find at least someone who had stayed here with it. That wasn't the case, however. Not a single Murkrow was left. The Honchkrow leader then turned back to the group where it saw they were smiling.

"You're washed up, Honchkrow," Ash said. "Those Murkrow won't stay with you because you don't care about them. You're outnumbered. Now return the items you stole!"

Honchkrow gave a cry of rage at that. So this kid thought it was over, did he? Well, it was going to prove him wrong! This wasn't even over by a long shot! Before anyone could blink, Honchkrow revealed a knife that it was hiding under its wing and threw it straight at Ash.

"Ash, no!" Serena screamed.

Ash tried to move out of the way, but he didn't quite make it. He screamed in pain as the blade of the knife embedded itself into his leg, and the intense pain caused him to fall to the ground. As his friends went to help him and pull the knife out, Honchkrow swooped down and picked up a gun that one of the Murkrow had dropped. It then pointed it straight at the group in preparation to shoot them.

Ash gasped while Serena, Brock, and Misty tried to pull him and themselves out of the way. Honchkrow was just about pull the trigger with its wing when Togepi finally stopped waving its arms. It was time!

An explosion erupted from underneath the Honchkrow which sent it soaring back. It flipped through the air a few times before it crashed into the back wall and dropped the gun. After that, another explosion filled the room, and this time, it caused the room to quake.

The group got panicked looks on their faces as rocks began to fall from the ceiling. The explosion was causing the cave around them to collapse! It was at that moment that the group finally pulled the knife out of Ash's leg and helped him to his feet.

"Ash, are you okay?!" Serena cried.

"I'm fine. It's just a flesh wound," Ash panted.

"We gotta get out of here!" Misty cried.

Ash was about to follow, but he spotted something in the middle of the room. His eyes then widened when he remembered that was where the Murkrow had dropped his and Serena's pendants. Ash was crazy for doing this, he knew. Nonetheless, he limped as quickly as he could off into the room to retrieve the pendants.

"Ash! What are you doing?!" Serena cried.

Ash made it over to the two pendants and scooped them up. He then moved out of the way just as a large rock came crashing down a few seconds later where the pendants were. Ash didn't even breathe a sigh of relief before his friends ran into the room with him. Brock got on one side of Ash while Serena got on the other for support. They, Misty, Pikachu, and Togepi then began to hurry out of the cave as quickly as they could.

The cave continued to quake as they ran. They weren't quite sure if it was about to collapse or not. Either way, it was still dangerous to stay. As they ran, Ash began to think about his badges that were still in the room. He began to think all the things that were stolen that were still in there. If this cave collapsed, they would most likely be destroyed. There had to be something he could do! That's when it hit him. People were counting on him to retrieve their items, and he wasn't about to let them down!

Ash stopped once more, and turned to face where the cave was collapsing around them. He threw Serena and Brock's hands off of him as he limped forward. His friends turned back around and wondered what on Earth he was doing. Ash then threw his hands out and began to concentrate as hard as he could. He was going to use his aura to stop the cave from collapsing. Serena, Brock, Misty, and Misty must've had a pretty good idea what he was attempting to do as they began to shout at him.

"Don't try it, Ash! It's too risky!" Brock called.

"I'm sure everyone will understand!" Misty added.

Ash didn't listen, however. He began to trying to focus his aura all around him on the surrounding cave. He then finally began to glow blue. This would be the biggest thing he attempted yet with his aura. This was just too important for it to fail now. He was using it for good and to save his friends! The quaking of the cave was actually beginning to slow, but that still didn't stop the raven-haired boy from getting tired.

Serena watched with wonder as Ash was doing his best to stop the cave. She knew as well as anyone that this was dangerous as Ash didn't know how to properly focus his aura yet. As Serena saw that Ash almost seemed to be in pain, she knew what she had to do. If Ash was crazy enough to try this, she was crazy enough to be right there with him!

Serena ran forward and hugged Ash from behind for support. Pikachu and Togepi soon joined him, and grabbed each one of his legs. It was at this moment Ash began to scream from how much this was beginning to drain him.

"Don't give up, Ash! You can do it!" Serena encouraged.

"Pika!" Pikachu added.

"Toge! Toge!" Togepi shouted.

Ash bit back his screaming and settled on just gritting his teeth. He was sweating profusely as the cave slowed even more. He just had to hold out just a little more. Even so, he was getting so tired. Ash then felt Brock and Misty grab onto him for support, also. They had made their decision. They could've kept running, but they chose to stay behind and help him. The fact that they believed in Ash now was enough to keep him enduring it for just a little longer.

"Come on, Ash! If you're crazy enough to do this, you can't fail!" Misty shouted.

"We've got you, Ash! We'll be with you until it's done!" Brock yelled.

It felt like all the energy was being sucked out of him. Ash didn't know how much longer he could last. Even if he did keep going, he would probably faint. In fact, Ash could now even start to feel a little lightheaded. He fought the urge to stop and forced himself to continue concentrating. Just a little bit more.

"We're here for you, Ash!" everyone shouted.

Ash gave one final yell as the cave finally quit shaking. The rocks stopped falling, and there was nothing but the sound of slight creaking from the rocks as they settled back into place. Everyone stood in silence as they took in what just happened. They couldn't believe it. Ash really did it. Due to his exhaustion and the pain from the wound in his leg. Ash fell forward towards the ground, but his friends caught him in time.

"Ash, you did it!" Brock exclaimed.

"Your aura actually came through for us!" Misty smiled.

Ash gave a tired smile before his eyes widened when he felt Serena's lips against his cheek. She held her position for just a few more moments before she pulled back. Ash blushed from Serena's kiss and gave a nervous chuckle.

"You're my hero, Ash," Serena said sweetly, and Ash blushed even harder.

"Eheheheheheh," Ash chuckled. He always loved it when Serena kissed him. It still made him nervous.

"I think everyone's things should still be okay, too. I'm sure the police will be able to recover everything once they dig through the cave, even your badges," Brock commented to Ash.

"That's good," Ash panted.

"That reminds me about the cave collapse," Serena remembered before she turned to Togepi. "That was you. Wasn't it, Togepi?"

"Toge!" Togepi nodded.

"Well, even though you almost caused the cave to collapse, we still have you to thank for saving Ash. If you didn't trigger that Explosion with Metronome in time, Ash might…," Serena trailed.

"Toge!" Togepi smiled and waved its stubby arms up and down.

"That really was amazing, Togepi," Ash said while taking deep breaths since he was still tired. "It looks like you can take care of yourself now in a battle if you could beat a mafia leader."

Togepi's eyes lit up at that, and it began jumping up and down in excitement. Despite them holding on to Ash, Togepi couldn't resist leaping at its mommy and daddy. Serena gave a surprised yelp as she used her one free arms to catch Togepi. Ash, Serena, and Pikachu then gave Togepi a big hug in congratulations. They were saved from Honchkrow because of it.

"You guys have trained Togepi well," Brock said in approval. "The fact that Togepi went to such lengths to help you today, it was something I wouldn't expect before. It even wandered off into the cave by itself to try and stop the Murkrow and get your things back."

"It's true. You've become really brave, Togepi. Ash and I are proud of you," Serena told it.

"Heh. I don't think it's happiness could get any better," Brock smiled.

"Maximum happiness?" Ash echoed as a thought came to him about Togepi. "Does that mean…,"

The pile of rocks next the group exploded which snapped Ash out of his thought. An earsplitting screech of rage followed it. The group then cried out in surprise when they saw the rogue Honchkrow speeding towards them like a bullet. It had its beak open wide and its talons outstretched. It was heading straight for Ash with the intent to snap his neck in one fell swoop.

Pikachu knew it had to be quick if it was going to save Ash's life. It went to leap into the air to deliver a massive Thunderbolt, but it was surprised when it didn't have to. Another Pokemon beat it to the punch.

It was amazing enough that Togepi had leaped out of Serena's arms to get protectively in front of Ash. That didn't even come close to their shock when they saw what happened next. Togepi began glowing a shining white.

The light was so bright that it blinded Honckrow temporarily, and it had to stop and turn its head away. The group continued to stare in amazement as Togepi sprouted wings and it's neck grew. When it was finally done, Togepi had evolved into Togetic!

"Oh, my goodness…," Serena muttered in awe.

Togetic then turned and glared at the evil Honchkrow. The big boss Pokemon was still trying to adjust its eyes from the sudden onslaught of brightness. Being in a cave most of the time, it was incredibly sensitive to it. That proved unfortunate for Honchkrow as by time it could clearly see again, Togetic had whipped up a pink and sparkling wind before it hurled it towards Honchkrow.

"I think Togetic learned Fairy Wind!" Ash smiled.

The wind rushed into Honchkrow and it cried out in pain from the super effective attack. Pikachu then decided it was a good time to join in, and it gave Honchkrow the biggest Thunderbolt it could muster. The big boss Pokemon cawed and screeched in pain even more from the double whammy of super effective attacks.

Togetic then gave an extra hard push of its Fairy Wind, and it blew Honchkrow to the side. It kept going until it smashed Honchkrow's face right into the cave wall where it then fell to the ground. Honchkrow then struggled to get to its feet. There was no way it was going to fall. It was meant for so much better things. It was meant to live a life of luxury, and it didn't care who got in its way! Honchkrow turned to glare at the group, but it gave surprised caw when it saw everyone had their Pokemon out of their pokeballs, and they all had their eyes narrowed.

"Take a look around you, Honchkrow. All of our Pokemon want a piece of you," Ash said. "How does it feel to be outnumbered for a change?"

Honchkrow shook with rage at having been humiliated like this. If it was going to go down, it was going to make sure to take this group with it or die trying. Honchkrow took a deep breath and used Dark Pulse at Ash, but his Pokemon quickly moved him out of the way, and it struck the cave ceiling instead which caused a large rock almost as big as Ash and Serena to fall.

Charla flew up and skillfully caught the rock before it hurled it towards Honckkrow with all its might. Togetic then used Fairy Wind to break up the rock, and before Honchkrow knew what it hit, it was pelted by several shards of sharp rocks. Unable to stay awake in more, the Honchkrow gave one last defiant screech before it fell on the ground, fainted. The group waited, but Honchkrow never got up.

The group breathed a sigh of relief. They exchanged glances before they each took turns hugging their Pokemon. As she said, Misty even kissed Psyduck and Shellder, which caused the two Pokemon to blush and get goofy expressions on their faces. With the Honchkrow knocked out, and the Murkrow mafia disbanded, it was finally over.

"I-I can't believe it. We…actually…won," Ash panted.

"And it was all thanks to you, Ash. We never would've made it without your aura and your ability to reach the Murkrow. I told you that you could do it," Serena smiled.

"Well…," Ash started.

"It's true, Ash. Your aura's amazing," Misty added.

"Oh. Wow. Thanks, Misty," Ash said in surprise.

"Hey! Don't act like you didn't expect me to say it!" Misty growled.

"Ahahahahaha! I'm just kidding. Thanks, Misty," Ash laughed.

"Come on, hero," Brock said as he put his arm around Ash. "Let's get you back to the Pokemon Center so we can take care of your leg and alert the police."

"Well, we can't forget Togetic as the hero, either," Ash reminded as he turned to the happiness Pokemon.

"Toge!" Togetic chirped from the air.

Serena grabbed Togetic by the hands and pulled it into her stomach for a hug. She even had tears in her eyes because she was so happy for it. She couldn't believe how quickly Togetic was growing up. Now that it was Togetic, it was no longer considered a baby by any means. It was free to battle and compete in showcases whenever it wished. It was almost bittersweet.

"Oh, Togetic. Ash and I love you so much. We're so proud of you," Serena sniffed.

"It shouldn't be that much of a surprise that Togetic evolved. You and Ash have done a great job raising it. Togetic's now ready to not be a baby anymore," Brock said.

"Pika!" Pikachu called up to its little brother.

Togetic leaped out of Serena's arms before it swooped down to Pikachu. The yellow rodent and Togetic then gave a high five to each other. They really showed that Honchkrow who was boss…well…mainly Togetic. It was the brave hero of today, too.

The group then heard sirens from outside the cave and exchanged glances with each other. The police had finally arrived and apparently found the cave. They had to admit, they thought the police found the mafia hideout a lost faster than they thought they would.

As Officer Jenny came running into the cave, the group could see why. Gligar was taking the lead! It must have alerted the police after it drew the Murkrow guards away and led the police to where the hideout was!

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar called out as it winked and stuck its tongue out.

"Way to go, Gligar!" Ash shouted and gave it a thumbs up, to which Gligar returned. Well, it was more like a claw up.

* * *

"My Vulpix!" Macy exclaimed as she took Vulpix's pokeball from Ash's hand

Macy then hastily opened her pokeball, and sure enough, Vulpix appeared. The girl squealed in delight, and Vulpix snuggled against Macy's leg while the girl bent down to hug it. The group smiled in happiness for Macy that she had her Vulpix returned to her and that it was safe. That was until Macy turned to Ash again and gave him the same googly-eyed expression as before.

"Oh, Ash! You're totally the man I thought you were! You're the sweetest and most amazing person in the whole world!" she cried.

"Uhhh…," Ash stuttered and sweat dropped. He didn't know how to respond to that.

He especially didn't know how to respond when Macy hurried forward and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. Ash froze and blushed in embarrassment. He then turned to the others. Brock and Misty looked rather nervous while Serena looked as if she were made of stone. The honey blonde girl was giving Macy such a hard stare that Ash thought she would burn a hole through her.

"Umm…thanks," Ash muttered as he squirmed out of Macy's surprising tight grip, especially since she had one broken arm and a cast around said arm.

"Dude, Ash! That was cool!" Vincent exclaimed. "Wait until Jimmy and Marina here about this! I have my own story to share about you now!"

"Heh. Thanks, Vincent," Ash said. He unwittingly just garnered two huge fans in Vincent and Macy.

Officer Jenny then approached the group from outside the Pokemon Center and saluted them. Attached to her belt was a pokeball that now contained the evil Honchkrow leader.

"We don't know whether to thank you or call you crazy, but our police force salutes you and your friends for closing this case," Officer Jenny said.

"So what's going to happen to Honchkrow?" Brock asked this time.

"Well, we don't know yet," Officer Jenny sighed. "We'll have to take it with us back to the police station in Ecruteak City to decide."

"I still don't see how a Pokemon could just be evil like that," Ash commented with a shake of his head.

"As much as it hurts to say, there are bad Pokemon just like there are bad people," Officer Jenny replied. "This Honchkrow may not be the last one you see."

"I see," Ash muttered before Gligar flew into him.

The two struggled for a moment before they managed to stand up. Ash grimaced a little from the wound in his leg but still was able to stand. He then shook his head before he smiled at Gligar.

"Well, Gligar! It's looks like you were a hero again," Ash told it.

"Gli! Gli!" Gligar replied in excitement.

"I would really love to have a Pokemon like you on my team, but I also know that you still have a lot of Pokemon and trainers out there who need your help. The world needs more Pokemon like you," Ash said and held out his hand.

Gligar smiled broadly and took Ash's hand with its claw, and the two shook.

"Gli," Gligar said as it rubbed its claw on the back of its head and blushed from the praise.

"We sure like having you around, Gligar!" Brock added.

"You're such a cutie," Misty giggled.

"We'll miss you," Serena said as she knelt down and gave Gligar a hug.

"Don't you kids worry about the rest of the stolen items. Our police force will make sure they are returned to their original owners," Officer Jenny reassured.

"Yep! I was able to get my four badges back, too!" Ash smiled as he opened his sleeveless jacket to see his badges pinned proudly again.

"Don't forget our pendants, Ash," Serena reminded.

"Of course not. They were the best things recovered," Ash agreed.

"What pendants?" Macy asked.

"They're the pendants Ash and I share. We're a couple, and these pendants show how much we care for each other and how we aren't afraid to show others," Serena answered with a bit of satisfaction.

"Does…does that mean?" Macy asked as her eyes began to water.

"Yeah. I'm afraid Serena's already my girlfriend, Macy. I'm a one woman kind of guy," Ash said apologetically.

He then grimaced in surprise when Macy began to cry. It was a like a waterfall of tears were springing from her eyes. Vincent jumped out of the way as he was closest to Macy at the moment. Ash then started wave his hands in front of his face as he tried to soothe the hysterical girl.

"Wait, Macy! It's okay! I mean…yeah…I'm taken, but you seem like a nice girl, too! I bet any guy would be lucky to have you!" Ash said frantically.

Macy abruptly quit crying and gave Ash the same star struck expression. "You mean I have a chance with you, Ash?"

"What? No! I didn't mean…," Ash started, but he was cut off when Macy gave him another huge hug.

"I'm so happy to hear you say that, Ash! Just you wait! I'll prove I'm the best girl for you instead of that blondie!" Macy cooed.

"Blondie!? Now you listen here, Miss Pigtails!" Serena shouted as her face turned red, and she began stomping towards Macy, but Brock held her back.

"Let me go, Brock! I need to teach her a lesson for hitting on my Ash!" Serena yelled.

"Serena, we're in public. Try to not to turn this into a soap opera. We don't need everyone here to think we're crazier than they already think. They've already seen Ash and Misty act crazy. Don't you do it, too," Brock reasoned.

"Hey!" Misty cried, rather offended.

Serena slumped in Brock's arms and gave a huff. "Fine. At least Macy will be out of my hair once we leave the Pokemon Center."

"Yeah. We need to get to Olivine City. We've been here long enough," Misty agreed.

"Olivine City?! I happen to be heading there, too!" Macy proclaimed.

"So?" Serena asked with her hands on her hips.

"So that means I can come with you all on the way there!" Macy cheered. "It's like fate! This would be a great way for me to spend time with Ashy-poo and get to know him better! Besides, he can help me take care of my broken arm!"

"Ashy-poo?" Ash questioned.

"What?!" Serena screamed. "You can't just invite yourself!"

"Can it, Blondie!" Macy growled and stuck out her tongue.

"Why, you…!" Serena shouted and began to advance on Macy again, but Brock held her back again.

"Just stay calm, Serena! We'll work this out! Macy's younger than you! She doesn't know any better!" Brock said desperately.

"She won't know anything when I'm through with her!" Serena rebutted as she tried to break free of Brock's grip.

Macy then began to bombard Ash with questions. "So Ash? When's your birthday? Mine's April 10th. That makes me an Aries! That fits me perfectly because it's a fire sign, and I love fire Pokemon! What's your sign? I bet we're compatible! Where are you from? What's your favorite food so I can cook it for you anytime you want? What music do you like? What's your favorite Pokemon? Do you think I look better from the right side or the left side?"

"Uhhh…," Ash mumbled as he tried to think of what to make of this situation.

Meanwhile, Pikachu and Togetic looked back and forth from the group. They had all gone completely bonkers. Serena looked like she was an enraged Tauros about to charge, and Macy was the target. The two Pokemon could've even sworn they even saw a puff of smoke shoot out of Serena's nose. Misty and even Vincent had to join Brock in trying to keep Serena back as she was starting to break free from him. Meanwhile, Ash looked extremely uncomfortable and was sweating bullets as Macy continued to cling to him.

Pikachu and Togetic sighed. They were the only ones of their group who had managed to keep their sanity the entire time they were here. With that, the two high-fived each other for a job well done.

What started out as a crazy day ended as a crazy day.

* * *

Silver had just walked into Ecruteak City, and he was _very_ steamed. He just spent a couple of weeks in Goldenrod City trying to find any information on the whereabouts of Team Rocket, but he had no such luck. He was certain he would be able to find them there, but as much as Silver hated to admit it, they were a little more evasive than he thought.

Despite that, Silver couldn't shake the feeling that there had been something really wrong at the Radio Tower. It wasn't that anything was out of the ordinary there, but it was that things were going a little too smoothly for his liking. If there was one thing Silver learned in his years of exploration and living, it was that things never ran was smoothly as they were at the Radio Tower. He had been to that place on more than one occasion to look for clues, but everyone there was perfectly normal. He felt like something bad was going to happen at the Radio Tower, but he had no proof. Thus, he had no choice but to abandon Goldenrod City for now and look for Team Rocket elsewhere.

That's what brought him to Ecruteak City. He had already been to Goldenrod City and Violet City with no such luck. When Silver "lived" in Azalea Town, he had learned from Kurt that Team Rocket was skulking about in the well. Silver had been glad at the time that he had killed a few of those pathetic criminals, but now, he regretted his decision. Silver had been so hasty to take them out that he forgot to torture them for information about what they were up to. He hadn't seen any since the ones he killed or those two and their Meowth that got away, and it made him mad.

Silver ruffled his wild red hair in frustration. In order to find criminals, he had to think like a criminal. It wasn't too hard for him considering he was the…son…of a crime lord. Sometimes, it wasn't enough. If he wanted to have any type of lead on how to find Team Rocket, and ultimately Giovanni, he would've needed an actual member of a crime gang since it would be familiar with all their tricks and maneuvers.

In the meantime, Silver figured he might as well go to the Ecruteak City police station to report what he knew. Maybe they have some information on that despicable crime gang that he hadn't heard yet. It couldn't hurt, in any case.

Silver trudged over the police department which took him about ten minutes. Once he got there, he saw an Officer Jenny coming in on one of her motorcycles. That wasn't what got Silver's attention, though. He saw there appeared to be some sort of cage on the back of her motorcycle which caused the young man to raise his eyebrow in curiosity. Officer Jenny got off her motorcycle and lifted the cage to take it with her into the police station.

Silver timed his way over to the door to make sure he would be entering at the same time as the Officer Jenny so he wouldn't be so suspicious as to make an inquiry. Sure enough, he reached the door at the same time as Officer Jenny, and Silver now noticed there was a pokeball in the cage. That was really weird.

"Good day, sir," Officer Jenny greeted with a smile.

"Hello," Silver nodded before he got straight to the point. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you carrying a caged pokeball?"

"Oh, this?" Officer Jenny frowned as she looked at the cage. "I don't know if you heard the reports, but there was a notorious criminal gang of Murkrow that were causing havoc on Route 13. Many people's possessions were stolen."

"You're kidding," Silver muttered in disbelief. "A gang of Pokemon were giving trainers that much trouble?"

"This wasn't just any group of Pokemon," Officer Jenny frowned. "Their leader was a Honchkrow who used to belong to a notorious crime lord. These Murkrow were ruthless and even learned from their leader how to use weapons which made them especially dangerous."

Silver looked down and glared at the pokeball in the cage. So this Pokemon was a despicable criminal, too.

"So what are you going to do with that Honchkrow?" Silver wondered.

"Well, cases of Pokemon like this who are inherently evil are so rare, we aren't sure. We were able to confiscate the criminal's other Pokemon and find them good homes. We don't know if that would work with this Honchkrow," Officer Jenny sighed.

"I'll take it," Silver said immediately.

If this Honchkrow used to be a crime lord, it would be perfect in helping him look for Team Rocket. It could help with all the clues in searching for a fellow gang. As much as Silver despised criminals, this would be a necessity. Furthermore, if this Honchkrow wasn't willing to obey him, well, Silver would make sure it did. That was until Silver saw Officer Jenny shake her head.

"I'm sorry, sir. I appreciate your initiative, but this Honchkrow is just too dangerous for a trainer to use right now. We'll have to keep it until we can figure out an appropriate action for it," Officer Jenny replied.

With that, Officer Jenny resumed to enter the building, and Silver followed her with his eyes narrowed. He hated to be denied like that. These police officers had no idea what they were even going to do with this Honckrow. At least he had a use for it. If they would let him have this Honckrow, he could find a criminal gang for them so everyone would win. Granted, Silver would make sure to take revenge on their boss and kill as many members as he could first, but the police didn't need to know that.

The two stepped into the lobby of the police station, and Silver let her go on ahead of him. Officer Jenny walked up the front desk where another police officer was seated. She set the cage and pokeball down on the front desk and gave an exasperated sigh.

"What a day," Officer Jenny muttered.

"Is that the Honckrow that was terrorizing the trainers?" the other policeman asked.

"Yes. Would you believe that it was a group of kids who stopped it?" Officer Jenny asked rhetorically.

Behind her, Silver scowled at that information. What the heck was with these criminal gangs these days that they're always stopped by children? They truly were pathetic and only acted big and tough. When things got down to it, those criminal gangas were weak, and Silver _hated_ the weak. In fact, if he didn't really need this Honchkrow, he would probably destroy it here and now whether a policeman was present or not. Pokemon that put themselves on the same level as crooks like Team Rocket were just arrogant and didn't deserve to live.

"What has the world come to where a kid has to do an adult's work?" the other policeman frowned.

"I know. It makes me ashamed as a police officer," Officer Jenny agreed. "On the other hand, it makes us hopeful for the next generation to know there are good and selfless kids like that."

Silver had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at that comment. No kidding. What _were_ kids doing with solving an adult's job? What exactly do they pay these police officers for again? If they aren't competent enough to take care of a threat like a Pokemon criminal gang _all on their own_ in a suitable amount of time _,_ then they need to find a different line of work. It was pathetic, but Silver didn't comment on the situation.

"I'm going to head to the back to report what we have. Do you think you can watch this cage for a second?" Officer Jenny requested.

"Sure," the other policeman nodded.

With that, Officer Jenny retreated to the back which left the policeman at the front desk and Silver alone in the room. The man then turned to Silver and nodded his head to him as if just realizing he was there. Silver nodded back, but no emotion reached his face.

"State your business," the policeman urged.

"Have there been any leads on the Team Rocket criminal gang? I heard they were here in the Johto region," Silver stated.

"The last thing we heard is that there were some spotted in Azalea Town, and there are rumors that there's a large gathering of them in Goldenrod City, but no one knows where they're hiding. They could just be dressed as ordinary city people," the officer sighed.

"I see. So nothing at all?" Silver frowned. It wasn't anything he didn't already know. He just wished there was some sort of lead for him.

Silver's eyes then darted towards the cage and the pokeball inside of it. If he was going to get any closer to taking out this worthless gang, he would need this Honchkrow's help as much as he hated to admit it. The only problem was that these guys have already told him that he couldn't have it. That was okay. Silver had other methods.

"Would you mind if I sent out one of my Pokemon? I think it could give you some information on the case," Silver said.

"Yes. Of course. Let me just get out the form and my notes," the police officer said.

He then bent down and pulled a drawer of his desk out. He then began to sift through his papers as he tried to find the correct form. It was perfect that he was distracted now. Silver then sent out one of his Pokemon, a Tangrowth. Though in all actuality, Tangrowth looked rather goofy, the look on this one's face was rather scary like all over Silver's other Pokemon.

"Sleep Powder," Silver whispered.

The Tangrowth obliged and began to emit a brown dust from the inside of its vines. It went right towards the police officer as he was going through his papers. The man breathed in the powder and soon got a relaxed look on his face. It wasn't too much longer before he set his head down and was fast asleep.

Silver smirked as he returned Tangrowth and took a quick look around to make sure he wasn't being watched. Then he quickly opened the cage and swiped Honchkrow's pokeball.

As he did, Silver looked up and noticed the security cameras and growled to himself. Great. They'll no doubt know it was him who took Honchkrow's pokeball so he'll have to leave Ecruteak City for a while to avoid the police or at least until he got his revenge. That wasn't too big of a deal as Silver wasn't planning on coming back anyway. Ecruteak City had no new information on Team Rocket, but he did just acquire a Pokemon that might be useful.

With one last glare at the pokeball that contained his new Pokemon, Silver turned and hurried out the door. He was going to make this Honchkrow help him find Team Rocket whether it liked it or not.

* * *

 **So Togepi has finally evolved! It can now be used in contests and battles! Of course, now that it's evolved, it's personality is going to change since it isn't a baby anymore. If it wasn't obvious enough, it's going adopt a lot Pikachu's personality as evidenced by their two high fives.**

 **Macy is going to follow the rest of the way to Olivine City! How's Serena going to handle it? How's Ash going to get Macy to get over her huge crush on him!? Eh...he probably can't...**

 **Silver's acquired the evil Honchkrow. He has a few...methods...in mind to make Honchkrow listen to him. You haven't (and neither has the group) seen the last of Honchkrow. Imagine their faces when they eventually see that Silver has it!**

 **Also, after almost 5 months, there is finally a new poll! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! This one mainly doesn't affect the story too much, just the order of certain chapters. I already know the order of which of Ash's Pokemon I'm going to evolve next, but one about Serena. I keep rearranging them, and it's honestly giving me a headache. So you guys decide which one you want to see next evolve. However, a few of her Pokemon won't options. Mareep won't evolve until after it's cured so it's out of the running. So is Cubone. I already decided when, where, and how Cubone evolves a long time ago. It's too early for Fennekin to evolve, and Jigglypuff won't evolve in this fic even though Serena STILL has her Moon Stone. (it'll go to Nidorina)Everything else is fair game. This poll won't be up long as some of those chapters are going to come up rather quickly so make sure to vote in time!**

 **The next chapter may take a few weeks, but I'll try to have it out before May. It worked hard to finish this chapter quickly! Until next time, have a good one.**

 **Chapter Thirty-Five: The Heart of the Matter**


	35. The Heart of the Matter

**A/N: This chapter took a while, but it's finally up! There's a lot of drama in this chapter, but also some humor. I hope you all enjoy it. Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Heart of the Matter

It was a beautiful day on the road to Olivine City for the group. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and they could feel the warmth of the sun on their skin. Truthfully, they all needed a day like this.

The past couple of days had been extremely stressful for them all. It hadn't even been two days since they were dealing with the Pokemon mafia, and they were still exhausted. Ash still even had the bandage on his leg from when he got stabbed by the Honchkrow. At least their stress was now over. Well, that wasn't quite true. Even though it was a beautiful day, the group was still stressed, but it was for a different reason. Their stress came in the form of a fiery girl with pigtails named Macy.

"Hey, Ash! Does your leg hurt? Do you need me to massage it for you?" Macy questioned.

"Uhh…no thanks. I'm good," Ash mumbled.

"But, baby! You're still limping!" Macy argued.

"And you still have a broken arm! There will be no _massaging_ Ash's leg for you today!" Serena jumped in.

"No one asked you, Blondie!" Macy shot back.

"If you call me 'Blondie' one more time…" Serena started, but held her tongue.

Serena still had to remember the fact that Macy was just a young, ten year-old girl who didn't know what love was yet. All she had for Ash was hero-worship, and everyone knew it except for Macy herself. Then again, isn't that almost what Serena felt for Ash at the very start? Serena then shook her head. She was nothing like Macy.

Macy didn't spend countless adventures with Ash like she had. Macy hadn't been with Ash through his best and worst like she had. Macy had never shared an aura and ESP connection like she had. Macy had never brought Ash back from the dark and vice-versa like she had. Most importantly, Macy didn't love Ash the way she did.

Even though Serena knew that Macy had no chance with Ash, that still didn't make the girl any less annoying. In fact, it made her even more annoying. Macy was polite to Brock and always acting extra sweet to Ash, but to Serena and Misty…not so much. Macy was always getting into arguments with Misty about water and fire Pokemon, but they could sometimes be civil. In Serena's case, there was hardly ever a kind word between them. It was filled with yells and lots glares which gave the rest of the group a headache.

Serena took a deep breath and didn't respond. Instead, she just huffed and turned away. Macy smirked triumphantly once she saw she had the last word. Serena merely rolled her eyes but didn't retort as she tried her best to be the better person. She disliked Macy so much, and it wasn't just because of her crush on Ash.

It was because Macy always had to act like a brat about it. Anytime Ash and Serena tried to be alone, Macy would purposely jump in between them to break them apart and immediately snuggle against Ash's arm. She never let Ash out of her sight. Macy was almost like a human version of what Chikorita used to be, and she was actually even worse to an extent. If Chikorita ever got too bad, Ash could simply return it to his pokeball. He couldn't return Macy to a pokeball, though Serena wished it was possible. Instead, Serena always had to take the high road and not kick Macy's butt, but her temper was getting the best of her.

"Ashy, your leg's still hurt, and I'm worried for you. I just want you to be as comfortable as possible," Macy pleaded and got back to the original subject.

"I'm fine, Macy. Really," Ash said warily as Togetic and Pikachu sighed. Even they were tired of Macy.

Serena sighed and shook her head. Ash didn't have the heart to tell Macy to leave him alone and that she had no chance with him. He just merely took her advances with a grain of salt or tried to brush them off as best as he could. Ash was just too nice for his own good sometimes. Then again, that was one of the many things that Serena loved about him.

Still, Macy would have to face the facts one day. She would learn for herself that Ash had no interest in her and would probably be heartbroken. They couldn't travel together forever. They would have to break off and some point, and nothing could change that.

"Hey, guys. Why don't we just stop for lunch? Maybe we're all cranky because we don't have any food in our stomach?" Brock suggested, but everyone in the group except Macy could detect a desperate tone in his voice.

"Sure. That's sounds good, Brock. I think some food is all we need," Misty agreed to play along.

"Anything to shut Macy up," Serena whispered to herself. Pikachu and Togetic were the only ones who heard it and snickered.

"Let's all let out our Pokemon, too! Mine still all need to get to know yours better, especially Ash's…," Macy suggested and gave Ash another dreamy look at the end.

The group only agreed with half of that statement. It was a good idea to let their Pokemon out to play and eat, and letting their Pokemon meet Macy's was harmless enough. The group wasn't stupid, though. They knew of Macy's ulterior motive that it was probably in order to get closer to Ash. Their Pokemon had only interacted with them once, however, so there was nothing wrong with their Pokemon making new friends.

"Alright! Come on out, everyone!" Ash called as he released them.

Chikorita, Totodile, Cyndaquil, Heracross, and Noctowl appeared from their pokeballs. Serena released her Charla, Smeargle, Fennekin, Poliwhirl, Eevee, and Gloom. She was letting Professor Oak care for Mareep right now, and he promised to let her know if something came up. Misty released Psyduck, Shellder, Gyarados, Remoraid, Starmie, and her own Poliwhirl. Thankfully, they were next to a lake so her Pokemon could make themselves at home. Lastly, Brock revealed his Onix, Stantler, Vulpix, Golbat, Bonsly, and Pineco. As usual, Pineco began to explode as soon as it was let out of the pokeball.

"Wait, Pineco! You can't keep doing that!" Brock cried as he hastily returned it before he let out an exasperated sigh. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Here are my Pokemon now!" Macy announced as she released hers. She had a Vulpix, Slugma, Ponyta, Quilava, Magby, and…an Electabuzz? There was clearly an odd Pokemon out in her group.

All of Macy's Pokemon greeted the rest of the group's Pokemon courteously to which all of their Pokemon responded. Well, the only exception was Serena's Poliwhirl. It was too busy stroking its King's Rock to remember any formalities. Despite Serena's dislike for Macy, it shouldn't extend to their Pokemon. Serena frowned at the tadpole Pokemon.

"Poliwhirl? Aren't you going to greet them?" Serena asked.

" _My precious….my precious…,"_ Poliwhirl thought.

"Poliwhirl?" Serena called again.

" _Maybe I should let this King's Rock go for a second and greet the other Pokemon. Serena said so, after all, and she's a nice trainer for giving me this precious,"_ Poliwhirl thought until another side showed up. _"No. I shouldn't. She'll just try to take it! Sneaky little human! But Serena's a good mistress! She gave it to me. She wouldn't do that! Yes, she would! No, she wouldn't!"_

"You're hopeless," Serena sighed.

"Do you think the Pokemon doctor could check Poliwhirl for a mental illness, too, while we're in Cianwood City? It's a little too attached to that King's Rock," Ash whispered to which Serena giggled.

"I'm considering it," she replied.

Poliwhirl overheard them and shook its head. They can laugh if they want. It's not like it cares. As long as it had its precious, Poliwhirl was perfectly content.

"Your Poliwhirl's weird," Macy commented before she added. "Another strange thing about water-types."

Misty purposely cleared her throat at Macy and gave the girl a pointed glare. She wanted to tell Macy off again, but the whole point of them stopping was so they could at least try to get along while they were eating. It also wouldn't look good in front of their Pokemon if their trainers couldn't even get along. Macy noticed Misty's look and waved it off before she turned back to Ash.

"What do you want to eat, Ash?" she asked him.

"I'm good with anything Brock makes, honestly," Ash replied.

"What? You don't want me to cook for you?" Macy asked and seemed to be heartbroken.

"Brock's the best cook out of all of us. I doubt you could make anything better," Serena spat.

"Humph! Like you could cook any better than me, Blondie!" Macy snarled.

"Excuse me!? I'm actually a great cook!" Serena shouted.

"Puh-lease! You couldn't cook if your life depended on it!" Macy retorted.

"I can cook a thousand times better than you!" Serena asserted.

"Then prove it! We'll each cook one dish, and everyone…especially my little Ashy…can decide who is best!" Macy decided.

"You're on!" Serena agreed.

"Uh…I thought Brock was going to make us lunch," Ash mumbled.

"Not anymore!" both girls shouted at him.

With that, both girls hastily shoved poor Brock out of the way and set to work using his utensils to make the best meal possible…well…at least with what they had available. Ash, Misty, and Brock shook their head at this. How quickly the whole point of stopping to eat lunch was forgotten by these two. They were supposed to _relax!_ However, it seems the stress level of everyone just went up tremendously.

" _I'll show that girl that Ash likes my cooking better!"_ Serena seethed as she waited for the water boil.

As Serena was waiting, Brock came up from behind her and frowned at the girl.

"Serena, what are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm cooking, Brock! What else!?" Serena cried.

"No. I mean why are you having this silly competition with Macy? Ash is already your boyfriend. It's not like to you have to compete for his affection. You don't have to prove anything," Brock reasoned.

"It's not just about that!" Serena answered. "I'm so tired of that girl trying to show me up! It's time to put her in her place!"

"So it's about outperforming and humiliating a ten year old girl?" Brock inquired and frowned even deeper.

Serena looked up from the pot of water, and her look softened. When Brock put it like that, Serena realized it put her on the exact same level as Macy. She was supposed be acting like the mature and responsible one of this ordeal. She was older than Macy, and Ash was already her boyfriend on top of it. She should just be taking everything Macy says with a grain of salt. It's not like she feels threatened by Macy. Now, it's almost turned into personal revenge. Serena then turned to Macy and saw her hastily at work.

"Macy, I just thought of something. Let's just enjoy cooking and create tasty dishes for the others to eat. We don't have to compete with each other," she suggested.

"Oh, no! You're not getting out of this one, Blondie!" Macy sneered. "I'm going to cook the best dish and show Ash I'm the better girl for him!"

"But…," Serena tried, but Macy cut her off.

"If you quit, I win by default! A brave, strong man like Ash doesn't belong with a wimp!" Macy said hotly.

"It's okay, Serena," Brock spoke up from behind her. "Just go along with it. Be the better…"

"Oooooh! That does it!" Serena shouted as she went back to cooking. "I'm going to show you!"

Brock gave an exasperated sigh and shook his head at the girl. He turned and saw Ash was purposely turned away from everyone so nobody could see his expression. The tanned Pokemon breeder couldn't help but pity Ash right now. He was in a hot mess right now, and it wasn't even him who got himself into it. He was pulled in forcefully.

"Serena, you know that nothing good is going to come from this," Brock stated as he turned back to her. "In the end, someone is going to get hurt whether it be Macy, you, Ash, or all three of you."

"Please just let me do this, Brock," Serena said dismissively.

With one last shake of head, Brock gave up and left her presence. He and Misty then went over and decided to see how Ash was faring. The raven-haired boy wasn't moving and still had his back facing away from them all. Brock came over and clapped Ash on the shoulder, but Ash didn't move. Misty then went around so she could get a look at his face, and she grimaced when she saw it.

"Uh, Brock. You probably don't want to see what Ash looks like right now," she said.

"Why not?" Brock questioned before he looked down and addressed Ash. "You alright, Ash?"

"Misty, Brock…please kill me," Ash muttered.

* * *

"All done! Come and get it!" both girls announced…almost an hour and a half later.

The rest of the group and their Pokemon all stopped what they were doing and hurried in to eat. They were all starving. They didn't think those girls would ever finish. Everyone already had their Pokemons' food ready so the monsters could dig in. Serena and Macy then approached Ash and immediately presented him with the food they made. Serena made some sort of cheese pasta that smelled really good. Macy had a casserole that appeared be filled with assorted vegetables. Honestly, it smelled really good, too.

"Wow, you girls really went all out, especially with the limited things you had," Ash chuckled nervously.

"Well, I don't know about Blondie over there, but I made sure to only use the highest quality ingredients for you, Ashy! I got them from my own backpack so I wouldn't be cheating by using your friend's ingredients like she had to!" Macy replied.

"Excuse me! I help Brock pick out the groceries so I have a say in the ingredients we use, too!" Serena insisted.

"Whaaaaaatever," Macy smirked.

"I'm sure both of what you made tastes amazing. Just please stop fighting," Ash murmured.

"Of course, Ash!" both girls smiled sweetly and placed their dishes in front of them.

Meanwhile, Brock and Misty were each seated as they watched the proceedings in front of them. Both were rather annoyed with Serena and Macy right now with how immature they were acting about this. In case those girls forgot, Ash wasn't the only one who needed to be fed here. Misty rolled her eyes while Brock crossed his arms and frowned again. Did they suddenly turn invisible?

Ash picked up a fork and cautiously dug a portion out of each dish. He was almost treating the food as if it would explode at any given moment with how careful he was being. As soon as Ash got his portions on the plate, Serena and Macy went over to Brock and Misty so they could finally get their fill, too. As Serena was filling Brock's plate, she noticed the disapproving look that was aimed only at her and not Macy. Serena purposely looked away and went to sit down before she served herself. It should be noted that neither Macy or Serena so much as even touched their opponent's dishes…let alone put it on their plate.

"Go on, everyone! Dig in!" Serena encouraged.

Ash figured it would be smartest to try to Serena's food first. He took a forkful of the pasta and placed it in his mouth. As soon as he did, his mouth lit up with flavor. It was soooooo good! Ash grinned broadly as he began to gobble down the rest of the dish. Serena smiled that she had won his approval. She had tried her best to make do with what they had, after all.

"Man! This is good, Serena!" Ash complimented. "I hope you cook like this for me, everyday!"

"I can if you want me to," Serena replied and smiled sweetly.

"Try mine, too, Ash!" Macy urged.

Ash shrugged his shoulders and figured he might as well eat Macy's casserole to be polite. He honesty wasn't expecting it to be as good as Serena's pasta, though. Ash took a bite of the casserole, and he was quite surprised. It was actually really good! Who knew Macy could cook like this!? One wouldn't think so given how she looks and acts. One can't judge a book by its cover!

"How is it, Ash?" Macy asked.

"It's delicious!" Ash affirmed.

"I'm so glad! Thank you so much, Ash!" Macy said gratefully.

The pig-tailed girl gave a cocky smile in Serena's direction. Serena growled in irritation before she turned back to Ash. So what if Ash liked Macy's food, too? She was sure hers was better. Even so, to be safe, she decided to ask.

"Ash, which of ours do you like better?" Serena inquired.

Ash froze in mid-chew, and his eyes grew large. Oh shoot. He turned and saw both Serena and Macy were giving him pleading looks as if begging him to choose theirs. Ash honestly wasn't sure which one he should choose. They were both so good. On one hand, he could simply choose Serena because she was his girlfriend, but that wouldn't be fair. On the other hand, if he chose Macy, Serena would probably be crushed. He didn't want to do that to her.

"Serena, Macy, don't put Ash on the spot like that," Brock said a little sternly. "Just be happy that he likes both of yours."

The Pokemon breeder felt like he was lecturing two of his younger siblings who were trying to compete over the silliest of things. He was especially disappointed in Serena because she should know better. Still, trying to reason with her didn't work earlier. Maybe he should just try to sit back and let Ash handle it. Serena would have to learn her lesson the hard way once Ash finally reached his breaking point.

Ash gave a grateful smile to Brock before he and the others continued eating. As they were doing this, the Pokemon were starting to finish their food as well. Totodile was among the first ones finished. However, it was still a little hungry. Totodile rubbed its belly and hummed to itself a little bit. The big jaw Pokemon supposed it could try to ask Ash for more, but he seemed a little…preoccupied at the moment so it wouldn't be a good time to ask.

Totodile then noticed a bowl pushed in front of it, and Totodile turned and saw it had been Chikorita who did it. Totodile nodded its head gratefully before it hurriedly scarfed down the remainder of Chikorita's food. Totodile then danced and hopped from one foot to the other in excitement. Chikorita giggled at how funny and cute Totodile was. The leaf Pokemon decided it owed Totodile for the many times it had helped with in the past.

Totodile was the first of Ash's Pokemon that Chikorita had warmed up to. To all the other ones, it had a very sassy attitude and preferred to be left alone or snuggle with Ash. Chikorita had said goodbye to that persona, however. Now, it was friendly with all of Ash's Pokemon. Totodile was the first one who had won its trust, especially since Totodile was Chikorita's shoulder to cry on back in Goldenrod City.

By then, most of the Pokemon dispersed to do their own thing since all of their trainers seemed to be in some sort of predicament that they didn't want a part of. Totodile dived nose-first into the lake before it emerged and floated on its back in relaxation. As it did, Totodile had time to gather its thoughts about the situation its trainer appeared to be in.

They all were fighting somewhat, and if Totodile didn't know any better, it was probably some type of lover's quarrel. The big jaw Pokemon sometimes wondered what it would be like to fall in love. Not that it thought about the situation, Totodile realized that some of their Pokemon already had a pairing. The ones that immediately stood out to it were Serena's Charla and Ash's Charizard. Even though, they were long distance now, they didn't technically break up.

Totodile sometimes wondered what its love life would be like sometimes. Would it ever find a soulmate? Totodile idly cast its eyes downward as it studied the other Pokemon on their team. There were quite a few prospective females among them. The big jaw Pokemon's eyes immediately found Chikorita, and it smiled.

The way its leaf swayed in the wind as it sunbathed looked very sweet. The scent its leaf made as it wafted over to Totodile made it feel relaxed, but full of energy at the same time. It's big, adorable eyes were closed, and it looked very relaxed, just like Totodile felt at the moment. Totodile knew it was already friends with Chikorita, and the leaf Pokemon definitely trusted it. Totodile suddenly wondered what it would be like if…heeeeeello!

There was one Pokemon that caught Totodile's eye that was rather…foxy. With six tails that swayed back and forth, and a prance that screamed sexy, Macy's Vulpix was trotting along the edge of the lake. Though Totodile had seen other Vulpix in the past, especially Brock's Vulpix, this one just had an attitude that one would have when it knew it looked good, and Totodile liked it. Its eyes then grew wide when it saw Macy's Vulpix step into the lake and cry out in contentment.

Now that was really cool! That was a fire Pokemon that liked being in the water?! That automatically made it ten times more attractive. The big jaw Pokemon got hearts in its eyes as it continued to watch Macy's Vulpix. At that moment, Totodile was licked across the face by Misty's Shellder which snapped it out of its thoughts. Totodile shook its head and glared at Shellder. The bivalve Pokemon then mimicked Totodile's expression moments before and then laughed. Totodile narrowed its eyes turned away, but it was blushing furiously. So what if it thought that Vulpix was attractive?

Misty's Shellder then got an inquisitive look on its face as if asking what Totodile was going to do about it. Totodile put its claw to its chin in thought. Should it just walk right up and say "hi"? Should it profess that it believes in love at first sight? Should it just start flirting? What to do? What to do?

Shellder soon became bored with Totodile's pondering and swam away. Either way, it would make sure to see the results of Totodile's attempts, and it would be hilarious either way. Totodile soon began to feel that it wasn't going to get anywhere by just floating in the water. Believing that it stalled long enough, Totodile made a beeline straight for the Vulpix which was still ankle deep in water.

Chikorita gave a stretch after getting a quick nap. It opened it eyes and gave a quick look around the area. Of course, the one that Chikorita wanted to check on first was Ash. The leaf Pokemon saw that he was unusually quiet and silently eating which was a first for him. It probably wasn't the best time to go snuggle against his leg. The next best thing was its friend, Totodile.

Chikorita saw Totodile swimming towards the shore. The leaf Pokemon gave a happy cry and ran over to greet it, but it stopped short when it saw Totodile wasn't heading in its direction anymore. It was veering a little off to the side. Chikorita watched in confusion as Totodile didn't stop swimming until it reached a Vulpix. Chikorita knew it wasn't Brock's Vulpix, though. It was that new one that belonged to that crazy, jealous girl who loved its trainer like Serena. Why was Totodile…waaaaaaait a moment.

Chikorita then noticed the hearts that were in Totodile's eyes which could only mean one thing. It had fallen in love with the Vulpix. Normally, Chikorita wouldn't be bothered by this, but for some reason, because it was Totodile, Chikorita felt…well…agitated. The leaf Pokemon then puffed up its cheeks in aggravation as it watched the proceedings.

Totodile reached Macy's Vulpix and called out to it which immediately got its attention. Once Totodile saw those curious eyes turn to it, the big jaw Pokemon turned from blue to red. It then looked up and used Water Gun in the sky and skillfully formed a heart shape. Macy's Vulpix got the message and promptly turned away.

Totodile then got a confused look on its face before the hearts returned, and it began to do a water dance in order to impress the Vulpix. It did all sorts of tricks in the water, but the Vulpix didn't appear interested and instead left the water. Totodile blinked in surprise that none of this was working for a little bit.

It then heard laughter and turned to see Misty's Shellder cracking up at the misfortune before Misty's Poliwhirl came and bopped it on the outside of its shell for its rudeness. Misty's Poliwhirl then gave an approving nod to Totodile to let it know they supported it in its search for love. Feeling motivated and confident, Totodile went to chase after it.

This, of course, didn't go unnoticed by the humans in the group. They had moved away from their awkward silence to watch the strange proceedings. Strange they were indeed, too. Totodile and Vulpix weren't even in the same egg group. Why would it Totodile be attracted to Macy's Vulpix of all things? It's not like it looked too much different from Brock's Vulpix. Of course, Macy was delighted by this.

"You see how this means that we're even more of a match since even our Pokemon are falling for each other, Ash?!" Macy cried.

"Well…," Ash muttered, at a loss for words.

"What Ash is trying to say is that our two Charizard are in a relationship, too, so there!" Serena jumped in. "Ash's Totodile falling for your Vulpix means nothing!"

"Yeah, but it would hard for me to leave if it would break Totodile's heart?" Macy shrugged.

"Too bad your Vulpix doesn't appear to share your viewpoint," Serena stated as she pointed at the two.

It seemed Macy's Vulpix was running away from Ash's Totodile and had no interest in forming a relationship. The love struck Pokemon continued to chase Vulpix until it found its path blocked as Chikorita had stepped in front of it. Chikorita then gave a glare at Totodile which confused the big jaw Pokemon.

"Toto?" Totodile asked as it scratched its head.

"Chika! Chika!" Chikorita replied heatedly as it continued to glare at Totodile.

Totodile seemed taken aback by this. Why was Chikorita telling it to leave Macy's Vulpix alone? Could Chikorita not tell what a perfect match it and Vulpix made? Totodile then began to explain that this Vulpix was a fire Pokemon that liked the water! That was extremely attractive. Chikorita seemed less than impressed by this and instead gave a retort.

"Chikari! Chika! Chikari!" Chikorita asserted by saying it was grass Pokemon that liked the water so what?

Totodile shrugged its shoulders as it made sense that Chikorita liked the water as it was a grass-type. Fire-types like Vulpix are supposed to hate the water and not play in it. Totodile then moved past Chikorita and continued to chase after Vulpix. Chikorita looked shocked that it was shut down like this and glared after Totodile. Aggravated, Chikorita puffed its cheeks in anger again before purposely turning around and prancing away.

"That was weird. I wonder what's up with Chikorita," Ash muttered.

Misty leaned into Brock and uttered. "Do you think Chikorita likes Totodile?"

"Of course," Brock replied back. "Chikorita realizes it can never be with Ash since it's a Pokemon, and he's a human. Therefore, Chikorita wants to go after the only Pokemon who's ever understood it. That, of course, is Totodile. The problem is that I think Totodile only sees Chikorita as a friend."

"Really?" Ash asked with wide eyes as he turned to Brock and Misty. "Man. Poor Chikorita. That's the second time it's been shut out like that."

"You should talk to Totodile, Ash," Misty told him. "Macy's Vulpix clearly doesn't have any feelings for Totodile. You don't want this to turn into one huge Pokemon love triangle."

"But if he does that, our fate will be broken!" Macy protested.

"I'm heartbroken to hear that," Serena muttered sarcastically.

"Oh yeah?!" Macy growled and turned on Serena.

"Yeah!" Serena shouted back.

"Um…ladies?" Ash mumbled.

"We were getting along just fine until you showed up!" Serena hollered at Macy.

"You're just jealous because Ash saw what a wonderful cook I am!" Macy yelled back.

"That's it. I'm cooking tonight," Brock stepped in.

"But…" both girls started, but Brock cut them off.

"I'm cooking tonight," he repeated.

It was at this moment that Brock used his big brother authority over the two girls. He never liked to do it, but this was one of those times when he had to. Both Serena and Macy could tell by Brock's tone that what he was saying was final. The girls slumped their shoulders and nodded their heads to show they understood. That didn't stop them from glaring at each other.

Ash sighed and turned to Pikachu and Togetic who were looking at him sympathetically. Those girls were so into their fight that they had completely shut out the one they were fighting over. They couldn't hear anyone but themselves. He had to get away from this.

"You guys want to go play with the other Pokemon?" he asked, to which both Pokemon nodded.

"Hey! Wait for us, Ash!" Misty called as she got up, too.

"Don't leave me here!" Brock added as he stood up.

With that, the three humans and two Pokemon joined the other Pokemon to play with them. If all Serena and Macy were going do was fight with each other, they didn't want to listen to it. Sooner or later, though, they would have to stop arguing. Poor Ash could only take so much.

"I think we might as well just stay here the rest of the day. We aren't going to get much traveling done with those two," Brock frowned.

"Agreed," Misty nodded.

"What am going to do, guys?" Ash mumbled.

"You have to tell them yourself to knock it off," Brock told him. "They aren't going to listen to anyone but you."

Ash sighed again. "Man…this is so complicated."

"I feel for you, Ash," Brock said sympathetically.

"Why did I have to be such a girl magnet?" Ash whined.

Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic fell over in disbelief.

* * *

It was late in the evening now for the group. They had just finished eating supper, and thankfully, there was no contest between Serena and Macy to decide who cooked better. After Brock had insisted rather sternly that he be the one who made the meals, they didn't bother to persuade him any differently. Both Ash and Misty felt rather bad for Brock as he was the one who was having to do everything so Serena and Macy wouldn't get into some sort of contest. It proved that their fight wasn't only affecting Ash, but the rest of their group, as well.

The group was rather silent as they sat around the campfire. Normally, they were lively and chatty, but no one was saying anything, not even Serena or Macy. Both girls were seated on either side of Ash, but he didn't so much as even look at them. He simply poked at the fire with a stick and seemed to be glassy-eyed. It was as if his body was on auto pilot. Pikachu was on Ash's lap while Togetic was in front of him. The rest of their Pokemon were still scattered around the area as it wasn't late enough to return them yet. Both Serena and Macy looked sadly at Ash.

"Come on, Ash. Won't you say something?" Serena pleaded.

"Yeah, Ash. You haven't said anything to us since lunch," Macy added.

"Sorry. I'm just not in a talking mood right now," Ash mumbled as he continued to poke at the fire.

Serena and Macy turned to Brock and Misty who seemed to be preoccupied with their own things. Misty was reading a book on water Pokemon, and Brock was concentrated on feeding Bonsly. Yeah. It seemed like everyone was avoiding a conversation right now, and they realized it was their fault. Even so…

"Man, Blondie. Now Ash won't even talk to us. Why did you have to get in the way?" Macy uttered.

"Excuse me? You're the one who's hopelessly chasing after Ash even though he already has a girlfriend," Serena retorted, looking rather affronted that Macy was trying to place the blame on her.

"Ash himself said I have a chance with him! He's good-looking, caring, brave, and a true hero to me! How could I not love him and want him to be with me?!" Macy argued.

"Ash didn't say that!" Serena shouted.

"He did so, and he's destined to be with me! I love him for all those things!" Macy insisted.

Ash looked down and couldn't help but turn a little red. Wow. Macy actually thought that highly of him? It was actually rather flattering. Despite how he felt, Ash realized that Macy's so called love for him didn't expand anything past hero worship. He had to put an end to this and set Macy's thinking straight.

"Um…guys?" Ash spoke up a little timidly.

"You don't love Ash! I bet you don't even know what love is!" Serena shouted.

"I could say the same thing to you! How do you know what love is?!" Macy fired back.

"I know it a lot better than you!" Serena hollered.

"Please?" Ash tried again, but this time a little louder. His words fell on deaf ears, though.

"Ash is going to end up with me and not you, Blondie! I'm not going to let you take him from me!" Macy declared.

"He was never yours to begin with! I'm about to break your other arm!" Serena screamed.

"Just try it!" Macy screamed back.

Then to everyone's surprise, the two girls lunged at each other. They were in an all out cat-fight. They were pulling hair, slapping each other, and in Macy's case…even biting. The pig-tailed girl was using other methods since one of her arms was restricted by the cast she was wearing. Bonsly started crying, but Brock had to set it down and leap up from the log he was sitting on and went to restrain the two girls with Misty joining him. Pikachu and Togetic glanced back and forth, and Togetic looked especially upset that it's mommy was acting this way. None of them looked close as angry or upset as Ash, though. He'd had enough.

Misty grabbed Macy while Brock grabbed Serena. The two girls were flailing around in their restrainer's arms and still tried to get at each other.

"Let me go, Brock!" Serena shouted.

"Let me go, Misty!" Macy shouted, too.

"STOP IT!" Ash shouted, the loudest of all.

Ash shouted so loudly that a small group of Hoothoot flew in fear from a nearby tree. Every Pokemon in the camp turned from Serena and Macy to Ash. Serena and Macy's eyes were wide open in shock as they watched Ash. Brock and Misty were silent as they waited for what Ash had to say. The raven-haired boy was breathing heavily at the outburst he just had. It was about time those girls heard him. His tired expression soon turned to one of anger, and that's when Serena and Macy knew they were in for it. Ash had to set Macy straight. He turned to her and softened his expression a little, but only a little.

"Ashy?" Macy cowered.

"Look, Macy. I'm not your 'Ashy', and I'm not your anything. I don't like you or love you or anything like that. I'm not your boyfriend, and no, you don't have a chance with me. My girlfriend is Serena, and I'm dedicated to her. I won't break up with her just so you can be with me. It especially doesn't help that you've been really nasty to my friends, and especially Serena. Get the fantasy out of your head. We're never going to be together, alright?" Ash declared.

Macy's lip quivered as she stared in Ash's eyes. He was staring back at her, and she could tell that he was completely serious and meant everything he said. The image of her Ash having a happy life together, laughing and playing and training together, was shattered at that very instant. A lump formed in Macy's throat as she realized it was never going to happen. The girl's eyes welled up with tears before she began to cry. She then ran off into the woods, but no one tried to stop her.

Serena didn't like to see Macy cry like that, but she was satisfied that Ash had put an end to it. That was until Ash turned to her, and he looked even angrier with her than he did at Macy. Serena was about to speak, but Ash beat her to it.

"Serena, what's the matter with you?! Why were you being so hateful and competitive with Macy? You heard me say myself before that you had nothing to worry about and that I was going to remain loyal to you! You even got in a fight with her just now!" Ash shouted.

"I'm sorry, Ash," Serena mumbled, but Ash wasn't done yet.

"This isn't the first time you've acted like this, either. You do it every time another girl shows interest in me, even when you don't have your facts right! Leaf and Melody are good examples of that! You acted terrible not only to me, but to them, too! I've told you all the time that I'm never going to let another girl take me from you, and you say okay, but then you go right back to doing what you always do! Do our pendants mean nothing to you?!" Ash ranted.

Serena cast her eyes downward and appeared quite ashamed. She didn't have a response to that. Everything Ash said was true. She had a great relationship with him, but her fits of jealousy were really starting to wear on his and the others' nerves. Any girl that even so much as showed slight attraction to Ash immediately rubbed her the wrong way. Serena knew she was acting way too possessive of Ash. This wouldn't be too big of a deal if she was still ten and immature, but she was twelve now, and her maturity was supposed to have come a long way. When it came to her relationship with Ash, however, she had a lot of room to grow up.

"Ash…I...of course our…," Serena said shakily as her eyes welled up with tears. Ash, however, didn't want to hear it.

"I need to be alone right now," Ash muttered.

With that, he turned away and stormed off towards the nearby lake. Nobody said a word as they watched him go. It was clear he wanted nobody to call after him so nobody did. Even Pikachu and Togetic didn't try to follow.

Serena took a few more shaky breaths as she tried to stop herself from crying. As Serena turned away from Ash's direction, she noticed all of the group's Pokemon had their eyes fixed on her. Some looked shocked while others even looked…disappointed. Serena was especially surprised when she looked down and saw even Togetic and Pikachu looking at her in disappointment.

"Pikachu…Togetic…," Serena tried, but the two backed away from her.

That actually hurt Serena. Pikachu, and especially Togetic, had never backed away from her before. Serena then felt a hand rest on her shoulder, and she turned around to discover that it was Brock. He didn't appear angry, but he was frowning and appeared disappointed like the other Pokemon.

"Brock…," Serena choked out.

"This is what I tried to warn you about, Serena," Brock told her sternly. "Unfortunately, it was the worst case scenario. All three of you are hurting now."

"Why do I have to act like that, Brock? Why?" Serena cried out, and the tanned Pokemon breeder pulled the girl into brotherly hug.

"Those are answers you can only find yourself, Serena. You have a special relationship with Ash that no one else has, but you also have to grow up and not treat it like he's going to run away from you. Ash would never do that," Brock soothed.

"Then why am I crying? How immature is that?" Serena sobbed.

"You just learned a hard lesson, Serena. It's okay to cry," Brock reassured as he finally released her.

"Serena, I'm very far away from Rudy right now, but even with our distance, we still promised to see each other again and pick up where we left off. I'm not afraid of losing Rudy so I'm not going to act jealous and worry myself every day, and you should do the same," Misty encouraged.

"You're right, Misty. I have to go to Ash and let him know," Serena stated.

"But are you sure Ash wants to see you right now?" Brock questioned.

"Probably not, but I at least have to let him know I'm sorry," Serena replied.

"We won't stop you then. This is between you and Ash," Misty said.

"Thank you," Serena responded as she dried her tears.

With that, Serena went after Ash. She had to let him know that she was truly sorry this time and that she really could change. She just hoped that he would actually believe her. The last thing she wanted was to lose Ash because of her possessiveness and jealousy. It was about time she truly set that aside for everyone's sake.

* * *

Ash was standing by the lake. The raven-haired boy was skipping rocks along the water as he tried to calm down from his anger earlier. He kept thinking about Serena and what exactly he was going to do with her. He certainly didn't want to break up with her, but this jealousy thing was really starting to get on his nerves. Never once did he act unfaithful to her, but he's counted three times when she exploded without ever giving him a chance to explain. It was very frustrating.

"What is it going to take for you to get the message that I'd never betray you?" Ash uttered as he threw another stone, only for it to sink right in rather than skip. He had become so frustrated that he wasn't concentrating enough to skip them properly.

Serena appeared behind Ash at that moment. He was facing away from her so she was unable to see his expression. If she had to guess, it would probably be one of aggravation or anger. Serena knew either would be appropriate considering how she just behaved. Serena tried to speak to Ash, but her voice died in her throat, and all that came out was a choking noise.

The noise was still enough to get Ash's attention, however. The raven-haired boy turned around, and upon seeing it was Serena, he just turned right back around without even acknowledging her. Serena cast her eyes downward as she thought of what she could say. Judging by the way Ash just reacted, there probably wasn't a proper thing to say right now. It was clear he didn't want to see her, but she still had to let him know she was sorry…again.

"Ash…," Serena started, but Ash interrupted her.

"Why do you do it, Serena?" Ash asked bluntly, but he still didn't turn around.

"Wh-what?" Serena stuttered as she looked at Ash.

"I asked why do you do it? Why do you always have to act so jealous and crazy every time another girl so much as looks at me?" Ash replied.

Serena wanted to answer because Ash was her boyfriend, but something was telling her that wasn't what he wanted to hear. That answer still didn't excuse her attitude with the situations previously or her cat fight with Macy just now.

"I-I-I don't know," Serena mumbled, and this response actually made Ash turn around, and he appeared quite angry.

"You don't know?" he echoed. "So what you're saying is you have no reason for accusing me in the past? You have no reason for acting so nasty to Macy and fighting with her just now?"

Serena cast her eyes away from Ash as she couldn't stand him looking at her like that right now. Saying that she didn't know was definitely the worst possible answer she could've given. Her brain clearly wasn't connecting with her mouth right now. Usually it was Ash who said dumb things in tense situations when Serena was angry with him, but now, it was the opposite. Serena could definitely see what Ash's point of view was like a lot.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Serena mumbled.

"Then how did you mean it?" Ash pressed.

Serena shut her eyes. She felt so terrible right now with her insecurities. Ash was always so good to her and meant well. Never once did he act like a jerk to some other guy. He'd been unsure of Calem's intentions before, but he'd never accused Serena or showed his dislike. He was stable in their relationship so why wasn't she? It's caused nothing but problems so far for them and everyone else involved.

"I keep telling you that that I'm not going to fall for another girl as long as I'm with you," Ash added. "Don't you believe me?"

"Of course I believe you," Serena answered. "I'm just…"

Serena didn't have to finish her sentence for Ash to know what she meant. Ash went towards Serena until he was right in front of her. The girl still had her eyes shut, and she wasn't looking at him. Ash's voice made her finally open them, though.

"Serena, look at your pendant," Ash told her.

Serena checked, and sure enough, it was the same golden heart-shaped pendant with the platinum chain. She opened it, and there was the same picture of she and Ash from a couple of years ago with their arms around each other.

"Now, look at mine," Ash said next.

Serena looked towards Ash's pendant, and it matched hers perfectly. He opened it, and inside was a similar, but not the same picture of she and Ash together. Ash then closed the pendant which prompted Serena to close her own. Ash then gave her a serious expression.

"Serena, those pendants show that no girl can ever come between us, not matter who she is. Likewise, I know these pendants show that no boy can come between us, either. As long as we have these, we should know that. I don't get jealous for any other boy. Even if he flirts with you or tries to steal you from me, I'll know to let you deal with him. I just ask that you do the same for me," Ash requested.

Serena had always known how great Ash was. It was in instances like these, however, that proved just how lucky she was to have him as her boyfriend. He was always so good to her, and though he was goofy, there was no one else she would rather be with. She wouldn't be able to find a better boyfriend if she tried.

"I'll never betray you, Serena, and no girl is going to get between you and me," Ash finished. "I promise."

At that, Serena threw her arms around Ash and began sobbing. She truly felt terrible for her jealousy in the past and how it had caused nothing but fights. No more, however. She was going to grow up and not act jealous ever again. She trusted Ash, and she knew without a doubt that he would take care of anything or anyone that tried to threaten their relationship.

"Thank you, Ash! I'm really sorry. I promise I'll never be that way again," Serena cried.

"I'm glad. You'll see for yourself," Ash promised.

"No more jealousy!" Serena reiterated.

"Hallelujah," Ash breathed with a roll of his eyes.

Serena choked out a laugh through her tears. Leave it to Ash.

* * *

Totodile was floating on its stomach as it watched Macy's Vulpix. The fox Pokemon was playing in the water, and Totodile thought it looked even cuter than usual at the moment. Maybe it was the moonlight that showed down and illuminated Vulpix. Maybe it was the way the water wet its fur which made it look extra shiny. Maybe it was just the fact that Totodile liked Vulpix in general. Alas, Macy's Vulpix pretended like it didn't even exist, but no more!

Totodile flipped over onto its back and began to backstroke as cleanly and suavely as it could towards Macy's Vulpix. Chikorita watched the whole thing from the shoreline and grit its teeth in aggravation. Stupid Totodile! What was so great about that Vulpix anyway? They had absolutely nothing in common except a love for water.

Chikorita knew that it and Totodile had more in common, though. They both liked to dance, but Totodile danced to a bigger extent. They liked the same type of food. They had many laughs and cries together. Heck, they were at least in the same monster egg group! Totodile was Chikorita's best friend! It shouldn't be going after Macy's Vulpix! Whatever! It didn't care anyway!

Actually, that was a lie. Chikorita hated to admit it, but it was jealous of Totodile's affection for Macy's Vulpix. Before, Chikorita was the Pokemon that it paid the most attention to. Now, its attention was somewhere else, and Chikorita would be worried that Totodile would forget all about it. Chikorita would be left alone again to play by itself. Ash rejected it, and now it was about to be rejected by Totodile. Chikorita's eyes began to water since it felt like it lost its best friend. Chikorita felt terrible and selfish, but it couldn't help it. Totodile was the only Pokemon that Chikorita fully trusted or had fun with.

Totodile then reached Macy's Vulpix for another try. The fox Pokemon had just gotten out of the water and shook itself dry before it pranced off to find a place to rest for the night. Totodile followed it out of the water and called out to it.

"Toto!" it cried, which caused Macy's Vulpix to turn around.

"Vul?" Vulpix questioned.

Totodile began to blush and swoon a little as Macy's Vulpix looked at it with those huge brown eyes. The big jaw Pokemon then looked down and began to shuffle its feet in embarrassment as it couldn't find the right words to say. Vulpix was clearly getting impatient and not wanting to stay much longer. It began to turn away which caused Totodile to take action.

"To!" Totodile cried out again, telling Macy's Vulpix to wait, which it did.

Oh! Those big brown eyes again. That fur...Totodile thought it might feel nice and warm to cuddle against…wait! Focus! Totodile shook its head before it took a big breath and asked Macy's Vulpix out.

"Toto…dile. Toto toto to dile?" it asked shyly. It knew it didn't have a formal present, but it would still be the best lover it could to Vulpix!

Vulpix's eyes grew wide at Totodile's request to ask it out on a date. Its mouth hung open at the incredibly bold statement. It looked at Totodile who was bent down on one knee and seemed to be praying that it would say yes. Macy's Vulpix did appreciate this Totodile's bravery, but it had no interest in water Pokemon…even though it liked the water.

Macy's Vulpix wasn't exactly sure how to respond. It glanced around from side to side and saw a few Pokemon watching it. Great. Vulpix shuffled its feet uncomfortably. This Totodile seemed to be rather persistent and probably wouldn't get the message if Vulpix simply said no like earlier. There was only one sure fire…literally…way for Totodile to get the message that didn't stand a chance.

It blew an Ember right in Totodile's face.

Totodile gasped and clawed at its face in pain. It then pulled itself together and watched Macy's Vulpix as it continued to walk away from Totodile without a second glance back. Totodile's world felt like it was shattered that it was rejected so harshly. The big jaw Pokemon clutched the left side of its chest and fell over. Some Pokemon looked on in sympathy while others…namely Misty's Shellder and Serena's Poliwhirl, snickered.

Totodile sniffed and wiped its eyes. It blinked away the tears and shakily looked up. Man. Rejection hurt and made Totodile feel absolutely lousy. Macy's Vulpix still strutted off and didn't even seem to care that Totodile was in pain.

However, one Pokemon did.

Chikorita stepped in front of Macy's Vulpix and glared at it. The Vulpix blinked in confusion for a moment as it was wondering why Chikorita was blocking its path and looked so angry. Chikorita growled at the Vulpix and was furious with it for hurting its best friend and attacking it so callously. Chikorita was jealous before, but that changed when it saw how upset Totodile was. Chikorita wanted to give this Vulpix a piece of its mind.

"Chika! Chikari!" Chikorita yelled.

"Vulpix. Vul," Vulpix replied back coolly.

Chikroita's eyes widened before it hardened its stare again. What did Vulpix mean by Totodile wasn't good enough for it? Totodile was a great Pokemon! Chikorita then began to list off why it thought Totodile was amazing. It was friendly, happy, a good listener, a good dancer, very insightful when it needed to be, and very sweet and thoughtful. How could Vulpix not see what made Totodile great?! It was good enough for any Pokemon and any girl would be lucky to have if for a boyfriend!

Totodile watched the whole thing in surprise. Wow. Chikorita thought that highly of it? The big jaw Pokemon couldn't help but admire Chikorita for saying this stuff. That was weird, though. Chikorita was its best friend! They weren't a couple! Still, with those things it was yelling, Totodile couldn't help but feel its heart grow warm for Chikorita, and it began to repair itself from the loss it just received.

Vulpix stared back with a nonchalant look and shrugged its two front paws. It then swished its six tails and sauntered off which made Chikorita growl again. Fine. Be that way, Miss Priss! You don't know what a great Pokemon you're missing out on anyway! You'll be sorry you passed up this opportunity!

Chikorita then turned to Totodile and ran over to check to see how it was doing. The leaf Pokemon used its Vine Whip to pull Totodile to its feet and dusted it off. Totodile blinked in confusion before it shyly looked away and rubbed the back of its neck.

"To Totodile?" it asked, wondering why Chikorita stood up for it. More importantly, Totodile wanted to know why Chikorita said all those nice things, especially the part that it would be a good boyfriend and how any Pokemon would be lucky to have it.

Chikorita appeared embarrassed before it blushed and turned away. It tried to put on its tough act again and pretended it didn't say anything. Chikorita's blush gave it away, though. Totodile scratched its head in confusion before it gave a grateful smile at Chikorita and hugged it. The leaf Pokemon flushed even more crimson before it did something even more unexpected. It pecked Totodile right on the mouth.

The big jaw Pokemon leaped away and appeared in shock. Woah now! It couldn't believe that Chikorita, its best friend, just kissed it like that! Wait. Did that mean that Chikorita liked it as more than just a friend? Did it want to risk it and ask Chikorita what its feelings were? Still, Totodile had to know where it stood.

"Totodile?" it asked a little tentatively, wondering if Chikorita liked it.

Chikorita suddenly appeared shy and shuffled its front feet, not too different from how Totodile did earlier. The leaf Pokemon mumbled something under its breath that Totodile couldn't quite hear. It leaned in a little closer and cupped its ear with its claw so it could hear better. Once again, Chikorita mumbled under its breath and looked down.

"Toto?" Totodile questioned again as it strained to hear.

Chikorita got an agitated look on its face that Totodile was making it say those words. "CHIKORI!" it screamed, which drew the attention of Brock, Misty, and the surrounding Pokemon.

Both Pokemon were now blushing furiously since they were overheard. Serena's Poliwhirl and Misty's Shellder were laughing their heads off and made kissing faces at the two. It was rather hard for Poliwhirl, though, since it didn't have a visible mouth. The laughter died down when Chikorita turned on them and had a look of pure ire on its face. Chikorita extended its Vine Whip and slapped the two trolls high into the air and into the middle of the lake. Luckily, Poliwhirl made sure to not let go of its King's Rock this time.

Chikorita then turned back to Totodile and gave it a shy smile. The leaf Pokemon really hoped Totodile liked it back. Chikorita had already had its heart broken once. Please don't let it happen again. Chikorita didn't think it would be able to bear it if Totoidile rejected it, too! Totodile's shocked expression made Chikorita shut its eyes in fear of how it would respond.

Chikorita then felt a claw touch its face, and it looked up to see Totodile smiling. The big jaw Pokemon then winked and gave Chikorita a thumb…err…claw up. Chikorita's eyes lit up in hope when it saw Totodile do that gesture, and Totodile nodded to show Chikorita was correct. The leaf Pokemon was delighted and it hurried forward and crashed into Totodile for a hug.

Totodile hugged Chikorita back, and the two were content in their new relationship. They both had their hearts broken in the past, but they have since been repaired. Their match had been next to them the entire time. It was a happy day for all the Pokemon of the surrounding area, and they were sure Ash would be happy, too, once he learned of it.

Totodile and Chikorita broke free from their hug, and Totodile began to dance happily. Chikorita giggled at Totodile's antics before it got a mischievous look on its face. There was something it still had yet to do. Totodile noticed Chikorita's odd expression and soon found itself wrapped in a Vine Whip. Chikorita then lifted Totodile into the air and started walking away.

The big jaw Pokemon stared in confusion as it wondered what its new girlfriend was up to. The smirk on Chikorita's face made Totodile uneasy. Its eyes then grew wide in fear when saw where Chikorita was going. No! Not behind a bush! Not behind a bush! Not behind a bush!

Totodile began to squirm in panic inside of Chikorita's Vine Whip, but Chikorita was too stubborn and refused to comply. Totodile began crying out, but Chikorita soon used its other Vine Whip to wrap around Totodile's mouth. The big jaw Pokemon began taking short breaths as they got ever closer to the bush. No! They were still only stage one Pokemon!

The two Pokemon soon disappeared behind the bush, and poor Totodile was never seen again…at least for a while.

* * *

Ash and Serena soon returned, and when Brock and Misty saw that the two were holding hands, they smiled. That must've meant that Ash and Serena patched things up just fine. The two sat down next to each other by the fire and appeared quite content. Brock had just finished feeding Bonsly and set it down to let it play with the other Pokemon so he could talk.

"Hey, you two," Misty greeted. "Did you work things out?"

"I think so," Ash smiled. "I don't think I have to worry about anything like this again."

"I've learned my lesson," Serena relented. "I've been very unfair to Ash because of all this, but no more."

"Good to hear," Brock approved.

Pikachu and Togetic also seemed pleased and relieved that Ash and Serena were back on good terms. Togetic flew up into its mommy's lap while Pikachu got in Ash's lap. Serena smiled in relief that Togetic and Pikachu weren't too mad at her. She did act pretty crazy around Macy, after all. Speaking of which…

"Hey. Have you two seen Macy, yet?" she asked.

Brock and Misty rose their eyebrows at that. Come to think of it, they haven't. They haven't seen her since she ran off. Poor girl. She probably had her heart completely shattered by what Ash said to her. Being a young girl, having a blow like that could make it hard to get over. It was true that she acted like a brat most of the time, but she was still a human girl with feelings.

"We haven't. I hope she's alright," Misty said as she cast a worried glance towards where Macy ran off.

"I'll go look for her," Ash volunteered, but he soon felt a hand placed on his arm. He turned and saw it had been Serena's hand who stopped him.

"No, Ash. I'll look for her," Serena said instead.

The rest of the group gave Serena an apprehensive glance. They weren't quite sure about this one. Sure. Serena said she had changed, but the huge animosity between her and Macy didn't make it seem like the two were on speaking terms. Upon seeing their looks, Serena got a serious look on her face.

"It'll be okay. Ash and I aren't the only ones who need to work things out," Serena said. "I've learned my lesson, and I'll start by showing Macy my good will."

Ash, Brock, and Misty exchanged glances with each other before they consented. "Alright. We'll be right here, Serena," Ash told her.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena replied gratefully as Togetic flew off of her so she could stand up. She then turned to the others. "I'll be back in flash."

With that, she hurried off in the direction where Macy was. She was sure the girl couldn't have gone far. Serena was soon through a few bushes and followed along the trail where she was sure Macy would've followed. It was doubtful that Macy left the area completely as she left her stuff and her Pokemon back at the camp. There was no way she would leave them all behind unless she was extremely irresponsible, but judging from how Macy acted when her Vulpix was stolen, it was unlikely.

Sure enough, Serena didn't have to go far until she heard what sounded like crying. Serena followed the sound as it got louder and louder. As she got closer, she spotted a pigtail that was sticking out from behind a tree. Serena hurried over and soon discovered Macy crying her eyes out behind the tree. The girl had her knees pulled up close to her with her arms wrapped around her legs. Her face was buried inside of her knees so she didn't notice Serena had arrived.

As Serena watched Macy, she suddenly felt sorry for the girl. Macy truly did get her feelings hurt by all this. Serena felt guilty as she knew most of it was her fault. If she had let Ash handle it instead of drowning out his attempted interventions every time he tried to say something, he could've let Macy down a lot more gently. Instead, he lost his patience and ended up shouting at her, and now, Macy was probably under the impression that everyone around hated her.

"Hi, Macy," Serena greeted in a friendly tone.

Macy looked up from her knees and stared in surprise when she saw it was Serena. Her surprise soon turned to bitterness, and she glared at Serena. It didn't surprise the honey blonde-haired girl too much. Macy had a lot of animosity to Serena right now. Despite this, Serena had to keep her friendly demeanor and try to get along with Macy.

"What are you doing here, Blondie?" Macy spat. "Are you here to brag that Ash chose you over me?"

"No. I didn't, actually," Serena responded.

"Then what is it?" Macy huffed.

"I just want to talk to you," Serena said.

"Well, I don't want to talk to you so just leave me alone," Macy replied rudely and resumed burying her face in her knees.

Serena sighed, but she knew this wouldn't be easy. "Come on, Macy. You can't stay here, forever. Won't you please come back to camp with me?"

"I can't," Macy choked out. "How can I even look at anyone, especially Ash? I've been totally humiliated and had my heart crushed!"

 _"So it's about outperforming and humiliating a ten year old girl?"_ Brock's voice sound in Serena's head.

Serena felt terrible that Macy had to go through something like this. As annoyed as Serena had been that Macy was clinging to Ash, she really did like Ash in her own way. Macy was truly desperate for his affection and tried to do whatever it took to make Ash like her. No wonder Macy was so upset after Ash rejected her. Serena figured she would be just as upset, if not more, if Ash never liked her back when she confessed to him.

"Macy…I'm sorry," Serena said sincerely.

"Wh-what? What are you sorry for? You won, didn't you? Ash loves you and not me," Macy said in a confused tone as she looked up at Serena again.

"That doesn't mean that I'm happy about how you're feeling right now. We…haven't started off on the right foot at all," Serena admitted.

"No. We haven't. That's the first thing I agree with you on," Macy relented.

"Look, Macy. I know that Ash chose me over you, but you have to understand that Ash was already my boyfriend to begin with. I've known him for years, and he hasn't even known you for more than a few days," Serena told her.

"It's called love at first sight," Macy said practically.

"Ash doesn't see anything like that," Serena responded with a shake of her head. "He has to get to know someone before he truly falls for them. I was Ash's best friend for a long time before he decided to go out with me. Even then, he took things really slow."

"The way Ash was saying made it seem like he never wanted to see me again. He made his point quite clear," Macy said sullenly.

"He was angry, Macy. He was angry with me, too. I'm sure he didn't mean to shout like that. He told me so, and he's not mad anymore. He was actually worried for you and wanted to look for you first," Serena informed her.

"He did?" Macy asked with wide eyes.

"Yes," Serena affirmed. "That's the kind of guy Ash is. Even though he doesn't want you to be his girlfriend, he probably still wants you as a friend."

"Still, I-I don't think I could handle it," Macy sniffed. "Ash is truly amazing."

"Right. I could tell after you told me why you liked him," Serena admitted.

"That's why I can't go back yet," Macy whimpered.

"Macy, you're still young. You have a long time to find the man of your dreams. There's probably a boy your age that you'll meet and love twice as much as Ash," Serena insisted.

"I don't believe you. You're just saying that," Macy muttered.

"Really, Macy. Even though Ash can't be with you, that still doesn't mean other boys aren't out there," Serena tried.

"None like Ash," Macy mumbled.

Serena blushed as she had to agree with Macy on that one. There truly was no one else in the world that Serena thought was as special as Ash.

"Hey, Serena," Macy spoke up, with Serena taking note that Macy finally called by her name and not Blondie. "Why do you like Ash?"

"Me?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah. You're his girlfriend, aren't you? Why did you choose him?" Macy wondered.

Serena didn't have to take too long to think. There were so many things that made Ash the only guy for her. It was hard to put into words, but Serena did her best.

"Ash is the kind of guy I can always depend on. He always does what he says he's going to do, even if there are a few bumps along the way. He's brave, generous, kind, thoughtful, and his determination is also something I admire. He's the sweetest boy I know. Also, as you said, he's a real hero. Of course, it helps that he's handsome, too," Serena said while blushing.

"Wow," Macy uttered.

"But of course," Serena added as she place her hands on her hips. "He's also stubborn, a glutton, has poor table manners, and he can be lazy, too."

"What? Huh?" Macy questioned, clearly not expecting Serena to say that.

"That's how I know that I really like Ash," Serena continued. "Even though he has faults and isn't perfect, I still see through all that. You'll be the same way when you find the perfect boy for you. You won't just know the good, but you'll know the bad, too. However, your love will push past all the bad things so you only care about the good things. There's no one else I'd rather be with than Ash."

"I never thought of it like that," Macy admitted and stood up. "Even though you know Ash isn't perfect, he's still perfect in your eyes, and that's enough. Isn't it?"

"It is!" Serena nodded. "It just comes with knowing Ash for so long."

"So…since Ash has been your boyfriend for so long and you know he's the boy you'll be with forever…," Macy began.

"Hmmm?" Serena questioned curiously.

"Have you and Ash…you know…," Macy continued.

"What?" Serena wondered.

"You know…it," Macy muttered.

Serena's face turned many different shades of red at that remark. She made a noise that sounded like a gasp, a whimper, and a screech combined. She was extremely embarrassed and shook her head furiously. What the heck kind of question was that?!

"No! No! No! We haven't!" Serena cried.

"What? Really? Man…you are soooooo out of it, Serena," Macy smirked.

"We're twelve!" Serena screeched. "How would a ten year old like you know about that, anyway?!"

"Duh. I read romance novels all the time. I know about the Pidgeotto and the Beedrill," Macy informed her and shrugged.

 _"What kind of romance novels?"_ Serena thought in disgust. "Well, whatever. It's really none of your business, but no, we haven't."

"Yeah. Yeah. Sure," Macy said with a wave of her hand and walked past Serena. "Come on. Let's get back to camp."

Serena followed the precocious girl, but she was still blushing. Thoughts like that never came her. She wasn't even close to being ready for something like that yet. She was certain Ash wasn't, if not even less ready than her. Serena shook the disturbing thought out of head. At least she was able to become civil with Macy and get her to go back to camp. Still, Serena knew to be wary around her, but for a completely different reason now.

* * *

"Hi, everyone!" Macy greeted with a wave as she hurried back over to the fire.

"Hey, Macy. Glad you're back," Ash smiled once Macy reached them.

"Thank you, Ash. Serena and I had a nice talk," Macy said as she sat down on a nearby log.

The group looked at Serena as she approached them. She had since lost her blush from Macy's previous comment and had a smile. That was impressive. It seemed Serena was able to reason with Macy, after all. Just a couple of hours ago, that notion would've been ludicrous. They were even in cat fight not too long ago.

Still, Serena even sat down next to Macy, and there was no sign of hostility between them. Maybe Serena really had set aside her clinginess and jealousy once and for all. Of course, time would tell.

"That's good. Now maybe we can have an enjoyable night," Misty said.

"Yeah. I'm pretty tired," Macy yawned.

"Heh. I think we all are," Brock agreed.

"I guess it's about time we rounded up all of our Pokemon for the night," Ash stated as he stood up from the log.

With that, the group went around trying to find all of their Pokemon. It was pretty easy to get them all back in their pokeballs as they were pretty tired, too. It had been an exhausting day for them all. Once Serena got to Poliwhirl, the tadpole Pokemon had gone back to stroking the King's Rock and looked less than enthusiastic about going back inside its pokeball.

"Poliwhirl. It's time to go to sleep. I need to put you back in your pokeball," Serena told it.

Poliwhirl didn't respond.

"Poliwhirl?" Serena repeated.

 _"We should go back inside the pokeball,"_ a voice in Poliwhirl thought before another one refuted. _"BUT WE HATES IT!"_

"Ugh. You and that King's Rock are hopeless," Serena sighed and returned Poliwhirl anyway.

With that, almost all the Pokemon were back inside their pokeballs. Ash came by and looked rather confused. He was glancing around, and Serena got a curious look on her face.

"What's wrong, Ash?" she questioned.

"Man. I can't find Chikorita or Totodile," Ash replied.

"I wonder where they went," Serena said once she realized she hadn't seen them lately, either.

Cyndaquil lazily came over and yawned. Ash looked down at it. Since Cyndaquil sometimes hung out with Chikorita and Totodile, maybe it knew. Ash was just about to ask the sleepy Pokemon, but soon found out he didn't have to.

There was a rustle in the some of the bushes nearby, and Chikorita and Totodile walked out from behind them. Ash sighed with relief and went towards the two Pokemon until he discovered something was wrong.

While Chikorita looked okay and rather happy, Totodile was quite dizzy and stumbled behind Chikorita. Its eyes were spinning, and thought it was seeing stars and several bright colors. Poor Totodile felt like it had just been in for the ride of its life. Ash, Serena, and Cyndaquil gave Totodile a strange look as they couldn't help but wonder what just happened.

"Uh…Totodile?" Ash questioned.

Totodile passed out.

* * *

 **That wraps up this chapter! Serena's jealousy has come to halt, and she's matured now. Next, the group finally makes it to Olivine City.**

 **I originally wasn't going to have Chikorita and Totodile end up together, but after I saw how easy it was to pair them up, I changed my mind. Fear not! Good ole' Sceptile will be able to find his true love, too, in this fic!**

 **Man. It's going to be a heck of a ride as I enter the last half of this story. There's so much to do with the Whirl Cup coming, Mareep's cure, and the battles with Chuck and Jasmine. Serena's next performance! A few familiar faces return, and two unexpected but necessary appearances are coming soon as it foreshadows the Hoenn arc. Also...remember Serena's ESP going out of control at Tohjo Falls...yeah. I promise I haven't forgotten about it.  
**

 **Speaking another thing about Serena...does anyone remember her egg that she got from completing the Battle Chateau!? It's going to hatch soon! About time!**

 **Well, that's enough of what's to come to keep you all occupied! Until next chapter, have a good one!**

 **Oh! The poll will be closed when the next chapter comes out so vote while you can!  
**

 **Chapter Thirty Six: The Silver Lining  
**


	36. The Silver Lining

**A/N: A few people were curious about what some of the main characters' birthdays were after I said that Macy's birthday was April 10th in this fic. Here is merely my head canon of some of the characters' birthdays in this series. Take it with a grain of salt as this is by no means official. Only some birthdays will celebrated in this fic so please don't ask me.**

 **Ash: May 22nd**

 **Serena: July 22nd**

 **Brock: September 5th**

 **Misty: November 10th**

 **Gary: January 11th**

 **Leaf: September 30th**

 **May: May 3rd**

 **Dawn: August 6th**

 **Max: February 15th**

 **Brendan: April 3rd**

 **Now, since that's out of the way, I hope you all enjoy the chapter. It begins to set the stage for some things. Of course, we all see Silver again, too, which is always a true blessing for Ash. Heh. Yeah right.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Six: The Silver Lining

It was a cloudy night in Olivine City. There was no sign of any storm coming, but without the glow of the moonlight to illuminate the city, in particular the ocean, it was rather dark indeed. It was always rather dangerous to cross the ocean at night, especially with no moonlight. Sometimes, however, sailors and boat captains were left with no choice in case of an emergency. Despite this, there was always at least one source of light they could count on.

It was the light of an Ampharos, the final evolved form of Mareep. This wasn't just any Ampharos, though. This was a special Ampharos whose tail glowed like no other. It was so bright, in fact, that its light could be seen for miles out and was better than any regular light. Because of this, its tail was used as the source of light in the Olivine Lighthouse rather than an electric light. It was a savior and blessing to anyone who may be lost at sea. This special Ampharos was an important part of not only Olivine City but the Johto region as a whole.

Ampharos never left the lighthouse, but that was okay. The lighthouse was its home. Being an important Pokemon to everyone, it was made to have quite the life in the lighthouse when it wasn't working. There was always a fresh supply of its favorite food and a very comfortable bed for it to sleep in during the day. Despite the good things Ampharos had going for it, Ampharos would still faithfully shine its light for anyone even if it got no reward. That's just the kind of Pokemon it was.

Most people, however, were not allowed to visit the Ampharos due to not wanting to disturb it. One person who was an exception to this was the gym leader of Olivine City, Jasmine. She and Ampharos were good friends, and she affectionately referred to the light Pokemon as "Sparkle". Jasmine visited Ampharos almost every day, and the two would play together. That made living in the lighthouse by itself never lonely for Ampharos.

Speaking of Jasmine, she had left the lighthouse about thirty minutes ago to go back to her gym. It was late at night, and Ampharos needed to concentrate, especially on this cloudy night. Without the moon to help it, Ampharos had to make its tail glow extra hard. That was why Jasmine had been at the lighthouse at this late hour. She wanted to make sure Ampharos had enough of its favorite Pokemon food for energy. Ampharos really did appreciate her for looking out for it the way it looks out for other people.

Ampharos turned its head towards the side of the lighthouse which faced the sea. It could see no ships out at the moment, but nevertheless, they could show up at any moment. Ampharos faithfully had its tail illuminating the ocean, and it would make sure to stay here until the sun had risen, and then it could sleep. Ampharos smiled to itself. Despite the clouds, the silence of the night was still rather calming and peaceful.

That was until Ampharos heard what sounded like a thud.

Being a rather old lighthouse, Ampharos was used to the building creaking all the time. This was no ordinary creak, however. Ampharos knew something was up. It hated to shine its light away from the sea for even just a moment, but it had to make sure nothing was wrong. Ampharos headed through the room to the other side of the lighthouse where the second deck was. That's where it heard the noise.

As Ampharos drew closer to the door, it got puzzled as it couldn't hear anything. That was weird. After a thud like that, it had sounded as if someone or something had landed on the deck outside. Had that noise just been its imagination? Surely not. Ampharos was just about to turn the knob on the door to peek outside when it happened.

The door to the lighthouse was forcefully kicked open, and Ampharos leaped back to avoid it. It then began to charge up to shoot a Thunderbolt at whoever this intruder was. There was another Pokemon who beat it to the punch and had already unleashed a Flamethrower as soon as the door was open.

Ampharos was struck by the Flamethrower and pushed backwards a few yards before it fell over backwards. It then went to push itself back up, but it was forced back down by four very strong paws. Ampharos looked up and could see two Houndoom were using their fore paws to hold Ampharos down to the floor. Ampharos then looked ahead and could see three men in black uniforms and a red "R" on their shirts enter the room.

"Well, well, well," the man in the center sneered who was none other than Proton. "Look what we have here. If it isn't the famous lighthouse Pokemon."

Sensing trouble, Ampharos charged up and shocked its two restrainers with a Thunderbolt. The Houndoom howled in pain and backed off. Ampharos then pushed itself to its feet in order to fight these people, but Proton sent out another one of his own Pokemon, a Rhydon. The room shook as the heavy drill Pokemon crashed onto the ground. Ampharos hesitated its Thunderbolt for just a moment at seeing the intimidating Pokemon. Its electricity would have no effect. That moment was all that was needed for the two Houndoom to recover. One of them swiftly clamped its jaws around Ampharos' long neck and drug it back down to the ground and held it there.

"Now, now, play nice," Proton smirked as he walked towards Ampharos. "We wouldn't want you to make one wrong move and have Houndoom snap your neck, would we?"

Ampharos shook with fear as it looked at three Pokemon and evil men surrounding it. Why couldn't Jasmine be here right now? If she was, she could take care of these people! Ampharos began making distressed cries in the hope that someone could hear it. Deep down, Ampharos knew that it was in vain as no one was around the lighthouse at this hour.

"Yeah. Cry all you like. It won't matter soon, anyway," Proton laughed before he turned to one the grunts. "Do you still have Dr. Namba's syringe?"

"Yes, Sir Proton!" the grunt saluted before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe.

Proton took the needle from the grunt and removed the cap before he pointed it straight a Ampharos. The light Pokemon's eyes widened in terror when it saw that syringe. Just what on Earth were they planning on doing with it?! As if reading its thoughts, Proton gave an evil smile and seemed to relish in Ampharos' panic.

"Listen up. Team Rocket will soon control the entire region of Johto, and then Kanto, before the rest of the world. We can't have anyone focusing on us or raise suspicion as we get ready to prepare for our master plan. We're creating chaos all over Johto now. We started in Mahogany Town, and now we're here. With you out of the picture, it will have the whole area in an uproar as the police and population are focused on you and the other terrible things and not us. It's nothing personal, but we need to use you as a tool to further our own ends," Proton said in a sinister tone.

Ampharos began to shake and struggled as it tried to break free from Houndoom, but the dark Pokemon tightened its grip around Ampharos' neck as if to remind it that all it would take is one fast jerk of its head to end its life right there. Proton then stood in front of Ampharos as he prepared the needle.

"Don't worry. This poison won't kill you immediately. Our scientists created it and already tested it on one unlucky Pokemon, and it died at the perfect length of time. It would be no good if you died too soon, after all. That wouldn't give us enough time to take over the Johto region. No. It's going to kill you from the inside out…nice…and slow," Proton uttered

Ampharos shivered in fright as the sadistic man drew closer. No. This couldn't be happening. Why was this happening? All it wanted was to help and guide people in need with its light. What would happen to the poor people who were lost at sea or those who needed a light to guide them on the treacherous waves at night?

"Now, hold still. This won't hurt me a bit!" Proton grinned evilly before he jammed the syringe into Ampharos' neck.

The bright light that shined from the lighthouse flickered once. It then began to get dimmer and dimmer until it was out completely, and the area around it was shrouded in darkness.

* * *

Silver arrived just outside Olivine City on the back of his Skarmory. He rarely flew anywhere and preferred to walk, but this was a necessity. Besides, he couldn't go through Ecruteak City anymore without the police breathing down his neck so he had to keep away from there as much as possible…at least until he got his revenge and didn't need Honchkrow anymore.

Speaking of the Honchkrow, Silver took out the pokeball that contained Honchkrow and released it. The once terrifying and evil Pokemon materialized from the pokeball, and it looked nothing like it did in its prime. Silver had spent the first couple of days with Honchkrow literally beating it into submission with his other Pokemon. Silver hated criminals, and he wanted this former mafia boss to know it.

Honchkrow's feathers were completely ruffled and out of shape. Its beak was slightly crooked, one of its eyes was squeezed shut, and its once large plumage had been reduced greatly from Silver not giving it enough nutrition or food. Silver was giving Honchkrow the bare minimum to stay alive, and he'd warned the Honchkrow several times already that if it once mislead or disobeyed him, that he wouldn't hesitate to kill it. Silver made Honchkrow very aware the only reason it was still alive was because he needed it. In short, Honchkrow had grown to be terrified of Silver and his Pokemon.

"There's an uproar in this city about the lighthouse Pokemon being sick," Silver snarled at Honchkrow. "That's crap because that Pokemon's never gotten sick the entire time I've been in the region of Johto. Do you know anything about foul play?"

Honchkrow shakily stood on its feet as it was having trouble staying up from being so weak. It coughed a little bit as it was feeling sick itself, not that Silver cared. Unfortunately, it was taking too long to respond to Silver, and Silver was in no mood for games, not that he ever was.

"Answer me!" Silver roared, and his Skarmory gave a threatening screech at Honchkrow to make it hurry up, too. "I saw a balloon leaving Goldenrod City yesterday that was heading in this direction. You know as well as I do that there was something suspicious about it! I'm sure you've seen it while flying around before! Did that balloon belong to Team Rocket or not!?"

Honchkrow shivered in fear from Silver's harshness. How it had truly fallen. It was once a dangerous and feared Pokemon, but now, it was reduced to nothing but a sniveling coward. Honchkrow knew it couldn't get any more pathetic than this. It had to be with possibly the worst person it could be with. Honchkrow would've much rather lived a life in solitary confinement than be with Silver. At least it wouldn't be abused there.

Honchkrow finally nodded its head in Silver's direction to confirm his suspicions. It had seen that balloon a few times while flying the skies. While it looked ordinary to any passerby, to a flying Pokemon, one could easily see black suited men with R's on their uniforms on a regular basis.

"I thought so," Silver muttered to himself. "This is one of my first clues as to what Team Rocket's up to. I don't get it, though. What do they hope to gain by harming that Ampharos?"

As Silver was thinking to himself, the Honchkrow keeled over and crashed onto the ground. Silver and his Skarmory turned to look at Honchkrow and saw it cawing weakly. It looked absolutely pitiful. It then shakily looked up at Silver and gave another weak cry in the hope that he would at least give it some form of mercy.

"Hmm…so you want a meal today?" Silver rhetorically asked, but Honchkrow nodded its head anyway. "You helped me out so I'll give you one since you didn't eat yesterday."

Honchkrow internally breathed a sigh of relief. The former mafia Pokemon had never known true hunger until its time with Silver. He regularly skipped its meals while it had to watch him and his other Pokemon eat. It was torture. Any time Silver decided to feed it was truly a blessing to Honchkrow. It had to just bear its hunger pains a little longer before it would be curved at least somewhat before the day was over. Silver made sure to never give it enough to where it was full.

"Not right now, though. I'm busy. You'll have to wait until the rest of us eat," Silver told it before he turned to Skarmory. "Let's get to the lighthouse."

With that, Silver returned Honchkrow and hopped onto his Skarmory. The steel bird Pokemon kicked up some dust and flew to the air into Olivine City. As it did, Silver narrowed his eyes. If Team Rocket really was involved in this, it made Silver hate them even more if it was possible. It was a very cowardly act to attack a Pokemon that acted as a beacon of light to sailors at sea. Did they truly have nothing else to do? There had to be an ulterior motive, and Silver was determined to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

"Come on! We're almost out of time!" Serena cried as she and the others hurried into Olivine City.

Yes. The group was in a hurry. They had heard there was a Pokemon Showcase in Olivine City today. Naturally, Serena was eager to compete in it. Ever since they saw the announcement from the last Pokemon Center they were in, the group had been running nonstop for the past couple of days to try to make it on time. The Pokemon Showcase was in only a couple of hours so their time was very limited.

"Ack! I've got a stitch!" Macy yelped as she clutched her right side in pain.

"We're almost there, Macy!" Ash hollered behind him as he grabbed Macy's hand.

Macy cried out as she was jerked forward since Ash was running faster than her. Macy's legs were working overtime as she struggled to keep up with the others. If she slowed down, she would be reduced to being merely drug along the pavement. She had no idea Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty could run for such long distances. It must have come with the constant traveling for the past couple of years.

"Slohohohohow dohowhowhown!" Macy yelled as she was tugged along.

Brock was trying to read through his guidebook while running so he could act as the navigator. It was rather difficult to read and run, however. It was quite dizzying. Nevertheless, super Brock could still do it.

"Okay! Right turn here! The Pokemon Center should just be a half mile down this street!" Brock called out.

"Half a mile?!" Macy whined as they turned.

Had the group been paying attention, they would've noticed themselves pass by a certain red-haired man on the other side of the street. Fortunately, neither parties noticed each other as they both were on a mission and too busy to worry about their surroundings.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the Pokemon Center. The group ran inside and didn't stop until they reached Nurse Joy's desk. As soon as they did, Ash let go of Macy's hand, and she collapsed in exhaustion. She had never run that far for that long in her life.

The rest of the group was in better shape, but it was clear they were tired. Their clothes and bodies were drenched in sweat, and they were panting heavily. It looked like they had just jumped into a swimming pool. Pikachu and Togetic came lugging in behind them just as tired. They were energetic, but even that run had pushed them to their limit.

"Goodness! Is everything alright?!" Nurse Joy asked in concern when she saw the state that the group was in.

"I…I…I need…to…sign up…for…the Pokemon Showcase…today," Serena panted.

Nurse Joy gave Serena an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Miss. Yes. The Pokemon Showcase is today, but registration ended yesterday at noon."

"Wh-what?" Serena stuttered.

"I'm sorry as it was clear you tried hard to get here. The next showcase won't be for another three weeks," Nurse Joy informed her.

"Three weeks?" Serena moaned. "Ooooohhhh…."

"You mean we did all of that running for nothing?!" Macy cried from the floor.

"I feel like I need to fall over, too," Serena muttered as she fell backwards, but Ash caught her.

"Hey, Serena. It's okay. I'm sure we'll find something to do for three weeks. Let's rent a couple of rooms here so we can take a shower and figure out our next course of action," Ash suggested.

"I'm in agreement there. I smell like a gym bag," Misty gagged.

"Fine…," Serena sighed, but she was still clearly disappointed.

* * *

About an hour later, the group had cleaned up and met in the lobby of the Pokemon Center. They sat down on the couches as they tried to come up with what they should do next. Serena was still rather sullen about missing this showcase, but she wasn't a nervous wreck anymore. Macy fiddled with her fingers and had a guilty expression on her face.

"I'm sorry. This is my fault. Had I not caused trouble for you guys, you wouldn't have been delayed for a day and might have made it," she said.

"No! Don't blame yourself! It's not your fault!" Serena tried to smiled and waved her hands in front of her face. "Still, this is a huge bummer on our plans."

"Well, we could always go to the gym so I could have my gym battle," Ash suggested.

"What kind of Pokemon does the gym leader have?" Misty wondered.

"Her name is supposed to be Jasmine, and she trains steel-types," Ash answered.

"Steel-types, huh? You don't have a lot of experience battling them," Brock pointed out.

"This gym should be a cinch for me," Macy jumped in, which caused the group to look towards her again. "Steel-types are weak against fire Pokemon. This would be my third badge!"

"That's right. We never learned which badges you've gotten so far on your journey," Serena spoke up."

Macy then took off her backpack before she pulled out her badge case. The pig-tailed girl opened it before she proudly revealed two badges inside. One was clearly the fog badge, but the other one was unfamiliar to the group. It was a hexagon-shaped badge that resembled a snowflake.

"I received the Glacier Badge from Bryce in Mahogany Town, and the Fog Badge from Morty in Ecruteak City!" she said.

"Hey! That's pretty cool, Macy!" Ash smiled before he showed the girl his own from his jacket. "Jasmine would be my fifth badge. I've gotten the Zephyr Badge, the Bug Badge, the Plain Badge, and the Fog Badge!"

"Wow, Ash! You're already halfway there! You'll have all eight badges in no time!" Macy exclaimed as she clasped her hands with sparkles in her eyes.

Ash chuckled at that. Even though Macy wasn't fawning over him and trying to get him to love her, she still admired him and wanted to be like him. The girl had really dialed down her bad attitude and teasing of Misty for using water-type Pokemon. Because of this, she was finally able to get along with everyone in the group, even Serena. In fact, the two girls have even shared several stories and laughs together.

"Have you decided which Pokemon you should use against Jasmine?" Serena wondered.

"Yeah. Houndour and Cyndaquil for sure. I think I'll bring along Totodile, too, as I hear that steel-type moves aren't very effective against water," Ash replied.

"Sounds like a winning team to me," Brock approved.

"I just need to make a call to Professor Oak to get Houndour, and then we can head out," Ash said as he stood up, but something on television caught his attention.

"We interrupt your regular program to bring you a special bulletin," a reporter suddenly said from the television before an image of the Olivine Lighthouse appeared. "The Ampharos that controls the lighthouse has suddenly fallen very ill."

"The lighthouse Pokemon?" Ash questioned as he stopped to watch.

"Yeah. Didn't you know, Ash? The lighthouse in Olivine City is very famous. It doesn't use electricity at all. The light given is provided by a very special Ampharos," Macy said as she worriedly watched the news report.

"Due to this, the Olivine City gym leader, Jasmine, has gone to investigate and take care of the Ampharos. Until this problem is solved, she has officially closed the gym and will not accept challenges from anyone," the news reporter continued.

"What? Man. You've got to be kidding me," Ash muttered.

"We sure picked a bad time to get to Olivine City. First, Serena's Pokemon Contest, and now this," Misty agreed.

"So I guess we're stuck here for three weeks," Ash sighed.

"We can't wait that long. We still have Mareep," Serena reminded.

"Here's my suggestion," Brock spoke up which caused the group to turn to him. "Since Cianwood City is across the ocean, let's go ahead and take a ferry to get there. We can have Mareep's operation, and Ash and Macy can battle with the gym leader there, too. That will take a few days by itself. I mean, there's nothing we can really do about Serena's showcase since there isn't one in Cianwood City, but that's the best solution I can think of."

"I think Brock's right," Serena said. "The only reason we've been in such a hurry was because we were trying to get to Cianwood City in the first place. I mean…three weeks is a long time, but at least we could afford to wait here after Mareep's better."

"Exactly!" Brock affirmed.

"I suppose that's the best option, too," Ash nodded before something else on the television caught their attention.

"While no one has been able to identify the exact cause of this illness, we have reason to believe that this isn't a normal disease," the reporter continued in front of the lighthouse.

Behind her, the group could see there was a small crowd of people and an Officer Jenny there. The people all had worried looks on their faces and seemed to be interrogating Officer Jenny, but she seemed to be just as worried for Ampharos and provided little answers.

"Oh. Wait! Young man, would you mind telling us what you think of this situation?" the reporter asked as she held her microphone off to the right.

The camera then zoomed over to the man the reporter was addressing, and the whole group, especially Ash, gasped in shock. It was none other than Silver, the angry and callous man who wanted nothing to do with Ash or the rest of his family. As expected, Silver had a glare on his face as he stared at the reporter before he cast another glare at the camera. It was clear she had interrupted him.

"Sir?" the reporter questioned.

"Team Rocket," Silver uttered before he turned and continued running to the lighthouse.

"What? Team Rocket?! What do you mean by that? Young man!" the reporter called after Silver, but he ignored her and kept going. She then turned back to the screen. "We have no idea what he knows if he thinks Team Rocket is involved, but we'll bring you more updates as they come!"

Ash was frozen in place as he watched. He had even momentarily forgotten his gym battle as soon as he saw Silver on the screen. He was here in Olivine City?! That wasn't all. Silver had briefly hinted that he was after Team Rocket in his first encounter, but did he honestly believe that Team Rocket was behind this? If he did, Ash had to know why. He knew Team Rocket was doing undercover activity, and Silver clearly knew something they didn't.

"Let's go to the lighthouse," Ash decided.

"What? Ash! You aren't actually trying to seek out Silver, are you?!" Serena asked with worry.

"I am this time. I have to know about Team Rocket," Ash muttered as he clenched his fists.

Team Rocket wasn't just a personal matter for Silver, but for Ash, too. He still remembered how their leader, Giovanni, had kidnapped his mother to use as bait once he had stopped their evil plans several times. That was when the shock of Ash's life happened when he went to rescue her. Giovanni had revealed that he had a history with Ash's mom and how they had a child, who was Silver, together. He also revealed that his mother was the co-founder of Team Rocket.

Ash had managed to defeat Giovanni in a six on six gym match and rescued his mother, but the man had gotten away when his father showed up. Team Rocket wasn't just an evil criminal gang to Ash. They were the very reminder of his mother's shameful past and the organization who stood for everything Ash didn't. Ash had to stop them from returning at all costs.

"Who's Silver?" Macy wondered in confusion.

"He's my brother, but…we don't get along," Ash muttered.

"Why not? Did you two have a fight?" Macy questioned.

Ash sighed. It was understandable that Macy didn't really get the animosity between him and Silver. He was such a jerk to Ash when they met in Goldenrod City and even borderline threatened him when Ash mentioned Team Rocket. He had made it quite clear he didn't wish to see Ash again. Normally, Ash would comply, but he wasn't going to allow to Silver to insult his mother like that when she was constantly worrying about him every day.

"Let's just leave at that, Macy. Ash doesn't really like to talk about it," Serena stepped in this time, to which Macy nodded.

"Anyway, I'm heading to the lighthouse," Ash stated as he turned around. Pikachu hopped up on his shoulder to prepare for the journey and to give Ash support in case things got ugly.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Ash? I mean…never mind," Misty started, but stopped herself. She had siblings herself, but she and Brock's relationship with their siblings were nothing like with Ash and Silver. She couldn't understand how Ash must feel.

"No. I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but when do I ever have them? Besides, I want to see what this lighthouse Pokemon is all about," Ash declared before he headed to the door.

"Well, we're coming with you then!" Serena spoke up as she stood up from the couch with Togetic.

"Count me in!" Brock stated.

"Me, too!" Misty added.

"Don't forget about me!" Macy finished as the group turned to look at her in confusion. "What? I can't come, too? I'm worried about Ash!"

"Errrr…I guess. Thank, Macy," Ash replied.

* * *

The group made another sprint straight to the lighthouse. Just like last time, Macy was having a hard time keeping up, and by the time they got there, she was extremely tired. Yet, the group looked no worse for the wear this time. Even Togetic was fine. Then again, it had wings now. The pig-tailed girl had her tongue hanging out, and she was wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Oooohhh. I had just gotten clean again, too. I don't see how you guys do it," Macy moaned.

"Honestly, Misty and I didn't start off like this, either. After traveling with Ash and Serena for so long, though, we've built ourselves up to their level," Brock mentioned.

"It was sooooo painful," Misty sighed.

"Ash was always energetic, though. I had to learn to keep up with him and Leaf a whole lot," Serena added.

"Leaf?" Macy questioned.

"One of our childhood friends from back in Pallet Town," Serena answered.

Ash wasn't paying much attention to the conversation. He was too focused on the lighthouse in front of him. As he craned his neck upward, he was amazed that one Pokemon's tail light could glow so fantastically that it could be seen for miles, but now, that wasn't the case. Something was up, and Ash was determined what it was.

"Come on, guys," Ash said and motioned with his arm.

The other four followed him and made their way through the small crowd to the lighthouse entrance. Off to the side, an Officer Jenny was still trying to answer as many questions as she could about how the lighthouse would try to function without Ampharos. Once the group got to the entrance and were about to go in, they were blocked by a guard.

"What's going on?" Ash questioned.

"I'm sorry, but only two people are allowed up to see Jasmine and Ampharos at this time. Any more that that might put too much stress on Ampharos," the guard answered.

"Why don't you and Serena go? We'll wait down here," Brock suggested.

"That won't work. There's already one person up there so only one of you can go unless you want to wait for him to leave," the guard rebutted before he cast a glance behind him. "Now that I think about it, he's been in there a long time."

"Um, excuse me," Ash spoke up which caused the guard to look at him. "What did this guy look like?"

"Oh? I think he had thick, red hair, and he had a scowl on his face," the guard replied as he rubbed his beard in thought.

Ash's look darkened slightly. He thought so. There weren't too many people Ash could think of who fit that description…especially the scowl part. Silver was in there, after all. Ash had met him a couple of times, and Silver had been anything but pleasant. Who knows what he was doing to Jasmine or Ampharos to get information out of them? Ash had to get in there and stop him.

"I'm going in," Ash muttered.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried to indicate it was coming, too.

"Toge!" Togetic added because it wanted to come, too.

"We don't need too many of us going in there, Togetic," Serena told it before she cast a worried glance at Ash. "Are you sure you and Pikachu are going to be okay up there with him?"

"I can't allow him to be in there alone," Ash uttered.

They exchanged concerned glances with each other. Rather than defuse whatever was going on in that lighthouse, Ash would only add to it if he showed up, not help it. They hadn't officially met Silver like Ash had, but from what he told them, the young man was known to be violent and short-tempered. He had also made it clear for Ash to stay out of his way, but here Ash was about to purposely charge into the lighthouse when Silver was most likely in there.

"Ash…," Serena started, but Ash placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be okay," he said sincerely.

Serena felt a little bit better when Ash looked at her like that. Her worried expression still never left her, though. She bit her lip to keep any more protests from coming out. When she finally did speak, her apprehensiveness still showed, but she consented.

"Alright. Just please be careful, Ash. I don't want him hurting you," Serena said.

"Thank you," Ash nodded before he turned to the guard. "May I go in and see Jasmine and Ampharos please?"

"Umm…sure," the guard muttered as he wondered what on Earth that conversation had been about.

With that, Ash nodded his head at the guard before he turned to his friends. He then gave them a reassuring smile before he and Pikachu hurried into the lighthouse. The guard raised his eyebrow in confusion that Ash was running in, but he shrugged it off before he went back to his guard duty.

Serena, Brock, Misty, and Macy watched Ash go in and sighed. Whatever was going on in that lighthouse was probably going to get a lot uglier. They just hoped Ash would be okay and that he would be able to control himself.

Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu were running up the stairs of the lighthouse as fast as they could to make it to the top. Unfortunately, because the lighthouse was so old, it didn't have an elevator. Ash was actually starting to get tired himself from all the running he did today. At least he got plenty of exercise from this.

His thought of Silver in this lighthouse kept him going, though. He could see it now. Silver probably had Jasmine and Ampharos pinned against a wall as he grilled them with questions about Team Rocket. He probably even had one of his Pokemon out to threaten them with in case they didn't cooperate. Ash grit his teeth at thought. No way was he going to let Silver keep treating people and Pokemon like that. In that way, Silver was just like Giovanni.

Ash finally reached the top of the lighthouse several stories up, and he threw open the door and hurried inside with Pikachu behind him. Ash wildly glanced around from left to right as he tried to find any source of trouble. However, he found none. Sure, the top room of the lighthouse was a mess, but Ash could tell it wasn't because of any current conflict. In fact, what Ash saw was something he wasn't expecting.

Silver was indeed in the room with a teenage girl who was apparently Jasmine, but there were no fights or threats going on. It was tense, yes, but tense with worry, not fear or anger. Silver was knelt down next to the single twin bed that was in the room, and he appeared wiping whatever was on the bed with a rag. Ash could see a long yellow tail with a ball tip at the end so it had to Ampharos on it. Jasmine stood by Silver with her hands clasped as she watched him work.

The atmosphere was interrupted, though, when Ash and Pikachu burst into the room. A few seconds after he was in and processed the situation, both Silver and Jasmine turned around to discover Ash was there. It didn't take long for the surprise on Silver's face to turn into an angry scowl. His brows furrowed, and he had his teeth bared. Before he could say anything, Jasmine spoke first.

"Goodness! Is everything okay?!" Jasmine asked in worry and confusion.

"Umm…yeah. Sorry. I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash muttered as he looked around.

The backdoor that led out to the balcony was missing and laid a few feet away against the wall. It was clear someone had kicked it down. There were a few scuffs on the floor where a fight had apparently taken place as well as…slightly black marks along the room? Had there been a fire or fire Pokemon in here? Ash didn't have too long to process this before Silver stood up and faced Ash.

"You've got to be kidding me. What are you doing here?" Silver snarled at Ash.

"I came here to check on Ampharos," Ash replied and met Silver's gaze. It was only a half truth as Silver didn't need to know the other reason Ash was here.

"It's doing fine so you can leave now," Silver said just as rudely as his first statement.

"Hey! I can be here, too!" Ash rebutted with Pikachu nodding in agreement.

Silver, however, didn't see it that way. He took a few steps forward to Ash, and his eyes flashed in warning. His glared deepened, and he gave Ash a very scary look. Ash resisted the urge to look away as he couldn't let Silver intimidate him. They guy was pretty good at it.

"I thought I made myself clear the last time when I told you to stay out of my way. Leave now," he uttered in a very low and threatening tone.

Ash stared back defiantly at Silver. He wasn't going to budge just because Silver was ordering him to leave. At least, Ash wasn't going to leave until he figured out what exactly was wrong with Ampharos and what Silver knew about the situation. Before the two brothers could say anything more, Jasmine stepped in.

"Umm…I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but if the two of you won't get along, I'll have to ask both of you to leave. I don't want to stress out Sparkle with a fight breaking out," she said sternly.

Ash and Silver gave each other one last look. It was if the two were daring the other to say something that would trigger a fight between them so only that person would be blamed. However, they said nothing. Silver realized that Ash was just as stubborn as he was and wasn't going to leave unless Silver marched him down the stairs himself. As much as he wanted to, Silver resisted the urge. Instead, he turned away from Ash and gave a snort.

"Whatever. Do what you want," he muttered and made his way back over to the bed.

Ash mentally breathed a sigh of relief. That was pretty close and could've turned bad very quickly had Jasmine not stepped in. As Ash watched Silver kneel back down by the bed, that made Ash curious to what exactly Silver was doing. He moved in a little closer but not too close to avoid arousing Silver's temper again.

Silver was rubbing what appeared to be burn marks on Ampharos and had a bottle of burn heal next to him. Ampharos had clearly been attacked last night. That confirmed that it certainly didn't just fall ill. Something else was at play. Jasmine saw Ash's look and appeared to know what he was thinking and answered his thoughts.

"We've figured out that this is no normal sickness that Ampharos has. It was attacked last night, and we think that has something to do with how Ampharos feels. We just can't find any proof," Jasmine informed Ash.

"Attacked?" Ash repeated.

"Yes. I got a call early this morning by the morning security guard. He had heard a lot of loud noises coming from the top room. By the time he made it, Sparkle was on the ground barely conscious, and whatever had attacked was already gone. I've been here ever since," Jasmine sighed.

"Man…," Ash muttered as he went over to the bed to get a look at Ampharos, too.

Silver didn't even spare Ash a glance once Ash was at the bed. He just continued wiping away at the burn marks on Ampharos. The light Pokemon honestly looked pretty terrible. Its eyes were only half open, and its breathing was very shallow. It was clearly injured from being attacked, yes, but most of the pain seemed to be coming from inside of it. Ampharos would cry weakly before it would shift around uncomfortably. Pikachu hopped up on the bed and stroked Ampharos' arm with its tiny hands. What surprised Ash even more was that despite Ampharos' movement, it didn't appear to annoy Silver.

"Thank you for your help, Silver. You've been great ever since you got here," Jasmine said thankfully as she went to stand between Silver and Ash.

"Help?!" Ash blurted out.

He didn't mean to sound so stupefied, but "help" was one of the last things he would expect to hear to describe Silver. Ash soon realized that was the wrong thing to say as both Jasmine and Silver turned to look at him. Silver frowned and narrowed his eyes at Ash as he knew what Ash meant by his shout. He gave an intense glare at Ash, and this time, Ash looked away. It was probably best not to antagonize Silver any more than he already had. If he even had a chance of Silver to talk to him, he had to get on his good side. Yeah. Like that would happen. Silver probably doesn't have a good side.

"Oh, yes. As soon as he was here, Silver went over to inspect Sparkle's injuries and began to heal them. I didn't have a Burn Heal with me and was afraid to leave Sparkle, but he generously used the only Burn Heal he had and has been treating it," Jasmine replied.

"That's…nice of you," Ash said, not knowing how else to reply to Silver, but the cold man didn't give Ash a response.

This was a side of Silver Ash wasn't used to seeing. From what his mom had told him, Silver had turned from caring and happy to cold and miserable. Ash had seen it himself from the times he ran into Silver. He was seeing it from the way Silver was treating him now! Yet, here Silver was, treating a weakened and sick Pokemon's wounds, and he didn't even look annoyed as he was doing it. Rather than becoming clearer, it just got even harder for Ash to understand Silver the more he met him.

As Silver went to rub a burn that was on Ampharos' neck, he stopped. He then took the rag away and leaned in to peer closer. Once he did, Silver frowned. This action alerted Ash and Jasmine so they looked at Silver in curiosity. Ash thought it was best not to speak so he let Jasmine ask what was both on their minds.

"What is it?" Jasmine wondered.

"Take a look at that. I think we may have found the answer to what happened to Ampharos," Silver replied and pointed to a particular spot on Ampharos' neck.

Ash and Jasmine both leaned in closer to inspect where Silver was pointing. It was very faint and hard to notice, but when Jasmine and Ash squinted, they could see a tiny indention on Ampharos' neck. More specifically, there was spot where what had to be a needle was inserted into Ampharos. There was definitely a tiny puncture wound there. As soon as she saw it, Jasmine gasped.

"Oh no! You mean…," Jasmine started.

"I'm thinking that wound is from a syringe, and it was definitely intentional. Ampharos has probably been poisoned," Silver told her.

"Someone poisoned it?!" Ash exclaimed.

Once again, Silver ignored Ash. Jasmine, meanwhile, put her hand over her heart and appeared quite worried. A few tears formed in her eyes, and she wiped them away while Silver looked at the girl solemnly.

"Oh, poor Sparkle," Jasmine said. "Who would do something so terrible to it? Sparkle is a wonderful Pokemon who graciously uses its light for the good of others. Why would anyone have the intention to poison it?"

"I bet Team Rocket did it," Silver uttered as Jasmine and Ash looked up at Silver.

"What? Team Rocket? Weren't they disbanded?" Jasmine questioned.

"I assure you they aren't," Silver replied as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Those despicable criminals will do anything these days. They must know that this Ampharos is important so they have to rely on cowardly things like poison. I hate them."

"Why would they poison Ampharos, though?" Ash questioned, and once again Silver ignored him.

Ash grit his teeth at Silver. He was so sick of this guy's treatment to him. Ash hadn't done anything to Silver, but he treated Ash like absolute trash just because he was related to him and was the son of Delia and Red. That was completely unfair, and Ash had enough. Even if Silver wasn't threatening him, pretending Ash didn't exist was just as bad.

"Look at me!" Ash shouted.

Jasmine jolted her head in Ash's direction at his outburst, and even Pikachu looked startled. Silver, for his part, actually did look at Ash this time. The cold man narrowed his eyes and appeared very angry like Ash just addressing him was putrid. Ash didn't care, however. He came here for answers, and he was going to get them.

"If Team Rocket's involved, it's just as personal to me as it is to you!" Ash declared before he lowered his voice. "Over a year ago, my mom, _your_ mom, was kidnapped by Giovanni. That's when I first found out about you by the way. I didn't think I would see my mom again. I fought in a literal death match for her against that horrible man. I only won that match through a stroke of pure luck, but Giovanni got away. I refuse to let someone like him keep roaming free and want to see him brought to justice. If you know anything at all about Team Rocket's doings, you have to tell me! Please!"

Jasmine and Pikachu continued to watch Ash after he delivered his passionate speech. Silver didn't appear moved and continued to look at Ash with the same expression he had before Ash spoke. Ash stared defiantly at Silver and seemed to have fire in his eyes. It looked like Silver was going to continue to stay silent, but by some miracle, he didn't. By an even greater miracle, it was the words Ash wanted to hear.

"Ugh…fine," Silver muttered before he added. "I'm only going to say this once so listen up. I believe Team Rocket is planning a massive comeback here in the Johto region."

Ash looked up at Silver. The cold man just confirmed what Ash had been thinking all along. He knew they weren't truly disbanded and that he couldn't trust Giovanni to keep his word. They just had a setback when Red and Blue showed up to take him down. None of the executives were ever arrested, and Ash had seen Jessie, James, and Meowth in Goldenrod City and the Ruins of Alph. Ash clenched his fist at the thought of them rising to power again.

"Oh my goodness?! How do you know?" Jasmine gasped.

"I…heard from a Team Rocket grunt himself," Silver answered before he thought. _"Right before I killed him."_ , but nobody in this room needed to know that.

Ash noticed how Silver seemed to hesitate before he gave his answer. He remembered seeing all of those bloodstains from dead Team Rocket members in the Slowpoke Well, and how there was evidence from Kurt that it was from Silver. Ash then had a haunting image of Silver literally torturing the Team Rocket members for information before ruthlessly murdering them. The thought sent a shiver up Ash's spine at what Silver could be capable of. Nonetheless, Ash continued.

"What makes you think Team Rocket's involved with poisoning Ampharos, though?" Ash wondered.

"That part is really none of your business. I just have my sources," Silver snarled at Ash.

The raven-haired boy sighed as he should've known Silver wouldn't tell him how. Even so, Silver still hadn't answered Ash's first question about Ampharos. Thankfully, Jasmine asked instead this time.

"Why poison Sparkle? What do they have to gain from that?" Jasmine inquired and clasped her hands together.

"They gain nothing," Silver answered before he elaborated. "It should be obvious, though, why they did it. They're just using this Pokemon. I bet they're poisoning Ampharos as slowly as possible. The longer it stays sick, the better for them. They need it so everyone focuses on it and keeps them out of the spotlight so they can prepare."

"Prepare for what?" Ash questioned before Silver shot him a glare.

"Their comeback! What else?" Silver growled before he continued. "I think something terrible is going to happen here in the Johto region, and they're involved. It's just like Team Rocket to do something like this. I bet they're planning to do a whole lot of other awful things to keep the police off their backs."

"Something terrible," Ash muttered as he remembered something Eusine said to him a while back.

He remembered how Eusine told him that whomever Suicune decided to show itself to, that person would have a large role in saving the Johto region. He also remembered how he read that the guardian of Ilex Forest, Celebi, would only appear when a catastrophe struck the Johto region. Ash's head begin to spin as bit by bit, some of this was starting to make sense. With Suicune appearing to him, his ties to Team Rocket, and how they are planning a huge comeback, what Silver was telling him was probably all true. Ash began to worry as he started to wonder if he would have to face Team Rocket, and ultimately Giovanni, again. This time, the stakes would be even higher.

Despite Ash's tense look, Silver didn't seem to care. To him, Ash was nothing but an inconvenient brat who was purposely getting in his way. Ash had told him the last time they met that he hardly knew anything about Team Rocket so he was useless to Silver. That was true at the time, but Ash now knew a lot more thanks to Silver's information.

"Should we alert the police?" Jasmine wondered.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Silver rebutted. "Team Rocket is a bunch of cowards. The second they think the police is searching for them, anything can happen. I don't want to find out what it is, either."

"Where do you think they're hiding?" Ash wondered.

"I have a gut feeling most of them are in Goldenrod City," Silver uttered. "I haven't been able to gather any evidence, though. I've turned that underground mall upside down in my search but haven't found anything."

"I saw three Team Rocket members in Goldenrod City," Ash offhandedly mentioned.

He was started when Silver immediately ran up to Ash and got in his face. Ash leaned back a little at Silver's forcefulness. Silver didn't back down, though. He looked Ash straight in the eye as he asked his question.

"Where did you see them? Tell me now!" he ordered.

"I…saw them at the Pokemon trading fair," Ash stuttered, a little worried how Silver would react.

"You didn't stop them for information?!" Silver hollered.

"I-I tried! They got away!" Ash protested.

"Did you see at least see which way they were running?! Were they running to a particular location?!" Silver continued to grill Ash.

"I-I don't know. I don't know the layout of Goldendrod City. I couldn't tell where they were going," Ash mumbled.

Pikachu had left Ampharos' side and went to stand by Ash. It was on all fours and sparked its cheeks at Silver. The cold man gave a glare down at the yellow rodent. Silver then noticed Jasmine's disapproving look. With that, Silver shoved his hands in his pockets and turned around.

"Pah. You're so pathetic and useless. You claim you had a hand in stopping Team Rocket in Kanto, but you can't even capture three measly members," Silver sneered.

Ash looked down towards the ground. Why did Silver always have to act like such a jerk to him?

"If Sparkle's been poisoned, and it isn't fast-acting, I think I may have the solution to save it," Jasmine spoke up to bring everyone back to the topic at hand. "I hear there's a wonderful pharmacy in Cianwood City. If anything has something to save Sparkle, I'm sure it will. All the pharmacist will need is a description of what's going on, and he should have the antidote."

"That's great!" Ash exclaimed with Pikachu joining in. At least that was some bit of good news.

"The problem is I can't leave Sparkle, though," Jasmine said sorrowfully as she looked down.  
"Someone needs to take care of it."

"I'll go get it," Ash stated immediately which caused Jasmine and Silver to look at him.

"You really will?" Jasmine asked as her eyes shine with happiness. "Oh, thank you so much! Both Sparkle and I are very grateful! I'll make sure to call ahead to the pharmacy!"

"Humph," Silver snorted from the side.

"Just please hurry back. I'll be up here with Sparkle all day and night, but I'm worried something may happen while I'm asleep," Jasmine stated.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'll stay up here and help you take care of Ampharos," Silver stepped in.

This surprised Jasmine, but it surprised Ash even more. Silver was actually staying here to care for a weakened Pokemon? That was totally outside of his character…at least as far as Ash knew. Was Silver really not as bad as Ash was making him out to be?

"Wow. Thanks, Silver," Ash muttered before Silver leered at him.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm doing this help Ampharos, but I really need it because I bet it heard some information on Team Rocket while they were here. It can't tell me if it's sick," Silver growled.

"You're unbelievable!" Ash shouted as that brief thought about Silver's good will vanished. "That Ampharos is very sick and could die, and the only thing you're worried about is getting information on Team Rocket?! How could you be so careless?!"

That was a bad move, and even Pikachu thought so. The yellow rodent pulled at Ash's pant leg in an effort to get him to just drop the subject and leave, but the raven-haired boy stubbornly stood his ground. Ash soon learned his error when Silver quickly closed the distance between him and Ash. The cold man grabbed Ash by his shirt and lifted him off the ground. Jasmine went to intervene, but the venom in Silver's voice stopped her cold.

"What did you say to me, you little punk?" Silver uttered in deadly and dangerous tone. "In case you have forgotten, you're no saint in this, either. You said you came because you were worried for Amphoras, but that's Tauros dung. You came here because I was here and so you could get information about Team Rocket from me. I know you did. You're like a festering wound that won't go away. You make me sick. Don't act so noble. At least I'm honest about my intentions."

Silver then released Ash and turned away to head back over to Ampharos. Ash's eyes stung with tears at Silver's harsh words. The worst part was he was right. He had heard Ampharos was sick, and he was indeed worried. However, the second he knew Silver was here and how he had mentioned Team Rocket on television, Ash wasted no time in coming. Ash's fists shook as he felt like such a hypocrite, now. Pikachu tried to pat Ash, but Ash felt no comfort from it.

"Jasmine," Silver spoke up, which caused the girl to look at him. She looked a little shaken up from the display. "I promise you that no harm will come to Ampharos while I'm here. I will be its bodyguard. I'm a very skilled Pokemon trainer with a few tournament wins under my belt. You will have nothing to worry about. If anything tries to hurt Ampharos, I will take care of it."

"Oh. Umm…thank you, Silver. Regardless of your intentions, I've grateful, and I know Sparkle is, too. I'll be sure to let the guard know," Jasmine replied and took a deep breath to return to her normal demeanor. She realized this man proved to be quite scary when angered, but it was only because Ash was here.

Silver nodded his head, and went to return to wipe Ampharos with the Burn Heal. He didn't so much as look at Ash again. That was fine with Ash, though. He didn't really feel like talking to Silver anymore himself after their last few words that were exchanged. There was only one thing left for Ash to say.

"I-I'll hurry up and get going then," Ash said. "The sooner Ampharos is healed, the better. I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise."

"Thank you, Ash. You've just taken a huge weight off my shoulders. I will await your return," Jasmine replied with a nod.

With that, Ash turned and left the room as quickly as possible with Pikachu on his heels. He just really wanted to get out of there. It looked like things between him and Silver had gotten even worse. He just had to put his foot in his mouth and anger Silver, and Ash could now see for himself what made Silver so threatening and scary. If Ash didn't know better, he thought Silver was going to punch him. For all Ash knew, he might have done so if Jasmine wasn't there.

Despite this, Ash did learn some valuable information about Team Rocket. Suicune's appearance was no coincidence. A disaster was coming, and if Team Rocket was involved, Ash was sure he would play a part in it. Things were a lot more serious than he thought. He would definitely have a lot of things to tell Serena, Brock, and Misty when he got the chance.

Ash and Pikachu soon exited the lighthouse where the rest were waiting for him. Another person was then signaled to enter the lighthouse by the guard, but Ash paid it no mind. Serena now Ash's shaken up state and hurried up him.

"Ash, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did Silver hurt you?" Serena asked in worry as Brock, Misty, and Macy came up behind her.

"No. I'm fine. Silver and I…just don't get along," Ash muttered as he took a few short breaths to steady his breathing.

"Oh, Ash. I should've been there with you. I haven't personally met Silver yet, but I don't like you meeting him by yourself," Serena said seriously.

"I agree, Ash. We're just worried about you. Should you ever try to see Silver again, at least let us be with you," Brock added.

Ash didn't really want to see Silver again, in all honesty. The man was nothing but a complete jerk to him for no reason. Ash had the tiniest bit of respect for Silver when he learned that the cold man was healing Ampharos and volunteering to be its body guard for a while. However, all that was thrown out the window after their last exchange.

"Right," was all Ash responded.

"So what are we going to do now?" Macy questioned.

"Well…," Ash started, "We need to get to Cianwood City. Jasmine said there's a famous pharmacy there, and I volunteered to go get the antidote. We can have Mareep's operation, and as soon as it's better, we can come back here and deliver the antidote."

"Antidote?" Misty questioned, having caught on that Ash didn't specifically say medicine.

"Yeah. Ampharos has been poisoned by Team Rocket. Silver told me," Ash mumbled and dropped his voice a little so nobody else would hear him.

"They did? How does Silver know this," Serena inquired, as she and everyone else in the group was now very curious.

"We need to find the soonest ferry to Cianwood City. I'll explain everything on the way there," Ash promised.

"Right. Cianwood City it is, then," Brock decided.

With that, the group hurried away from the lighthouse towards the harbor. Macy let out a slight groan that they were running again, but she didn't whine this time. She knew the gravity of the situation. Cianwood City was going to prove to be an important stop for their group. Their first priority was going to help Mareep, and then they would be sure to get the special antidote. Ash's gym battle in Cianwood City could wait. There were more important things at stake.

"Serena, are you worried…about Mareep?" Ash wondered as they ran.

"I..I am. I also know that it's going to be in good hands, though. If what the Nurse Joy in Goldenrod City said was true, I have every confidence we'll save Mareep in time. We just have to."

"I know, Serena. I hope so, too. Mareep will be in great health before you know it," Ash smiled.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena replied gratefully.

Everything would be just fine. It just had to be.

* * *

Professor Oak yawned as he prepared to go to bed. It had been another long day of research, but everything was going a lot smoother ever since Tracey became his assistant. Now that he was getting older, the professor needed a lot more free time. He even had time to have afternoon tea with Delia, Grace, and Rose.

In his night clothes, the elderly man climbed into his bed to doze off. It had been another good day here. All the Pokemon seemed to be doing well. There a few disagreements between some Pokemon, but none that weren't quickly resolved by him or Tracey. The exception, of course, was Serena's Mareep. He had to keep a close watch on that Pokemon at all times.

Professor Oak normally had to keep Mareep in its pokeball most nights so it wouldn't disturb the other Pokemon. However, he left it outside tonight as Mareep seemed stable enough earlier this evening. The wool…err…wool-free Pokemon technically…would probably appreciate that. The naked Mareep sure could be a handful, but Professor Oak knew it wasn't the Pokemon's fault.

He checked it every morning and evening and had promised to call Serena if anything new came up once she transferred it to him. From what he understood, they should be approaching Cianwood City soon. Professor Oak then closed his eyes as he prepared to drift off into dreamland.

"Professor Oak!" Tracey shouted as he burst into Professor Oak's room. He was panting and very out of breath.

"Good gracious, Tracey! What's wrong?!" Professor Oak cried as he practically jumped out his skin from Tracey's sudden entrance.

"Come quick! It's Serena's Mareep!" Tracey yelled before he ran out of the room.

"What?! Its readings were stable when I checked it a few hours ago!" Professor Oak cried as he threw off his covers and hastily put on his shoes.

Professor Oaky then hurried out of his room as fast as his elderly body would let him and made his way through the lab. He went out the backdoor to his ranch, and his eyes widened.

There was what appeared to a stream of constant lightning shooting up into the night sky. It was crackling and going everywhere. It was even striking a few trees which caused some of them to catch fire. Professor Oak saw Tracey some distance ahead of him, and he hurried after the boy.

As Professor Oak got closer, he could see some of the Pokemon running away in fear of whatever it was that was going on. He had shield himself as another flash of lightning appeared in front of him. This was inconceivable. The worst thing that had happened with Mareep while it was here were random Thunderbolts that forced him and Tracey to be extra careful when handling it. This was very abnormal for Mareep indeed. Professor Oak just hoped this wasn't what he thought it was.

Professor Oak finally made it to the clearing by following Tracey, and he was met by several of Serena's Pokemon, and even some of Ash's Pokemon. They were all gathered in a circle as they all looked at what was going on in the center. Professor Oak soon spotted Mareep there, and he gasped at what he saw.

"Oh no," he muttered.

Mareep was writhing on the ground and screaming as nonstop electricity shot out of its body. Several of Serena's Pokemon were attempting to go over to Mareep to help it, but they would be forced back by the electricity. Nobody could get close to it.

"Tracey! Get Mareep's pokeball now! We have to make an emergency transfer!" Professor Oak ordered.

"Right!" Tracey answered as he ran back to Professor Oak's lab.

Serena's Hitmonlee was shielding itself as it tried to get close. If it could just somehow make it to Mareep, it might be able to use its mediation skills to calm it down. However, a stray bolt of electricity shot from Mareep and struck Hitmonlee.

"Leeeeee!" it cried as it fell to one knee. That was a very intense lightning strike.

Ash's Hitmonchan and Primeape went to help Hitmonlee up as Professor Oak continued to watch in horror. While Serena's Mareep had been in pain, it was nothing like this. Mareep had lost all control of its electricity. It was just coming out all on its own. The worst part was that the electricity was constantly being recycled back into Mareep's body so the lightning never ended. If this kept up, Mareep's organs would begin to fail..and then...Professor Oak knew what had just happened. It was the one thing everyone had feared.

Mareep had reached the critical point.

* * *

 **This was an evil cliffhanger I know, but it makes you all anxious for the next chapter. It's going to be very intense so let's hope Mareep makes it in time! I'll try not to take too long on it.**

 **Silver is just one complicated guy, isn't he? If you think Ash's interactions with Silver in the future are going to get better, you'd be wrong. Their relationship is just going to get worse before it gets better so don't hold your breath.**

 **Slightly more information is revealed about the climax in this arc, and it has me very excited to get to that point. Maybe it will force me to speed up my updates. Ehh...we'll see.**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support, everyone! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Thirty Seven: Lockdown**


	37. Lockdown

**A/N: I worked hard to get this chapter out soon to you guys. Here is the conclusion Mareep's illness...hopefully Read on to see how it plays out!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Lockdown

Serena didn't think the ferry to Cianwood City could've have gone any slower. Though it was only a day's ride away, it felt like years to Serena. As cliché as that sounded, that's what it really felt like. Serena was leaning over the railing of the ferry and straining her eyes to try to make out any landmass on the horizon which would be Cianwood City. She was so intent that one would think lasers would shoot out of her eyes, but no such thing happened.

The group had gotten the call about Mareep only a few hours after boarding the ferry to Cianwood City. Professor Oak had been frantic in his call and had told them a special transfer for Mareep had been acted. Only in cases of emergencies could a pokeball be transferred to a different location that was not with its trainer. As soon as Serena had heard about Mareep's condition, she had burst into tears.

Ever since then, Serena had been at the same spot on front of the ferry. Her tears had long since stopped, but that was more from a loss of tears to cry than because it was easier. She hadn't eaten or even slept since then. She was up all night. Serena knew in her heart that they were still quite a way from Cianwood City, but she wanted to be the first on off this ferry. Heck, if she could swim there faster, she would've done so.

"Hey, Serena. I brought you a bottled water. You should try to drink something," Misty offered as she came up behind her and extended it toward her side.

"I'm not thirsty, Misty," Serena replied sullenly.

"I know you may not feel thirsty, but I bet your body says differently. I haven't seen you eat, sleep, or drink since yesterday. Not to mention you've been crying. I just don't want you to get dehydrated," Misty told her.

Serena sighed as she saw the logic in Misty's words. The honey blonde-haired girl took the bottled water from Misty's hand before she took off the cap and took a small sip. Serena just as quickly put the cap back on and set it down. She just couldn't bring herself to drink anymore when she was so worried. Misty frowned but didn't say anything because at least Serena had a little bit.

"How's Ash doing?" Serena asked as she finally tore her eyes away from the sea to look at Misty.

"He's doing better, but he still prefers to keep to himself. Brock's been checking on him, but I still think Ash is shaken up from his last meeting with Silver. It must've been worse than we thought," Misty replied.

Serena turned away from Misty back to the ocean. Ash was going to explain what all had gone on between his conversation with Silver at the lighthouse, but they had all been distracted about the news with Mareep. Because of this, Ash had spent most of his time in the cabin. He'd only been out once to come to the front where Serena was and check on her. Unlike Serena, Ash was still eating and drinking and appeared more in thought than distress. Whatever went on had to be placed in the back of their heads for now, though.

"I just checked with the captain. He said it should only be another hour before we reach Cianwood City," Misty consoled in an effort to make Serena feel better, but it had the opposite effect.

"That's sixty minutes too long. I need to be there now!" Serena cried.

"Oh, I know this is scary for you, Serena. It is for all of us. We just want you to keep a level head about this and not get sick because you're stressing yourself so much," Misty said worriedly.

"I know, Misty. Still, why did this have to happen when we were so close to getting there? Had we gotten there sooner, Mareep would be stable and in good condition for the surgery. It's like this happened on purpose! It's not fair!" Serena choked.

Misty cast her eyes away as she really didn't have an answer for that. This was just some cruel twist of fate that Mareep was in. Now that the critical point had been reached, there was a chance Mareep wouldn't be able to survive the surgery. The doctors would have to be extra delicate when handling Mareep. They were dealing with a genetic disorder, after all.

"Mareep's with the best doctor in Johto right now. If anyone can save Mareep, I'm sure he can," Misty tried even though she didn't personally know the doctor. She just was trying to find something…anything to make Serena feel better.

"Yeah," Serena muttered, not really paying attention to what Misty said.

Misty looked down as she couldn't think of anything else to say. It was clear that words weren't going to make Serena feel any better. Actions and results were the only things that would be of any comfort to Serena, and excellent results at that.

"Just please let us know if you need anything, Serena. We're all her for you," Misty reassured before she went to go back inside her small cabin. Maybe she should check with Brock and see what he says about Ash.

* * *

The ferry finally made it to Cianwood City. True to her word, as soon as the ferry parked at the dock and extended the walkway, Serena shot off the boat as fast as she could and made an all out sprint to the Cianwood Hospital. Luckily, the rest of the group had been expecting this so they were just as quick to leave the ferry.

They didn't take time to marvel at how the coastal city looked as they ran. They were in an even bigger hurry than they were the previous day in Olivine City. Brock had read the directions to the Pokemon hospital several times on the guidebook so he could have them memorized by the time they reached Cianwood City. This way, there was no delay in their progress.

The group finally made it to the Cianwood Pokemon Hospital, and Serena hurried ran through the sliding glass doors and almost slipped on the tile due to the sudden change of terrain. Nevertheless, she regained her footing. She immediately ran over to the receptionist who thankfully wasn't busy at the moment. Serena wasted no time in cutting to the chase as soon as she reached the desk.

"Mareep for Serena Gabena! Where is it at?!" Serena asked frantically.

"Oh!" the receptionist gasped and quickly looked at the file since she sensed the urgency of the situation. "It's on the third floor! Room 3A!"

"Thank you!" Serena said hurriedly before she quickly left and sprinted down the hallway until she reached the door to the stairwell.

"Serena! There's an elevator!" Ash pointed out.

"Those take too long!" Serena called back before she threw open the door and began to ascend the stairs.

The group relented to follow her. They were worried for Mareep, too, but Serena was going to suffer from exhaustion if she didn't take a break. She only ended up finishing about half of the bottle of water Misty had given to her and still hadn't eaten anything. Hopefully, there would be some good news one they reached Mareep's room for not only Mareep's sake, but for Serena's sake, as well.

Serena made it to the third floor with Ash, Misty, Brock, and Macy not far behind her. The honey blonde-haired girl continued to run down the hallway and finally made it to the third floor. She tried to wrench open the handle of the door, but to her horror, it was locked.

"No! It can't be locked! I have to see Mareep!" Serena yelled as she tried several more times.

"Serena! Get a hold of yourself!" Ash cried as he wrapped his arms around the girl from behind. "The doctors are in there performing the surgery! You can't go in there while they're working!"

"Ash…I'm just…," Serena whimpered.

"I know, Serena. It'll be okay," Ash soothed as he turned the hysterical girl around to give her a warm embrace.

Serena accepted Ash's hug, but she only felt slightly better. There were a few workers and visitors who passed them by and gave sympathetic looks as they could tell the situation was serious from how Serena had acted seconds ago. Misty, Brock, and Macy stood solemnly as they watched. Finally, after a moment, Brock spoke.

"Serena, I hate to bring this up, but now would be a good time to get something to eat. We're here now, and waiting right outside the door isn't going to get the surgery done any faster. I'm sure the doctor has been alerted you're here and will let you know as soon as he has an update," Brock told her.

"That's right. Something to eat and drink may help calm you down a little," Misty agreed.

Serena knew they were right, but she just wasn't in the mood. The girl then grit her teeth in aggravation when her stomach betrayed her emotions and growled a little bit. Rather than smile at the irony, the rest of the group looked sympathetic. It was hard to laugh when the situation was quite dire.

"Alright. Fine," Serena sighed in resignation.

* * *

The group was silent as they at their meal in the cafeteria. They all had their own thoughts going through their mind which made the normally lively bunch quite the opposite. Despite the fact that she was told to eat and that it was the main reason the group was down here, Serena still only picked at her food. She had thankfully taken a few small bites at the urging of the others. Though, Serena didn't want to admit it, the food was making her hunger pains a little better.

"Hmmm…," Serena sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"How is the food, Serena?" Ash tried.

"It's okay," Serena mumbled.

The group went back to silence. They all knew what they were waiting for. It was for any news regarding Mareep. Who could've thought the situation could turn so critical in such a short amount of time? The wait was like torture. How long was that surgery supposed to be anyway?

"Excuse me. Are you Serena Gabena?" a nurse asked as she walked up to them.

"Yes, ma'am," Serena answered as she looked at the nurse. It was clear by Serena's eyes what she hoped the news was.

"Doctor Proctor will meet with you now," the nurse said kindly.

The group glanced at each other for only a moment before they said a quick thank you to the nurse and left their unfinished food behind. They then made the trek back through the hallway and up the stairs until they reached the third floor again. Once they made it down the hallway, they could see a man in a white lab coat who was waiting by the door. He was presumably Dr. Proctor. He was tall and thin with neatly combed brown hair and somewhat thick eyebrows. As soon as the group reached him, he nodded his head.

"Hello. I'm Dr. Ross Proctor," he greeted and extended his hand.

"I'm Serena Gabena," Serena replied as she took the handshake. "And these are my friends: Ash, Brock, Misty, and Macy."

"Hello to you all," Dr. Proctor nodded to them.

So this was the famous Pokemon doctor they had heard so much about? He was supposed to be one of the best in the world. Nurse Joy said herself that he was reliable and could help Mareep. That was, of course, before the situation turned critical. Serena had to know some form of news right now.

"Please tell me Mareep's alright!" Serena said desperately.

The Pokemon doctor was a little startled by Serena's forcefulness, but he knew it was justified. He wanted to tell her that everything was going great and that Mareep was making a full recovery. However, that would be a lie. He told Serena the only thing that he knew in the gentlest way he could.

"Well, we are doing the best we can," he said truthfully, though he hated it.

"Wh-what?" Serena stuttered.

"Unfortunately, now that it's reached the critical stage, we're having to be extra delicate with it. If we make one wrong move, it could be the end. Mareep still has a long way to go. I've been working with Mareep for two hours straight right now, and am just now stopping to tell you our progress. I know it's not what you want to hear, but this is going to take a while," the doctor sighed.

"What's wrong with it?" Brock questioned since Serena's voice died in her throat after hearing the news.

"With the state Mareep is in right now, it's lost all control of its electricity. It's an extreme danger to not only us, but to others, as well. My team and I are having to wear special rubber suits the entire time so we don't get electrocuted," Dr. Proctor explained.

"What does that mean?" Ash wondered this time.

"We've managed to slow the recycling of its electricity a little bit to relieve the pressure on Mareep's body. However, the electricity still returns as soon as it leaves because it refuses to get away. Electric Pokemon are able to control and maintain their electricity to healthy levels. Mareep was born without that capability. Mareep's still in an incredible amount of pain. I've given it some pain killers, but all it does is give Mareep temporary relief and does nothing to help heal it," the doctor continued.

"What will happen to Mareep eventually?" Misty asked.

"If…we don't stop Mareep's electricity flow, the pressure will become too great for it, and its organs will fail. Mareep is in a lot of danger from that happening now. I wish there could be more I could tell you," the Pokemon doctor frowned.

Serena began to cry at that. She was hoping for some sort of good news from the Pokemon doctor, but all she got was a slew of bad news. Serena felt even worse now than she did before. Ash embraced Serena as he looked up at Dr. Proctor.

"Sir, is there any chance Serena can see Mareep, now?" he questioned.

"Oh? Well…she's welcome to, but you may not like what you see," Dr. Proctor warned.

"I have to! I have to at least see it!" Serena cried.

"Very well. Follow me. Just try not to make any sudden movements to avoid startling it," the Pokemon doctor replied as he led them into the room.

The group nodded as they followed him. As they entered, they were prepared for the worst due to how Dr. Proctor was speaking of Mareep. Despite that, it didn't make it any easier for the group when they saw the wool-free Pokemon. It was especially painful for Serena.

If anything, Mareep was being restrained. It was on an operating table and had at least four straps pinning it to the table. Mareep's breathing was very fast and heavy. It was also shuddering violently, but it was hard to tell if Mareep was conscious or not. As soon as Serena saw it, she turned angrily to the doctor.

"You're restraining it?!" she exclaimed.

Dr. Proctor sighed. "Unfortunately, it's the only way we can operate on it. Mareep is too unstable and prone to violent bursts of electricity. I'm sure you've seen it yourself before. If we don't restrain it before it's healed, there's no telling what it would do."

"It's so…cruel," Serena muttered as she began to sob.

"Please try to understand Serena. The doctors aren't doing this because it's cruel. They have to because it's what's best for Mareep right now. They have to keep it still," Brock tried as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We even have to wear special rubber suits the entire time we're in here," Dr. Proctor added. "I'm allowing you to see Mareep now because its electricity has settled down a little bit."

As the group watched Mareep, they could still see sparks of electricity flying from its body, but it was nowhere near as bad as how it was before. Serena tore her eyes away as she couldn't bear to see her Pokemon like that anymore.

At that moment, a few more doctors came into the room wearing the special rubber suits, too. Once they did, Doctor Proctor gave the group an apologetic look, especially towards Serena. The man then went to put his own rubber suit back on which was hanging in the corner of the room.

"I'm very sorry, but we have to get back to the surgery. It's best to due this while Mareep's unconscious. If it wakes up…I don't want you kids in here as it's too dangerous," Dr. Proctor told them.

"I can't stay in here with it?" Serena questioned.

"I can't say I know how you feel, Serena, but I do know that this is the best for both you and Mareep right now. I promise I'll let you know something as soon as we have an update," Dr. Proctor said solemnly.

Serena hung her head in resignation as she knew he was right, deep down. She just wished she could provide some sort of support for Mareep, but she felt completely helpless. The others watched Serena sympathetically. It had to be a terrible feeling for your Pokemon's life to be in danger and not be able to do a thing about it.

Serena slumped out of the room as the others followed her out so Dr. Proctor could continue. One would think Serena would feel a bit better after seeing Mareep, but she felt even worse now. Why did this have to happen? What did Mareep do to deserve this? As soon as the group left, Dr. Proctor closed the door and locked it once again.

Nobody really said anything the next couple of minutes. Brock and Ash went and brought chairs from another room so everyone could at least sit down. Dr. Proctor made it quite clear that this wasn't going to be easy and would take a very long time. They just had to be patient and hope for the best. Macy was the first break the awkward silence.

"Um…excuse me. Now that we've heard some news on how Serena's Mareep is doing, I think I'll go have my gym battle with Chuck. You all don't mind, do you?" she asked quietly.

"Of course not, Macy. Go and win yourself your third badge," Ash tried to smile with Brock and Misty agreeing.

Serena didn't acknowledge Macy's comment. She just continued looking at the floor. Truthfully, it didn't matter if Macy was here or Brock and Misty…even Ash. None of them could heal her Mareep right now. The only way Serena could feel happy now would be once she was told Mareep would pull through. That wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Macy walked up to Serena and took the girl's hands in her own. This finally forced Serena to look up and see Macy giving her a sincere expression. Despite how Serena was feeling, she couldn't help but feel a little caught off guard by Macy's look. This was the most genuine Serena had seen the snarky, precocious ten year old since she met her.

"For what it's worth, Serena, I really do hope your Mareep pulls through. I'll come back as soon as my battle is done," Macy promised.

"Okay. Thank you, Macy," Serena replied and gave the girl a small smile.

With that, Macy let go of Serena's hands and walked down the hallway until she turned the corner where the elevator was. As the group watched her go, they began to think that maybe they judged Macy a little too soon. Though irritable and aggravating most of the time, she really could be a kind and caring person. She truly did have a love for others and Pokemon and really does want the best for her friends.

The group then went back to silence. Ash kept glancing at Serena from the corner of his eye to see if she would have any reaction, but the girl was stock still. Ash hung his head before he clasped his hands together. He couldn't stand to see his girlfriend like this.

* * *

Back in Mareep's room, the poor Pokemon was starting another spell where it had to get rid of the electricity. The worst part was this was becoming the worst yet.

"My goodness…," Dr. Proctor muttered as he had to shield himself from another burst of electricity from Mareep.

The good doctor had only dealt with a few cases like this in the twenty years he had been a Pokemon doctor. Genetic disorders were extremely rare in Pokemon and required special surgery in order to correct it. Still, out of all of them, this one had been the most dangerous to him so far as the other types of Pokemon weren't constantly shooting electricity everywhere. He may have been wearing a special rubber suit, but he could still only be so close due to how bright it was.

A stray bolt of electricity shot from Mareep once again and struck the night stand a few feet away which caused it to fall over. The lamp on the nightstand shattered on impact which caused Dr. Proctor to grimace. This was going to be the most difficult part of the surgery. He was going to have to use the anesthesia on Mareep now to get it back to sleep.

"Are the straps thoroughly in place?" Dr. Proctor asked one of his assistants.

"Yes, sir," the assistant replied.

Mareep then began twitching inside of the straps and crying out in pain. Dr. Proctor's eyes then widened as its twitching began to slow and its breathing began to get shallower. This wasn't good. If Mareep went into shock, their time would be limited.

"Get the anesthesia! I need it now!" Dr. Proctor yelled.

One of his assistants immediately ran to the desk where the shot was and handed it to Dr. Proctor. The doctor hastily removed the cap and had to shield his eyes again as another burst of electricity shot from Mareep.

The electric Pokemon then turned and saw the needle in Dr. Proctor's hands and full on wild mode. It didn't understand the situation and thought they were trying to hurt it. As if it wasn't in enough pain already! It began shooting electricity like mad. It was going all over the room.

"Stop, Mareep! This is going to help you!" Dr. Proctor tried to reason as he went to stick Mareep, but the Pokemon never let up on the electricity. It was struggling very violently and even bit down on one of the straps that was restraining and thrashed its head around.

The good doctor knew he couldn't delay any longer. Even if Mareep was having a constant stream of electricity exploding from its body every second, he had to get it to sleep so they could do the surgery. Ignoring the brightness and the electricity, Dr. Proctor moved in to apply the medicine. It was extremely hard to see because of the brightness, but Dr. Proctor was determined. He was just about to apply it, but he was one second too late.

The strap that Mareep bit had been broken loose from Mareep's thrashing. As soon as that happened, Mareep had enough room to squeeze out of the other straps. Now that its body was more free, it unleashed a stream of electricity which blasted all throughout the room, and utter chaos broke loose.

Dr. Proctor and his assistants were knocked off their feet due to the sudden onslaught of electricity. Mareep leaped off the operating table and slammed right into Pokemon doctor. He caught Mareep and tried to apply the anesthesia once more, but Mareep bit his arm which caused him to yell and drop the shot.

"Please, Mareep! Calm yourself! I'm trying to help you!" Dr. Proctor yelled again, but it was no use.

In Mareep's pain and disorientation, it only saw red. It unleashed a concentrated blast of electricity at the door. It wasn't long before a hole was blown out through the door, and Mareep took off. Dr. Proctor tried to make one last grab for it, but Mareep was too quick, and it soon went out the hole.

Seeing no other option, Dr. Proctor jumped to his feet and stumbled over to the emergency button. He pounded his fist on the button, and sirens began to sound throughout the hospital. Dr. Proctor only hoped he wasn't too late. Mareep's body was overflowing with electricity, and it didn't have much longer.

* * *

Brock and Misty had left to get a soda from a nearby vending machine. Ash and Serena were left alone and still sitting by the door that led to Mareep's room. Ash just wished he could say something to Serena that might make her feel better. He began to work his brain. What would Serena say in a time like this? How had she pulled him from the darkness in the past and made him feel better?

"I feel so helpless," Serena mumbled, which caused Ash's eyes to shoot over in her direction. At least she said something now.

"Serena…," Ash trailed

"Ash, you've been in situations like this before. I mean…where you've felt completely helpless. How did you overcome it?" Serena questioned.

Ash couldn't help but agree with what she said. As Ash thought about it, he had been in many situations like that before. He'd felt like that when his mom had been kidnapped by Team Rocket. He felt like that after his aura failed to help him and Riley at New Island. He had felt like that recently when their pokeballs had been stolen by the Murkrow mafia. Most of the times he was down, though, it was Serena who brought back his courage. He had to do the same for her now.

"Well…I…," Ash started as he rubbed the back of his neck.

He wasn't very good at stuff like this. Still, he saw Serena was looking at him expectantly so he had to say something. He would just have to go with whatever came out of his mouth. Hopefully, it would be helpful.

"It's been you this whole time," Ash started which caused Serena to look at him. "I mean…you've always been there to help me when I'm at my lowest. Even when I've pushed you away, you've been there to help me."

Pikachu and Togetic smiled from below on the ground and scampered off to where Misty and Brock were to give Ash and Serena some alone time. They were quite curious to see how this would play out, but they knew when they didn't need to be there.

"I…hate seeing you this way," Ash continued worriedly. "All you've done is just sit there and stew. You haven't eaten or drunken anything at all since yesterday. It's almost as you've given up on Mareep yourself…like there's no hope."

"What?" Serena asked as she widened her eyes.

"Really," Ash said. "I know a thing or two about what it's like to feel hopeless, and you're acting just like me now. The difference here is that Mareep's still alive, and it's getting the best help possible."

"I know," Serena replied as she looked back to the ground. "It's just I'm scared for Mareep."

"That's fine if you're scared," Ash replied as he got up from his seat and stood in front of Serena. "Still, you shouldn't act like this. It's not you. Whatever happened to never give up to the end?"

Serena couldn't help but smile that Ash used his mantra on her again. It had actually been a while since he had last used it now that she thought about it. That was his famous line used when the situation looked bad, but somehow, some way, Ash believed the situation would turn out okay.

"Mareep can pull through this. I know it can," Ash assured. "Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic, your other Pokemon, haven't given up on Mareep so you shouldn't either."

Serena knew Ash was right. Here she was acting completely depressed as if Dr. Proctor had told her Mareep didn't make it. He said there was still a long way to go, but he also said that the first phase of the surgery went by accordingly. As long as nothing terrible happened, Mareep will be just fine. It was with the number one Pokemon doctor in the world right now, or at least the Johto region.

Ash smiled himself when he saw Serena feeling a little bit better. Maybe he wasn't so terrible at this stuff, after all. Though he had no idea what to say at the beginning, his concern for Serena made the correct words come out automatically. It wasn't about thinking about the words one says beforehand when you're trying to comfort someone. One must speak from their heart.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena said as she stood up and embraced him, which Ash returned.

They didn't really care if there were various workers who were walking through the halls at the moment. Serena and Ash were just glad they always had each other in times like this. They really could rely on the other in times of need.

"I'm going to keep believing in the good outcome," Serena told Ash once they released each other. "Thank you for your support Ash, and Brock, and Misty, too."

"You're welcome," Misty replied as she, Brock, Togetic, and Pikachu suddenly appeared behind Serena, and the girl leaped in surprise.

"Aah! How long have you guys been there?!" Serena shrieked.

"Just long enough to tell that Ash made you feel better," Brock answered this time as he took a sip of his soda. "I'm glad to see you look like yourself again."

"Toge!" Togetic agreed as it flew up in Serena's arms, and Serena gave it a hug.

"You're right! I believe Mareep can pull through, too! I'll just keep hoping for the best instead of expecting the worst!" Serena stated before her stomach growled. "And..haha…I guess I really am hungry, after all."

"Well, stay right here. I'll get you a to go box from the cafeteria," Ash offered with a grin, glad to see Serena's appetite was back.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena responded.

The raven-haired boy was just about leave when chaos happened.

There was an explosion from inside the room Mareep was staying in. Everyone jerked their heads in the door's direction and saw there was large, smoking hole in the door. The group didn't even have time to process this before Mareep shot out through the hole, blasting electricity all over the place.

The group, as well as several workers, ducked on the floor to avoid the electricity. Serena looked up just in time to see Mareep screaming and running past her, all the while shooting more electricity. Mareep didn't even spare Serena a glance as it took off down the halls. Several seconds later is when the group heard the alarms go off in the hospital.

"This is an emergency situation! Please lock all doors and…." the speaker began but soon turned to static. Mareep must've fried the third floor system.

"Wh-what's going on?!" Serena cried as she and the others stood up.

The door to Mareep's room burst open, and the group turned in surprise to see Dr. Proctor run out. He was panting and glancing around wildly. He soon saw the group standing in front of them and got a panicked expression on his face.

"Which way did Mareep go?!" he exclaimed.

"What's going on?! What happened?!" Serena cried again.

"Mareep broke loose from its restraints. I tried to calm it down, but it's so unstable and in so much pain it didn't listen. It won't listen to reason at all with the state it's in! We've got to get it before it's too late!" Dr. Proctor said frantically.

Serena's face put on a look of horror. No. This couldn't be happening. Mareep had gotten loose and was now on a rampage throughout the hospital. If she couldn't get it back to Dr. Proctor and save it soon, the worst outcome really would happen. She wasn't about to just sit here, though.

Serena turned and sprinted down the hallway where Mareep went. The group also got alarmed looks as they followed with Dr. Proctor behind them. The alarms continued to sound as they passed by several confused and frightened workers as well as Pokemon. Several were on the floor while some even looked unconscious. Had Mareep zapped them on the way by?

It wasn't long before the group saw a smoking hole in the door that led to the stairwell. It was clear that Mareep wasn't on this floor anymore as the several flashes of electricity had ceased now. Serena threw open the damaged door and entered the stairwell just in time to hear another explosion as well as a scream.

"Dr. Proctor! Mareep won't be able to escape the hospital, right?!" Serena asked in panic as they started down the stairs.

"I hope not! The alarms sounded which automatically locks all the exits here. That hasn't appeared to stop Mareep so far, though!" Dr. Proctor grimaced.

The group soon reached the bottom of the stairs where they saw a Pokemon nurse that actually wasn't a Nurse Joy for a change, on the ground while panting. Dr. Proctor stopped to help the woman to her feet as the group continued on. Outside from the stairwell, they could hear more yelling.

They soon made it out into the first floor hallway, and there more people running in a panic as the escaped Mareep was becoming more known. The group fought their way through the crowd of people as they tried to go in the direction against the crowd as Mareep was likely who they were running away from. It wasn't long before they got into the large lobby, and sure enough, there was Mareep.

Mareep was on the ground in the lobby and was having what looked like a seizure. It was shooting electricity everywhere and was even foaming at the mouth. Some people had crowded around Mareep and were staring in utter astonishment at what was happening. Serena gasped in horror and ran to Mareep, but Brock held her back.

"No, Serena! It's too dangerous!" Brock shouted.

"I have to get to it!" Serena rebutted before an idea came to her. "I've got it! My pokeball!"

Serena fished out her pokeball as quickly as she could and went to return Mareep, but Dr. Proctor soon ran into the room and had his arm outstretched.

"Wait! You can't do that!" he shouted as the group turned in confusion. Once Dr. Proctor reached them he clarified. "If you attempt to return Mareep to its pokeball now, the sudden change in its body structure to energy could kill it. It can't undergo any rapid change!"

"What am I supposed to do then?!" Serena screamed.

"Come with me! Maybe you can talk to it!" Dr. Proctor said as he hurriedly gave Serena a pair of rubber gloves. "I know these aren't much, but they're all I have now!"

At that moment, Mareep's spell seemed to have ended, and it sprang up and ran away from the front doors in the direction it came from. Serena actually stood in front of Mareep in the hope that it would stop upon seeing its trainer, but that wasn't case. Mareep shot a stream of electricity right at Serena.

The girl gasped as she saw the Thunderbolt going towards her, but Ash tackled her to the ground, and Pikachu leaped into the air. The yellow rodent then grimaced as it began to absorb the electricity from Mareep's attack. Once it was finished, it panted and was sweating. Who knew that Mareep's shock could be so powerful?

"You okay, buddy?" Ash asked it.

"Pika," Pikachu panted and gave Ash a thumbs up. It was sweating but otherwise okay.

Serena didn't even wait for anyone to check on her. As soon as Ash let go of her, she pushed herself up from the ground and hastily put on the rubber gloves. There was no telling where Mareep was going to go now, but the Pokemon was her responsibility. There had to be some way to calm down Mareep and get it to listen to her.

"Make a call to Officer Jenny, now, and issue an order to evacuate the sick Pokemon!" Dr. Proctor ordered the receptionist, who was just watching in confusion and shock.

"Oh! Right away!" the receptionist replied as if Dr. Proctor's voice was what set her into motion.

"Where could Mareep have gone now?" Misty asked this time.

"It shouldn't be too hard if we just follow the yells," Ash replied with the obvious.

At that moment, Dr. Proctor's Pokegear rang, and he hurriedly answered it.

"Yes. What is it?" he asked before his eyes widened. "You've lost Mareep! How?! It's shooting electricity all over the place…uh huh…okay. We'll split up!"

As Dr. Proctor put his Pokegear away, he could see the fear in Serena's eyes. It was clear she knew what was going on. He then laid out the game plan.

"Okay. We have several people searching for Mareep right now. I'll stay down here and check the first floor. You all should search for it to. Once you find it, alert me immediately!" Dr. Proctor told them.

The group nodded before they dispersed in different directions. Brock and Misty went off one way in the hall while Ash and Serena went the other way to head back upstairs. As they ran, Ash turned to the side and saw Serena was crying as she ran, and Ash got a guilty expression on his face. He had just finished telling Serena that everything would be okay when Mareep broke out. This truly was the worst case scenario of what had happened with Mareep being lost. Apparently, its electricity had been easy to keep track of, but at the rate Mareep was running, it could probably easily lose someone if it suddenly stopped again.

Ash wanted to tell Serena that it would be okay again, but honestly, he wasn't sure now. He didn't want to fill Serena with empty, flowery words. It wasn't the time for that. When they actually found Mareep, then everything would be okay. However, his previous phrase still applied of never giving up until the end.

* * *

It had been about twenty minutes, and the alarms had since stopped even though the group still hadn't found Mareep. All of the sick Pokemon had been evacuated out of the hospital by now to keep them safe and so the workers could look for Mareep. Even though it had only been a short time, each minute felt like an hour to them. That was just one more minute that Mareep was without the treatment it needed as soon as possible. Each minute made Serena and the rest more and more desperate.

By that point, Officer Jenny arrived on the scene and had another policeman with her. She was asking various questions to the workers about where they saw Mareep last and which direction it was heading in. The only thing she had been able to conclude was that Mereep was no longer on the ground or second floor.

The group and a few other workers were checking every vacant room on the third and fourth floors. They were searching every possible space that Mareep could crawl into. It was increasingly worrisome for Serena as they had always been able to find Mareep easily due to the burst of electricity that had been given off. However, the fact was since no more bursts of electricity were being spotted…Serena shook her head. She didn't want to think about that.

"Mareep!" Serena called again as she and Ash were on the fourth floor now.

She hastily went into another vacant room and began searching everywhere from under the bed, to the bathroom, to every tight space, but there was still nothing. She grimaced in aggravation and went to check the next room.

"I don't understand, Ash! Mareep still has to be in this hospital somewhere! It never left!" she exclaimed.

"I don't know," Ash admitted before he looked at Pikachu. "Have you detected Mareep's scent yet, buddy?"

"Piiiiika," Pikachu shook its head sorrowfully.

Serena suddenly stopped running and took a deep breath. Okay. She had to think about this logically. She and the others had searched almost every room in this building twice. There was nothing. Pikachu wasn't even able to detect Mareep's scent on any floor they were. Even though it was impossible, it was as if Mareep wasn't in the hospital at all. There had to be a reason for this.

Serena's eyes then drifted over to another door that they or the other workers hadn't checked yet. It was another stairwell, but it didn't lead back down to the other floors. It led up to the roof. Serena's eyes lit up at the notion. If Mareep had somehow made it to the roof, everything would make sense on why they hadn't found it yet.

"Ash, let's go to the roof," Serena stated as she grabbed Ash's hand to pull him along.

"Wait. Are you sure Mareep could be up there?" Ash questioned as he and Pikachu followed.

"It has to be, Ash! It certainly wouldn't hurt to look!" Serena argued.

Ash nodded as he knew it was the best course of action right now. He wasn't sure if they were allowed up there or not, but this was an emergency. Besides, it was the only place they hadn't checked yet.

They raced up the stairs as quickly as they could. Serena could only hope this was where Mareep was. She was out of options on what could've happened to it. She wasn't sure how it would've gotten up to the roof on its own, but if there was one thing she had learned when it comes to Pokemon, is that a lot of things were possible. Mareep probably could've opened the doors itself in its frenzy.

Serena threw open the door to the roof, and she and Ash glanced around for any sign of the naked Mareep. They weren't greeted by any bursts of electricity or screaming. There was nothing but silence. Serena's heart sank as she almost went back to turn the other direction, but Ash pointed to the left.

"Serena, look!" he shouted.

Serena turned, and sure enough, Mareep was there. It was no longer shooting countless bursts of lightning. There were a just a few bursts of electricity, and it was just lying there, and it was breathing very shallowly. Serena's heart broke at seeing Mareep like that. Nonetheless, she had to get it back to Dr. Proctor now. Serena took a few tentative steps towards it as Ash watched in worry from behind. Since it was an electric type, Pikachu went with Serena as it could tolerate any bursts of electricity Mareep may give off easier.

"Mareep, it's me. I'm here now," Serena told it. Though she was scared, she couldn't show it.

Mareep's eyes floated over to Serena's direction, but other than that, it gave no acknowledgement to her. Serena felt like crying all over again when she saw how much pain showed in Mareep's eyes. She couldn't imagine what it must feel like. It was probably warping all of Mareep's senses and thinking right now. Serena had figure out some way to reach it and not set off another spell…if it even had the strength for another one.

"Please, Mareep. Trust me. Everything will be okay," Serena continued to soothe as she got closer.

Mareep gave a weak cry and winced as a few sparks came from it. Serena wanted nothing more than to run to Mareep and give it a big hug right now. However, she had to resist that urge and instead take this as slowly as possible. It was ironic with how delicate Serena knew she had to be considering Mareep's life was on the line and how limited her time was.

At that moment, Brock, Misty, Togetic, Dr. Proctor, and Officer Jenny arrived on the roof. As soon as they saw Ash and Serena, they breathed a sigh of relief.

"There you guys are," Misty said. "We've been looking all…"

"Hold on," Ash said quietly as he pointed.

The rest of the group turned, and they understood. Mareep had been found, but they had to be as gentle and quiet as possible. One wrong move could end up in a disaster. They silently stood behind Ash and prayed for this to work.

"Mareep, I know it hurts, and you're scared. We all are, but you have to believe me. We're trying to help you," Serena reassured.

Serena slowly stuck out her gloved hand to pick it up. Mareep continued to watch Serena and seemed to be silently pleading for Serena to help it. Mareep didn't have to say anything for Serena to understand what Mareep's eyes were saying…how it truly felt. Mareep wanted it to be saved just as much as the others. It just couldn't handle the pain and the weakness of its body.

"I've got you, Mareep. I won't leave you," Serena promised.

Mareep almost managed a small smile as Serena gently grabbed hold of it. Everyone behind Serena exhaled the breath they had been holding. Now that Serena had finally calmed Mareep down, it seemed like they could finally get it back to Dr. Proctor to perform the surgery. They had to be quick, though.

However, fate had to be cruel sometimes.

Another spell started from Mareep as the largest burst of electricity yet blasted from it. The bolt went sky high as Mareep screamed in pain. Serena herself screamed as she was blasted backwards by the force of the blast. Ash immediately jumped in front of her to catch her, and they both tumbled backwards. Even though Serena was wearing rubber gloves, the lightning still had a lot of force behind it.

"Serena! Are you okay!?" Ash cried frantically.

"I…think so," Serena muttered before she looked in Mareep's direction, and her eyes widened.

Mareep was dashing around on the roof and shooting electricity everywhere. Everyone was shielding their eyes as the effects of the electricity was keeping them from getting close. There was no way they were going to get to Mareep with the state it was in now.

"Mareep! Please! You have to stop!" Serena pleaded, and then she screamed at what happened next.

Mareep didn't have any control of what it was doing as it ran around the roof. It could hardly see. The worst that could've happened did when Mareep got too close to the edge and fell right off the roof.

Serena's instincts to protect Mareep took effect when she tore herself away from Ash and sprinted towards the edge of the roof.

"Serena! Don't!" Ash yelled as Serena did the unthinkable.

She actually dove off the roof after Mareep.

Everybody gasped in shock as they went into action in an instant. Ash immediately released Noctowl, and Brock released Golbat.

"Go! Save Serena and Mareep!" Ash ordered.

The Pokemon were already one step ahead of Ash as they flew to the edge of the roof and took a nose dive straight down. The rest of the group ran to the edge as time seemed to slow down.

Serena was forcing herself to fall faster as tried to get to Mareep in time. They were on a free fall to the ground. The worst part was they weren't very high which left little time. It was still high enough to be fatal, though.

"I've got you, Mareep!" Serena screamed as she wrapped her arms around Mareep protectively.

Serena then looked down and just seemed to realize that she was about to hit the ground and probably be killed. She didn't know about Golbat and Noctowl soaring after her in an effort to save her. Even if she did, they wouldn't get to her in time. Serena was just too far ahead and too close to the ground for them to catch up.

Serena shut her eyes as she believed this to be the end. She was constantly being electrocuted by Mareep, but Serena didn't care. The only thing she could do now was try to cushion Mareep's fall in the hope that it would survive long enough for Dr. Proctor to perform the surgery. If that at least happened, Serena would be happy.

Still, there were so many things she imagined doing with her life. She never got finish her dream. She didn't grow up and live a good life. There was so much she had left to say and do. It looked like she wouldn't get that chance, though. Unless a miracle happened, Serena was about to die once she hit the cement.

Then, a miracle did happen. All of these thoughts and actions seemed to take several minutes, but it had only been several seconds.

A purple glow appeared and was enveloped around Serena. The honey blonde-haired girl opened her eyes as she realized she was no longer falling, but instead she was floating very slowly to the ground. She was only about ten feet up from the ground and was drifting along through the air. The girl blinked a few times in surprise as she wondered what on Earth had happened.

Meanwhile, back on the roof, everyone else was leaning over the edge of the roof, and they were just as surprised. Brock and Misty looked over at Ash and wondered if he had somehow used his aura to help Serena. However, the look of shock on his face said different. Also, when Ash used his aura powers, it was mainly accompanied by a blow glow. This one was purple which could only mean…

"Serena's ESP," Ash mumbled, but not loud enough for Dr. Proctor or Officer Jenny to hear.

"It's a miracle," Officer Jenny muttered.

Serena herself was starting to understand as she neared the ground. She looked up and could see the others high above her as well as Noctowl and Golbat. The two Pokemon had slowed their descent as well and were hovering just above the girl and waiting to catch her in case she started falling again.

Serena then looked at Mareep and saw it had stopped shooting electricity in the air and appeared…peaceful? This was the calmest Serena had seen Mareep in…well…ever. It appeared so docile right now that Serena automatically put her hand over Mareep's heart just to make sure it was alive. Thankfully, it was. Had her ESP done that, as well?

Serena landed softly on the ground as she still held Mareep in her arms, and the purple glow disappeared. She looked around at all the bystanders outside who had seen her fall. All of them were staring at the girl in amazement and appeared completely confused that she wasn't dead right now. Noctowl and Golbat landed soon afterward and cried up to Serena to make sure she was okay.

"Yes. I'm fine. Thank you," Serena muttered before she turned to look at the tranquil Mareep. "Are you safe?"

"Baaaaa…," Mareep cried weakly but in the affirmative.

"That's…good…," Serena replied before she began to feel dizzy.

The girl suddenly realized how tired she was. Everything was spinning. Using her psychic powers to save herself and Mareep took a lot more out of her than she thought. The best thing that sounded right now was sleep. Serena soon fell to the side and fainted. That was okay, though. At least Mareep was safe…

* * *

Serena slowly opened her eyes, and she was met with a bright light. The girl instinctively shut her eyes again before she cracked them open again. Then, she slowly opened her eyes a little more to where she was squinting. However, she didn't need to for long as an object came into view which blocked the light in her face. It didn't take Serena too long to figure out that the object was Ash's face.

"Hey, Serena. You're finally awake. I've been here forever," he said.

"Ash?" Serena questioned before she yawned.

Serena then looked around. She was apparently in bed, but where?

"Heh. I'm surprised how tired you are since you've been out yesterday," Ash chuckled.

"Wh-what? Yesterday?" Serena asked.

"Yeah. Don't you remember?" Ash asked.

Serena looked to the side as she recalled the events of yesterday according to Ash. They had arrived at Cianwood City and went to see Mareep at the hospital. However, it had broken loose, and they lost it momentarily only to find it on the roof. It then fell off the roof with her going after it. Serena had thought it was the end for her and Mareep, but her ESP saved her at the last second.

"Ohhh…," Serena muttered.

"Serena, I'm so glad you're safe," Ash breathed as he leaned over and hugged Serena. "I thought you were going to die when you leaped off the hospital roof."

"Sorry," Serena mumbled before she chuckled. "You know, this sounds like something you would do, actually. I can picture you leaping off a roof if that happened to one of your Pokemon."

"Heh. You're right," Ash admitted as he scratched his cheek. "Those roles could've been easily reversed. I guess we're alike afterward so I won't tell you how worried I was and that you shouldn't have done that. I'll just say…I'm glad you're safe, and that we were all lucky."

"Yeah. Thanks, Ash," Serena smiled before she remembered Mareep. "Ash! Mareep! Is it okay!?"

Ash then finally let a smile stretch across his face that almost swallowed it whole. Once Serena saw his expression, her eyes shined with happiness, and her expression grew hopeful. Please let this confirm what she was thinking.

"It's okay, Serena," Ash told her. "We got Mareep back to Dr. Proctor, and it took him a long time, but he was able to finish the surgery. Mareep's been cured! It'll be okay!"

"It..it will?" Serena choked on her own tears, but they were tears of happiness.

A huge wave of relief washed over Serena at those words. The worst was finally over. Mareep was finally cured of its disorder, and it no longer had to feel any pain. It could go on to be a regular Pokemon.

"I'm…I'm so glad," Serena squeaked before she began to cry.

"Would you like to see it?" Ash asked.

"Yes. I would," Serena requested.

Ash then grabbed Serena by the hand and helped Serena stand up. The girl wobbled a bit but was still able to withstand it. Ash steadied her, and together they walked out of the room. As they exited, Serena realized she must be in the Pokemon hospital. Though she wasn't a Pokemon, it was clear they had put her here temporarily after she had fainted.

Once she was outside, she saw Brock, Misty, and Macy sitting not too far away. Once they saw Serena, they immediately rose from their chairs and ran over to her. Togetic flew into its mom's arms and gave it a hug which Serena returned. Pikachu gave her thumbs up with a cry of "Pika!"

"Serena! You're okay!" Macy cried.

"We were worried about you!" Misty added.

"How are you feeling?" Brock asked next.

"I'm okay…just a little tired…and a headache," Serena added the last part as she felt her forehead.

Everyone smiled sympathetically. "Yeah. I guess that's to be expected with everything you went through yesterday," Misty said.

"Where's Mareep at?" Serena immediately asked next.

"It's just down the hall. Dr. Proctor said it was already okay to go see it," Brock said as he led the way.

The group walked along the third floor hall until they reached Mareep's room. The door was shut and Serena placed her hand on the door handle. She then took a deep breath before she turned it and opened the door. Already, as she was opening it, she wasn't greeted with bouts of electricity and mad screaming. That already relieved the girl in itself.

As Serena and the others stepped into the room, they saw the familiar operating table that Mareep was on, and Serena wiped a few tears from her eyes when she saw her Pokemon. It was there, but it was no longer being restrained. It's breathing was soft and deep and no longer fast and shallow. It actually looked peaceful, and Serena had never seen it look like this. That could only mean one thing. The operation really was a success!

"Mareep," Serena sobbed as she went over to it.

Serena's sobs must've woken the Pokemon up. Mareep opened its eyes and cried softly once it saw Serena. It gave her a smile, and it soon found itself in Serena's embrace. As Serena hugged Mareep, she realized this was one of the first times she was ever able to hug it without being shocked. She could finally touch and show affection to Mareep just like her other Pokemon!

"Oh, Mareep. I'm so glad you're okay," Serena cried as Mareep nodded.

The others smiled as they watched the heartwarming scene between Serena and Mareep. They were all glad Mareep would pull through also, but nowhere near as much as Serena. The girl had been a nervous wreck for most of yesterday, and now, everything was fine. Mareep could live a normal life, and its disorder was gone.

"We better let Professor Oak and your mom know, too," Ash told Serena from behind her.

"I will later. Right now, I just want to be with Mareep," Serena answered as she continued to hug it.

The group nodded in understanding. It only made sense that Serena would want to spend a lot of lost time with her Pokemon. It was then the group remembered the other reason they had come to Cianwood City. It was to get Ampharos' antidote. Ash then turned to Macy.

"Hey, Macy. We're going to need to stay in Cianwood City for a few more days so Mareep can recover and so I can win my badge. Since you've already won against the gym leader, will you go in our stead and deliver the antidote to Jasmine back in Olivine City?"

"What? You want me to do it?" Macy questioned.

"Yes. Ampharos needs that medicine as fast as possible. She's really counting on us. Also…," Ash trailed.

Ash knew that if he were to leave right now to go get the antidote and deliver it to Jasmine, he would have to see Silver again. The cold young man would most likely be there, and he and Ash weren't on the best terms right now…not that they ever were. As much as Ash wanted to help Ampharos, he couldn't bring himself to go back to the lighthouse at this moment.

"Umm…yes. I can do that," Macy nodded. "I'll get the antidote there safe and sound! Leave it to me!"

"Great! Thanks, Macy! That helps us out a lot. I'll go with you in just a second so we can go get the antidote. Jasmine should've already explained everything to the pharmacist so he can have it ready," Ash told her.

"Us? Alone?" Macy gushed and placed her hands over her cheeks.

Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty each gave Macy a weird look and raised their eyebrows. Upon seeing their expressions, Macy let out a girlish giggle and flashed them the peace sign.

"Heehee! I'm just kidding! I know better now, Ash!" Macy laughed.

"Well, it looks like you know the news then, Serena," said a voice from behind the group.

They all turned to see Dr. Proctor standing there. He was leaning casually on the door frame and had a small smile on his face. Once Serena saw the man, she finally walked towards the man and clasped her hands. She then bowed respectfully.

"Dr. Proctor, thank you so much for what you did for Mareep. Thank you so much," Serena said again.

"Of course. I was happy to…oh," Dr. Proctor gasped when Serena leaned forward and hugged him.

The good doctor chuckled softly as he patted the young girl on the back. It warmed his heart to see Serena so happy. This was why he had chosen to be a Pokemon doctor in the first place. He loved Pokemon, and the reward of seeing a trainer's face when their Pokemon was healed was great. It was why the doctor loved his job…even though this one was a little difficult. With everything right with Mareep, there was only one thing left to talk about.

"Now…about the bill…," Dr. Proctor began.

Everyone in the room froze and sweat dropped. Right. Of course. A surgery as serious as this would definitely call for a hefty bill. Even so, that did kind of ruin the moment.

"Eheheheheh. Yes. I'm sure my mom and I will be able to take care of the expenses," Serena grinned sheepishly.

* * *

The group was standing by the docks of Cianwood City. The ferry was about to leave to go back to Olivine City, but only one person of the group was leaving. It was Macy. The girl was on the end that the boat was on while the rest of them were standing on the side that led to the city. Macy placed her hands behind her back and bowed to them.

"Thank you for letting me travel with you for a little bit. It's been fun," Macy told them.

"Yeah. It has…mostly, anyway," Ash agreed.

"That's all in the past now," Misty added before she pointed a finger in Macy's direction. "Just make sure to stop knocking on my love for water Pokemon!"

"Right. I will," Macy assured with a nod.

"You take care of yourself now and keep getting more badges," Ash said.

"Yeah! I now have the same number of badges as you, Ash!" Macy shouted. "Just you wait! I'll work to get all the badges before you do, and then I'll see you in the Silver Conference!"

"Haha! I guess that makes us rivals then," Ash grinned.

"It sure does! I respect you, Ash, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try my hardest to beat you! Fire power all the way!" Macy asserted.

"You got it! I'll work hard to beat you, too!" Ash nodded as he and Pikachu gave the girl a thumbs up.

Macy then turned to Serena. It was Serena whom Macy had caused the most trouble for in the time that she was with them. Macy walked up to Serena and held her hand out to the honey blonde-haired girl.

"Thanks, Serena. I'm really glad you're Mareep's okay, now," Macy told her.

"Oh. You're welcome, Macy," Serena said tiredly. For some reason, it seemed like she hadn't gotten over her sleepiness yet, and she still had a headache.

"Also," Macy added, "Thanks for that talk about love, too! I now know what to look for in a guy!"

Ash, Brock, and Misty got confused looks on their faces at that remark. Serena chuckled nervously as she looked back at them. She then shook her head to let them know it was probably best not to ask. She really didn't want to relive that conversation…mainly because of how it ended when Macy had asked her about…

"Well, anyway. I've got to get going! I'll call you guys once I've reached Olivine City and delivered the antidote! You can count on me!" Macy declared with a wink.

The group knew they could trust Macy with this task. Once the antidote had been taken from the pharmacist, Macy had made the point to guard the antidote as if her life depended on it. She had placed the antidote in the side pocket of her backpack and checked it every five minutes to make sure the antidote was still there. Though it was a little overboard, at least she was dedicated.

"Bye, guys! Hope to see you soon!" Macy yelled as she turned around and ran to the ferry.

"See you later, Macy!" Brock called. "I'm glad I have another fan of my cooking!"

"Good luck on the rest of your journey!" Misty added.

"See you at the Silver Conference!" Ash hollered.

"See you…ahhhh," Serena began but had to stop because she yawned again. Ash turned to look at her in confusion.

"Hey, Serena. Are you okay? You've been like that ever since you woke up," Ash observed.

"I'm fine, Ash. I don't feel sick or anything. Just a headache and drowsiness. I think a good night's sleep is all I need," Serena responded.

"Okay. Still, I think we'll get you an aspirin once we get back to the hospital," Ash told her.

"That's fine. Thank you, Ash," Serena nodded and yawned again.

By then, Macy was on ferry. There was a whistle blow to signal that all were on board. The ramp receded back into the ferry, and a few seconds later, it was off.

Macy continued to wave to the group as the ferry got further and further away. Ampharos would definitely get its antidote soon, and everything would be okay. As they group watched Macy go, they set their sights on new goals. Mareep had been cured and just needed to rest and recover for a few days. Afterwards, they could go to the gym and challenge the gym leader, whose name Ash learned was Chuck, and he trained fighting Pokemon.

Ash would soon be ready to earn his fifth badge, and afterwards, he could go back across the ocean and challenge Jasmine for his sixth badge. He was well on his way to getting into the Johto League. Ash clenched his fists in excitement for what was to come and how everything had turned out okay in the end.

"Well, I say we head on back to the Pokemon hospital and get something to eat," Brock suggested as they turned away from the dock.

"Sounds good! I'm starving!" Ash agreed.

"Me, too!" Misty added.

"I bet you're the hungriest out of all of us, Serena! It's you whose eaten the least the past couple of days!" Ash grinned as he turned to her.

"Actually…I think I'll skip supper tonight. I just need to go lay down and sleep," Serena mumbled.

The group frowned disapprovingly at her. They thought now that Mareep was cured that Serena's appetite would be back. Heck! It had been after Ash had talked to her before Mareep broke loose. Now she wasn't hungry again after everything was okay? What was going on?

"Well…okay, Serena. Will you at least eat a little bit?" Ash asked in concern.

"Hmmm…oh. I guess so," Serena replied as she realized they were right.

Serena herself was little confused at what was going on. She should feel hungry again, but she didn't. All she felt was tiredness and a constant headache. Still, this was normal, wasn't it? She had just been through a traumatizing experience and almost died if her ESP hadn't activated in time so it was only natural she was still trying to recuperate from the events. Was her ESP activating to blame for this? If it was, how come she never was like this before after it was used? Also, why did it feel like there was something she wasn't remembering?

* * *

 ***coughHypnopsychicwavescough***

 **I told you I wasn't going to forget about what happened at Tohjo Falls. The only reason Serena didn't feel this way with her ESP during the Pokemon Hunter saga was because she had some head trauma from Pupitar which suppressed it. Now...there isn't anything like that.**

 **With her ESP acting messed up, it OF COURSE has to affect her and everyone around her. It looks like a call to Yellow and Sabrina are in order.**

 **Still to come:  
Ash's gym battle with Chuck**

 **Meeting of two friendly characters whom no one will expect**

 **Some more Pokemon evolving on Serena, Ash, and Misty's end. Yes! Brock's Golbat will evolve soon, too!**

 **The Whirl Cup**

 **Meeting of a different Lugia**

 **Prophecy and Foreshadowing**

 **Meeting with Silver again**

 **Ash's gym battle with Jasmine.**

 **? (yeah; huge spoilers on this one. Sorry)**

 **Serena's egg at Oak's lab hatches! Yes. An explanation will be given on why it's taken so long to hatch!**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support. See you all next chapter, and as always, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Thirty Eight: Primeape's Prime Time**


	38. Primeape's Prime Time

**A/N: Here's Ash's fifth gym battle! I've done a projection for this arc, and considering it's already chapter 38 and Ash is only getting his fifth badge, this arc will be longer than Kanto. It may have between 70 or 75 at this rate, but we'll see. Whether you consider that a good or a bad thing is up to you.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty Eight: Primeape's Prime Time

"How's Serena doing?" Professor Oak asked from his Pokegear.

Though Ash was used to talking to the elderly Professor from the video phone, Professor Oak was busy feeding the Pokemon in his ranch and therefore wasn't inside at the moment. Besides, Ash wasn't just having a casual conversation with Professor Oak. At least for the start of the conversation, he wasn't. The boy was just outside the Pokemon Center in Cianwood City.

"She's…still asleep," Ash muttered.

"Really? It's eleven in the morning," Professor Oak pointed out.

"I know. She's been sleeping a lot since yesterday," Ash replied.

"Have you thought about waking her?" Professor Oak asked.

"I was about to once I get off the phone. I just…I don't know. I'm a little worried," Ash sighed.

"What do you mean?" Professor Oak wondered.

"Well, she's not sick. I know that much. I would say it's her ESP, but it's never done this to her before. It's just really weird," Ash said.

"You know, Yellow used to be the same way when she was developing her psychic powers, too," Professor Oak commented.

"She did?" Ash questioned.

"Oh yes. When he was a teenager, she slept for almost twelve hours a day! You should've seen your father, Blue, and Rose trying to drag her out of bed every day," Professor Oak chuckled as he remembered the past generation's antics.

"Did she always have a headache, too?" Ash asked.

There was a pause on Professor Oak's end before he responded. "No. Why do you ask? Does Serena have one?"

"I'm not sure if she still does, but I know she had one all of yesterday," Ash replied.

"Hmm…while I learned from Yellow that sleepiness was common for someone developing their ESP, the headaches are not. It makes me wonder if something is out of balance," Professor Oak said and sounded in thought. "Wait, Muk! Don't swallow my hand, too! I was going to throw you the food…from a distance."

Ash ignored Professor Oak's last remark about his Muk and thought for a moment. Normally, he's amused to hear about Professor Oak's troubles with his Muk, but he was distracted now. The fact that Yellow never had a headache before made him frown. Granted, it probably just meant nothing for Serena was probably just stressed from yesterday which would've brought it on. For some reason, though, Ash didn't think that was case.

"I'll tell you what, Ash. Yellow's actually coming over to visit me today to help out since Tracy left this morning for an errand, and Daisy is still in Hoenn for schooling. Why don't I have her give you a call, or better yet, Serena? Maybe she would have more answers. As you said, we don't know exactly what's going on, but there's nothing wrong with exercising some caution." Professor Oak suggested.

"That sounds good, Professor. Just have her call me, though. I don't know how Serena would feel about this," Ash smiled.

Ash knew all too well by now that not letting anyone know something strange ahead of time always lead to disaster. There was no way he was going to make that mistake now. He didn't care if Serena wasn't worried, he was. Ash wasn't about to let her brush this off. If it was nothing, good. If it was something, then it's a good thing they found out sooner rather than later.

"Thanks for that, Professor," Ash said before he changed subjects. "I'm going to battle for my fifth badge today."

"Ah, yes. You're going against Chuck, and he trains fighting Pokemon," Professor Oak acknowledged.

"Some of the toughest," Ash smirked. "I think Pidgeot and Noctowl would be good choices against him."

"I believe so, too," Professor Oak agreed before he cried out in surprise.

"Professor?" Ash questioned in confusion.

It sounded like there was a bunch of struggling happening on the other end of the phone. Ash began to worry before he heard a bunch of grunting and yelling coming through the receiver now. The raven-haired boy smiled as he realized those noises could come from none other than his Primpeape.

"Hey, Primeape. How's it going?" Ash asked.

"Your Primeape practically ripped my hand off as it tried to snatch the receiver from me," Professor Oak yelled away from the Pokegear. It was clear Primeape was in possession of it now.

Ash heard more grunting and yelling coming from Primeape through the receiver. Ash gave a questioning look over to his Pikachu who was listening into the conversation. The raven-haired boy hadn't quite picked up on his Primeape's language yet.

Pikachu chuckled before it began charging up and punching around to translate for Ash what Primeape was saying. Ash nodded his head and turned back to the Pokegear.

"I get it. You want to hang with me again and battle, right?" Ash figured.

"Priiiiiime!" Primeape yelled in agreement.

"Your Primeape probably heard me mention fighting Pokemon. You know it can't ever back down from a challenge like that. I say you take it along…for both of our sakes!" Professor Oak almost pleaded.

Ash realized he hadn't battled with his Primeape since the Orange League. While he wanted to try to use his newer Pokemon as much as possible here in Johto, Ash did realize the importance of swapping for his older Pokemon, too, so they know they aren't forgotten. With that, Ash nodded his head even though he knew Primeape and Professor Oak couldn't see it.

"No problem! I'd love to battle with you again, Primeape!" Ash told it.

More grunting came from Primeape upon Ash's response. He would never do it, but Ash couldn't help but wonder what Primeape would've done to Professor Oak if he refused. It would probably twist his arm, his ankle, or his head. When Primeape was in a mood to fight, there was no stopping it. That issue probably went all the way back to its personality as a Mankey when it and Ash battled the other Primeape.

"Great, Ash! I'm almost done feeding the Pokemon out here! I'll have the transfer ready for you in just a second! Call me back on the video phone!" Professor Oak said, but Ash could tell he was relieved.

Ash heard more struggling coming from the phone before he heard a moan of pain from Professor Oak. Ash put on a look of confusion before Professor Oak continued to speak.

"I'll just let your Primeape hang on to my Pokegear until I get it transferred. It just punched me in the stomach when I tried to take it back," Professor Oak gasped.

"Heh. Sorry about that, Professor," Ash chuckled before another thought came to him. "Since I'm taking Primeape, why don't you send over Hitmonchan, too? I bet its elemental punches will be great against Chuck!"

"Will do, my boy. Just make sure you have the two Pokemon you wish to send back to me ready," Professor Oak said.

"Okay. I will. I'll head over to the video phone, now," Ash told him.

"Great. Talk to you in second," he heard Professor Oak say before the man addressed his Primeape. "No, Primeape! You press that button to turn it off! No! That one! No! I…okay! I'm sorry! You can leave it on as long as you want!"

Ash decided it was best that he end the call himself otherwise Professor Oak may never get his Pokegear back. The boy clicked the button and sighed down at Pikachu who was snickering. Apparently Primeape's stubbornness and persistence knew no bounds. It kind of reminded Ash of someone else…himself.

"Well, Pikachu. I guess I figured out two of the Pokemon I'm using against Chuck," Ash told it.

"Pika pi," Pikachu nodded in happiness that it would get to see Hitmonchan and Primeape again.

Ash headed back inside the Pokemon Center and saw Brock and Misty were in there along with Serena. Ash smiled that Serena had finally woken up until he was able to take a closer look. Serena was indeed out of bed, but she had her head down with her eyes closed and was breathing gently. Togetic was beside and her and shaking her gently, but she wasn't responding. Ash was a bit of sleepyhead himself but his was ridiculous!

"Hey, guys," Ash greeted to Brock and Misty before he glanced over at Serena. "Is she awake?"

"I…think so," Misty muttered. "She just kind of stumbled in here about five minutes ago before she sat down and has kind of been like this ever since."

Ash went over and shook Serena a little harder than Togetic was. The honey hair-colored girl cracked her eyes half open before she glanced up at Ash. Upon seeing him, she smiled.

"Good morning, Ash," she mumbled.

"Hardly. The morning's almost over," Ash frowned.

"Sorry. I was just really tired," Serena responded and yawned for emphasis.

"Well, I hope you aren't anymore considering you slept for almost fourteen hours," Ash stated.

"It was that long?" Serena asked in embarrassment.

"Yes," Ash confirmed before he added as an afterthought. "Are you hungry?"

"Umm…," Serena uttered as she thought about it.

The truth was Serena didn't feel hungry at all. Not to mention, she still had a headache. Despite this, Serena understood that her body still needed food despite what she was feeling. Besides, if she said she wasn't hungry, Ash, Brock, and Misty would only prod her with more questions which she didn't want. With that, Serena nodded her head.

"Yeah. I am a little bit," she lied.

Ash seemed relieved and smiled down at Serena before he lightly squeezed her shoulder. He then grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Serena wobbled once again upon standing up which made Ash have to steady her. He gave her a look of confusion, and Serena gave him a sheepish smile.

"Serena, you're sure you're okay, now?" he questioned.

"Yes. I am, Ash. Thank you," Serena smiled.

"Well, Ash is about to go to the gym to have his match with Chuck. We'll let you eat something before we head out," Brock told her.

"Okay. Thank you," Serena nodded.

"Let me just make a call to Professor Oak really quick," Ash said before he hurried over to the video phone.

The raven-haired boy quickly dialed Professor Oak's number and waited for it to ring. He hoped that the professor was able to convince Primeape to allow him to put it in its pokeball. After a few rings, Professor Oak's face appeared on the screen, and he appeared quite rough.

"Uh, hey again, Professor Oak. Did Primeape give you some trouble?" Ash asked sheepishly.

"Well, just a little bit," Professor Oak admitted with a nervous chuckle. "Nevertheless, it's still very excited to see you again. Hitmonchan, too."

"Great! Send them over!" Ash grinned.

"Ash, if it's not too much trouble, do you think could send me over your Chikorita and Totodile? I'd like to study the Johto starters a little more and I've already done so with Cyndaquil," Professor Oak requested.

"Uh…okay. Sure," Ash conceded as she fished out Totodile and Chikorita's pokeball to place on the transporter.

Likewise, Professor Oak showed Ash Primeape and Hitmonchan's pokeballs and placed them on his own transporter. The pokeballs were each transferred one at a time, and soon enough, each person had their respective pokeballs. Professor Oak showed Ash Totodile and Chikorita's pokeballs to show they were safely transported over.

"Received everything on this end, Ash," Professor Oak told him.

"Same here, Professor!" Ash smiled.

"Excellent! Good luck on your battle! I'll remember about the other thing, too!" Professor Oak said.

"Thanks, Professor Oak! Talk to you soon!" Ash grinned before he turned around and saw Serena standing behind him.

"What other thing was he talking about? Is everything okay?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Everything's fine Serena," Ash replied.

Ash didn't really want to tell Serena yet that Yellow would be calling. If he did, she might get defensive. It was best to wait until he actually talked to Yellow before he alarmed Serena about anything. He wasn't even sure if this had anything to do with her ESP yet or not. It might be something else entirely, and he was worrying over nothing. That's what he hoped it was anyway. It's just Serena was acting a little unusual. He was thankful when Serena didn't push it further.

"Okay, Ash. If you say so," she smiled sleepily. There were secrets between them both now, and they didn't even know it.

"It's okay, Serena," Ash nodded before he turned to his pokeballs and grinned. Seeing some old friends would definitely improve everyone's mood. "Come on out, you two!"

Hitmonchan appeared first and began to punch imaginary enemies. Primeape appeared next and appeared to be on some kind of rampage. It was stomping and grunting angrily, or at least, that's how it seemed. Ash's Primeape was always like that.

"Hey, you two! Long time, no see! Are you ready to win a fifth badge for me?" Ash grinned.

Hitmonchan nodded and shook Ash's hand with its gloved one.

Primeape punched Ash in the gut.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Professor Oak's lab, the Pokemon professor was now ready to release Chikorita and Totodile from their pokeballs. He smiled that he was finally going to be able to study them a bit. If they were at least more behaved than Ash's Primeape and Hitmonchan, then he should be fine.

Chikorita and Totodile appeared from their pokeballs and looked around. They didn't see Ash but instead saw Professor Oak. Totodile appeared neutral while Chikorita put on a look of confusion. Professor Oak knelt down to the two.

"Hello there. This is the first time you've met me. How are you doing?" Professor Oak asked them.

At that, Chikorita's eyes welled up with tears, and it began to cry a river. Totodile immediately began to pat Chikorita comfortingly. Professor Oak gasped and looked rather confused. Was it something he said?

"Wait! Ash is still your trainer! He just sent you both to the lab for a little bit!" he said frantically.

That only made Chikorita cry harder. The leaf Pokemon's tears were starting to accumulate on the ground enough for Totodile to swim in. Totodile then hugged Chikorita and began to soothe it that everything was okay and they would be back with Ash soon. Chikorita hiccupped before it accepted Totodile's embrace and hugged it back.

Professor Oak watched the strange scene for a moment before he smiled. Apparently, these two got along really well. It was great they came in a pair otherwise Chikorita would've been extremely hard to deal with. Thinking it was safe, Professor Oak reached down to rub Chikorita's head. The leaf Pokemon saw Professor Oak reaching for it, and it promptly tackled him to the ground.

As Professor Oak lay on the floor, he couldn't help but wonder why a lot of Ash's Pokemon were so eager to give him a hard time.

* * *

It was noon, and now the group was at the Cianwood City Gym so Ash could win a Storm Badge. He was pumped up and ready to see how his Hitmonchan and Primeape had grown since he used them last. He knew they regularly sparred with Serena's Hitmonlee who was their opposite in every way imaginable. Though Hitmonlee had tried to teach the two discipline, it didn't work out so well. They just didn't have the patience to take things slowly.

The gym appeared to be an old-fashioned Japenese dojo. It actually didn't look too different from the fighting dojo back in Saffron City. As Ash approached the gym, he began to wonder what kind of man Chuck was since he trained fighting-type Pokemon, and furthermore, what were his Pokemon like? Were they dedicated black belts in martial arts? Were they tough as nails with hardened personalities? Were they disciplined and calm in judgment, or were they rowdy and liked to fight all the time? Of the possibilities Ash was thinking of, he wasn't prepared for what he opened the gym door to.

The group slid the doors open, and they were immediately met with crying. Actually, it was more like someone bawling their eyes out, and it was very loud and very deep. They glanced around and were met with the source in the middle of the room.

A middle-aged, muscular man with brown sideburns and no shirt on was there, and he had tears streaming down his face, but they were tears of joy. A Machoke was there, and it was crying, too. The group couldn't help but tilt their heads in confusion. This was certainly a strange scene. One didn't see a crying Machoke or a crying man who looked like a dojo master every day…

"That was beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! Gorgeous, even!" the man bawled.

…or hear things like that from one, either.

"Uh, I hate to interrupt you, sir, but what's going on?" Ash asked awkwardly as he and the others stepped into the gym.

The man abruptly quit crying and turned to the group, apparently having just noticed them. He then put on a friendly smile and walked over to the group with the Machoke following.

"Hello there, sonny! Who might you be?" the man inquired.

"Well, I'm Ash Ketchum. That's Serena. That's Brock, and that's Misty. I'm here for a…," Ash began, but the man cut him off.

"Wait! Don't tell me! I can sense it!" the man said as he appeared deep in thought. "You're a Pokemon trainer, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah." Ash admitted.

"And you're looking for a gym battle with the gym leader, aren't you?" the man deduced,

"Yes," Ash agreed.

"Then you've come to the right place! I'm the gym leader, Chuck! Glad to meet you, sport!" Chuck laughed and gave a light, friendly punch to Ash's gut.

For Ash, though, it wasn't so light. The raven-haired boy coughed and clutched his stomach in pain. As if being socked earlier by Primeape wasn't bad enough. Serena, Brock, and Misty gave Ash a sympathetic look, but Chuck didn't seem to notice.

"I accept your challenge, Ash! Having a Pokemon battle always pumps me up!" Chuck stated.

"Great…," Ash squeaked.

"If you don't mind me asking, why were you crying earlier?" Misty asked as Brock and Serena looked curious, as well. Ash was still trying to recover.

At that, Chuck immediately began crying again. Misty began wishing she hadn't asked now. Did she bring up a painful memory? Then again, these tears were still ones of joy so something apparently excited Chuck greatly.

"You just missed it! My Machoke pulled off the most amazing Submission attack, ever! It was so beautiful, it moved me to tears!" Chuck wailed as his Machoke began to cry, too.

The trainer and Pokemon then threw their arms around each other in a brotherly hug while still crying their eyes out. The group looked on awkwardly at the love being shown. It was perfectly normal for a trainer to show love to their Pokemon, but with a guy like Chuck and a Pokemon like Machoke, it just appeared…out of place. That's when something got their attention, they didn't see another Pokemon out at the time they came in.

"Wait! Did Machoke actually perform the Submission on you?!" Brock exclaimed.

"It sure did! Machoke's a great training partner!" Chuck confirmed and clapped his hand on the superpower Pokemon's shoulder after they quit crying.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Serena asked.

"Of course it is! That's the only way for me to get stronger, though! My Pokemon and I practice all the time together and take each others' hits like real friends do!" Chuck stated.

"Umm…okay," Misty mumbled.

"Say, Ash! Before we have our gym battle, let's have some food! I'm starving after all that training!" Chuck requested.

"Uh..food?" Ash asked at the mention now that he finally got the breath back in his lungs.

"You bet! I always invite my challengers for a good, home-cooked meal made by my wife! Let's go, sport!" Chuck laughed and lightly punched Ash in the stomach again.

"Uhhhhn…," Ash moaned and felt like crying himself. Only they would be tears of pain.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, the group was sitting around a low table in a cross-legged position. A woman with auburn hair came out holding a massive bowl of what looked like mashed potatoes, but something was telling the group it wasn't. That wasn't to say it didn't look good, however. It really did.

Chuck even had three of his Pokemon out with him whom Ash assumed he would be using to battle. He had a Hitmontop, his Machoke from earlier, and his own Primeape. The trainer and his Pokemons' mouths watered as they saw the woman approach with the food on a tray.

"Wait until you taste Cheryl's cooking! It'll knock your socks off and get you even more excited for the battle!" Chuck told the group.

"I think I've been excited enough," Ash mumbled under his breath now as he recalled how he's already been punched in the gut three times today.

Cheryl served a heaping pile of whatever it was onto everyone's plate before she served some herself. There were also many fresh vegetables in the center of the table for everyone to help themselves with. After his wife sat down, Chuck, Machoke, Hitmontop, and Primeape immediately began to wolf down their food faster than Ash ever could.

"Eat everyone so you can be strong, fighting machines!" Chuck yelled between mouthfuls.

"Works for me when it comes to food," Ash shrugged as he began to eat as well as Misty and Brock.

"Eat some more, and chew some more! Then eat some again!" Chuck said more to himself than anyone else.

"Sweetie, are you not hungry?" Cheryl asked once she saw Serena wasn't eating anything.

"Oh. I hate to say it, but I just ate before I got here," Serena replied with an apologetic bow before she thought to herself. _"I probably wouldn't be hungry even if I hadn't eaten."_

"I say the more you eat, the stronger you become!" Chuck asserted.

"That's why you're getting flabby," Cheryl chuckled.

"Hey! Who are you calling flabby! I'm as fit as my Machoke! It's just that I love your cooking and can't get enough of it!" Chuck declared, but Cheryl just giggled in response.

"Well, this is really good, though. I think this is Pokemon power food," Brock commented.

"What's Pokemon power food?" Misty questioned.

"It's a highly nutritious meal that can strengthen a trainer and Pokemon's mind alike," Brock answered.

"That's right. Everything my husband eats is for his training. He just sometimes eats a little too much," Chuck's wife smiled.

"Then that just means I have to work twice as hard," Chuck responded as he helped himself to another bowlful of the food.

The group continued to enjoy their meal and made small talk with each other. Cheryl, Brock, and Misty each had one bowlful. Serena only had a couple of bites. Pikachu and Togetic had a tiny plate each. Ash had two plates while Chuck and his Pokemon had four. They were amazed that Chuck's stomach could hold that much considering how filling even one plateful of Pokemon power food was. Chuck then stood up and flexed his muscles.

"Ash, let's burn off these calories with a Pokemon battle! My Pokemon are ready to go! How about you?!" Chuck asked.

"You bet, Chuck!" Ash nodded.

"You shouldn't have any trouble beating my flabby husband, Ash," Cheryl told him.

"Oh, come on, Cheryl! It's not that bad!" Chuck protested and hit his stomach for emphasis. Ash silently breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't his own stomach that time.

"You know I'm just teasing you, dear. I love you just the way you are," Cheryl smiled.

"Hah! I had to go a little easy on that girl who came by yesterday, but I'll use full force against you considering he told me all he's done while we were eating!" Chuck said to Ash.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Chuck! My Pokemon are ready, too! They didn't have any of your power food, but they still had a good meal!" Ash replied.

"There you go! Eat right and keep your eyes on the prize! Let's go!" Chuck declared as he returned his Pokemon and walked out of the room with the group following.

* * *

Everyone was now in the battle room for Ash's gym match against Chuck. They found out that Chuck was also an instructor of karate. One of his students had volunteered to be the judge so they were all set. Ash and Pikachu stood on one side while Chuck stood on the other side. Serena, Misty, Brock, Cherly, Togetic, and a few other students were watching from a small set of seats against the wall.

Ash gripped the pokeball in his hand as he decided on his first Pokemon. He had decided to use Hitmonchan after a moment of brief thinking. The Pokemon's mastery of its elemental punches would do as a great surprise and allow for some unpredictability. He didn't really want to use Primeape just yet as that Pokemon relied on its brute force to win which wasn't a good way to start off a match. He had Noctowl for backup for type advantage in case things didn't go his way. Ash had to be prepared for any scenario against a gym leader.

"Let's go, Ash! You can do this!" Misty cheered.

"We're rooting for you!" Brock added.

"Mmmm…," Serena breathed as she felt herself nodding off.

"Thanks, guys!" Ash smiled as he turned to face them, but he then frowned when he saw Serena was trying to fall asleep again. "Serena, are you sure you're okay?"

"Oh. I'm fine, Ash. I'll stay awake," Serena muttered and shook her head a few times to bring a temporary sense of alertness.

Ash didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the matter. Both Brock and Misty were looking at Serena in concern while everyone else looked confused. They didn't know Serena or her typical behavior, but by the way her friends were talking about her, they could tell this wasn't normal.

Ash wasn't comfortable having a gym battle when his girlfriend was acting like this. On the other hand, there wasn't anything he could tell that was really wrong with her. She didn't have a fever of chills. She wasn't in any pain. She was just very sleepy…with a headache. Serena claimed she took an aspirin again this morning to alleviate the headache, and it seems to have worked, but she still shouldn't be having this many headaches. He would look more into this afterward. With that, he turned to the judge to signal he was ready as Chuck already had.

The student nodded back before he raised his flags into the air. "This will be an official gym match between the gym leader, Chuck, and Ash of Pallet Town. Each trainer will use three Pokemon. The challenger may make substitutions while the gym leader may not. Whomever defeats their opponents three Pokemon first will be declared the winner! A Storm Badge is at stake! The gym leader will choose his Pokemon first!"

"Alright, Ash! Let's start this battle off by turning it on its head!" Chuck declared before he threw his pokeball. "Go, Hitmontop!"

The Pokemon Ash was unfamiliar with at Chuck's table appeared from the pokeballs. It was a vaguely humanoid-looking Pokemon with two legs and a spike on its head. It had spherical hands, and it was mostly brown in color, and the tail it had resembled a third leg and foot. Ash used this opportunity to take out his national dex and scan it. Serena shook her head again and pulled out her national dex so she could get data on Hitmontop, also.

"Hitmontop, the handstand Pokemon. Hitmontop can spin on its head at high speeds while kicking. This presents great offense and defense for this Pokemon, and it moves faster spinning than walking," the national dexes informed.

 _"This sounds like a tricky Pokemon. Luckily, Hitmonchan can be unpredictable, too,"_ Ash thought to himself before he called it out. "Go, Hitmonchan!"

Hitmonchan appeared from its pokeball and hopped back and forth on one foot to pump itself up. It was ready to battle again after so long. It then slammed its gloved fists together as a show of its power, but Hitmontop just merely watched back as it crouched low, probably in preparation to spin.

"Okay. The match will start now!" the judge declared.

"Hitmontop! Use Triple Kick!" Chuck hollered.

Ash couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he saw Hitmontop actually jump onto its head using only the spike for balance and begin spinning towards Hitmonchan. That clearly showed where the Pokemon got its name from. Ash then shook his head so he could focus away from that and get his head in the game.

"Use Bullet Punch!" Ash hollered, wanting to get the one up.

"Quick Guard!" Chuck countered.

Hitmonchan shot towards Hitmontop and prepared to deliver a solid punch to stop those kicks, but a sudden barrier encased around Hitmontop. Hitmonchan's fist bounced right off the shield. Then it was met with three kicks to its face before it was knocked backwards.

Ash frowned once he saw that. He could put two and two together. It seemed that this was a move that was similar to Protect only it focused on priority attacks. That would mean Bullet Punch and Mach Punch would be useless against a Pokemon like Hitmontop. Hitmonchan still had its elemental punches, though.

"What a beautiful Triple Kick that was, Hitmontop!" Chuck cried before he called out his next attack. "Use Quick Attack!"

 _"I've got it!"_ Ash though before he issued his next command. "Use Ice Punch on the ground!"

As Hitmontop began spinning very quickly towards Hitmonchan, the punchy Pokemon slammed its gloved fist on the ground and emitted frost from it. A small area of the floor around Hitmonchan was frozen. It was soon stuck by the Quick Attack, but the ice Hitmontop spun over caused it lose balance. It wobbled as it tried to regain its heading but ended up crashing into the wall.

"Use Sky Uppercut!" Ash ordered to take advantage of Hitmontop's daze.

"Spin away, Hitmontop!" Chuck told it.

Hitmonchan charged up its fist and made a dash towards Hitmontop, but it ended up spinning away before Hitmonchan could land the blow. As Ash watched Hitmontop spin, he had another idea that could possibly work. If he could get Hitmonchan to get underneath Hitmontop's legs, it could put him at an advantage.

"Use Triple Kick again!" Chuck ordered.

Hitmontop did made an arc as it turned towards Hitmonchan again. This time, Ash was ready.

"Get underneath it, and use Sky Uppercut!" Ash yelled.

"Hah! That won't work, Ash!" Chuck replied with a confident smile before he turned to Hitmontop. "On your side, Hitmontop!"

Hitmonchan charged towards Hitmontop again. It then crouched down to get underneath its kicks. At the moment, though, Hitmontop tilted which caused it to now spin on its side. Hitmonchan's eyes widened as it tried to get out of there, but it was met with three successive kicks to the face once more. This time they were coming from a downward angle. The punchy Pokemon gasped as it was knocked to the floor and was literally cartwheeled over by Hitmontop.

"That was amazing, Hitmontop! Thank you for a such a great display of skill!" Chuck cried before he turned to Ash. "As a gym leader, I have to think of several ways to counter my Pokemons' weaknesses. That's why I taught Hitmontop to spin on something other than its head."

Ash had his mouth open as he watched Hitmontop come in for another round of kicks. This was bad. He really couldn't have Hitmonchan use Ice Punch as a surprise attack right now. Fire Punch and Thunder Punch wouldn't be enough to stop Hitmontop, either. Hitmontop wasn't moving fast enough. It would just simply go around it. Hitmontop's legs were a powerful force to be reckoned with. The only way he could beat them is if he used an equally powerful force from Hitmonchan's fist.

"Okay, Hitmochan, I know this is hard for you, but I need you to stay calm and focus," Ash told it.

Hitmonchan tiredly picked itself off the ground. It had to always be moving and hated being still and calm. It always liked to rush into things. Still, its rival, Serena's Hitmonlee, always seemed to meditate which Hitmonchan couldn't stand. That did, however, seem to give it the advantage when it needed to. Hitmonchan grit its teeth as it tried to relax its mind the best it could and focus.

"I don't know what you're planning, Ash, but it won't be enough to stop Hitmontop!" Chuck told him. "Let's finish this with Close Combat!"

Hitmontop began spinning towards Hitmonchan once more with the intent to give a series of kicks and punches, mostly kicks, though. Hitmonchan could hear Hitmontop coming and wanted to rush in so badly with its own Close Combat, but it trusted what Ash was planning.

Hitmontop was getting ever closer, but Ash still didn't have Hitmonchan move. Ash's friends were starting to get a little nervous, as well as Hitmonchan, but it forced itself to remain calm. Then just before Hitmontop reached Hitmonchan, Ash made his move.

"Use Focus Punch!" Ash told it.

Hitmonchan's eyes shot open as it immediately thrust its right fist outward. Hitmonchan soon found out how more powerful this punch felt compared to all its others. Did stopping to focus its mind really have this kind of effect on its attack?

While its fists would normally be stopped by Hitmontop's legs, the opposite happened this time. Hitmonchan's Focus Punch squashed Hitmontop's attempt at Close Combat, and the handstand Pokemon soon found itself knocked the other direction. It spun the other way for just second before it fell down and skidded to a stop.

"What's this?!" Chuck cried.

"Use Sky Uppercut!" Ash yelled.

Hitmonchan ran forward and delivered a solid punch to Hitmontop upward. The handstand Pokemon was knocked into the air. It soared through before the air landed on the ground a short distanced away. Hitmontop then struggled to get up but its arms gave way, and it fell in defeat.

"Hitmontop is unable to battle!" the student hollered.

"We did it, Hitmonchan! Way to focus!" Ash cheered.

"Chaaaan," Hitmonchan agreed as it held its chest and panted. That was a tough battle. Who would've thought that the only way I could win was to do what its rival did? Maybe it should try meditating more often.

"Thank you for an amazing battle Hitmontop! Take a good rest, my friend!" Chuck bawled as he returned Hitmontop. Ash and the others couldn't help but think it was still a strange sight to see Chuck cry like this.

"That was quite a close one for Hitmonchan, wasn't it, Serena?" Brock asked as he turned to her, only to find her asleep! "Serena!"

"Wha..?!" Serena cried as her eyes shot open before they went back to being droopy. "What is it, Brock?"

"How are you falling asleep during Ash's gym match?" Brock questioned in concern. "You're usually the one who's into it the most."

"I-I'm sorry," Serena muttered as she discovered Misty was looking at her, too, as well as a few of Chuck's students.

Serena then turned to Ash, but he was too busy cheering with Pikachu and congratulating Hitmonchan to notice. Togetic got up on her lap and looked concerned, as well. Serena's head hurt again as she couldn't believe she actually fell asleep during Ash's battles. What was wrong with her?

"We need to figure out what's going on with you and get you to a doctor. This isn't like you," Brock told her with a frown.

"I'm fine, Brock, really," Serena told him before she thought to herself. _"Besides, this doesn't sound like something a doctor could fix."_

"Alright, Ash! Prepare for my second friend, Machoke!" Chuck told him before he released the superpower Pokemon.

Chuck's Machoke appeared and briefly flexed its muscles before it turned to Chuck. The gym leader then held out his stomach and flexed his own muscles. The group then gasped when they saw Machoke charge forward and begin to punch Chuck in the stomach and chest.

"That's it, Machoke! Get pumped up for this fight! Focus your energy!" Chuck told it.

Ash, Brock, Misty, and Serena watched in amazement as he took all of Machoke's attacks. How was he able to withstand this? Ash then turned to his Hitmonchan. If Chuck could do this, so could he. Hitmonchan appeared to be tired and could use a nice pump up before its battle.

"Alright! Let's do that, too, Hitmonchan! Let me have it!" Ash declared as he held out his chest and stomach.

"Machan…," Hitmonchan uttered as it sweat dropped. Was its trainer serious?

"Ash, I don't think this is a good idea," Misty told him.

"I'll be fine. Hitmonchan knows not to hurt me," Ash reassured before he turned back to Hitmonchan. "Let's do it."

Hitmonchan shrugged as it complied with its trainer and ran forward before delivering a solid punch to Ash's gut. Unlike with Chuck, Ash didn't take it so well and immediately keeled over while clutching his stomach in pain.

"Dang it. Not again," Ash croaked as the wind was knocked out of him.

That was the fourth time he'd been punched the stomach today, but this one was more his own fault. Hitmonchan grimaced an apology while Pikachu snickered. Hitmonchan didn't even use half its strength on that punch. Ash seemed to forget that he wasn't a bodybuilder like Chuck and couldn't endure attacks like that.

"Are you okay, Ash?" Serena asked from the side as she, Brock, and Misty looked on in worry.

"I'll make it," Ash whispered. Yeah. He learned pretty quick not to have Hitmonchan hit him in the stomach again.

"Well, Ash, we're good to go! How about you?!" Chuck asked as Machoke went over to the center of the room and prepared the battle.

"Yeah. I think so," Ash gasped as his breath finally returned to him.

He then took a few amazing gulps of air as Hitmonchan went over to the center of the field, also. It couldn't say it had the same rush of adrenaline like Chuck and Machoke had, but it was still ready to fight.

"Alright! Machoke versus Hitmonchan! Begin!" the judge declared.

"Let's go Machoke! I want to you Cross Chop!" Chuck hollered.

Machoke raised its arms in an X shape and ran towards Hitmonchan. Ash nodded his head as most Machoke were pretty slow so all he needed to do was have Hitmonchan dodge it. Then it could get behind Machoke to get the advantage.

"Run towards it, too," Hitmonchan!" Ash told it.

Hitmonchan took off in a sprint to Machoke, and both Pokemon were now a collision course with each other. Machoke had its arms raised while Hitmonchan had its fists raised. Just before they ran into each other, Ash gave the attack.

"Dodge it, and use Ice Punch!" Ash yelled.

Hitmonchan jumped into the air over Machoke's awaiting chop, and Machoke ran underneath it. Hitmonchan spun around in midair in order to deliver a frosty punch to Machoke, but its eyes widened when Machoke turned quicker than one would expect and hit it anyway. Hitmonchan gasped as it was knocked backwards through the air before it hit the gym wall. It then slumped into the ground in defeat.

"Hitmonchan is unable to battle! Machoke wins!" the student declared.

"But...how?" Ash questioned as he looked at his defeated Hitmonchan.

"My Machoke has a special ability called No Guard," Chuck explained. "It causes any attack my Machoke uses to hit without fail. The trade off is no attack will miss it, either."

Ash's mouth was open at that. No Guard had to be some ability, especially on a Pokemon like Machoke. Ash returned Hitmonchan as he thought about who his next Pokemon could be. Noctowl would be useful with its psychic attack and keeping away from Machoke. However, because of Machoke's No Guard ability, that was hardly an advantage. He wasn't exactly sure how that worked out, but he didn't want to take his chances. The only way he was going to stop a brute force like Machoke was to fight fire with fire. Ash then made his decision.

"Primeape, I choose you!" Ash hollered and threw the pokeball forward.

The pig monkey soon appeared from the Pokemon and began to grunt in excitement that it would get to battle again. Primeape then saw its opponent was a Machoke, and it crouch low in anticipation. A Machoke would be a worthy opponent. It hadn't battled in a while and had some fight to get out of its system.

"Primeape versus Machoke! Begin!" yelled the judge.

"Alright, Machoke! Use Dynamic Punch!" Chuck called.

Ash's eyes widened at that. Chuck was already starting off with a very powerful attack to get the upper hand. Because of No Guard, Dynamic Punch would hit no matter what which would cause Primeape to get confused. A confused Primeape would be very bad for more reasons than one. His only option was to try to counter it.

"Use Cross Chop!" Ash yelled

Primpeape leaped at Machoke with its arms crossed as Machoke wound up to do the attack. The pig monkey Pokemon slammed into Machoke's chest which caused the superpower Pokemon to cry out in pain. Nevertheless, Machoke pushed through the powerful attack and swung its fist right into Primeape's face.

Primeape was knocked backwards and hit the wall of the gym just like Hitmonchan did before it. Ash looked on in worry as Primeape stood up, and he gasped when he saw Primeape began thrashing around. It was running in circles and continuously slamming its fists on the ground. It had become confused!

"Come on, Primeape! Snap out of it!" Ash yelled.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out, as well.

"Does Primeape have anything that can help cure its confusion?" Misty asked Brock from the side.

"Well, it can punch itself in the face a few times, but something like that isn't as easy as just simply using a water attack to wake it up like it did in the past," Brock replied.

"Mmmm," Serena uttered sleepily from the side before she shook her head to stay awake.

Primeape continued to flail about and was constantly even running into the walls in its confusion. Chuck smiled in satisfaction once he saw Primeape was virtually helpless now. The burly man then nodded to his Machoke.

"Well done, Machoke! That was a great attack, my friend! Now use that Submission that you've shown me so well!" Chuck ordered.

Ash ignored the fact that Machoke had used Submission on Chuck before and instead focused on Primeape. Submission was a potentially lethal move after getting hit with a powerful attack like Dynamic Punch. He then turned back to Primeape, but it still looked dizzy and didn't appear to see the Machoke heading straight for it.

Ash knew telling Primeape to punch itself in the face wouldn't work as Primeape couldn't really hear him right now. This Submission could be it for Primeape if something didn't happen fast. Then he would have to rely on Noctowl, and despite being clever, Noctowl was still fragile and would have to take out two of Chuck's fighting Pokemon which would be rather difficult for it. Noctowl would have a flight advantage, but No Guard would virtually eliminate that. The boy still couldn't help but wonder how that ability worked, though. Ash then shook his head to focus back on the task at hand.

"Look out, Primeape!" Ash called out, but it was in vain.

Machoke grabbed Primeape before leaping into the air and delivering a lethal tackle to the ground. Primeape grunted in pain before Machoke let it go, and Primeape skidded along the ground for a moment.

"Primeape!" Ash yelled in worry.

"Let's finish this with another Dynamic Punch, Machoke!" Chuck commanded and flexed his muscles.

Machoke charged towards Primeape, but the pig monkey Pokemon was breathing heavily on the ground and not getting up. Machoke began to wind its fist a second time in preparation to use the attack. Meanwhile, Primeape lifted itself up from the ground and glared at Machoke. It came here to battle today for a lot longer than this Machoke was trying to give it. The pig monkey Pokemon had a lot of pent up fight to use, and if it didn't get to take it out on its opponent, it would have to take it out on Ash which it didn't want. Ash noticed Primeape's look and knew it must've been cured from its confusion when Machoke used Submission.

"Primeape, use Low Kick!" Ash called quickly.

Primeape rolled towards Machoke and swept its feet against Machoke's leg just as it was about to punch Primeape. As a result, Machoke lost its balance and fell to the ground with a resounding _thud_ , effectively canceling the Dynamic Punch. Ash smiled when he realized that while No Guard did prevent attacks from missing, it did nothing if the attack was canceled like that. Since no attacks would miss, Ash knew he would have to have Primeape use a flurry of attacks to keep Machoke from hitting it.

"Use Close Combat!" Ash yelled.

Primeape leaped on top of the downed Machoke and gave a taunting grunt before it began to pummel Machoke as hard as it could. It wasn't about to let this Machoke get it out of the game this soon! It still wanted to fight, and it was going to make sure this Machoke knew it, too! Machoke continued to cry out in pain with each punch Primeape gave it until Primeape gave an extra hard punch which knocked Machoke off the ground and into the air before it landed on the ground again.

"Choooooke," Machoke uttered in pain as it struggled to get up. As the superpower Pokemon looked up, it saw Primeape looming over it in domination. It knew it was in for it.

"Use Cross Chop!" Ash hollered.

"Use your Cross Chop, Machoke!" Chuck tried to counter.

Due to Primeape being a lot quicker, it already had its arms crossed and used the attack before Machoke even had a chance to. It slammed its arms into Machoke's face before giving a double chop, as well. Machoke's face jerked to the side from the force of the attack before it face planted on the ground again. It gave a weak groan before it went still, knocked out.

"Machoke is unable to battle!" the judge announced.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief at that. It was pretty close, but Primeape managed to come out on top. The pig monkey Pokemon pumped its arms into the air and let out a victory grunt over the downed Machoke. It then slammed its fists together in front of Chuck to show the burly man it was ready for any other fighting Pokemon that Chuck could use against it.

"That was a good battle, Machoke. You fought well so take a nice rest," Chuck told it before he looked at Primeape. "You're a feisty one, aren't you!?"

"Priiiiiiii!" Primeape yelled in agreement.

"I have just the Pokemon for you then!" Chuck answered before he took out his own pokeball.

Ash then remembered that Chuck's other Pokemon that was eating the power food earlier was a Primeape, too. So Chuck was about to use his own Primeape. Ash then grit his teeth as knew this wouldn't be good. Though Primeape listened to Ash's commands in battle, it was also a very competitive Pokemon. If it saw another Primeape, things could get out of hand. It still carried the scars of the Primeape who picked on it so long ago when it was still a Mankey.

"Primeape, I'll let you take a rest. I'll use Noctowl for this one," Ash told it as he hoped to return the pig monkey Pokemon before it saw who its opponent was.

"Kerplah!" Primeape spat at Ash before it turned back to Chuck. It still wanted to fight!"

"Primeape…," Ash trailed before he continued. "I just don't think you'll be pleased when you see who Chuck's going to use."

Primeape gave Ash a look like it thought he was crazy. Primeape didn't care who its opponent was as long as it got to battle. It then turned back to Chuck as the burly man threw his pokeball, and out popped the other Primeape. As soon as Ash's Primeape saw the other one, it narrowed its eyes and glared very hard at it.

In turn, Chuck's Primeape gave Ash's a glare of its own. It didn't like that look that its opponent was giving it. Granted, Chuck's Primeape seemed to have a lot more self-control than Ash's did. It knocked its fists together while Ash's did the same.

"You know the drill, Primeape! Prove you're the stronger one so let's get you pumped up!" Chuck told it.

Chuck's Primeape then hurried over to Chuck before it began to punch his chest repeatedly. Meanwhile, Ash simply watched. He had learned his lesson earlier that it wasn't a good idea to let his Pokemon attack him. Unfortunately, that was unless his Pokemon was Primeape. If the pig monkey saw its opponent do something that it thought would help, one can bet it would do the same thing.

Primeape then turned back to Ash and looked at the boy expectantly. Ash's eyes widened when he saw what Primeape was planning, and they widened even more when he saw Primeape charge at him.

"Wait, Primeape! Stop!" Ash cried as he held his hands in front of his face for protection.

That was a bad move. Primeape jumped up and socked Ash in the stomach again. The raven-haired boy coughed in pain and keeled over again. This time, he couldn't help but get in the fetal position.

"Ash!" Brock, Misty, and Serena cried out.

"I should've known to block my stomach this time," Ash squeaked before he added rhetorically. "When will the abuse stop?"

"You need some help up, Ash?" Chuck asked as he crossed the battle field and held his hand out to him.

"Please," Ash croaked and gingerly stuck out one of his arms for Chuck to take.

Once again, Ash didn't take into account Chuck's strength. The man grabbed Ash's hand and yanked him to his feet. He then went back to his side of the battlefield while Ash stood there in total shock. He slowly used his other arm to stroke his shoulder to make sure nothing was pulled out of its socket. Though it was extremely painful, everything appeared to be in place. Ash's friends gave him all a sympathetic look because of all the abuse he's had to endure today.

"Oh! Sorry about that, sport! I guess I keep forgetting my own strength!" Chuck called when he saw the grimace on Ash's face.

"Uhhhnn…," Ash uttered in pain.

"Poor Ash," Brock said with a nervous smile.

"He's going to need an aspirin the size of a pokeball after this," Misty sighed.

"Here, Ash. It's okay," Serena told him as she went over to him and rubbed his arm. "This just isn't your day, is it?"

"Yeah…," Ash trailed before he thought to himself. _"What about you, though?"_

Everyone then prepared for the battle of the two Primeapes. Both Pokemon prepared themselves and crouched low, though Ash's Primeape appeared angrier than the other. It would still prove it was the strongest Primeape.

"Primeape versus Primeape! Begin!" announced the judge.

"Let's do it Primeape! Show them your own Karate Chop!" Chuck hollered.

Chuck's Primeape gave a grunt before it leaped high into the air towards its opponent. Ash's Primeape held up its fists in preparation and waited for Ash's command to it.

"Wait until I say go, and then use Seismic Toss!" Ash yelled.

He was surprised when his Primeape leaped up into the air after its opponent rather than waiting. It then reached out to grab Chuck's Primeape, but the opponent quickly swung its hand at it, and Ash's Primeape was knocked to the ground.

"I needed you to wait, Primeape!" Ash scolded it.

"Bleaaah!" Primeape grunted as it stood up and puffed in aggravation.

"Your Primeape is powerful, Ash, but it needs some discipline," Chuck noted. "My Primeape will be happy to give it that discipline, too!"

"Kerplah!" Chuck's Primeape yelled in agreement as it prepared another attack.

"Bruh! Bruh! Priiiiiime!" Ash's Primeape yelled in anger.

"Their right, Primeape! I know you want to prove you're the strongest Primeape, but you can't act like this each time you see one. You have to have patience!" Ash told it.

"Bleeeah!" Primeape spat again, which caused Ash to furrow his eyebrows.

"Alright, Primeape! Let's use your Screech!" Chuck commanded.

Chuck's Primeape gave an earsplitting Screech that sounded throughout the room. Ash's Primeape yelled in annoyance as it covered its ears. It then fell to its knees as it tried to block out the sound.

"Hang in there, Primeape!" Ash encouraged.

"Use Cross Chop!" Chuck yelled.

Once more, Chuck's Primeape leaped into the air and crossed its arms in preparation to do the powerful fighting attack. Ash noticed that Chuck's Primeape preferred to leap in the air before attacking, and he would use that to his advantage.

"Wait this time, and then I'll let you know when to use Seismic Toss," Ash told it, but cried out in frustration when Primeape leaped after its opponent again. "Primeape! No!"

Just like last time, Chuck's Primeape slammed its arms into Ash's Primeape, and it was knocked to the ground again. It had now taken heavy damage and strained itself as it tried to get to its feet. It was panting and grunting in tiredness. It then glared at Chuck's Primeape who glared back.

"You can't keep rushing into attacks like this, Primeape!" Ash told it, which caused the pig monkey Pokemon to turn to him. "Chuck's Primeape is superior in the air while you are better in the ground. That's where you have to keep it for the advantage. If you rush at Chuck's Primeape, that's exactly what it wants you to do! You have to let it come to you!"

"Priiiii!" Primeape rebutted stubbornly to Ash and stamped the ground in anger.

"If you can't listen to me, Primeape, you're can't win this!" Ash told it firmly. "Remember how we beat that Primeape long ago when I first caught you? We beat it because you listened to me and we worked together! It's the same case here!"

Primeape then thought back to all that time ago. It and Ash met on bad terms when it was Mankey. It had punched him in the stomach and stolen his hat. It then ran off to find its rival who was already a Primeape. It was beaten badly, and Ash nursed it back to help much to its annoyance. It had then gone off to fight its rival again but was still losing. That's when Ash intervened and they beat the Primeape together after it evolved into a Primeape itself. They did it because it did everything Ash told it to. Though it hated waiting and was impatient, Ash's Primeape realized that this may be the only wat to win.

"We can do this, Primeape! Trust me!" Ash told it.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, Ash! My Primeape and I need to win this, too! We'll then take out your third Pokemon together. Use Close Combat, my friend!" Ash told his Primeape.

Chuck's Primeape then leaped into the air and headed towards its opponent. Ash's Primeape instinctively went after it but stopped itself. Its fists shook as it waited for Ash to say something. It wanted to rush in and teach that Primeape a lesson so badly, but that had cost it in the past. Primeape's eyes seemed to bulge as it waited. Finally, just before Chuck's Primeape hit it, Ash made his move.

"Grab its arms, and use Seismic Toss!" Ash yelled.

Ash's Primeape reached out and grabbed its opponents arms just before Chuck's Primeape used the attack. Ash's Primeape then used the momentum of its opponent to swing it around and throw it. Chuck's Primeape went sailing through the air and slammed into the gym wall face first. Upon seeing this, Ash's Primeape jumped and grunted in excitement.

"Hmm…not bad, Ash," Chuck commented before he turned back to his Primeape. "It's alright, Primeape! Shake it off, and use Revenge!"

Chuck's Primeape picked itself up off the ground and grunted in annoyance. It then turned around leaped in the air after Ash's Primeape again. Once again, Ash's Primeape waited in patience for Ash to issue it a command. Just before Chuck's Primeape planned the powerful attack, Ash called out his own one.

"Use Reversal!" Ash hollered, knowing his Primeape had already taken heavy damage.

Chuck's Primeape slammed into its opponent, but Ash's Primeape held out its arms to absorb the attack before it thrust out with all its might. Chuck's Primeape was thrown backwards and skidded along the ground several feet before coming to a halt.

"Are you okay, Primeape!? Let's pick yourself up and keep going!" Chuck encouraged.

"See, Primeape! I told you it would work!" Ash smiled.

Primeape grunted in agreement and nodded its head. Maybe its trainer was right. This waiting thing wasn't so bad, after all.

"Well, I think we learned our lesson about that one. Go in for Close Combat, Primeape, but don't leap into the air this time!" Chuck encouraged.

Chuck's Primeape complied and dashed along the ground at a high speed towards Ash's Primpeape. This time, Ash wanted Primeape to go on the offense, as well.

"Go in, and use Close Combat, too!" Ash yelled.

Both Pokemon were now on a collision course with each other. Each determined to beat the other up. Just before they crashed into each other, Ash did the opposite of what Chuck expected.

"Jump up and surprise it!" Chuck yelled.

"Slide underneath it!" Ash countered.

Before Chuck's Primeape could leap, Ash Primeape slid on the ground. It then grabbed Chuck's Primeape by its feet and which caused Chuck's Primeape to turn to look at it in surprise. It was then met with a fist in its face courtesy of Ash's Primeape. The pig monkey began to pummel its opponent into a oblivion and not let up. Every time Chuck's Primeape tried to get up, it was knocked to the floor again. Ash's Primeape was just too fierce for it.

After a while, Chuck's Primeape couldn't take it anymore, and it soon went limp under its opponent's flurry of attacks. Ash's Primeape then pumped its fist into the air and began to grunt in excitement that it was still the strongest Primeape. It just defeated two of its opponents and was feeling very pleased with itself.

"Chuck's Primeape is unable to battle! The winner is Ash's Primeape! All three of Chuck's Pokemon have been defeated, and Ash is the winner!" the judge declared.

"Alright! Yes!" Ash cheered as he ran towards Primeape.

The pig monkey Pokemon stopped its celebration just in time. Ash knew better than to try and hug his Primeape so he merely held out his hand for Primeape to give him a high five. Primeape complied and gave Ash a high five before it continued its own cheering.

Misty and Brock were the first ones to reach Ash first this time followed by Serena and Togetic. They all congratulated him while Chuck picked up his fallen Primeape. It woke up and looked at its trainer.

"Primeape! You gave a great battle! This just means we have to train harder now! That Ash is tough stuff!" Chuck told it to which his Primeape agreed.

"See, dear? You are getting a little flabby," Cheryl smiled as she came up next to her husband.

"Hah. Maybe a little," Chuck finally admitted as he rubbed the back of his head and turned to his students. "Remember students! Any food you eat, make sure you work it off really well!"

"Yes, sir!" they all answered.

Chuck then went over to Ash before he reached into the side of his black belt to reveal a badge that was hiding behind it. He then presented it to Ash.

"Well done, Ash! That was some battle you gave me! You and your Pokemon show some great determination! I like that! Take this Storm Badge! You earned it!" Chuck told him.

"Thanks, Chuck!" Ash smiled and took a look at his new badge that was circular and looked like a fist.

"And remember!" Chuck added as he flexed his muscles. "Train hard! Eat right, and keep your eyes on the prize! Do that, and you'll go far in the Johto League!"

"You said it!" Ash agreed.

"You're over halfway to the Johto League now, Ash!" Brock commented.

"You'll be there in no time!" Misty agreed.

"Way to go, Ash," Serena smiled but yawned afterward.

"Still tired, Serena?" Ash asked.

"I guess," Serena mumbled.

"Serena, would you come with me for a moment? I can whip you up something that might help you. It's a special tea that I brew that's made from special leaves," Cheryl offered as she held out her hand for Serena to take.

"Thank you, ma'am," Serena smiled as she was led off by Chuck's wife.

Ash watched her go with worry on his face. He just couldn't understand why Serena was acting like this. He hoped that whatever it was Chuck's wife was going to give would help, but he was also hoping on a call from Yellow, soon. Brock placed his hand on Ash's shoulder in comfort.

"We're all worried about Serena, Ash. Of course, it's only natural that you are the most out of all of us. We'll figure it out," Brock encouraged.

"Yeah," Ash mumbled as Pikachu and Togetic sighed as they were worried, too.

Primeape then turned around and wanted another high five from Ash to which the raven-haired boy complied. Ash then offered it a smile.

"See, Primeape? What did I tell you? Sometimes waiting can be the best solution. Let the battle come to you and not be so eager to fight," Ash told it.

"Priiiii," Primeape nodded. It had its share of battle for today. It could listen to the advice Ash just gave it…for now anyway.

* * *

Ash was still at Chuck's gym a couple of hours later so they could relax and so they could watch Chuck train with his Pokemon and teach his students. Just like when they first met him, they were completely amazed that the man was able to endure his Pokemon's attacks like that. Now, Ash were calling Macy on his Pokegear to see how everything went. Brock and Misty were next to him.

"Hey, Macy. How're Ampharos and Jasmine?" Ash asked.

"They're doing great! Ampharos is a lot better so Macy had the local Nurse Joy come in, and she said it should be back to its lighthouse duty sometime next week!" Macy responded.

"That's great!" Ash nodded before he asked the next thing on his mind despite not really wanting to. "What about…him?"

Ash didn't really have to say a name for Macy, as well as his friends, to know who he was referring to. He was expecting Macy to say he pressed for information from Jasmine and Ampharos, but she didn't.

"Umm, whenever Jasmine gave Ampharos the antidote, that weird guy just nodded his head and left. He didn't ask for information or say anything. He just left," Macy replied.

"What?" Ash questioned in utter confusion.

Why did Silver just leave? He even admitted the only reason he was staying was so he could get information about Team Rocket. Instead, he just leaves? What was his deal? What was going on? Silver was just one huge puzzle. Did he decide that he actually cared about the Ampharos' well-being, after all?

"Jasmine did say he would meet with him on his way out, though," Macy spoke up. "She told him that once Sparkle was better, she would try to get information on Team Rocket as thanks for him being there. He said he'll be in Olivine City the next few days to hear what she has to say."

"Oh," Ash muttered, still confused, before he changed subjects. "What about the gym?"

"Jasmine is ready to battle anyone, now!" Macy replied with a clear smile even though Ash couldn't see it through the Pokegear. "That means you can come back to Olivine City anytime to battle her! I'll be doing mine tomorrow!"

"That's great!" Ash smiled at the thought of getting his sixth badge so soon. However, there was one thing he remembered.

"Still," Ash muttered. "I have no idea what we would do in Olivine City for so long. There won't be another Pokemon Showcase there for Serena for another two and a half weeks."

"That's right. Is she doing any better?" Macy asked.

"I…don't know," Ash said honestly. "She's been…tired and still won't eat anything."

"Man. I feel terrible for treating her the way I did at first. Now she's acting all weird," Macy sighed.

"It's okay, Macy. We've all forgiven you for it since then," Ash reassured. "Anyway, thanks for letting us know. We'll figure something out for the next couple of weeks."

He then clicked his Pokegear and looked to Brock and Misty for help to see if they had any ideas. Unfortunately, none came to their mind. There had to be something interesting they could do in the mean time. Granted, they weren't in a hurry anymore, but meandering around in the same city for a while would tend to get rather boring.

"Hey, Ash," Serena greeted as she came up to him along with Cheryl and Chuck.

"Hey, Serena," Ash responded. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I am, actually," Serena smiled.

"I'm no medical expert, but maybe she's been stressed the past few days. I gave her an herbal remedy that is said to help reduce stress. It may only give a temporary solution, but it seems to have worked for now," Cheryl spoke up.

"It did! Thank you!" Serena said brightly.

Ash, as well as the others, smiled once they saw Serena was a lot more energetic now. She was acting just like her old self which relieved them greatly. Ash had already received a call from Professor Oak who told him that Yellow would call him and Serena sometime tomorrow to ask for the details. At least now, everything appeared back to normal for the most part.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help but overhear you say that you were looking for something to do?" Cheryl asked.

"Oh? Yes ma'am," Ash confirmed.

"You should check out the Whirl Islands in that case. It's filled with great water Pokemon, and there's a water Pokemon tournament there in a few days. It's even said to house a great, mysterious Pokemon. Perhaps you kids will find it," Cheryl smiled with a wink.

"Water Pokemon tournament? Another one? We have to go!" Misty insisted.

"Sounds good to me. This mysterious Pokemon sounds interesting to me," Ash said as he adjusted his cap.

"Me, too," Brock agreed.

"I guess it's settled then," Serena smiled before she turned to Chuck and Cheryl and bowed respectively. "Thank you for everything."

"Hah! You bet! You kids work hard for you goals and I'll work hard on mine, too!" Chuck nodded.

"We will, Chuck!" Ash nodded as he turned to Serena. "At least now we can head to the Whirl Islands and have you be back to normal. We'll see some cool Pokemon and have a great time!"

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled in agreement, along with Togetic.

"I'll pack a few packets of the herbs for your journey," Cheryl smiled. "As long as Serena puts this in water and drinks one cup every day, it should alleviate her symptoms. Of course, it if it continues, please seek help."

"Definitely," Ash nodded as he was still expecting a call from Yellow.

"Right!" Serena agreed.

Yes. It was true that she was no longer feeling exhausted anymore. Still, Serena knew this was only holding back whatever it was that was going on with her. She still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with her. Besides, Cheryl's remedy didn't cure everything.

Serena still had a headache, and it still felt like she was forgetting something important.

* * *

 **Yeah. There's something still wrong with Serena. It makes you sort of wonder what needs to happen in order for her to be cured. Hopefully nothing BAD...**

 **Anyway, the next chapter starts the Whirl Islands arc. Yellow will offer some insight for Serena during this arc. I hope you all have a good one, and the next chapter will be out in June!**

 **Chapter Thirty Nine: The Land and the Sea**


	39. The Land and the Sea

**A/N: There! This chapter didn't take too long! This is also where you meet the two (technically three) people you guys weren't expecting to appear! (None of you guessed right, by the way). I decided to give the characters a good introduction for why they do what they do. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Land and the Sea

The group was staring out at the beautiful expanse of ocean in front of them. Now that they weren't preoccupied with other obligations and not in any hurry to get back to land, they could finally appreciate its beauty. The waters were as clear as crystal. They were on a ferry that would take them to one of the islands that made up the Whirl Islands. The area surrounding the Whirl Islands was supposed to have some of the clearest water in the world for an ocean, and the group could see why.

"Oh, I can only imagine all of the wonderful water Pokemon that must live in this area," Misty sighed dreamily and clasped her hands.

"I'm sure it does have some cool ones that I'd like to get, but we'll let you have first dibs on them," Ash smiled.

"These Whirl Islands are going to be like paradise to me," Misty gushed.

"It does offer a nice break considering all that's went on lately," Brock agreed.

Serena was behind them, and she had her Mareep out. She was trying out various outfits that she thought would look good on Mareep. Ever since Mareep had been released from the Cianwood Pokemon Hospital, Serena had been with it nonstop. She had to make up for all the time she missed before, after all.

"Isn't this great that we can do this together, now?" Serena smiled, to which Mareep agreed. "Soon, you'll have a beautiful wool coat, and we can make sure you're the best looking Mareep that ever existed. I bet we can pull off some great things if we use your electricity correctly!"

Cheryl's remedy seemed to be doing its job of keeping Serena awake. The headache Serena had was a nuisance, but she was learning to deal with it. She took an aspirin every morning to help alleviate the pain along with Cheryl's herb tea. Though it helped Serena go back to normal, it almost felt artificial because Serena had to take medicine in order to just _act_ like her normal self. Needless to say, the group was still worried, but they weren't showing it anymore.

"Hmm…it says here that the Whirl Cup is only a week away, but we still have another five days to register. I'm sure we won't have any problem getting there," Brock mentioned as he read the guidebook.

"I'm so competing in this, and I'll win just like I did with the tournament back in the Orange Islands," Misty nodded with determination.

"You're going to have to go through me first, Misty," Ash told her. "I skipped it last time, but I'm entering for sure, now."

"I'll be competing, too!" Serena called from over her shoulder. "Omanyte and Slowking could use some more battling practice!"

"What about Poliwhirl?" Ash asked.

"Oh…ehhhh…I think it can sit this one out. It'll be too obsessed with its King's Rock to battle anyway," Serena said in an unsure tone.

"On the other hand, maybe a few battles are what it needs in order to use the King's Rock to evolve into Politoed. That's what it wants, isn't it?" Misty questioned.

"Ugh…the horror of that thought," Serena uttered.

The group imagined Serena's Poliwhirl as a Politoed themselves, and it wasn't pretty. As if Poliwhirl wasn't bad enough with its trolling nature, the second it became a Politoed, it would probably make them and their Pokemons' lives miserable. Though Poliwhirl wasn't evil, it could be very creepy at times as its obsession with the King's Rock showed, and it was just too mischievous for its own good.

"Maybe we could hold off on its evolution a bit," Ash admitted after a moment.

The boy's Pokegear then started ringing, and he looked to see who it was. Ash's eyes then lit up when he saw Yellow was calling him. He then nodded his head to Brock and Misty who nodded back. Ash then slinked a small bit away from the group so he could have some privacy.

"Who's calling you, Ash?" Serena called back over her shoulder.

Ash grimaced as he couldn't bring himself to lie to Serena like that. She was just asking a seemingly harmless question. He would have to tell her who it is and just hope she doesn't get suspicious. He had to do it soon, too, so he wouldn't miss the call.

"I was expecting a call from Ms. Yellow," Ash answered honestly.

"Oh! Tell her I said hi!" Serena said brightly.

"Will do," Ash replied and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't question it further.

Ash then walked away until he was a suitable distance away from everyone. It was far enough away to where he was out of earshot but not far enough away to where it would look funny for just a family friend calling him. Ash quickly answered the Pokegear before it stopped ringing and smiled when he heard Yellow's bright and chipper voice on the other end.

"Hi, Ash!" Yellow chirped.

"Hi, Ms. Yellow," Ash replied.

"Professor Oak just told me that you just earned your fifth badge and that Serena has one Princess Key for her showcase! That's awesome!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah. We've been working hard. I'll be in the Johto League in no time," Ash said.

"I'll root for you, of course. I also heard from your dad that he is coming to see you soon," Yellow mentioned.

"He is. He didn't happen to tell you when, did he?" Ash asked hopefully.

"He…didn't, but I don't think it's too long. He knows you want to see him, and he wants to see you, too. He needs to return your Aerodactyl, too," Yellow responded.

"Yeah. My dad said he and Uncle Riley will start training me in aura soon after I turn thirteen," Ash said.

"He told me that, too, but speaking of training, something weird is going on with Serena, right?" Yellow asked to switch to the topic of why she was calling Ash.

"Yeah. I don't know if it's her ESP or not, though. I just…don't know what it is," Ash sighed as he glanced back at Serena who was still with her Mareep.

"Okay, Ash. It's going to be difficult for me to determine what exactly is wrong with her unless I see Serena myself, but I'll do my best," Yellow said seriously.

"Well, ever since her ESP awakened back in Cianwood City, she's just been acting strange. She's always tired, and she mentions she has a headache. This has been going on for a few days now," Ash told Yellow.

"Well, the fact that Serena is tired means her psychic powers are beginning to awaken more. She's twelve now so that part is normal. Her headache isn't normal," Yellow started.

"What do you think is the cause of it?" Ash wondered.

"Now that Serena's ESP is starting to awaken, so is everything else along with it. Tell me, Ash, has Serena been in contact with a Pokemon's psychic waves at all?" Yellow asked.

Ash thought back to all the times he had been with Serena lately. She hasn't really been around any psychic Pokemon at all. Even if she was, they didn't do any type of psychic attack on her.

"No," Ash answered.

"Are you sure?" Yellow pressed.

"Yeah. What are you getting at?" Ash asked.

"If her ESP really is the cause of this headache, I think her headache is from some part of her psychic powers wanting to break out. Something is locked away inside of her causing it. When a person is developing their psychic powers, no part of it can be suppressed. If it is, it's dangerous to the person," Yellow answered.

"How so?" Ash questioned.

"If it can't get out on its own, it eventually has to force its way out in any way possible, and depending on what it is…the results can vary," Yellow sighed.

"That's only if she's been in contact with a psychic Pokemon's waves, though, right? She hasn't had any contact with them," Ash stated.

"I don't know, but I have a theory, Ash," Yellow told him. "You may disagree with me, but I think Serena is suffering from some form of amnesia."

"Huh?!" Ash exclaimed as his eyes widened.

"Yes. You see, if Serena has been in contact with a psychic Pokemon's psychic waves, or any in general, it probably sealed away something that wasn't supposed to be remembered. However, with her ESP, it makes the sealing very difficult. Each time she uses her ESP, it stimulates her mind, and it unlocks this inactive portion. Now that ESP is more aware, the part that can't be used is trying to break out. That would be causing her headache," Yellow explained.

"Serena hasn't had anything like that, though," Ash mumbled. "I've been with her ever since we entered the Johto region."

That was when he had a memory. It was back in Tohjo Falls when Serena went missing. They had found her floating in the water, and something traumatizing had clearly happened to her. When she woke up, she started screaming and clutching her head. Her ESP had activated and almost caused the whole room to collapse around them. She also told them that she couldn't remember what had happened ever since she left the group. Ash then gasped as he realized when it probably happened.

"Actually, Ms. Yellow, if you're right about a psychic Pokemon, it must've happened somewhere in Tohjo Falls. It's the only time I've been separated from her. She couldn't remember what did that to her," Ash suggested.

"Ash, if what you told me was true, then whatever happened to her in Tohjo Falls must be what's causing her headache. A memory of hers was sealed away, and there's no telling how much memories were. For all I know, she might have had her memory sealed several times before. They must be trying to break out," Yellow stated.

"So how do we fix this?" Ash asked.

"I won't know for sure what exactly is going on with her unless I see her myself. Where are you guys right now in the Johto region?" Yellow asked.

"We're in the Whirl Islands," Ash responded.

"I want you all to meet me in Olivine City. I'll reserve a plane ticket to fly over so I should be there in a couple of weeks. I don't think Serena is in any immediate danger, but I won't be able to help her until I can see her," Yellow said. "I'll let you know when I'll be there."

"So is Serena just supposed to deal with her headache and tiredness before then?" Ash asked nervously. "What if whatever it is that's trying to break out does? How do we prevent that?"

"I'm sorry, Ash, but that's the best I have. Psychic powers aren't clear cut, and they work in different ways. For all I know, I may be wrong. I just won't know until I see her. In the meantime, just try to make sure her stress level remains low. There isn't a need to cause any more strain on her head," Yellow told him.

"Serena's been taking this herbal tea to help out so I think she'll be fine there," Ash mentioned.

"That's good. I'll think about what you told me and call Serena tomorrow. There are a few things I'd like to ask her, too," Yellow said.

"Okay. Thanks, Ms. Yellow. I just hope it's nothing," Ash sighed.

"I hope so, too, Ash. I'm willing to make the trip to confirm it. I'll inform Grace, too. She'll want to know and probably come along, as well," Yellow replied.

"Will you call us if you figure anything out?" Ash requested.

"Of course I will," Yellow responded. "After I meet with Serena, if it is her ESP, I can work on helping her manage her psychic powers better. At least until I train her myself."

"That sounds great, Ms. Yellow. I'll go ahead and get off the phone, then. I'll tell Serena you'll call her," Ash promised.

"Thank you, Ash. I'll see you all soon," Yellow promised.

"Yeah. Goodbye," Ash finished before he clicked his Pokegear.

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu asked as it looked up at him.

"I'm good, buddy. I'm just thinking about Serena," Ash sighed as he made his way back over to the group.

His conversation with Yellow was informative, but it also ended with many questions. There were just too many uncertainties about what was exactly wrong with Serena for Yellow to make a proper analysis. Still, Yellow had agreed to meet with them and see Serena herself. Hopefully, when she did, everything would be find. Yellow just told them that in the meantime to keep Serena's stress low. It shouldn't be too hard to do that since she had Cheryl's remedy, and she wasn't prone to stressing out under normal circumstances, anyway.

"Hi, Ash! What did Yellow need?" Serena smiled once Ash returned.

"We talked about you and what's going on," Ash answered honestly as he stood next to the railing.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked in curiosity.

"Just about what's going on since you used your ESP back in Cianwood City. Yellow wants to meet with us and ask you some questions, and your mom will probably come, too. We just want to help you, Serena," Ash said in concern.

Serena looked down to the ground and frowned. She appreciated everyone being concerned with her, but honestly, not even she knew what was going on with her, or if it was even her ESP. Yellow was a smart woman, though, and could probably figure it out. Serena knew she shouldn't be angry at them for this. She went to stand in front of Ash.

"Alright," Serena nodded, but her voice was less than cheerful.

"Don't be scared, Serena. Ms. Yellow believes you aren't in any danger right now. We'll figure out what's going on with you some way, and then you really will be back to normal," Ash told her with a reassuring smile.

Serena couldn't help but smile back at Ash. He was right. There could only be good to come out of this. It was very kind of Ms. Yellow to travel all the way here to Johto to figure out what's going on with her. She may even be able to figure out what it was that Serena felt like she was forgetting. She embraced him which he returned.

"I'm just so unsure of all of this," Serena admitted.

"I know, but it'll be okay," Ash promised.

Brock and Misty stood a short distance away and were looking out to the sea. It was then they noticed they were approaching several whirlpools. The two then stepped away from the railing and looked over at Serena and Ash, who were still hugging.

"Hey, you two. You need to get back," Brock warned.

"Why?" Ash questioned as he broke the hug, but he soon got his answer.

The ship gave a hard jerk as it went to maneuver around the whirlpools. Ash gasped as he and Serena lost their footing. They both stumbled and ended up knocking against the railing. The sudden motion of the ship then completed their fall, and they began to tumble backwards over the ship.

Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic watched in horror at what was taking place. If Ash and Serena were to fall into one of those whirlpools, they didn't even want to think about it. Misty immediately pulled out her pokeballs to call on her water Pokemon while Brock ran forward to see if he could grab them in time. However, someone ran forward ahead of him and caught Ash and Serena just in time first, or rather, two people.

Ash and Serena soon found their arms grabbed just before they fell into the ocean. Thinking it was Brock or Misty that had saved them, the two looked to find two people they had never seen before, one man and one woman. The woman had Serena's hand while the man had Ash's.

"Watch it there, you two. You almost fell into the ocean," the man spoke in a deep voice before he and the woman pulled Ash and Serena over the railing and back on the boat.

Ash and Serena both took a deep breath at the close call. Brock and Misty went to check on them to make sure they were okay. The four then focused on the two strangers in front of them. The man was slightly tanned and was of average height with average build, but he did look on the muscular side. He had black hair that was mostly covered by a blue bandana with a black beard. He sort of resembled a pirate.

The woman also looked like a pirate. She was very tan and had long dark hair that went to her waist. She wore a bandana as well and wore a small jacket with a small shirt that left her stomach exposed. Both her and the man had kind smiles on their faces which contrasted their gruff appearances.

"Hi. Thanks a lot for saving us. That could've ended badly," Ash said to them gratefully. "My name's Ash Ketchum."

"Yes. Thank you. I'm Serena Gabena," Serena told them and bowed.

"We're their friends. I'm Brock Harrison," Brock introduced.

"And I'm Misty Waterflower!" Misty chirped in last.

"Pika!" Pikachu piped up.

"Toge!" Togetic added so as not to be forgotten.

"Well, my name is Archie!" the man nodded before he pointed to the woman beside him. "That's my fiancée, Shelly!"

"Hello, children," Shelly smiled.

Archie then rubbed his beard as he inspected the kids in front of him. "I'm going to guess you all are Pokemon trainers."

"Well, I'm not really a trainer. I aim to be the best Pokemon breeder," Brock told them before thinking. _"I just wish there was more I had to show for it. It'd be nice to help Pokemon like Dr. Proctor did."_

"Ah, a Pokemon breeder, huh? Well, if you kids love Pokemon, you'll sure love the Whirl Islands. I've been here a few times myself! You'll never run out of interesting water Pokemon!" Archie commented.

"I love the sound of that. I love water Pokemon," Misty sighed dreamily.

"Archie and I love Pokemon as well as the world in general, especially the ocean. Both of us are oceanographers, and we've been traveling the world for the past year to study the different Pokemon found in oceans around the world," Shelly explained.

"You've been across the world?" Ash asked with wide eyes.

"Hah! We sure have! Johto is our last stop before we head back to our home region of Hoenn!" Archie answered.

"Oh! The Hoenn region? We haven't been there yet!" Serena commented

"What?! Well, you kids sure have been missing out! Hoenn's a great place that's chock full of exotic Pokemon and mysterious legends. The Pokemon king of the land and the king of the sea are even said to live somewhere in Hoenn region, as well!" Archie spoke.

"The king of the sea and land?" Misty echoed.

"That's right. Groudon and Kyogre," Archie responded as he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out two old pictures and handed them to the group.

The group took a peek, and they were quite impressed with how imposing these Pokemon looked. One was a large bipedal, dinosaur-like Pokemon covered in red, segmented plates. The other one was an enormous whale-like Pokemon with two, big, pectoral fins and had four trailing parts of its tail.

"Both Groudon and Kyogre are even said to be able to control the weather," Shelly added.

"That's amazing," Ash breathed in awe. "Two Pokemon that can actually control the weather."

"Yep! Of course, both of those Pokemon haven't been seen in hundreds of years. For all I know, their existence in Hoenn could just be a myth," Archie said before he added thoughtfully. "It'd be great to meet Kyogre, though."

"Yeah," Ash agreed as he thought of it.

For him, the world of Pokemon just got more interesting. There were so many mysteries and secrets about them that he still had no idea about. Ash was learning more about them every day. Even with his new knowledge of Pokemon that could actually control the weather, he was sure there even more Pokemon that could do incredible things that he had yet to learn about. It was another reason why he wanted to be a Pokemon Master.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you planning to stop here on the Whirl Islands? What kind of research will you be doing?" Serena asked curiously.

"Shelly and I have already done our research. We're stopping on Yellow Rock Isle to pick up a friend of mine on the way back to Hoenn. He's conducting research there," Archie replied.

"Is he an oceanographer, too?" Misty asked.

"Hah! I wish! That guy, Maxie, is a geologist! He has no interest in the sea! He's studying the rocks!" Archie laughed. "I, on the other hand, can't wait to see his notes!"

"Archie and Maxie share their research with one another quite often. They don't do it because they're interested in the other's field. It's like they do it so they can see if the land or the ocean is better," Shelly giggled.

"So you two have a friendly rivalry going on?" Ash questioned as he thought about all the friends and rivals he's made on his journey.

"Yep! Maxie and I are best friends! Nothing can tear us apart!" Archie declared.

"Sounds like Pikachu and me!" Ash commented as he smiled at the yellow rodent who was now on his shoulder.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"I can tell you have a great bond with your Pikachu, Ash. You must be a great trainer," Archie nodded in approval.

"Thanks. Pikachu and I have been together since day one of our journey. We're best friends, too!" Ash told him.

"And Ash and I hatched Togetic from an egg, and we care for it like our child, but it's become more independent now," Serena added.

Togetic flew in circles around Archie and Shelly and laughed in delight. It enjoyed meeting new people now, and it could tell Archie and Shelly were really nice. They seemed to love Pokemon and the planet so Togetic wanted them to have happiness, too.

"Togetic is adorable," Shelly commented as she watched.

"Toge!" Togetic laughed happily at the compliment.

At that, a whistle blew on the ferry, and an announcement was made that sounded throughout the ferry.

"Attention, passengers! We are now approaching Yellow Rock Isle! We will be stopping here before we go on to Blue Point Isle!" the voice said.

Archie and Shelly then looked at the group. "Well, it was nice meeting you kids! You all take care!" Archie stated as he and Shelly turned to leave.

The group exchanged glances with each other as if having some sort of debate. They were originally on their way to Blue Point Isle so they could register for the Whirl Cup. However, they still had plenty of time to do other things. They weren't in any particular hurry. Yellow Rock Isle also appeared more rural than other parts of the Whirl Islands. It might have some cool Pokemon there. Ash then spoke the question that was on everyone's mind. Besides, Archie and Shelly could probably direct them while they were there.

"Excuse us, Archie. You wouldn't mind if we got off with you and Shelly, would you? We want to see some of the Pokemon that live around the area. Since you've been here, do you think you could show us around?" Ash requested.

"Hah! Sure you kids can tag along! I'll introduce you to Maxie, too, while we're there! Great guy he is!" Archie smiled.

"Thank you!" Serena replied gratefully, as the others smiled.

"You ready to see some new Pokemon, buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu replied from his shoulder.

With that, the group walked to where the exit to the ship was and waited for the walkway to slide down. They all then walked down onto the dock, and as they did, Ash, Brock, Serena, and Misty took a look around.

The island was breathtaking. It reminded them a lot of when they were traveling around on the Orange Islands. There was just something about these types of places that was interesting. They were each unique in their own way. For this island, it lived up to its name as a lot of the island appeared to be yellow. The ground, the cliffsides, all of it had some yellow to it. The group looked around eagerly around them as Shelly and Archie stepped off the dock.

"Well, if you kids want an interesting Pokemon from this island, it's full of Corsola," Archie told them.

"Corsola? Is that a water Pokemon?" Misty questioned.

"Yes, and a unique one at that," Shelly answered with a smile. "It has both water and rock-type characteristics."

"A dual type Pokemon that's part water. That automatically makes it cool! I can't wait to see one!" Misty commented.

"Hmm…I wonder where Maxie is. I told him to meet me right here and when," Archie commented with a frown as he glanced around.

"He's probably still caught up in his research here. You know how he's just like you in that regard," Shelly replied.

"Hah! Yeah! You're right! No big deal! Let's just go find him ourselves! I bet I know where he's lurking around at!" Archie laughed.

With that, the group left the shore to head off into a small forest. As they did, they heard what sounded like thumping. They all turned and saw a Pokemon coming towards them with an excited look on its face, in particular to Misty. The redhead gasped in surprise as she was tackled to the ground as the Pokemon laughed jovially.

"Are you alright, Misty?" Brock asked as he helped her up.

"Uhh…what was that?" Misty uttered in a slight daze as she regained her balance.

"Well, I'll be! If it isn't a Corsola!" Archie stated.

"So this a Corsola?" Misty questioned as she and the others inspected the Pokemon.

It was a small pink, roundish Pokemon with branch-like growths on its back. It had two arms and four legs that were blunt and stubby. In short, as its name suggested, it looked like coral. Ash and Serena each took out their national dexes to get information on the new Pokemon while Misty peeked over their shoulde so she could see, too.

"Corsola, the coral Pokemon. Corsola's branches glitter in the colors of the rainbow when they catch sunlight. If one of the Pokemon's branches break, it grows back," the national dexes informed.

"Sounds good to me!" Misty stated as she pulled out the lure ball she got from Kurt. Since Ash got Totodile, she kept the spare one that was left.

"You're not wasting any time in trying to get water Pokemon, are you?" Ash asked in an amused tone.

"Of course not! If I see a unique water Pokemon, I'll take it!" Misty replied and used her other hand to call on her Poliwhirl.

Unfortunately, the Corsola started laughing joyfully and hopped away. Misty gasped and tried to run after it, but it was too quick. It soon slipped into the trees and was out of sight. Misty sighed and slunk the two pokeballs back on her belt.

"Darn. I thought I might have a chance with that one," Misty frowned.

"Cheer up. I'm sure there are a lot more Corsola on this island for you to try to capture," Shelly reassured.

"That's right. We were heading to the forest where that Corsola went, anyway. Maybe we'll run into it again," Brock suggested.

"Yeah. You're right," Misty muttered.

"Well, let's get on with finding Maxie. He'll drown in his own research if we don't!" Archie said as they continued along.

The group made their way into the small forest, and just like the rest of the island, the ground carried a yellow hue to it. The forest was rather rocky so they all had to be careful not to trip on their way through it. Archie and Shelly seemed to carry themselves fairly well through the rough trek while the others were going at a much slower pace.

"Ouch!" Serena yelped as she bumped her leg against a nearby rock.

"Are you alright, Serena?" Ash asked as he stopped briefly.

"Yeah. I think it's just a bruise," Serena answered as she turned away from the group.

The girl pulled down her knee-high sock to make sure nothing was too serious. There was indeed a small bruise on her lower leg, but it didn't compare with the discomfort of her headache at the moment. It would heal on its own within a day or so. This headache, however, just wouldn't. Serena continued to contemplate on her headache until Ash called out to her again.

"Serena?" Ash questioned as he came toward her.

Serena hastily pulled the sock back over her leg and hurried to join up with the rest. Ash smiled and put his arm around his girlfriend which Serena appreciated, and they continued walking along. Maybe she shouldn't be so defensive about Ash talking to Yellow, after all. She just wished this annoying headache would go away, and she would be good. The aspirin was only going so far.

"Careful. These woods can pretty rough," Archie warned as he turned to look at Serena.

"It's worth it if I can see that Corsola again," Misty said instead with determination.

Archie and Shelly then both came to a halt, and Archie held out his hand to signal for the rest of the group to stop as well. Archie then took off the small backpack he was wearing and pulled out a pair of binoculars. He appeared to be looking up at something intently, and when he brought the binoculars back down, Archie had a wide smile on his face.

"There's that rascal," Archie stated as he took off in a sprint through the rocky forest with Shelly hurrying after him.

The group gave chase and could only imagine that Archie must've found Maxie. For someone who had no interest in the research Archie claimed that Maxie was conducting, he sure was eager to see his friend. Archie bounded his way up a small rocky cliff, and was soon out of sight. The group struggled a little bit but managed to keep up due to being in shape themselves from all the walking they did.

Once they made it up the cliff, they saw a small deposit of yellow rocks nearby. A man had his back turned away from them and had a couple of tools with him. He was busy taking notes on a clipboard and didn't appear to notice the group despite the slight commotion they made. He must be really into it.

"What did I tell you about Maxie and his research? He didn't even hear us," Archie commented in an amused tone.

"You're the same way. I normally have to shout at you to break your concentration," Shelly smiled to which Archie blushed and laughed sheepishly.

Archie then went over to the man who was conducting research while the rest of the group hung back a little bit. Once Archie reached the man, he gave a hearty shout to him.

"Maxie!" he yelled enthusiastically.

The man jumped in surprise and dropped the pen and clipboard his holding. He then turned around in aggravation and sighed when he saw it who was. The group then got a good look at the man who was obviously Maxie.

He had long red hair that reached midway down his neck and spread out at the end. Besides that, it appeared rather straight. The man also wore glasses and had a very studious look him. He was about the same height as Archie but wasn't as powerfully built.

"Greetings, Archie," Maxie said and extended his hand.

Archie stared at the hand gesture like Maxie was stupid before he broke out into a laugh. The man then lunged forward and wrapped Maxie in a huge hug that took him in complete surprise. Maxie instinctively lurched back at the sudden embrace.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Maxie? We give hugs around here!" Archie stated.

"Right. My mistake," Maxie replied and patted Archie's back.

"Hmmhmm! Archie is just one big teddy bear who loves his friends," Shelly addressed the rest of the group who was looking at the strange scene. If one were to look at Archie and Maxie, they wouldn't know them to be like that. Well, it was clearly more on Archie's end. Maxie definitely appeared more down to earth and serious.

"I must say you arrived sooner than I expected," Maxie commented once Archie released him.

"Did you check your watch? It's already past the time when we were supposed to meet. You're just late!" Archie replied.

Maxie pulled up his sleeve, and his eyes widened when he saw it was indeed apparently already time for him to go. He then looked at Archie a little apologetically.

"Forgive me, Archie. I just got wrapped up in my research. I didn't mean for you to come find me yourself," he sighed before he looked at Shelly who had come over, too. "Hello to you, Shelly. I trust you are well."

"Hi, Maxie. It's good to see you, as usual," Shelly said as she gave the man a quick hug.

Maxie then looked over Archie's shoulder and just now noticed the rest of the group who was still standing in the same position. His eyebrows rose in interest before he turned back to Archie.

"Hmm? I didn't know you were bringing children as company. I thought you were just with Shelly," Maxie said.

"Oh! Right!" Archie remembered as he turned to them and waved them over. "Come on over here and meet Maxie!"

The group obliged and walked over to where Archie, Shelly, and Maxie were. Maxie then nodded to them once they reached him.

"How do you do, children? My name is Maxie," Maxie introduced as he adjusted his glasses.

"Hi! I'm Ash, and that's Pikachu!" Ash greeted while Pikachu greeted Maxie from Ash's shoulder.

"And I'm Serena, and this is Togetic!" Serena said, and Togetic chirped happily at Maxie.

"I'm Brock!" Brock added.

"And I'm Misty!" Misty smiled brightly.

"Pleasure," Maxie said simply.

Archie then bent down and picked the clipboard Maxie had dropped earlier. He began sifting through the pages with an amused look on your face. Maxie smiled and looked at Archie with a curious look on his face.

"What do you think, Archie? I was able to get a lot of research on these rocks. I think there may be a special type of underwater volcano here," Maxie told him.

"Is that how the Whirl Islands were formed?" Ash questioned.

"Oh, yes. These islands were made up when the underwater volcano erupted thousands of years ago. You may not know this, but once lava cools and hardens, landmasses are formed, and thus, the land is increased," Maxie told them.

"Blah! Blah! Blah, Maxie! The kid's not interested in this kind of stuff!" Archie laughed.

"No. It's fine," Ash reassured.

"I'm pleased to hear that," Maxie nodded before he continued. "You know, my real goal is to improve the planet we live on. Archie and I are working together to try and make that happen."

"Improve it? What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"Our love for the world as well as the people and Pokemon on it drive us to make it the best we possibly can. We want to unravel any mysteries we can about this world with the research we conduct. Archie and I will then compare our notes, and in doing so, we will build an even better world for everyone to live in. It's been our dream ever since we were young," Maxie explained.

"That's amazing," Serena commented.

"Of course, Maxie and I aren't doing this for ourselves, and we don't want recognition or fame from it. The happiness of people and Pokemon from our deeds is its own reward," Archie added.

The group smiled at that. Here were two very hardworking men who wanted to improve the quality of life for everyone. They, of course, weren't sure with what Archie or Maxie had in mind to improve the world, but the fact that they had such a goal was commendable. They clearly had good hearts and were inspirational with their beliefs.

"That sounds like a wonderful goal. I really do hope you achieve it one day," Brock told them.

"I'm pleased we have your support," Maxie smiled.

"It's our hope. Maxie and I plan to start on our work as soon as we get back to Hoenn. Our research around the world has led to some impressive findings that will help us," Archie said and slung his arm over Maxie's shoulder. "We'll do it side-by-side, too, eh, friend?!"

"Yes. Of course," Maxie nodded.

"Is that why you two research different things? So you can make sure you have everything covered?" Ash asked.

"Well, Maxie's always been a land enthusiast while I love the sea! The fact that our research benefits the other is just a bonus," Archie replied.

"Tell me. What do you children hope to achieve in life?" Maxie asked.

"I'm aiming to be a Pokemon Master!" Ash declared as Pikachu pumped up a tiny fist.

"I'm doing Pokemon Showcases, but I like battling, too!" Serena said.

"I want to be the best Pokemon breeder," Brock nodded but thought in the back of his mind. _"That book I've been reading on Pokemon medicine that I got from the Pokemon Hospital is interesting, though."_

"I want to be a water Pokemon master and collect a variety of water Pokemon!" Misty beamed.

"Ah, great dreams indeed. I wish you the best in them all," Maxie nodded.

"Thanks!" the group replied in unison.

"Well, Maxie, if you're wrapped up here, let's get back on the ferry to get back to Olivine City," Archie told him.

"Yes. Of course. I'm finished," Maxie replied as he gathered his things.

Misty, meanwhile, sighed. She thought they would be able to find where the Corsola went to in these woods, but they had seen no sign of it. Maxie noticed Misty's disappointed look and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Is something troubling you?" he inquired.

"I saw a Corsola on our way in here. Archie and Shelly told us this place is full of them, but I've only seen that one. I'm worried I won't see another one by the time we leave the island," Misty replied sullenly.

At that, Maxie smiled. "Well, I don't think you have to worry about that. Come here and take a look over there."

Misty walked over to where Maxie was and followed his direction, and her eyes lit up. There was a huge coral reef off in the distance through the trees. Corsola lived in coral reefs so there were probably many Corsola there. Misty clasped her hands eagerness.

"I believe you'll find the perfect Corsola for you over there," Maxie told her.

"Thank you so much!" Misty cried before she turned to Ash, Serena, and Brock. "What are you guys waiting for?! Let's go!"

With that, it was Misty who took off in excitement, and the group was running after her for a change. As they sprinted down, Archie walked over until he was beside Maxie and let out a small chuckle.

"Hah. The enthusiasm of those kids reminds me of us when we were young," Archie told him.

"Indeed it does. Their passion will take them far in whatever is they desire to do," Maxie agreed.

"We got our own goal to be working on, too," Archie stated as he turned to Maxie. "Let's make a promise that we'll stay and work together forever!"

"Yes. We will make this world a better place together," Maxie agreed as the two shook hands.

* * *

Misty felt like she was in paradise once she reached the giant coral reef. There were Corsola joyfully hopping around all over the place. She looked around eagerly to see if she would be able to spot the best one. They all looked so cool, though.

"Ash, what are some moves that a Corsola learns?" Misty asked.

"Let's see," Ash muttered as he pulled out his national dex and typed in Corsola's name. "They can learn Spike Cannon, Recover, Mirror Coat, Ancient Power, Bubblebeam..."

"Those sound great! Corsola would add a lot of diversity to my water Pokemon team!" Misty interrupted. "Now I just need to figure out which one to have!"

"Corsola!"

A Corsola came from seemingly nowhere and tackled Misty to the ground. The redhead hit the ground again and muttered in pain before she looked and saw the Corsola jumping up and down in excitement. Misty raised her eyebrows in eagerness.

"Oh! You must be the Corsola that tackled me earlier! I've been wondering where you went to!" Misty told it.

"Corsola! Corsola!" it chirped.

"Ever since I heard about the cool water Pokemon in the Whirl Islands, I've wanted to capture a Corsola myself!" Misty said in determination as she jumped to her feet.

Corsola got a curious look on its face before it smiled and began to hop away. Misty gasped again and began to chase it as fast as she could. She wasn't about to let it get away again. Corsola once again disappeared into the forest, but Misty didn't stop there. She peeked around the trees where Corsola went and gave a cry of surprise when she discovered Corsola was there waiting for her. It bounced in excitement again and tackled Misty to the ground once more.

"Oooowwww," Misty muttered before she shook her head to clear her dizziness and glanced at the Corsola. "You sure are friendly and like to play."

"Corsola!" it cried.

"It sort of reminds me of my Eevee," Serena commented as she and the rest caught up to Misty.

"Well, I think if I can capture this Corsola, we'll have many good times together!" Misty stated and took out a pokeball. "I'm Misty Waterflower, Corsola! I want to become the world's best water Pokemon master! What do say to a battle with me? If I win, I want to be your trainer and have you travel around with me!"

Corsola got a thoughtful look on its face for only a moment before it nodded its head. It then hopped away from the trees and back onto the beach where there was more open space. It then got a serious look on its face as it prepared to do battle.

Misty ran over to the opposite side of the imaginary battle field and took out her Poliwhirl's pokeball. She planned to evolve it one day but wanted to make sure it got plenty of experience before she decided to do so.

"Gooooooo, Poliwhirl!" Misty cried as she threw it.

Poliwhirl popped out of its pokeball and spread its arms and placed them on its hips as it prepared for the battle. Misty then pointed her index finger forward for emphasis. This Corsola was cute, but Misty knew she couldn't let that deter her.

"Alright, Poliwhirl! Use Bubblebeam!" she yelled.

Poliwhirl leaped forward and shot out the many tiny bubbles towards Corsola. The coral Pokemon cried in pain as each bubble struck it, but it soon launched Spike Cannon which popped the rest of the bubbles. It then turned its Spike Cannon onto Misty's Poliwhirl. The tadpole Pokemon grimaced as it shielded itself from the many glowing needles that were flying into it.

"Hang in there, Poliwhirl, and use Water Gun!" Misty yelled.

Poliwhirl took a deep breath and shot out the stream of water from the swirl on its stomach. Corsola was pushed backwards and skidded along the sand. It then was on its back and struggled a few moments to try to get up. Misty then decided her chance was now. She took out Kurt's Lure Ball and threw it at Corsola.

"Go, Lure Ball!" she yelled.

Unfortunately, Corsola began to glow white, and before the Lure Ball could reach it, Corsola looked good as new. It leaped up and knocked the Lure Ball away back into Misty's hand. It then summoned a series of rocks and threw them at Poliwhirl for an Ancient Power attack. Poliwhirl was knocked back by the force of the rocks and landed by Misty's feet.

"Are you alright, Poliwhirl?" Misty asked as she knelt down and helped it to its feet.

"Whiiiirl," it panted before it jumped up to its feet again.

"That's the spirit!" Misty encouraged before she looked at the Corsola who was bouncing up and down again.

Misty frowned as she realized this would be a tricky capture. She had it for a moment, but Corsola used Recover quickly before she could try to capture it. Misty then had another idea. She would just attack it with many attacks.

"Let's go and use Water Gun again, Poliwhirl! Then run up for a Double Slap!" Misty yelled.

Misty's Poliwhirl launched another stream of water from its swirl and charged forward while it was still doing so. Corsola was pushed back once again, but Poliwhirl chased it down. It then began a series of slaps to Corsola, and the coral Pokemon made a cry of pain with each slap.

"Don't stop, Poliwhirl! Use Mudshot!" Misty hollered.

Poliwhirl kicked up some mud from the sand on the beach and hurled it at Corsola. The mud slapped into Corsola, and it was knocked backward yet again as it struggled to get up. Misty then decided to try again with her capture.

"Go, Lure Ball!" she yelled again and threw it.

Just like last time, Corsola glowed white and was fully healthy before it knocked the Lure Ball back into Misty's hands. It then laughed in a taunting manner to her as if asking what she was going to try next. Misty sighed as she tried to figure out about what to do.

"That Corsola's resilient," Brock observed.

"Did the girl find her Corsola yet?" Archie asked as he, Maxie, and Shelly appeared behind them.

"Misty's trying to capture it, now," Ash answered as he pointed forward.

Misty meanwhile, realized that Poliwhirl had a move in its arsenal that would secure her win, but she had to do it while Corsola was distracted, otherwise it would just dodge. She saw Corsola charging up for another Spike Cannon, and she ordered Poliwhirl to do a fast attack.

"Quick, Poliwhirl! Water Gun!" Misty shouted.

Poliwhirl quickly shot out a stream of water yet again, and it struck Corsola. Misty then called out her next attack.

"Put it to sleep using Hypnosis! It won't be able to recover that way!" Misty commanded.

Poliwhirl ran towards Corsola as it was getting up and grabbed on to it to keep it from escaping. Poliwhirl then turned Corsola so they were face to face. Poliwhirl then emitted psychic waves from its eyes into Corsola's. The coral Pokemon felt its eyes grow heavy, but it soon wasn't able to keep them open and fell fast asleep. Poliwhirl then let go of Corsola and nodded to Misty.

"This time for sure!" Misty yelled. "Go Lure Ball!"

The Lure Ball flew through the air and struck Corsola before sucking it inside. The special pokeball shook for a only a few seconds before it _dinged_ to signify the capture was complete. A huge smile broke out on her face as she ran forward to pick up the Lure Ball. She then high-fived her Poliwhirl.

"Way to go, Poliwhirl!" Misty said happily. "We've got a new friend and Pokemon just in time for the Whirl Cup! We'll be an unstoppable team!"

"Poliwhirl!" Poliwhirl cried happily.

 _"I wish my Poliwhirl would listen like hers,"_ Serena thought to herself. It was probably inside its pokeball right now still creepily stroking its King's Rock.

"Great capture, Misty!" Brock congratulated as everyone came over.

"Definitely!" Ash agreed.

"Thanks! I haven't had a capture since my Remoraid! This will be great!" Misty cheered as she recounted the Pokemon she had on hand now: Starmie, Psyduck, Remoraid, Shellder, Poliwhirl, and now Corsola. Her Gyarados was just now transported, but she can swap out as she needs to for the Whirl Cup.

"Hey, young lady! You and your Poliwhirl really work well together!" Archie nodded as he reached into his backpack and pulled out an item. "I want you to have this. I think it might come in handy whenever you decide it's the right time."

Misty's eyes widened when she saw what Archie was holding. It was none other than a Water Stone which could be used to turn her Poliwhirl into a Poliwrath. It was the other evolution line a Poliwhirl could take instead of Politoed. Misty took the stone and bowed gratefully to Archie.

"Thank you so much!" Misty smiled to Archie before she looked to her Poliwhirl! "Isn't this great! Now you can become even stronger when you're ready!"

"Poli!" it agreed and flexed its arms.

"Now we each have an item to evolve our Poliwhirl with!" Serena said to Misty.

"I know! Wouldn't it be cool if they faced off as a Poliwrath and Politoed?" Misty asked.

"It would be…interesting," Serena admitted with a nervous chuckle.

"Well, I'm all packed up now. We need to hurry back to the dock so we can catch the next ferry," Maxie suggested.

"I got what I came for so I'm good, too!" Misty smiled as she hugged her Lure Ball.

"Thanks for showing us around the island, Archie," Ash told him.

"You bet, kid! I like you!" Archie laughed and lightly punched Ash in the stomach.

Serena, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic grimaced while Ash keeled over. He had a look of disbelief on his face while Archie rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Ash was beginning to wonder if he would develop a phobia of strong-looking men if this kept up. He was just recovering from Chuck, Hitmonchan, and Primeape's punches for crying out loud!

"No. Not this again," he croaked.

* * *

The group spent the rest of the evening on the ferry chatting with Archie, Maxie, and Shelly. It turned out they had a lot of interesting tales to share about their travels around the world. They had stories from Kalos, Unova, Sinnoh, and of course their home region of Hoenn. That's why it was little sad when the ferry reached their stop to Blue Point Isle. Archie, Maxie, and Shelly were going to continue on back to Olivine City where they would catch a flight back to Hoenn.

"So long! It was fun!" Serena waved.

"We learned a lot from you guys," Brock added.

"Thank you so much for the Water Stone, too, and showing me where the Corsola were!" Misty smiled.

"No problem! Maxie and I love helping out others! It just goes along with our dream to make the world a better place!" Archie grinned.

"Well, Archie, you and Maxie have our full support. I really hope to see your dream come true. Good luck with your research once you guys get back to Hoenn," Ash told him.

"Thanks, Ash! That means a lot! If you or your friends are ever in Hoenn, drop by in Lilycove City to see Maxie and me! We'd love to have you!" Archie said.

"Will do!" Ash replied with a thumbs up with Pikachu joining in.

"It was nice meeting you all. I hope to see you in Hoenn one day," Shelly smiled as she leaned against Archie.

"A Pokemon Master in training travels everywhere! I'm sure I'll be there soon," Ash replied.

"That's the spirit, Ash! You work hard at your goal of becoming a Pokemon Master while Maxie and I work hard at ours!" Archie exclaimed.

"Agreed. I believe you will have excellent results at the coming Johto League," Maxie added and adjusted his glasses.

"You said it!" Ash agreed.

With that, the group disembarked from the ferry onto Blue Pointe Isle. As they got onto the dock, they could see a decent-sized city in front of them. They smiled that they would be staying in some place rather nice during the Whirl Cup. They couldn't wait to see what the battlefield was like, either. Brock read from the guidebook that it even goes underwater. The group then turned and gave one final wave to Archie, Shelly, and Maxie.

"Take care!" Shelly called.

"Goodbye, children. Maybe we shall run into each other in the future," Maxie waved.

"What are you talking about, Maxie? Let's just say we'll see them later!" Archie replied.

"Humph. I'm only saying the probabilities," Maxie argued.

"Hah! You and that probability stuff!" Archie laughed.

The group chuckled lightly at the slight banter going on between the two. Archie and Maxie's personalities couldn't be any more different if they tried. Despite this, they still got along great and were best friends. It truly was inspiring to see two hardworking men such as them working tirelessly with research to try to better their planet.

"The world needs more people like them. They truly do make the world a better place," Ash smiled as he watched the ferry fade into the distance.

"Yeah. I wish the best for them," Serena agreed.

"Well, guys, as they said, we've got our own dreams to fulfill! Let's go sign up for that Whirl Cup!" Misty cheered. "Race you to the Pokemon Center!"

Misty then took off at top speed leaving behind a surprised Ash, Brock, and Serena. They hadn't seen Misty excited so much in one day in a while. Nonetheless, they smiled and took after the eager redhead. Their journey through the Whirl Islands had just begun, and they had already met some great people and Pokemon. It made them wonder what else they would see in the Whirl Islands. They could be certain it would be a very memorable adventure, though!

* * *

 **I hope you all like the backstory I gave Archie and Maxie. I felt like they were the most complex villains of all the regions, and I wanted to expand on that. They start off as great people who love people, Pokemon, and the world they live in. However, like in the anime and games, they fall very far. It kind of reminds me of a quote from the Dark Knight. "You die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."  
**

 **This meeting will have a huge impact on the group's interactions with Team Aqua and Team Magma in the Hoenn region. It kind of makes you wonder what causes the rift between Archie and Maxie which makes them become crazy and hate each other. Well, I'll have all of that available when the Hoenn arc is reached!**

 **Misty caught Corsola, too! Oh yeah!**

 **The next chapter starts the Whirl Cup! It will be out later in June! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty: The Evolution Disaster**


	40. The Evolution Disaster

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took a while. I was extremely busy. I also had my birthday between then and now. Man. I'm 29 now...almost 30.**

 **Enough of that, though. However, this chapter marks the beginning of the Whirl Cup. Of course, everyone has to get through the preliminaries first. I hope you all enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Forty: The Evolution Disaster

"Rudy! Hi!" Misty beamed.

Misty had just called Rudy on her Pokegear to tell him about the upcoming Whirl Cup. Her grin was as wide as one end of a rainbow to the other once he picked up. Th group was currently in the Inland City Pokemon Center where they would register for the Whirl Cup. It was still a few days away, but that made it all the better so they could prepare. In Misty's case, part of preparing was making sure to let Rudy know.

"Misty! How are you?" came Rudy's voice from the other end.

"I'm great! I couldn't be better! Guess what?!" Misty cried. The rest of the group thought Misty was going to burst if she didn't get to tell him soon.

"What?" Rudy questioned.

"I'm entering another water Pokemon competition! It's called the Whirl Cup, and it's all the way out here in the Whirl Islands of the Johto region!" Misty exclaimed.

"Oh! That's fantastic, Misty!" Rudy answered.

"The best part is that it's going to be televised! You can watch it!" Misty continued.

"Heh. It would be hard to concentrate on the match. I'll be too busy watching you," Rudy said playfully.

Misty blushed at that. Rudy always had some cheesy lines, but they were the good kind that made Misty feel very special. Misty giggled and was about to respond, but she heard Mahri's voice before she was able to.

"Is that Misty on the phone? Tell her I said hi!" the young girl said.

"Well, I'm sure you heard her, Misty. Mahri says hi, too," Rudy laughed.

"Haha! Can I speak with her, too?" Misty requested.

"Sure! She'd love that," Rudy responded, and a few seconds later, Mahri had the Pokegear.

"Hi, Misty!" Mahri said in excitement.

"Hi, Mahri," Misty smiled. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great, but I miss you every day! Are you going to come live with me and Rudy soon?" Mahri asked.

Misty got an apologetic look on her face, but she knew Mahri couldn't see it. Misty still remembered how she had the option to stay with Rudy and Mahri back on Trovita Island, but she chose to continue her dream of becoming a water Pokemon master. She made a promise she would come back some day, though, whenever that may be.

"I don't know, Mahri. It won't be right now, but I still think of you and Rudy every day," Misty replied.

"It's okay. I know you have important stuff to do," Mahri sighed.

"Look on the bright side, though, Mahri. I was just telling Rudy about the Whirl Cup that I'm competing in, and it's televised. You and Rudy will get to watch me!" Misty compromised.

"Hooray! I'll cheer for you the loudest out of everyone!" Mahri promised.

"I know you will!" Misty laughed.

"Oh! My brother wants to talk to you again! Here he is! Bye, Misty!" Mahri said.

"Goodbye, Mahri," Misty smiled, and a few seconds later, Misty heard Rudy again.

"Thank you for letting us know, Misty. You can be sure we'll see you in the competition," Rudy said.

"I know. I just wish I would be able to see you, too," Misty sighed.

"Well, you never know, Misty. Maybe by chance we'll run into each other again just like we did at the tournament back on the Orange Islands," Rudy hinted.

"I hope so," Misty replied.

"Anyway, it was great to hear from you. Mahri and I can't wait to see you win the trophy and get even closer to your dream," Rudy told her.

"Thank you, Rudy. I'll try to win it for both of you, too," Misty smiled.

"That sounds fantastic, Misty. I think a challenger just walked in so I have to go," Rudy said.

"Yeah. A gym leader's duty never goes away," Misty chuckled.

"Yeah. The yearly Orange League is still a few months away, though," Rudy replied, which reminded the group of how long it had been already. "Goodbye, Misty."

"Goodbye, Rudy," Misty responded, but she heard a click on the Pokegear. The redhead let the Pokegear linger next to her ear for only a moment before she put it away and faced Ash, Brock, and Serena.

"Well, what are we waiting for guys? Let's sign up!" Misty told them.

"We were actually waiting on you," Ash responded dully, but an angry look from Misty made him be quiet.

The group got into the small line to sign up for the Whirl Cup in the civic center and waited their turn. The local Nurse Joy was the one who was taking applications. Her Chansey was watching things at the Pokemon Center while she was away just in case any Pokemon needed treatment. Misty was the first person of the group to get to Nurse Joy, and she couldn't look any more excited.

"Hi! I'd like to sign up for the Whirl Cup, please!" Misty said enthusiastically.

"Certainly. What is your name and hometown," Nurse Joy responded kindly, but she seemed a little tired. It was probably from taking applications for the past several days.

"Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City!" Misty stated.

"Okay, Misty. I've got you all set, and here's your map. Are the rest of you going to sign up, too?" Nurse Joy asked as she addressed Ash, Serena, and Brock this time.

"I will," Ash replied.

"Me, too," Serena added.

"Very well. I'll just need your names and where you're from," Nurse Joy requested.

"Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town," Ash answered.

"Serena Gabena of Vaniville Town," Serena replied.

"Man. Vaniville Town…," Ash muttered.

"What's wrong, Ash?" Serena wondered.

"Nothing. It's just you've lived in Pallet Town for so long. I keep forgetting that you're not from there," Ash responded with a chuckle.

"We'll have to travel to Kalos one day so I can show you my hometown," Serena smiled.

"And your old house, too, right?" Ash grinned.

"Of course!" Serena smiled, but then froze.

That was weird. For some reason, she was having trouble remembering exactly where her house was in Vaniville Town. It wasn't only that. She also couldn't recall what her old room looked like or even what her old house looked like! She was trying to remember, but every time she did, it was like something was forcing it back down, and her headache intensified the more she tried to remember. Did she really just simply forget what her old house was like? She lived in Pallet Town a while, but it hasn't been _that_ long since she was seven when she and her mom moved, and what about her father? What became of him?

"Hey, Serena. You look like you're spacing out there," Ash commented, once he noticed Serena's strange expression.

"Uhhh…nothing. I was just thinking of how great it would be once you see my old house!" Serena quickly covered up before she thought. _"If I can remember it, anyway."_

"It would be!" Ash agreed before he held up a map. "Here's your map, by the way."

"What are these maps for?" Serena asked as she took the map from Ash's hands and inspected it.

"Oh. That's a map of Blue Point Isle and Red Rock Isle to help you get around," Nurse Joy answered instead. "You see, all of you have to make it through the preliminaries here on Blue Point Isle before you can officially compete in the Whirl Cup."

"Really?" Ash questioned.

"Yes. Only sixty-four challengers may compete in the Whirl Cup, but because we have so many participants, we have to hold the preliminary round," Nurse Joy explained.

"How many wins do we need?" Serena wondered.

"Based on this number's participants, you only need to win once," Nurse Joy responded as she looked at her computer.

"Piece of cake!" Misty declared with a determined smile. "That will be no trouble at all!"

Misty then took off out of the civic center leaving the bewildered group behind. She didn't stop until Ash shouted after her.

"Misty, where are you going now?" Ash called.

"I'm going to train with my new Corsola, of course!" Misty replied before she left.

"Uhh…I'm going to go with her! Just to make sure she doesn't overexert herself or Corsola," Brock hurriedly said before he took off after Misty. "Just come find us after you get your water Pokemon!"

Ash and Serena nodded their heads. They only needed one win each to actually get in the Whirl Cup. That shouldn't be too difficult. They each had an arsenal of strong water-type Pokemon that were more than capable of doing that task. Ash had Wartortle, Kingler, Lapras, and Totodile while Serena had Omanyte, Slowking, and Poliwhirl. She probably wouldn't be using Poliwhirl unless she absolutely had to, though. They then turned back to Nurse Joy.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Ash replied before he and Serena hurried over to the nearby video phone to call Professor Oak and make the transfers.

Ash sat down and dialed the number while Pikachu, Togetic, and Serena hovered behind him. After a few rings, Professor Oak answered the phone, and he looked pretty worn out.

"Oh…hello, Ash," Professor Oak panted.

"Hey, Professor. We're competing in the Whirl Cup! Is…everything okay?" Ash asked in an unsure tone once he saw the state of the elderly man.

"Uh…well…you see…," Professor Oak began, but he was soon tackled to the ground.

Ash and Serena watched with wide eyes as they wondered who on Earth could've done that until they saw Chikorita climb up on the table. It saw Ash on the video screen, and its eyes began to water, and it ran up until its face almost covered up the whole screen.

"Chika! Chikari!" Chikorita cried.

"Oh. Hey, Chikorita. How's it going?" Ash asked with a sweat drop.

"Chikorita's missed you terribly. Not even your Totodile could comfort it much. Whatever transfer you decide to do for the Whirl Cup, please take Chikorita," Professor Oak almost pleaded.

"Heheheheh. Will do, Professor," Ash chuckled. Well, it looked like his party was now going to consist of Pikachu, Chikorita, Wartortle, Lapras, Totodile, and Kingler.

"I'll need to make a transfer, too. I'll need Omanyte and Slowking," Serena requested.

"Of course. I'm sure whatever Pokemon you send me won't be like Chikorita," Professor Oak said tiredly before he had a suggestion. "What about your Fennekin and Mareep. I haven't seen a Pokemon from the Kalos region yet, and Mareep is feeling better so getting to know the other Pokemon might be good for it."

"That sounds okay!" Serena smiled, but she couldn't help but wonder how her sassy Fennekin would act upon being transferred. She hoped it wouldn't wear him out. The elderly professor had hinted on more than one occasion that Ash and Serena's Pokemon tend to give him the most trouble.

* * *

It was nighttime, and Ash, Brock, and Misty were leaning on a railing near the edge of a cliff as they stared out into the ocean. There were a few lights still on from the buildings on the island, and the moon gave a nice glow which illuminated the ocean well. The waves would roll and crash against the cliff before receding back, and the cycle would repeat itself. It made for a very nice scene.

"Oh. I just wish tomorrow would hurry up and get here. I'm so anxious!" Misty commented as she clasped her hands.

"I know what you mean," Ash agreed.

"I'll be in stands, cheering you all on. I assume Pikachu and Togetic would prefer to stay with you and Serena," Brock added.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded.

"I'll be rooting for you and Serena, Ash, because I want to at least face one of you in the finals," Misty told him.

"Heh. You just worry about yourself," Ash smirked before he looked ahead to where Serena was.

The girl was sitting down in the grass about thirty feet ahead of the group and past the railing. She had Omanyte, Slowking, and Poliwhirl out with her. Like the rest of the group, she was anxious, too, but it was for a different reason. She still couldn't remember anything about her old house in Vanville Town. Every time she tried, her headache would intensify? Why? How is she just now noticing that she remembers nothing like that? The worst part was she forgot about her father. How could she forget someone as important to her life as him? Who was he? What did he look like, and what was he doing now?

"Hey, Serena! We're heading in to get some sleep? You coming?" Ash called out to her.

"Not yet, Ash. I'll just stay out here a little longer and talk with my Pokemon. I'll be inside in just a little bit!" Serena called back.

"You want me to stay out here with you?" Ash asked.

"No thanks. As I said, I'll just be a little bit," Serena replied.

Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic then went to retreat to the Pokemon Center. Ash took one last longing look at Serena before he forced himself to turn around and go in himself. He knew something was up with Serena, and that there was something she wasn't telling him. He thought he might have had everything figured out when it came to her ESP after talking with Yellow but clearly not. He wanted to ask what was bothering her, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable like that when the Whirl Cup was approaching. Yellow told him to keep her stress level low, and that would certainly make it rise if she realized everyone was worried about her. He was surely going to ask her afterward, though.

Serena heard her friends go in and sighed. Her Pokemon were still gathered around her. Slowking stood to her right side while Omanyte clung to Serena's lap which was fine as long as it wasn't her face. Both it and Slowking knew something was wrong with her. Poliwhirl, on the other hand...yeah right. Like Serena would receive any comfort from it. Poliwhirl was too busy stroking its King's Rock to notice.

"Sloooow," Slowking comforted as it rubbed Serena's back, being able to sense the situation she was in.

Its intelligence was increasing all the time which was a far cry from when it was a Slowpoke. It was sure it would even be capable of human speech before long. It wanted to find a way to help Serena, but how?

"I just don't know how to handle all of this," Serena whispered to her Pokemon. "Should I even be competing in the Whirl Cup when all of this is going on? I mean…Yellow told Ash that I should keep my stress level low, but that's really hard to do when I feel like I'm forgetting such important things. What's happening to me?"

Slowking closed its eyes and placed its hands on Serena's forehead. It then tried to concentrate using its own psychic powers to try to see if it could offer any insight. As Slowking searched, it saw something rather strange. Rather than peace, it saw chaos in her mind. Her memories were a jumbled mess right now, and some were being forcefully suppressed, though it couldn't tell which ones. Slowking removed its hands and saw Serena looking at it in worry.

"How bad is it, Slowking?" she asked.

"Sloooowking," Slowking uttered ominously and shook its head.

"That bad, huh?" Serena questioned before she gave a humorless chuckle. "What a way to start a tournament with you guys. My mind is completely screwed up, and I need to focus on you guys so I can properly lead you in the tournaments."

"Sloooow," Slowking uttered and shook its head again.

Its concern for its trainer was far greater than its desire to get some experience. Omanyte's grip around Serena's leg tightened slightly to let her know it was here for her, too. Serena smiled at her two Pokemon gratefully before she gave them each a hug. Slowking turned to the side and saw Poliwhirl hadn't joined in and was still stroking its King's Rock.

Feeling annoyed at the insensitive jerk, Slowking's eyes glowed, and it used its ESP to lift the King's Rock right out of Poliwhirl's hands. The tadpole Pokemon got a mortified look on its face once that happened. No! Its precious! Poliwhirl began jumping up and down in an attempt to snatch the King's Rock back, but Slowking hovered it just out of Poliwhirl's reach each time.

"Sloooow," Slowking scolded Poliwhirl and pointed at Serena who was watching the scene with a frown on her face.

Poliwhirl crossed its arms and got a pouting look on its face. It couldn't stand this Slowking. It used to be so stupid before it suddenly got smart. The worst part was this was the Pokemon who stole its original King's Rock, and Poliwhirl's never forgiven it. Now, Slowking has the nerve to take its King's Rock again and taunt it?! It then grew very angry and lunged at Slowking, but the royal Pokemon sidestepped out of the way, and Poliwhirl tumbled over the cliff.

Serena, Omanyte, and Slowking peered over the ledge and watched Poliwhirl fall into the ocean fifteen feet below and make a nice splash. It then emerged from the water a few seconds later and appeared to be hyperventilating that it was without its precious. Serena sighed and turned to Slowking.

"It's fine, Slowking. Just give Poliwhirl back the King's Rock," Serena told it.

Slowking nodded and released its psychic hold on the King's Rock before it tossed the item below to Poliwhirl. The tadpole Pokemon caught it and immediately went back to stroking it. Serena rolled her eyes when she saw Poliwhirl wasn't even bothering to get out of the ocean now that it had the King's Rock back.

"Poliwhirl, do you need help? I can send Charla to come get you," Serena called below to it.

Poliwhirl didn't even acknowledge Serena as its eyes remained glued on the King's Rock. Huh? Did its mistress say something? Well, it didn't matter. It was probably just a ploy to use that Slowking to take its precious from it once again. Would Serena do that to it, though? Of course she would! No! No! She wouldn't! Yes, she would. She wants to take the precious from us! Serena's a good mistress, though! She gave us the King's Rock in the first place!

The creepy Poliwhirl was so caught up in its internal battle that it didn't even notice it was being returned to its pokeball. Serena decided it was just best to recall from above on the cliff. She looked at Poliwhirl's pokeball for only a second before she shook her head and turned to her two remaining Pokemon.

"I guess I'll be relying on you two for most of the tournament," Serena said and smiled faintly despite her own internal battle she was facing.

* * *

Ash's match was up first the following day. It was ten in the morning, and the raven-haired boy and Pikachu were outside in a small caged area which would serve as the battlefield. There was a small pool of water in the center for the water Pokemon. It was only about half the size of a normal battlefield which made sense. This wasn't the official tournament and just a match to see if one could even compete in the tournament.

Serena, Brock, Misty, and Togetic were behind the designated battle zone to watch. After Ash's match, Serena would have her battle at eleven, and Misty would have her battle at noon. It was a good thing their matches were early so they could see if they made it into the Whirl Cup sooner rather than later.

Ash adjusted his cap as his Pikachu sparked its cheeks. They sized up their opponent on the other end of the battlefield who appeared to be a boy around Ash and Serena's age. Like Ash, he had a determined look on his face and was ready to battle. The judge looked from one combatant to the other before he raised his flags.

"This preliminary match will be between Ash and Joshua. Each trainer will only use one Pokemon each, and only the winner will move on to compete in the Whirl Cup. Through our coin flip, it was decided that Ash will choose his Pokemon first!" the judge announced.

"Fine with me," Ash commented as he held up his pokeball and threw it. "I choose you, Lapras!"

The transport Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and into the pool. It let out a cry before it gave a stretch with its flippers. As it did, Ash noticed something about his Lapras that had changed since he last saw it.

"Hey, there, Lapras! You've grown a little bit!" Ash smiled.

"Laaaaaa!" Lapras cried in agreement.

It wasn't fully grown yet, but it was clear that Lapras was no longer an infant. Ash couldn't wait until it reached its maximum size and see its full battling potential. That being said, Lapras would still provide a formidable Pokemon against whomever faced it.

"Okay. I choose Golduck!" Joshua stated and threw his own pokeball forward.

A strange looking duck Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and gave a cry. It was blue and slender and with webbed hands and feet. It also had a gem in the middle of its forehead with what looked like four spikes on top of its head. Ash and Serena both pulled out their national dexes so they could get data on it.

"Golduck, the duck Pokemon and the evolved form of Psyduck. Golduck is very adept at swimming with its long, webbed limbs. This Pokemon is using its psychic powers when its gem shines a bright light," the national dexes said.

"Wow. Psyduck could actually turn into that one day," Misty said in awe as she turned to look at her Psyduck's pokeball.

"You know, it kind of makes me wonder why your Psyduck hasn't evolved yet considering how long you've had it," Brock commented.

"Ugh. It's like it's trolling me," Misty muttered with a roll of her eyes.

Though Misty did love her dimwit duck Pokemon, she sometimes wondered if Psyduck ever did want to evolve. Some Pokemon, like Ash's Pikachu, didn't for personal reasons. It was different with Psyduck, however. Did it actually like being as goofy as it was, or was it just so goofy that it didn't even know how to evolve? Misty sighed. As awesome as having a Golduck would be, she would miss, in a weird sort of way, the headaches Psyduck gives her.

"Be careful, Lapras! This Golduck probably knows some pretty good psychic attacks!" Ash warned.

"Laaaa!" Lapras acknowledged.

"The trainers have each chosen their Pokemon! The preliminary match will start now!" the judge declared.

"Let's start things off with your Water Gun, Lapras!" Ash hollered.

Lapras took a deep breath before it shot a stream of water at the Golduck who merely stood there. Ash wondered why it was doing that until its trainer issued the command.

"Use Confusion and turn that Water Gun around!" Joshua yelled.

The gem on Golduck shined as its eyes glowed blue. It then raised its webbed hands and pointed them straight at the Water Gun heading for it. Just before it hit Golduck, the Water Gun made and arc and reversed direction. Lapras' eyes widened when it saw its own attack turned against. Lapras then felt the cold water splashing it in the face which caused it to grimace. The Water Gun wasn't painful, but it was uncomfortable.

"Now, use Zen Headbutt!" Golduck's trainer shouted.

"Look out, Lapras!" Ash yelled.

Lapras turned and tried to see through the water slamming into its face, but its vision was all blurry. It then felt a powerful force which was Golduck's head crash into its side. Lapras was pushed through the water by the attack until it hit the side. Lapras recovered and quickly looked around for its opponent but didn't see it anywhere.

"Golduck went underwater, Lapras. Follow it in!" Ash told it.

"Not so fast! Leap out, and use Cross Chop!" Joshua commanded.

Golduck shot out of the water with its arms crossed and delivered a solid chop to Lapras' midsection. The transport Pokemon cried out in pain from the super effective attack. It then landed back in the water as Lapras shook itself of the pain.

"Use Ice Beam!" Ash told it.

"Zen Headbutt!" Joshua ordered.

Lapras took another deep breath before it shot out the Ice Beam to its opponent. Golduck ducked back underneath the water to avoid it before it leaped back out and hit Lapras with a Zen Headbutt once more. Lapras took the attack again, but the attacks were starting to take their toll now, especially since one of them was super effective.

Nonetheless, Lapras continued to shoot Ice Beams all over the pool, and Golduck was dodging every one. There were soon multiple platforms of ice around the pool, and Golduck leaped out of the water and skillfully landed on one of the ice platforms without even slipping.

"This is a pretty skilled Golduck," Brock mentioned from the side.

"It hasn't even been hit once," Serena noted.

"No kidding. I mean…I'm rooting for Ash, but I can't wait for Psyduck to be able to do all those things," Misty commented.

"Now that you've given my Golduck some room to walk around on, things just got worse for you!" Joshua smirked.

"You think so?" Ash retorted. "Use Ice Shard, Lapras!"

Before Golduck could even react, Lapras opened its mouth and shot out a sharp piece of ice at the duck Pokemon. It smacked Golduck right in the stomach, and it clutched its stomach in pain from the surprise attack.

"Now use Water Pulse!" Ash yelled.

Lapras launched an orb of water from its mouth which sailed through the air and struck Golduck again. The duck Pokemon was then knocked into the pool by the attack, but it quickly shook off the attack and poked its head out of the water again.

"Not bad, but it's going to take a lot of attacks to wear down Golduck. All your Lapras has are ice and water moves which won't do a lot to it. My Golduck has both psychic and fighting attacks to give it coverage," Joshua told Ash.

Ash frowned as he realized the boy was right. It would be hard to win in a tournament like this if his Pokemon didn't have good coverage. He then began to think of what his Lapras had that most other water Pokemon didn't. There had to be something that could possibly give it some type of advantage.

"Use Cross Chop again," Joshua told his Golduck.

Golduck leaped out of the water and once more crashed into Lapras. The transport Pokemon cried out again and was pushed from the force of the attack. Lapras was grimacing in pain at all of the attacks it was taking, and Ash knew it wouldn't be able to take much more. If he didn't think of something soon, he wouldn't even make it into the Whirl Cup!

 _"Come on, Ash! Think!"_ he thought to himself.

Ash's eyes then lit up. Of course. It was such a simple and underused attack that he didn't think of it at first. It was one of the first things a Lapras learned how to do, and it could possibly win him the match, too. This attack would be useless if Golduck was underwater, but if it was above the water as it tended to be, it would be great, especially since it was close by.

"Get on top of Lapras, and use Cross Chop one more time!" Joshua commanded.

Golduck leaped out of the water and quickly climbed on top of Lapras' back. It then crossed its arms and went for Lapras neck with the intent to knock it out this time. Ash, however, had different plans.

"Use Sing!" Ash yelled quickly.

A soothing tone then came from Lapras' mouth which halted Golduck in its tracks. The duck Pokemon then uncrossed its arms as it listened to the melody. It wasn't too long before Golduck's eyes began to droop.

"Oh no! Don't listen to it, Golduck!" Joshua cried.

It was in vain. Golduck's head began to bob back and forth as its eyelids became heavier. Lapras continued to sing, and there was no escape for Golduck. Ash smiled as he realized this was what he had been counting on. Sing would be ineffective against a Pokemon that was further away or if Lapras or its opponent were underwater. However, this Golduck had no fear to get close to Lapras because of its wide arsenal of attacks. That left it vulnerable to something like this. It wasn't too long before Golduck laid down on Lapras' back and was fast asleep.

"Great, Lapras! Now toss it onto the ice!" Ash yelled.

Lapras reached back with its long neck and grabbed Golduck in its mouth. It then flung the duck Pokemon like a rag doll, and Golduck landed on the ice where it slid for a second before coming to halt.

"Now use Body Slam!" Ash ordered.

"Hurry! Wake up, Golduck!" Joshua called.

Lapras quickly swam towards the helpless Golduck and gave a might heave as it threw itself out of the water. Lapras then let its full weight fall on top of the sleeping Golduck. The force of the Body Slam was so great that it broke the ice that Golduck was on which sent both Pokemon tumbling into the water.

A few small waves splashed out of the water from the disruption, but it didn't reach the trainers. The water soon settled, and Lapras was still shown to be panting heavily from the damage it took, but it was still upright and able to fight. Golduck, on the other hand, was still unconscious, but this time it wasn't because it was asleep. It was knocked out. The judge then raised his flags.

"Golduck is unable to battle! The winner of the preliminary match is Ash of Pallet Town who will now be able to compete in the Whirl Cup!" he announced.

"Alright!" Ash cheered as Pikachu joined in next to him.

Lapras then turned around and quickly swam towards Ash, quite excited for its first victory in a while. It then lowered its large head and rubbed against Ash's body. The raven-haired boy laughed as he hugged Lapras' face.

"That was awesome, Lapras! Way to take those attacks. We can now compete in the Whirl Cup because of you!" Ash told it.

"Laaaa!" Lapras cried happily despite its tiredness.

"Well done, you two!" Serena called in outside the fenced area.

"Well, at least we know one of us made it into the Whirl Cup," Brock commented.

"Ash better look out, though, because the best still has yet to do her preliminary match!" Misty smiled and got fired up. Now that Ash was in, she knew she had to get in, too. Losing was not going to be an option for her.

* * *

It was now Serena's turn for her match. The honey-haired girl was inside a caged area, but it was different than the one Ash had been in. Despite that, the battlefield still looked identical. Serena had taken another aspirin before the match, and it was doing its job as her headache wasn't bothering her at the moment. That meant she could concentrate on the match and not with what was wrong with her.

Serena still had a little bit before her match began. Her opponent hadn't even shown up yet, and the judge was just getting the flags ready for the judgement of the match. Serena was currently leaning against the cage facing away from her friends who watched her from behind it. She seemed to be deep in thought but as to what it could be was anybody's guess.

"Hey, Serena. You feeling okay for the coming match?" Ash asked in concern.

"Yeah. My headache isn't bothering me," Serena replied, though a little absently.

"Good, but…," Ash trailed, but he didn't finish which caused Serena to look at him.

"But what?" she questioned.

"I…just don't want you to worry yourself with too many things. You seemed okay for a little bit, but you started acting distant again yesterday, and it worries me," Ash sighed.

"Hmmhmm! You saying that you're worried about me only makes me worry more," Serena giggled.

Ash wasn't amused. He knew Serena was purposely dodging his concerns. He knew something was bothering her, and it probably had something to do with her ESP again. He just didn't know what it was.

"Just let me know if this becomes too big for you to handle. I'm here for you," Ash said anyway.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena responded and then thought. _"I'd be fine if I could remember my life before Pallet Town."_

It was at that moment that a boy entered the battlefield from the other side. The group checked their Pokegear and saw it was eleven on the dot and time for Serena's match. Serena walked away from the edge of the battlefield and towards the center where her opponent now was. The judge walked between the two combatants and looked at each of them for confirmation that they were ready. Upon seeing them nod, he raised his flags.

"We will now start he preliminary match between Serena and Caleb! Each trainer will use one Pokemon, and the winner will be able to compete in the Whirl Cup! I will now flip this coin to determine who will choose their Pokemon first!" the judge said as he presented a large Pokemon coin.

"I'll choose heads," Caleb spoke up.

"Tails," Serena agreed.

The judge flipped the coin high into the air before he caught it and placed it on his other wrist. He then looked towards Serena and nodded his head.

"Very well. Since it landed on tails, you will choose first," he said to her.

"Okay. I'll choose Omanyte!" Serena shouted and threw forward her pokeball.

The spiral Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and appeared rather sleepy, but it shook itself awake. It had learned from the previous water Pokemon tournament in the Orange Islands that it must make sure it's awake when Serena's in a match at all times because it can be called out at a moment's notice.

"Thank you, Omantye. Are you ready to get into the Whirl Cup?" Serena asked it.

"Ommm," Omanyte replied.

"Alright. I choose Remoraid!" Caleb said and revealed his Pokemon.

Caleb's Remoraid came out of the pokeball and swam in a small circle and looked prepared for battle. The group couldn't help but think this was a sharp contrast from Misty's Remoraid. It had battled a little bit since Misty caught it, but it was still scared of her. The redhead had tried to be as gentle as possible with it, but some first impressions were hard to get over.

"Ohhhh…this tournament is teasing me," Misty muttered.

"It's okay, Misty. I'm sure that your Pokemon could beat theirs one on one…even Psyduck," Brock tried to comfort.

"I wouldn't go that far…," Ash started, but Misty quickly bopped him on the head.

"Well, whatever. I still plan on winning this tournament no matter what Pokemon I use," Misty said and crossed her arms. "It's all part of my dream to become the world's best water Pokemon master!"

The judge then raised his flags. "Okay. Omanyte versus Remoraid. The battle will begin now!"

"Use Aurora Beam!" Caleb ordered.

"Withdraw, and turn it into a Rollout!" Serena quickly countered.

Omanyte quickly curled into its shell and began skipping across the water on its shell like a skipping stone. Remoraid didn't move and appeared to looking for the right opening. It looked like Omanyte's attack was going to connect, but Remoraid launched the rainbow-colored beam at the last moment. Serena wasn't worried as Omanyte was hiding in its shell, but that was until Omanyte gave a cry of pain and quickly uncurled itself from its shell which canceled the attack.

"Omanyte, what happened?" Serena asked.

"My Remoraid is an expert marksman," Caleb explained. "It can snipe at even the tiniest openings to find all of a Pokemon's weak points. Your Omanyte hiding in its shell won't do any good."

"I wonder if my Remoraid has that capability," Misty commented from the side.

"I'm sure it does if you get the opportunity to train it well," Brock answered.

Serena thought of what she could do next. Using Withdraw was going to be useless against Remoraid if it was going to shoot its weakness all the time.

"Use Rock Blast!" Serena yelled.

"Use Psybeam!" Caleb told it.

Omanyte hid in its shell once more and began shooting rocks out of it. Remoraid ducked in the water and quickly swam underneath Omanyte before shooting the Psybeam at its soft underside. Omantye was knocked out the pool and onto the ground. It struggled for a moment before it picked itself up again.

 _"That Remoraid is fast,"_ Serena thought to herself. _"If I hope to win, I'm going to have to even out Omanyte's speed."_

"Use Shell Smash!" she called.

Omanyte's shell seemed to glow for a moment before a resounding crack was heard. Omanyte's shell stopped glowing, and it appeared a little softer and smaller. Omanyte had just traded some of its defense for offense and speed. That was fine, though, since Omanyte's defense wasn't doing much for it against a sharpshooter like Remoraid.

"Now use Rollout!" Serena commanded.

"Use Bubblebeam!" Caleb countered.

Omanyte quickly hid into its shell and sped towards Remoraid at a very quick pace. Remoraid was barely able to duck out of the way. It then began to swim underwater as it tried to keep up Omanyte, but the spiral Pokemon was skipping so fast it was hard for Remoraid to get a good shot. Omanyte was soon on the other side of the pool and hopped out of the water which forced Remoraid to surface the water.

"Use Ancient Power!" Serena called.

Omanyte's eyes glowed, and rocks formed from seemingly nowhere and surrounded Remoraid. The jet Pokemon then used its Bubblebeam to instead knock away the rocks that were closing in on it. However, it wasn't able to get all of them and was still struck by two.

"Use Rollout!" Serena said next.

"Use Water Pulse!" Caleb cried.

Omanyte once more quickly got in its shell and started skipping across the water. Remoraid tried to wait for a brief moment to get a critical hit, but Omanyte was too fast this time. It slammed into Remoraid which knocked the jet Pokemon backwards.

"Ice Beam!" Caleb tried.

As soon as Remoraid landed back in the water, it shot a cold beam of ice at Omanyte who was out of the water again. However, Serena had other plans.

"Use Rock Blast!" Serena yelled.

Omanyte quickly withdrew into its shell and began shooting out various rocks from it just like before. However, the attack wasn't directed at Remoraid this time. It was striking the Ice Beam which acted as shield. The Ice Beam was instead freezing the rocks solid rather than Omanyte. The large blocks of ice then fell back into the pool which made the water rather choppy. Remoraid tried to find its balance in the sudden waves, but Omanyte wasn't affected as it was out of the water.

"Try using Rock Blast with those chunks of ice now!" Serena told it.

Omanyte hid in its shell and spun towards the ice blocks and began crashing into them quite hard. The blocks of frozen rocks shot out of the water and began striking Remoraid one after the other. The jet Pokemon cried out in pain from each successive strike and wasn't able to regain its balance due to the choppiness of the pool water. It soon went limp and the judge raised his flags.

"Remoraid is unable to battle! The winner is Omanyte!" he declared.

Serena placed her hand over her heart and breathed a sigh of relief. That had been rather close at first. Thanks to Shell Smash, she was able to get the advantage and pick up the victory. Her hands then instinctively went to her head as it started hurting again, but she quickly took it away as she knew the others were watching her.

"Great job, Omanyte!" she told it.

Omanyte turned around and crawled towards Serena before it did its usual habit of crawling up Serena's leg and clinging to it. Serena grimaced at its slimy, soft, body but let it do what it wanted. It had just gained her entrance into the Whirl Cup, after all.

"Way to go, Serena! You made it!" Ash yelled.

"That was really smart to use Shell Smash against an opponent like Remoraid!" Brock noted.

"My turn's next," Misty grinned as she pumped her fists into excitement.

Serena then realized now since she'll be in the Whirl Cup, she couldn't get by with just two Pokemon. As capable as Omanyte and Slowking were, they wouldn't cut it by themselves. She would have to use Poliwhirl. She then glanced at Poliwhirl's pokeball. Would it be too obsessed with its King's Rock to battle? Was it finally time to evolve it?

Serena frowned at the difficult decision in front of her. On one hand, Poliwhirl would be very strong upon evolving, but it would have all of the troll that comes with being a Politoed. Serena would be miserable as long as it felt like having fun. On the other hand, Poliwhirl would be looking at the King's Rock and would refuse to battle if it stayed the way it was. She would have to think about it more after Misty's match.

* * *

Misty was super excited that it was finally her turn to battle. She didn't care that it was just the preliminaries, she was just glad she was doing this. The redhead had a huge smile on face as she waited for her opponent to arrive. The group had arrived twenty minutes early because Misty couldn't contain herself any longer. They thought she was going to burst if they didn't get to her scheduled battlefield on time…or early in this case.

"You know, Misty, you can at least turn to look at us," Ash spoke up.

"Not now, Ash! I want to see who my opponent is! I don't want to miss a single second of this match!" Misty said excitedly.

"I think the match is going to end up missing Misty," Ash muttered to Serena, and the honey-haired girl nodded in agreement while Misty rolled her eyes.

"Laugh all you want, Ash. This tournament is super important to me. What kind of future water Pokemon master would I be if I wasn't this excited?" Misty asked rhetorically.

"Okay. My bad. Sorry," Ash muttered and raised his hands in defeat.

"Try to be more supportive of Misty, Ash. Remember that she always watches your gym battles. We owe her our full attention," Brock told him.

"Oh. Don't get me wrong. I fully support Misty doing this and want her to win. I just don't understand why we had to be here so early," Ash said.

"Well, too late now as my opponent is coming," Misty pointed out.

Sure enough, another girl was making her way into the caged area on the other side followed by the judge. Unlike with Serena's judge, this one was already set to go upon entering the cage. He already had his flags in each hand and made his way to the center of the field upon seeing Misty was already there.

Misty checked her Pokegear and beamed even more when she saw it was time for her match. She clapped her hands and eagerly looked at the judge who was looking back and forth between Misty and her opponents.

"Hello. Are you both ready to start?" the judge asked.

"I couldn't be more ready!" Misty answered in determination.

"Yes. I guess so," Misty's opponent shrugged.

"In that case, I'll go ahead and flip the coin to decide who goes first," the judge said and flipped the Poke-coin high into the air. Misty had called Heads, and her opponent called tails. It had landed on tails which meant that Misty's opponent would go first.

"Okay. Courtney will go first," the judge declared with a nod to Misty's opponent.

"Alright. I choose Tentacool!" Courtney cried and threw her pokeball forward to reveal the jellyfish-like Pokemon.

"Not a problem! In that case, Misty calls…Corsola!" she said and threw her own pokeball forward.

The coral Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and bounced up and down in excitement. Misty then smiled at Corsola and gave it a nod.

"This is going to be our first real battle together, Corsola! Let's start it off on a high note!" Misty said.

"Corsola!" it agreed.

"Normally, I'd be a little nervous about a trainer using a Pokemon seriously like this in their first match. In Misty's case, however, I think they're okay. Misty knows what she's doing when it comes to water Pokemon," Brock commented to Ash and Serena.

"Yeah. That almost cost me with my match with Bugsy," Ash remembered.

"I still remember how you and I first competed in the Battle Chateau so long ago, and we lost horribly," Serena said.

"Heh. Yeah. We were pretty naïve back then," Ash chuckled.

"Yeah. I don't think Misty will have a problem, though," Serena added.

"Okay. The match between Courtney and Misty will now get underway! It will be a one on one match, and only the winner will be able to enter the Whirl Cup! Begin the match now!" the judge declared and brought down his flags.

"We're going to lay off on the special attacks for a bit because Tentacool's special defense is great, but its defense against physical attacks is poor! Use Spike Cannon, Corsola!" Misty ordered.

"I wasn't aware of that," Ash commented to Serena and Brock.

Corsola leaped into the air before it glowed and shot a series of sharp spikes at Tentacool. The jellyfish Pokemon attempted to avoid the attack by hiding underwater, but the spikes followed it in and struck the soft part of its body.

"Use Barrier!" Courtney ordered.

Tentacool's eyes glowed for a moment before a shining glass wall seemed to surround it before disappearing. Despite covering its weakness now, Misty didn't appear worried. In fact, she smiled.

"We still have tricks up our sleeves. Use Bubblebeam, Corsola!" Misty told it.

"Dodge it!" Courtney said.

Corsola shot a series of bubbles from its mouth towards Tentacool. However, the jellyfish Pokemon quickly swam out of the way. Corsola tried to follow it from the platform it was on, but Tentacool was too quick for it. Once it was in Corsola's blind spot, Misty's opponent made her move.

"Hydro Pump!" Courtney called, sure she would get a hit.

Misty had other plans, however. "Use Mirror Coat!" she ordered.

Corsola glowed white for a moment before a multi-colored glass wall appeared and reflected the Hydro Pump right back at Tentacool. The Tentacool was shot backwards by the now twice as effective force of water. It was knocked out of the pool and onto the ground. It flopped around for a few moments as Corsola landed back on one of the platforms looking no worse for the wear.

"Earth Power!" Misty hollered.

"Watch out, Tentacool!" Courtney

Corsola's eyes glowed, and the ground beneath Tentacool erupted which sent it back into the water. Both trainers awaited Tentacool to surface, and when it did, it was clearly knocked out. The judge blinked for a moment before he raised his flags.

"Tentacool is unable to battle! That means the winner is Misty and Corsola who will move on to the Whirl Cup!" the judge shouted.

"Hooray!" Misty cheered as she ran towards her Corsola.

Corsola turned to Misty and began bouncing towards her until it was in her hands. Misty then spun it around for a few moments and gave it a hug. Corsola was a little prickly, but Misty didn't mind.

"That was awesome for our first match, Corsola! Let's make it the first out of many wins for us!" Misty said.

"Corsola!" Corsola agreed.

"That was pretty good," Ash said from behind the cage. "I don't think that Tentacool landed a single shot. Misty really knew what she was doing this whole time."

"I think it just comes with being a water Pokemon expert," Serena added.

"You two have to realize that Misty has dedicated her life to knowing the strengths and weaknesses of every water Pokemon she can. You heard how at the beginning she told Corsola to use physical attacks because of Tentacool's poor defense. When those didn't work, she lured Tentacool into using a strong special attack so Corsola could Mirror Coat it. After that, all it took was one good shot," Brock explained.

"You know, I sometimes don't think I give Misty enough credit. She really rules when it comes to battling with water Pokemon," Ash said as he glanced at Brock and Serena. "I hope to have knowledge like that about all types of Pokemon one day."

"Aw…you mean it, Ash?" Misty smiled.

Ash jumped before he turned and saw Misty had already made it back to the cage and still had Corsola in her arms. Ash rubbed the back of his neck nervously before he turned away.

"Yeah. That was really awesome, Misty. You made short work of that Tentacool in the match," Ash said.

"We all thought you did great, Misty," Brock spoke up.

"Well, I'm feeling great right now!" Misty replied. "In fact, as celebration for all of us getting into the Whirl Cup, let's have lunch!"

"I'm up for that!" Ash quickly said since food was mentioned.

* * *

The group was gathered for lunch at the large civic center on Blue Point Isle. It was serving a special potluck lunch in the dining hall as celebration for all the trainers who were competing in the Whirl Cup. Ash had wasted no time in trying to gather as much as could on one plate while Misty, Brock, and Serena's were more modest. Even then, he wasn't able to see all the dishes. Ash would definitely be going back for seconds.

The place was packed. In addition to the many trainers that were there, several of them also had their water Pokemon out with them. The group had managed to find an empty spot that hadn't been filled with many other trainers and yet and chose that area. The each took their seats and began to eat while their Pokemon was having their share, too.

"Well, you three are in the Whirl Cup now. What's your next step?" Brock asked to make conversation.

"Win it, of course!" Ash answered between a mouthful of food.

"Don't be so sure, Ash. Remember that you might have to go against me!" Misty chimed in.

"Hmm…," Ash mused.

Misty was right. She was an expert on water-type Pokemon, and it showed in her preliminary battle. She didn't even own a Tentacool, but she knew the right moves to use each time. That was also her first battle with Corsola. Misty would be a formidable opponent indeed for him. Misty knew it would be likewise for Ash and Serena, too, because they were great Pokemon trainers in general.

All of the group's water Pokemon were on the ground and conversing with each other about the upcoming Whirl Cup. They were just as excited as their trainers about the upcoming competition. Pikachu and Togetic were, of course, there as well with Pikachu just being satisfied with a glob of ketchup. Ash's Wartotle had put on its new pair of sunglasses that Ash bought for it and was trying to act as cool as it could about the upcoming battles The only Pokemon not out was Ash's Lapras as it was too big to fit in the crowded civic center. Ash felt bad about it but would make sure Lapras could swim around later in the ocean.

Serena's Poliwhirl, however, was the only one of the group's Pokemon not eating. It's plate of food was in front of it, but it didn't so much as glance at the plate. It was too busy being focused on its King's Rock. Misty's Poliwhirl went over to Serena's Poliwhirl and asked it to join them, but Serena's Poliwhirl just ignored it.

"It's okay, Poliwhirl. I don't think you'll get it to listen," Misty told it.

Misty's Poliwhirl shrugged. As a fellow Poliwhirl, it didn't want another of its kind to turn into a recluse, even though it was weird. Slowking frowned before it used its psychic powers to lift Poliwhirl's King's Rock out of its hands again and dangle it high into the air to where Poliwhirl couldn't reach it. Once more, Serena's Poliwhirl got a look of horror on its face as it jumped up and down to try to reclaim its precious.

Slowking then brought the King's Rock over to it before it grabbed it and held it close to where Poliwhirl couldn't get to it. Slowking then pointed at Poliwhirl's plate of food and then over to where it and the other Pokemon were. Getting the message that it wouldn't be getting its precious back until it ate and joined the other Pokemon, Poliwhirl slumped over to them and began to eat. It was really beginning to hate this Slowking.

"What are you going to do about Poliwhirl, Serena?" Ash asked her.

"I…don't know," Serena sighed as she massaged her forehead in frustration.

"Maybe you should be thinking about finally evolving it," Brock suggested.

"I was thinking of doing the same thing for my Poliwhirl. I think it's ready," Misty said as she recalled the Water Stone that Archie gave her.

"I don't think mine is, though," Serena sighed. "I want to wait until it matures before using the King's Rock, but I find it hard to believe that it will ever happen with my Poliwhirl. It doesn't want to evolve in Politoed to be stronger or become a better Pokemon. It just wants to troll everyone."

"You know, Serena, maybe you should just let Poliwhirl do what it wants," Brock told her.

"You mean let it troll us and evolve it now?" Serena questioned.

"Yes. I mean…it's clearly been wanting to become a Politoed for a long time. Each Pokemon have their different dreams just like people. Some wish to become stronger. Some wish to become the coolest, and some, like your Politoed, just want to be pranksters and mischief makers. Your Poliwhirl won't ever change its mind. I think you should consider evolving it before the Whirl Cup in a couple of days," Brock explained, as insightful as ever.

Serena glanced at her Poliwhirl who was moodily eating its food. Honestly, Serena did feel a bit sorry for it. Her Poliwhirl just looked so lost without its King's Rock. As creepy as Poliwhirl was when that thing was in its possession, it just wanted to live out its dream. Serena stood up from her seat and went over to her Poliwhirl and knelt down next to it.

"Hey, Poliwhirl. I was thinking…this Whirl Cup is going to be super tough, and I really will you need Omanyte's, Slowking's, and even your support. If I use the King's Rock to turn you into a Politoed, can I at least count on you to work with me when you aren't…trolling," Serena requested.

Poliwhirl twitched for a second as it thought about Serena's offer. Its mistress wanted to use the precious now? Yes. Yeeeeesssss. The precious will allow it to reach its ultimate goal. The precious and it were meant to become as one. Serena's Poliwhirl rubbed its hands together in eagerness at what was to come once it finally became a Politoed. It hastily stood to its feet and ran over to Slowking to get back the King's Rock, but Serena stopped it.

"Hold on, Poliwhirl. You can have it back if you eat and converse with the other Pokemon. That's the deal," Serena told it.

Poliwhirl nodded in agreement, and Slowking handed the King's Rock back to it. Satisfied, Poliwhirl began to quickly eat the food. All it had to do was wait a little longer, and it could finally use the precious. Serena was a good mistress, after all. No. No. We can't trust her. Yes, we can. No, we can't.

Serena frowned as she saw the internal battle going inside of Poliwhirl. If she didn't know better, it looked like Poliwhirl was hearing voices inside of its head. If only she knew…

 _"Where would we be without the precious?! We can't trust anything but that!"_ Poliwhirl thought to itself. _"We're nothing without it!"_

However, another voice inside of Poliwhirl kept refuting it. No. We can wait. I'm finally going to achieve my dream. We don't need you anymore. Leave now, and never come back! Leave now, and never come back!

The internal battle of voices going inside Poliwhirl finally stopped, and it breathed a sigh of relief and began contently eating its food. Yes! It was free! It was free from the control of the precious! It didn't need that thing anymore once it became a Politoed! It would be able to troll as much as its heart desired, and it would work with its mistress, Serena, too. Life was going to be good from now on!

"Ummm…are you okay?" Serena asked in an unsure tone.

"Poliwhirl!" it answered with a nod as it continued eating, and it even began to start a small conversation with a couple of group's other Pokemon.

"Wow. Okay," Serena said in surprise at Poliwhirl's sudden change in demeanor.

"See, Serena? I think all Poliwhirl needed was a little encouragement from you in order to get over whatever issues it seemed to be having in regards to the King's Rock. I'm sure Poliwhirl would be happy give you what you want because you're giving it what it wants," Brock smiled.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to live with it then," Serena shrugged with a sweat drop. "I just hope it won't go overboard. Hopefully, Poliwhirl will know its limits."

"Well, I guess that means I'll use my Water Stone on my own Poliwhirl then. Our Poliwhirls can evolve together, Serena," Misty spoke up.

"That sounds great!" Serena agreed.

"Well, look who it is. I can't believe we actually managed to find you here," a charming voice said from behind the group.

Misty froze, and her eyes grew wide. She recognized the voice, but it couldn't be, could it? The redhead slowly turned around, and when she saw who it was, her heart skipped a beat. Her ears weren't deceiving her, after all.

Standing there was none other than Rudy with his little sister, Mahri. Both had smiles on their faces as they stared at the shocked group in front of them. Misty, of course, was left speechless, and it took her a moment to find her voice.

"Rudy? What? H-how?" Misty stuttered.

"I thought it would be nice to take a little vacation away from the gym," Rudy smiled as he folded his arms. "It just happened to be where the Whirl Cup was. When we heard you were competing, we wanted to surprise you and took a plane over here."

Misty continued to stare with wide eyes as she processed who was in front of her. Her face finally broke into a wide grin and she dashed forward and didn't stop until she collided with Rudy. The young man accepted her embrace, and the two stayed like that for quite a moment. They finally broke away, but Misty was still grinning ear to ear.

"I can't believe you're here! You two actually came to watch me in the Whirl Cup!" she gushed.

"We sure did," Rudy replied with a wink before he turned to Serena, Brock, and Ash. "How have all of you been?"

"We're doing great, Rudy. Good to see you again," Ash replied as he went over, and the two shook hands. "How's the Trovita Gym?"

"It's going well," Rudy replied. "I've won some, and lost some, but I know that since I'm a gym leader, I have to accept some of my losses so trainers can compete in the Orange League."

"It's still a little boring being the only girl there," Mahri sighed before she turned to Misty. "That's why I'm always super excited when we talk to you, Misty, and now we get to see her!"

"I'm happy to see you, too!" Misty replied as she hugged the girl. "Would you like to see my Pokemon?"

"Definitely!" Mahri responded with a wide smile.

The six Pokemon Misty had with her lined up and showed themselves to Mahri. Misty had Poliwhirl, Psyduck, Shellder, Starmie, Remoraid, and Corsola with her. As soon as Mahri saw Corsola, she ran over to it and gave it a hug.

"Your Corsola's a cutie!" Mahri giggled to which Corsola laughed at the compliment. The girl then began to hug all of the water Pokemon. Misty's Psyduck wasn't used to affection and fell over like the goofy duck it was once Mahri hugged it.

"Mahri, be careful with the Pokemon," Rudy warned.

"Oh. She's fine. I don't mind," Misty said as she turned back to Rudy. "So will you be staying the whole Whirl Cup?"

"We sure will," Rudy answered. "I needed a good vacation since I've been at the gym nonstop since we got back from the water Pokemon tournament on the Whirl Islands."

"Man. That sounds rough," Ash commented.

"Heh. It's the life of gym leader. I can only leave the gym so many times, Ash," Rudy shrugged before he turned to Misty. "That's why I always have to make them count."

Meanwhile, Mahri was greeting all of the Pokemon, and even managed a get a hug out Serena's Poliwhirl which was rather surprising. Serena smiled once she saw that as she thought Poliwhirl might've finally gotten over its weird issues and could more or less act normal again…despite still being a troll. The little girl then noticed the King's Rock in Poliwhirl's hands. She thought it looked really neat and clasped her hands.

"Oh, wow! That's a King's Rock! Can I see it, please?" she asked.

The group was surprised when Serena's Poliwhirl actually handed it over to the young girl. That was unusual. Serena's Poliwhirl was rather selfish. Even though it had stopped stroking the King's Rock like a precious artifact, they didn't think they would see the day when it gave up the King's Rock so easily.

"I'm a bit surprised, Poliwhirl. I'm proud of you," Serena said to it, to which Poliwhirl shrugged. It knew was finally going to achieve its dream soon, so it was okay.

"Be careful with that, Mahri," Rudy warned.

"Yes, big brother. I will," Mahri promised.

"You know, you can actually use those to evolve Poliwhirl?" Misty said as she went over to Mahri.

"That's cool! Are you going to use it on yours, Misty?" Mahri asked.

"Oh no! Of course not. I have a Water Stone for mine. That one belongs to Serena's Poliwhirl," Misty laughed.

"Attention, everyone. Our preliminary results have just come in. We will now reveal who all the finalists are who will compete in the Whirl Cup in a few days," a woman's voice announced from a loud speaker in the room.

Everyone then turned to the large television screen that was hanging from a wall. The pictures of all sixty four trainers then appeared one by one on the screen. Ash, Serena, and Misty smiled when they saw their names appear.

"Awesome! We all made it!" Ash smiled.

"I can't wait!" Misty cheered.

"We're going to cheer for you the loudest, Misty!" Mahri grinned.

"Mahri, if you're going to act so excited, why don't you give the King's Rock back to Serena's Poliwhirl so you don't break accidentally break it," Rudy told it.

"Okay," Mahri said and turned to the nearest Poliwhirl. "You know, I bet you'll look really cute with it on your head."

With that, the girl placed the King's Rock on Poliwhirl's head and stood back with a big smile on her face. The poor girl didn't know what she was doing. Serena was planning to evolve her Poliwhirl after lunch with the King's Rock so it wouldn't have been that big of a deal.

Unfortunately, it was the wrong Poliwhirl.

What happened next was so fast that the group didn't really have time to process it. Misty's Poliwhirl blinked a few times as it stared at the King's Rock that Mahri placed on its head before it began to glow white.

Everyone was completely dumbfounded at what was taking place. Misty's Poliwhirl swirled around for a few moments until it finally stopped glowing, and in its place was Politoed. Far from what Poliwag or Poliwhirl looked like, Politoed was a green, bipedal frog-like Pokemon. It had yellow hands, throat, and toes. It had a swirl on its stomach and a swirl of hair on its head.

"Politoed!" it cried as it began to shake hands with all of the surrounding Pokemon, who were just as surprised as the humans.

"Umm..wow. I guess I have a Politoed now. It sure is a friendly guy," Misty muttered with wide eyes, being the first to speak. However, another voice wasn't far behind her.

An inhuman screech filled the civic center lunch room which caused several trainers to avert their eyes from the large television screen and stare at the source of the noise. It just so happened that the terrible noise had come from none other than Serena's Poliwhirl. The tadpole Pokemon had fallen on its hands and knees and had tears streaming down its face.

"Oh no," Serena uttered, once everyone was beginning to realize what had just happened.

"Did I do something bad?" Mahri asked with worry.

"Ummm…no! Of course you didn't!" Serena laughed as she and the others waved their hands in front of their faces. The little girl didn't need to know about the big mistake she made.

"What do we do now? You don't think anyone has a spare King's Rock that they'll loan to us, do you?" Ash questioned.

"It isn't likely. King's Rocks are extremely rare. It would probably be a really long time before we run into another one," Brock grimaced.

Serena and Misty both felt terrible right now. Misty reached into her backpack to pull out the Water Stone and handed it to Serena.

"Oh, Serena. I feel awful at what just happened. The least I can do is give you my Water Stone. I hope your Poliwhirl will accept it," Misty said.

Serena nodded and took the Water Stone over to her Poliwhirl who looked absolutely devastated. The tadpole Pokemon was on its hands and knees and seemed to be pretty unstable right now. It couldn't believe what had happened. Why was fate so cruel to it?! Why couldn't it become a Politoed?! It was so close to achieving its goal only for some bizarre event to happen again. That was the second King's Rock it had lost, and it lost it to other Pokemon again! Why?!

"Poliwhirl, I still have something for you. I'll understand if you don't want it, but it's all we have right now," Serena told it.

Serena's Poliwhirl looked up at what Serena was holding before it hastily looked back down. It didn't want that Water Stone! That would do nothing for it! That wouldn't turn it into a Politoed!

"I just don't know when the next King's Rock we'll get will be, if ever. If you want to evolve, this may be the only thing for you," Serena sighed.

"Attention, everyone. Now that the finalists for the Whirl Cup have been chosen, we will now use our computer to randomly assign who your first opponent will be in the Whirl Cup," the announcer said.

The pictures of the trainers on the large screen then vanished for a second before they reappeared. Each picture of the sixty four trainers appeared on the screen next to another one who would apparently be their opponent. Ash was going against a boy he didn't know, while Misty and Serena…

"What?!" Misty gasped.

"Already?" Serena added.

Indeed, Misty and Serena were going to face each other in the first round of the Whirl Cup. This certainly wasn't in their plans. They each wanted to make it far in the Whirl Cup before facing each other in the finals or semi-finals. However, only one of them could win now and advance any farther in the Whirl Cup. The weird day had just gotten weirder.

"Man…," Ash muttered as Pikachu and Togetic looked back and forth between Misty and Serena, not liking how this was playing out.

To make matters worse, Serena's Poliwhirl began to shake as something snapped inside of it. Before Serena knew what happened, Poliwhirl snatched the Water Stone from her hand and held it high into the air as it began to glow white.

Serena whipped her head around to where her Poliwhirl was in surprise as the others watched, too. A few seconds later, Poliwhirl completed the transition and was now a Poliwrath. The group thought this meant that Serena's Pokemon had accepted what happened and could move on. However, that wasn't the case. Serena was about to congratulate her new Poliwrath upon evolving before she stopped once she saw the look in its eyes.

Poliwrath pointed an accusing finger straight at Politoed and gave a dark growl under its breath. That Politoed was going to DIE in their match.

* * *

 **A lot happened in this chapter. Serena can't remember her childhood. Rudy and Mahri show up again, and the ole switch-a-roo happened with the two Poliwhirl. I considered at first to make Serena's Poliwhirl the Politoed, but in the end, I let Misty have her canon, friendly little frog. Of course, how does that mean Serena's Poliwrath will take it? If the end of the chapter was any indication...not well.**

 **Still, I have to feel sorry for it. It gets over its Gollum-like behavior and something like this happens. It just wasn't meant to be.**

 **The start of the Whirl Cup with Misty and Serena's match is next, and Poliwrath is jumping at the chance to extract its vengeance.**

 **Thanks for the reviews and support. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty One: Poliwrath's Grudge**


	41. Poliwrath's Grudge

**A/N: Well, here's the next chapter everyone! Poliwrath's out for blood so let's see how it plays out. It might not be how you expect it to be, though. Enjoy the chapter! It's like I refuse to just have a normal tournament arc. They have been anything but that so far.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-One: Poliwrath's Grudge

"Wow. Check it out," Ash breathed.

The group was standing upon a hill in Scarlet City which was located on Red Rock Isle. Below them was the site of their destination, the Whirl Cup. Their matches were going to be held in a massive, but ancient, coliseum. Rivers of water poured forth constantly from the walls of the coliseum and into the giant pool below. Four stone pillars stood powerfully from out of the water. Two large platforms made of stone with several small platforms adorned the pool, as well. It truly looked majestic.

"We're actually going to get to battle there," Misty muttered in equal awe.

"Yeah. We are," Serena sighed.

"I wouldn't be so worried about your coming match with Misty, Serena," Brock stepped in. "I mean, yes, your Poliwrath is out to get Misty's Politoed, but don't forget that the coming match between you and Misty only require two Pokemon. You don't need three until the third round."

"That's right. Just use Omanyte and Slowking for this round," Misty encouraged.

"I suppose," Serena muttered.

Ever since Poliwrath had sworn revenge on Politoed, the group had been taking special measures to make sure the two never interacted with each other. For one, they never were out of their pokeball at the same time, and that included meal times. Serena and Misty didn't even let their pokeballs out of their sight in case something went wrong.

Serena and Misty knew they couldn't do this forever, though, and the conflict would need to be resolved some way. Misty's Politoed would be more than happy to try to make things up to Serena's Poliwrath since it knew the gravity of the situation. However, Poliwrath was clearly less than forgiving since it was the victim of the confrontation.

"I think this might help," Rudy spoke up as he reached into a small bag he was carrying and presented a small, silver bell.

"What is that?" Serena wondered.

"It's called a Soothe Bell," Rudy explained. "You see, I feel really awful for the situation my sister created so I bought this Soothe Bell to give to your Poliwrath once we got to Red Rock Isle."

"I know what those do," Brock said. "They are supposed to help calm and soothe a Pokemon's troubles."

"Exactly," Rudy nodded as he handed the Soothe Bell to Serena. "I know this can't reverse what's already happened, but I do hope it will ease Poliwrath's troubles a little."

"Oh. Thank you, Rudy. I suppose we can try it," Serena replied as she accepted the gift and called on Poliwrath.

The tadpole Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and gave a huff. It hastily glanced around for any sign of Misty's Politoed but didn't see it anywhere. It then gave a roar of rage and clenched its fists. It looked fit to go on a killing spree. Despite that, Serena approached the unstable Pokemon as calmly as she could.

"Poliwrath, I know you're still upset over what happened, but I think this will help ease your loss," Serena said and showed the item to it.

Poliwrath turned its eyes to Serena and glared. Unless it was a devolution spray and an extra King's Rock, nothing would make it feel better! It took the Soothe Bell from Serena's hand which caused it to jingle a little bit. The group, especially Pikachu and Togetic, instantly felt relaxed by the soothing sound.

Poliwrath wasn't moved, however. It hurled the item to the ground which instantly shattered it before it gave another cry of rage. They thought a _toy_ would be enough to quench its outrage? The only thing that would make Poliwrath feel better was blood. It wanted Politoed to suffer for taking its dream away. The tadpole Pokemon didn't care that it wasn't really Politoed's fault what happened. The point was…it did.

Serena instantly returned Poliwrath before things could get even more out of hand. The girl looked at her pokeball with a frown. She had no idea what she was going to do about this situation.

"I'm sorry. I suppose it didn't work, after all," Rudy sighed.

"It's okay. Thank you for trying, Rudy," Serena sighed.

"Why is Poliwrath being so mean? It was nice when I first met it," Mahri stated.

"It's…complicated," Rudy replied while he massaged his temple, somewhat glad that Mahri didn't understand.

"Let's go on down to the opening ceremony. I can see a few people going into the coliseum from here, and you three need to get into your boats," Brock suggested to change the subject, referring to Ash, Serena, and Misty.

"Right," the others agreed as the left the hill which showcased the awe-inspiring sight. That was okay, though. They were about to see it up close, anyway.

* * *

"Ladies and gentleman! Welcoming to the opening ceremony for the Whirl Cup competition!" an announcer yelled from speakers that were situated at the top of each of the four pillars.

Ash, Misty, Serena, Pikachu, and Togetic were next to each other in one of the boats in the pool while Brock, Rudy, and Mahri sat in the stands since they wouldn't be competing. Everyone had their gazes fixed on the center of the coliseum stands. In the center was a large area where the officials would apparently be observing the match. Also in the center was a young woman with very long lavender hair who was wearing a dress and carried a staff.

"Wow. She looks amazing," Misty commented.

"Who do you think she is?" Serena wondered.

"This is a great competition for trainers who have completed the preliminary rounds and strive to become masters of water Pokemon!" the announcer continued as roars of applause came throughout the crowd.

"Water Pokemon Masters," Misty repeated as she thought about her dream.

"Since ancient times, the Whirl Islands have been home to many different types of water Pokemon. The ritual for the Whirl Cup has been a tradition since ancient times and are taught by our sea priestess, Maya!" the announcer went on.

At that, the girl with the lavender hair stepped forward and thrust her staff high into the air.

"Welcome to all of our new and old trainers to the Whirl Cup! We are most pleased to be able to share with you our love for all water Pokemon! We are also happy to include you all as heroes of the sea! With our united purpose, I shall now invoke the sea spirit union!" Maya stated.

With that, the staff in her hand began to glow a magnificent blue. The stadium was engulfed in the blue light's beauty, and it extended for miles out. Everyone stared in wonder at the union. It was as though all the energy of water Pokemon was brought into the stadium. Once it was done, Maya lowered the staff and addressed the audience once again.

"Now, I am pleased to announce the Whirl Cup shall begin! May the guardian of the sea continue to watch over us," she finished.

"The guardian of the sea…Lugia," Ash mumbled as he and the others recalled their adventure in the Orange Islands.

"Do you think Lugia is out there somewhere in the Whirl Islands, watching us?" Misty questioned.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Serena answered as she and the others briefly turned away from Maya to stare into the open expanse of sea beyond the coliseum.

"Our winner of the Whirl Cup competition will receive a vial of Mystic Water as well as the Silver Wing which is said to be taken from the guardian of the sea, itself!" the announcer continued which snapped the group's attention back to the ceremony.

"The Silver Wing, taken from Lugia," Ash muttered.

"Ohhhh, and Mystic Water is said to drastically increase the power of water Pokemon!" Misty continued.

"I can't wait to get my hands on those!" Ash stated and pumped his fist in the air along with Pikachu.

"That's nice, Ash, but those belong to me! Of course, I'll share those items with you if you're nice to me," Misty winked.

"Could you imagine if we got to see Lugia again if we had the Silver Wing?" Serena asked, ignoring the comments from Ash and Misty.

The Lugia that lived in Johto probably was a different one than the Lugia they encountered in the Orange Islands. However, that wouldn't make it any less amazing. From what they knew, most legendary Pokemon were in tune with each other. Even if they did meet a different Lugia, it would still probably know of them and what they did in the Orange Islands.

* * *

It was the next day, and the Whirl Cup was officially underway. Ash wasn't the first match of the day, but he was the first one of all of his friends. He stood on one of the platforms while the roar of the crowd surrounded him. He knew somewhere up in that expanse of people that his friends were cheering him on.

He was sure no one was excited as Misty, though. The redhead had been in awe through all of the matches the group had watched so far. Her eyes had seemed to sparkle even more with each battle she saw. In fact, she was going to be transfixed on the current match.

"Oh, I can't wait to see the different water Pokemon in this match, too," Misty said dreamily, even though she already knew which water Pokemon Ash had.

"This competition is just right for you, Misty! You'll win it just like you did the other one!" Mahri said from her seat beside Misty.

"I agree," Rudy said from Misty's other side to which Misty turned to him and smiled.

Meanwhile, Brock, Serena, Pikachu, and Togetic all had nervous smiles as they watched Misty's excitement. It was like they didn't exist at the moment when Misty's attention was drawn to both the competition and Rudy and Mahri. That was okay, though. They knew that this was Misty's time to really enjoy herself, and that was just fine with them.

"Battle number three is now underway, everyone! It will be between Ash and Christopher!" the announcer stated.

A bespectacled boy with a hat stood across from Ash. He had a confident look on his face but that didn't deter Ash. The raven-haired boy knew that most of the trainers here had to be really good with water Pokemon. Otherwise, they wouldn't have made it past the preliminaries. He was going to give this battle everything he got and come out on top.

"You will each choose two Pokemon. The winner will be decided when both of the trainer's Pokemon are unable to battle. Go ahead and choose your Pokemon," the judge declared.

"Got it! I'll choose Kingler!" Ash shouted and threw the pokeball forward.

The crab-like Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and clicked its pincers in excitement at the coming battle. It hadn't battled since Ash's Trovita Island gym match. It couldn't wait for a match right where it felt most comfortable.

"Okay. I choose Cloyster!" Christopher yelled and threw his own pokeball forward.

Cloyster materialized from the pokeball. Everyone could only see its shell at first before it opened up to reveal Cloyster's signature cocky grin. Ash was sure that Kingler's brute strength could break through Cloyster's hard shell. Besides, Cloyster was mainly better in the water, but Kingler is good both on land and water. They could do it.

"You ready for this, Kingler?" Ash asked.

"Kokee! Kokee!" Kingler responded in the positive.

"Kingler versus Cloyster! Begin the match!" the judge said and lowered his flags.

"Dive in the water, and use Crabhammer!" Ash yelled.

"Cloyster, Withdraw!" Christopher ordered.

Kingler jumped in the water and began swimming to Cloyster as quickly as it could. Meanwhile, the bivalve Pokemon closed its body up in its shell. Nevertheless, Kingler reached Cloyster and swung its mighty large pincer at it. Cloyster was knocked out of the water and sent flying through the air where it hit a nearby pillar and fell back into the water.

A large splash was created, but Cloyster was nowhere to be found once everyone could see again. Ash and Kingler both looked around before Ash addressed Kingler again.

"It's swimming around in the water, Kingler! Be careful!" Ash told it.

"Not so fast! Use Ice Beam, Cloyster!" Christopher said.

Kingler sensed movement beneath it and went to move away, but Cloyster quickly used the move while underwater. Kingler soon felt all the water around it freezing up, and it was soon trapped inside a thick block of ice. The pincer Pokemon began to struggle as it tried to break free. It still had its large pincer, though, which Ash was counting on.

"Use Crabhammer to break the ice!" Ash hollered.

"No you don't! Use Ice Beam again to make the ice thicker!" Christopher hollered.

Kingler began to smash the ice little by little as it pounded away at it. However, Cloyster began to use Ice Beam again which only made the ice harder to break. Soon, it was so solid that not even Kingler's incredible strength was enough to destroy the ice. It's entire lower body was encased in ice. It's head and pincers were still free, though. Nevertheless, Kingler still continued to hit at the ice, but nothing was happening.

"Stop, Kingler! You'll wear yourself out!" Ash told it.

Kingler nodded and did what it was told. Ash then tried to think of something he could do to have Kingler break through the ice. If its pincers weren't strong enough to break it, what was?

"Use Spike Cannon!" Christopher said.

Cloyster emerged from the water and began to shoot several, glowing spikes at Kingler! Ash knew there was no point in dodging it so his best bet was to try to negate it.

"Counter it with Bubble Beam!" Ash yelled.

Kingler shot many bubbles in its mouth, but it didn't do much good. Most of the bubbles were popped by the Spike Cannon, and Kingler was then struck with the needles. It grimaced in pain at the attack and in frustration that it was stuck.

"Now use Clamp!" Christopher yelled.

"Knock it away with Crabhammer, Kingler!" Ash told it.

Cloyster then began to speed towards Kingler. It then leaped into the air to clamp Kingler, but the pincer Pokemon slammed a glowing pincer into Cloyster, and the bivalve Pokemon was knocked away. It soon landed in the water but quickly reemerged.

"Not a problem! Use Ice Shard, and then Razor Shell!" Christopher shouted.

"Use Crabhammer to knock it away again!" Ash told it.

As Cloyster swam towards Kingler, it shot a quick shard of ice from its inside straight at Kingler. The speedy attack startled Kingler as it was struck by the shard. It was just enough to stun it long enough for Cloyster to pass by and use Razor shell on Kingler. The pincer Pokemon grimaced in pain once again, but it still used Crabhammer to knock its opponent away. Like last time, however, not much damage was done due to Cloyster's hard shell.

"You can hit Cloyster with Crabhammer all day. There's no way you'll penetrate through its extremely hard shell. Your Kingler will wear out before long," Christopher said to Ash.

Ash frowned as he knew the boy was right. With all of Kingler's strength, it still couldn't damage Cloyster or break free of the ice. There had to be something he could do. As it stood now, Kingler was just a sitting Psyduck waiting to take any attack Cloyster used. The boy then took a look at Cloyster's shell and couldn't help but give it credit. Those Cloyster shells were a lot harder than he though. Ash's eyes then lit up with an idea.

"Use Clamp!" Christopher told Cloyster with no fear.

Cloyster obeyed and began swimming towards Kingler. This time, Kingler did nothing and was just watching as Cloyster got closer to it. This drew a murmur of confusion from the crowd as they wondered why Ash wasn't doing anything. Was he just going to let Cloyster attack it. Was this just his way of giving up?

"The crowd seems to be confused about Ash's choice, but does he have something up his sleeve?" the announcer asked rhetorically.

"Yep!" Ash answered regardless. As Cloyster leaped out of the water to attack, Ash made his move. "Grab Cloyster!"

Right before Cloyster attacked, Kingler reached out with its giant pincers and caught Cloyster in midair. Even though Cloyster was very heavy, Kingler was still strong enough to hold it. The bivalve Pokemon and Christopher seemed rather startled by this, but they quickly recovered.

"No matter what you do to Cloyster's shell, nothing can withstand it!" Chistopher told him.

"I'm counting on it!" Ash replied. "Use Cloyster's shell to break the ice!"

Kingler swung its pincers as hard as it could and slammed Cloyster down on the ice block that was encasing its body. As Ash had hoped, the ice was completely shattered on impact, and Kingler was free. Waves were soon made due to the intensity of the ice breaking. Through all this, however, Kingler was still holding onto Cloyster.

"Not bad, but you still can't hurt Cloyser when its hiding in its shell! Withdraw!" Christopher said as Kingler closed its shell.

"Pry it open, Kingler!" Ash shouted.

While keeping hold of Cloyster with its smaller pincer, Kingler then used its larger pincer to grab the opening Cloyster's shell and began to pull with all its might. Cloyster was holding tight, though, in order keep its shell closed. Kingler began to strain as it worked harder to try to get the large shell open, and it was beginning to sweat even though it was in cold water.

"Come on, Kingler!" Ash encouraged.

Finally, the shell began to open a little, and Kingler gave a might heave, and Cloyster's shell was forced open. The bivalve Pokemon then got a nervous look on its face now that it was wide open for an attack, and Ash used that to his advantage.

"Use Crabhammer!" Ash hollered.

Kingler's pincer glowed, and it swung its large pincer at Cloyster yet again. This time, it smashed its pincer into Cloyster's inside before it let it go, and Cloyster was flying through the air. It then landed in the water and created a large splash once again. This time, it resurfaced, but it was lying on the back of its shell, clearly knocked out.

"Cloyster is unable to battle! The winner is Kingler!" the judge announced.

"Great job, Kingler!" Ash told it as the roar of the crowd sounded around him.

"A stunning turn of events folks! What looked like trouble for Kingler soon became okay! It used Cloyster's own shell against it in order to free itself from the ice! Smart thinking on Ash's part!" the announcer complimented.

"You did wonderful, Ash!" Serena yelled throughout the crowd even though she knew he couldn't hear her.

"Yeah! That's the way! You show off your Kingler's strength, Ash!" Misty yelled from the stands.

"Pika! Toge!" Pikachu and Togetic cheered, respectively.

"Ash doesn't use Kingler much, but each time he does, it's always able to come through for him," Brock nodded.

"That Kingler is just as strong as I remember it," Rudy said as he recalled his gym battle with Ash. "I'm glad to see Ash hasn't lost his touch since battling me."

"One Pokemon is down for Christopher! Let's see if he can overcome his disadvantage with his next Pokemon!" the announcer commented.

"I sure can!" Christopher acknowledged as he returned Cloyster and brandished a fishing pole. "Check this out!"

At the end of the fishing pole was a lure ball. Ash raised his eyebrows in interest at the performance Christopher was showing. The special treatment this lure ball was getting must mean Christoper was going to use his strongest Pokemon.

"I choose you, Kingdra!" Christopher shouted as he cast the fishing rod out.

The lure ball landed in the water and opened up to reveal a Pokemon that looked like a cross between a dragon and seahorse. It lifted its snout high into the air and gave a mighty cry. Ash and Serena took out their national dexes to scan the new Pokemon.

"Kingra, the dragon Pokemon and the evolved form of Seadra. Kingdra stores energy by sleeping deep underwater and can cause whirlpools just by yawning," the national dexes informed.

"Be careful! This Kingdra sounds like it's going to be a tough opponent!" Ash warned.

"Kokee!" Kingler answered as it prepared itself and clicked its pincers again.

"Kingdra versus Kingler! Begin!" the judge yelled.

"Okay, Kingler! Go, and use Bubble Beam!" Ash started.

"Go underwater, and use Smokescreen!" Christopher countered.

Kingler opened its large claw and shot a series of bubbles towards Kingdra, but the dragon Pokemon easily dodged it by going underwater. Soon, Kingler noticed that the area around it was getting very black. Soon, the entire pool was black, and Kingler or Ash couldn't find Kingdra anywhere.

"Get out of the water, Kingler!" Ash told it.

Kingler jumped onto the nearest platform and waited for Kingdra. It was rather nerve-wracking for it and Ash as they had no idea when Kingdra was going to come up. Both trainer and Pokemon had their eyes darting left and right for any type of movement in the water that might give away Kingdra's location.

"Christopher puts Ash and Kingler on alert by keeping Kingdra underwater. One can only imagine when Kingdra will come up, and will Ash and Kingler be ready for it?" the announcer commented.

"Use Dragon Pulse!" Christopher suddenly shouted.

"Watch out, Kingler, and use Vice Grip!" Ash hollered.

Kingdra burst out of the water and charged up its snout to generate the shock wave. Kingler immediately dove into action and clamped its large claw around Kingdra's midsection which caused the dragon Pokemon to hiss in pain. Kingler then hurled Kingdra onto the platform which earned another cry of pain from Kingdra. Despite this, Kingdra still managed to charge up the Dragon Pulse, and it shot the attack at Kingler which hit it in midair.

Kingler was knocked backwards several yards before landing on one of the many platforms. It skidded for a few moments before it came to a stop. It struggled to get to its feet, but it soon fell over, knocked out.

"Kingler is unable to battle! Kingdra wins!" the judge declared.

"Christopher makes a nice comeback with his Kingdra, and now he and Ash have one Pokemon left to use. How will Ash respond to this?" said the announcer.

"Kingler, return!" Ash said as he recalled the pincer Pokemon and gave a look at the pokeball. "Thanks a lot. You did awesome, Kingler, so take a nice rest."

The raven-haired boy then sighed as he went over the options he had. Kingdra was clearly a very powerful Pokemon so an equally powerful Pokemon like Lapras was ideal. However, Kingdra also appeared to be a bit of a sniper so Lapras would create a huge target for it with all of its weak points wide open. Wartortle could have great defense with its shell which may guard against some of Kingdra's attacks.

Ash was about to call out the turtle Pokemon until another pokeball of his wiggled. Ash rose his eyebrow in interest and discovered it was Totodile's pokeball that did so. The raven-haired boy let go of Wartortle's pokeball and stared at Totodile's.

"So you want to battle this one, huh?" he asked, and the pokeball wiggled again.

"I guess that means you have a good feeling that you can win this?" Ash guessed and received another wiggle.

Ash then thought over how Totodile might fare. There was no question that Kingdra was more powerful, but Totodile was still strong physically. It could also do a lot of damage if Ash used the right moves as well as be a small target for Kingdra to hit. Not to mention, Ash hadn't battled a lot with Totodile since he got it so this would be a great opportunity to get some experience since it was in its preferred habitat. Ash then nodded to Totodile's pokeball.

"Alright, Totodile. If you want this battle, I'll let you have it! If you believe you can do it, then so do I!" Ash yelled and threw the pokeball.

Totodile soon appeared from its pokeball before it started dancing. Ash, as well as some people in the audience smiled at the jolly-natured Pokemon.

"I'm glad you're psyched, Totodile, but we need to win this!" Ash told it.

"Toto!" Totodile agreed as it stopped and instead put on a serious expression.

"And Ash decided to go with Totodile! Will it be enough to take out Kingdra?" the announcer asked.

"Kingdra versus Totodile! Begin!" the judge declared.

"Use Whirlpool, Kingdra!" Christopher shouted.

The dragon Pokemon began to spin incredibly fast which made the water rather choppy. It wasn't long before a large whirlpool was formed in the center of the pool which sloshed around the platforms. Totodile wobbled as it tried to keep its balance but eventually fell in.

"Totodile!" Ash cried in worry.

He caught sight of the big jaw Pokemon trying its hardest to swim against the current, but the whirlpool was more powerful. Ash's eyes then widened when he saw Kingdra heading for it.

"Look out! Use Ice Fang in the water!" Ash yelled.

Totodile gulped a bit of water with its large jaw which instantly froze a small part of the area around it with ice which made a small shard. Totodile then grabbed hold of the ice shard, and the force of the vortex flung the Pokemon and object out before Kingdra could reach it. Totodile spun through air before it let go of the small bit of ice and landed back on one of the platforms where it danced in happiness again.

"Wait to go, Totodile!" Ash complimented.

"Smart thinking on Ash's part to get his Totodile out of a potentially perilous situation!" the announcer commented.

"Hmm…not bad! Use Smokescreen again, Kingdra!" Christopher yelled.

Kingdra halted the whirlpool and dove underwater. Totodile soon saw all the water around it become black again to hide Kingdra within the pool. Then there was silence in the arena as everyone stopped cheering and talking to watch the suspense.

 _"This is just like last time,"_ Ash thought to himself. _"Kingdra's going to come up at an unexpected time to try and get the jump on Totodile. That also gives me some time to think, though."_

The boy then began to think about how Kingdra attacks. It always charges the attack up inside its snout before blasting it out. Even if Totodile attacks Kingdra before it can use an attack, the energy that was built up inside Kingdra would still be released regardless as demonstrated just a moment ago with his Kingler. Ash was sure Totodile could dodge the attack, but then it would be in danger within the Smokescreen infested pool where the cycle could repeat itself.

Meanwhile, Totodile gave a slight yawn and sat down. If this Kingdra was going to give it a chance to rest, then so be it. Totodile wasn't in any hurry, and it was clear Ash wasn't either.

"That's okay, Totodile," Ash told his Pokemon.

"It seems Totodile is rather bored with the proceedings. It seems the longer Christopher waits, the less on guard that Totodile will be!" said the announcer.

 _"Hmmm…I've got it!"_ Ash thought as he remembered Kingler's tight grip around Kingdra earlier. _"Now all I have to do is wait for Kingdra to come up!"_

Conveniently, that's when Christopher gave his command. "Come on up, and use Dragon Pulse again!" he shouted.

Kingdra shot out of the water from behind Totodile. The big jaw Pokemon turned around and saw Kingdra almost charged up to deliver the powerful blow. The Kingdra loomed over Totodile like a predator on its prey. Ash wasn't going to let that happen, though.

"Use Bite, and aim for its snout!" he shouted.

Totodile leaped at Kingdra and clamped down right on its snout. Kingdra's eyes widened as it gave a muffled cry at the unexpected move. Totodile didn't let go. It just held its jaw in place as Kingdra began to thrash around to try to get Totodile off.

"Stay strong, Totodile!" Ash hollered until he and everyone else noticed something.

Kingdra appeared to be inflating. It seemed that since its snout was clamped shut, all of that energy had no place to go and was building up inside Kingdra. The dragon Pokemon was becoming even more strained as it got inflated even more. Once Ash thought it was enough, he nodded his head.

"Okay. You can let go now, Tododile. Just stay clear underwater," Ash told it.

"Oh no, Kingdra," Christopher muttered as he knew what was about to happen, too.

Totodile finally let go and fell in the pool to avoid what was about to happen. A blast of energy soon exploded out of Kingdra's snout which propelled it backwards. The beam of energy didn't stop, though, from being trapped for so long. Kingdra flew around the stadium like a balloon that just had all the air let out of it. The dragon Pokemon finally hit a pillar, and the pent-up energy had been released.

However, it completely exhausted Kingdra. The dragon Pokemon fell into the pool and resurfaced a moment later. It was on its back and its eyes were spinning in dizziness. Kingdra soon closed its eyes and went limp, knocked out. The judge then raised his flags.

"Kingdra is unable to battle! The winners are Ash and Totodile!" the judge declared.

"What an exciting match folks! Ash will move on to the next round! Let's hope for even more exciting battles to come!" the announcer yelled.

Totodile then began to dance in delight at its victory. Ash smiled at his Pokemon as he watched. It seemed Totodile was right, after all, that it could score a victory for Ash here. It was definitely right to trust his Pokemon's instinct. Ash was about to congratulate Totodile, but he went silent as Totodile stopped its dance and got a weird look on its face.

"Totodile?" Ash questioned before gasped as Totodile began glowing white.

Totodile grew in size and sprouted three spikes on its head that resembled a crest. It then stopped glowing, and Croconaw now stood in its place. Croconaw admired its new form for a moment before it gave a cry of happiness.

"Croconaw!" it said.

Ash stared in amazement before he and Serena checked the national dex.

"Croconaw, the big jaw Pokemon and the evolved form of Totodile. This Pokemon's teeth are incredibly strong and will regrow if lost," said the national dexes.

Meanwhile, the roars of crowd grew even more excited at the evolution. It was always a treat to see one. Croconaw smiled at all the people waving before it began to dance. However, this wasn't like the dance it had as a Totodile. Rather than hopping back and forth on one foot, Croconaw was break dancing. It looked like it was doing the six-step.

Ash, as well as a lot the audience, began to laugh with the skilled new Pokemon. Ash could only wonder how his Croconaw suddenly learned how to do that. Regardless, it still seemed to keep its jolly nature and still liked to dance, though in a different way.

"Congratulations, Croconaw!" Ash called out before he felt something fall on his face.

It turned out Pikachu had leaped from the stands to congratulate its best friend on his victory as well as see Totodile's new look. Togetic wasn't too far behind it. Croconaw saw them and stopped dancing before it swam over and hopped on the same platform as Ash, Pikachu and Togetic.

"Pika!" Pikachu congratulated as it leaped off Ash's head.

"Toge!" Togetic added.

"Croconaw!" it nodded and gave them a thumbs up.

One of Ash's pokeballs shook until Chikorita popped out of its pokeball. As soon as Chikorita saw its boyfriend's new look, its eyes sparkled. Croconaw responded by flexing its bigger arms at Chikorita which the grass-type loved. It then leaped into Croconaw's arms and stared dreamily at the Pokemon like a schoolgirl in love. Chikorita now had a big, strong Pokemon for a boyfriend, and it liked it a lot.

Ash laughed and rubbed the back of his head at his Pokemon's antics while the audience continued to enjoy the show. Meanwhile, the rest of the group smiled at the proceedings, as well. Brock was the first to speak up.

"Well, it seems like it still loves to put on a good show," Brock smiled, referring to Croconaw.

"Yeah. Ash is off to a great start in the Whirl Cup! I bet he knew Croconaw felt like it could win so it helped him through!" Serena added.

"That means I'll have to train even harder if I end up facing him," Misty said in determination.

"Well, guys. Come on. Let's head on back so the next match can begin," Ash told his Pokemon.

Croconaw began to walk back with Chikorita still in its arms, but Chikorita wanted to do one thing first. It grabbed Croconaw by the face before it pulled it down to kiss it on the mouth. There was an exclamation of surprise by everyone in the audience, as well as Pikachu and Togetic, but none were louder than Ash.

"Wait! Not in public, Chikorita!" Ash cried in embarrassment. That Pokemon had no filter.

Chikorita responded by getting a devious look on its face and chuckled while Croconaw looked embarrassed. It's not like they hadn't done anything worse in the past. In fact, they've already covered all the bases so this was nothing. Ash gave a funny look at the suspicious glances of his two Pokemon before he put two and two together and got a mortified look on his face. Pikachu and Togetic fell over at that bit of unwanted information while Ash felt his eyes were going to pop out.

"Holy Miltank!" he exclaimed.

* * *

"Are you feeling up to the match?" Rudy asked Misty as he and Mahri walked along with her to the stadium where her match was.

"I am, and I feel ready. I just wish it was against someone other than Serena so soon," Misty answered. "Not to mention, I really want to use my new Politoed in this match, but I'm worried it will draw out unwanted hate on Poliwrath's side."

"I think that Serena is smart enough to know not to use Poliwrath in the coming match should you choose to use Politoed," Rudy spoke up.

"I know. It would just seem unfair to Serena if I did," Misty sighed.

"You know, I haven't seen Ash recently. You'd think he'd want to watch you and Serena's upcoming match. Where is he?" Rudy wondered.

"Oh. He, Pikachu, and Togetic have been in their rooms the past hour. The only thing I got was that he muttered something about Chikorita and Croconaw that he didn't want to know. They seemed pretty freaked out so one can only imagine what it was," Misty shrugged.

"His Croconaw is funny! I like its dance!" Mahri spoke up.

"Yeah. It sure is interesting," Misty agreed now that the big jaw Pokemon had seemed to take up break dancing now.

The three soon arrived at the coliseum. Misty looked up in excitement at the structure before her. She was finally going to be a participant in this. She and Serena were the last match of the day so she was sure this would be exciting. She soon saw a hand waving in front of her face, and she turned to see Rudy smiling at her.

"I'm going to go on up to the stands and find Brock. He told me where he would be sitting. Good luck, Misty," Rudy said as he took her hands in his.

"Thank you, Rudy," Misty replied as she blushed a little bit.

"Bye, Misty!" Mahri cried as she and Rudy walked off.

Misty watched them go before she continued on into the tunnel. As she walked through, her excitement only grew. This was her first real, competitive battle since the Orange Islands. Despite this, she didn't feel rusty at all. Her water Pokemon were still in tip top shape and could win this match even though it was against Serena.

The redhead finally stepped into the inside of the coliseum and was met with the roar of the crowd just like Ash before her. Misty soaked in the contentment of having everyone root for her before she spotted Serena on the other side.

The honey-haired girl had a conflicted look on her face. It wasn't just because of her headache, either. Unlike Misty, Serena was more worried about the coming match. She wasn't going to forfeit as that wouldn't be fair to Misty or the rest of her Pokemon. Still, Serena couldn't help but feel this match wasn't going to go as smoothly as everyone was hoping whether she planned to use Poliwrath or not.

"Everything okay, Serena?" Misty called over to her.

"Yeah. I hope!" Serena yelled back.

Misty sighed once she heard Serena's tone. Why did things have to get so complicated?

Meanwhile, Rudy and Mahri found Brock in crowd, and he waved them over. Rudy then noticed Ash was now there along with Pikachu and Togetic. Though the three did appear more or less back to normal, they did seem to still have a spaced-out look.

"Hey. You alright?" Rudy asked as he sat down next to them.

"Yeeeeah. I just…threw up in my mind for about an hour," Ash mumbled.

"Chuuuuuu," Pikachu agreed.

"Umm…okay. Best not to ask then?" Rudy figured.

"Yep. Don't worry about it," Ash confirmed.

"He told me the same thing when I asked," Brock told Rudy.

"I'll need to keep a closer eye on Chikorita and Croconaw," Ash mumbled.

"What's that, Ash?" Brock wondered.

"Nothing," Ash quickly responded before he changed topics. "Let's just watch the match."

"Ladies and gentleman! We are now starting the last match with battle number seven. Don't let the fact that this last match means the Whirl Cup is coming to a close because it's not! We trust this one will be just as exciting as the previous ones!" the announcer yelled.

"And nerve-wracking," Serena mumbled, but not loud enough for anyone to hear.

"You will each choose two Pokemon. The winner will be decided when both of the trainer's Pokemon are unable to battle. You may now choose them," the judge declared, just like he did with all the previous trainers.

"Okay! I'll go first! Misty calls…Starmie!" Misty yelled, starting things off with one of her most trusted Pokemon.

Serena took a deep breath and held up Slowking's pokeball. "I choose you, Slowking!" she shouted.

Slowking appeared from its pokeball and noticed the opponent in front of it. Slowking remembered facing this Starmie once before in a previous water Pokemon competition. It had lost then, but it was getting another chance at a rematch. It was determined to win this time. Starmie was thinking along the same lines as it had a chance to go two-for-two.

Serena and Misty both didn't mean to have the Pokemon rematch like this. It just sort of turned out that way. Omanyte probably wasn't strong enough to take on Starmie, and there was no way she was going to use Poliwrath. Well, either way, this would still be exciting.

"Ready for this, Serena?" Misty asked with a smile.

"I am," Serena nodded.

"Slowing versus Starmie! Begin!" the judge shouted and brought down his flags.

"Hide yourself with Camouflage!" Misty hollered.

Starmie hopped into the pool and seemed to melt away until no one could see it any longer. Slowing looked around before it closed its eyes and tried to sense where Starmie was. It could use its ESP for that.

"Use Power Gem inside the pool!" Serena told it.

Slowking dipped its head into the pool before a brilliant light showed from the jewel on its Shellder crown. The pool was illuminated in the glow of the attack, and Starmie soon jumped out of the pool and shook itself so it could see again. It then had another Power Gem heading straight for it this time, and it was knocked backwards by the attack.

"How are you, Starmie?" Misty asked, and received a nod and a pose from Starmie. "That's the spirit! Use Rapid Spin!"

"Use Water Pulse, Slowking!" Serena called.

Slowking shot a ball of water at Starmie, but the star-shaped Pokemon spun right through it and kept going. Slowking then lowered its head for protection instead, and Starmie slammed right into it. The two Pokemon then began fighting back and forth as they tried to push the other over.

"Use Swift, Starmie!" Misty hollered.

"Use Confusion!" Serena countered.

While they were still struggling, Starmie shot several brightly-colored stars from its body. The bits of energy struck Slowking in its midsection, and it grunted in pain but soon used its psychic powers to reverse the direction of the stars, and they struck Starmie, instead. The star-shaped Pokemon let go of its struggle with Slowking and spun out of the way to avoid being hit by more.

"Use Light Screen!" Misty hollered.

"That's okay! Use Zen Headbutt!" Serena yelled.

Starmie put a wall of light around it to protect from special attacks, but it did no such good against Zen Headbutt. Serena's Slowking leaped up at Starmie and struck it right in its jewel. Starmie gave a cry and landed on a platform where Slowking was falling towards it.

"Use Body Slam!" Serena told it.

Slowking adjusted its body and continued to fall before it let its full weight crash onto Starmie. The star-shaped Pokemon gave another cry of pain, but Misty wasn't about to let it go down that easily.

"Use Hydro Pump!" she ordered.

Slowking soon found itself blown off Starmie as a tremendous amount of water came from the tips of Starmie. Slowking continued to fly through the air until it hit a stadium wall. That was quite a force of water. Slowking then looked up and saw Starmie speeding towards it with another rapid spin.

"Dodge it!" Serena yelled.

"After it, Starmie!" Misty told it.

Slowking pried itself from the wall and fell into the water where it disappeared underneath the water. Starmie then dove into the pool to chase it while still in Rapid Spin. Serena knew that Starmie would be a lot faster in water so she needed to slow it down.

"Use Psychic!" Serena shouted.

"Use your Psychic, too, Starmie!" Misty yelled.

Strong, telekinetic forces could be seen blasting through the water. No one was able to tell who they were coming from, however. Pretty soon, both Pokemon leaped out of the water and were eyeing each other to see who would make the next move. It looked as though they were evenly matched since both were water and psychic-type Pokemon.

Misty sighed and realized both Pokemon weren't doing enough damage to each other in order to make this a good fight. She would have to switch Pokemon to win. Misty believed this was a good time to call on her newly-evolved Pokemon to try out its moves. She felt a little bad for using it against Serena, but she also knew that both she and Serena agreed they would still battle with everything they had no matter which Pokemon. With that, Misty got ready.

"Return, Starmie!" Misty said as she recalled the mysterious Pokemon and got out a new pokeball. "Go, Politoed!"

The green frog-like Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and clapped its hands in delight that it was getting to battle. Politoed then saw its opponent was Slowking so it got into position to battle.

"So Misty decides to make a substitution for this battle and chose Politoed! What will Serena's response be?" the announcer commented.

"You want to keep going, Slowking?" Serena asked.

"Slooooow," Slowking muttered.

"Sounds good! We'll stay in!" Serena smiled until she felt one of her pokeballs shake.

Serena looked down just in time to the pokeball burst open, and Poliwrath came out. It had an extremely angry look on its face, and it stared directly at the Politoed in front of it. Poliwrath then pounded its fists together. It was going to put as much pain on this Politoed as possible. Serena stared in confusion for a second before she regained her composure.

"Poliwrath! What are you doing?! I didn't call out!" Serena scolded it.

Poliwrath spat in disgust in response. It didn't care if Serena called it out or not. Poliwrath came out because it felt like it. This was a Pokemon match which meant it would have the perfect opportunity to beat that Politoed within an inch of its life, literally. It only saw red and wasn't going to listen to reason of any kind.

"I'm sorry, Miss. You may not have more than one Pokemon out to attack at a time," the judge told her.

"I know that! I didn't ask Poliwrath to come out!" Serena cried in response before she pointed her pokeball at Poliwrath. "Return."

Poliwrath glared at Serena for trying to take away its revenge and swatted the pokeball out of her hand where it flew into the water. Slowking jumped after it in order to retrieve it, and that's when Poliwrath took action. It jumped into the water and began making a beeline to Politoed as fast as it could. Meanwhile, the frog Pokemon stared in surprise and worry once it saw the deadly look in Poliwrath's eyes.

Misty knew the gravity of the situation and hurriedly went to recall Politoed, but Poliwrath shot a quick Water Gun at Misty's hand. Misty's pokeball was likewise knocked from her hand, and both trainers realized with growing horror that both Pokemon were locked into combat until one of them could retrieve their pokeballs.

"Come back, Poliwrath!" Serena shouted, but it was no use.

Poliwrath soon reached the platform Politoed was on and made an insane lunge the frog Pokemon. Politoed didn't even have time to defend itself until Poliwrath soon landed on top of it. Poliwrath then gave Politoed a disgusted look before it began to punch Politoed across the face as hard as possible. It hoped it would break a few bones in the process.

"Oh no! Poliwrath! Stop it!" Serena screamed as she and Misty actually jumped into the pool themselves to try to reach their Pokemon.

"What is going on here?! It looks as though these Pokemon are street fighting!" the announcer shouted.

"This is bad. I've got to get down there," Ash muttered as he stood up from his seat and turned to Pikachu. "Let's go, buddy. We may need you."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

"Let's go, too," Rudy said as he and Brock stood up, and Togetic flew out of its seat and down to the arena.

"I want to come!" Mahri cried.

"No, Mahri. It's too dangerous. You stay here," Rudy said firmly as he, Brock, and Pikachu made their way through the confused crowd as fast as possible.

Poliwrath soon stopped punching Politoed and instead put it in a headlock where it now began socking Politoed in the stomach with its large fists. Politoed choked as the wind was knocked out of it with every punch. It was unable to use its water attacks because it couldn't draw in enough air between the punches.

"Try to fight..it off…Politoed!" Misty gargled as she tried to talk through the water getting in her mouth from swimming.

Togetic soon arrived on the scene and began to pull at Poliwarth in an attempt to get it to let go of Politoed. Poliwrath briefly turned to Togetic and grabbed the happiness Pokemon by the throat and hurled it into the water.

"Togetic!" Serena screamed in worry.

That did it. Poliwrath would have to be stopped. It had lost all sense of reason and was only focused on revenge. Serena knew Poliwrath's mentality had always been unstable if its obsession with King's Rocks and trolling nature was any indication. However, she never expected it would be capable of something like this.

Poliwrath then picked Politoed up where it lifted the frog Pokemon above its head and began to pull down like it was trying to break its back. Seeing that Politoed was too thick for this, Poliwrath settled for throwing on the ground. It then climbed on Politoed and wrapped its hands around its throat in an effort to strangle it to death. That would teach it.

Both Misty and Serena's eyes widened in horror at that. They finally made it to the platform, and both girls ran over to Poliwrath and began to pull on it, as well. Serena even resorted to beating on Poliwrath's back to get its attention, but the tadpole Pokemon completely ignored them. Serena glanced back in worry and saw Slowking hadn't resurfaced yet with Poliwrath or Politoed's pokeball. If it didn't find it soon…

"Please stop! You don't need to do this!" Serena shouted, but she was ignored.

Poliwrath seemed to have thought it wasn't doing enough damage, and it then began to shake Politoed, as well. It began to slamming its head against the platform. Serena and Misty then actually jumped on Poliwrath's back, but they were thrown back into the pool.

Meanwhile, the crowd was in utter shock at what was taking place. This wasn't a mere Pokemon battle. There was such brutality in Poliwrath's attacks that they were at a loss for words. The sea priestess, Maya, was out of her throne and staring in horror at how such hatred could come from a water Pokemon. They were supposed to be harmonious. The lavender-haired girl then narrowed her eyes and made her way from her room.

"Ma'am! Where are you going?!" a guard shouted.

"Please do not concern yourself. I will be okay," she answered.

Tears were now running down Serena and Misty's faces as they continued to pull at Poliwrath to get it to stop. Surely it wouldn't go this far, would it? This was going far past any revenge they would've imagined. It was like Poliwrath was trying to kill Politoed. This was not normal behavior for any type of Pokemon. Poliwrath wasn't even paying attention to reason anymore. It had gone absolutely crazy.

"Poliwrath, please stop!" Serena cried until she heard a voice behind her.

"You and Misty stand back now!" Ash hollered.

Serena and Misty both turned and saw Ash, Brock, and Rudy were there. Pikachu was already in the air charging up its cheeks. The two girls knew what was coming and hastily dove out of the way. Pikachu then unleashed a massive Thunderbolt attack right onto Poliwrath. The crazy tadpole Pokemon began yelling in pain as it finally released Politoed. Unfortunately, Politoed was getting zapped, as a result, too, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Pikachu finally relented the attack before it fell from the air and landed on the platform where Poliwrath and Politoed were. It then sparked its cheeks and was prepared to zap Poliwrath again if it had to. Instead, Poliwrath gave a puff and turned an evil eye back at Politoed, but it soon found itself slapped across the face several times from Politoed's Double Slap attack.

Silence was throughout the stadium now that the assault had stopped. Poliwrath felt its cheek for a moment before tears came to its eyes. It looked around, and before anyone could do anything, it ran out of the stadium. Serena could only stare after it and not even find the will to chase it.

Misty then gasped as Politoed keeled over onto the platform. At that moment, Slowking finally had surfaced from the water and used its ESP to float over Poliwrath and Politoed's respective pokeballs.

Once they retrieved them, the two girls gave a sigh of relief as they and everyone else were finally able to look at the damage. It wasn't a pretty sight. Politoed almost looked ready to invite death to it. Politoed's face and throat were almost purple with the continuous punches and choking it received. The poor frog Pokemon was in the fetal position and shivering from the pain it was in before it fell unconscious.

Misty fell on her hands and knees and began to cry over her critically injured Pokemon. Serena had her own tears running down her face at the scene that had taken place. They knew Poliwrath was angry and wanted revenge, but they never imagined it would go this far. Who knows what could've happened if Pikachu hadn't stepped in.

Serena returned Slowking to its pokeball quietly. She then stared at the stadium around her where there was confused murmuring all over. She then looked over at the judge who had his mouth open, and both flags were held loosely in each hand. She looked at Ash, Brock, and Rudy who were watching the scene rather solemnly. She looked at Misty who was still crying over Politoed. She saw Togetic fly out of the pool, having recovered from the assault. It then went over to its mom to comfort her, but Serena didn't notice. Serena took a deep breath before she finally addressed the judge.

"I forfeit," she whispered.

Serena then turned and hurried out of the stadium. She didn't even spare Ash, Brock, or Rudy glances as she ran away. Ash watched with worry as Serena ran as he knew what she was going through. He had experienced a similar situation when he was in his first match in the Pokemon League. His Aerodactyl had gone crazy just like her Poliwrath had. He just hoped Serena and Poliwrath were going to be strong enough to handle something like this.

Everyone was then alerted as Maya arrived in the stadium below. She calmly walked over to Misty and Politoed. The redhead turned away from Politoed and looked up at Maya in curiosity. The young woman gave a kind smile to Misty and gently nudged her head to the side. Misty understood the request and scooted over to the side.

Maya then knelt down and held her staff over the beaten Politoed. She then closed her eyes as her staff began to glow. Everyone watched in wonder as a soothing blue light shined throughout the stadium. Misty then gasped as Politoed's injuries were becoming less noticeable. Its skin was turning back its normal color, and its awkward limb positions were less sprawled. The light was so calming. When it was done, Politoed was still unconscious, but it looked no worse than if it had fainted in a normal Pokemon battle. Maya then turned to Misty.

"Your Politoed will be fine now, but you still need to get it to a Pokemon Center," Maya told her.

"Yes. Of course. Thank you so much," Misty sobbed as she returned Politoed.

Maya then turned to the crowd to address everyone and pulled out a small microphone. "I apologize for what just took place. I want to assure you all that none of this was preordained or planned. We will take a short break from the Whirl Cup. All matches are done for today, but we will then proceed as scheduled starting tomorrow."

"Oh, man," Ash mumbled as more murmuring came from the audience at Maya's declaration.

"Who would've thought something like this would happen?" Brock uttered before he turned to Ash. "Are you going to try to find Serena?"

"I will in a little bit," Ash replied. "I know how she feels. She just needs to have some alone time with her Pokemon right now, especially Poliwrath."

* * *

Serena slowly walked away from the coliseum and had her head down. Her headache was killing her right now after all the stress that just happened, but she didn't care. She just hoped she didn't run into anybody at the moment. She had no idea that any of her Pokemon could be capable of such violence like that. Aerodactyl was one thing because of its nature, but a Poliwrath? She had to find it.

Serena began to traverse the island as quickly as she could to find the tadpole Pokemon. She had looked for almost a full twenty minutes before she suddenly found herself at edge of the island that ended at the dock.

She saw Poliwrath standing there, doing nothing. It was just watching the expanse of ocean in front of it. Serena sighed as she made her way over to it. In truth, Serena didn't know what to say to her Pokemon. She wanted to yell at it. She wanted to scold it. She wanted to be angry with it. All of those thoughts were running through Serena's mind until she heard…crying.

Serena got a confused look on her face as she made her way over, and indeed, the crying was coming from Poliwrath. She hadn't misheard, after all. What also shocked Serena was that these weren't the trolling, Feraligatr tears that Poliwrath usually goes. It was actually truly upset. Serena's anger melted away as she approached Poliwrath from behind. She didn't think she had ever heard it cry before.

Poliwrath didn't acknowledge Serena as she walked up next to it, and Serena wasn't sure if it was because it didn't notice her or it just didn't care. Regardless, the honey-haired girl knew it would do no good if she didn't say anything.

"How are you doing?" Serena asked it.

Poliwrath looked at Serena for the first time. If the tears were any indication, it was doing pretty lousy. Poliwrath felt the lowest of low right now and had experienced the ultimate humiliation. It lost out on its dream to become a Politoed twice now. To make matters worse, it couldn't even complete its revenge. It was shocked by Pikachu and then slapped by the very thing it hated. Poliwrath hated itself, and it hated everything around it.

"I guess it goes without saying then," Serena sighed as Poliwrath turned back away from her before she spoke again. "Poliwrath, I'm sorry."

Poliwrath turned to look at her in surprise. Why was she apologizing to it?

"I'm sorry I didn't take your dream seriously," Serena muttered. "It's just the fact you wanted to be a…troll…for life didn't seem right to me or anyone else. I thought it might just be a phase you were going through, and you get over it eventually. I was wrong."

"Wraaaath," Poliwrath mumbled. Oh yes. It wanted to be the ultimate troll, but that dream can no longer be a reality. It had been snatched away in the worst way possible.

"I'm sorry you didn't become what you wanted to be," Serena said again. "I won't pretend to know how you feel because I don't, but I also know you can't let that control your life."

"Wrath," it muttered again in response.

"You know, you really freaked me out back there," Serena began. "Not just me, but everyone else. I was scared of what you were going to do to Politoed if Pikachu hadn't gotten there in time."

Poliwrath looked away from Serena. There was no point it hiding it. Poliwrath knew what it was doing. It was trying to strangle Politoed in the heat of the moment. Poliwrath just couldn't control itself. Now, its desire for revenge had faded. All that was left now was…emptiness.

"You know, Poliwrath, happiness can still be found as a Poliwrath. I mean…nothing is stopping you from simply trolling as that. I mean…sure it may not be exactly the same, but…oh...I'm not very good at this," Serena ended with a sigh before turned to Poliwrath. "Just let it all out."

Poliwrath did just that. It let out a loud, agonizing yell, but Serena didn't bother to cover her ears. Poliwrath then began crying even more as it turned to Serena and for the first time, hugged her. Serena awkwardly wrapped her arms around Poliwrath as it was letting its emotions out.

"It'll be okay, Poliwrath," Serena whispered.

The honey-haired girl just wished she could find some way to help Poliwrath. She just had no idea what to do. Grief therapy was not a strong suit of hers, and no one else in the group, even Brock, had any experience for this. Serena felt utterly helpless in this situation and felt the only thing she could do was let Poliwrath cry that its dream was lost. How was she supposed to help it through this? It was her Pokemon! She had to do something!

"I'm sorry," Serena whispered again as she began to cry herself.

"Um, excuse me," a voice called out to her gently.

Both Serena and Poliwrath turned to find a person they've never seen before. It was an older teen girl who looked around eighteen or nineteen. She had long auburn hair that was tied into a ponytail. She wore a tank top with a long skirt. The girl had a warm smile on her face as she stared at Serena and Poliwrath in front of her.

"Oh, yes?" Serena asked as she quickly wiped away her tears.

"You were the girl who was just in the last round of the water Pokemon tournament, right? I heard your Poliwrath's scream," she stated.

"Yes, I was," Serena answered.

"It seems as if you and your Poliwrath are having a very difficult time. It looks absolutely devastated, and I bet it had something to so with the Politoed," the girl continued.

"How did you know? Is Politoed okay," Serena wondered.

"Relax, it's fine. Maya, the water priestess, healed most of its wounds," the girl responded.

"That's good," Serena breathed. At least Misty's Politoed was going to be okay. She didn't know what she or Poliwrath would've done if it wasn't. There was just so many uncertainties right now with what was going on her life. Serena just didn't know how to proceed.

"I've been training water Pokemon for a very long time so I know a thing or two about them," the girl smiled. "How is your Poliwrath?"

"It isn't doing good," Serena replied as she motioned to the tears going down its eyes. "A brief explanation was that it lost its dream of becoming a Politoed, and there's nothing it can do about it. I'm its trainer, but even I don't know how to help it."

"That's why I came to find you," the young woman replied. "I'd like to help."

"Huh? How?" Serena wondered.

"I have some experience in grief counseling, and Pokemon therapy is actually what I'm studying right now in school. If you let me, I might be able to help your Poliwrath move past this."

Serena briefly thought back to Goldenrod City where the Nurse Joy there had a degree in Pokemon psychology. It had actually helped a lot of their Pokemon with various things. Here was another young woman who was studying something similar that might be able to give Poliwrath the comfort it needs to get past all its anger and hurt. At this point, it was so unstable that Serena was truly worried for Poliwrath.

"Would you really?" Serena asked hopefully as she clasped her hands.

"I'd be happy to help," the girl nodded.

"Thank you so much…um…I'm sorry. I don't know your name," Serena said in embarrassment.

"Oh. I'm sorry!" the girl apologized. "My name is Trinity. It's very nice to meet you."

* * *

 **A lot happened this chapter, too! Totodile evolved and picked up break dancing. I'll have a new type of dance it does when it becomes Feraligatr eventually. I can actually imagine it and Wartortle becoming good buddies, wearing sunglasses, and rapping with each other. Hmm...that sounds like a good idea.**

 **Poliwrath is past the anger stage of denial and is now in depression. Serena's headache was intensified, but nothing happened...yet. Heh.**

 **Trinity was introduced, and not in the way you would expect.**

 **There's still more of the Whirl Cup to come! Thanks for all the reviews and support. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty-Two: Whirl of Emotions  
**


	42. Whirl of Emotions

**"Whew. I managed to get this chapter out just in time before I leave. I'll be on vacation in Europe and be away from my computer all week starting tomorrow.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Two: Whirl of Emotions

Serena tentatively walked back into the Scarlet City Pokemon Center. It had already been two hours since her battle with Misty, but it felt like it just happened. The thought of her Poliwrath nearly beating Politoed to death was still fresh in her mind. It just wouldn't leave her alone. Sure. Poliwrath's desire for revenge was gone, but the wound was already opened. She just really hoped nobody held it against her. Even so, how would her friends react to Poliwrath from now on? Would any of their Pokemon trust it? Would her Pokemon trust it? Serena didn't know.

Once Serena stepped in, she saw all of her friends apparently waiting for her. Surprisingly, they were the only ones in the lobby except for Nurse Joy at the moment. As soon as they saw her, they sprung up to go to her. Ash was the first to reach Serena. He placed a hand on Serena's shoulder and gave her a concerned look.

"Hey, Serena. We were all worried about you. Were you able to find Poliwrath?" he asked.

"Yes. I did," Serena answered quietly.

"What happened?" Ash pressed.

Serena didn't respond and instead turned to Misty. Though Trinity had reassured Serena that Politoed was fine, she still needed to hear it from Misty. Besides, the amount of guilt Serena felt wouldn't go away until Misty forgave her.

"Misty, I'm so sorry. I…can't believe what Poliwrath did. I…I never imagined it would go that far," Serena whispered.

"It's okay, Serena. It was partly my fault, too. I shouldn't have used Politoed at all that match," Misty replied as she looked down.

"It's not okay," Serena rebutted as she gave Misty a serious look and began taking short breaths. "My Poliwrath could've…could've…"

Misty responded by walking up to Serena and giving her a gentle hug. Serena accepted it, and wrapped her arms around Misty. Serena grit her teeth as she fought back tears. For all of her moodiness, Serena realized what a great friend she had in Misty. The redhead was being totally understanding and forgiving her. Though Misty didn't explicitly state it, she didn't need to. The hug said enough.

"Everything will be okay, Serena. My Politoed will be okay. Even if it wasn't, I still wouldn't have held it against you. You're my friend, and nothing can change that," Misty reassured Serena as she released her.

"Thank you, Misty. Thank you so much," Serena replied sincerely.

"The question is what we are going to do about Poliwrath now," Brock spoke up to get to the matter at hand.

"About that," Serena started. "I met someone today named Trinity. She has experience in Pokemon therapy and grief counseling. She offered to help Poliwrath."

"Your Poliwrath's depressed?" Ash questioned as he rose an eyebrow.

"It is," Serena nodded sullenly. "According to Trinity, she thinks it's going through the typical stages of denial. Now, it's just depressed and feels empty. Nothing I said was making it feel better."

"So this girl, Trinity, offered to help you, then?" Brock figured.

"Yes," Serena replied. "I think it will be really good for Poliwrath. I just hope it works. In the meantime, I think I'll try to keep Poliwrath away from our other Pokemon. At least until the end of the Whirl Cup."

"I think that's a good idea, too," Brock agreed as he crossed his arms. "Poliwrath probably isn't ready to face the others yet. They all know what it did."

"Piiiiika," Pikachu spoke up and gave Serena the peace sign.

"Hmmhmm. Thank you, Pikachu. I'm glad that you've forgiven Poliwrath already. I wouldn't expect anything less from you," Serena told it with a small smile.

"When are you supposed to meet with Trinity?" Ash wondered.

"She wants to meet tomorrow around noon," Serena replied.

"Oh. That's when my next match is," Ash said in slight disappointment before he perked up. "It's okay, though. I understand. This is more important anyway."

"I'll still be cheering you on from a distance," Serena told him before she remembered something and turned to Misty. "That reminds me. What about our battle?"

"Oh. Umm…they declared me the winner of it because you forfeited," Misty said and looked away slightly. "It feels like a hollow victory, though. That was the last way I wanted to win."

Serena breathed a sigh of relief. "It would've been hard to say which one of us would've won. Our Pokemon we're pretty evenly matched."

"Because we're such great trainers!" Misty said brightly with a wink in order to lighten the mood.

"Right!" Serena smiled.

Serena was glad things weren't as awkward as she thought between her and the others, especially Misty. They all willingly forgave her which took a load off of Serena's shoulders. Still, that didn't mean the problem was resolved. Poliwrath still needed to come to terms with what it did and how it feels. Not to mention, Serena's terrible headache still hadn't left her alone since the incident with Poliwrath.

* * *

Serena made her way to the beach where Trinity had wanted meet her at since it was near water. They both figured that they should meet in a place where Poliwrath would feel most comfortable.

As Serena drew closer, she began to wonder if Poliwrath would even accept Trinity's help. The tadpole Pokemon had been rather stoic with Serena's meeting. Now, it's had a little time to cool down and think if that's what it wanted. Serena knew it was a matter of what Poliwrath _needed_ more than _wanted_ , but if Poliwrath resisted in anyway, this would be extremely difficult. Poliwrath was independent by nature and wouldn't want help from anyone under normal circumstances. Then again, these weren't normal circumstance.

A few minutes later, Serena arrived at the beach, and she could already see Trinity along the shoreline. Her back was to her so Serena didn't know if Trinity knew she was here yet or not. Serena took off her boots and socks as she stepped onto the sandy beach and made her way towards Trinity.

In the distance, Serena could hear the roar of the crowd from the coliseum and knew Ash's match would be starting now. Serena wished she was there, but right now, this was much more important. Serena wished him luck in her mind and continued onto the beach.

"Hi, Trinity. I'm here," Serena announced once she got beside the older girl.

"Hello, Serena. I'm glad you could make it," Trinity replied as she looked down and smiled at Serena.

"Thank you again for helping me," Serena responded with a bow as she glanced back at the stadium.

"Is something wrong?" Trinity questioned once she noticed Serena's weary glances.

"Oh. It's just my boyfriend's match is right now," Serena replied as she turned back to Trinity.

"I'm sorry. If you'd like, we can reschedule. I imagine you would want to go watch him," Trinity apologized with a kind smile.

"No! It's okay. This is more important," Serena said as she turned to the stadium once again. "Ash understands. I'm…really lucky to have him."

"I'm glad. He sounds like a fine boy,'" Trinity commented.

"He is," Serena agreed with a nod before she changed topics. "Would you like me to go ahead and release Poliwrath?"

"If you please," Trinity requested.

Serena took a deep breath before she cautiously opened the pokeball. This was the first time it had been out since their meeting of Trinity. Serena wasn't knowing what to expect. Poliwrath materialized from the pokeball. It had an unreadable expression on its face as it just sat down on the sand, not doing anything.

"Hello, Poliwrath. Do you remember me?" Trinity asked as he knelt down next to it.

Poliwrath didn't give any sort of response. It didn't even make a noise to acknowledge that it heard her. The tadpole Pokemon just silently stared off into the ocean with a dull expression. It was as if all the emotions had been sucked out of it. Despite its crazy and strange quirks, it still hurt Serena to see one of her Pokemon like this.

"What do we need to do?" Serena asked almost desperately.

"Slow down, Serena," Trinity said gently as she looked up at the girl. "This won't happen in one day. The first thing I would like to know is why Poliwrath wanted to be a Politoed so badly."

"Oh. It wanted to be the ultimate…troll. It wanted to use moves like Swagger and Perish Song," Serena muttered.

Trinity rose her eyebrow in a confused manner, and Serena blushed in embarrassment. It was clear that Trinity wasn't expecting that answer.

"Don't ask. My Poliwrath has always been…different," Serena said truthfully.

Despite the fact that both Trinity and Serena were talking about it, Poliwrath still didn't move. It was stoic and didn't give any sort of indication that it heard them even though it did. Poliwrath just didn't care anymore. It didn't care for anything or even itself. It was just…empty.

"Regardless of the reason, I can understand its hurt. When a Pokemon has branching evolutions like the Poliwag line, most Pokemon and trainers are able to get what they want rather easily. I guess it wasn't the case for your Poliwrath," Trinity commented.

"You have no idea," Serena sighed. "Poliwrath came across at least two King's Rocks that it had in its lifetime, and it had an…unhealthy love for them. However, it lost them both to other Pokemon. It lost the first one to my Slowking, and the next one it lost was…Misty's Politoed. That was the one it was beating yesterday."

"I see," Trinity nodded. "That explains its hatred, but it was still very extreme."

"I know. It had scared me and everyone else," Serena admitted. "As I said, my Poliwrath has always been different."

Trinity didn't comment to that. Instead, she reached into a bag she was carrying and pulled out a medium-sized vial. Inside of it appeared to be the most sparkling, clear water Serena had ever seen. Serena stared at the vial for a moment before her eyes widened. Was that what she thought it was?

"Is that Mystic Water?" Serena questioned.

"It is," Trinity nodded as she opened it.

"Where did you get it? That's supposed to be really rare, and they're offering some to the winner of the tournament."

"I know. That's how I got mine when I won the Whirl Cup last year and the year before that," Trinity smiled.

"You won the Whirl Cup twice? That's amazing!" Serena commented.

"Thank you," Trinity replied. "I have a such a love for water Pokemon which is why I competed last year. I guess my knowledge helped, but I couldn't have done it without my Pokemon."

"I bet my friend, Misty, would love to meet you. She loves water Pokemon, too, and wants to be a master of water Pokemon," Serena told her.

"How wonderful," Trinity smiled. "If we have time, maybe I will."

With that, Trinity poured some of the Mystic Water on a rag and began to rub Poliwrath's back with it. Almost instantly, Poliwrath went from expressionless to very relaxed. Its eyelids drooped in contentment and a small sigh of comfort escaped it. There was no denying that this Mystic Water did feel very good.

"I think this will help Poliwrath relax a little bit," Trinity told Serena. "The good thing about Mystic Water is that it not only enhances water-type Pokemon moves, but it also has healing properties."

"That's amazing," Serena breathed.

"Yes, and you can even reuse it since it never loses its sparkle," Trinity smiled as she continued to rub Poliwrath.

"How do you feel, Poliwrath?" Serena asked it.

"Wraaaaath," it mumbled in satisfaction.

"See, Poliwrath? This shows that you can still enjoy yourself and feel good even after what happened. There's no shame in that," Trinity told it.

Poliwrath snorted slightly at that even though it agreed with Trinity. Poliwrath cared nothing about if it was shaming itself or not. If it did, it wouldn't enjoy being as bothersome as it was. It was pretty shameless to begin with. That wasn't the issue of why it felt so empty. It just lost its dream. Of course, Trinity knew that, too.

Serena rolled her eyes at Poliwrath's snort, but at least it was somewhat acting like its normal self again. The honey-haired girl had almost come miss Poliwrath's crazy expressions and rude remarks.

"Poliwrath, I know it felt like the world may have ended when you didn't become a Politoed, but morning still came, didn't it? You're still alive, and you're still enjoying this Mystic Water," Trinity told it gently.

"Wraaath," it muttered again with a nod.

As Serena watched Trinity work, she was rather impressed. All Serena could get yesterday was a bunch of angry remarks and tears of loss from Poliwrath. Trinity was able to talk to Poliwrath, and it hadn't shown one sign of aggression yet. Maybe slowly, but surely, Poliwrath would be able to move past this and accept what happened. Serena certainly hoped so. As weird and unlikable as Poliwrath was, it was still her Pokemon, and she still cared for it.

* * *

Serena had just finished her session with Trinity. She was on her way to the coliseum where she could still catch Misty's battle. Trinity was with her, but instead, the girl was on her way back to the Pokemon Center. Trinity wanted to meet back on the beach at the same time tomorrow which was fine with Serena. There wasn't much progress made with Poliwrath, but that was understandable as it was still the first day. At least Trinity had been able to have Poliwrath lose its emotionless state. It still clearly wasn't in the mood to be back to its normal self, though.

As Serena and Trinity walked along, they saw Ash, Misty, and Brock running up the road along with Rudy and Mahri. Ash had an excited look on his face which told Serena one thing. He must've won his match.

"Serena! Hey! We came to find you!" Ash hollered as he waved.

"Ash!" Serena called as she ran ahead of Trinity to meet her boyfriend.

The two soon reached each other and gave a hug in greeting. Once they pulled away, Ash was still grinning.

"Hey, Serena. Guess what? I won my second match!" Ash said with a thumbs up.

"Piiiika!" Pikachu added as sit held up a V shape with its fingers.

"Now I just need two more wins before I make it to the finals!" Ash stated.

"And I know you'll do just fine!" Serena replied as Togetic flew onto Serena's shoulder since it hadn't seen her in a while.

"So how did the session with Trinity go?" Brock questioned.

"It went well," Serena replied. "I think we're making progress, and Poliwrath does seem to be feeling a little bit better."

"Is that her?" Ash asked as he looked behind Serena to see Trinity had now caught up with them.

"Yes," Serena answered as she introduced Trinity to them. "That's Ash. That's Brock, and that's Misty, and that's…"

"Oh. Hi, Trinity," Rudy waved.

"Hello, Rudy. It's good to see you again," Trinity replied.

"Hi, Ms. Trinity!" Mahri said in excitement.

"Hello to you, too, Mahri," Trinity said.

"You know each other?" Misty questioned.

"Yeah. You see, Trinity lives on Trovita Island like me. We've run into each other more than once," Rudy explained.

"That's right. I am in school, but I take all my classes online from my home," Trinity explained to Serena.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Trinity," Brock said with a smile, once again keeping his girl-craziness in check.

"You all, as well," Trinity replied.

"There's something about Trinity that might interest you, Misty," Rudy began. "You know she's won the Whirl Cup twice before."

That immediately got Misty's attention. The redhead got sparkles in her eyes as she clasped her hands and stared up in amazement at Trinity like she was her idol. The group gave a nervous chuckle as they should've expected this reaction out of Misty.

"You've won the Whirl Cup before. That's so cool! You must love water Pokemon, too!" Misty exclaimed.

"I do, but I didn't compete this year and preferred just to watch. It's nice to meet you, Misty. Serena told me about you and how you want to become a water Pokemon master," Trinity mentioned.

"Oh, yes! It's been a dream of mine since I was a little girl!" Misty replied.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck in this tournament. Anyone that loves water Pokemon like you would be a friend of mine," Trinity said.

"You don't say? I feel the same way!" Misty agreed as she stepped up to Trinity. "Would you please watch my battle coming up in the Whirl Cup? It'd mean a lot if you did!"

The group was rather confused to hear the bold statement to come from Misty. As soon as Misty learned Trinity had won the Whirl Cup before, she jumped right out and asked her. The redhead wanted any opportunity given for someone she considered better than her to watch how she handles water Pokemon. To their surprise, Trinity nodded.

"Of course. I would happy to," she replied.

"Thank you so much! My battle is next! We were coming to find Serena and then head off there," Misty told her.

"Okay. I will follow you there," Trinity replied.

As the group began walking, they couldn't help but wonder something. Trinity was clearly a very nice person, but that didn't change the fact that she and Misty just met. Was Trinity just going to watch Misty's match out of politeness, or did she really see potential in Misty to become water Pokemon master she wanted to be and watch Misty herself? Even if she did, why still watch in the first place?

* * *

"Ladies and gentleman! The third match of the Whirl Cup today is ready to begin! Which of the talented trainers here will be the victor?!" the announcer called throughout the speaker as the crowd roared in excitement like usual.

Though everyone knew that Misty was one of the girls who was part of the fiasco yesterday, they didn't seem to mind. It wasn't all of her fault, and they all had enough time to recover from the incident and wanted to see what Misty could really do.

As Misty heard the crowd around her, she didn't want to disappoint them. She wanted everyone to truly see the beauty of her water Pokemon, especially now that she knew a former champion was watching. Misty would do everything she could to win this one and the whole cup so she could get recognition for her water Pokemon skills. If she did, she would be well on her way to becoming a water Pokemon master.

Still, Misty did feel a little bit guilty about moving on in the fashion she did. That only made her desire to win this match even more. She wanted the crowd and her friends to know she truly deserved to be in this competition and had the potential to win it. She was going to prove it in this match. The determination in Misty's eyes also reached her friends who were watching in the stands.

"Man. Misty sure does look fired up…even more than yesterday" Ash commented.

"Can you blame her? The further she gets in the tournament, the more excited she's going to be," Brock responded.

"Go, Misty!" Mahri cheered.

"Mahri, settle down or you'll fall if you keeping standing up in your seat," Rudy laughed.

The only ones not much for social talk were Serena and Trinity, but it was for different reasons. Serena's headache was bothering her again, and it was getting to the point of where the aspirin wasn't helping anymore. It had been especially bad ever since yesterday when Poliwrath went berserk. Serena just simply wasn't feeling well enough because of it.

Trinity was more interested in the match. Misty had intrigued the her with her love and dedication to water Pokemon. She couldn't wait to see for herself what Misty had in store to prove that devotion.

"This match will be two against two, as well! The winner will be determined when both trainers are unable to battle anymore! You may now choose your Pokemon!" the judge told them.

"I'm going to choose Corsola again for this one!" Misty smiled as she threw the pokeball.

"I take it Misty must like Corsola with how much she uses it," Ash commented.

"Well, it does have a lot unique moves that makes it pretty unpredictable. Misty likes the element of surprise with her water Pokemon and what they can do. Corsola fits that pretty well," Brock reasoned.

Misty's opponent, a middle-aged man wearing a hat, merely scoffed at the Corsola. "Big deal. I can handle that. Go Qwilfish!"

A blowfish-like Pokemon appeared from its pokeball before it landed in the water. It gave a cry and swam in a circle for a little bit to warm itself up. Like Corsola, Qwilfish had a wide movepool, as well. Misty would still need to have a good strategy to win.

"So Misty has chosen Corsola while Harris chooses Qwilfish. Let's see who will take top with these two tiny Pokemon!" the announcer exclaimed.

"Corsola versus Qwilfish! Begin!" the judge declared.

"Qwilfish, use Pin Missile!" Harris yelled.

Qwilfish took a deep breath and began sucking in a ton of water. As it sucked in more, it began expanding in size, and its quills tightened around its body. Apparently, the more water it sucked in the, the faster its needles would come out. It looked like it was going to explode because it was inflating so fast. Misty knew she had to get away unless her Corsola would be bombarded with the attack.

"Hide underwater, Corsola!" Misty told it.

Corsola hopped into the water and went under. As soon as it did, however, it began to get pulled by the force of Qwilfish sucking up the water. The balloon Pokemon was almost twice its normal size with the amount of water it put in. Misty couldn't help but give this man a little credit as she knew not too many Qwilfish could suck in as much water as this one. He must really have it trained. As Misty saw Corsola getting pulled to Qwilfish, an idea came to her.

"Use Spike Cannon, Corsola!" she called.

"Pin Missile!" Harris shouted.

As Corsola prepared to use Spike Cannon, what sounded like an explosion came from Qwilfish. The quills on its body shot out at an alarming rate and went straight through the water and into Misty's Corsola. They were moving so fast that the water didn't even slow it down, and Corsola didn't have time to use Spike Cannon.

"And Corsola's Spike Cannon gets denied by an even quicker Pin Missile!" the announcer commented.

"Good job, Qwilfish," Harris told his Pokemon as it deflated back to its normal size.

Corsola, meanwhile, jumped back out of the water and shook itself of the Pin Missile. What usually wouldn't be an effective attack against Corsola turned out to hurt quite a bit because of the power behind it.

"Feeling okay, Corsola?" Misty asked it.

"Corsola!" it cried in response.

"That's the spirit!" Misty smiled. "Let's try Rock Blast!"

"Not gonna happen, little lady!" Harris shouted. "Use Aqua Tail to knock away those rocks!"

Corsola began shooting the large rocks towards Qwilfish, but the balloon Pokemon began swishing its fin tail back and forth as it struck the rocks back at Corsola. The coral Pokemon's eyes widened when it saw that, and it hastily ducked back into water were the rocks made a resounding splash. Misty frowned as she realized a lot of her attacks weren't working against Qwilfish. This guy always appeared to be one step ahead of her.

"Come on, Misty! Don't let that guy beat you!" Mahri shouted from her seat.

"Come on, Misty!" Rudy shouted and broke his usually calm demeanor.

"This man, Harris, does seem to know what he's doing. He probably knows Corsola can use Mirror Coat so he's being careful to avoid using special attacks so Misty can't use it. She'll have to find a different strategy," Brock noted.

"Why doesn't Misty just use Recover?" Ash wondered.

"You should know the answer to that, Ash. Misty wants to be the best water Pokemon master and train all of her Pokemon to be especially strong. She wants to beat her opponents the old fashioned way and not use any recovery to help her out. I think her Pokemon must feel the same way, even Corsola," Brock replied.

Ash couldn't help but agree with Brock, but he was still worried about Misty. He turned back to the match and sighed. He really was hoping for Misty to keep winning and make it into the finals. Misty had a dream just like he did, and she deserved every right to make it happen.

Trinity, meanwhile, believed this would be a good challenge to Misty. What would she do in the face of an opponent who countered almost everything of what she tried?

"Use Take Down!" Harris hollered.

Qwilifish immediately started swimming and hit max speed in the water almost instantly. Corsola didn't even have time to blink before it saw Qwilfish descending on it for the lethal attack.

"Jump in the pool Corsola, and get right underneath it!" Misty hollered.

Corsola dived into the water, but it wasn't quick enough it seemed.. Qwilfish crashed on top of the coral Pokemon, and they both went underwater which caused a few waves in the giant pool. The platforms that Misty and Harris were on shook a little bit, but it wasn't enough to cause them to lose their balance. Misty watched in worry while Harris had a confident grin on his face.

The water soon began to bubble, and everyone knew the two Pokemon would be coming up soon. The water's surface was soon broken, and both Corsola and Qwilfish emerged, but it wasn't in the way one would expect. Qwiflish was completely stuck in Corsola's horns and rendered immobile. Corsola was thrashing around to try and get the balloon Pokemon loose.

Harris, as well as the audience, had dumbfounded looks on their faces, not really knowing how to comment on the situation. It was safe to say they hadn't seen anything bizarre or unlikely as that happen. Qwilfish must've hit Corsola in the perfect spot for this to happen. Misty was the only one who didn't seem surprised and had a smile on her face. Her crazy plan had succeeded.

"It...it looks like Qwilfish is stuck!" the announcer shouted, being the only one to say anything.

"That's different," Misty mumbled despite expecting it before she thought of something. "Wait a second! Corsola, use Spike Cannon to get Qwilfish off of you!"

"Oh no!" Harris cried. "Try to get out, Qwilfish! Do something!"

Qwilfish couldn't do anything, though. Meanwhile, Corsola smiled, and its horns began glow as it charged up Spike Cannon. It then let loose on the attack, but nothing seemed to have happened. That was until everyone saw Qwilfish inflate briefly before practically exploding off of Corsola's head. It spiraled through the air, completely worn out.

"Use Hydro Pump!" Harris cried in desperation.

"Mirror Coat!" Misty hollered.

Qwiflish fired a massive burst of water from its mouth, but Corsola easily cloaked itself in light, and the attack was sent back at Qwilfish at double the force. The attack connected, and Qwilfish was sent flying backwards until it hit the wall of the coliseum. It then fell into the water and went limp, knocked out.

"Man…Qwilfish," Harris muttered as the judge raised the flags.

"Qwilfish is unable to battle! Corsola wins!" the judge announced.

"What a stunning turn of events, folks! Harris seemed to be completely in control of this match, but it just as quickly turned around in Misty's favor, and she scored a win! What a battle that was. Let's see what Harris has planned next!" the announcer commented.

"Other people seem to be shocked, but I think Misty knew what she was doing the whole time," Brock commented as he turned to Ash. "That stunt with Corsola sounds like something you would do. Misty takes tips from your crazy ideas, after all."

"What do you mean by that?" Ash questioned as the others chuckled.

"Bah. It's okay," Harris said as he returned Qwilfish and took out another pokeball. "Try this on for size!"

He threw his pokeball, and a Gyarados appeared from it. The atrocious Pokemon gave a mighty roar and loomed over Corsola. The coral Pokemon shrank back at the Pokemon towering above it but held firm.

"And it seems Harris has chosen Gyarados. Let's see how this David and Goliath match will go!" the announcer commented.

"That Gyarados should pick on someone its own size," Misty said as she returned Corsola and pulled out another pokeball. "Misty calls…Gyarados, too!"

Misty's serpentine Pokemon came crashing into the water a second later and gave an equally powerful roar. It glared at Harris' Gyarados who glared back. One would think the two large Pokemon wouldn't have much room, but the coliseum was so large, they had plenty of room to maneuver around.

"Misty has made a substitution, and it is now Gyarados versus Gyarados. Who will prove to be the more powerful one?!" the announcer exclaimed.

"Misty hasn't battled with Gyarados in a while. Do you think it's rusty?" Ash questioned.

"I doubt it," Brock replied. "Just like with your Pokemon, Gyarados trains at the Cerulean Gym when it isn't with Misty, and from what Misty tells me, her sisters like to use it in their gym matches."

"Show 'em whose Gyarados is better, Misty!" Mahri cheered.

Trinity watched in interest in the meantime. Here, she would get to see how Misty handled a difficult Pokemon like Gyarados. She then turned to Ash and Brock to ask a question to them.

"Excuse me. Has Misty had her Gyarados a long time?" she asked.

"Yeah. She's had it for a while. It actually evolved and saved us," Ash replied.

"What do you mean?" Rudy asked this time.

"We were caught in a big storm and were about to drown. We and all of our Pokemon were separated in the ocean, but Misty's Magikarp evolved and saved Misty before it brought the rest of us out of water. Misty then rode on top of it while bringing us to shore," Ash smiled as he remembered that day.

"Interesting. So Misty was able to tame Gyarados as soon as it evolved," Trinity figured.

"You got it!" Ash replied.

Trinity turned back to the match. Yes. This would definitely be a good one. Maybe Misty was who she said she was, after all. Trinity decided she should start to watch more of Misty's matches from here on out. The girl had intrigued her.

"Gyarados versus Gyarados! Begin!" the judge yelled.

"Hydro Pump!" Harris hollered to start things off aggressively.

"Dodge it, Gyarados!" Misty told it.

Misty's Gyarados quickly dove underneath water as the massive burst of water from Harris' Gyarados sailed over it. Misty's Gyarados was now swimming in a massive pool with its opponent outside of it trying to find it. After a few seconds, Misty's Pokemon burst out of the water, and Harris called his next attack.

"Use Ice Fang!" he yelled.

"Use Crunch!" Misty countered.

Harris's Gyarados bit down with frosty fangs as Misty's Gyarados grimaced in pain at the attack. A small bit of ice formed where Harris' Gyarados bit it, but it quickly crunched the ice that formed before biting down on its opponent much harder. Harris' Gyarados cried in pain from the attack and retreated underwater.

Misty smiled to herself as it did that. It was the reason why she had her Gyarados use Crunch instead of Ice Fang like Harris did. If there was any chance of freeze, Gyarados would be able to break the ice with its sharp fangs, and Crunch was a more powerful attack than Ice Fang.

"Find Harris' Gyarados with your Aqua Tail!" Misty shouted.

Misty's Gyarados lifted up its giant tail and slammed it down in the water. A large wave was formed which rocked the platforms the two trainers were on, but it wasn't enough to make them lose their balance. The choppy waters made Harris' Gyarados come up from the water, but Misty was waiting for it.

"Now use Twister!" Misty told it.

A waterspout came up from the choppy waters and surrounded Harris' Gyarados. The serpentine Pokemon was too large to be controlled by the Twister, but it did make it hard to see Misty's Gyarados which was what Misty wanted.

"Use Ice Fang o the Twister!" Misty told it.

Misty' Gyarados lunged forwards and began blowing frost on the Twister from the coldness of its mouth. Harris' Gyarados watched in aggravation as it felt powerless that its movement was restricted by this Twister. It was just being made worse now that it was turning to ice. Before long, it looked like a snow cyclone was swirling around Harris' Gyarados.

"And Misty seems to have turned her Twister into a snowy blizzard that Harris' Gyarados can't escape. Smart thinking on her part," the announcer complimented.

"Hyper Beam!" Harris hollered.

Misty's eyes widened as she saw the powerful attack explode through the icy Twister which completely shattered it. The beam continued to travel until it hit Misty's Gyarados dead on. The atrocious Pokemon was blown backwards by the sudden blast until it slammed into one of the pillars. Misty's Gyarados shuttered for a few moments and struggled to stay conscious.

"Gyarados!" Misty called in worry.

Meanwhile, Harris' Gyarados was panting as it had to recharge after using the powerful attack. Both Pokemon were incapable of attacking for different reasons. It looked like a race to see who could recover the fastest.

"Come on, Gyarados! One more attack should finish it off!" Harris encouraged.

"You can still battle, Gyarados! I know you can do it!" Misty said to her own Gyarados.

Misty's Gyarados gave a soft roar as it tried to recover from the Hyper Beam. Harris' Gyarados gave a quick shake before it looked ready to battle again. Harris smirked when he saw that.

"Great! This battle will go to me! Use Hyper Beam again to knock it out!" he ordered.

"Oh no! Watch out, Gyarados!" Misty called in worry.

Harris' Gyarados took a deep breath as it began charging the attack again. Misty knew that if this one connected, her Gyarados surely wouldn't be able to take it. The only thing she could do was believe in her Gyarados' will to move.

Harris' Gyarados then let loose attack, and it sped straight towards Misty's Gyarados on the other side of the pool. The beam ripped through the waters of the coliseum, and Misty's Pokemon only had seconds before it would make contact.

Finally, Misty's Gyarados forced itself into response, and it dove underwater right before the Hyper Beam made contact with it. The serpentine Pokemon then began moving towards Harris' Gyarados as quickly was it could. It quickly covered the distance, and Harris got a look of worry on his face.

"Use Aqua Tail!" he told his Gyarados.

The Gyarados, however, needed to recharge again from the Hyper Beam. It was left completely immobile and unable to do any type of attack. Misty used that to her advantage, and her Gyarados burst right out of the water in front of its opponent. Misty then outstretched her hand and pointed her finger for emphasis.

"Show them your own Hyper Beam, Gyarados!" she told it.

Misty's Gyarados took a deep breath and let loose the powerful beam. The attack struck Harris' Gyarados at point blank range. Everyone was surprised when the large Pokemon was actually knocked out of the water from the power. It didn't stop moving until it hit the wall of the coliseum. Harris' Gyarados then slowly slid into the water where it was knocked out.

"Oh no! Gyarados!" Harris hollered.

"Harris' Gyarados is unable to battle! The winner of the match is Misty who will move on to the next round of the Whirl Cup!" the judge declared.

"We did it! We did it! You were awesome, Gyarados!" Misty called to it.

Her Gyarados turned around and gave a tired growl in response. It then swam over to Misty and lowered its head to signal the redhead to get on. Misty smiled and obliged and got Gyarados' head. The atrocious Pokemon lifted its head as Misty waved to the crowd who roared in applause. It was clear Misty was beginning to become a crowd favorite for the tournament.

"That's some training Misty has with a Gyarados considering how hard they are to master," Trinity said in approval.

"Misty looks so cool right now!" Mahri exclaimed.

"Like a water Pokemon master!" Rudy agreed.

"Wasn't Misty great, Serena?" Ash asked as he turned to where the honey-haired girl was, only to find she was gone. "Serena?"

"What's wrong, Ash?" Brock asked him until he saw Serena's empty chair.

"Did any of you guys notice Serena leave?" Ash asked Rudy, Mahri, and Trinity.

"We didn't notice. We thought she was still here," Rudy answered.

Ash frowned and looked at Pikachu and Togetic. The two Pokemon shook their heads, too. Ash then tried to look through the crowd do see if he could find Serena anywhere, but she wasn't. Why would she just run off like that without telling anyone? What was going on? It would explain her unusual silence during Misty's match, but still.

"I'm going to find her. I'll see you all back at the Pokemon Center," Ash said to the others before he turned to Pikachu and Togetic. "Let's go."

* * *

Serena walked along the road away from the stadium. She had sneaked away as soon as she saw that Harris' Gyarados had been knocked out. The honey-haired girl didn't like leaving like this. She just didn't feel good at all. The roar of the crowd was making her headache worse, and she was starting to feel tired again. It was then Serena realized that she had forgotten to take Cheryl's herb tea today in all of her stress from today and yesterday.

 _"I'm probably going to get an earful from everyone for leaving without telling them,"_ Serena thought to herself.

Serena soon found herself on the empty beach of Scarlet City again. The usual crowd that would be on the beach was either at the Whirl Cup or doing something else which was fine as Serena wanted to be alone so she could think. The girl was trying to remember something…anything…that would relax her and make her feel like she didn't have some freakish form of amnesia. Well, that much was obvious so in that case she tried to remember something to help comfort her that it wasn't as bad as she thought. Serena focused on her mind.

Serena tried to remember the furthest thing she could think of for starters. That was easy. It was when she moved into Pallet Town with her mother. She seemed shy and withdrawn for the most part. She didn't seem excited about the move and did wonder why they couldn't stay in Vaniville Town.

XXX

" _What's wrong, Sweetie?" Grace asked a seven year old Serena as she carried a box into their new house with Serena following close behind._

" _Mommy, why did we move?" Serena wondered with a sullen expression on her face._

" _I thought it would be nice for the two of us to get away to a quieter place than Vaniville Town," Grace answered without missing a beat._

" _Why move so far away, though?" Serena questioned._

 _Grace stopped and set the box down on the floor. She then turned around and knelt in front of Serena and noticed the girl's sad look. Grace reached and cupped her daughter's cheek and gave the girl a sympathetic look._

" _Do you not like Pallet Town, Serena?" Grace asked, seeming to avoid the question._

" _Well, I guess it's okay, but I don't know anyone here," Serena muttered, falling for it._

" _You're going to make new friends here! I'm sure you'll soon have so many that you won't know what to do with them!" Grace smiled before she continued. "I've enrolled you into the summer camp here to help you meet other kids."_

" _I guess," Serena mumbled._

 _Grace responded by giving her daughter a hug. "It's okay, Sweetie. Everything will be just fine. You'll love it out here in Pallet Town. I know you will."_

 _With that, Grace stood up and walked into the kitchen to unload silverware and cooking utensils. Serena watched the woman go before her eyes drifted over to the box that Grace had been carrying. Serena walked over to it and put on a curious expression when she saw it was the only box that her mother and her hadn't labeled. That was weird._

 _Serena was about to ask her mom what the box was for, but she stopped. She was a big girl. She could figure out herself. Her mommy was busy with other things so Serena wasn't going to trouble her with that. Serena would open the box herself and peek inside, and then she could properly label it._

 _Serena got a pair of scissors that was nearby from cutting tape and used it to snap the tape off the box. Once it was cut, Serena went to look inside. She had just looked in when Grace's voice made her stop._

" _Wait, Serena!" Grace called as she hurried from the kitchen over to where Serena was. She knew she was careless to leave that box unattended._

 _Serena, however, didn't see the harm in it. All that was in there were pictures. She lifted the photos out of the box and inspected them. A lot them were pictures of her. However, she was with someone she didn't know. Serena tilted her head. She showed one of the pictures to her mom._

" _Mommy, why am I with a stranger? Who is he?" Serena asked._

 _Grace's eyes watered at those words, but she couldn't find the suitable answer to it. "That's…"_

 _Serena then gasped as she fell on her hands and knees. She dropped the photo on the ground and began panting. She all of the sudden had a massive headache as soon as she had tried to remember anything about the person on the photo. Grace shrieked as she hurriedly got down on the floor and cradled her distressed daughter in her arms._

" _Just forget about it, Serena! Don't think about it! It'll be okay!" Grace tried to comfort._

 _Serena finally stopped panting and looked up in confusion at her mother. Grace was looking at Serena in concern. For a while, none of them spoke. Grace breathed a sigh of relief once she saw her daughter was more or less back to normal._

" _What was that?" Serena questioned._

" _Just…don't worry about it. It's best of you not think about it," Grace said as she released Serena and picked up the photo before placing back in the box._

" _Mommy?" Serena asked._

" _Serena, I had this box not labeled for a reason. It was my fault for leaving it out, but I want you to promise me you won't look in here again," Grace sighed._

" _Why not? There are pictures of me in there," Serena wondered._

" _Yes. We'll keep those ones," Grace nodded._

" _What about that man?" Serena pressed._

 _Grace was silent for a moment. Without giving her daughter an answer, she then picked up the box and took it upstairs away from Serena. The young girl watched her go for a short bit with confusion etched on her face. Why wasn't she allowed to look in that box? What was in there besides old photographs of her and a stranger? The thought made Serena uneasy, but she chose to ignore it for now. Her mommy told her not to worry about it so she wouldn't._

 _XXX_

 _"The world is dying."_

XXX

Serena sank to her knees with a horrified look on her face. She couldn't remember anything before that or what that man with her looked like. Every time she tried, her head would start to spin as if something is forcing it down.

Serena knew then and there that someone or something was messing with her memories. This went beyond just simple amnesia. She was being forced to forget, but why, and how? Why was it suddenly bothering her so much now when it hadn't in the past except for that one time? Why was it she was only now knowing that she had forgotten so many things in her past? Did her mother know something she didn't? What dis that man in the photo have to do with it all?

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Serena screamed in frustration.

A second later, Serena heard running, and she turned around just in time to see Ash crash into her.

The raven-haired boy immediately placed his hands on Serena's shoulders with an alarmed look on his face. Pikachu and Togetic soon joined him, and they looked equally afraid.

"Serena! What's wrong?! Why were you screaming?!" Ash asked in panic.

"Ash?" Serena mumbled out.

"What's wrong?!" Ash repeated.

Togetic flew around its surrogate mother to try to find out what sort of emotion she was feeling. All it discovered was pain and sadness, and Togetic's eyes shined with worry and concern. Serena gave an apologetic look to Togetic before she looked back down, unable to meet Ash's gaze.

"You know, you scared us," Ash stated. "Why did you leave without telling anyone, and why were you screaming?"

"I'll be fine, Ash," Serena lied.

"No. You're not," Ash said firmly. "Stop dodging the question, Serena. I want to know what's going on with you, and I want to know now. Can't you see how worried I am about you? Is it that hard for you to trust me?!"

Serena sighed. She hated herself for feeling this way. Now, she really blew it, and Ash, and likely everyone else would be even more concerned than they already were. It looked like the secret was out. Yes. There was a lot more going on with her than just tiredness and a headache.

"I'm sorry, Ash. I just didn't want you to worry," Serena said as tears came to her eyes.

"What's happening to you?" Ash asked.

"I-I don't know. It's like I don't even know myself anymore," Serena choked.

"What are you talking about?" Ash pressed.

"Ash, I have no memory of what my life was like before Pallet Town," Serena admitted through tears. "I can't remember my house or my friends, and there's this weird man whom I know nothing about that makes my headaches worse every time I try to remember him. It's like my memories are being forced away, and I don't know why!"

"What?" Ash asked in confusion before his face grew serious. "How long have you been like this?"

"Since the Whirl Cup started," Serena mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Ash exclaimed.

"I-I don't know, Ash! This isn't normal!" Serena cried.

"You're right! It isn't!" Ash agreed. "Serena, now we need to know more than ever what's going on with you. I hate seeing you like this, and I don't even know what's the cause of it!"

The two stood there for a moment just staring at each other. Pikachu and Togetic looked back and forth as if wondering who was going to speak first. As Serena stared into Ash's eyes, she saw how concerned he was for her. It was like he was searching for something he could do but unable to. Serena, for her part, had enough. She was tired of her headaches. She was tired of forgetting her memories. She just wanted to be normal again.

The honey-haired girl buried her face into Ash's chest and began bawling. Ash wrapped his arms around Serena in an embrace as the girl cried her eyes out. Serena had finally broken down and wanted help and answers.

"I-I don't know how to handle this, Ash! Why is this happening to me?!" Serena cried.

Ash grit his teeth as he felt tears come to his own eyes at Serena's pain-filled words. He continued to embrace her as he looked up towards the sky for some type of help. Getting back to Olivine City and meeting with Yellow couldn't come soon enough.

"It'll be okay, Serena. Once we see Yellow, she'll take care of whatever this is, and hopefully we'll know what's going on," Ash tried to soothe.

"You…you don't know…that for sure!" Serena rebutted. "Besides, we're…still a week away from seeing Yellow! What am I supposed do until then!?"

"Nothing. I don't want you to do anything," Ash said.

Serena took her face away from Ash's face and stared up at him in confusion. Her tear-stained eyes looked up into Ash's resolute ones. Despite this, she seemed a little confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I don't want you stressing out about this anymore," Ash elaborated. "I'm going to take care of you until we see Yellow. I want you to just stay in the Pokemon Center the rest of the time we're here and just relax. Don't think about any of this."

"I can't do that," Serena argued. "I'll miss you and Misty's matches."

"That doesn't matter," Ash immediately countered. "What matters is keeping you safe and free from this. Serena, you look like a nervous wreck, and I can't see you like this anymore!"

"What about Poliwrath and…," Serena began, but Ash cut her off.

"I'll take care of it," Ash said. "I'll bring Poliwrath to its sessions with Trinity. I don't want you to expose yourself to anything that might cause you stress. Yellow warned me about this when I spoke with her on the phone, and I now see why. Honestly, I don't know what's going to happen if you keep up like this, and neither do you! Don't try to force something on yourself if nothing is coming of it! Wait until we know what's going on!"

Serena realized Ash was right. Her headaches were getting worse every day, and they only intensified when she tried to remember certain things. Now, she had reached her breaking point and couldn't take it anymore. She didn't know what would happen if she tried to force herself to remember something was that apparently locked away on purpose. ESP had proved to be dangerous when used incorrectly. Whether this qualified as something related to her ESP or not was anybody's guess.

"Okay. I'll do it," Serena whispered. "I'll stay at the Pokemon Center."

"Thank you," Ash replied. "We'll know what's going on with you soon. I promise. I promise we'll get you back to normal. You'll see."

The way Ash was talking made Serena believe him. He sounded so sure and confident with his words that she couldn't not believe him. The honey-hired girl rested her head on Ash and just let him continued to embrace her.

Even so, that didn't make any of this easier for the present. Everyone involved in this knew it was going to be a very long week. Both Ash and Serena hoped they wouldn't be too late for whatever could happen when the time came.

* * *

 **And the mystery thickens. What's going to happen now? Why's Trinity got an interest in Misty's skills? How's Poliwrath going to continue to cope with its sessions? Still more Whirl Cup to come! Then Olivine City Part Two!**

 **I know a lot of this stuff with Serena seems like a mess, but it will make more sense once you realize what's going on.  
**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support, and until then, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty-Three: The Chance of a Lifetime**


	43. The Chance of a Lifetime

**A/N: This chapter took a while. It's also quite long because there was a lot of stuff I had to put into this chapter. I hope you all enjoy the conclusion to the Whirl Cup!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Three: The Chance of a Lifetime

Serena was sitting down on the couch of the Pokemon Center. Ash's match was on the television set right now in the lobby, and naturally, she was tuned in. She was the only one in the Pokemon Center save for Nurse Joy and her Chansey. Everyone else was the match, and Serena wished she was there, too, so she could cheer Ash on. However, for her own good, Serena knew she had to stay put.

It had been three days since she broke down in front of Ash about her fears of what was happening to her. Since then, she hadn't tried to remember anything about her past lest she collapsed again. Like Ash had told her, she was going to wait until she met with Yellow, and hopefully, some answers would be provided then.

Honestly, though, Serena was bored. Being cooped up in the Pokemon Center was no fun at all. One would think Serena was sick or a recluse with how little she had been outside. She would take short walks with her friends, but she wouldn't go anywhere other than that. Ash and the others had tried to be there with Serena to keep her company as much as they could, but at times like now when Ash or Misty had a match, there was nothing that could be done.

That wasn't all. Serena also hadn't been there for Poliwrath's therapy yesterday or today. True to his word, Ash had visited Trinity at the designated spots and would stay there until they were over. Serena didn't know if Poliwrath preferred her there or if it just didn't care. Regardless, Serena still felt bad for not being there for Poliwrath when it needed her. According to Ash, things went average with Poliwrath yesterday and the day before, but she hadn't heard the report yet for today because Ash had his match immediately afterward.

Speaking of Ash's match, Serena smiled broadly when she saw what happened next on the television.

"Wartortle, use Hydro Pump!" Ash yelled and thrust his fist outward with Pikachu mimicking him.

Ash's Wartortle shot out of the water while hiding in its shell. The shell began to spin at a very rapid pace until high pressured blasts of water began shooting from the openings. It spun towards a tired-looking Tentacruel and crashed its shell in the soft part of Tentacruel's head. The forces of the water then pushed the jellyfish Pokemon backwards until it hit a nearby pillar and slumped down, defeated.

"Tentacruel is unable to battle! Wartortle is the winner!" the judge announced.

"Alright!" Ash cheered as he leaped in the air.

Ash and Pikachu then grabbed each other's hands and did a small victory dance with each other at the latest win while the boy he had been facing looked rather disappointed. They were soon joined by Wartortle who hopped up on the platform where Ash and Pikachu were before giving each of them a high five. The turtle Pokemon then took its sunglasses from its shell and put them on before striking a pose which the crowd cheered at more.

"Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town has defeated Johnny! He has now won five matches in the Whirl Cup and will move on to the finals with Misty Waterflower!" the announcer exclaimed.

Serena jumped to her feet and clapped her hands at the news. That was the last match Ash had needed to win to compete in the finals. Misty had already won her last match earlier in the day, and she was of course, overjoyed.

XXX

" _Hooray!" Misty shouted once she defeated her latest opponent._

 _Starmie then spun away from the defeated Octillery and soon reached Misty. The redhead reached out to grab the mysterious Pokemon and gave it a big hug as the crowd roared around her. Even though she hadn't won the Whirl Cup yet, Misty couldn't stop laughing joyfully that she had made it the finals._

" _And Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City will take the spotlight as our first competitor for the finals of the Whirl Cup! We've seen great things from her so far so we can only expect more in the final match!" the announcer said enthusiastically._

 _Soon, Misty had released all of her Pokemon she had on hand with her before she gave them all a big hug for a job well done. They consisted of Corsola, Starmie, Pysduck, Gyarados, Politoed, and Remoraid. Gyarados, of course, just lowered its head so Misty could rub its cheek. Misty would make sure to get her Pokemon that were currently at the Cerulean Gym so she could hug them, too._

 _After Misty was finished, she then waved at the crowd as they applauded back._

XXX

Serena turned off the television to get a moment's peace since she knew the crowd would be stampeding into the Pokemon Center anytime now. Ash wouldn't be far behind them, and he would be sure to tell her the news even though he knew Serena had watched.

That was fine because Serena knew that Ash and Misty had worked hard to get where they were in the Whirl Cup. Serena briefly wondered how far she would've gotten if she hadn't forfeited and if Poliwrath hadn't gone berserk. She had made it pretty far during the water Pokemon competition in the Orange Islands a while back, but the trainers here were apparently a little tougher since the Whirl Cup was a bigger deal.

Serena shook her head of the thoughts. Ultimately, it didn't matter how far she thought she would've gotten because she didn't. She forfeited and that was that. Also, it would only worry her if she kept thinking back to that terrible match and why she had forfeited. It was something she was very much trying to avoid, and worrying over it would defeat the purpose of why she was staying at the Pokemon Center almost all the time in the first place. Besides, if Serena couldn't be in the finals, she was just glad it was Ash and Misty who were.

A low rumbling noise was soon heard though out the Pokemon Center. Serena then sighed as the crowd was coming a lot faster than she had hoped. Serena then stood up and retreated to her rented room in the Pokemon Center. She usually didn't mind large groups of people but with them coming in all at once, it would be hard for her to hear anything the group would try to tell her. Serena knew the others would know to find her in her room if she wasn't in the lobby.

Serena shut her door just as she heard the crowd explode through the doors of the Pokemon Center. It was quickly accompanied by chatter, cheers, and overall chaos that happened at every center right after a good match. Serena lied down on her bed and listened to the outside noise as it got louder and louder. She then let Fennekin out of its pokeball and gave it a scratch behind the ears which it enjoyed. Thankfully, Professor Oak told Serena it hadn't given him any trouble when she got it back from him.

"Fennekin kin?" Fennekin asked Serena as she scratched it.

"Oh? You want to know if we're doing the next showcase?" Serena guessed, which prompted a nod from Fennekin. "Of course we are, and you're doing it with me."

Honestly, Serena had briefly forgotten about the showcase coming up in Olivine City after all that had happened so far. It was less than a week away now, and Serena did want to do it, but she just hadn't been able to practice like she wanted. After barely missing the previous showcase in Olivine City, Serena knew the group couldn't wait around for _another one_ in the city or else they would start to get behind in their travels.

Serena would hate to do a showcase in the state she was in, but she was sure Yellow would've helped her by then. They would be leaving the Whirl Islands in a couple of days after the Whirl Cup ended so she had plenty of time. She would probably even be able to get a little practice in with her Pokemon. Serena then smiled because as well as she did the last showcase, this one should go great, too. Everything would be fine so she shouldn't worry about it.

An excited knock on her door prompted Serena out of her thoughts. The honey-haired girl smiled and got up from her bed as she was sure Ash was at the door. She looked through the small peephole and could sure enough see the raven-haired boy smiling from ear-to-ear with Pikachu and Togetic on either one of his shoulders.

Serena opened the door and was immediately met with Togetic flying into her stomach to give her a hug. Serena laughed and gave the happiness Pokemon a hug back, as well. She then looked up and saw Ash still had a huge grin on his face. Even though she knew what he was going to tell her, Serena still let him say it. He would probably explode if he didn't get to say it himself.

"I won the match, Serena! I'm in the Whirl Cup finals, now!" Ash exclaimed.

"Piiiiika!" Pikachu smiled.

"I know! That's great! I saw the whole thing on TV!" Serena answered.

"And we're going to win the Whirl Cup, too!" Ash grinned.

"You have to beat me first, Ash Ketchum. Besides, I think that trophy would look better with my name on it," Misty said slyly as she came up from behind Ash along with Brock, Rudy, and Mahri.

"Hah! I know. You'll be my toughest opponent yet," Ash agreed as she turned away from Serena to face Misty.

"Well, I can root for you both," Serena told them.

"It's okay if you just root for Ash and want him to win, Serena. There won't be any hard feelings," Misty reassured her.

"Yeah! Because Rudy and I will be rooting for Misty!" Mahri smiled.

"I guess I'll be the middle man and root for both of you then," Brock shrugged.

"Either way, I know we'll have a great battle tomorrow. Right, Misty?" Ash asked as he held out his hand.

"Definitely, Ash! Let's make it the best match between water Pokemon ever!" Misty agreed as she took his hand, and they shook on it.

Everyone thought it was great that Ash and Misty could have a friendly rivalry going. Though they both wanted to win, in the end, they could be happy that the other one did. Ash and Misty were first and foremost friends before opponents in this cup. They had both wanted to be in the finals and got their wish, after all.

"I say we get ourselves some food so you two can charge up for tomorrow," Brock suggested.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up," Ash told them.

The rest of the group nodded their heads in understanding. They figured Ash and Serena wanted some alone time right now. He was tending to Serena all the time, now. The honey-haired girl did appreciate it but thought he was being a little too protective. Regardless, she still enjoyed time when it was just the two of them…along with Pikachu and Togetic, of course.

When the rest of the group left, Ash stepped into the room, and Serena closed the door behind him. The two then walked over to the bed and sat down with Pikachu and Togetic joining them. Ash placed his hand on one of Serena's and gave her a concerned look. Serena couldn't help but think how cute Ash looked like that.

"Are you feeling okay, Serena? Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.

"I'm doing fine. Thank you, Ash," Serena said sincerely. "My head is hurting, but I'm not tired. I remembered to take Cheryl's tea today."

"Well, I'll make sure we have you back to normal before long. Just you wait. Everything will be fine," Ash reassured her, knowing there was nothing he could do about the headache for now.

"I know it will. I trust you," Serena replied.

The two sat in silence for a moment and just enjoyed each other's company. Serena grabbed Ash's hand that he had placed on top of hers, and Ash smiled at her.

"I really am lucky to have you, Ash. You're the best boyfriend I could ever ask for. You've been taking such care of me," Serena told him.

"Well…," Ash stuttered as he blushed and tried to think of the correct words to say.

His thoughts were cut off when he felt a pair of soft lips touch his cheek. Serena had closed her eyes and given Ash a sweet, delicate kiss. Ash turned slightly red and then he felt Serena rest her head against his shoulder. Ash then used his arm to wrap around her back to keep her close.

"You can count on me, Serena. I'm not going to let anything happen," Ash told her after finally finding words to say.

He truly believed that, too. There was no way that whatever was wrong with Serena would get the best of her. If Yellow wasn't able to help for some reason, well, Ash would find someone who could. If he couldn't find someone to help, he'd do it himself. He had no idea how, but he wasn't going to let Serena suffer any longer for this. Ash was determined to make her better.

* * *

It was the following day on the Whirl Islands, but there were no matches scheduled today. The final two competitors in Ash and Misty had been decided, and everyone was given a free day so they could recharge and prepare for the final match the following day as well as just relax.

Currently, Ash was about to leave to go to the session with Poliwrath. He already had Poliwrath's pokeball in his hand, and Pikachu was coming along, too. He gave a quick nod towards Serena, Brock, and Misty to indicate that he was leaving. Ash then walked outside the door of the Pokemon Center, but he realized someone was following him. He and Pikachu turned around and saw Serena there with a firm expression on her face, and Togetic was with her. Ash sighed when he saw her.

"Hey, Serena. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Ash, I want to come along to Poliwrath's last session with Trinity," Serena stated.

Ash was silent as he looked down towards Poliwrath's pokeball. Poliwrath had been a little bit better lately, but it still wasn't back to its trolling self yet. The reason why Ash had taken over the sessions with Poliwrath was because he didn't want Serena to worry about anything so she wouldn't break down again like she a few days ago. If she came along, that would defeat the purpose.

"Ash, I know you want to protect me, but I should at least be able to go to my own Pokemon's therapy sessions," Serena said before she added, "What if it was you and Pikachu in mine and Poliwrath's position?"

Ash and Pikachu glanced at each other. The answer to that was pretty clear. Those two were best buddies and would want to be with each other through everything. If something like this was happening to them, Ash would make sure to be at every one of Pikachu's sessions. The fact that Serena was wanting to come with them to Poliwrath's sessions wasn't an unreasonable request. It was pretty sound logic.

"Alright, Serena. You can come. Just please let me know if you start to feel bad," Ash replied.

"Thank you, Ash. I promise I will," Serena responded gratefully.

"Here. Poliwrath's your Pokemon, after all. You should be the one to carry its pokeball there," Ash told Serena as he handed her Poliwrath's pokeball.

Serena took the pokeball and smiled. She then turned and stared at Poliwrath's pokeball for a while as if sending a silent message to the tadpole Pokemon everything would be alright. She was Poliwrath's trainer, and no matter what, it was her responsibility to make sure it got well. She then nodded to Ash who nodded back, and the two preteens and two Pokemon set off towards the beach.

As they walked, they didn't say a word to each other. They each had their own thoughts going through their head. Ash was thinking about tomorrow's match with Misty as well as what else he could do to try to help Serena. Serena was focused on Poliwrath's condition and how she hoped it would get better at this one since there wouldn't be time for another after today. Togetic was worried for both of its parents. Pikachu was thinking about what foods would taste great with ketchup…err…about Ash, Serena, and the coming match tomorrow.

The quartet soon reached the beach, and as usual, they spotted Trinity already there waiting for them. Ash and Serena took off their shoes and socks with Ash rolling up his pant legs to keep the sand out. Serena went ahead and let out Poliwrath before they got in the beach. Once it materialized from the energy, Poliwrath didn't appear depressed anymore. Rather, it just looked grumpy.

The tadpole Pokemon had its arms crossed and was simply sitting there. Once Serena saw the state it was in, she frowned.

"Poliwrath, do you even feel the least bit better?" she questioned.

"Wrath," it responded shortly.

"Poliwrath, I brought something with me today that might make you feel better. It's a surprise," Trinity called out to it.

Poliwrath turned towards Trinity before it snorted and turned away again. What did she have? More Mystic Water? Pass. While that stuff did feel great, it did nothing to feel the gap in Poliwrath's heart from being denied the chance to be a Politoed. Nothing could replace what was lost.

"I guess it will have to go to waste then. It would be a real shame considering I ordered this specifically for you," Trinity tried again.

"Let's see what she brought, Poliwrath," Serena urged.

"Yeah. I mean…what have you got to lose?" Ash added.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Toge!" Togetic cried and flew around Poliwrath to try to give it a dose of happiness.

Poliwrath sighed and hung its head. It just wasn't feeling it. The tadpole Pokemon knew that this was the last session it was receiving, and it was actually glad. Poliwrath knew Trinity was trying to help it. Everything she'd talked to it about was right. Poliwrath was just too stubborn to listen and appreciate the advice.

Despite this, Poliwrath soon gave in, if anything to at least see what Trinity special-ordered for it. Poliwrath followed the others over to where Trinity was and sat down on the sand. This item she got better be good.

"Before I give this to you, Poliwrath. I want you to think of three things that a Poliwrath would have an advantage of over a Politoed," Trinity told it.

Everyone around raised their eyebrows at that. It was quite a bold request for Trinity to ask something like that from Poliwrath. That might only remind it of what it lost by not becoming a Politoed. Serena gave a worried glance at Trinity but didn't say anything. Trinity noticed the others looks and gave them a reassuring smile.

"It's okay," she told them.

Poliwrath seemed to be working its brain as it tried to find something it had as a Poliwrath but not a Politoed. It had been so focused on becoming a Politoed that it never really stopped to wonder what being a Poliwrath was like. Well, it was stronger as a Poliwrath. That was an easy one. It had gained a dual-type in fighting. That seemed to suit more with its ability to annoy other Pokemon, but what else?

"Try not to help it," Trinity told Ash and Serena. "I want Poliwrath to think of these advantages on its own."

The two nodded as they continued to watch Poliwrath. The gears were turning as it thought of a few more things. It was more durable in defense than Politoed which would be useful as it could have more endurance against other Pokemon that got to annoyed by it. Poliwrath then smirked as the only advantages it could think of pertained more to its nature rather than typical advantages. Trinity saw the look on Poliwrath's face and nodded her head.

"I take it you managed to come up with something?" Trinity guessed.

"Wrath," Poliwrath nodded.

"You see, Poliwrath. I know becoming a Politoed meant a lot to you, but there are far worse things that could've happened. Besides, you're forgetting one thing," Trinity smiled as she looked into the bag she was carrying.

Poliwrath stared up at Trinity in curiosity along with Serena, Ash, Pikachu, and Togetic. What could she be talking about? Trinity then reached into the bag and paused her arm once she grabbed hold of whatever it was that was inside the bag.

"Even though you can't learn Swagger and Perish Song naturally as a Poliwrath you can still…," Trinity began before she withdrew her hand and presented a compact disc. "…use a technical machine. This is the TM for Swagger. I ordered it just for you."

Poliwrath's eyes widened at the item in Trinity's hand. It was a TM…a TM that contained its most desired move to learn since it was a Poliwag. It was right there only a feet in front of it. Poliwrath slowly looked up to Trinity as if asking if she was really giving the item to it and that it was no joke. Trinity smiled back kindly and nodded her head to show Poliwrath that the TM was just for it.

"Unfortunately, Swagger was all I could get. That don't have Perish Song available in TMs yet," Trinity said.

Poliwrath slowly reached out and took the TM from Trinity's outstretched hand and just continued to stare at the TM. Even though it wasn't a Politoed, it could still get something it always wanted, well, at least one of the moves. Poliwrath used one of its large arms to wipe its eyes. It couldn't believe that it was going to still get a chance to learn such a trolling move as Swagger.

"Oh, Poliwrath! That's great! You can learn Swagger now! I'm so happy for you!" Serena chirped before she realized what she said. "Oh, no."

The tender and heartfelt moment of Poliwrath getting its coveted move was instantly shattered into a million pieces. If Poliwrath had a mouth, the largest smirk would've appeared on its face. Poliwrath promptly attached the disc to its head and activated the TM. The tadpole Pokemon began to cackle in evil delight as the machine worked its gears to make Poliwrath learn the move. Yes! Yes! Yeeeeeeeesssss! Ahahahahahahaha!

"Trinity, I think we may have just created a monster," Serena groaned as the TM fell off of Poliwrath's head.

Poliwrath instantly scanned around the beach for the first victim it could use Swagger on. It wanted to test the move out right now! Its eyes then fell on Pikachu. The yellow rodent narrowed its eyes at Poliwrath as it didn't like what the tadpole Pokemon was planning. Poliwrath then smirked and crossed its arms at Pikachu while its eyes glowed red.

Pikachu stared back before its eyes glowed, as well. Pikachu got a very angry look on its face as tic marks seemed to form on its head. Pikachu then turned around and let out an aggravated yell and unleashed a Thunderbolt on Ash. The raven-haired boy shouted in pain before he fell over on the sandy beach looking quite dazed.

"Ash! Are you okay?" Serena cried as she, Togetic, and Trinity stood over him.

"Not…really," Ash moaned.

Meanwhile, Poliwrath began to laugh at Pikachu's confusion. Boy, did that feel good! The Swagger move was everything it had hoped to be. Poliwrath then rubbed its hands together evilly as it began to plot against all the Pokemon it could use the move on. It already had the perfect victim in mind…Serena's Hitmonlee. That Pokemon was always so wise and calm that it annoyed Poliwrath to no end. It couldn't wait to see how the arrogant Pokemon would act when it took a Swagger to the face!

"Poliwrath, don't you think you can try to moderate your Swaggers a little bit?" Serena requested as she sweat dropped.

Poliwrath shook its head. Not a chance! It had waited its entire life for this moment. Though it wouldn't get to learn Perish Song, learning Swagger still made up for it! Oh, it was going to have so much fun from now on!

"Well, Poliwrath seems to be feeling better," Ash mumbled as he recovered from Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Yeah," Serena grimaced as she turned to Trinity. "Still, thank you for your help, Trinity. I don't know what I would've done without you."

"It was my pleasure, but do you think I should've given Poliwrath that TM?" Trinity asked as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Well, I think it was the best for Poliwrath…even though it wasn't the best for everyone else," Serena replied honestly before she turned to Poliwath. "Poliwrath, don't you think you owe Trinity a thank you…eek!"

Serena yelped when she saw Poliwrath attempting to use Swagger on Togetic. She instantly got out Poliwrath's pokeball and returned it before she gave an annoyed huff. The ungrateful little punk. Still, at least that meant that Poliwrath was back to its old self. All it needed was to accept its new form by finding the advantages it had over Politoed and be able to have one of the reasons it wanted to be a Politoed in the first place.

Even so, Serena decided she better keep Poliwrath in its pokeball as much as possible for right now, but for a different reason. Poliwrath's goal in life seemed to be to drive her and everyone else crazy, and Serena knew the Pokemon would be making her headache worse and stressing her out by trolling her and her other Pokemon.

Serena thought of sending it to Professor Oak's lab for right now, but that probably wasn't a good idea, either. Professor Oak would probably call her back the same day begging her to take Poliwrath back because it would be too busy terrorizing the other Pokemon. Serena looked at Poliwrath's pokeball and rolled her eyes. Only now did she and everyone else realize the heck they brought on to themselves by allowing Poliwrath to learn Swagger. Hopefully, it would mellow out as time went on.

"What am I going to do with you?" Serena groaned.

* * *

It was the finally the day. The final battle of the Whirl Cup had arrived. For Misty, it was like a dream come true. To be here battling in one of the most important tournaments in her life, and it was against someone who was more than worthy of a final challenge for her. Ash knew he had an uphill climb to try to win, also. Both Ash and Misty had traveled together and were aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses. The crowd knew it was going to be an exciting battle, but only Serena, Brock, Rudy, Mahri, and Trinity knew what truly made this battle more exciting than the rest.

"Watch out! I bought a lot of popcorn for this one!" Brock cried as he tried to maneuver around the crowd while carrying buckets of popcorn.

Serena and Rudy spotted the Pokemon breeder having difficulties and went to go help him. Brock had to at least be carrying a bucket for each of them. They each took one to lighten his load a little bit which allowed him to get the rest of the way with little trouble. Brock plopped down in his seat before he handed Mahri and Trinity their popcorn.

"No soda?" Mahri asked with a bit of disappointment.

"Huh?! You mean I actually have to go back and get soda for all of you now?!" Brock exclaimed.

"Just kidding!" Mahri laughed as she pulled a soda out from under her seat to show Brock she already had one.

"Relax. I bought soda for everyone already. Here's yours," Rudy said as he handed Brock one.

Trinity was the only one of the group who didn't have a soda and opted to go for bottled water instead. Togetic was trying to crank the cap off its own with its stubby arms, but that was quickly noticed by Serena who opened the bottle for it. The happiness Pokemon then took a sip and smiled at how good it was. Now that Togetic thought about it, it didn't think it had ever had soda before. This stuff was good! It took a few more swigs and chirped in happiness. Serena raised her eyebrows but didn't comment on it.

The honey-blond girl then leaned back in her seat and sighed. Everyone had wanted her to stay at the Pokemon Center for this battle, but Serena couldn't miss the fight between Ash and Misty and had to see it in person. Still, that didn't mean Serena felt well right now. The deafening roar of the crowd was terrible on her head. Brock noticed Serena's pained expression and leaned over towards her.

"Are you sure you shouldn't go back to the Pokemon Center, Serena? Both Ash and Misty would prefer to have you there where they know you'll be fine than here trying to deal with thousands of other people," Brock said.

"I'll be fine, Brock," Serena replied for what felt like the hundredth time.

Brock sighed. "If you insist on staying, at least wear these so the crowd won't sound so loud," he requested as he reached into his backpack and pulled out a set of earplugs before handing them to Serena.

The honey-blonde girl smiled at Brock before she put them over her ears. Though still loud, it wasn't causing Serena any grief anymore. She could at least tolerate it.

Meanwhile, Ash and Misty were standing on opposite ends of the giant pool. The two were both smiling confidently at the other as they each had a pokeball in their hands, ready to start. They were finally going to test which of them was a better water Pokemon trainer.

"Ladies and gentleman! The final battle of this year's Whirl Cup is about to start! Will Misty Waterflower or Ash Ketchum be the water Pokemon Alpha Omega?! These trainers have shown what great trainers they are through their previous battles! Now, they can test the other's strength in what's sure to be a great battle!" the announcer shouted.

"You ready, Misty?" Ash asked her.

"More than ready, Ash," Misty responded.

"The trainers will use three water Pokemon each! Whoever defeats their opponent's three Pokemon first will be declared the winner. You may choose your Pokemon when ready," the judge told them.

"Well, I'll start things of with Kingler!" Ash cried as he threw his pokeball forward. He had learned that Kingler always performed best as a lead from its past battles.

"Kingler, huh? Well, I'll choose Gyarados first!" Misty said as she threw her own pokeball forward.

The two Pokemon materialized from the pokeballs and prepared for battle. Kingler clicked its large pincers while Gyarados gave a soft roar. Though the two opposing Pokemon were familiar with each other like their trainers, they still weren't going to hold back. This battle was important to Ash and Misty for different reasons.

For Ash, it was part of becoming a master of all types of Pokemon. If he won this, water Pokemon was at least one type of Pokemon he could have full confidence over. He would be even closer to being a Pokemon Master. For Misty, this was the most important match ever for her. She would be one step closer to becoming a water Pokemon expert.

"Are the trainers ready?" the judge asked as he held up his flags.

"I am," Ash nodded.

"So am I," Misty nodded. "Let's do it."

Their friends were ready, too. Brock, Rudy, Mahri, Trinity, and Serena all looked on in anticipation. Togetic was on its second bottle of soda. Pikachu was next to Ash and had a small bottle of ketchup to lick while it watched the fight. Ash and Misty both felt like they were going to explode as the judge seemed to have the flags in the air for the longest time even though it wasn't any longer than a few seconds.

Finally, the judge then brought his flags down. "The match starts now! Begin!"

"Use Crabhammer, Kingler!" Ash hollered to start things off.

"Sink into the water, Gyarados!" Misty told her Pokemon.

Kingler dove off of its platform and began making a beeline towards Misty's Gyarados. Meanwhile, Gyarados quickly let its whole body fall into the water with just its head sticking out. Misty then called out her next attack.

"Use Hydro Pump!" she ordered.

Gyarados began shooting large, pressurized blasts of water from its mouth, but Kingler easily dodged them. Ash smiled when Kingler was almost upon Gyarados and about to deliver the attack right in its face, but it was wiped off with what Misty ordered next.

"Now grab, Kingler!" Misty told it at the last second.

Gyarados' large tail-end appeared behind Kingler and swiftly grabbed it before Kingler could attack. Ash then realized that was why Misty told Gyarados to sink into the water. She knew Ash liked to attack directly when it came to his Kingler, and that he would go into a direct attack like Crabhammer. She wasn't wrong. While Kingler rushed forward, she had used Gyarados' long body to snake underneath Kingler and grab it.

Gyarados soon had Kingler wrapped up in its long body, and the pincer Pokemon struggled to get free. Both of its pincers were also trapped in Gyarados' body, and it was now at the atrocious Pokemon's mercy.

"Misty pulls off a nice sneak attack against Kingler, and it has now been rendered immobile!" the announcer commented as the crowd continued to cheer.

"You know what to do, Gyarados!" Misty told it.

Gyarados began to slam Kingler back and forth. Sometimes it would slam Kingler against the platforms while other times it would slam Kingler against the pillars. The pincer Pokemon yelled in pain with each successive slam. Ash realized he had to come up with something fast, or Kingler would be out very quickly. Almost all of its attack required its pincers except one. He had to go with that attack!

"Use Bubble Beam!" Ash yelled.

Kingler began to shoot a series of bubbles in the direction of Gyarados' face. The atrocious Pokemon roared more in aggravation than pain as the bubbles barely affected it.

"It's going to take a lot more than that to beat, Gyarados, Ash," Misty told him.

"I know that. I just needed Gyarados to loosen its grip on Kingler!" Ash responded before he addressed Kingler. "Use Crabhammer!"

The Bubble Beam Kingler had used was just enough to cause Gyarados to slacken its grip. Kingler wrenched its largest pincer free from Gyarados' body and slammed it down. Gyarados yelled and fully released Kingler. The pincer Pokemon fell into the water and was free, but Gyarados recovered rather quickly.

"Your Kingler won't be safe in the water, either!" Misty said before she called out to Gyarados. "Use Twister!"

Gyarados gave a mighty roar before a waterspout soon formed. Kingler tried to swim against the current, but it was too strong, and it was soon sucked up. Everyone then watched as Kingler spun around and around inside the waterspout while no doubt taking plenty of damage. Misty crossed her arms and smiled confidently at Ash.

"And Misty has brought Kingler into another trap. She has refused to give him any breathing room!" the announcer exclaimed.

"Your Kingler is strong, Ash, but it's also predictable," Misty said.

"You think so? You're forgetting one thing, Misty! My Kingler's always been an expert at getting out of vortexes ever since it was a Krabby!" Ash smiled and looked to the waterspout. "Get out of there, and use Vice Grip!"

Misty's eyes then widened when she saw Kingler leap out of the top of the waterspout on its own and went straight for Gyarados. Kingler opened its smaller pincer and latched onto the nearest thing it could which was one of Gyarados' whiskers. Kingler was now dangling in midair, and Gyarados turned in aggravation towards Kingler.

"Get Kingler off of you!" Misty shouted.

Gyarados began to thrash about as it tried to force Kingler off, but the pincer Pokemon held firm in its crushing grip. It refused to let go of the atrocious Pokemon, and Ash realized this was a good time to get a powerful attack in.

"Use Hyper Beam!" he yelled.

Kingler opened its largest pincer which wasn't holding onto Gyarados, and after a brief charge up, shot out the powerful blast of energy. It struck Gyarados right in the face, and the atrocious Pokemon roared in pain. Misty watched in worry as Gyarados reeled from the powerful attack, but it gave an extra hard thrash of its head which was finally enough to throw Kingler off. The pincer Pokemon sailed through the air and hit the wall of the stadium.

Kingler peeled off the wall and fell into the pool below. Likewise, Misty's Gyarados thrashed around for a little longer before it began to fall. Its whole body soon fell into the pool where it went limp and was knocked out. Everyone then turned to see Kingler who slowly floated up to the surface of the water. When it broke through, everyone could see it had clearly fainted, too. It had been a double knock out.

"Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" the judge announced.

"And both Ash and Misty have lost their first Pokemon each! This is truly a testament to their strength, folks! We can only hope the battles get even better, now!" the announcer shouted in excitement.

Both Ash and Misty sighed. They had hoped to gain an early advantage by being the first to knock out the other's Pokemon, but it didn't go that way. They knew they shouldn't be too disappointed, however. The two trainers knew they were both strong so they shouldn't have expected anything less.

"Well, the first round is done," Brock commented with arms crossed.

"I think both Ash and Misty knew what they were doing. They just couldn't get a true advantage over the other. It looked like Misty had it at first, but Ash was able to break free each time," Trinity observed.

Serena nodded in agreement and looked down to her Togetic to see how it was doing. She then got a look of confusion on her face when the happiness Pokemon had just finished its second bottle of soda. It gave a burp and looked quite tipsy now. Who knew one could get like that off of soda?

"Togetic, are you okay?" Serena asked before she realized something. "Wait. Where did you get that second bottle of soda?"

Togetic looked away and blushed in embarrassment. Serena then looked to the side and discovered her own soda was gone! Togetic swiped her soda when she wasn't looking and chugged it before she noticed! Serena put her hands on her hips and glared at Togetic. She wasn't thirsty, but it was the fact that Togetic took the soda without asking.

"Togetic! Shame on you!" Serena scolded it.

Togetic wobbled slightly in response. It felt bad, but this soda stuff was just too good, and it wasn't feeling great enough to care that it did wrong right now. Serena frowned and shook her head. That was something she would expect Pikachu to do to Ash, but Togetic has always been the good and well behaved Pokemon of the two. It seemed like it was modeling a little too much now after big brother Pikachu.

"I'm not thirsty anymore. You can have the rest of mine," Mahri offered it.

"No! Don't encourage it!" Serena cried, but it was too late.

Togetic flew over to Mahri and took the soda from her hand before it chugged the rest of it in a matter of seconds. It then felt even worse but it still wanted more soda. Only after Togetic hiccupped that it realized it needed to lie down. It then flew onto the floor of the stadium next to Serena's seat before it fell over on its back to rest.

"I think Togetic has found an obsession with soda like Pikachu has with ketchup," Brock noted.

"Great. The next thing Ash and I need to teach Togetic about is learning to know when it's had enough, Serena groaned.

Meanwhile, Ash and Misty were now prepared to send out their second Pokemon.

"I choose Lapras!" Ash yelled.

"I'll send out Corsola!" Misty called.

Both Pokemon appeared from their pokeballs with a cry. Corsola bounced up and down in excitement as usual while Lapras gave a stretch. They then focused on each other as they waited for the judge to start the match.

"Misty has chosen Corsola while Ash has chosen Lapras! Will they be destined to tie again or will one of them triumph over the other?" the announcer asked rhetorically.

The judge then brought his flags down. "Lapras versus Corsola! Begin!"

"Lapras is weak to rock so use Rock Blast, Corsola!" Misty told it.

Corsola summoned large rocks and began to hurl them towards Lapras, but Ash was quick to respond.

"Use Water Gun to knock those rocks away, Lapras!" Ash said.

Lapras immediately shot out the stream of water from its mouth and hit every rock going towards it. Lapras also did one better and knocked them all back to Corsola. The coral Pokemon yelped and hastily dived into the water to avoid them, and they sailed overhead before landing in the water.

"Try Power Gem then!" Misty yelled once she saw Rock Blast wouldn't work.

A ray of light shot out from Corsola towards Lapras. The transport Pokemon tried to dodge it, but it was too large to maneuver in time. Lapras was struck by the attack and cried out in pain from it.

"That was great, Corsola! We just need to keep our distance from Lapras, and we should be fine," Misty said as Corsola hopped out of the water.

"I won't let that happen to Lapras, Misty! Use Ice Shard!" Ash countered.

A small shard of ice was shot out of Lapras' mouth and quickly struck Corsola. The coral Pokemon clutched it stomach and was briefly dazed by the attack, and when it looked up, Lapras was nowhere to be seen.

"It's underwater, Corsola! Heads up!" Misty warned.

"Not so fast! Use Confuse Ray, Lapras!" Ash hollered.

Lapras emerged from the water right in front of Corsola and looked down at it as its eyes began to glow. Corsola grimaced as it tried to look away.

"Hide in the water, Corsola!" Misty yelled.

"Follow it, Lapras!" Ash commanded.

Corsola did indeed go underwater, but that didn't mean it was safe from Lapras' Confuse Ray. The transport Pokemon dipped its head in the water and used the glow in its eyes to spread the ray throughout the entire pool. Corsola tried to swim away from the incoming beam, but it soon overtook the Coral Pokemon.

Corsola gave a mighty leap out of the watch and landed on a nearby platform. That action made Misty think Corsola had avoided the attack until she saw its expression. Corsola's eyes were spinning and it was wobbling terribly.

"Oh, no! Corsola!" Misty cried in worry.

"Corsola has become completely confused!" the announcer yelled.

"Great job, Lapras! Now use Water Pulse!" Ash told it.

Lapras formed an orb of water and shot it towards Corsola. Corsola made no move to dodge the attack and was soon hit by it which knocked it into the pool. Lapras then began swimming to the confused Corsola as fast as it could.

"Now use Headbutt!" Ash told Lapras.

"Come on, Corsola!" Misty cried.

Lapras withdrew its head and slammed it into Corsola which sent the coral Pokemon flying. Corsola hit the stadium wall and fell into the water all the while looking dazed. It then began swimming around the pool like mad in its confusion. It was even crashing into some of the rocks from its earlier Rock Blast. Lapras then gave chase to it.

"Try to control yourself, Corsola!" Misty said.

"Sorry about that confusion, Misty, but I came here to win," Ash told her. He then noticed Corsola hit another rock and saw his chance. "Use Ice Beam!"

Lapras quickly shot out the beam of ice to Corsola. Before Corsola could start swimming away from the large rock, it was blasted into the rock by the Ice Beam. Lapras continued to use the attack until Corsola was completely pinned to the rock by ice and unable to move. Corsola then began to thrash around still in its confusion and even started hitting its head against the rock.

"Awesome, Lapras!" Ash smiled. "Corsola isn't going anywhere. Use Sheer Cold!"

Misty's eyes widened at that. Sheer Cold wasn't the most accurate of attacks, but with Corsola pinned, it was sure to hit. It would also be an instant knock out to Corsola. She then looked worriedly over at Corsola who was still banging its head against the rock.

Meanwhile, Lapras was quickly gaining on Corsola, and it wouldn't be long until the absolute zero blast of cold would hit Corsola. Misty thought that it was over until she saw Corsola's eyes finally stopped spinning. It looked a little dizzy from constantly hitting its head against the rock, but it was no longer confused. Misty's eyes then lit up in understanding that Corsola was probably hitting itself in the head to cure its confusion! She quickly made her move.

"Use Ancient Power to break the ice!" she shouted.

Corsola summoned another set of rocks, but they behaved differently and swarmed around Corsola in a protective fashion. Ash ordered Lapras to halt its advance which it did to avoid the rocks.

"That's okay, Lapras! Use Water Gun!" Ash told it.

At that moment, Corsola used the rocks from Ancient Power to crash into the ice which broke it into pieces. Now that Corsola was free, Misty called out her next attack.

"Use Power Gem!" Misty called.

Both Lapras and Corsola shot out their attacks at the exact same time. They met in midair and began to compete for dominance. However, Lapras was stronger than Corsola, and the Power Gem began to get pushed back. Lapras then began to slowly swim to Corsola to apply for pressure. Corsola strained as it swam backwards to avoid the advancing Lapras. Misty knew she would have to make a small sacrifice in order to get of this.

"Break contact with the Water Gun, Corsola!" Misty shouted.

Corsola obeyed and quickly redirected its Power Gem downward. Now that it was no longer being stopped, the attack sailed through the air and struck Lapras in its midsection. The transport Pokemon cried out in pain from the super effective attack. Meanwhile, Corsola was struck by the Water Gun which knocked it into the air, but it quickly recovered.

"Now use Spike Cannon!" Misty hollered.

Corsola glowed while in midair as it pointed its body downward at Lapras. It then shot several needles which rained down on top of Lapras. Still, Ash knew Lapras couldn't give up like that.

"Ice Beam!" he shouted.

"Mirror Coat!" Misty yelled this time.

Ash's eyes widened at that, and he tried to get Lapras to halt the attack, but it was too late. Lapras already had the attack out of its mouth. The Ice Beam sailed through the air directly to Corsola, but the coral Pokemon quickly put up the coat of light around it. After a brief pause, Ice Beam was redirected back at Lapras with double the intensity.

Lapras was struck by the attack which caused it to cry in pain again. Unable to take anymore, Lapras closed its eyes and slumped over in defeat. Meanwhile, Corsola landed on its feet on a nearby platform and let out a happy cry.

"Lapras is unable to battle!" the judge declared.

"Misty breaks the tie between them by defeating his Lapras. Will Ash be able to make a comeback and defeat two of Misty's Pokemon with his last?!" commented the announcer.

"Oh, Lapras," Ash sighed as he returned it and looked at the pokeball. "You battled really well, Lapras. That Corsola's a tough opponent."

"Hooray! We did it, Corsola! We only need one more win until we're champions! By the way, how's your head?" Misty asked it.

"Corsola!" it nodded to show it hadn't suffered brain damage from hitting its head so many times.

"That was a pretty intense battle. Both Pokemon battled with everything they had, but Misty's strategy was to wait until Ash let his guard down before she surprised him with Mirror Coat. She did the same thing against that Harris guy," Brock said.

"I know! Misty is so cool! Go Misty!" Mahri exclaimed.

"What do you think about Misty, Trinity? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Rudy asked her.

"Thinking what?" Serena questioned as she and Brock looked over at Trinity.

"Well, I think Misty's an excellent battler with water Pokemon, and she truly has her heart set on becoming a water Pokemon master. I want to help her with her goal," Trinity answered.

"What do you mean?" Serena wondered.

"I'd like to recruit her," Trinity responded.

"Recruit her for what?!" Serena and Brock exclaimed.

Ash was snapping his fingers as he thought about who he should send out. He could use either Wartortle or Croconaw. Both Pokemon were exceptionally strong, but Croconaw was probably stronger. Then again, this was Misty who wasn't his ordinary opponent. It would take skill instead of strength to win this one, and Wartortle was definitely the more experienced of the two.

"You think Wartortle's the right pick, too, Pikachu?" Ash asked.

The yellow rodent looked up from its bottle of ketchup and nodded its head before it went right back to licking it greedily. Ash smiled and shook his head, but he still got the response he needed.

"Alright! I choose you, Wartortle!" Ash yelled as he threw the pokeball forward.

The pokeball sailed through the air and soon opened up to reveal Wartortle. The turtle Pokemon appeared in midair, and it quickly held up its fingers in a V-shape before it fell down onto one of the platforms and crossed its arms.

"And Ash's final Pokemon is Wartortle!" the announcer commented.

"It's his Wartortle. We need to be careful, Corsola," Misty told it, as she had seen Wartortle battle many times before.

"Corsola versus Wartortle! Begin!" announced the judge.

"Use Rapid Spin, Wartortle!" Ash told it.

Wartortle withdrew into its shell and began whirling quickly to Corsola. The coral Pokemon didn't even have time to dodge before it was smacked by Wartortle's shell. Wartortle then spun off for another attack.

"Use Ancient Power!" Misty told Corsola.

Corsola summoned the rocks again and let the rocks surround it for protection. Ash knew that wasn't going to stop Wartortle, however.

"Use Aqua Tail!" he shouted.

Wartortle got out of its shell in midair and began to descend upon Corsola. The coral Pokemon held up its rocks for protection, but Wartortle used its tail to quickly swipe them out of way. It was soon through the barrier about to use the attack.

"Use Spike Cannon!" Misty yelled.

"Withdraw, Wartortle!" Ash countered.

Wartortle quickly hid in its shell as Corsola launched the Spike Cannon. The needles harmlessly bounced off of Wartortle's shell much to Misty's chagrin. Wartortle soon unfurled itself from its shell and completed the Aqua Tail. The attack slammed into Corsola which knocked it right into the platform it was standing on which kicked up a bit dust.

When the dust settled, Wartortle was standing over a defeated Corsola. Corsola let out a weak moan before it went still, knocked out.

"Corsola is unable to battle!" the judge announced.

"Corsola has been defeated! Now both Ash and Misty only have one Pokemon left! This has truly turned out to be an exciting match that could go either way!" the announcer exclaimed in excitement.

"Great job, Wartortle! That's how to do it!" Ash said as he gave it a thumbs up.

"Tortle!" Wartortle responded by returning the gesture.

Misty returned Corsola and looked at her pokeball. "Well done, Corsola. You took out his Lapras and endured a lot of attacks. I'm proud of you."

Misty then thought of who she could use next. She still had Psyduck, Politoed, Starmie, and Remoraid with her. Poor Psyduck was a no go. Its psychic attacks could be very powerful, but they were situational, and Ash was smart enough to not aggravate Psyduck's headache.

Politoed probably still wasn't in the mood to battle after being destroyed by Serena's Poliwrath. Misty realized she hadn't used it at all since that day, but that seemed to be just fine with Politoed. Though Serena's Poliwrath got Swagger and no longer held a grudge, Misty knew that Politoed would take a while before it wanted to battle again, and she understood.

Remoraid simply didn't have enough experience to go against Ash's Wartortle so that left her Starmie. That was fine as Starmie was the most trusted of all her water Pokemon. It was the first Pokemon she ever caught, and they had been together a long time. If there was one Pokemon whom she believed could match Ash's Wartortle, Starmie was it.

"Misty calls…Starmie!" Misty shouted as she threw her pokeball to reveal the mysterious Pokemon.

"It's her Starmie. I thought she might use it," Ash grimaced before he called out to Wartortle. "We've got to be careful, Wartortle, but we can still win this!"

"War!" Wartortle agreed.

It had finally come down to the last Pokemon for each of them. Both Ash and Misty were using their most trusted water Pokemon. This battle was for all the marbles. They knew they couldn't tie. Either Wartortle or Starmie would win. Everyone waited in anticipation for the judge to start the match.

"Wartortle versus Starmie! Begin!" declared the judge.

"Alright! Use Surf, Wartortle!" Ash told it.

Wartortle smiled as it leaped into the water and summoned a large wave to ride on. That was a little trick it had picked up during its time at Professor Oak's lab. The towering wave rushed towards Starmie with Wartortle on top, but Misty was ready.

"Use Rapid Spin!" she hollered.

Starmie quickly whirled itself towards Wartortle who continued to ride the waves. However, Starmie didn't go for Wartortle. It instead went underneath it and cut through the giant wave. Soon, Starmie was behind Wartortle in preparation to do another attack.

"Use Swift!" Misty hollered.

"Use Hydro Pump!" Ash yelled so Wartortle could get away.

Starmie launched the star-shaped bits of energy at Wartortle who leaped off the wave which sent it crashing into the water which stirred it up quite a bit. Wartortle then began spinning very fast in its shell as the Swift connected to it. The damage was quite minimum due to Wartortle hiding in its shell. It spun very quickly and crashed into Starmie with the highly pressured water shooting from its shell. Starmie let out cry while Wartortle dropped into the choppy pool below.

"Use Light Screen to help shield yourself from Wartortle's attacks!" Misty yelled.

Starmie created the wall of light around it, but Ash didn't look worried.

"That won't protect Starmie against Skull Bash," Ash stated.

At that, Wartortle shot out of the water as it made a beeline towards Starmie. Wartortle already had its head withdrawn to deliver the powerful attack.

"Use Power Gem!" Misty yelled.

A ray of light poured out of Starmie's center jewel, and the attack struck Wartortle who had to halt its Skull Bash. The ray washed over Wartortle, and it cried out in pain from the attack, but it quickly recovered and hid in its shell. Wartortle then began to use Hydro Pump from within its shell to keep itself airborne. Of course, the water was striking Starmie, but it was hardly taking any damage because of the Light Screen.

"Stop Wartortle with Psychic!" Misty shouted.

"Dodge it, Wartortle!" Ash told it.

Starmie began to shoot psychic waves at Wartortle who stopped the Hydro Pump which allowed it to drop some distance for the Psychic to go over its head. It then withdrew into its shell again to keep itself airborne. The crowd, as well as Misty, were quite impressed at Wartortle's skill to stay airborne for so long.

"Skull Bash again!" Ash yelled.

Wartortle used the momentum of its Hydro Pump to steer itself towards Starmie and withdrew its head for the attack.

"Use Psychic again!" Misty yelled.

"Cancel and dodge again, Wartortle!" Ash commanded.

As Stamie shot the psychic waves at Wartortle, the turtle Pokemon hid back in its shell and used Hydro Pump to steer itself above Psychic this time. It then uncurled itself, and since Wartortle couldn't use Skull Bash anymore, it instead opted to crash into Starmie full force with the back of its shell.

Starmie gave a cry of pain as it was knocked out of the sky and onto the platforms below. Wartortle meanwhile, allowed itself to fall into the pool. It was panting a little from using so many successive Hydro Pumps, but at least it finally got Starmie on the ground.

"Are you okay, Starmie?" Misty asked it, to which Starmie responded by quickly getting to its feet…errr…star ends. "Great! Now get in the water and use Camouflage."

Starmie leaped into the water and appeared to melt inside of it. Wartortle glanced around wildly as it tried to find any trace of the mysterious Pokemon, but it couldn't even hear it moving through the water.

"Use Swift!" Misty shouted.

Out of nowhere, Wartortle suddenly felt itself pelted by the star-shaped bits of energy. It grimaced in pain from the attack, but Misty was ready to call out another one before it could recover.

"Use Psychic!" Misty said next.

"Try to dodge it, Wartortle!" Ash called.

That was easier said than done, however, as Wartortle had no clue where Starmie was in the water. Psychic waves came out from underneath it this time, and they stuck Wartortle. This time, the turtle Pokemon gave a cry of pain and was knocked out of the pool where it landed on one of the platforms.

"Hang in there, Wartortle!" Ash encouraged.

"Piiiika!" Pikachu added as it was fully fixed on the battle, too.

"Waaaaar," Wartortle muttered as it slowly stood to its feet.

"We've almost got this, Starmie! We can do it!" Misty said to the seemingly invisible Pokemon, wherever it was.

"We can do it, too, Wartortle!" Ash said.

Still, it was hard to use attacks or dodge them when they had no idea where Starmie was. It was somewhere in the pool. That much was certain, but it was a very large pool so that was hardly an advantage. There had to be at least _something_ that would give away Starmie's position. It was sleek so you couldn't use any disruptions in the water to find it, so what?

"Use Swift again, Starmie!"

The star shaped beams of energy came out of the pool once more and struck Wartortle who had no way to dodge it. Ash's eyes lit up when he noticed something, though. Just before the Swift was unleashed, there was a small flash of light. That was it! Every time Starmie was about to use one of its special moves, the jewel on its center would flash. That was how he could find it. Ash then adjusted his cap as he got ready.

Misty noticed Ash's change in expression but didn't know what he could be planning. "Use Psychic, Starmie!"

Ash then scanned the pool, and then he saw what he was looking for. There it was. The flash of light relatively close to the platform Wartortle was on which was soon followed by a bout of psychic waves.

"Starmie's right over there! Dodge and use Skull Bash!" Ash hollered.

Wartortle leaped over the psychic waves and dived into the water. Its head glowed as it maneuvered the short distance between it and Starmie as fast as it could before the mysterious Pokemon could move. Wartortle crashed into the invisible Starmie, which was met by a gurgle of pain from it. Starmie lost its camouflage as it flew out of the water and crashed into one of the nearby pillars.

"How did you find it?!" Misty cried.

"Starmie always gives off a flash of light before it attacks. I found it that way," Ash informed her before he gave his next command. "Use Aqua Tail!"

"Dodge it, Starmie!" Misty shouted.

Wartortle shot out of the water as it prepared to use Aqua Tail. It was just about to strike Starmie who managed to remove itself from the pillar at the last second. Instead, Wartortle's tail struck stone, and it bounced off the pillar. Starmie was now behind it.

"Psychic!" Misty yelled.

"Aqua Tail!" Ash shouted.

Wartortle used the force from bouncing off of the pillar to speed towards Starmie for another Aqua Tail. Meanwhile, Starmie unleashed the psychic waves which were too close for Wartortle to dodge this time. The turtle Pokemon had no choice but to take the attack. It grimaced in pain as it pushed through the psychic waves which impressed the audience.

Wartortle then charged up its tail and swung it around with all its might. Wartortle crashed into Starmie's jewel while it was still using Psychic. This caused a rebound of power against Starmie which created an explosion.

Both Pokemon were knocked out of the air and each landed on their respective platforms. Both Ash and Misty looked on in worry. Each Pokemon had reached their limit. They slowly pushed themselves up and were panting heavily. The roar of the stadium died down a little as they waited for the trainers to call out the next command.

"You can do it, Wartortle!" Ash hollered.

"Prove you're better, Starmie!" Misty added.

"Waaaaaar," Wartortle muttered as Starmie gave a weak cry, also.

Both Pokemon continued to stare at each other. Neither of them wanted to go on. They were now in a staring contest to see who would fall first. Everyone was waiting in anticipation for some sort of outcome. Finally, it happened.

The tips that Starmie was standing on buckled, but Starmie caught itself just in time. It was still wobbling to stay upright, though. Wartortle, however, slowly began to fall forward, but it caught itself on its hands, trying its best to stay conscious. However, that explosion was too much for both Pokemon, but unfortunately, Wartortle had sustained more damage at the time. Wartortle's arms gave way, and it fell face forward onto the platform, defeated. The winner had been decided.

The judge raised his flags. "Wartortle is unable to battle! That means the winner of the match as well as the Whirl Cup is Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City!"

"What a match, folks! The winner of this year's Whirl Cup is Misty Waterflower of Cerulean City!" the announcer cried as the crowd began roaring in applause again.

Misty blinked a few times as if trying to comprehend what happened. Then the widest smile stretched across her face, and she literally leaped for joy. She finally did it. She had won the Whirl Cup! This was the second water Pokemon tournament she had won, and this was a much bigger deal than the one in the Orange Islands, too! Misty laughed joyfully as she ran over to her tired Starmie.

The mysterious Pokemon was still struggling to stand, but Misty helped support it once she reached it. She then gave the Pokemon a big hug.

"Oh, Starmie! Thank you so much! I knew I could count on you! You're the best!" she told it as Starmie gave a tired cry of agreement.

Meanwhile, Ash sighed and looked slightly disappointed for only a brief moment before he smiled. He and Pikachu then walked over to the defeated Wartortle and helped the Pokmeon sit up. The turtle Pokemon cracked its eyes open and gave an apologetic look to Ash, but the raven-haired boy shook his head.

"Hey. No need to be ashamed, Wartortle. I could tell that you gave that battle everything you had. That's good enough for me. The way you've learned to stay in midair with your Hydro Pump is really something! You did awesome! All of you did," Ash stated as he looked at the pokeballs containing Kingler, Lapras, and Croconaw.

"Waaaaar," Wartortle said with a weak smile.

"Piiika Chu," Pikachu encouraged as it went over and shook Wartortle's hand.

Ash then saw tennis shoes approaching him, and he looked up to discover they belonged to Misty. The girl had her hand out to help Ash stand to his feet. Ash accepted the hand, and their hands lingered over the others for only a moment before they shook hands.

"That was a really great battle, Ash. I think we gave the audience what they were wanting," Misty nodded.

"Definitely, Misty! You really are a great trainer! If I had to lose to someone at water Pokmeon, I'm glad it was you," Ash replied.

"We've each come a long way since we first battled each other back in Cerulean City," Misty remembered.

"That's right. I had a Cascade Badge at stake, but this time, we both had something to gain by winning. Anyway, congratulations, Misty. I'm happy you won," Ash replied.

"Thank you, Ash. That really means a lot," Misty smiled gratefully.

The two Pokemon trainers then decided it would be appropriate if they did a bow in front of the audience after this year's conclusion of the Whirl Cup. While still holding hands, Ash and Misty both bowed to crowd and waved to all of them as everyone cheered for the good sportsmanship.

"Let's hear it for Ash and Misty, folks!" the announcer encouraged as the crowd got louder still.

"That was a great battle," Serena said as she and the others applauded, except for Togetic. It was passed out on the stadium floor.

"Well, a winner was finally decided between the two of them. They both battled really well," Brock commented.

"Yes. They both did, but in the end, Misty came out on top," Rudy added.

"Indeed," Trinity agreed as a few thoughts ran through her head about Misty. _"Yes. Misty is the one."_

* * *

It was the closing ceremony that evening. Everyone was crowded into the large coliseum, and just like in the opening ceremony, all the participants were on boats in the center pool. The only participants not on the boats were Misty and Ash. They were in the center edge of the stadium were all the officials had observed the match.

"The closing ceremony will now start, folks. Our sea priestess, Maya, will now present the Silver Wing and Mystic Water to our winner, Misty Waterflower!" the announcer said.

Maya walked up to Misty, who had Ash at her side. Though Ash wouldn't be receiving an award, he still got to be in the presence of Maya due to being the runner up. Maya then handed Misty the vial of Mystic Water and shining silver feather. She then offered Misty a smile.

"May you forever keep the love of water Pokemon in your heart and be a teacher to anyone who aspires to learn the ways of water Pokemon," Maya told her.

"What does that mean?" Ash asked, being sort of in the dark.

"It means, that Misty is our new Water Pokemon Alpha Omega. She now has been recognized all over as a wonderful trainer who is in tune with all water Pokemon. The winners of the Whirl Cups have a special responsibility placed on their shoulders. They are destined to become heroes of the seas, one day," Maya responded.

"A hero of the sea? Me?" Misty breathed.

"Yes. There hasn't been a winner of the Whirl Cup since its founding where the winner didn't go on to do great things," Maya replied.

"Wow, Misty. Imagine that. I'd say if you were a hero of the sea, that would qualify as being a master of water Pokmeon," Ash told her.

"Heh. Yeah. It would," Misty agreed, her mind still reeling a little from what Maya told her.

"Come with me," Maya said to Misty as she offered the redhead her hand.

Misty nodded and took Maya's hand, and the sea priestess lead her to the edge of the stage where the audience and other competitors could get a good look at them. Maya then raised one of Misty's arms high into the air and her staff in the other.

"Thank you for attending this year's competition! Our guardian Pokemon of the sea should be most pleased with the results this year! May we all continue to work together with the new sea hero who has been born today, Misty Waterflower!" Maya announced.

At that, fireworks began to shoot up into the evening sky. Everyone looked on in wonder at the show taking place as well as Misty standing proudly, although a little nervously, on the platform. The whole crowd then erupted into more cheering.

Misty continued to bask in the crowd rooting for her. In all her years of being a Pokemon trainer, she never imagined she would accomplish something like this. Sure. She had said she would be a winner of something like this fairly often, but now that it's actually happened, it was a little unreal.

Misty wiped her eyes as she felt tears of joy forming. This was truly her moment.

* * *

It was nighttime, and Misty was alone with Rudy near the cliff that looked off to the sea. The two were merely watching the moon rise into the sky simply enjoying each other's company. Of course, they couldn't stay silent for long, however. Both knew that the topic of what was next for the two of them had to come up at some point. It might as well be now.

"So now that you've won the Whirl Cup, what are your plans now?" Rudy wondered.

"Actually, I don't know really. The Whirl Cup is the most important tournament for water Pokemon in the world. The fact that I actually won it is…just so amazing. I know that sounds lame, but it's just hard to describe the feeling," Misty replied.

"It's okay. I'd be in shock, too, if I won something like that. Heh. You should've seen me the day I was selected to be the gym leader of Trovita Island. Even so, that can be nothing compared to this," Rudy said.

The two were in silence for a moment again. Each of them were thinking their own thoughts. It was like they were waiting for the other to make the suggestion.

"I guess I'll continue traveling around with Ash, Serena, and Brock," Misty finally spoke. "I'm sure there are other water Pokemon tournaments across the world."

"You know, you could…still come back to Trovita Island with Mahri and me. The offer is still available," Rudy suggested. "There are plenty of water Pokemon there for you to train with, and you'l also be able to visit Trinity who has won the Whirl Cup twice now."

"Right. When Maya said that all Whirl Cup winners were destined to be heroes of the sea, I don't know that means," Misty sighed.

"I can help you with that," a voice spoke behind Rudy and Misty.

The two whirled around and saw Trinity standing a short distance behind them. The young woman had her hands folded in front of her and was looking at Misty with a smile. Rudy and Misty glanced at each other before Misty addressed her.

"How do you mean?" Misty asked.

"Misty, I know I said I'm taking classes on Pokemon therapy, but that's just so I can understand Pokemon better. It isn't my career choice. I really wish to travel the world and help water Pokemon all over. I want to become a water Pokemon sea guardian," Trinity told her.

"What are those?" Misty wondered.

"It's special branch of Pokemon Rangers," Rudy informed Misty this time. "All Pokemon Rangers defend nature, but Pokemon sea guardians deal specifically with water Pokemon. Enrolling at the Pokemon Ranger Academy and becoming a student ranger is really difficult to get in to."

"And you want _me_ to become one?" Misty asked in disbelief.

"I do, Misty. I think you've been very good at it. The school I've been going to is actually the Orange Islands branch of the Pokemon Ranger Academy. We've been looking to recruit a new student this year, and I think you're the one," Trinity smiled.

"But…why?" Misty asked in shock.

"I've watched you battle and your interactions with your water Pokemon," Trinity said. "You truly do love them, and you cherish your friends, too. You really are serious with your goal of wanting to do something great with your water Pokemon career. I don't think you'll have any trouble making it into the academy. I'll even put in a good word for you."

"Wow…," Misty uttered.

She was actually being offered a chance to become a student ranger for water Pokemon. If she were to choose this, she would be able to solve any problems that involved any water Pokemon and have the license to defend them if necessary. She would have the chance to be around water Pokemon every day, and she would be learning from one of the toughest schools to get into. Pokemon Ranger Academy was no easy task, but Trinity said she would even put in a good word for her!

However, if Misty were to accept this offer, that meant one thing.

"I would have to leave my friends," Misty sighed, referring to Ash, Serena, and Brock.

Trinity nodded her head solemnly. "Yes. I suppose you would. Unless your friends travel the Orange Islands for the next few years, it would be very difficult to see them. Pokemon Ranger Academy has a strict schedule."

"I know you'd be away from them, but Mahri and I would still be there. We'd see you every day since you were close by if you were to live on Trovita Island," Rudy consoled.

It truly was a chance of lifetime that Misty was given just now. She could still travel around with her group, but she would just be competing in other small water Pokemon tournaments few and far between. That wouldn't get her any closer to reaching her dream, but even if it did, when would it be enough? She had just accomplished a great feat by winning the Whirl Cup, and if she went with Trinity, she would be given the opportunity to truly understand all types of water Pokemon. That was as close to a water Pokemon master as one could get.

"I…I need to think about it, if that's okay," Misty muttered after a moment.

"Of course. I understand. Since the Whirl Cup is over, Rudy, Mahri, and I be catching a plane back to the Orange Islands around noon tomorrow. Do you think you could let me know your decision by then?" Trinity requested.

"Yes. I just want to speak to my friends about it," Misty replied.

It truly was a difficult decision. How would the others respond when they found out she could be leaving them? She would be sacrificing all of the great times they would have together in the future, and they had supported her in her dream and been there for her. She should do the same for them, right?

* * *

Misty arrived back at the Pokemon Center, and she was surprised when a swarm of people surrounded her. People were asking what it felt like to be the champion of the Whirl Cup. Others were asking her what her plans next were. Some even asked Misty for her autograph. Misty sweat dropped as she wasn't used to receiving this much attention from people. They were treating her like she was some sort of celebrity.

"Okay, everyone. You need to give Misty some space. The Pokemon Center is no place for these things," Nurse Joy said as she stepped between everyone.

A lot of the people groaned a little bit, but they quickly shrugged it off and went back to what they were doing. Misty flashed Nurse Joy a grateful smile before she continued to the back of the Pokemon Center where she knew everyone else would be. Misty approached Ash and Brock's room, and she could hear voices in there as she approached.

"Now Togetic, I know you've found a new love for soda, but you need to take it in moderation," Serena's voice said.

"That's right. Don't follow Pikachu with that example. You don't want to become a soda-holic," Ash added.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu said, sounding offended.

"Come on, Pikachu. Even you know your ketchup habit is unusual," Ash muttered.

Misty wasn't sure what this conversation was about or what she was interrupting, but she did need to tell them all about what was offered tonight. She lightly knocked on the door, and a short moment later, Brock opened the door.

"Hey, Misty. We were beginning to wonder about you," Brock said.

"Sorry. I was just talking with Rudy and Trinity, and that's actually what I came to find you guys about," Misty replied.

"Sure. Come on in," Brock offered as he stepped off to the side to let the redhead in.

When Misty entered the room, she saw Ash and Serena sitting on Ash's bed with Togetic between them, and Pikachu was off to the side with its arms crossed. Misty looked around a little awkwardly.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. We're just talking to Togetic. Pikachu is a great role model except when it comes to what it likes to slurp on," Ash replied.

"Pika!" Pikachu spoke up. It liked what it liked!

"Anyway, what's up, Misty?" Serena asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about what it is I wanted to do now that I've won the Whirl Cup. Can you guys think of any water Pokemon tournament in the world that is just as important as this one?" Misty questioned.

"I can't say. I don't know much about water Pokmeon tournaments to begin with," Ash replied as he scratched his head.

"There isn't," Brock answered instead. "Winning the Whirl Cup is a really big deal indeed. There isn't a tournament like it."

"That's what I mean. Now that I've won the Whirl Cup, I've been deciding what I want to do now," Misty replied.

"Like what?" Ash asked.

"Trinity came over to me tonight and offered me the chance to go to the Pokemon Ranger Academy for water Pokemon in the Orange Islands," Misty responded.

Everyone raised their eyebrows at that information. Serena and Brock had already heard it from Trinity during the match, but they were still surprised.

"Woah," Ash uttered. "Isn't that some super hard school to get into?"

"It is," Misty confirmed. "Trinity said because of the love I have for Pokemon as well as winning the Whirl Cup, I'd definitely be top tier to get in. Trinity told me she would put in a good word for me, too, to help me get in."

"That's great, Misty! Congratulations. You'd be like a Pokemon Ranger!" Serena exclaimed.

"A Pokemon sea guardian, technically," Misty corrected.

"So what did you say?" Brock asked eagerly.

"I wasn't sure. I mean…this would be a huge opportunity for me, but that means I wouldn't be traveling with you guys anymore, and if I was studying at the academy, I probably wouldn't see you all for a really long time. I would really miss you guys," Misty sighed.

Ash stood up and placed a hand on one of Misty's shoulders and gave her a smile. "Misty, this is the chance of a lifetime for you. We're all friends, but that's why we want what's best for you. This is definitely an opportunity we wouldn't want you to pass up. You following your dream is what's most important to us."

"That's right," Serena agreed.

"But…you've all been there for me to see me accomplish the Whirl Cup. I wouldn't feel right if I left right now while you all are in the middle of traveling," Misty said.

"You can still continue to support us then!" Ash smiled. "We've still got a lot of Johto left to explore, and we definitely want you along for the ride with us!"

"Don't let us decide for you, Misty. This is your life. Do what you truly want to do," Brock told her.

"What I really want," Misty muttered as she thought about it.

Misty bowed her head as she thought about it. Though it was a difficult decision, she knew what she was going to do now. She believed in her friends, and she wanted to be there for them like they had been there with her. What Ash said last let Misty make up her mind.

* * *

The group was walking the docks the following day to take the ferry back to Olivine City. There, Ash would compete for his sixth gym badge against Jasmine, and Serena would finally get to participate in her Pokemon Showcase, hopefully. The honey-haired girl was only slightly better, though she hadn't broken down since that time a few days ago. The group couldn't help but wonder if she was going to feel well enough to perform. Then again, Yellow was going to meet them there, and hopefully, they could get some answers.

Once they reached the docks, they saw Rudy, Mahri, and Trinity apparently waiting for them. They waved at each other before closing the gap between them. Once they met up, Trinity was the first to speak.

"I supposed Misty has spoken with you all about what I offered her," Trinity guessed.

"I did," Misty confirmed. "And I've made my decision."

Trinity smiled at Misty and nodded her head to encourage her and continue. Misty took a deep breath before she gave her answer. She had made her proposal to Ash, Brock, and Serena last night, and all of her friends were happy with her decision.

"I've decided I want to come to the Orange Islands and train at the Pokemon Ranger Academy," Misty declared. "But not right now."

"Oh?" Trinity inquired.

"That's right. You see, I've been traveling with Ash, Serena, and Brock a really long time, and right now, I want to go cheer them on while Ash takes the Johto League challenge and Serena attempts to become the Johto Queen. Once that's done, I'll come to the Orange Islands so I can further my career as a master of water Pokemon," Misty elaborated.

"So you're going to come to Trovita Island to live with Rudy and me?!" Mahri exclaimed.

"I sure am. I'll be there before you know it!" Misty smiled and ruffled Mahri's hair.

"That's understandable. It's only natural that you want to continue traveling through the Johto region with them. You started, and you should finish it," Rudy nodded.

"Exactly!" Misty nodded.

"Yeah. I think we'll have to have Misty around for a little longer if that's okay with you guys," Ash said with a wink and put his arm around Misty, who shrugged it off playfully.

"Hahahaha! Yes. I suppose we can live with that!" Rudy laughed.

"I think that's a good decision, too, Misty. The new term for the Pokemon Academy isn't for a while so you have plenty of time to travel the Johto region. There's no rush," Trinity told her.

"Thank you so much for the opportunity, Trinity. I promise that when I come to the Orange Islands, I'll study as hard as I can to become the best guardian of water Pokemon," Misty said with a bow.

"I know you'll succeed. I can tell you're a special girl, Misty. You'll go far in your career with water Pokemon," Trinity assured her.

A whistle then sounded from the ferry to indicate it was almost time for it to leave. Not to mention, Rudy, Mahri, and Trinity needed to get on their plane soon, too. Misty sighed as her time with Rudy and Mahri hadn't been long enough, and she had just made a new friend in Trinity.

"I guess I…better get going," Misty sighed.

"Yeah. Until next time, Misty," Rudy stated before he grabbed Misty's hand and kissed it which caused the redhead to blush.

"Rudy…," Misty trailed.

Serena walked up to Trinity. "Thank you so much for helping Poliwrath, Trinity. I don't know what I would've done without you," Serena told her.

"It was my pleasure, Serena. It was very nice to meet you and your unique Poliwrath," Trinity smiled.

"Hmmhmm! Unique. That's a nice word for it," Serena chuckled. Thankfully the Pokemon hadn't attempted to Swagger any other Pokemon yet.

"Hey, Ash. Good luck at the Johto League. I'm sure you'll do great. You did beat the Orange League, after all," Rudy said.

"Thanks, Rudy! I'll do my best!" Ash replied.

"Bye, everyone!" Mahri waved before she addressed Misty. "Come to Trovita Island soon so we can do all sorts of things together!"

"I will," Misty responded.

"It was nice to meet the rest of you, as well," Trinity stated. "You all take care."

"As all of you," Brock nodded.

With that, Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty boarded the ferry and left Rudy, Mahri, and Trinity behind. About a minute later, the ferry whistled again and began to pull away back to the Johto mainland. The group waved to everyone on the dock as they waved back. Nobody stopped waving until the opposite group was too small to see. Misty then dropped her hands and sighed.

"Well, Misty, what are you going to tell your sisters? I'd like to hear what they think of your decision," Serena spoke up.

"Oh yeah! Hah! I can't wait to see the look their faces when they hear I have the opportunity to become a Pokemon Ranger for water Pokemon!" Misty said triumphantly. "I've got to make a call to them right now!"

"I'm going to get something to drink. I'll be right back," Brock added.

With that, Misty and Brock dashed off and left Ash and Serena behind. They then heard a slurp beside them, and they turned to find Togetic was in the middle of chugging another soda. Where on Earth had it gotten that one?! Serena placed her hands on her hips and looked sternly at Togetic.

"How many of those have you had today?" Serena questioned.

Togetic shrugged its shoulders. It knew it's had at least three. Serena sighed as she could tell it was a lot. She then held out her hand for Togetic to give her the soda.

"Maaaaaybe I better hold onto that for a while," she suggested.

Togetic held the soda bottle protectively to its chest. No no! It…needed this.

"Just let it have the soda this time. We have other things to worry about," Ash told Serena as Pikachu snickered behind him. The raven-haired boy then gave a pointed look at Pikachu. "That means YOU will have to set Togetic straight. As the big brother, it's your responsibility if the parents are unable to."

"Piiiiiiiiiiii!?" Pikachu exclaimed as the smirk wiped off its face.

"Oh yeah, Pikachu. I have a sneaking suspicion that you've been the one giving those extra sodas to Togetic," Ash said with narrowed eyes.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu groaned as it hung its ears. Dang. It was just showing Togetic how good other stuff was.

Ash then turned back to Serena. "I think Pikachu's learned its lesson, now."

Serena giggled before she changed topics. "So when is Yellow supposed to arrive?"

"She said she would be in Olivine City in about three days," Ash responded.

"But that means she won't be there in time for my contest! It's in two days!" Serena exclaimed.

That did present a problem. Everyone in the group knew that Serena shouldn't be performing any sort of strenuous activity while her mind was in the state it was in. Still, Serena had already missed the first showcase in Olivine City. If she missed this one, it would not only put them behind in their travels, but Serena would have a very small window of opportunities to get three Princess Keys this year.

"Serena, are you sure you'll be well enough to do your Pokemon performance? We know how important it is to you, but still…," Ash trailed.

"I know you're worried for me, Ash, and I really do appreciate it. I just have to do this performance if I'm to have any breathing room to try to get three Princess Keys," Serena rebutted.

"I know. Just…be careful," Ash stated.

"I will. Thank you, Ash," Serena replied before she added. "Remember how well my last performance went? This one will go just as smoothly. You'll see."

Now it was Serena's turn to convince Ash. The raven-haired boy wasn't pleased about this, but he saw the truth in Serena's words. He knew Serena was smart enough to make these decisions for her own, and she had relaxed the past few days, after all, just like Ash had wanted her, too. She was feeling a little bit better because of that in all honesty, but her headache was still there. She would do amazing in this contest just like the last, and then Yellow would be able to help her, and Serena could finally put this behind her. Everything would be just fine.

* * *

 **I'm not going to do the arc with the baby Lugia. After some thought, I realized it would probably turn out just like it was in canon with Serena added to it. That would be boring to read which was the mistake I made with the first third of the Kanto arc. Instead, Lugia will be included along with Ho-oh in Ecruteak City: Part Two. It will a different one than in the Orange Islands, of course.** **Yes. Misty has the Silver Wing, but that doesn't mean that Ash still can't use it, or the group can't use it as a whole to encounter Lugia.**

 **It seems Poliwrath is now back to its old self...for better or worse. Heheh. It's going to troll everyone to death and love every minute of it!**

 **Togetic seems to have developed an obsession for soda like Pikachu did for ketchup. Heh.**

 **I also hoped you all enjoyed the send off I'll have for Misty. I think it's a little better than her being forced to go back to the gym because her sisters ditch it to go on vacation. This coincides better with her dream to become a water Pokemon master which is what I want for her. I think she'll be very happy after the Johto region.**

 **Olivine City is up next, and so is Serena's showcase. Crossing our fingers everything holds up until Yellow arrives!**

 **The next chapter will be out in August! Until then, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty-four: Dance of Twilight**


	44. Dance of Twilight

**A/N: I have been wanting to get to this chapter and the next for a long time. That's why I spent nearly all my free time writing this chapter and had it out so soon. I could've easily made this chapter longer, but it's long enough. I hope you all enjoy it! Because of my eagerness, maybe I'll have the next chapter out soon, too!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Four: Dance of Twilight

"Please tell me I'm not too late to sign up!" Serena exclaimed as she slammed her hands down on Nurse Joy's desk and gave the woman a pleading look.

The group had arrived in Olivine City just moments ago from the ferry. It had traveled all evening and night to reach the port city, and now, the showcase for Olivine City was just one day away. Though there were some events where you could sign up for the day before, the group knew all too well that there were more that required several days. If one could sign up the day before, there was typically a deadline. They sincerely hoped that wasn't the case this time as it was already noon.

Nurse Joy instinctively leaned back a little from Serena's outburst. She gave a nervous smiled before she regained her composure and addressed Serena.

"No. You aren't late at all. In fact, you still have several hours before the roster closes," Nurse Joy answered.

Serena and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Yes. She would be able to compete in this contest, after all. Once she remembered that the ferry took almost a full day to reach Olivine City, she thought she would miss it again. Truthfully, Serena wasn't even thinking about her headache or memory problem at the moment. She was just focused on getting her second princess key. Whether that was for better or worse was anybody's guess.

"I'll just need to see your showcase ID to get you started," Nurse Joy said kindly.

Serena nodded and fished out her showcase ID from her backpack and handed it to Nurse Joy. The nurse typed all of Serena's information on the card which only took a couple of minutes. She then handed it back to Serena.

"You're all set! Good luck in the contest," Nurse Joy told her.

"Thank you!" Serena said with a bow before she turned to run out of the Pokemon Center.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" Ash called after her.

"I have to train and prepare, of course! I need to be ready for tomorrow!" Serena answered.

"Ummm…okay. We'll meet you in a bit," Ash replied.

"Sounds great! I'll be in the park!" Serena said as she sprinted out.

As Serena sprinted out, Ash sighed. He was glad she was eager about her upcoming contest, but this eagerness to him seemed more like…stress. Ash knew Serena had hardly been given any time to practice for this showcase due to everything that had happened not just with her but everything else, as well. Her Mareep. The Whirl Cup. This showcase was just happening at a horribly inconvenient time.

* * *

Serena had out her Fennekin and Charla. They were going to be the stars of this Pokemon showcase. Fennekin already had experience doing the last one, but this was Charla's debut. With Fennekin's natural skill and Serena's trust in Charla, she knew they were going to be great. That didn't mean they didn't have a lot of practice to do or knew what to do.

"Hmmm…," Serena mused as she crossed her arms.

Charla and Fennekin had their heads bowed in thought, too. The showcase was only a day away so they had to think fast. One couldn't simply wing it in a showcase. Each performance had to be well thought out and executed in order to be successful lest that girl be knocked out in the first round. It had to be perfect…just like Serena's previous performance.

Ten minutes went by, and they still hadn't thought of anything. Serena frowned as she tried to concentrate harder, but that only ended up hurting her head again. Ugh! Why was this so hard?! Serena gave an aggravated groan which didn't go unnoticed by Charla and Fennekin. The two Pokemon turned to look at her inquisitively, but Serena waved them off.

"I'm fine, you two. Really. Let's just think of something," Serena said dismissively.

Charla and Fennekin glanced at each other. Was it just them or did Serena seem a little put off? Serena noticed them not thinking and frowned at them.

"Please. It's okay. We just need to get this done," Serena pleaded.

The two Pokemon weren't so sure, but nonetheless, they obeyed their trainer. More minutes went by as they thought of what could be done with two fire Pokemon. A massive explosion…don't think about that…was too…expected. She was sure Charla and Fennekin could manipulate their fire attacks beautifully, but how could she use that to her advantage?

Charla's eyes suddenly lit up as it thought of something. It gave a soft roar to Serena and Fennekin to get them to look over to it. Charla then gave a few soft roars again which Fennekin understood. The vulpine-like Pokemon then shot a Fire Spin. Fennekin then moved its head in a way to where there was a spiral of fire rings. Charla then took flight and flew through the fire rings while twisting its body in perfect spirals like the flames it was going though. Charla then landed and struck a pose along with Fennekin.

Serena grinned broadly once she saw that. "That's a great idea!" she exclaimed. "I'm sure if we can tweak that performance a bit, and add to it, we'll be a sure win!"

Charla as well as Fennekin nodded and felt rather proud that Serena liked their idea. Fennekin once more, shot out its Fire Spin to create the perfect horizontal spiral of flames. Charla then turned its back to Serena and signaled her to get on its back. Knowing what it meant, Serena hopped on Charla's back and smiled. They were about to go through the fire vortex together. She trusted her Pokemon so Serena felt no fear.

Charla gave a mighty flap of its wings as it left the ground and flew towards the fire rings. Even though she wasn't afraid, Serena instinctively closed her eyes as they entered the vortex. The honey-haired girl could feel the heat of the flames as they passed through them. She noticed Charla wasn't twisting around this time, but that was okay. Charla wanted to make sure Serena was safe before it tried anything.

The two exited the flames, and Serena opened her eyes before she turned around saw the fire vortex spiral out of existence behind them. Charla then placed its feet on the ground, and Serena leaped off its back and landed in a curtsy with Charla and Fennekin joining in perfect sync. Once they were done, Serena looked towards her Pokemon.

"That was a great idea! Well done, Charla!" she praised. "We just need to find some way to add to the performance and make it better! We need to…try it in all directions!"

Fennekin and Charla got an unsure look on their face. Serena wanted to do this in all directions? Well, doing it horizontally was easy enough, but how were they going to do it downward? There was the matter of getting Fennekin high into the air that still looked neat, and Serena having to hold on as they were going down. They needed this perfected by tomorrow?

Serena quirked her eyebrow at them. "What's wrong?" she asked them.

"Fenn! Fenn! Fennekin!" Fennekin cried, Charla nodded its head to show it agreed with the fox Pokemon.

Despite their protests, Serena shook her head. "It'll be fine. We've already got the basic idea down, we just need to perfect it! I have faith in you two that we can do it!"

At that moment, Serena's Pokegear rang. The honey-haired girl looked down, and her eyes widened in interest when she saw it was her mom calling her. Serena gave a nod to Charla and Fennekin to let them know they could rest a minute. She then clicked her Pokegear to answer the call before holding it to her ear.

"Hi, Mom!" Serena greeted.

"Hello, Serena. You just left the Whirl Islands and are back in Olivine City, aren't you?" Grace questioned.

"That's right. I'm going to be performing in the Pokemon showcase here! Make sure to watch it on TV!" Serena said with a smile.

"Oh. I wish I could, but I'll be on a plane to Olivine City during that time," Grace answered.

That got Serena's attention. "You're coming to Olivine City to see me?"

"Yes. I'm coming with Yellow," Grace responded.

"I see," Serena muttered quietly.

It wasn't that Serena was going to be unhappy to see her mother. She just had a sneaking suspicion of why Grace was coming. Yellow no doubt told her about what Serena was going through, and Grace was concerned. Serena was glad that Grace was worried about her, but like with Ash, Brock, and Misty, she wished she wasn't being observed like a ticking time bomb at all times.

"Serena? Is that okay?" Grace wondered once she noticed the hesitation in Serena's voice.

"Oh! Yeah! Of course it's okay!" Serena said brightly. "I'll be really glad to see you!"

Grace wasn't fooled. "Of course I want to see you, but you know the other reason I'm coming there," she said as more of statement than a question.

"Mom…do you know why this is happening to me?" Serena asked after a moment.

Grace sighed. "No. I don't know the reason why, but Yellow did mention something to me about memories trying to force themselves out. Do you know anything about what these memories are?" she wondered.

"I…don't know. I see a man sometimes, but every time I try to remember, my head hurts even more than it already does," Serena mumbled.

At that, Grace gasped which didn't go unnoticed by Serena. The girl took the Pokegear away from her ear to look at the phone inquisitively. That was certainly an odd reaction that she hadn't expected from her mother. She was expecting Grace to agree with her solemnly or ask questions about her headache or at least sound confused. Gasping was not one those things. Did she…

"Mom, do you know anything about my headaches?" Serena asked suspiciously.

Serena didn't have to wait for Grace to reply before she knew the answer. Serena remembered how back in the Whirl Islands when she tried to remember as far back as she could. Her mind lingered on to when she first moved to Pallet Town and how her mom had hugged her and told her to not think of it anymore. If Grace didn't know what was going on, she wouldn't have done that. Serena's headache began to intensify, but she didn't care right now.

"I don't know for certain," Grace answered truthfully.

"So you have an idea," Serena pressed.

"Serena…I don't want to you to try to think about any of this…at least not until Yellow arrives. I don't want to scare you or…," Grace started, but Serena cut her off.

"What do you mean by scare me? Mom…what's going on?!" Serena demanded.

"Serena, I'm telling you this for your own good! I'm sure you can wait a couple of days!" Grace said sternly, her own voice rising with Serena's.

"That's easy for you to say! None of this is happening to you!" Serena shot back.

Her mother was keeping secrets from her now? It seemed like the only person that was truly in the dark about what was happening to her was Serena herself. She was tired of all of this! She just wanted answers, and she had a feeling her mother knew. Why wasn't she telling her anything?!

"Serena, if you try to remember what you're not supposed to, it will only cause you pain. I don't want to see you go through that…not after what happened the first time," Grace replied.

"What do mean by _the first time?!_ " Serena shouted as her headache increased.

"This is why I don't want you to remember, Serena! Look how you're acting!" Grace hollered.

"I'm acting like this because everyone is keeping secrets from me!" Serena hollered back before she winced at how bad her headache was getting.

"Is that your headache?" Grace asked as she picked up on Serena's noise.

"Why should I tell you?! It's not like you would provide me any answers!" Serena replied angrily.

"Serena…I don't want you competing in this showcase…not with how you're acting. You aren't stable enough to," Grace said, her voice dropping from aggravation to concern.

Serena glared into her Pokegear. First, her mom is clearly keeping secrets from her that Serena feels she has the right to know about, and now she's telling her not compete? What does she know? Why should Serena listen to her if she's not being told anything?!

"I have to compete, Mom! You don't understand!" Serena argued.

"Serena!" Grace warned.

"I'm going to compete in this showcase!" Serena repeated.

Serena then hung up the Pokegear and gave a huff of anger. She was so sick of all of this! How can her mother tell her to wait to compete? It's not like she's ever had this happen to her so she had no idea what Serena was going through. She's never had to go through the pain of having her memories wiped by some unknown force or the stress it creates when you know some of your memories are missing. Her mother said it was for the best?! How?!

Serena turned towards Fennekin and Charla to discover the two were looking at her in shock and concern. Serena's heated face relaxed a little when she saw her Pokemon, but she was still feeling very tense. Her mother didn't want her to think about her memories. Fine. She would instead just focus on this coming showcase.

"Let's just take things from the top," she told them. "We need to practice as much as we can for tomorrow. I want us to try doing it from an upward angle. Fennekin, jump as high as you can, and use Fire Spin. Meanwhile, I'll get on Chala's back."

Serena then got on Charla while Fennekin jumped high into the air. It then unleashed its Fire Spin to create the spiraling vortex once again. As soon as that happened, Charla took off at full speed towards the midair vortex. As they rushed through the air, Serena smiled to herself. They were working super hard for this contest, and they were doing wonderfully. They would be ready in no time.

However, it appeared Charla was coming into the vortex too fast in its haste to make it before the flames would be too low for it. Fennekin hadn't even had a chance to descend yet, and the two Pokemon were on a collision course with each other. Thankfully, Charla swerved out of the way from Fennekin just before they crashed into each other. Charla then landed on the ground just as Fennekin was landing from its jump.

"I guess that was less than perfect," Serena admitted from Charla's back. "Our timing was just off. I know with practice, we'll get it right."

Charla and Fennekin glanced at each other again. That's right. Practice, but how much, exactly? Hopefully, she just didn't mean a day's worth.

"Let's try it again," Serena suggested.

With that, Fennekin leaped into the air as high as it could. The fox Pokemon then pointed its head upward to deliver the spiral of flames once more. Charla took flight and sped towards the vortex once more, making sure to go a little slower this time to give Fennekin time to get out of the way. However, Charla wasn't going fast enough, and it had to give an awkward downward turn in order to get underneath the vortex. Despite this, Charla wasn't going to be able to turn sharp enough to make it into the flames. Instead, Charla kept flying downwards until it reached the ground. Once that happened, Serena sighed.

"I know this is a great way to give us a good score. We just have to find the perfect balance in speed and timing. I'm sure we can find the appropriate timing," she encouraged.

At that time, Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, and Togetic arrived. Serena turned and smiled once she saw them, and Togetic flew forward to give its mom a hug. Serena noticed that Togetic had a soda bottle in its stubby arms, but she chose to ignore it right now. Pikachu was _supposed_ to be helping it, after all.

"Hey, Serena. Anything interesting happen while we were away?" Ash greeted

"Well, I got a call from my mom. She's coming with Yellow to see me," Serena muttered.

The group did pick up on Serena's tone. However, they chose not to question it. If Serena and her mom had a disagreement about something, that was her business. Ash, however, had a feeling it had something to do with Serena's headaches. It was just intuition. He didn't let his discomfort show, though, in order to keep from rousing Serena's suspicion. Did Grace know something they didn't?

"So did you guys come up with something to do for the performance?" Brock asked this time to diffuse the sudden tension.

"Oh. Yes, we did! We know what we're going to do, and it's a great idea. We just have to figure out how to perfect it," Serena answered.

"Great! Let's see it!" Ash smiled.

"You got it!" Serena said with a wink before she turned to Fennekin and Charla. "You guys know what to do. Let's just do it horizontally since we already have that down!"

Charla and Fennekin nodded again and prepared. The group watched as Serena got on Charla's back, and Fennekin launched a perfect spiral of flames. Charla once more flew off towards the fiery rings to pass through them. Charla then entered the rings flawlessly, and Serena smiled. It looked like this was going to be a successful flight, but a stray ember fell from the spiral on the last ring. Charla maneuvered out of the way to avoid the ember which would've been fine if Serena hadn't been on the fire dragon.

Serena gave a yelp as her left arm got too close to one of the flames as they exited. Charla noticed this and hastily sped to the ground to let Serena off. The honey-haired girl slid off Charla's back and was clutching her left arm and grimacing. The others got alarmed looks on their faces as they ran over to Serena.

"Serena, are you okay?!" Ash cried.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Serena muttered but she was still gingerly holding her arm.

"Let me see that," Brock offered and Serena nodded.

She let go of her arm as the tanned Pokemon breeder inspected where Serena was burned. Her skin was red, but thankfully, it didn't appear serious. Brock then looked around and spotted a vending machine over by the park bathrooms.

"I'm going to go get some cold water for that burn. I'll be right back," Brock said as she ran off.

The group heard a soft roar, and they turned to see Charla and Fennekin both giving Serena an apologetic look. Fennekin felt like it should've used Fire Spin better, and Charla should've just taken the ember that was loose rather than move out of the way. Serena shook her head and smiled at the two Pokemon.

"It…it's okay. It was just an accident. I'm not angry with any of you," Serena reassured.

"Serena, why don't you take a break?" Misty suggested.

"I'll be fine, Misty! I just need to wait for Brock to return with the water, and we can start again," Serena told her.

"Are you sure you guys will be ready for the performance tomorrow? I mean…it's already the afternoon, and the showcase is at ten in the morning tomorrow," Ash said warily.

"We have to be ready, Ash. I have to get this princess key!" Serena insisted.

"I know, but making sure you're safe is more important," Ash rebutted.

"What's unsafe about this? I'm just trying to perfect my performance. I'm not thinking about anything I'm not supposed to," Serena stated as she placed her hands on her hips.

"You just seem a little overwhelmed. You aren't supposed to be doing that, either," Ash reminded.

Serena sighed, but she didn't answer Ash's question. She wished she wasn't in this position right now. None of this would be happening if they had just made the first showcase in Olivine City. Then they wouldn't be behind. Ash could be having his gym match, and they could be on their way back to Ecruteak City. It's just the only other known places that will have Pokemon showcases are Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City. That meant that if Serena missed this one, she would have to win the other two.

"You know, Serena, if you're concerned about your limited tries to enter the Master Class, we can wait for another one here," Ash offered.

"Oh, Ash. I couldn't ask you guys to do that. You, Brock, and Misty would have absolutely nothing to do here and be waiting only for me. That wouldn't be fair to any of you," Serena replied.

"Well, we're more concerned about _you_ , Serena," Ash insisted.

"I know. I just…let me do this," Serena said almost pleadingly.

Brock then returned with the bottled water and offered it to Serena. The honey-haired girl smiled at Brock gratefully and poured the water over her skin. She grimaced a little as it stung a bit at first, but she soon relaxed as it started to feel better. Brock then took out his first aid kit and applied a bit of cool ointment to the burn to help it further. Once he was done, Serena immediately turned back to her Pokemon.

"Alright, you two! Let's try it again!" she said.

"You're going at it again, already?" Misty questioned.

"Yes. We have to keep practicing to get it right!" Serena replied.

"Serena, I don't like this," Ash frowned.

Serena frowned back at Ash before she purposely turned away from him. She could feel her friends' eyes boring into her back as she made her way over to Charla and Fennekin. They didn't know how she felt at the moment. None of this was happening to them. Until they realized what this was like, they shouldn't be telling her what she should at shouldn't do!

Serena then cast her eyes downward slightly for having thoughts like that. She was acting extremely stubborn right now and refusing to listen to the others' advice. She didn't like doing this herself in all honesty, but she couldn't find a suitable way out of the situation she was in. She had no idea what else she could do.

* * *

It was a few hours later, and the sun was beginning to set. Serena was still trying to perfect her performance, and she had only minimally improved then. Though they had perfected the act horizontally by now, they still had trouble in all the other directions. It wasn't that they were incapable of doing it. Everyone knew they could if they practiced it enough. The problem was that Charla and Fennekin were both very tired from not being able to rest, and they only had one day to get it right.

"That's okay. Let's try it again," Serena said after another failed attempt to go through the spiral of flames downward. They still hadn't found a way to cleanly get Fennekin in the air and had settled for just having Charla carry it high enough to use it. In Serena's eyes, they just had to do it first, and cleaning it up could come afterward.

Charla and Fennekin were both panting at having worked all afternoon. Though they were wary since the start, the two had at least been enjoying themselves. Now, however, they were very tired and sick of doing this routine today. Serena gave them a ten minute break every hour, but it was still only helping so much when they had been at it for so long.

Serena herself was tired, but she didn't show it. She knew they had to get this right soon. If she showed any weakness, that would discourage Charla and Fennekin, and they wouldn't be ready. She was about to get back on Charla, but she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around discovered it was Ash. The raven-haired boy wore a serious expression on his face.

He and the others had watched Serena knock herself and her Pokemon out all afternoon, and they finally had enough. Serena couldn't keep stressing herself out like this in order to perfect a performance that clearly wouldn't be ready tomorrow. She needed more time to get it right.

"Serena, that's enough for today," he told her.

"What do you mean? We haven't perfected the technique," Serena rebutted. "We're finally starting to get the hang of this!"

"I know," Ash nodded. "I'm sure it'll be perfect by the time we reach Mahogany Town."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Serena stuttered.

"Serena, we've watched you all afternoon. There's no way you're going to be ready for the showcase tomorrow. Things just happened that were entirely outside our control. I hate to say it, but please skip this one," Ash pleaded.

"Ash, stop it," Serena said as she brushed Ash's hand off her shoulder. "You're only saying this to me because you're worried about my headaches. Well, it would stress me out even more if I missed this showcase than if I didn't!"

"I'm not just saying that because of your headaches," Ash argued. "I would be saying this even if you were perfectly healthy. You aren't ready for this, Serena. I want you to not do this one. You and your Pokemon are working yourselves sick! Just look at them!"

Serena turned and saw Charla and Fennekin both giving Serena a pleading look as if begging her to let them stop. She turned again and saw Ash's firm expression. Serena saw Brock and Misty a few yards behind them, and they looked worried, too. She could even tell Pikachu and Togetic agreed with everything Ash was telling her. Serena clenched her fists as they began to shake.

"Why is everybody against me!?" she cried out. "Can't you all see things from my point of view?! I have to do this performance, or I may not make it into the Master Class!"

"We're not against you, Serena," Ash replied as she hugged her. "We want what's best for you. If we thought you had a shot tomorrow, we would be all for it, but we don't want you or your Pokemon to hurt yourselves trying to do this performance. You've already burned yourself twice trying to do this because you're Pokemon are tired. We just want you to be safe."

"Then we'll just think of another performance to do tomorrow," Serena barked before she turned around to Fennekin and Charla. "You heard him! Let's brainstorm again! We can work on this new performance and have the other one ready by Mahogany Town."

"Serena, that's not what I meant, and you know it," Ash muttered. "There's no way you'll be able to think of a new performance and perfect it so soon. Even if you could, you, Charla, and Fennekin are too tired to do anymore training today. You've been at it for five hours, and any normal, healthy Pokemon and trainer should spend no more than two hours a day training."

Serena glared at Ash before she turned around and began to walk away from him. The raven-haired boy gave an annoyed grunt before he reached out and grabbed Serena's wrist to keep her from going back. That did it. Serena had enough. She was tired of everyone telling her what was best for her when they didn't have a clue how she felt! She was tired and frustrated that she and her Pokemon couldn't get his performance right on time! She was experiencing too many emotions right now, and she had to release them. It came in the form of taking her free hand and slapping Ash across the face.

Silence was cast over everyone as they all stared in shock at what Serena did. Serena herself gave a huge sigh as she immediately regretted what she did. She hadn't meant to slap Ash, but she just couldn't take it anymore. Ash slowly let go of Serena and brought his hand to his cheek and gingerly felt it. His cheek was a little red from what Serena did. The honey-haired girl felt tears come to her eyes as she looked down to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Ash," she whispered. "I didn't mean it."

"I know," Ash replied quietly. "You just…have a lot to deal with."

Despite him accepting her apology, Serena didn't feel much better. What was she doing? She was acting so antagonistic to everyone who was only wanting to help her. She had already shouted at her mother today and hung up in her face. Serena would be sure to apologize to her for that. Now, she had just slapped Ash, and he had only showed concern so far. This stress was truly bringing out the worst in her.

Serena felt her forehead as her headache was at its worst all day. She saw the others looking at her in sympathy, and she turned back around to see Charla and Fennekin were, as well. She couldn't go on like this anymore. They were right. She and her Pokemon had to rest.

"Okay. Charla, Fennekin, we're done for today," she told them. "You both did great. Thank you."

With that, Serena returned them to her pokeballs and sighed. She saw the others nod in approval, but they still looked sad for Serena. They knew that this showcase was important to her, but some things…there wasn't anything that could be done about them as hard as it was to accept. Despite this, Ash gave Serena another hug.

"It'll be okay, Serena. You're doing the right thing. I know this is hard, but everything will work out fine in the end with both your headaches and your showcases," he consoled.

"I know," Serena muttered.

"Does that mean you're going to skip this contest?" Ash asked for good measure.

"…Yes," Serena responded after a moment of hesitation.

"You know, I don't really feel like going back to the Pokemon Center to eat cafeteria food," Brock spoke up. "Why don't we have a picnic here in the park? I'll make your favorite food, Serena!"

"That's right!" Misty smiled. "We've had cafeteria and ferry food constantly the past few weeks. If I don't have Brock's cooking soon, I might burst!"

"That sounds great, doesn't it, Serena?" Ash smiled to her, and Serena nodded.

"Yes. It does," she replied with a small chuckle, giving her first bout of happiness all day.

* * *

Ash awoke the next morning and gave a yawn. He checked his Pokegear and saw it was already nine in the morning. Pikachu was still sleeping at the foot of his bed, and Ash could hear the soft snores of Brock coming from the bed next to his. Ash sighed to himself as he realized they probably already should've been awake by now…if they were going to Serena's showcase, that is. They rarely ever slept this late to begin with.

In truth, Ash had difficulty sleeping last night. He couldn't understand why, though. He had woken up several times. It was almost as if Ash's body was telling him to not oversleep or sleep for too long, but why? Everyone was safe, weren't they? They weren't in any danger.

Ash then felt his stomach growl and realized that he needed some breakfast right now. He picked up his pillow and tossed it to Brock on the other side of the room. The pillow hit Brock in the head, and he awakened with a jolt. Brock glanced around wildly in confusion before he checked his Pokegear, and he got a sheepish expression as he realized how late it was.

"Yeah. I guess we need to go ahead and get up," Brock figured.

"Did you have trouble sleeping, too?" Ash questioned as he climbed out of bed, the movements causing Pikachu to awaken, as well.

"Yeah. I guess that's why I slept so late," Brock replied.

"We better go ahead and get dressed. I bet the girls are already awake and waiting for us," Ash said as he fished out a fresh pair of clothes from his backpack.

"So what are we going to do today?" Brock asked as he headed into the bathroom.

"I guess we can go to Jasmine's gym so we can have my match since we aren't going to Serena's showcase anymore," Ash called back.

Once he said it, Ash felt a little guilty. He did know how important this showcase was, and everyone was telling her skip it. He knew it was hard for her, and he hated to be doing something for himself when it was supposed to be Serena's day. On the other hand, maybe Ash battling at the gym would take her mind off of the showcase she was missing.

Ash then felt his pokegear beep and checked it. He nodded his head in approval when he saw Yellow had texted him to let him know that she and Grace had just gotten on the plane from Kanto and would arrive in Olivine City sometime tomorrow morning. The raven-haired boy breathed a sigh of relief. They just had to wait one more day, and hopefully, Serena could get some answers.

 _"Just hang in there a little longer, Serena,"_ Ash thought to himself.

Ash then heard knocking…more like pounding on the door. He and Pikachu turned in confusion, and even Brock stuck his head out from the bathroom to see what it was. They all glanced at each other before Ash hurried to the door, but not before there was another series of poundings.

Ash hastily opened the door and discovered Misty and Togetic there. They were both panting and appeared out of breath. Ash looked on in alarm and was about to ask what was going on, but Misty beat him to it.

"Is Serena in here?!" Misty gasped.

"Umm…no. She's supposed to be in your room, remember?" Ash replied before he realized what Misty was asking. "Wait. You don't know where she is?"

"No. I checked the cafeteria and around the Pokemon Center and didn't see her anywhere! I inquired Nurse Joy about it, and she said she saw Serena leave about an hour ago! I was hoping she had come back since then and was just in here with you guys!" Misty said frantically.

"That's weird. Why would Serena leave without telling where she was going?" Ash questioned himself as Brock hastily left the bathroom to change.

Everyone's eyes then lit up. They all had come to the same, dreadful conclusion.

"The showcase!" they all said in unison.

* * *

It was half past nine, and Serena had just arrived at the performance hall. She needed to get here early to make sure she had enough time to set up to perform. As she did, Serena glanced back in the direction she came from and got a guilty look on her face.

 _"I'm sorry, Ash. I know I said I would skip this performance, but I only said that to stop our fighting,"_ Serena thought to herself. _"I know you and the others were worried about me, and you were right last night about me training Charla and Fennekin too hard, but I have to at least try to do this performance. Even if I don't win, I'll at least be comforted to know that I tried. I won't get stressed, and my Pokemon and I will do our best. That's good enough for me so I hope it's good enough for you, too."_

Serena was in the entrance hall where a small group of girls were already lined up. She waited her turn and silently hoped that she could make it into the waiting room before everyone showed up. Serena had no doubt they had already discovered she was gone and were on their way right now. If she could just make it to the waiting room, she would be home free.

She approached the woman at the desk, and the receptionist gave her a friendly smile.

"Hello, dear. May I have your name, please?" she requested.

"Serena Gabena," Serena replied.

The woman looked through her computer and smiled once she saw Serena was registered. "Alright. I have you signed in and ready for the performance. We will now randomly assign your turn and which girls you will compete against. We will call your name when it's time. Your waiting room is right over there.

"Thank you, ma'am," Serena replied and did a small curtsy before she went towards the room.

"Serena!"

The shout caused Serena as well as several other people in the hall to turn their heads to the source of the noise. The honey-haired girl grimaced as she recognized the voice as Ash's. She had almost made it, but now she had to explain herself.

Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic reached Serena in only a matter of seconds, and they were panting. Clearly, they had run all the way here. Ash held up his hand to signal for Serena not to go anywhere while he caught his breath. Serena wouldn't have left anyway now that they were here. Even though she knew they were here to change her mind, Serena's mind was made up.

"Serena…I…thought you…weren't going to do this…showcase," Ash said between breaths.

"I know," Serena whispered as she averted her friends' eyes.

"Then why?" Ash pressed.

"Oh, Ash. Don't you realize I have to at least try? I know I'm not feeling my best right now, and I know that our performance isn't perfected, but I can't miss this," Serena replied pleadingly. "If I don't do this, I'll just stress out even more about what could've been. Even if I don't win, I'll at least know I attempted it."

"But…," Ash started, but Serena continued.

"Who knows? Remember how well my last performance went? I didn't have a lot of preparation for that one either, and it was flawless! Maybe this one will go the same way!" Serena said.

"Do you honestly believe that?" Brock questioned this time as he folded his arms.

"What do you mean?" Serena wondered.

"We're glad you feel like you can do this, but it sounds like you're only hoping to win this showcase based on luck," Brock elaborated.

"Are you saying that the showcase I won last time was just luck?" Serena asked, a little hurt in her voice.

Brock sighed as he had worded that wrong. Serena had done really amazing last performance. There was no denying that. She didn't just win, though. It was just the performance was too perfect. Absolutely nothing happened, and the judges had commented that Serena's cooking was among the best they ever tasted, and Serena achieved a perfect score in the freestyle performance. That was truly remarkable for someone's very first showcase.

"I don't think Brock meant it like that, Serena," Misty picked up. "We just want to know why you're still doing this performance without the proper practice."

"I already told you. I have to at least try. I've already told myself to stay calm no matter what happens. As long as I do that, everything will be just fine. You'll see," Serena answered.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ash questioned one last time.

"I'm positive," Serena nodded.

Ash took Serena's hands in his own which forced Serena to look Ash in the eye. It was as if he was studying her for any doubt about what she was doing. She could see the worry and concern in his eyes, and she could tell he was still worried. Despite that, Ash relented.

"Okay, Serena. Just please promise me you'll be careful," he pleaded.

"I will," Serena nodded.

"Alright. Well, you better go get ready. The showcase starts in less than thirty minutes. We'll be cheering you on from the stands," Ash sighed as he let her go.

Serena gave Ash a small kiss on the cheek for allowing her, and Togetic swirled around Serena as if to give her a little bit of luck which Serena appreciated. The honey-haired girl then turned and walked away from the group towards her waiting room. The group didn't stop watching Serena until the opened the door to go in, and it closed behind her. Once she was out of sight, Ash turned around and clenched his fists.

"Piiiiika?" Pikachu inquired.

"I'm fine, Pikachu," Ash uttered.

"You didn't want her to go, did you?" Brock realized.

"No, but what could I do?" Ash asked rhetorically. "Her mind was made up. If I continued to try to convince her to not do it, she would just argue back, and we would be right back to where we were yesterday evening."

"I just hope everything turns out okay," Misty said.

"We better go just go to the concession stand and get some food before we find our seats. We didn't eat breakfast, after all," Brock suggested.

"Yeah," Ash agreed as his stomach rumbled despite the apprehension he was feeling.

* * *

"Bonjour, people of Johto who love Pokemon! The Olivine City Rookie Class Pokemon Showcase will now begin…" a man with a French accent began before he leaped from seemingly nowhere and landed on the stage. "…with elegance and style! I am the guide to your dream of love, Monsieur Louis!"

At that, the crowd erupted into applause for the coming event while Ash couldn't help but sweat drop. If there was one thing these hosts to Pokemon showcases were good at, it was being over the top. Just what did he mean by being their "guide to love" anyway?

"Everyone in the hall, allow me to be your escort to the moment of your dreams! Pokemon and performer shall become one and charm us with many exquisite skills! I'm sure they will win your hearts!" Monsieur Louis continued.

"He makes it sound like these girls are looking for boyfriends," Ash chuckled to Pikachu and Togetic until he was elbowed in the ribs by Misty.

"Come on, Ash," she scolded. "Remember that this is Serena's career she wanted in Johto."

Ash frowned but realized Misty was right. The raven-haired boy supposed he was only using this as an excuse to take his mind off of being worried for Serena. He was trying to enjoy the showcase in his own way. As long as he didn't think about Serena's condition, he would be able to cheer for her instead of analyzing her every move and expression.

"The lovely lady who wins the performance will be awarded the Princess Key! As you all know, when a princess receives a Princess Key, she can enter the Master Class. The winner of the Master Class will be crowned the queen of Johto in all of her majesty!" Monsier Louis finished as he held a sparkling key above his head which was followed by a colorful explosion of fireworks behind him.

Serena watched the large screen from her waiting room as her eyes sparkled. She was already clad in her performance dress which was similar to the last one she wore, but it was a different color palate, opting for lighter colors. Serena nodded her head at Louis' words. It was for that reason why she was doing this performance. She needed three Princess Keys to enter the Master Class and become the Johto Queen. Serena took a deep breath and turned to Charla and Fennekin who were already out.

"Okay, you two. We've got this. All we've got to do is try out best. The first round theme is going to be styling. We'll do great at that! If we can pass that, we'll just need to do our freestyle performance," Serena told them.

Her Pokemon nodded to show they understood. Though they had their doubts about this performance, they weren't going to show it to Serena. They knew that if they showed any weakness, it would only discourage Serena which wouldn't be good for her. They had to remain strong for her sake.

A woman then opened the door to waiting room to call out the first three performers.

"Okay, the first three girls to perform will be Lacey, Serena, and Meredith. Please come this way so you will be ready to perform when Monsieur Louis finishes his introduction," the lady informed him.

Serena then looked the other girls she would be going against, and they appeared around the same age as her. The girl known as Lacey had a Vileplume with her, and Meredith had a Marill.

"That's us. Let's do it," Serena smiled to her Pokemon before she returned Charla for now, and she, Fennekin, and the other girls with their Pokemon followed the lady out."

Monsieur Louis then tapped the tip of his staff on the ground as the whole stage became illuminated in lighting. He then tipped his hat to the audience and proceeded to dance to the back of the stage.

"Sit back and relax as I take you by the hand to guide you to our Pokemon showcase performances!" Louis exclaimed before the crowd erupted into more cheering. "The exciting theme for this showcase is…Pokemon styling, and here are our first three performers!"

The group's eyes lit up when they saw Serena emerge from the floor along with the other girls. In a way, it was sort of a blessing that Serena was going first. She could go ahead and get it over with and not have to keep being nervous about how she'll do.

"I think Serena will do great at this! She's an expert at clothing! No worries here!" Misty stated in excitement.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. He as well as the others knew it wasn't this part they were worried about.

Serena and the other girls with their Pokemon then made their way into the mini-sized dressing rooms as a timer appeared on the large screen. Serena took a deep breath as she looked around the dressing room, already going through her mind about the best things clothes to put on Fennekin. She looked great, and now she had to make Fennekin look equally great. Behind her, Monsieur Louis snapped his fingers.

"For this theme, we shall see who can style their Pokemon at the height of fashion all within ten minutes! Only one of our three ladies will advance to the next stage! Are our ladies ready?!" Monsieur Louis announced before he turned to Serena and the others. Upon receiving them, he turned back to the audience. "The performance starts now! S'il vous plait!"

An hourglass appeared on the screen before it began to pour sand to signal the time had started. With that, all the girls set to work as the audience watched.

Serena inspected each colored ribbon as carefully as she could. There were so many different colors, but which one should she choose? Serena held all the colors to Fennekin's fur, but they all seemed to go so well. Honestly, her headache was making it hard to think.

"Fennekin, which one do you think?" she asked it.

"Fenn!" Fennekin replied as it chose the pink ribbon.

"We'll use this one then," Serena stated as she began to snip parts of the ribbon to an appropriate length. As she cut it, she continued to talk to Fennekin. "I know we haven't trained very hard for this performance due to different things, but that doesn't mean we can't give it everything we've got and use knowledge we've learned in the past to get through this!"

Fenn!" Fennekin agreed.

"Okay, Fennekin! We'll just use a little bit of this ribbon!" Serena said as she tied a nice bow around Fennekin's neck.

A few minutes later, the curtains fell around the room to show their time was almost up. Serena knew she just needed to add the finishing touches, and she would be good to go. She put a few colorful beads around Fennekin's tail and adjusted its little hat before she stood back and admired her handiwork.

"You look adorable, Fennekin!" she cooed.

"Fennekin!" Fennekin cried and indicated to the bow around its neck.

"Oh! You're right! It is too long! We wouldn't want you to trip on stage, would we?" Serena giggled as she cut it. "Remember what Ash told us once. Nothing we've done is a waste of time! Even if we don't win, at least we gave it our best!"

"Fennekin!" the fox Pokemon agreed happily.

Serena then went silent as her eyes went wide. Wait a moment. This scene was oddly familiar to her. She remembered having a dream a few months ago before her first Pokemon showcase. It was playing out just like this. She was in a Pokemon styling theme with Fennekin, and with only slight differences, she was saying the same words now as she was in the dream.

Serena then gasped as a shooting pain went through her forehead, just like it had through the dream. Only this time, Serena knew the reason for the sudden spike in her headache. It was because she was getting nervous because she remembered her dream. That wasn't all, and when she went out on stage with Fennekin…complete disaster happened. Serena began to sweat a little bit as she didn't feel so well all of the sudden. She didn't even realize that Monseur Louis had called that their time was up.

"Fenn?" Fennekin questioned as it noticed Serena's discomfort.

"Fennekin, we need to leave," Serena said suddenly.

"Fenn?" Fennekin questioned in confusion.

"I…we can't go through with this performance," Serena repeated before she turned towards Fennekin to elaborate. "I had a dream a few months ago, Fennekin, and it was playing out just like now. Everything was going great even though I had an intense headache…just like I do now. The reasons I felt for that headache are the same ones, too. I'm even dressing you in the same outfit I was in that dream, and I think the host's name was Louis, too!"

"Fennekin?" Fennekin questioned, as it didn't see where Serena was going this.

"At the end, something terrible happened…while we walking on the stage. We reached the end and…," Serena stopped as a shiver went up her spine.

She didn't need to finish for Fennekin to realize it was something serious. The fox Pokemon leaped off the table it was on and gave Serena a small lick to show her that she wasn't alone. It was still with her. Despite that, the honey-haired girl only took small comfort from it. She knelt down and hugged the Pokemon

"What if..what if what happens in the dream happens today?" Serena stuttered. "Was doing this performance a huge mistake, after all? Was that dream trying to warn me of what would happen if I competed in it? I dismissed it last time because my performance was nothing like the dream. I only realize now it wasn't that showcase the dream was referring to! It was this one!"

Before Fennekin could respond, they heard Monsieur Louis' voice echo through the stadium.

"And now everyone, feast your eyes on our final performer of this round, Serena Gabena and her Fennekin!" Monsieur Louis called.

"What?!" Serena cried. When did the time run out?! The other girls already went?! What did she miss?!

The curtain then rose, and Serena heard the crowd erupt into cheers. Only now, Serena didn't step out into the walkway in confidence with her Fennekin. Instead, she was squatted down with Fennekin in her arms and staring out into the crowd like a Deerling in headlights. There was no going back now. She couldn't quietly slip out anymore.

Ash, Brock, and Misty noticed Serena's panicked expression as a close up of her face was now on a large screen. They tilted their heads in confusion. Why was Serena frozen solid, and why did she look so scared? Something wasn't right.

Serena shakily stood to her feet to start walking, but her feet wouldn't move. They were firmly planted in the ground. The eruption of cheers from the crowd suddenly became quieter as they noticed the look on Serena's face, as well.

"Is something the matter, Madam?" Monsieur Louis inquired as he went over to Serena.

The honey-haired girl slowly turned to the French man, the fear still evident in her eyes. Oh great. Now she was causing a scene. She felt just fine until she remembered that dream! Now, her headache was killing her, and she was embarrassing herself in front of the audience! She had to do something! Despite how terrified she was, Serena said a silent prayer to herself before she smiled at Monsieur Louis.

"Everything's fine!" she said brightly and turned to Fennekin. "You ready?"

Fennekin hesitated as it could tell this was all an act. Nonetheless, it nodded. Monsieur Louis must've noticed it, too, as he raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Serena. The girl took a deep breath and put on the biggest smile she could. She then stepped out onto the runway and began waving to the crowd.

The audience resumed their cheering once Serena began. They weren't quite sure why she looked terrified a moment ago, but they were glad she was fine now. They simply dismissed it as a small bout of stage fright, and that she had gotten over it. They couldn't understand why the girl would be afraid. She looked fabulous, and so did her Fennekin!

The rest of the group themselves were still rooting for Serena, but they knew that something strange must've happened in that dressing room that made Serena act like that. It was no mere stage fright as Serena wasn't one to get that. No. Something must've truly scared her, and Ash didn't like it. He was going to get to the bottom of it.

"You guys wait here. I'm going down to the waiting room," Ash said as Pikachu and Togetic went with him.

"Are you sure they'll allow you back there?" Misty inquired.

"I'm sure they will," Ash shrugged as he made his way through the crowd, but he never took his eyes off Serena.

Meanwhile, Serena was about halfway down the walkway, but nothing had happened yet. That didn't help ease Serena's fears. According to her dream, once she reached the end of the stage, it would happen. Utter chaos would break loose. Her head was pounding as the headache was at its worst since she broke down in front of Ash several days ago. Despite this, she continued to smile and wave at the audience along with Fennekin who gave happy cries. The crowd had no idea…

Serena was almost to the end of the walkway where she would give her final curtsy before she walked back. The girl mentally braced herself what was to come but silently pleaded to herself nothing would happen.

"Fennekin, stay close," Serena whispered. The fox Pokemon gave no mention it heard her, but Serena knew it did.

Serena continued to smile brightly and wave as the crowd cheered. She then stopped once she finally reached the end of the stage and winced for what was to come. She shut her eyes to prepare for the coming explosion….

It didn't come.

Serena opened her eyes and expected the whole performance hall to be in an uproar. It was, but it wasn't for the reason Serena feared. It was just because she was at the peak of her performance. The honey-haired girl looked around. There wasn't anything crumbling around her. There weren't explosions going on in various parts of the room. She was still here, and Fennekin, was, too. Everything was as it should be.

 _"It didn't happen"_ Serena thought to herself as she almost felt tears of joy come to her eyes. _"It didn't happen. It was just a dream, after all!"_

Serena then realized she forgot to curtsy. Overcome with joy, Serena smiled her biggest yet and did a lovely curtsy for the audience as Fennekin bowed. She then rose and actually had a genuine smile on her face as she turned and made her way back to the center of the stage as the crowd continued to cheer around her.

 _"I'm okay! Everything is okay!"_ Serena thought as she continued to walk.

Serena then rose both her hands towards the ceiling as she felt like she could grasp it even though it was far away. The crowd, as well Brock and Misty were impressed. It seemed that whatever had terrified Serena earlier had come and gone. Ash noticed this, too, but he still wanted to meet Serena in the waiting room to ask what was worrying her earlier.

Serena then stood next to Casey and Meredith as Monsieur Louis walked to the front of the stage. He then spread his arms out wide.

"I hope you enjoyed the performance of these lovely ladies! Now, you will be the judges on who you think was the best! When I give the signal, please choose the name of the lady you wish to vote for on the screen in front of you! You may begin now!" Monsieur Louis said and snapped his fingers.

Everyone then looked at the small screen in front of them that had the list of the girls' names in front of them. Some of the audience chose quickly while others seemed to think it over before they made their decision. Brock and Misty chose Serena naturally, but they remembered Ash wasn't here to cast his vote.

"Do you think it's okay if I go ahead and vote Serena for Ash. I mean, we all know he was going to do so," Misty shrugged.

"I don't see why not," Brock replied.

Misty reached over to Ash's screen and pressed Serena's name, but it buzzed, and a message appeared on the screen. It was telling Misty that only one vote was allowed per person. Misty got an aggravated look on her face as she glared at the screen.

"What does that thing mean?! How did it know I was voting twice!? Does it look at fingerprints?!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Calm down, Misty. Maybe one vote won't make a difference," Brock tried to soothe.

Finally, all the votes were cast, and the three girls stood in anticipation…in particular Serena. She had made it through a very scary scene just now so she felt like she just had to win. Not to mention, all of this was going back to where she was trying her best. It also helped that her headache had returned to its normal mild pain, now.

"Our votes are in! The lovely lady who will be moving on to the freestyle part will be…Serena Gabena!" Monsieur Louis announced as the crowd erupted into cheers.

The number of votes appeared on the screen, and Serena saw she had only won by a very small margin. Despite this, a win was a win. She supposed she won because the audience was impressed with how great she and Fennekin looked as well as how much fun she appeared to be having on the second half of her show. She smiled down at Fennekin.

"We actually made it, Fennekin! Luck is on our side! Let's win that Princess Key!" Serena grinned as she felt a new sense of determination.

"Fenn!" it agreed.

* * *

The other performers came and went without incident. Some were clearly better than others. Once everyone had gone, and the girls who would move on to the next stage were announced, Monsieur Louis allowed a fifteen minute break to give the performers a chance to rest. Ash used this opportunity to try to find out what was bothering Serena earlier. He, Pikachu, and Togetic strode up to the door and was greeted by a tall, bespectacled woman.

"Hello. I'd like to see Serena Gabena, please," he requested.

"I'm sorry, but only performers are allowed past this point," the woman said apologetically.

"It's important. Do you think you could get her to come out here?" Ash asked instead.

"Of course. Wait here please," the woman said as she turned around and went through the door.

Ash fidgeted as he waited for Serena to come out. He felt like he was going to burst if he didn't find out what was bothering Serena earlier. Pikachu and Togetic looked equally worried as they knew the situation, as well. Even though it only was a couple of minutes, Serena couldn't have come out soon enough for Ash. As soon as she came through the door, Ash immediately went up to her and got straight to the point.

"Serena, what _was_ that?" he demanded.

"Oh. Umm…you mean at the start of my performance," Serena muttered.

"Yes. What happened inside that dressing room?" Ash inquired. "I haven't seen you that scared in a long time so it must've been serious!"

Serena knew that everyone had seen her little display before she finally had summoned the courage to walk. She also knew that Ash would want to ask about it. She just hadn't expected him to do it so soon. She was thinking he would do it after the showcase was over. She still realized he wasn't going to let this go unless she gave an honest answer.

"It…it was because of a dream I had a while back," Serena replied lowly.

"A dream?" Ash questioned. "What kind of dream?"

"I was performing in a showcase, and it was playing out just like this one. In the dream, I was decorating Fennekin, and I was even almost saying the same words," Serena started.

"Go on," Ash encouraged.

"Everything was going great, and Fennekin and I felt so confident. We were having so much fun, and then…everything went wrong. There were explosions everywhere, and whole hall was collapsing. I…I think it had something to do with my ESP!" Serena cried.

"What?" Ash questioned. "You mean you had a dream that was playing out just like today?"

"That's right. I wanted to hurry up and leave, but Monsieur Louis called my name before I had a chance to. I had no choice but to go forward," Serena told him.

"So I take it that whatever happened in the dream didn't happen," Ash guessed.

"No. It didn't, and I was so relieved," Serena sighed. "I think it was just a silly dream."

Ash knew better. Whether whatever bad thing happened in the dream or not, it still didn't change the fact that it was just like this showcase, and Serena's ESP was probably out of control, too. It was too big of a coincidence to ignore. Ash gave a firm look at Serena.

"Are you still going to go through with this performance, Serena?" he asked seriously.

"Well, yes. I mean…I did manage to move on. I might as well go all the way," Serena replied simply.

It wasn't so simple for Ash, though. "Even after all that's happened?"

"It was just a dream, Ash. Everything is going fine, just like last time. I mean…yes...l still have my headache, but nothing bad has happened yet or when it was supposed to. My Pokemon and I are going to try our best now with what we practiced yesterday. The worst thing that could happen would be that we lose. At least we made it this far," Serena stated.

"I don't like this," Ash uttered.

"I'll be fine, Ash. You'll see," Serena replied.

"We hope you all had time to rest for our break! Our freestyle performance will now start!" Monsieur Louis' voice came over a loudspeaker. "Our ladies need to kindly make their way back to their rooms so they will be ready when they are called. Our first performer will be…Serena Gabena!"

Both Serena and Ash looked at each other. There was a silent exchange going on, and it was like they each knew what the other was thinking despite them not saying anything. Both Pikachu and Togetic were glancing back and forth in worry as they wondered what Serena was going to do.

"I…I have to go, Ash. My freestyle performance is up," Serena stated slowly.

"Serena, please don't go," Ash uttered.

"I have to, Ash," Serena mumbled as she leaned forward to hug him. "I'll be fine. We're giving it everything we've got. I'm not alone in this. I have you, Brock, Misty, Charla, Fennekin, Pikachu, and Togetic."

Ash said nothing as Serena released the embrace and made her way back inside the waiting room. Ash said nothing and just silently watched as she disappeared back inside. Once she was, Ash gave a low growl to himself. Why did this have to be so complicated?!

"Chuuuu?" Pikachu asked in worry.

"No, buddy. I'm not alright," Ash muttered. "I just hope I'm wrong."

* * *

The elevating platform slowly floated up to the stage, and Serena appeared on stage. She smiled and waved to the audience as they cheered back. Charla and Fennekin were already out of their pokeballs, and they did likewise. Once they were finished, they gave a sideways glance at Serena.

"Remember how we practiced, you two. I know it's not perfect, but let's just do what we can. Who knows?! It may turn out great!" Serena encouraged.

Her two Pokemon nodded. They hoped so, too.

"Here we go! We shall now see Serena's exciting freestyle performance! She and her Pokemon will unite as one! We have already seen her beauty, and we will now witness her skill, and of course, the judges are you, the audience! Please sit back and enjoy the show!" Monsieur Louis announced as he made his way off the stage to give Serena room.

The spotlight then fell on Serena, and she knew it was time to start. She each gave a nod to her Pokemon who nodded back. She could do this.

"Alright! Let's go!" Serena cheered as she hopped on Charla's back. "Fennekin, use Fire Spin!"

Fennekin shot out the spiral of flames, and Charla took off. They decided to just start horizontally at first since that's the one they were used to. Though both Pokemon were a little apprehensive, they didn't show it.

Charla flew through the spiral of flames without incident, and the crowd began to erupt into cheers at the stunt. Fennekin then shot another horizontal Fire Spin, and Charla and Serena went through that one too just fine.

"Way to go, you two!" Serena shouted as she gave a laugh of joy. She was having so much fun right now, and she hoped Charla and Fennekin were, too.

After about a minute, Charla and Fennekin lost their nervousness. They soon became more confident with their stunts, and Serena nodded her head to them.

"Do you two feel up to take it to the next level?" she asked them, and received a nod.

"Alright! Let's do it!" Serena exclaimed.

Fennekin leaped into the air and shot a Fire Spin upward. As Charla went towards the flames, Serena couldn't help but feel slightly nervous as their timing had always been off before. That worry evaporated as it was done flawlessly this time. Charla didn't crash into Fennekin and still had plenty of time to make its way upward through the flames.

"That was great!" Serena cheered.

She then glanced at the screen and realized she only had a short time remaining. She had to complete this performance and make sure it was perfect. Feeling confident, Serena then ordered her Fennekin to get ready to use Fire Spin downward.

Charla swooped down, and Serena grabbed Fennekin off the stage as the went by. She then tossed Fennekin into the air, and the fox Pokemon did a few flips before it used Fire Spin at its peak. It then began to fall as Charla flew upwards to go for the final loop. Serena and Charla then reached the entrance to the Fire Spin, and there was a small pause before Charla went downward.

As they rode through, Serena closed her eyes and smiled. She couldn't believe it. Everything was going so well! It was better than she imagined. She and Charla just had to go through this final Fire Spin, and they would be finished. She had actually made it through this performance, after all! It was going to be okay!

A roar from Charla snapped Serena out of her thoughts, and before she could open her eyes to figure out what it was, she suddenly felt searing pain. Her eyes opened in panic, and she realized that the Charla was zigzagging and trying to dodge as many flames as it could. Charla was imperfect, however, as both it and Serena were getting burned.

Serena began to cry in pain as she realized that the Fire Spin must've been too wobbly and began releasing several embers due to Fennekin not using the move in such a fashion enough! The searing pain of the flames finally ended as Charla exited the Fire Spin and ended up crashing into the stage.

Serena was thrown off Charla and landed a short distance away where she groaned in pain. There was a collective gasp from the audience as they saw the huge mistake. Serena slowly pulled herself to her knees, and she gasped when she saw Charla and Fennekin lying a short distance away. It was with growing horror that Serena realized that Charla had ended up falling on Fennekin, and both of them were injured and unconscious.

"Oh no! Are you two alright!" Serena cried as she crawled towards them.

Meanwhile, the concerned murmurs of the crowd soon became murmurs of disagreement. Serena could hear various shouts about what Serena was thinking for putting her Pokemon in danger like that or how she could do something like that without enough practice.

Serena began taking short breaths. It had happened, after all. This performance had become a disaster, and it was all her fault. They didn't just lose. She could've accepted that. Instead, both Charla and Fennekin were hurt, and she had also injured herself, and now the crowd was booing her. This couldn't be happening!

"Brock…," Misty said slowly.

"Come on," Brock ushered, and he and Misty began to leave, also.

Serena clutched her head as she couldn't take this. She should've listened to her mother. She should've listened to Ash and the others. She never should've entered this showcase. She just wasn't ready, and she couldn't handle the pressure right now. Her headache intensified as Serena felt tears come to her eyes. Why was this happening?! Why couldn't this have just been a normal performance?! Why did all of this have to happen to her?!

 _"It's my fault,"_ Serena thought to herself over and over. _"I should've listened to them!"_

She was sick of it all. She didn't care anymore that she wasn't supposed to think about her headache. Serena had truly reached her breaking point, and she couldn't take it anymore. She was tired of being in the dark about everything, and failing because of whatever was going on in her head. What was she forgetting that was causing this much pain?! Her headache reached its worst yet as Serena didn't realize she was trying to force her memory back and activating her ESP.

"I'm sorry!" Serena cried out to them as the crowd continued to murmur angrily around.

She looked around, and was like a swarm of angry faces was around her, and she couldn't see properly. Her vision was blurry because of the intense pain. She just wanted out of this. She wanted to be away from this hall. Unknowingly to her and the audience, that's when her eyes glowed blue, and it happened.

There was an explosion in the performance hall which was followed by a few screams before the room began to shake. Ash had seen the whole thing from the lobby screen, and he immediately took action before the first explosion even happened. He rammed the set of double doors opened that lead to the waiting room and dashed through it. He ignored the surprised and panicked cries of the other girls as he ran through. No. This was what he was afraid of. The worst scenario had happened.

The crowd began to make panicked yells as people scrambled out of their seats and made their way towards the exit. The room began to shake even more. Monsieur Louis tried to run and get Serena to move, but one of the spotlights fell from the ceiling and crashed right in front of him which blocked the way. He was then forced to flee, as well.

Serena continued to scream as she was only barely registering what was going on around her. Her ESP was completely going wild and out of control as it tried to break the seal on her forgotten memories. Charla and Fennekin were still knocked out and could do nothing to help Serena in their current state.

 _"Dang it! Why now!?"_ Ash thought angrily as he made his way through the halls as he tried to find the stage.

The doors were rattling on their hinges, and it was almost as if an earthquake was happening. Parts of the ceiling began to crack and fall to the floor. Ash, Pikachu, and Togetic had to throw themselves out of the way to dodge it. Ash couldn't help but wonder if this was what Serena meant when she said chaos broke loose in her dream.

Despite this, Ash was determined to reach Serena and save her. If her ESP was doing this, he would just combat it with aura. He had no idea what he was going to do to activate it, but he had to do something! He gave a yell as he had to dodge another piece of the ceiling. Ash sincerely hoped the entire building wasn't about to collapse.

"Where is it?!" Ash growled in frustration as he threw open every door to try to find the stage.

He ran right into Monsieur Louis as he rounded a corner. The two shook their heads to clear their minds for only a moment before Louis spoke.

"Young man! You have to flee!" he cried.

"Where's the stage!?" Ash demanded. "I'm not leaving without Serena!"

"It's…it's straight that way," Monsieur Louis replied as he pointed behind him, a little startled by Ash's forcefulness.

Ash didn't reply as he and his Pokemon ran right past Louis despite his cries for Ash to come back, but Ash ignored him. He should never have let Serena do this performance. He should've listened to his instinct. All the good things that happened so far in the showcase had just given them all a false sense of security. He should've know better.

Ash finally burst through the double doors and onto the rumbling stage. He spotted Serena on her knees, and she was clutching her head and screaming with Charla and Fennekin unconscious a short distance away. He put on a determined look and sprinted his way to her.

"Serena! I'm coming!" Ash shouted to her.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried out in warning.

Ash looked up and saw a large piece of plaster falling straight for him, and then blackness.

* * *

 **Well, this is something we all knew was going to happen. Where does everyone go from here? Answers about everything are finally coming the next chapter! Of course, then we have to know what will be done about it.**

 **The next chapter will be out later in August! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty-five: Grace's Secret  
**


	45. Grace's Secret

**A/N: This chapter underwent several revisions as I tried to get it just right. This chapter is very dialogue-heavy, so I have to try to make it flow. Hopefully, I did a good job. I'll find out after seeing what you guys think! Enjoy the chapter! A lot's revealed so hopefully it was worth the wait after the last chapter's cliffhanger.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Five: Grace's Secret

 _"Mommy, when will Daddy get home?" a five-year old Serena asked._

 _Her mother was cooking supper at their home in Vaniville Town, and Serena was tugging at her apron. This was fairly routine for the two. Mr. Gabena was a very busy man, and he was always at work. He was usually up and out the door in the mornings before Serena or Grace would even wake up, and he wouldn't come home until the evenings. It was like this almost every day, but it still made Serena sad that she couldn't see her daddy more often. On the other hand, it made the time Serena spent with him all the better.  
_

 _"He'll be home before you know it, Serena!" Grace answered as she stopped stirring her soup for just a moment to touch Serena on the nose with her finger._

 _"But when is it?!" Serena pressed as she jumped up and down._

 _Though Serena was always happy to see him, today she was especially excited. Mr. Gabena had said he was bringing home a present for Serena today, and it wasn't her even her birthday. She couldn't wait to see what it was. Grace knew about the gift, too, but even she didn't know what it really was. She had advised her husband not to spoil their daughter like that, but apparently, Mr. Gabena was a sucker for his daughter's cuteness. She was the apple of his eye._

 _"He'll be home in about five minutes, Sweetie. He just sent me a message on the video phone," Grace smiled._

 _Serena got a chair from the kitchen and brought it into the nearby living room. She propped it in front of the entrance door before she got on the top the chair so she could peer out through the peephole into their front yard. So far, she still couldn't see him. She could see their pet Rhyhorn sleeping next to its smaller pet house, and she could see a few older kids playing or adults walking by, but not her father._

 _A few minutes went by with Serena eagerly looking through the peephole, and at last, she saw him. Mr. Gabena had rounded the corner to their house, and was walking down the driveway._

 _Serena wasted no time. She hopped off the chair and pushed it to the side. She then hurriedly opened the door and ran out as fast as she could to greet him. Serena then collided into the tall man with the force of their pet Rhyhorn and gave him a big hug._

 _"Hi, Daddy!" Serena said._

 _"Hi, Princess!" Mr. Gabena replied as he set down his brief case and picked Serena up to hug her back._

 _Serena laughed as usual as her father's thick beard always tickled. Mr. Gabena then shifted his weight to get Serena into one arm and used his free one to pick up his brief case. Together, they went inside where they knew Grace was waiting in the kitchen._

 _"Daddy's home!" Serena shouted right in her father's ear, but he didn't mind._

 _Grace came out and went to greet her husband. Mr. Gabena set Serena down, and he and Grace gave each other a peck on the lips._

 _"How was work today, dear?" Grace asked him._

 _"Haha! Busy, of course. Being the president of a company does that to you," Serena's father laughed._

 _"Daddy! Do you have the present?!" Serena asked excitedly._

 _"Serena, your father just got home from work. Give him some time," Grace scolded slightly._

 _"It's fine, Grace," Mr. Gabena said as he set down his briefcase and opened it._

 _Serena and Grace watched in interest as Mr. Gabena rummaged through his papers and presented a book. He then smiled and handed the book to Serena, and the young girl's eyes lit up when she saw it._

 _"It's the Kalos Pokemon Handbook!" Serena grinned._

 _"It sure is! That book contains a lot of information on all the types of Pokemon you can find in the Kalos region," Mr. Gabena nodded._

 _"Well, that's definitely a book she can grow into," Grace commented as Serena couldn't read very well yet. She could still enjoy all the cool pictures for right now._

 _Grace then went back into the kitchen to finish supper while Serena's father sat down in an armchair and took out the newspaper. Even though he saw a lot of things with as much as he traveled around, reading the local newspaper was still a way to relax for him. Serena was sitting on the couch while flipping through the pages of her new handbook and was looking at all the pictures._

 _Though Serena thought all of the Pokemon in there were interesting, and some very pretty like Sylveon, there were two that especially caught her eye. Serena wasn't quite sure why, either. They just seemed majestic or had an appearance that just seemed to command authority. One was a colorful stag-like Pokemon while the other looked sort of like a dark bird with draconian characteristics. While she knew most of the Pokemon in this book, these were ones she was unfamiliar with._

 _"Daddy, what are these Pokemon?" Serena asked as she got off the couch and walked over to him._

 _Mr. Gabena looked up from his newspaper and looked at the pictures of the Pokemon Serena was showing him. The man raised an eyebrow in interest that his daughter would want to learn more about these Pokemon._

 _"That's Xerneas, and that's Yveltal," Mr. Gabena answered as he pointed the Pokemon, respectively. "Xerneas symbolizes life, and Yveltal with destruction."_

 _"Oooohhh," Serena muttered, not really understanding it._

 _"You know, those are actually the Pokemon we're are studying at my laboratory right now," her father spoke up._

 _"Really?!" Serena asked, suddenly interested. "Will you tell me about them?!"_

 _"Of course," Mr. Gabena answered as he set down his newspaper._

 _He then picked up Serena and placed her on his lap. Mr. Gabena then went on to explain the lore of Xerneas and Yveltal to his daughter. Serena stood transfixed as her father informed her. She couldn't understand everything he was saying, but she got the gist of it which was fine for Mr. Gabena. Serena always enjoyed the opportunity to know more about what her father did at work. It always seemed so interesting!_

 _At that point, Grace walked back into the living room. She had heard her husband telling Serena about Xerneas and Yveltal, and placed her hands on her hips. Though she wasn't disapproving, there was a more serious tone in her voice._

 _"Don't you think Serena's a little young to be hearing things like that?" she asked._

 _"I think she's old enough. Our Serena's a bright girl," Mr. Gabena replied as he ruffled Serena's hair. "It would really please me if I could work beside my daughter one day in my lab. I have to prepare her at an early age."_

 _"Yeah. I want to help Daddy!" Serena added._

 _"We should let her do her own thing, Lysandre," Grace said_

 _"Ha. I know. An old man can dream, though, can't he?" Lysandre replied._

 _XXX_

 _"Serena, there's been an accident at Lysandre Labs today," Grace told her daughter with tear-filled eyes. She had just gotten off the video phone_

 _"What happened, Mommy?" a now seven year-old Serena asked this time._

 _"Your father supposedly had a huge argument with his subordinates over what to do with Yveltal and Xerneas," Grace said slowly._

 _An image of the two powerful Pokemon appeared in Serena's mind. If she recalled correctly, her father had mentioned that he found their resting place a couple of weeks ago. He, of course, didn't reveal what they planned to do with Xerneas or Yveltal as he didn't believe Serena would understand yet, but she and her mother still knew. He was planning to study them in their environment without capturing them as he thought they would be useful for his plans with Lysandre Labs.  
_

 _"His assistants wanted to use Xerneas and Yveltal for their own gains. However, your father knew had vision of a perfect world, and he believed that they needed to be left alone for the greater good. A Pokemon battle broke out at Yveltal's grounds, and Yveltal supposedly went on a rage, and it…it…," Grace breathed._

 _"What is it?" Serena questioned, growing fearful._

 _Grace knelt down and hugged Serena while tears streamed down her eyes. "He's no longer with us, Serena," she sobbed._

 _Serena's eyes grew wide at that bit of news. Did her mother just tell her that her father…died? No. No! This couldn't be true! He wasn't dead. He was going to come home today just like he always did! He was safe! Nothing happened to him! She was so caught up in her thoughts that she wasn't even registering that Grace was hugging her._

 _"No. He…he isn't, Mommy," Serena told her mother as her voice broke._

 _"I'm afraid he is, Serena," Grace cried._

 _Serena continued to shake her head, refusing to accept this. How could this have happened? Her father was such a great person, and he was only trying to do what was right. Why did he have to die for doing good? It didn't make sense. It was all their fault!_

 _Despite her mother's pleas, Serena waited in front of their front door for her daddy to come home. He never did._

 _XXX_

 _Serena was sitting in her bed looking through the Pokemon handbook her father had given her a couple of years ago. It had been a week sense they received the news, and it hadn't gotten any easier for Grace and Serena._

 _The young girl had the page turned to a very particular page. She was reading about none other than Yveltal. Serena was glaring at the Pokmeon. Yveltal. This was the Pokemon that had killed her father. She knew that his assistants were to blame, but this was still the Pokemon that did it. She hated this Pokemon. She hated it for killing him.  
_

 _Without warning, Serena took the handbook and threw it across the room. It hit the wall before it fell to the floor. Serena then buried her face into her pillow as she began to cry again. She wished she could find Yveltal and make it pay for what it did._

 _Even if she did that, Serena knew it wouldn't bring her father back. Nothing she could do would. He was gone, and she couldn't change that. Serena hated feeling like this. She hated that her father had to die. It had only been a week, but even then, Serena just wanted to forget it all. She wanted to forget about Yveltal. She wanted to forget her father's death. She just wanted to forget him so she wouldn't have to miss him so much._

 _It was then something stirred inside of Serena, and it was something Serena had never felt before. It was a weird feeling. It didn't feel good, but it didn't feel harmful, either. Though it wasn't soothing, it was as if it was telling Serena that everything would be okay. If she didn't want to feel the pain of her father's death, she wouldn't have to._

 _XXX_

 _"Dad, you're alive." Serena breathed._

 _Serena couldn't believe her eyes, but there he was._

 _XXX_

 _The world is dying._

 _XXX_

Serena woke up with a start. She was panting and was in a cold sweat. What happened? What was with those visions…no…they weren't visions. Serena knew exactly what they were. They were memories. They were _her_ memories.

The mention of those being memories made a bout of realization hit Serena. That's right. The last thing she remembered was losing control in the Olivine City performance hall. Everything was breaking around her. Charla and Fennekin were unconscious. Where were they? Where were her Pokemon?!

Serena glanced around wildly as she tried to take in her surroundings as the delirium from being asleep for so long faded away. It didn't take her too long to figure out she wasn't in the showcase anymore. She was in what was clearly a hospital room, and she had an IV inside of her arm. What was going on? How did she get out of the performance hall? How did she survive? Serena had so many questions but was getting so few answers.

The next thing Serena noticed was how beat up she felt. Though she didn't feel that way at the contest, Serena could tell it was probably from when she was getting burned from Fennekin's Fire Spin and after she hit the ground from being thrown off Charla. She also probably received other various injuries while the performance hall was collapsing around her.

Wait. The performance hall collapsed because of her! She had been the one who did that. She put so many people in danger because of her ignorance and refusal to take everyone else's advice! Now what was going to happen to her? Was her Pokemon showcase career in total jeopardy now? She had just had reawakened memories about her father. What would become of her ESP now? Would it go out of control again? Serena began to tremble in fear at what was to come now.

Serena's mess of thoughts suddenly stopped as she realized something. Serena felt her forehead just to make sure she wasn't imagining things. Her headache was gone. The same headache that had plagued her for almost two weeks was no more. Was that because whatever was trying to break free from her mind finally did? If that was true, then those things she had been dreaming about really were her memories. Then that meant…

The door to Serena's room opened, and a nurse walked in. She gave a start once she was saw Serena was awake. The nurse then walked up to Serena and gave her a comforting smile while Serena merely stared back.

"Hello, Serena. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked her.

"Lousy," Serena muttered truthfully.

"I guess that's understandable. You've been out for two days," the nurse said.

Serena turned away from the nurse as she tried to process that. She had been unconscious for two days? What had caused her to be that way in the first place? The whole time she was out, she had been having those memories. Wait! If she had been out two days, Yellow and her mom were supposed to be here, too?! That's not all. Where was Ash?! Where were Brock and Misty?! Where were Pikachu, Togetic, and her Pokemon?!

"Where is everyone?!" Serena blurted out frantically as she went to get up, but the nurse held out her hand to gently stop Serena.

"Most of them are out in the lobby, and they are fine. They're all really worried for you. Are you feeling well enough to see them?" the nurse asked.

"Yes," Serena answered before she realized something the nurse said. "What did you mean when you said _most_ of them?"

The nurse looked away for a moment and gave a slight pause before she answered Serena. "We know Ash Ketchum was among your friends. He's still unconscious in a hospital room. He took a very nasty bump to the head."

"What?!" Serena exclaimed before she wobbled a bit due to all of her senses still working their way back into her system.

Ash was injured? How? What happened? How was that? Was he injured because of her?! He got hurt as the hall was collapsing. If Ash was hurt because of her, Serena would never forgive herself.

The nurse must've realized the impact this bit of news was having on Serena. The nurse then held up her hand and forced Serena to look at her to keep the girl from hyperventilating.

"It's okay, Serena," the nurse said soothingly. "We believe Ash will be fine. He'll have a bruise on his head for a while, and he may have brief bouts of dizziness while it's healing, but he will live. He just needs a little more time.

Serena breathed a sigh of relief at that. Good. Ash was still alive. Even so, that didn't relieve the guilt that Serena felt as she knew it was her fault. Serena held her head instinctively as the nurse looked at her sympathetically. It was just so much to take in at once, and she had just woken up. Serena didn't even know how much more she didn't know and probably would once she eventually saw Yellow and her mother.

"Umm…yes. You can send in everyone," Serena answered after a moment.

"Of course," the nurse nodded before she turned and left the room.

Serena sighed once she was left alone again, but she knew it was only going to be a moment. She decided to take this time to try to sort out her thoughts and go over all that's happened.

 _"Okay,"_ Serena thought as she began to recap everything to make sure she could think clearly. _"I've had a constant headache and have been especially tired the past two weeks. It all started after I used my psychic powers to save Mareep. I don't know why it started happening. Ash called Ms. Yellow who agreed to come help me. My headache never improved, and I decided to do my showcase to have a better shot at getting all three princess keys. Everything went very badly, though, and I lost control. Now I'm here, but I'm alive and my headache is gone."_

As Serena finished, she realized there was so much she still didn't know. There was one thing she found out, though. It seemed that whatever memories were being forced away were the ones that involved her father, who was apparently named Lysandre. Still, that didn't answer anything about why Serena's memories were sealed away in the first place or why they were awakening now of all times.

The door opened once again, and as Serena looked, she felt her heart clench. Grace entered first, and she had a massive look of worry on her face. As she got closer, Serena could see that her eyes were red and puffy. She had clearly been crying a lot. Brock and Misty were next, and they looked very concerned as well as confused. Togetic was next, and it flew over to Serena and softly landed on her stomach, knowing it was probably not a good idea to hug her just yet. Lastly was none other than Yellow. The only one who didn't come in was Pikachu. The yellow rodent was probably with Ash in his room, wherever that was.

"Oh, Serena. My baby," Grace choked out as she went up to the bed and clasped her hands. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"I'm fine, Mom," Serena reassured before she grimaced. "Everything just feels so weird after all that's happened."

"That's understandable," Yellow said this time. "I can only imagine what you've gone through lately."

"I…I've caused a lot of trouble for everyone," Serena mumbled as she looked away. "You all were concerned and tried to help me, but I didn't listen, and now, something like this happened."

It didn't take a genius for Serena to know that Grace and Yellow knew what had taken place at the showcase…maybe two days ago…according to the nurse? She was quite sure they how they found out. Maybe Brock or Misty told them. Maybe they heard it on the news. Serena had no doubt that a big deal like a performance hall building collapsing like that probably made headlines. Serena began to ramble off a series of apologies to everyone, but Grace held up her hand.

"It's okay, Serena. No one is upset with you. We're all just glad you're alright," Grace said.

"What about Ash? The nurse said he was injured. How was he saved? How was I saved?" Serena babbled. She just wanted answers to all of her questions.

"Relax, Serena. I promise everything will be answered in due time. We just want to make sure everyone is here to hear it, including Ash," Yellow responded this time before she continued. "As to how you were saved, the performance hall didn't collapse completely. It's still standing but was badly damaged and will take quite a while to repair. Your friends, Brock and Misty, told everyone that you and Ash were still inside after the building stopped shaking. A rescue crew was sent in and retrieved you, Ash, and your Pokemon. All of you were unconscious. We're thinking you fell unconscious due to the shock of everything happening around you, and that's when the shaking stopped."

"Ash," Serena muttered.

He was the only person still in the performance hall. He was probably trying to save her but got hurt in the process. Serena knew if she had just listened to Ash's pleas for her not to go to the second round of her performance or just not do it in general, he would still be well. At least he was alive.

"Can I…see him?" Serena requested quietly.

Everyone else in the room exchanged glances with each other. It was only natural that Serena was wanting to. Ash was the one who was seriously hurt, and even though she was told he was going to be okay, she still wanted to see him with her own eyes.

"Once he's awake, we'll be sure to let you know, Serena," Yellow answered.

"He's still knocked out?" Serena uttered as her eyes cast downward.

"Right. We don't know for sure, but there was a large piece of plaster next to him when the rescue crew found your bodies. That's probably what hit him," Brock said.

"Oh, Ash," Serena gasped as she sniffed and covered her mouth with her hand.

Grace bent down to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "Everything will be okay, Serena. You'll see. Yellow has told us that she's figured out what's going on, and she will tell us. We'll all be able to move past this."

Move past this? Serena didn't know how, but she was reminded of something that Trinity told her Poliwrath. It had lost its opportunity to become Politoed and seriously hurt Misty's Politoed. Serena had no idea what the tadpole Pokemon thought after that or how it would move forward. As Trinity told it, though, morning still came just like it did for Serena. She couldn't change the past about what happened to her or where her actions lead, but she will press forward.

She just didn't know how to proceed yet.

* * *

"Can I see him now?" Serena requested.

It was the next day, and Serena was still in the hospital and hadn't been discharged yet. She had spent the remainder of the day making light conversation with Brock, Misty, and Togetic. With some help from them, she was able to stand and start walking around again once the IV was removed. Being a few days in bed without getting up tended to make one's legs feel like jelly.

However, Ash was still in the hospital, too. Serena had just gotten the news that he had awoken, and she really wanted to see him. She wanted to apologize to Ash profusely for not listening to him and acting so terribly to him when he was being such a good boyfriend by trying to take care of her. Serena couldn't shake the guilt of what happened until Ash forgave her. Of course, like with any situation, Serena knew she had to forgive herself first.

The nurse in Serena's room nodded her head in response. "Yes. You may. He seems to be pretty stable, albeit a little groggy due to just waking up."

Serena smiled and wanted to jump out of bed and run down to where Ash's room was, but her state prevented her from doing that. Instead, she slowly climbed out and hobbled towards the door, still clothed in her hospital gown. Togetic was in the room, as well, and followed Serena out the door.

Serena was told where Ash's room was the previous day so she knew where to go. She had no doubt the others were already in Ash's room. As Serena made her way down the hall, Togetic sensed her discomfort and gave her an inquisitive look.

"Toge?" it asked her.

"I'm…a little nervous, Togetic. What if Ash is mad at me? I won't blame him if he is. This whole thing is my fault, anyway," Serena said sullenly.

"Toge, Toge," Togetic told her with a shake of its head which caused Serena to give a small smile.

"Thanks, Togetic. Still, even though I know there was no way this could happen or what would happen, I still had repeated warnings," Serena replied.

She reached Ash's hospital room and noticed the door was slightly ajar. She heard voices coming from inside which confirmed everyone else was indeed inside to check on Ash. With a sigh, Serena pushed the door open and stepped inside with Togetic flying in behind her.

Everyone in the room turned to look at Serena once she entered. Serena was only focused on one pair of eyes that turned on her right now, and that was Ash's eyes. His chocolate brown ones found her blue, and Serena expected to see disapproval or even anger in them. However, all she saw was concern. Serena then saw there was a large bandage wrapped around the top of his head where the plaster probably hit him. That only made Serena feel worse.

Despite this, Serena still made her way up to the bed. Pikachu hopped off its trainer's bed to give Serena some space. Once Serena made it to the bed, she didn't say anything for a moment. It was as if she and Ash wanted to say so much, but they couldn't form the proper words. It sounded a little cliché, but that's truly what they felt like. Finally, Serena forced herself to say something, but Ash beat her to it.

"Serena, are you okay?" he asked.

Serena felt tears of annoyance come to her eyes at his question. Why was he asking if _she_ was okay?! _He_ was the one who was hurt.

"What do you mean by that?" Serena exclaimed. "I should be the one asking you that! Why are you not angry at me?"

"Umm…I'm sorry?" Ash asked the last part in a question.

"Ash, you wouldn't have been hurt if it wasn't for me!" Serena cried as she buried her forehead into Ash's sheets. "I'm so sorry."

Ash placed one of hands on top of Serena's back in comfort while the others stood around and watched. Serena may have hated to see Ash hurt, but he hated seeing her like this, too. The past two weeks she had just been so…lost and confused. Now, from Grace and Yellow just told him, her headache was gone, but the damage had already been done. He could only imagine how awful Serena must feel.

"Serena, you couldn't have known what was going to happen. None of us could," Ash tried.

Serena took a shuddering breath as she forced herself to stop crying. She felt so pathetic right now. It seemed as if that's all she's done the past two weeks, and she hated it. Serena then remembered what she told herself yesterday. She had to press forward. She wiped her eyes and looked up at Ash.

"Thank you, Ash. I'm…I'm just glad you're alright," Serena told him.

"Of course!" Ash replied with a cheesy grin which caused Serena to giggle though she didn't want to.

"Serena, are you more or less back to normal now?" Misty asked in an unsure tone, which caused the others to look at her.

Serena knew what Misty meant, as did everyone else. The honey-haired girl turned around to face Misty and nodded her head.

"Yes. My headache is gone, and I no longer feel so tired," Serena answered.

"That's great!" Ash smiled.

"Hmm…," Yellow mused while Grace looked uncomfortable, as well.

"What is it?" Ash asked them once Serena cast her eyes downward, too.

"I think it's best that I start from the beginning. This is exactly as I predicted," Yellow frowned. "Would you all like me to explain now?"

The others nodded their head as they gave Yellow their full attention. Though they all had a suspicion of what was wrong with Serena, they needed to hear it from Yellow. They also didn't know why all of this was happening to Serena. Why now of all times? Of course, none of them were more anxious than Serena herself.

Serena already had so many questions for Yellow, and she hadn't even begun yet. Serena remembered so much now. She realized what she had forgotten but hadn't thought about in so long. Every time she did, it was forced back inside of her where she would forget again. She remembered everything about…him. Why did she forget about him in the first place, though? As much as Serena wanted to know right now, she forced herself to be patient and listen to Yellow.

"As I thought, Serena was suffering from a form of amnesia this whole time. It had apparently been going on for a long time. I'd say ever since she moved to Pallet Town," Yellow started.

Ash, Brock, and Misty looked at Serena in surprise at that bit of information. They had known her for a really long time now, and all this time, she's had amnesia from something. Originally, they all thought it was something recent that Serena had forgotten. Ash only had a thought about what was going on ever since Serena told him that she couldn't remember her hometown, but he wasn't sure. This changed things, however. Only Grace averted her eyes from Serena and instead looked down to the ground. Apparently, Serena's mother already knew about it, too.

"What caused it, though?" Ash asked which voiced everyone else's thoughts. "Why was it now trying to break out of all times?"

"Serena, didn't you use your ESP a few weeks ago at the hospital in Cianwood City?" Yellow responded with a question to Serena instead.

"Well, yes. It activated when I saved Mareep. It kept us from…falling to our deaths," Serena mumbled as Grace shuddered. Needless to say, her mother wasn't pleased with that information of Serena being in danger like that when she first heard it.

"When you use your ESP, it probably makes all parts of it activate because you can't control it yet," Yellow answered.

"But Serena's used her ESP before, and none of this has happened," Ash countered.

"Serena must've been in contact with some other telekinetic force that was keeping her ESP from working normally. It stimulated her mind and unlocked the inactive portion that was sealing her memories," Yellow replied.

The preteens' minds were becoming a whirl already. Yellow had only just begun to scratch the surface of what was wrong with Serena, and they were already getting confused. When was Serena ever in contact with some other psychic force besides Sabrina from so long ago? That was even before Serena knew of her ESP.

"Wait. So you mean a psychic Pokemon or another psychic person caused this?" Ash asked in an unsure tone for clarification.

"That's right," Yellow nodded. "It was her own ESP that sealed her memories, and when another one combated her mind, one began to struggle for dominance. That was what was causing her constant headache once she used her ESP again to save herself and Mareep."

Serena remembered when her Slowking had looked into her mind to see if it could figure out what was going on. That would explain why Serena's mind felt like complete chaos. Having two sets of ESP fight against each other would tend to do that.

"Why would Serena's ESP seal her memories, though?" Misty wondered.

"Amnesia is not uncommon after someone has experienced a tragedy. In the case of someone who can use ESP, it forcefully seals their memories to protect them from the pain," Yellow explained.

"I remember what it was," Serena spoke quietly.

All eyes turned to Serena once she did. The honey-haired girl was looking at the ground with her hands clenched into fists at her side. All those dreams she was having the past couple of days while she was unconscious, they were really her own memories. They were what was trying to break out the entire time and had been sealed away for so long. They were the memories of her father, Lysandre…and his death.

"Serena…," Grace trailed as she also knew what it was.

"It was about my dad. He died a long time ago," Serena stated which drew a collective gasp from Ash, Misty, and Brock. She then turned to her mother. "That was why we moved to Pallet Town, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It was," Grace confirmed slowly.

"I remember…I was so upset when I heard he died. I refused to believe what happened. He was like a hero to me, and then to hear he was gone…I couldn't bear it," Serena mumbled as her eyes became wet again.

"I see," Yellow said sympathetically. "It must've caused you a lot of grief."

"It did," Grace picked up. "It affected her even more than it did me. I had never seen anyone so upset in my life. Lysandre was a wonderful husband to me, but I believe he was a better father to Serena."

Ash felt a tinge of guilt upon that. He remembered how he used to complain and feel anger towards his own dad for never being around. Serena, however, no longer had a father. It made everything so clear about why Ash never heard anything about him from Serena despite being her friend or boyfriend for over five years. She couldn't remember him.

"When her memories were first sealed shortly after the incident, I had no idea what was going on," Grace continued. "She was acting normal as if nothing had happened. She gave no mention as to what happened to Lysandre or even him in general, and I thought it may just be her way of coping with it, but I began to realize it wasn't normal. I knew she had developed amnesia from the incident, but I didn't know why it was only her father she couldn't remember. Everything else was fine…for a while."

"What do you mean by a while?" Ash couldn't help but ask.

"It wasn't long before she began to show signs of pain by just being in our house. She would be in so much pain, and I didn't know why. I had called a doctor, but they didn't know what was going on, either. I then remembered that Lysandre was gifted with ESP and wondered if it might be affecting Serena. I took her to the only other known person in Kalos who also had ESP…the gym leader of Anistar City, Olympia," Grace said.

"I remember that, now," Serena muttered.

"Right. Olympia explained to me in private what had happened to Serena. That was when I first found out that Serena had ESP just like her father. Needless to say, I was scared," Grace shuddered.

Everyone in the room was trying to process this information. They now knew whom Serena got her ESP from. To Serena, though, everything they did was starting to make sense. It explained why the furthest thing Serena remembered was her visit to Pallet Town. She and her mother had to move to get Serena away from anything that involved her father, and that included leaving their hometown and region. To keep Serena from going insane, her mother threw away everything of her former life and began a new one. Anything of her former husband, she had to seal away and never look at.

Serena felt even more terrible for when she had yelled at her mom a couple of days ago before the contest and even just in general. Grace truly was telling the truth when she said it would only cause Serena pain. She did know what was going on with Serena, and she knew of Serena's ESP long before even Serena did, but Grace never told her daughter any of this to protect her.

Grace did so much for Serena, but Serena knew she had never been the best daughter to Grace in return. She was rebellious against a lot of mother's wishes and always opposed her opinions on just about everything…including the outfits she would wear on her journey with Ash. They had repaired it a little bit after Serena matured after her Kanto adventure, but the whole time, Serena still never truly valued her mother's opinion on things. Now, however, Serena had a new sense of admiration and love for her mother that wasn't there before.

"Mom, I'm sorry," Serena said as she went over and gave Grace a hug.

"For what?" Grace wondered, but she returned Serena's hug.

"For being such a terrible daughter," Serena said. "I just want you to know that I love you. Thank you for everything. You gave up everything to protect me. Thank you."

"Oh, Serena. Of course I did all that for you. You're my daughter, and I love you and would do anything for you," Grace replied.

"Would you two like some privacy?" Yellow asked politely.

"We will later, but right now we want to hear the rest of this," Serena answered as she let go of her mother.

"There's one thing I don't get," Brock spoke up as he crossed his arms. "When has Serena ever been in contact with a psychic Pokemon or person? We've been with her the whole time."

"Not every time," Serena mumbled.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"Our time in Tohjo Falls," Serena replied.

Ash, Misty, Brock, and their Pokemon all raised their eyebrows. That had been a while back when Serena went missing there. They had found Poliwrath there when it was still a Poliwag, and they had learned from it that Serena was in trouble. It led the way, but before they could get to where Poliwag was leading them, they had found Serena floating down the cave river, and she was unconscious. They had tried to ask her about it, but she couldn't remember.

"Serena, do you remember what happened now?" Ash asked seriously.

Serena took a deep breath before she responded. "I saw Giovanni there. He had a Hypno with him. He did that to me."

There was a collective gasp at that before silence. Ash didn't let that last long, though. The raven-haired boy clenched his fists. Giovanni…the cruel man who kidnapped his mom before challenging him to a life or death Pokemon battle for his Earth Badge. He had gotten away, and the group thought they had seen the last of him. He was out there, though, alive and was hiding inside Tohjo Falls. Now he went and did this to Serena. Ash could never forgive him. He then forced himself to relax as he started to get dizzy.

"Serena, you saw that horrible Giovanni?!" Grace cried.

"Yes. I did. When his Hypno was using its psychic waves on me, my ESP activated, and it allowed me to escape. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember what happened after that," Serena replied lowly.

"So this is where Giovanni has been hiding," Yellow said thoughtfully and crossed her arms.

"If that's where Giovanni's been, surely someone else would've seen him by now," Brock protested.

"He told me several people have seen him, but he's always erased their memories of him. He's what had been causing all the amnesic trainers that would visit Tohjo Falls who Professor Oak told us about. That's what he was attempting to do to me when I got away," Serena responded.

"Let's go stop him!" Ash suddenly shouted before he winced and gingerly held his injured head. He was tired of that man roaming free.

"Ash, you have to get a hold of yourself. Remember this is Giovanni we're dealing with. If he is indeed inside Tohjo Falls, we'll have to do this slowly to avoid anyone else getting hurt. I'll let Rose and Blue know," Yellow told him.

"Should we inform the police?" Grace questioned.

"We'll get to that, Grace. I believe Serena, but it will take a lot more than the word of a twelve year old girl to convince the police to actively search for Giovanni there," Yellow said truthfully.

"Besides, there's something else he told me, too," Serena spoke up. "He told me that he knew Team Rocket was planning on making a comeback."

"What kind of comeback?" Misty asked.

"I don't know, but he just told me that his gang wouldn't go down like that. They're probably in hiding just like he is. He said he was waiting for an announcement of a comeback before he returned," Serena answered.

"Well, we won't give him that opportunity," Ash growled. "I'll never let him rise to power again."

"We don't plan to," Yellow said. "As soon as I get back to Viridian City, that will be my first priority. We just don't have a lot to go off of like where the rest of his team disappeared to that wasn't arrested by police."

"We've seen three of them twice now," Serena said.

"Really? Where?" Yellow wondered.

"I saw them at the Ruins of Alph, and we saw them again in Goldenrod City," Serena replied before she scratched her head. "Now that I think about it, they didn't look like they wanted to be there."

"Silver told me the same thing," Ash said as he frowned at the thought of half brother. "I didn't want to believe him, but he seems to know more about what's going on than any of us."

"Ash, you've seen Silver?" Yellow asked with wide eyes. "Did you tell your mother?"

"No. I…can't. He's a horrible person, and he treats me just as horribly. I can't tell my mom about what he's like," Ash muttered.

"I know it isn't my place to say this, Ash, but all mothers care for their sons. Even if Silver is as terrible as you say he is, I'm sure she at least wants to hear he's doing well," Yellow stated.

"He should just tell her himself!" Ash suddenly said with a raised voice before he added, "The next time I see him, I'm going to make him call Mom. I'm tired of how he talks about her!"

Ash then grimaced again once his head gave a painful throb. He set his head back down on the pillow and sighed. Hearing about Silver almost fired him up as much as Giovanni. Silver can deny and say how he hates being Giovanni's son all he wants, but that won't change anything. In fact, Ash saw a lot Giovanni in Silver with their attitude and expressions. Ash couldn't stand either of them.

"I think I'm going to make a call to Blue, now, after all. If Team Rocket really is trying to make a comeback, he'll want to know," Yellow said in an attempt to diffuse the tenseness inside the room.

"What about my dad?" Ash inquired.

"If I can reach him, I'll be sure to let him know, too," Yellow replied.

Before Yellow left, Serena stopped her. "Wait, Ms. Yellow. Thank you so much for telling us this. It really helped us with what was going on."

"Of course," Yellow smiled. "I just wish I could've gotten here sooner."

"It's okay," Serena assured. "You've still helped me. I…don't think my memories need to be sealed away longer."

"That's wonderful," Grace said as she wiped away a few tears.

It not only came as a relief to Serena but to Grace, too. The woman could now finally enjoy the happiness of her previous marriage without hiding it from her daughter. She could finally get out those old boxes that contained all of Lysandre's belongings. Serena was also now free to ask as many questions about Lysandre as she wanted. Serena and Grace had much to talk about later.

* * *

Ash and Serena had just made it to the docks of Olive City. The two had wanted to spend some time alone with each other, and with some convincing, the nurse allowed them to leave the hospital. Pikachu and Togetic had joined them, though. Besides, there was something that Serena had wanted to discuss with Ash. Hopefully he might be able to provide some insight to her recent thoughts after talking with her mother.

"Hey, Serena. Are you all good?" Ash asked.

"Yeah," Serena sighed as she sat down on the wood, and Ash joined her and sat down, too.

"Hey. I told you already not to blame yourself for what happened. It was all inevitable," Ash told her. He still had the bandages around his head, but his hat was covering them.

"Right. I know," Serena replied and sighed again.

"So what's up?" Ash questioned.

"I don't really know," Serena answered. "I mean…it's just so weird to have all of these memories come back to me. It's like discovering a part of myself that I never knew about, and it was caused by my own ESP."

"Do you still feel grief over your dad?" Ash inquired.

"No. It's easier, now, of course. It's just hard to believe he's gone. He was such a big part of my life when I was younger. By forgetting him for so long, it just feels like I've insulted him," Serena frowned.

"That wasn't your fault," Ash pointed out.

"Still, the more I think about it, the more I think that he can't be gone quite yet," Serena started, which prompted a confused look from Ash.

"What do you mean?" he wondered.

"You seem to be more experienced in your aura than I am with my ESP," Serena said. "Are you able to sense other's aura readings?"

"Ummm…I guess. I can feel Uncle Riley's and my dad's when their close by, but I can't detect it from far away," Ash replied before he let out a small chuckle. "Heh. I'm not that good yet."

"Right," Serena nodded as she folded her arms in thought.

"Still, what does that have to do with you?" Ash continued.

"I just have a feeling deep inside my mind, you know. People who use ESP are able to sense others who have it. I know I can't use it properly yet, but I still just have that feeling. It won't leave me alone, either," Serena told Ash.

"Are you saying your dad's still alive?" Ash questioned.

"I don't know. Maybe it's just denial. Maybe it's hope to spend more time with him to make up for all the times I've forgotten him. Maybe it's just silly," Serena muttered the last part.

"Serena, it's not my place to say this, but if he was still alive, wouldn't you or your mom know it by now?" Ash reasoned.

"It's…just hard to explain. I mentioned this to my mom, but she didn't know what to make of it. Maybe he hasn't found us yet because he doesn't know my ESP signal like I don't know his. Does that make sense?" Serena asked and gave Ash an unsure look.

"I…guess," Ash replied as he scratched his head as he tried to wrap it around what Serena just told him.

"Besides, I haven't mentioned this to anyone else yet besides my mom, but with all the memories that were coming back to me, there was one that wasn't a memory," Serena began which drew Ash's attention.

"What was it?" he wondered.

"I had another dream where I saw my dad, and he was alive. Do you think they were also trying to predict the future?" Serena hoped.

"Err…I don't know," Ash responded truthfully. "Why are you telling me this and not Ms. Yellow?"

"Because you're my boyfriend, and besides, Ms. Yellow's busy right now trying to get in contact with everyone," Serena replied and placed her hands on her hips. "You also have aura so I was wondering if you ever felt something like that before."

"I can't say," Ash muttered. "No one important to me has died so far."

"I guess you're right," Serena frowned. "Sorry."

"But if you were having this dream of your dad being alive with all of your other memories, who knows? Maybe he is out there somewhere," Ash shrugged.

"Then I won't give up," Serena said with a stronger voice than she had before. "I want to resolve to find him."

"How do you plan to do that?" Ash asked.

"By traveling to all the regions and checking as many places as I can. If he really is alive, we'll be able to sense each other. Maybe it's silly to you and I'm just chasing a lost cause, but if there's even a chance my dad's alive, I want to take it," Serena continued.

"Well, you can guarantee I'll be there with you," Ash told her. "There are still so many places in the world we still need to see."

"Then I'll make that resolve to find him," Serena stated as she went over to her backpack and pulled out her showcase kit.

"What are you doing?" Ash inquired and gave Serena a curious glance.

"I'm starting over with him and with everything else," Serena replied and stood up. "All of this amnesia and hurting others because of it is over. I'm ready to move on with that mistake and find my dad."

With that, she pulled out a pair of scissors, and Ash's eyes widened. Just what was she planning on doing with those? They widened even further when Serena took the pair of scissors and placed them behind her head. She then lifted up part of her hair and placed it between the scissors.

"Uhhh…Serena?" Ash questioned.

"This is saying goodbye to my old self of not remembering my dad, Ash. I'm now content with the great memories I have of him, and I will find him one day…or he'll find me," Serena said with determination.

Ash and Pikachu said nothing as they continued to watch. Serena took a deep breath as she remembered everything before she started her journey. She remembered meeting Ash for the first time. She remembered the first day of her journey, when she and Ash became a couple, winning the Battle Chateau, and all of her great friends like Leaf, Gary, Brock, Misty, and Calem. She had made so many mistakes in the past, but no more. She was moving forward, and wanted a symbol to show for it made Serena do what she did next.

There was a snip of the scissors, and another, and another.

* * *

Ash and Serena arrived at the hospital soon afterward. They knew that the others were going to be waiting for them. Grace and Yellow were going to be on a plane back to their hometown first thing in the morning so they still wanted to see them for a little bit longer as well as show them something new about Serena.

They soon found Brock Misty, Grace, and Yellow conversing near the cafeteria. Ash and Serena appeared in front of them, and as they expected, there was an immediate reaction from the group about Serena. Brock nearly spit out the water he was drinking while Misty had her mouth opened in shock. Grace titled her head while Yellow looked thoughtful.

"Ta-da!" Serena smiled as she gave a twirl. "What do you think?"

"You cut your hair, Serena!" Misty gasped.

"Yeah. It was time for a change! I think it looks cute!" Serena replied

"I think so, too," Ash agreed from behind Serena. Pikachu and Togetic also were looking up in approval at Serena.

Indeed, Serena's hair was now much shorter. Instead of going down almost to her waist, it now only reached her shoulders. She gave it a small flip as she waited for what they had say about it after they recovered from their shock.

"Well, this is new, Serena. I haven't seen your hair this short since you were little," Grace stated.

"Do you like it?" Serena asked.

"I do. It looks good on you," Grace approved and went over to hug her daughter.

"I was surprised, but I think I could get used to that look on you," Brock nodded.

"It's really fashionable," Misty nodded.

"Thanks!" Serena grinned.

"Good news, by the way," Yellow interjected as Ash and Serena turned to her. "I told Blue and Rose about Giovanni and Team Rocket. They're going to look into it and get in touch with some of the police. They'll do a thorough search of Goldenrod City and Tohjo Falls for any traces of Team Rocket."

"That's great!" Serena smiled.

"Finally, we might have closure to this," Ash breathed. Nothing would please him more than to see Giovanni behind bars when he was found.

They knew that Rose, Blue, and Yellow knew not to go lightly when it came to Giovanni. The police would probably bring in a whole squadron armed with several Pokemon if the Blue told them to do it. Being the champion of the Kanto region had it benefits.

"Well, now that all of this has been taken care of, I think I'm ready for my sixth gym battle," Ash stated but didn't adjust his cap as usual. He didn't want to aggravate the bandages.

"You'll do great just like always," Serena told him.

"Sorry we can't be there, Ash. Grace and I need to get back to Kanto as fast as possible so I can meet with Blue and Rose. We'll let you know of any updates, of course," Yellow said apologetically.

"It's okay. Thanks," Ash replied.

Things were now looking up for the group. Serena had regained her memories, and rather than fill her with pain, it just gave acceptance and new determination. She was going to move forward. What's done was done. They could now finally continue their journey through Johto and hope that Team Rocket was finally going to be taken care of once and for all. They still had a lot of Johto left to explore, and they couldn't wait to see what it had in store for them!

* * *

 **We all knew I was going to cut Serena's hair eventually. I had this time planned out from the start. Now, before some of you lose your minds over Serena cutting her hair because you like it better longer...please relax. It's just hair. Besides, it can always grow back since that's what hair tends to do. I could always have it gradually grow back in the future. For now, it will at least remain short the rest of Johto. I may have the unpopular opinion here, but I actually like her hair better when it's short.**

 **A lot of you already had an idea who Serena's father was, but this chapter confirmed it. Yes. It's indeed Lysandre. I know he doesn't have ESP in the anime or games, but here, I gave it to him. Why? Well, you'll find out eventurally. Team Flare is definitely in this series as I said earlier, but it's not in the way you will expect. Team Plasma is also in this series, but their role hasn't been revealed yet and won't for a while. Just know that they're out there...somewhere...**

 **Things are going to heat up with Team Rocket now! You guys will get an update soon about what's going on with them as well as Jessie, James, and Meowth...including the mission Giovanni assigned to them at the Radio Tower. All will be revealed in time. It all leads up to the Johto arc's climax!**

 **Ash's sixth gym battle is next! It probably won't be out until September! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty-Six: Nerves of Steelix**


	46. Nerves of Steelix

**A/N: A few people asked if Serena's performance career was in jeopardy because of what happened. I meant to add that conversation last chapter so I'll just say it here. Nobody except the group knows what caused the hall to collapse as they don't know about Serena's ESP. She's fine, but how will she handle all of her performances is the question now.**

 **Here's the chapter with Ash's sixth battle. There's going to be quite a while before the next chapter with a gym battle so please enjoy this one.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Six: Nerves of Steelix

The group had just left the Olivine City Airport to see off Grace and Yellow. The two adults had to get back to report everything Serena had told them in regards to Team Rocket, particularly in Yellow's case. The woman had assured them that taking care of Giovanni would be her first priority once she got back, and that she would call the group with any updates concerning him.

It was ten in the morning which was when the Olivine City Gym was supposed to open. Now, with no reason to do anything else, the group decided to head over to it. Olivine City had been quite eventful so far so it was kind of strange to finally have their time here draw to a close.

Speaking of things that were eventful, they passed by the Olivine City Performance Hall on the way to the gym. Even two days later, the place still looked wrecked. There was a construction crew there, and cones to mark the area as off-limits until it was rebuilt. There wasn't a time frame for when they would finish due to all the repairs. Serena was unable to take the sight and looked away since she knew it was her fault. She then forced herself to face forward after reminding herself that she was moving on. Serena still looked uneasy, though.

Even though she and her friends were the only ones that knew what happened, it didn't make it any easier for Serena. The news had, of course, reported the incident, and people were coming up with all sorts of theories about what caused the hall to collapse. Some just offered an explanation of unstable structure which gave way after being crammed with too many people. Others said it was an act of terrorism. Others just viewed it as a freak accident. Nobody was suspecting a psychic twelve year old girl had been the cause of the damage.

"Hey, Serena, you know your future as a Pokemon Performer is secure. Nobody knows what truly happened. You didn't do it on purpose, either," Ash said to her.

"I wonder if I still want to do Pokemon Performances, though," Serena muttered.

That made Ash, Brock, Misty, and even Pikachu and Togetic turn to her. Serena? Quit Pokemon showcasing? What was all this about?

"Why would you want to stop doing Pokemon showcases? You're really good at them!" Misty insisted this time.

"It's just part of me moving forward. After something like this happened, it's just hard for me to keep doing something like this. Don't think of me as running away from it. I'm not. I still want to become Kalos Queen of Johto, but after that, I'm not sure," Serena explained.

"You're going to focus on finding your dad, aren't you?" Ash figured.

"That, but I'll want to do something else, too. I just don't know what it is yet," Serena said. "I know all my Pokemon will understand, even Fennekin. I'll still find something to do that will please all of my Pokemon."

"You could become a Rhyhorn Racer like your mom," Ash joked.

Serena shuddered at the thought. Though she really respected Grace and her choice of career, Serena knew it just really wasn't for her. She had lost count of how many times she bit her tongue or was thrown off their pet Rhyhorn as she was growing up.

"Not likely," Serena giggled as she playfully tapped Ash on the arm. "I know I'll find something for me to do."

"Well, whatever it is, we know you'll do great at it!" Ash nodded and gave Serena a thumbs up.

Serena smiled back at Ash before she faced forward again. Though she figured out she didn't want to do Pokemon showcases for the rest of her life, Serena was still determined to see this through in Johto. It would be difficult now, Serena knew she would have to win all her showcases from now on in order to enter the Master Class, where Aria was sure to show up.

 _"Maybe Aria can help guide me,"_ Serena thought.

* * *

The group arrived at the Olivine City Gym about fifteen minutes later. As they stared at the large building in front of them, Ash had a few flashbacks of when he first met Jasmine. The girl had been at the Olivine City Lighthouse because the Ampharos had fallen ill due to poison. Ash tasked himself to retrieve the medicine himself in Cianwood City, and then sent it back with Macy. Man, that felt like a long time ago even though it really wasn't.

Of course, when Ash last saw Jasmine, he also saw…Silver. Ash unknowingly darkened his face at the thought of his brother and how Silver treated him and the horrible things he said to him. Ash then snapped out of it and put on a smile. He didn't want the others to think that something was wrong with him when there really wasn't. It was just a brief, unpleasant thought.

"I wonder how Jasmine is doing since the Ampharos is better," Misty said thoughtfully as they got closer to the door.

"Well, according to Macy, she was feeling good enough to battle again. Apparently, she must've faced Jasmine herself," Brock replied.

"Heh. Macy," Serena smirked as she remembered the bad blood between them at first. At least they had things sorted out, and Macy was remorseful for her treatment of Serena afterward.

Brock then looked over at Ash to see if he had any input. Upon seeing the raven-haired boy, Brock rose one his eyebrows and gave Ash a weird look.

"Uhhh…Ash? Something funny over there?" Brock questioned.

Misty and Serena then looked over at Ash and let out a cough to keep themselves from laughing. Pikachu and Togepi were a little more shameless and didn't bother to cover their snickering.

Apparently, Ash was so focused on looking happy and take his thoughts away from Silver, he came off looking like a grinning idiot. Ash saw a reflection of himself on one of the many mirrors that adorned the gym for its emphasis on steel-types, and he quickly put on a neutral expression. Boy, did he just look stupid.

"Come on! Tell us the joke! I want to hear it if it made you smile like that!" Misty pressed.

"Uh…," Ash mumbled. Great. Now he was looking like an idiot for a completely different reason.

He then noticed all of his friends, as well as Pikachu and Togetic looking at him expectantly and knew he had to come up with something. He didn't want to tell them he had been thinking of Silver. The raven-haired boy scratched his head as one came to him.

"Uhhh…why is a Meowth scared of a tree?" Ash asked slowly.

"Why?" Serena asked with a smile.

"Because of its bark…," Ash finished lamely then added a chuckle for emphasis and hoped he at least got one of them to crack a smile.

No one did.

"Umm…I guess it wasn't as funny as I thought. Sorry," Ash mumbled and blushed in embarrassment.

If you say so," Misty said with a roll of her eyes as she and the others sighed at Ash's complete dud.

Ash was glad they reached the gym door at that moment so he didn't have to embarrass himself further. Like the rest of the gym, the doors were made of…well…steel. Ash reached out as he pulled on the doors and expected them to be extremely heavy. However, they were actually rather easy to open and required little effort. They must've been made of light metal.

The group stepped into the lobby of the gym, and as usual, there was a large set of double doors ahead of them which led to the gym. There was a small door off to the side in the lobby, and the group turned to it when it opened. Jasmine came out of her office upon hearing the front doors open, and when she saw the group, she smiled.

"Oh, Ash! Welcome!" Jasmine said brightly.

"Hi, Jasmine! Good to see you again!" Ash replied with a smile of his own, but it instantly vanished.

He couldn't believe his eyes. So soon? Stepping out from behind Jasmine was none other than Silver. The cold man wore a hard expression on his face as he stared at Ash. In return, the raven-haired boy gave a hard expression of his own. He remembered how when he first visited Olivine City, he actively sought out Silver and went to the lighthouse because of him. Apparently, Silver was still in Olivine City, though. Had he been staying here this whole time?

Serena, Brock, and Misty were in just as much of shock as Ash and Silver. The only times they had ever seen Ash's brother were in pictures or that one time off in the distance in Violet City. It was really him, though. They had no idea what to do. Should they speak or just stay silent? Should they suggest to Ash that they all leave? No. Whatever was about to happen was between Ash and Silver.

Jasmine sensed the discomfort in the room and frowned. She was present when Ash and Silver acted saw each other and knew how they acted the last time they met. She knew all too well of the tension that was created, but she had temporarily forgotten it. She sincerely hoped a fight wasn't about to break out.

Silver walked closer to Ash and still wore his hard expression. Ash instinctively took a single step back, but he held his ground. He wasn't going to let Silver intimidate to get him leave. Ash had come here for a gym battle, and that's what he was going to do! Pikachu stood at Ash's side, and so did Togetic, but the cold young man completely ignored them.

Everyone in the room was surprised when Silver spoke first instead of Ash. "Jasmine and I heard on the news that you and that girl were caught in the performance hall when it collapsed."

"Yeah. What of it?" Ash uttered his breath.

"Shut up. I was just going to ask if you were alright," Silver growled in response.

"Huh?!" Ash exclaimed as his eyes grew wide.

"You heard me," Silver muttered.

Ash blinked a few times. Yeah. Ash heard Silver, but he couldn't believe his ears. The cold, disgruntled, angry young man had actually asked if Ash was okay? Someone he clearly hated? What was going on? It just seemed the more times Ash met Silver, the more he was confused. What went on in this guy's head to make him ask something like that? Ash wasn't quite sure how he should respond.

"Umm…yeah," Ash replied slowly. "I have bruise on my head that still has bandages on it, but my hat covers it. Other than that, I'm fine."

Silver didn't reply and still stared at Ash. Nobody was saying anything else. Silver was completely ignoring everyone in the room except Ash, and Ash was doing likewise. It was as if one of them started talking, a bomb would go off. Despite this, Jasmine finally cleared her throat.

"Ash, I believe you came here to request a gym battle from me," she said, as everyone now turned to stare at her. "I will accept your challenge."

"Great. Thanks, Jasmine," Ash replied quietly. His previous excitement of the gym battle had completely drained away now that he's seen Silver again.

"I'm out of here," Silver stated as he turned back to Jasmine. "I'll be back later."

"That's fine. Thank you again for your help, Silver," Jasmine nodded.

Silver then moved past Ash and the others as he made his way out the door. He didn't even spare Ash or his friends a glance now. As the group watched him leave, the raven-haired boy inwardly breathed a sigh of relief at that. Then, before he knew it, Ash had called out to Silver. The words were out of his mouth as if some evil spirit had suddenly possessed him to say what he said next.

"Are you going to stay and watch my battle?" Ash asked, as Serena gasped.

Silver stopped dead in his tracks, and he turned around to give Ash a look of revulsion. It was as if the very idea made Silver sick…which to be fair, it probably did.

"Why would I want to stay to watch _your_ battle?" Silver snarled.

"Because I might have information on Team Rocket and Giovanni," Ash uttered against his better judgement. By now, he knew he should've known not to mention Team Rocket or Giovanni to Silver, but Ash couldn't help but feel a slight sense of satisfaction to finally know something Silver didn't.

"Ash…," Serena trailed, but she didn't get the chance to finish.

In an instant, Silver was upon Ash. The cold man gave Ash a threatening look as Ash stared back. He wasn't going to back down this time. Silver can try to intimidate him all he wants, but Ash knew he wouldn't try anything in front of Jasmine or his friends, hopefully. Then again, this was Silver who Ash was dealing with, and this guy had already shown to be completely unpredictable and impossible to read.

"Tell me," Silver ordered in a low voice.

"Piiii," Pikachu hissed at Silver as it stood in front of Ash protectively.

"I will if you watch my battle," Ash replied in a low voice himself. "I also know that you've seen me battle before…in the Goldenrod Gym. I saw you. Why?"

Serena, Brock, and Misty turned in surprise as they stared at Silver. Ash's brother was there the whole time and watched Ash's battle, and they never noticed him? Furthermore, why didn't Ash tell them about it?

"Why did you watch me?" Ash repeated.

"I don't have to explain myself to you," Silver growled. "Now tell me what you know."

"I don't have to explain myself to you," Ash retorted smartly. "Now tell me what you know."

Silver narrowed his eyes at Ash in a dangerous way. To any normal person, they would've shrunk back under Silver's scary gaze and caved in. Ash knew Silver was capable of force if necessary, but here, Ash just felt like challenging his threats was the right thing to do this time. He had no idea why, though.

Then to everyone's shock Silver replied to Ash. "I watched you at Goldenrod Gym because I was curious. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like you, but I wanted to see for myself if you really were a decent battler. You're the son of Red, after all…while I'm not."

If Ash didn't know better, he thought he would've detected a trace of sadness in Silver's voice. However, it was gone very quickly as Silver's voice was back to its cold and angry tone.

"Now tell me what you know about Team Rocket," Silver said a little louder this time.

"I will if you watch my battle," Ash responded. "That's the deal."

"Ash! Why are you inviting Silver to watch you battle?" Serena couldn't help but ask. "You two can't stand each other!"

The honey-haired girl felt odd speaking at a time like this, but she failed to see the reasoning behind this. Were Ash and Silver in just a complete battle of wills right now? Why was Ash doing this if they've never had a good encounter before?

"Stay out of it, Serena," Ash said softly, but his tone still had an authoritative tone to it. He then addressed Silver again. "Well?"

The silence in the room was intense. The tension was so thick, one could cut it with a knife. Here were two people who couldn't stand the other in a silent battle of their own. The four people and two Pokemon not involved were reaching their breaking points themselves. Ash and Silver couldn't stay like this forever, could they? If Silver lost patience, what would happen then? Would he actually go as far to attack Ash to get the information? Then again, he did just ask if Ash was okay. Ugh! This was so confusing! Why did Ash have to mention Team Rocket to Silver! They had no idea what would happen next.

"Fine," Silver resigned but there was a slight sneer in his voice. "I'll watch you battle, and you tell me what I want to know about Team Rocket."

"Fair enough," Ash said before he turned to Jasmine. "Is it okay if we have my gym battle now?"

"Umm…yes. Right this way," Jasmine responded as she turned away and walked to the double doors on the other side of the room.

Everyone else followed her, and their minds were all a mess at the strange scene that had taken place. Silver had actually just accepted to watch Ash's battle. Not only were they taken aback by that, but they were even more confused about why Ash wanted Silver to watch his battle. What did Ash want to prove to this guy, anyway? Did Ash have some kind of hidden plan that they weren't aware of? Did Silver? Would Ash even be able to focus with Silver watching him? Serena couldn't help but voice her concerns. She caught up to Ash who was ahead of her and walked in sync with him.

"Ash, what are you doing?" Serena whispered.

"About to have a gym battle with Jasmine," Ash responded back quietly.

"You know exactly what I mean," Serena whispered harshly. "Why are you inviting Silver to watch you battle? You two can't get along."

"It's…complicated," Ash muttered. "It's hard to explain. "It's just…I guess I just want him to because he's Silver. I know it sounds lame, but I just don't know how to describe it."

"I just hope you know what you're doing," Serena murmured. "Please stay focused on your battle."

"Don't worry, Serena. I will," Ash promised.

Silver could hear the exchange going on between Ash and Serena and rolled his eyes. He didn't know who this girl was to Ash, but apparently, they were pretty close. What on Earth could she see in Ash? Silver just saw him as a nuisance who had what Silver believed he should've had. Why did he have a good life and not be the son of a criminal? Why did he get to be the true son of someone like Red? Why was he…not despised after one learned of his background? To him, Ash was the very representation of what Silver didn't have, and now he had to watch him battle again.

The group reached the gym room, and Jasmine continued to walk to the other side of the room and pressed a buzzer on the other side of the room to call the judge. Ash and Pikachu stayed on the side closest to the door while the others went off to the side. Silver made a point to go to the opposite side of the gym that Serena, Brock, Misty, and Togetic were staying upon. Apparently, the cold man had no intention of being by them or speaking to them. Maybe that was for the best. Truthfully, they weren't looking to get to know him, either.

"Is a two on two gym match alright with you?" Jasmine called once everyone appeared situated and the judge came out of a nearby room carrying the typical flags.

"Fine with me!" Ash called back.

"Even thought you helped Amphy and went to Cianwood to get its medicine, this battle is a different story. I'll do everything I can to win, and I won't go easy on you!" Jasmine stated.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Ash said. He had such an urge to turn his hat backwards, as usual. However, the aching that would cause on his head prevented him from doing so.

Silver resisted the urge to growl under his breath? Would he get on with it?

"Would you like to choose first, or would you like me, too?" Jasmine asked.

"I'll go first this time!" Ash stated.

Ash had already decided which two Pokemon he would bring into the match. He heard Jasmine used steel-types, and that already made Pikachu, Noctowl, and Chikorita poor candidates. He had planned to use Houndour and Cyndaquil for this battle, but Houndour was at Oak's lab right now to help keep Serena's Poliwrath under control. Professor Oak needed all the leadership he could get for the time being, and with Houndour being a former pack leader, it fit to have it there briefly.

That was fine, though, as Croconaw and Cyndaquil were plenty strong enough. Cyndaquil had the advantage of being a fire-type, and it had been working very hard to boost its flames with all the lessons Ash and Houndour had with it. Hopefully, everything would pay off, though. Still, to start off with, Ash wouldn't use it. He was going to start off with Croconaw.

"Go, Croconaw!" Ash hollered, confident with his choice.

Croconaw appeared from its pokeball and immediately began break dancing. A far cry from its happy dance as a Totodile, the jolly Pokemon had now taken to a more mature…interesting form of dancing. The group resisted the urge to chuckle at the talented Pokemon while Silver glared. What the heck was this Croconaw's deal? If his Feraligatr saw this, it would probably beat the crap out of that Croconaw for embarrassing its past form like this.

"I suppose you think you made a good choice," Jasmine seemed to smirk once Croconaw quit dancing.

"I think I did. Steel-types aren't very effective against water-types," Ash replied.

"Normally, that's true, but this Pokemon is also part steel-type and will be very effective against your Croconaw!" Jasmine explained as she threw her pokeball forward. "Go, Magneton!"

The magnetic Pokemon that looked like three Magnemite joined together appeared, and Ash's breath caught in his throat. Uh oh. This wasn't good. Magneton was also an electric-type and had some pretty powerful electric attacks to go along with it. Still, Ash knew it wouldn't be good to go ahead and swap out for Cyndaquil to take on Magneton. He would just have to keep his choice and believe Croconaw could overcome it.

"We can still do it, Croconaw!" Ash encouraged.

"Croconaw!" it agreed.

"Man, that was clever of Jasmine. She probably has a Magneton for the sole reason to catch trainers off-guard when they bring a water-type to their gym as a second line of defense in case they don't have enough fire-types," Brock noted as the others agreed.

Serena looked away from Ash and towards Silver to see the expression on his face. The young man was unreadable as he stared at the impending battle. Silver then noticed Serena was staring at him, and just as he turned to look at her, Serena quickly looked away. She didn't want to give this guy any reason to turn his anger onto her. Still, his terrible treatment of Ash made Serena hard to find any reason to get to know this guy. She was sure Brock and Misty felt the same way.

"Are you ready, Ash?" Jasmine asked.

"Ready!" Ash confirmed.

"Then the battle starts now!" the judge declared.

Jasmine pointed her arm and index finger forward for emphasis. "I'll start us off with by having my Magneton fire a Thunderbolt!"

The magnet Pokemon gave a brief charge before it shot out the large bolt of electricity at Croconaw. Ash nodded his head as he knew how Croconaw could get out of its range. He almost instinctively wanted to look over to Silver who was undoubtedly watching what his move would be, but he forced himself to face forward. Ash knew he had to focus.

"Use Water Gun on the ground to power yourself out of the way!" Ash shouted.

Croconaw pointed its face downward and sprayed the large blast of water to the ground. The big jaw Pokemon was propelled upwards and out of harm's way. The Thunderbolt passed underneath it but struck nothing but ground. Croconaw then maneuvered its body above the floating Magneton as Ash called out his next attack.

"Use Aqua Tail!" Ash told it next.

Croconaw began to fall downwards towards the Magneton. It then began to swing its tail around, but Jasmine already had other plans. In fact, she smirked which made Ash uneasy.

"Use Lock-on!" Jasmine commanded.

Sure enough, the Aqua Tail slammed into the Magneton, but as soon as it was done, Magneton's eyes glowed red as it focused on Croconaw. The big jaw Pokemon landed on the ground as Ash prepared his next move, but Jasmine beat him to it.

"Use Zap Cannon!" she yelled.

"Use Water Gun to get out of the way just like before!" Ash hollered.

An electric blast fired out of Magneton, but Croconaw sprayed the Water Gun to the ground once again. It rose high into the air, but both it and Ash's eyes widened when the saw the Zap Cannon follow Croconaw, and then it was struck with the huge amount of electricity. Croconaw cried out in pain from the powerful, super-effective attack, and it fell to the ground on its back.

"Croconaw!" Ash cried in worry.

He now knew the reason for that Lock-on. Jasmine was willing to take an attack so she could get a good shot in. She had this move specifically for any water-types that could evade Magneton's slow nature as well as just any Pokemon in general. With Croconaw getting hit this badly so early on didn't give Ash a good feeling.

"Can you stand?" Ash asked Croconaw.

"Naaaawwww," it muttered in pain as it shakily stood to its feet, but then its body had static fly from it, and its knees buckled once again.

"Oh no. It's been paralyzed," Brock stated as he crossed his arms while Serena and Misty looked on in concern. "As inaccurate as Zap Cannon is, if it hits, the Pokemon becomes paralyzed. This will only make it that much harder for Croconaw to dodge."

Silver frowned and gave a sigh. How could Ash not have seen this coming? He had a chance to switch out his Pokemon for something else, and he blew it. Then again, this was only a two on two match. Ash probably was just going to throw away this Pokemon to get it out of the way so he could bring in his better option and wouldn't have to waste time switching his Pokemon. Silver couldn't say he'd never done it himself.

Use Mirror Shot now!" Jasmine commanded.

"Try to get out of the way, Croconaw!" Ash warned. "We can get through this!"

That immediately debunked Silver's thoughts, and he got an aggravated look on his face. So Ash was still going to try to win with Croconaw anyway? Humph. Well, whatever. He can do what he wants. He just shouldn't be surprised when he loses miserably.

A flash of light came from Magneton, and Croconaw attempted to use Water Gun or at least dive out of the way, but the static that crackled around its body made it stop. The light blasted into Croconaw as the big jaw Pokemon could do nothing but shield itself, and it was pushed backwards. Though the attack wasn't very effective, Croconaw opened its eyes and squinted a few times to try to get all the flashing colors out of its eyes.

That made Ash even more worried. Jasmine's strategy was to know make it even harder for Croconaw to see the attacks coming in addition to being paralyzed. Things were looking quite bleak for the big jaw Pokemon.

"Now, use Thunderbolt!" Jasmine said next.

The magnet Pokemon unleashed the bolt of electricity again, but this time, Croconaw threw itself forward in order to dodge and covered its head. The Thunderbolt passed just over it and struck the spot where Croconaw was just seconds ago.

Ash grimaced as he tried to think of what his options were in regards to this. He could swap Croconaw out and try Cyndaquil, but he still had Jasmine's second Pokemon to go against, and he had no idea what it was. If Cyndaquil fell, he would only have his paralyzed Croconaw left which would put him in a bad position.

If Ash could just have Croconaw get close to Magneton like it was when it first used Aqua Tail, he could try to get some good shots in. The only problem was that Croconaw was paralyzed. He could at least try, though.

"Listen to me, Croconaw," Ash spoke, and Croconaw turned its head to show it was listening. "I know this situation looks bad, but we've been in them before and have come out on top. I need to you try as hard as you can and get close to Magneton. I'll tell you what do next."

Silver rolled his eyes. As if telling your Pokemon things like this will help any. If Croconaw was paralyzed, it was a lost cause.

"We can't let that happen, Ash. Use Thunderbolt again, Magneton!" Jasmine told it.

Magneton shot the bolt of electricity out once more, and everyone in the room, especially Silver was surprised when Croconaw gave a might roar and used its aching muscles to push itself upward. It then dove out of the way of the Thunderbolt before it roared again as its paralyzed muscles protested. Croconaw then began to run towards Magneton.

"That's it, Croconaw! Way to go!" Ash cheered as Pikachu jumped up and down in excitement.

Jasmine was momentarily…shocked, but she quickly recovered. "Use Lock-on, and then Thunderbolt!"

 _"I know this is asking a lot of you, Croconaw,"_ Ash thought. _"But I'm going to have to ask you to take one more electric attack for me."_

Magneton's eyes glowed red again as it prepared to take aim at the approaching Croconaw. It then fired off its powerful electric attack, and it crashed right into Croconaw. The big jaw Pokemon yelled in pain as it was hit again with the super effective attack. It felt like it wasn't going to be able to move again as it could feel the effects of the paralysis take effect, but it still pushed through despite how much the pain said otherwise.

"Use Crunch!" Ash yelled.

Everyone gasped as Croconaw actually leaped off the ground and bit on Magneton to keep it from going anywhere. The attack wasn't very effective, but it startled Magneton enough for Ash to do his next move.

"Use Hydro Pump!" he ordered.

A massive burst of water came out of Croconaw's mouth, and it let go of Magneton. The magnet Pokemon was pushed downward and crashed onto the ground as it continued to be blasted with the Hydro Pump. Meanwhile, Croconaw was propelled higher into the air until the attack released. It then began to fall downward.

"Use Superpower!" Ash hollered.

Croconaw roared again its muscles protested, but it charged up its arms as it descended on Magneton.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Jasmine shouted.

Magneton unleashed the Thunderbolt just as Croconaw delivered the powerful attack on the downed Pokemon. There was a strange sound that sounded like a huge crash mixed with electricity. A cloud of dust was kicked up which obscured everyone's view.

Both Ash and Jasmine stared on in worry. They wanted to call out another attack, but they had no idea the state their Pokemon were in right now or where they were. The dust began to settle, and the first thing everyone noticed was that there was a small crater in the ground. That was probably caused when Croconaw used Superpower. That must've been quite a hit to pound Magneton into the floor like that.

The next thing everyone saw was both Magneton and Croconaw slumped against each other inside the crater. Both Pokemon had their eyes closed and weren't moving. With that, the decision of what happened was pretty clear.

"Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" the judge yelled.

Serena, Brock, and Misty watched on with a sad expression. Croconaw had tried its absolute best to break through its paralysis and put the hurt on Magneton. While it succeeded, Magneton had taken Croconaw out with it. In the end, the paralysis and super effective Thunderbolts were too much for Croconaw to take. Silver gave a small snort at the outcome. Ash should've seen this coming.

Ash saw it somewhat differently. He was proud that his Croconaw was able to at least take down Magneton, too. Granted, there was only one Pokemon left for both him and Jasmine, but he was going to be using Cyndaquil. That put him at an advantage, and he was confident Cyndaquil could control its fire enough now to where it shouldn't have any trouble using its fire attacks. Of course, he had no idea what Jasmine's last Pokemon was, either.

"Croconaw, return," Ash said as he and Jasmine recalled their Pokemon and took a look at the pokeball. "Thank you, Croconaw. You battled really hard and tried your best."

Silver glared at that. Why was Ash thanking his Pokemon when it didn't beat Magneton? No Pokemon deserved a pat on the back for something like that. That's what makes them weak. If Ash congratulates his Pokemon on a tie, they'll never reach their full potential. Silver would never do that with his Pokemon. The only way to make them tougher was to work them to the bone, and only give them a word of gratitude if they didn't mess up. Anything below that only called for criticism. That's how his Pokemon were raised to be ruthless fighters. It was the only way Silver became as strong as he was.

Silver was used to Jasmine doing the same thing as Ash by now. She was a gym leader so she had an obligation. That's what Silver wanted to believe, anyway. Besides, Jasmine had let him stay at the gym for the last couple of weeks as thanks for helping her with the Ampharos so he wasn't going to criticize her way to train Pokemon. He could've just as easily slept outside, but Olivine City was loud, unlike Azalea Town, and he needed peace to think and contemplate his next move against Team Rocket.

Ash could feel Silver boring a hole into his side with a heated glare. Ash instinctively turned, and when he saw Silver, he glared back. He wasn't sure what Silver's deal was, but he had a guess it had something to do with him and Croconaw. Ash turned away as he threw forward his next pokeball.

"Go, Cyndaquil!" Ash yelled and threw the pokeball forward to reveal the fire mouse Pokemon.

Cyndaquil appeared from the pokeball and gave a yawn before it erupted the fire from its back. Ash grinned at that. His Cyndaquil had been working hard with Houndour to learn how. He could now see what Cyndaquil was capable of.

"Well, Ash, I'm a little impressed that your Croconaw managed to take down Magneton with it. I'll have to use my strongest Pokemon now. Just because Cyndaquil is a fire a type doesn't mean we're afraid of it," Jasmine commented before she threw the pokeball forward. "Go, Steelix!"

A massive Pokemon that looked like a snake made of solid steel with jagged teeth appeared from the pokeball. It gave a roar upon being released and loomed over the tiny Cyndaquil in front of it. The fire mouse Pokemon instinctively squeaked at the huge size difference between them. It held its ground, nonetheless.

Ash and Serena got out their pokedexes to scan the behemoth. "Steelix, the iron snake Pokemon and the evolved form of Onix. This Pokemon's body is harder than any diamond as result of compression and heat beneath the ground."

"Woah," Ash muttered at the impending David versus Goliath battle.

"Do you think Cyndaquil's powerful enough to take on Steelix? I mean…I know it has the type-advantage, but still…," Misty commented in worry.

"Ash will just have to believe in Cyndaquil's will to win and try to use its small size to their advantage," Brock shrugged.

Serena looked over and saw Silver was watching Ash with a hard expression. The cold man then noticed Serena watching him, and he instead turned his hard expression on her. Serena quickly looked away and didn't face him again. She really hoped Ash won this to show Silver what's what!

The judge raised his flags. "Cyndaquil versus Steelix! Begin!"

"Go, Cyndaquil! Use Flamethrower!" Ash commanded. He knew Steelix were slow so it would have a hard time dodging Cyndaquil's speedy attacks.

"Use Sandstorm, Steelix!" Jasmine commanded.

Steelix turned its body upward and began spinning like a fan as a swirl of dust swirled around it. The dust was so thick that it completely obscured the iron snake Pokemon, and no one could see it. Ash was wondering what the purpose of this was before he gasped as the Flamethrower was simply being absorbed or blown away by the sandstorm.

The sandstorm eventually began to thin out and dissipate, and it didn't take Ash long to realize that Steelix was gone, as well. All that was left was a large hole in the gym floor. Cynadquil tilted its head as it began to look around for Steelix. Ash knew he had to get Cyndaquil to move now or else it would be hammered by Steelix's Dig attack.

"Be careful, Cyndaquil! Use Flame Charge to build up your speed and keep moving to where Steelix can't get you!" Ash warned.

Cyndaquil nodded and cloaked itself in fire and began to dart around the room. With as fast as Cyndaquil was going, it looked a lot like a fire ball shooting around the room. Jasmine looked a little frustrated for a moment, but then she smiled.

"Not bad, Ash, but Steelix is pretty fast underground, too! Come up from the ground, Steelix!" she told it.

Steelix burst from the ground which caused the floor to shake slightly. Cyndaquil momentarily lost its balance, but it quickly recovered. Ash didn't waste any time in calling out his next attack.

"Use Flamethrower, now!" he yelled.

"Sandstorm again!" Jasmine countered.

While still using Flame Charge, Cyndaquil opened its mouth and shot out the hot stream of fire from its mouth. Steelix pointed upwards and began to spin around once more. A swirl of dust was kicked up which only protected Steelix again. The Sandstorm died down, and Steelix was gone. Cyndaquil was still running around, and Jasmine then called out her next command.

"Come on up, Steelix! You know what to do!" Jasmine shouted.

"Use Flamethrower!" Ash immediately hollered as he hoped to hit Steelix before it had a chance to use Sandstorm again.

Cyndaquil blew forth the Flamethrower just as Steelix came up from the ground. However, it was already using Sandstorm once it burst out. The Flamethrower was blocked again, and it swirled around to another part of the stadium before it was gone again.

"Do it again, Steelix!" Jasmine called.

"Flamethrower!" Ash cried, even though he knew it was useless by now.

Just like the times before, Steelix burst out of the floor while using Sandstorm, and Cyndaquil used Flamethrower. The flames bounced harmlessly on the Sandstorm, and it wasn't long before Steelix was gone again.

By now, there were several holes in the gym floor which was exactly what Jasmine wanted. Cyndaquil had to slow down its Flame Charge tremendously in order to keep from falling into the holes. Ash frowned once he realized that's what Jasmine's plan was. Cyndaquil soon slowed down to a normal running speed to control itself better which was still quite fast but nothing like its Flame Charge. That's when Jasmine made her move.

"Do it, Steelix!" she called.

Steelix exploded from the ground right underneath Cyndaquil which sent the fire mouse Pokemon flying. The iron snake Pokemon then began to charge up its next move before Jasmine even called it.

"Iron Tail!" she said next

Steelix swung its massive tail around and smacked Cyndaquil right out of the air. Cyndaquil sailed towards the ground landed with a painful crash which caused Ash to grimace. Cynaquil slowly got towards its feet to try to collect itself, but it didn't have much time.

"Heads up, Cyndaquil! Use Flamethrower!" Ash hollered.

Cyndaquil looked up just in time to see Steelix bringing down another Iron Tail straight towards it. The fire mouse Pokemon leaped out of the way and winced as it was still hurting from the painful landing. It then flew forth the stream of fire from its mouth, but Jasmine immediately called out another Sandstorm.

Steelix spun around just like before and managed to kick up the dust just before the Flamethrower connected with it. As soon as it the dust settled down, Steelix was gone again, but Ash had other plans this time before Steelix came up.

"Go underground after Steelix!" Ash told it.

Cyndaquil ran up to the nearest hold and dove inside of it. As soon as it did, it began traversing the tunnels as it tried to find where the iron snake Pokemon went. Everyone noticed it was taking a little longer than usual for Steelix to come up, but that was probably because it knew Cyndaquil was chasing after it. Steelix burst up from the ground, and Cyndaquil jumped after it. This time, Cyndaquil landed on Steelix's back and ran along its long body until it was on top of its head.

"Now, use Flamethrower!" Ash hollered, knowing that Steelix couldn't Sandstorm it this time.

Cyndaquil pointed it face downward and unleashed the stream of fire. Steelix roared in pain at the super effective attack and gave a mighty jerk of its head which threw Cyndaquil off. The fire mouse Pokemon was able to land on its feet this time as Steelix writhed in pain.

"Great job, Cyndaquil!" Ash encouraged while Silver snorted again. One should never congratulate a Pokemon until it actually won. This Cyndaquil could still just as easily lose.

"Steelix, use Crunch!" Jasmine hollered once Steelix recovered.

"Use Smokescreen!" Ash called.

Steelix began to charge forward as it opened its large, jagged mouth to catch Cyndaquil. However, the fire mouse Pokemon unleashed a large plume of smoke which obstructed Steelix's view. Though it couldn't see anymore, it still continued to forward.

"Just keep running forward, Cyndaquil!" Ash yelled as Cyndaquil took off.

Steelix tried to see or at least hear Cyndaquil though all the thick smoke. However, it found nothing and ended up crashing headfirst into the ground. Though its solid steel body protected it from any damage, that was still an uncomfortable landing. Jasmine then changed her tactic.

"Use Sandstorm to blow that Smokescreen away!" she told it.

Steelix began to spin around extremely fast, and the dust and spin acted as a fan which eliminated the Smokescreen. Once it was clear, Steelix and Jasmine looked around, a little confused, while Ash smiled. This time, it was Cyndaquil who had disappeared inside one of the holes. Nobody had to wait for too long, however, as Cyndaquil poked its head out from the hole behind Steelix.

"Lava Plume!" Ash hollered.

A series of fireballs erupted from Cyndaquil's back which flew right up to Steelix. The iron snake Pokemon was pelted as the continuous fireballs hit it, and it roared in pain again. Jasmine covered her hand with her mouth in worry at the second super effective hit.

"Steelix, no," she muttered.

"Get in that hole again until there's good time to come up!" Ash ordered next.

"There won't be another good time, Ash!" Jasmine stated as she called out her next move. "Steelix, use Iron Tail!"

Steelix slammed down its huge glowing tail around all the holes, and the shaking caused them to start caving in. Ash got a worried look on his face as he could hear Cyndaquil's cries of distress. It needed to get out of there now before it was buried.

"Hurry! Get out of there, Cyndaquil!" Ash yelled.

Cyndaquil endured the dirt and rocks that hit it as it ran through a tunnel. It could then see a new hole that was starting to pile of very quickly. It hurried forward and began to use the rocks to help it escape even though it was still being hit. At last, Cyndaquil made it out. It was panting in relief, but otherwise okay. Jasmine didn't give it much time to recover, however.

"Steelix, use Crunch!" she shouted.

"Use Smokescreen, and dodge it!" Ash countered.

Steelix charged forward with its mouth open straight at Cyndaquil. The fire mouse Pokemon let loose another plume of smoke from its mouth which obscured Steelix's vision. Without a hole to hide into now, it had no choice but to merely jump out of the way. Steelix's face then crashed into the ground. It then went for Cyndaquil again, who dodged it once more. Jasmine then decided to change tactics to give Cyndaquil no place to hide.

"Use Sandstorm, Steelix!" Jasmine told it.

Steelix turned upward and began spinning like mad again, and a swirl of dust was kicked up. Ash and Cyndaquil thought that they were going to go underground again until the saw Steelix moving towards them, and very quickly at that.

"Look out, Cyndaquil!" Ash hollered. "Use Flame Charge!"

Cyndaquil cloaked itself in fire before it took off as quickly as it could. That didn't deter Steelix, however, who just changed the direction of its Sandstorm to chase after it. While Cyndaquil wasn't in any danger of being hit by the Sandstorm with as quickly as it was going, Ash knew it couldn't do this forever. It would tire out a lot faster before Steelix did.

The raven-haired boy then began to think of what he could do to stop Steelix. As his eyes watched the Sandstorm and how it absorbed every Flamethrower to protect Steelix…that's it! Ash smiled as he realized it was so obvious. He and Serena have done a strategy similar to this several times before! He then nodded his head as he figured out his plan. He just hoped Cyndaquil would be able to last.

"Use Flamethrower, Cyndaquil!" he yelled.

"It's no use, Ash," Jasmine said to him.

Cyndaquil then began to shoot at the stream of fire from its mouth towards Steelix. As expected, the Flamethrower was blocked just like before. However, Cyndaquil didn't stop this time. It continued to use Flamethrower despite nothing that seemed to happen. The Sandstorm still continued to spin menacingly towards Cyndaquil which would surely end the match in Jasmine's favor if it connected.

Despite this, Cyndaquil still darted around the gym as it used Flamethrower. The fire mouse Pokemon was beginning to get tired due to how much it had to keep moving in order to avoid the Sandstorm. Ash noticed this and grit his teeth in determination.

"Just hang in there, Cyndaquil!" Ash hollered as Pikachu shouted encouragement, also.

Silver shook his head. What did Ash think he was doing? Didn't he realize that this was no good by now? The cold man then got a surprised look on his face when he and everyone else saw what happened next. Ash, on the other hand, smiled, as it was what he was counting on.

The sandstorm that was spinning around Steelix was slowly becoming a fire tornado. The dust began to turn red before embers began to form until there were full flames that began to spin inside the dust devil. It then transitioned into a fiery vortex, and Jasmine gasped while Ash, Brock, Misty, and Serena cheered. Steelix had to be taking heavy damage in that.

"We should have it, now, Cyndaquil!" Ash smiled.

"Not so fast, Ash!" Jasmine replied before she shouted. "Steelix and I can still take Cyndaquil down with us. Steelix, use Mud Sport!"

Ash gasped as steaming pieces of mud began to shoot out of the vortex. It was being fired in every direction. Cyndaquil had to halt the Flamethower as it tried to dodge the flaming pieces of mud that were heading towards it. While Mud Sport wasn't initially a damaging attack, one still didn't wish to be pelted by it when it was in this state With all Cyndaquil's speed, however, the mud was just too numerous. Cyndaquil was smacked with a large piece of hot mud and went flying. It continued until it crashed back first into a wall and slid to the ground.

Meanwhile, Steelix finally halted the Sandstorm and Mud Sport. As it slowed down and the fiery vortex dissipated, everyone could see the iron snake Pokemon was in bad shape. Its shiny steel body was almost coated completely black, and it had bits of steam coming out of it. Steelix then growled softly in pain for a few seconds before it fell to the ground. A might crash was sounded when the large Pokemon made contact. It had its eyes closed and didn't get back up. The behemoth had been defeated.

However, Ash wasn't out of the woods yet. Cyndaquil had taken heavy damage this battle, as well, especially once it hit the wall. The fire mouse Pokemon was shaking as it tried to find the will to stand up. Everyone knew that if Cyndaquil couldn't stand, the match wouldn't end in Ash's favor. Tying with a gym leader wouldn't net him a badge.

"I'll give your Cyndaquil ten seconds to stand," the judge told Ash.

Ash looked over at Cyndaquil and began to shout encouragement at it. "Come on, Cyndaquil! You can do it!"

"Piiiiika!" Pikachu added.

Once the judge made it to the seventh second, Cyndaquil gave a mighty heave and forced itself to a standing position. Everyone in the room then went quiet as they made sure Cyndaquil could remain standing. Though it was shaking, Cyndaquil never fell back down. It still had the will to fight as small as it was. With that, the judge nodded and made his decision.

"Steelix is unable to battle while Cyndaquil is still standing! The match goes to Ash Ketchum!" he yelled.

"Alright! We did it, Cyndaquil!" Ash yelled as he ran towards it as Brock, Serena, Misty, and Togetic followed him.

Cyndaquil shut off the fire on its back before it turned to Ash and smiled. That felt like its first true victory as a Cyndaquil. It was able to turn its fire on and off at will. With that obstacle overcome, Cyndaquil couldn't wait to see what else it could start doing, especially when it would want to evolve one day.

Meanwhile, Jasmine sighed and returned Steelix. "Well done, Steelix. You fought hard so take a nice rest."

She then made her way over to Ash who had Cyndaquil in his arms. Ash was rubbing Cyndaquil's head as the fire mouse Pokemon gave a yawn. Now that the battle was over, it felt sleepy again. That was fine for everyone as Cyndaquil really earned that victory.

"That was a great match, Ash. You've really proven to me that you're an amazing trainer. The love you have for Pokemon and your skills as a Pokemon trainer are great. You've definitely earned this Mineral Badge. I'm honored to give it to you," Jasmine told him.

"Thanks, Jasmine," Ash replied as he took a look at the badge that resembled a silver, shining, octagon. He then added, "You know, Jasmine, you're like a different person when you battle."

"Oh. Hahahaha! I guess so! I try to be compassionate to everyone, but in a battle, I become as hard as steel," she laughed.

"Well done, Ash!" Misty smiled.

"You and your Pokemon both!" Brock nodded.

"You're almost there, Ash! Just two more badges!" Serena said.

"Yeah! I'll get my last two badges and qualify for the Johto League in no time!" Ash agreed and turned to Pikachu, Cyndaquil, and Togetic. "You guys will help me, right?"

Before his Pokemon could agree, Silver approached Ash. The happy moment was quickly turned off as soon as Silver stepped into view. The cold young man was wearing a hard expression on his face as he stared down at Ash. Ash, in turn, stared back at Silver.

"Well?" Silver asked expectantly.

Silver didn't need to elaborate for Ash to know what he meant. Everyone knew that he was referring to Ash's end of the deal. Ash would tell Silver what he knew about Team Rocket in exchange for watching his battle.

"How did I battle?" Ash questioned instead, but Silver hardening his glared made Ash respond to his original question. "Serena saw Giovanni in Tohjo Falls. Our friends, Yellow, and the Kanto Champion, Blue, are informing the police now about it. We also have seen a few Team Rocket members in Goldenrod City, and we think they're making a comeback there based on what Giovanni said to Serena. That confirms what you told me at the lighthouse."

Silver didn't give any acknowledgement of Ash's response. He merely turned on his heel and began to shuffle towards the door. As he left, he turned to Jasmine.

"Thanks for giving me a place to stay while I figured things out," he mumbled.

"Of course," Jasmine replied.

"You know, our mom's worried about you. It wouldn't hurt to call her," Ash called after Silver which triggered a worried look from Serena, Brock, Misty, Togetic, and Pikachu.

"Tell her I'm fine yourself," Silver muttered in return and added in a bit of finality in his voice. "We're done here."

"You do it!" Ash suddenly shouted which startled everyone else in the room. "I…I challenge you to a battle!"

Silver stopped cold upon Ash's proclamation. He turned and fixed Ash with his typical glare. Now that Ash knew he had Silver's attention, he set down Cyndaquil and made his way over to the cold man and crossed his arms. Serena wanted to call Ash back, but stayed silent. This wasn't for her to intervene in. She just hoped Ash wouldn't say anything to trigger Silver's wrath.

"Why the heck would I want to battle _you_?" Silver snarled the last word.

"I'll make another deal with you," Ash stated, his gaze not leaving Silver's gaze. "If I win, I want you to call Mom and tell her how you're doing."

Silver narrowed his eyes at Ash's words. He seemed to be considering Ash's offer. Everyone in the room was silent, not knowing what to say to this bold request from Ash. Finally, Silver nodded his head.

"Alright. Fine," Silver replied before his expression darkened. "But if I win, I don't ever want to see you again. Don't look for me. Don't look at me. Definitely don't talk to me. That goes for your friends, and your mom, as well."

Ash felt his blood boil that Silver referred to Delia as only his mom and not his own. Did Silver really care so little for her and hold her in such low regard? It was despicable and one of the main reasons why Ash couldn't stand Silver. Despite this, Ash forced himself to remain calm.

Ash knew he was taking a huge gamble here. This may be his only chance to get Silver to finally get in touch with their mom after so long. However, if he lost, there would be going back, and any hope he had of Silver reconnecting with his family would be lost forever. If Ash tried to talk to Silver after that, it would definitely not end well for him.

Silver was becoming impatient at Ash's hesitation. "Hurry up and decide," he growled. "I don't have all day."

Ash took a shuddering breath. He dug his own hole, but he was going to dig himself out of it, as well.

"You're on," Ash said lowly. "And if we tie?"

Silver gave Ash another scary look. "Trust me. There won't be a tie," he said darkly. "I'd sooner lose than tie of all things."

Both Ash and Silver continued to stare at each over with unwavering glances. Everyone else in their room seemed to have their breath caught in their throat at the tension. They wanted to say something, but they couldn't. Silver did have something to say, however.

"Well, name the time and place, already!" Silver snapped. "You're the one who challenged me!"

"Oh, right," Ash muttered, a little bit embarrassed and slightly angry at himself for being like this in front of Silver of all people. He cleared his throat and fixed Silver with another gaze to get back his pride. "Tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock right outside of Olivine City on the side that leads back to Ecruteak. We'll have a full six on six battle."

"Whatever," Silver uttered.

"So we have a deal then?" Ash asked as he held out his hand for Silver to shake.

Silver frowned at the hand for a few moments and didn't take it. "I'm not shaking your hand. I don't have to do that for you to know I'll keep my word."

"Okay then," Ash replied and lowered it. This was about the best he can expect from his half brother.

Silver then turned back around to resume his trek out the door. "You better not be late because I'm not waiting for you."

With that, Silver promptly continued on until he was out the door. No one dared to call after him again this time. Silver made it quite clear that he didn't have anything else to say so to delay him would be foolhardy. Once he was gone, Ash let out a huge exhale like he had been holding his breath the whole time. Talking to Silver always took a lot out of him.

"Ash, are you sure you should've done this?" Serena inquired as she and the others went over to him. "This was the first time I've really met him, but I can already say I don't like him. I'm scared for you, Ash. There's just something about him that really makes me uneasy."

"I know, but I'm sick of the way he treats Mom. He can hate me all he wants, but she's done nothing but love him ever since he's been alive. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment from Silver no matter what he says," Ash said firmly.

"Even so, do you think you can win?" Misty asked. "Don't forget that he's won plenty of tournaments himself. It'll probably be one of your toughest battles yet."

"And I'm up to the challenge," Ash finished. "There's no way I'm losing to him."

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu questioned along with Togetic.

"Don't worry, Pikachu. I'm going to fight this battle with everything I have. I know what kind of opponent I'm up against."

"Man, a full six on six battle," Brock commented. "We haven't seen you do one of these since you're battle with Drake in the Orange League."

"I know. I'm not going to hold anything back on this one. I'm making a call to Professor Oak to do a few transfers tonight. I'll need to use my Pokemon who have the most experience."

Everyone nodded solemnly at Ash's words. Both Ash and Silver were risking their pride for this match. They shouldn't be too surprised. Though Ash and Silver couldn't stand each other, it was like they were destined to battle one day. All of their pent-up dislike and anger towards each was going to be expressed in their Pokemon battle tomorrow. Who was going to win was anybody's guess, but one thing was for certain.

One was going to win, and the other was going to feel like a complete failure.

* * *

 **The next chapter is the one you've all been waiting for: a full six on six battle between Ash and Silver. Just as I said, I won't tie them. One of them is definitely going to win the next battle. Sadly, I'm the only one who knows who. I considered dividing it into two parts, but I'll just make one huge chapter instead so you guys won't have to wait. I know you all want to know the outcome ASAP.**

 **I already have in mind what Serena's next career is, but there won't be any spoilers for that, of course. It's not contests, though. That's May and Dawn's forte for when they debut.**

 **The next chapter will be out later in September, hopefully! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty-Seven: Sibling Rivalry**


	47. Sibling Rivalry

**A/N: Well, here's the battle with Silver you all wanted, and as expected, this chapter's quite long...about 16,000 words. I hope you all enjoy it as I put a lot of work into it. Hopefully, the outcome is realistic.**

 **One of Silver's most brutal Pokemon isn't one your expecting. Though a pushover in the games, this Pokemon would actually quite terrifying to face in the real world. Hopefully, this battle shows that. It's one of two of Silver's Pokemon that hasn't been revealed yet, but it will be this chapter. You'll see Silver's full team.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Seven: Sibling Rivalry

The group was about ready to leave the Pokemon Center in Olivine City. Their adventure of traversing the western side of Johto was coming to a close, and now they were going to be on the road which would lead them back to Ecruteak City. Then they would need to pass through Mt. Mortar before they finally would make it to Mahogany Town. That would be the sight of Ash's next gym battle as well as Serena's showcase. They both realized that was quite a way off, and Ash would probably turn thirteen during this time since his birthday was just a couple of weeks away. That being said, they still had one more order of business to take care of before they left the area completely, or rather, Ash did.

His battle with Silver.

The raven-haired boy was standing in front of each of the Pokemon he had chosen to use for this match. He thought long and hard about who could take a lot of aggression that Silver would undoubtedly show as well as who could dish out very powerful attacks. It had been a really hard decision because Ash also knew he needed balance. That meant he couldn't really choose two Pokemon if they were of the same type despite both being very strong.

Ultimately, he had decided on Pikachu, of course. Then to round out his team, he chose Dragonite, Snorlax, Primeape, Gengar, and Ivysaur. It was a tough call between Ivysaur or Wartortle, but Ash ultimately chose the plant Pokemon as it was more likely to keep a level head under pressure and was more rational in judgement than Wartortle. He also had wanted to call in Pidgeot, but he already had Dragonite as a part flying-type, and he wanted as much diversity as possible. Muk was powerful, but it also had limited battling experience. Kingler was also a good candidate. As stated, it was a hard decision for Ash to choose.

Another Pokemon Ash wished he could have on his team was Charizard. It was also definitely one of his most powerful Pokemon. However, it was still training in the Charcific Valley. Ash had considered calling Liza to request Charizard, but he ultimately decided against it. He knew Charizard would answer his call in a heartbeat, but this was Ash's own personal battle and not a league battle. He wasn't going to call Charizard away from its training for something like this.

All of these factors lead to the team Ash assembled now. They were all standing in the wide lobby of the Pokemon Center. Ash gave each of them a serious look so they understood the importance of this battle.

"I'm sure you all know who I'm about to face," Ash figured, to which his Pokemon nodded. "I'm going against Silver. He and I aren't on the best of terms, but I need to battle him. It's very important that I win this, and I know you guys are going to give me your best like you always do. I trust all of you completely, and I know you have the strength to take on Silver and show him."

Primeape grunted and beat its fists on the carpet for a little bit. All of the Pokemon knew what Ash's relationship with Silver was like by now. It was true that Primeape liked to pick on its trainer, but only it was allowed to do so! It wouldn't let anyone else bully Ash!

Snorlax was the only one sitting down and yawned, but one could tell it was still willing to battle. Ash knew what its likes and dislikes were and always sought to meet them. He even let it have a whole year's worth of Pokemon food to munch on a while back. Though Snorlax preferred to eat and sleep above all else, it would fight with everything it had for Ash.

Gengar thought of Ash as one of its best playmates. It had never met a boy quite like Ash who loved its humor and didn't scold it. It was why it decided to come with Ash back when it was a Haunter. As a sign of respect for Ash, Gengar would also make sure to try its hardest. Though it liked to make friends, Gengar had a feeling that Silver and his Pokemon weren't going to feel the same way.

Dragonite gave a solemn nod to Ash. This was the boy who helped it overcome its crippling shyness and become the Pokemon it was today. It hadn't battled with Ash since the Orange League, but that was okay. Dragonite respected any choice Ash made, and it would make sure to not ever disappoint its trainer if it could help it. Dragonite would fight with everything, too.

Next was Ivysaur. The seed Pokemon was very loyal to Ash, and Ash always supported it with any decision it made. Likewise, it did so with Ash. Ivysaur knew it wasn't quite as powerful as some of the other Pokemon on Ash's team, but Ash knew he chose it based on its rational temperament and experience in battles. It may not be a Venusaur, and it didn't want to be for a while, but it was going to be the most powerful Ivysaur, and it believed this battle would be a show for it.

Lastly, there was Pikachu. The yellow rodent was Ash's first Pokemon, and though Ash trusted all of his Pokemon with his life, he and Pikachu just had a special bond. Pikachu had been with him through thick and thin and was right there with Ash the whole time. It fully understood the gravity of the battle Ash was about to get into, and not only did Pikachu want to beat up on Silver's Pokemon, it also wanted to beat up on Silver, too. It couldn't stand Silver's treatment towards its trainer and would show the cold man what a mistake he was making for upsetting Ash.

Yes. Each of his Pokemon had their own set of motivations for giving this battle everything they had. They were just as determined as Ash to win this one. Ash smiled towards his Pokemon when he saw the looks in their eyes. He was about to go up against Silver, who hated him, but he wasn't doing it alone. He had all of his Pokemon behind him. Of course, it wasn't just his Pokemon.

"All set to go, Ash?" Brock questioned as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Yeah," Ash replied as he turned to face his Pokemon. "What about you guys?"

All of his Pokemon gave a cry in the affirmative. Ash nodded and returned all of his Pokemon to their pokeballs with the exception of Pikachu. The yellow rodent ran up alongside Ash until it perched on his shoulder as usual. Ash gave Pikachu a small scratch behind the ears, and he was ready to roll.

"We'll be rooting for you, Ash," Misty told him. "You make Silver regret his horrible attitude towards you. We know you can do it."

"Thanks, Misty," Ash smiled.

Togetic flew around Ash a little bit to calm his nerves and spread him a bit of happiness. Ash smiled gratefully at the happiness Pokemon and rubbed his head affectionately.

"Here, also for luck," Serena said as she stepped forward and gave Ash a small delicate kiss on the cheek. Ash smiled at Serena's gesture and felt fired up all over again. That's right. He had everyone here to support him in what was going to be a really tough fight. This was certainly no ordinary opponent Ash was facing. This was for his pride as a Ketchum and for his mother. He couldn't and wouldn't lose. There wasn't a person alive whom Ash wanted to beat more than Silver at the moment, and that was saying something considering he had other strong rivals like Gary and Paul.

"Let's go, guys!" Ash declared as he marched out the doors to the Pokemon Center with everyone following him.

As they walked, Ash wasn't exactly sure what kind of greeting they would get from Silver. Would the cold man just get straight down to business and start the battle, or would he take some time to taunt Ash and insult him? Either way, Ash didn't care. He made sure to get a lot of sleep last night, and had drunken some of the left over herbal tea from Cheryl to relax him. Ash knew he couldn't let Silver get the best of him this battle, he would have to focus.

 _"This is for you, Mom,"_ Ash thought.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, the group arrived just outside Olivine City. As they looked around at the few people going into and out of the city, they spotted Silver a short distance away. He was sitting down on a nearby bench with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Just like with the group, it didn't take Silver too long to spot them, either.

Silver took out his Pokegear and checked the time to find it to be almost eleven. Good. At least Ash was punctual. The cold man then stood up from his seat in acknowledgement, but he didn't approach the group. Whether he was waiting for them to come over to him, the group wasn't sure. There was a just a short time of awkward silence between them. One was waiting for the other to speak first. Finally, Silver had enough.

"Let's just go," he sighed in annoyance and turned away from the group to start walking.

"Where are we battling out here?" Ash asked as he and the others walked a comfortable distance behind Silver.

"There's an open field just up the road. We'll have it there," Silver answered shortly.

"Are there going to be any judges?" Ash questioned.

"I thought one of your friends was going to be the judge," Silver said lowly.

"That's no problem. I'll act as the judge," Brock stepped in to relieve the tension.

Silver turned back around to look at Brock for the briefest of moments before he shrugged his shoulders and turned back around. "Whatever," he muttered.

The group soon reached the field that Silver had told them about. There was a large expanse of grass with very few trees as obstacles. It was the perfect place to have a fierce Pokemon battle. Silver continued to walk to the far side of the field to indicate he would be on that side. He then turned around and waited for Ash and the others to get ready.

Brock gave Ash a clap on the shoulder as he passed him by and wished him good luck before he got between Ash and Silver to judge the match. Misty smiled and nodded her head to Ash and grabbed his hand in comfort before she went to the side opposite of Brock. Finally, Serena and Togetic gave him a hug while Serena gave his shoulders a comforting squeeze before they joined Misty.

As Silver watched the scene in front of him, it brought him back to the time when he had a lot friends. They would do so many things together, and Silver thought they would never betray him. That was until the news spread about him being the son of the evil Giovanni. Ash was lucky. He had all of these friends who loved him and supported him…while Silver didn't.

XXX

" _Hi, guys!" an eight year old Silver said brightly as he approached his friends at the Viridian City Park._

 _It had already been a few days after Silver learned the truth that he was the son of Giovanni. Naturally, he was extremely upset by the news and angry at his mom and Red for keeping it from him. They claimed they were just doing it to protect him, and while Silver was still angry with them, he had given them some leeway and was at least trying to forgive them._

 _Still, it was mess. His mom and Red now wanted to move to Pallet Town to get away from Giovanni now that he knew where they lived in Viridian City. Delia still claimed that she would still bring Silver to see his friends as often as he liked who lived in Viridian City, and he would also make many more friends in Pallet Town. Of course, at the time, Silver believed her._

 _Speaking of his friends, they were perfect to take Silver's mind off of the crushing news. They would always be there for him, and he could count on them for support. As Silver went over, he could see seven of the boys were playing soccer which was one of Silver's favorite sports. One of them even had his pet Growlithe off to the side who Silver loved to play with._

 _His friends turned, and their looks confused him. Rather than the wide smiles they usually had or teasing remarks about his really long red hair, which Silver didn't mind, they instead had an uneasy look on their face. Their expressions looked like anger and even fear. Silver briefly looked around to make sure they weren't looking at anyone else, but sure enough, the looks were directed at him. Nonetheless, Silver still approached them._

 _"Er...room for one more?" Silver asked in an unsure tone._

 _"No. We're okay. We have enough," one of them answered quickly._

 _Silver frowned as he could see the uneven teams right now. That was weird. Why wouldn't they want him to join? He was really good at this game and was usually the first one picked for teams. They all normally jumped at the opportunity when he played. Now they were telling him there wasn't enough room for him when they clearly needed another player?_

 _"Come on, guys. I can play, and you need someone else for even teams," Silver reasoned._

 _"No, thanks. We don't have a enough room for_ you _," another kid answered and put emphasis on the last word._

 _Silver caught the tone and frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked._

 _"We don't want to play with the son of a criminal! You're dangerous!" the first boy accused._

 _Silver's eyes widened at that. What?! How did they know?! It had only been a few days! Even if he was, so what? It wasn't like he was criminal! How could these kids whom he's been friends with for so long say such a thing to him? They knew he would never hurt them. Silver's heart sank even further when they even saw…a trace of fear in their eyes._

 _"I'm not like that guy!" Silver shouted, suddenly becoming angry. "I always play with you guys!"_

 _"That doesn't mean you can't become like him!" another boy shouted back._

 _"Let's get out of here," the first boy said again._

 _With that, the boys picked up their soccer ball and began to walk off the field. Silver went to chase after them, but the boy who owned the Growlithe quickly called on it, and the Growlithe stood in Silver's way and growled softly at him. Silver stopped at that and gave the puppy Pokemon an upset look. That hurt, too. This Growlithe had always been friendly to him, and Silver even enjoyed it when it licked him in the face before. Now to see it growling in warning was quite discouraging.  
_

 _Once the boys were a suitable distance from Silver, the Growlithe turned on its heel and chased after them. Silver continued to watch his friends go and had his mouth open in shock. What had just happened? Why was he suddenly condemned in front of everyone?_

 _Tears stung Silver's eyes he felt himself begin to cry. He hated this. Why were they so mean now? He had come out to play and take his mind off of Giovanni being his dad, and now his friends don't even want to play with him._

 _The young boy soon felt a hand rest on his head, and he turned around to see a tall man with large, spiky brown hair. Silver recognized this man as one of Red's longtime friends. He thought his name was Blue, maybe? The man had a solemn expression on his face as his hand was rested on Silver's head while his other hand was holding the hand of a younger girl than Silver, presumably his daughter._

 _"I saw what happened. I'm so sorry," was all he said._

 _Silver said nothing and instead turned to look at the young brown-haired girl who was watching him curiously. She looked maybe five. She then smiled at him._

 _"I'm Daisy!" she greeted._

 _"Hi," Silver mumbled, not having any interest in talking to a little girl._

 _"Hey. We better get you home. I'll need to let your parents know what happened," Blue said as he picked up Daisy and began to lead Silver away from the park._

 _As they walked, Silver had a lot of thoughts running through his head. His mom and apparent step-dad. Let them know what happened? That his friends didn't want him to play with them anymore? That they seemed to hate him? Surely this was just temporary, right? They would come around. They would soon forget all about him being the son of Giovanni and be his friends again! They would!_

 _Unfortunately, that was last time Silver ever spoke to them. After that day, they just ignored him completely._

XX _X_

Silver was sick of seeing Ash receive assurance by his friends. Why did he need support to win? He should be able to do it himself! Silver clenched his fists as he couldn't stand seeing Ash have what he didn't.

"Hurry up, already!" Silver shouted forcefully.

Ash and Serena both jumped at the anger inside Silver's voice. The honey-haired girl turned and glared at Silver, but he didn't care. He just wanted to get this Pokemon battle over with so he could have this boy out of his life forever. Serena then left Ash to join Misty, and Ash nodded his head to Silver to indicate he was ready.

Brock then raised his hands. "This will be a Pokemon battle between Ash and Silver. They will each use six Pokemon and can make substitutions if needed. There will be no time limit, and each trainer may now choose their first Pokemon!"

Silver didn't waste any time in choosing his first Pokemon. Whether it was because he just wanted to get this match over with or because he was confident he could beat Ash with no matter what kind of Pokemon he chose wasn't clear. That didn't make this Pokemon look any less of a threat, however.

It was a large Pokemon that was covered in thick vines with arm-like appendages that stuck out of it. Even though this Pokemon had a bit of a goofy look to it, there was undeniable trace of savageness in its eyes that made Ash uncomfortable. Still, Ash and the others stared in a confused way at the bizarre-looking Pokemon for a moment before he and Serena took out their national dexes to scan it.

"Tangrowth, the vine Pokemon and the evolved form of Tangela. This Pokemon ensnares prey by extending its arms to capture them. Its arms grow back right away when cut," the helpful machines informed.

Ash nodded his now that he had information on the new Pokemon. Its arms could extend, and it was made of vines. Ash remembered facing a Tangela all the way back in Celadon Gym, and it had proved to be a tricky opponent. Even though Ash had gained quite a bit of experience since then, Tangela's evolved form was still going to be a lot tougher, especially since it was raised by Silver.

Ash really wished he had Pidgeot or Charizard right now, or even Houndour or Cyndaquil. He still had Dragonite, but he didn't want to use it this early in the match. Ash sighed as he went over his options and gave a brief glance at Silver who was merely waiting for his decision with a scowl. Ash wasn't going to use Ivysaur as it would be too close to fighting its own self. Primeape wasn't a good candidate, either, as its moves would do little to something as defensive as that Tangrowth. Pikachu was the same deal as Primeape. Snorlax could work, but it was also slow which wouldn't work against a tricky Pokemon like Tangrowth. With that, he decided.

"Go, Gengar!" Ash hollered and threw the pokeball forward.

The ghost Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and grinned mischievously at the Tangrowth in front of it. Tangrowth merely stared back with what seemed to be a scowl on its face not unlike how Silver did. It was hard to tell, however, as only Tangrowth's eyes were visible.

"I'm counting on you, Gengar. Let's do this," Ash told it.

"Gengar!" Gengar agreed with a laugh.

Silver and Tangrowth exchanged no words. They were just simply waiting for the battle to begin. Now realizing that Silver wasn't going to say anything before the match started, Ash frowned. Did Silver act this way to all of his Pokemon? No words of encouragement. No words at all?

Brock felt the same way, but he raised his hands again, nevertheless. As he did, everyone could feel the build up. Ash and Silver's pride was on the line for this match. They both couldn't afford to lose. Gengar lost its grin and got a serious expression on its face as it knew the importance of this match. Silver's hands clenched and Tangrowth extended its arms into a battle-ready stance. Ash pulled his cap down a little but ended up wincing slightly due to the pain that was still in his head. He didn't care, though. He knew he had to win.

"Okay. The match will start now! Begin!" Brock declared and lowered his hands.

"Okay, Gengar! Use Shadow Punch!" Ash called.

"Use Growth!" Silver ordered.

Gengar swiftly stuck one of its arms in the ground as Tangrowth powered up. Its body glowed while its vines seemed to get longer. Gengar's shadowy arm appeared just a second later and hit the vine Pokemon from behind. Tangrowth stumbled forward and fell over, but the attack didn't appear to do too much damage.

"Now use Night Shade!" Ash yelled.

"Vine Whip!" Silver said next.

Gengar floated into the air and began to unleash a black beam from its arms. However, Tangrowth still shot out its vines as quick as lightning from one of its arms, and they immediately wrapped around Gengar. The vine Pokemon was still struck by the Night Shade and gave a brief cry of pain, but it still held Gengar firm. It then began to smash Gengar on the ground back and forth its vines.

"Gen! Gen!" Gengar cried out in pain with its successive smash.

"Now, use Giga Drain!" Silver commanded.

A greenish glow surrounded Tangrowth and its vines until it extended to Gengar. The shadow Pokemon grimaced as it felt its energy deplete in addition to being continually slammed into the ground. Tangrowth then used its other arm and wrapped it around Gengar to keep it from moving at all.

Ash frowned as Gengar needed its arms to use most of its attacks. Silver knew this and was purposely keeping Gengar bound. Ash knew they only way Gengar was going to get free would be if it gave in to being bound by Tangrowth and do something Silver wasn't expecting.

"Fly right in front of Tangrowth!" Ash hollered.

Gengar regained control of its body and fought the sensation of being swung around agin It then adjusted its body just before it struck the ground another time, and it went towards Tangrowth. This sudden movement momentarily made Tangrowth stumble. Gengar then was then right into Tangrowth's opening, and Gengar smirked as it knew what Ash was going to command next.

"Use Hypnosis!" Ash called.

Before Tangrowth could throw Gengar away, the ghost Pokemon's eyes glowed, and it began to emit waves from its eyes directly into Tangrowth. The vine Pokemon's scowl changed as its eyes drooped, and the grip of its vines slackened. Gengar then began to struggle as it worked to get its arms free so it could use another attack. Tangrowth continued to droop until it was completely asleep, and Gengar was able to get free. Despite this, Silver merely snorted.

"Tch. Sleep Talk," Silver muttered.

Gengar didn't even have time to react before a blast of Stun Spore was sprayed right in its face. Gengar tried to shield itself from the powder, but the damage was already done. Gengar felt its body stiffen considerably, and it grimaced and fell down to one knee as it fought the urge to not move.

Ash blinked a couple of times as he wasn't expecting that move. He supposed Silver used it on his Tangrowth so it wouldn't be affected as much in case it was ever given a status effect, too. That seemed to be Tangrowth's major strength. Ash still regained his composure as he called out his next move.

"Use Dream Eater!" Ash tried.

Gengar forced itself to look at the sleeping Tangrowth, and its eyes glowed a different shade this time, and an eerie light came from its body and washed over Tangrowth. The vine Pokemon seemed to reel from the shock of the attack, and Silver was about to tell it to use Sleep Talk again, but it reawakened at that moment. Silver then commanded a different attack.

"Power Whip!" he hollered.

A huge vine came up from the ground, but Gengar was too slow to get out of the way due to its paralysis. The giant vine descended upon Gengar and slammed the ghost Pokemon directly into the ground. An audible yell of pain from Gengar sounded upon that vine, and Ash was worried for Gengar's safety, but he breathed a sigh of relief when Gengar slowly floated out of the ground and showed it could still fight.

"Use Shadow Ball!" Ash yelled.

Gengar formed the glowing orb into its arms and shot it out towards Tangrowth. The vine Pokemon was too slow to move out of the way, and the orb exploded on it. Tangrowth was blasted backwards, and Ash ordered another attack. Tangrowth quickly recovered, though.

"Use Night Shade!" he hollered.

"Vine Whip again!" Silver ordered.

Once again, the vines shot from Tangrowth's arms and wrapped around Gengar. It was now even more difficult to break free due to the paralysis. Tangrowth then resumed its earlier assault of slamming Gengar into the ground.

"Fly to Tangrowth again!" Ash called.

"Not this time!" Silver growled.

As Gengar went towards Tangrowth, the Pokemon adjusted its weight so it wouldn't stumble again, and it slammed Gengar into the ground once more. Ash sighed. This wasn't good. Silver wasn't going to fall for the same strategy twice. There had to be something Gengar could do that hasn't thought of. Ash was inspecting each side of Gengar's body as it was slammed until his eyes landed on its face since none of its appendages were used. It couldn't use Confuse Ray or Hypnosis unless it was close…its mouth.

"Gengar! Use Lick!" Ash hollered.

Gengar opened its mouth, and a long tongue extended from it. The tongue kept going until it poked Tangrowth right in its opening. This surprised the vine Pokemon, and it released its hold on Gengar, and it vines fell to the side as it shuddered a bit. Ash smiled when he saw that Tangrowth had been paralyzed, too. This was his chance.

"Use Hex!" Ash hollered.

"Dodge it!" Silver growled.

It was no use. The Hex washed over Tangrowth, and the vine Pokemon reeled a bit more before it fell over, defeated. Brock then raised his hand that was on Ash's side.

"Tangrowth has been defeated, and Round One goes to Ash!" he declared. Though Brock was supposed to be neutral as a judge, he couldn't resist being happy for Ash.

"Alright! We did it, Gengar!" Ash smiled as he felt pride well up for his ghost Pokemon until he saw the state it was in. "Gengar?"

The ghost Pokemon was on the ground, now, and it was grimacing. Apparently, the paralysis and slams had taken their toll on Gengar. Ash smiled sympathetically at it.

"It's okay, Gengar. I'll let you rest a bit," Ash told it and returned to ghost Pokemon and looked at its pokeball. "Great job, Gengar."

Silver wordlessly returned Tangrowth to his pokeball and glared. So the little punk thought he had an advantage just because he knocked out one of his Pokemon? Well, he shouldn't celebrate too soon. Silver then looked at the pokeball that contained the Honchkrow and shook his head. He had planned on using it, but the poor health the Pokemon was in wouldn't get it far in the match. Silver was considering to just get rid of it right here and now by having Ash deal with it, but if that happened, no doubt he would just irritate Silver with his complaints. As Silver put Honchkrow's pokeball back to call out a different Pokemon, Ash noticed something.

"Wait. You can carry seven pokeballs?" Ash questioned.

"Yes. Haven't you heard? Any winner of a Pokemon League can have that privilege," Silver replied before he gave a sneer. "I take it you haven't won a league yet."

"I won the Orange League!" Ash yelled.

"I was talking about a national league," Silver snarled.

"What league did you win?" Ash asked, suddenly curious.

"I won the Johto League a few years ago," Silver replied.

"So you got to challenge the Elite Four?" Ash inquired.

"I'm done talking," Silver uttered before he threw forth his next Pokemon. "Go, Skarmory."

A silver, metallic, avian-like Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and let out a loud screech. Everyone except Silver and Skarmory instinctively covered their ears. The Skarmory planed its talons on the ground and began snapping its beak. It looked quite nasty.

Ash felt a tug on his pant leg, and he turned to see Pikachu. The yellow rodent flexed its arms and gave Ash a nod to show it meant business. It really wanted to teach Silver what kind of trainer he was messing with. It was going to take out Skarmory and all of the rest of Silver's Pokemon! Ash grinned at the yellow rodent and nodded his head.

"You got it, Pikachu," Ash told it. "You're up!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and ran forward to stand in front of Ash.

Silver raised his eyebrows at Ash's choice. So, this is the famous Pikachu who Ash always traveled around with and for some reason never put in a pokeball. It seemed to be the Pokemon that Ash trusted the most and had quite a few wins though Silver couldn't see how. What could that tiny runt do to him?

"Pikachu can handle it!" Serena smiled.

"Every time!" Misty agreed, which caused Silver to tilt his head interest. Well, they'll find out, won't they?

"Pikachu versus Skarmory! Begin!" Brock declared and brought down his hands again.

"Skarmory, use Autotomize," Silver ordered.

Skarmory gave a screech before its body began to glow white, but it wasn't evolving. The armor bird Pokemon then quit glowing and smirked at Pikachu, who raised its eyebrows.

"Now use Fury Attack," Silver commanded.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" Ash called.

Both Ash and Pikachu then gasped when Skarmory shot forward like a bullet and began to jab Pikachu with its beak repeatedly. Ash then realized that the move Autotomize must've increased Skarmory's speed so it could match Pikachu. They would need to be careful. Even though Skarmory was a flying-type, Ash still had to remember this was Silver he was facing.

"Use Agility to get away, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Don't let it escape!" Silver ordered

Pikachu forced itself to turn away from getting jabbed and sped off, but Skarmory was just as quick. It reached out with its talons and grabbed Pikachu before sinking its sharp claws in. Pikachu cried out in pain, but Silver still made a huge mistake.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu charged up and let loose the huge bolts of electricity. Skarmory cried out in pain before it let go of Pikachu and flew back a safe distance. It and Silver then glared at the yellow rodent while Ash and Pikachu glared back.

"Use Agility, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

"Steel Wing," Silver said.

Both Pokemon dashed at each other. Skarmory's wings glowed and prepared to use the attack. Both Pokemon were closing in on the other, but at the last second, Pikachu ducked underneath the Steel Wing. It then jumped up and grabbed hold of Skarmory's metallic tail feathers from underneath. Skarmory then flew upwards, high into the sky. Pikachu grit its teeth at the blistering speed at which Skarmory was flying at due to Autotomize, but it held strong. It wasn't long before they were so high that Ash and Silver had a hard time seeing their Pokemon.

"Thunderbolt again!" Ash called.

"Not this time," Silver growled. "Metal Sound, Skarmory."

Apparently, their Pokemon heard them. However, before Pikachu could fire off another Thunderbolt, Skarmory let out a horrible screech that sounded like metal scraping. Pikachu felt like its ear drums were going to explode and wanted to plug its ears due to the terrible noise, but it couldn't unless it let go of Skarmory. Pikachu was forced to endure the terrible noise, and its ears were ringing when the Metal Sound finally stopped. Pikachu stood grimacing for a few seconds as it tried to regain its composure. That was saying something as Pikachu had endured a lot of Screeches or Metal Sounds in the past.

Pikachu was then slapped by a Steel Wing courtesy of Skarmory. Though it wasn't very effective, it was still enough to knock Pikachu loose. The yellow rodent let go of Skarmory's talons and began to fall the long distance to the ground.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried.

Ash watched in horror as Pikachu continued to tumble through the air. He wanted to run and catch Pikachu to ensure its safety, but he could only stare. He was hoping by some miracle that Pikachu would find its footing and be able to land on the ground safely. If it couldn't, and Ash wasn't there to catch it, Pikachu would probably break every bone in its body. Brock, Misty, Serena, and Togetic were all watching Ash and Pikachu with worry as they wondered what they were going to do. Serena wanted to shout at Ash to catch Pikachu or she would run out herself to do it, but she didn't.

"Go ahead," Silver sneered. "Go and catch your Pikachu. By helping it, that will disqualify it."

Ash glared at Silver as he continued to see Pikachu fall. It still wasn't upright and was trying to recover from the horrible Metal Sound and strike by the Steel Wing.

 _"Come on, Pikachu,"_ Ash thought. He really didn't want his best buddy to be out this early in his match with Silver.

He finally couldn't take it anymore. It was too risky. Pikachu's well-being was more important. Ash charged forward so he would have enough time to catch Pikachu as Silver smirked, but Ash soon stopped.

Pikachu finally adjusted its body position so it was facing the ground. They yellow rodent then stretched its legs out and landed on the grass below it. Pikachu grimaced a little from the impact, but it felt fine. Ash and the others breathed out a huge sigh of relief as only Silver narrowed his eyes.

"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash cheered before his eyes widened. "Heads up!"

Pikachu looked up, and it gasped and sped out of the way just in time. A set of talons belonging to Skarmory smashed into the ground, and its talons pierced into the ground where Pikachu was just a couple of seconds earlier. That was way too close. Ash glared at Silver.

Ash clenched his fists. He supposed this type of battle style was just what he would expect from Silver. It only made Ash that more determined to defeat him. He already took out one of Silver's Pokemon. He was ready to beat another one, too.

"Use Agility, Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"After it. Use Night Slash," Silver uttered.

Pikachu then took off across the ground while Skarmory gave chase. The two Pokemon were then moving so fast that they were nothing more than a blur, and it was hard to the see them. Ash didn't intend for them to play chase forever. He then nodded his head.

"Slow down, Pikachu!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu did as Ash told as it knew what he had planned. It began to slow its speed quickly as Skarmory passed over it. Pikachu then gave a mighty leap, but didn't get onto Skarmory's tail this time. It managed to get on its back. However, the Night Slash from earlier came and struck Pikachu as it was landing. The yellow rodent cried out in pain as it landed on Skarmory's back. It then shook itself to recover, and Ash called out an attack as soon as Skarmory took to the sky again.

"Nuzzle!" he yelled.

Pikachu sparked its cheeks and began rubbing them against Skarmory's metallic body. The armor bird Pokemon began to grimace as its flying slowed as the paralysis began to take effect. Its wings then stiffened, and its altitude began to drop, and Ash took advantage of this.

"Thunder!" Ash hollered.

"Pikachuuuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried as it gave Skarmory the zap of its life.

The armor bird Pokemon screeched in pain as the powerful electric attack shocked it. Pikachu then leaped off of Skarmory as it fell to the ground. Skarmory crashed into the grass and crumpled into a heap. It had been defeated.

"Skarmory is unable to battle!" Brock declared, though in a bit of satisfaction.

"You did it, Pikachu!" Ash grinned.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu grinned and gave Ash a thumbs up. Skarmory had gotten some good shots in, and that fall was pretty scary, but Pikachu still come out on top.

"That's two of Silver's Pokemon, and Ash hasn't lost one yet," Serena smiled. "He's doing so well."

"That's right. He'll really show Silver what's what," Misty agreed.

Once again, Silver returned Skarmory without any words to it. Despite the fact that he just lost two Pokemon, and Ash hadn't lost any, he didn't appear the least bit worried. Instead, Silver fished out another pokeball and threw it forward.

"Go, Sneasel," he said.

The intimidating sharp claw Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and gave a menacing chuckle. It then extended its claws and showed them to Pikachu who glared back defiantly. The group remembered this Sneasel. This was the Pokemon who Silver used against Koga in Violet City. It had put up a good fight, but it ultimately lost when it was rendered incapable of moving. That had angered Silver greatly.

Despite this, it wasn't Sneasel which had Ash's attention now. It was Silver. Ash hadn't really noticed it the first time Silver called out a Pokemon. He noticed it now, though. Silver throws his pokeballs just like Ash does, or rather, just like how Red does. It was an unimportant, though and interesting tidbit Ash found out.

 _"He really does mimic my dad in some ways, just like I do,"_ Ash thought.

"Hey! What are you thinking about? Keep your head in the game!" Silver snarled.

Ash shook his head and looked at Pikachu. The yellow rodent still seemed ready to fight as it and Sneasel were trying to stare each other down.

"Pikachu versus Sneasel. Begin!" Brock called.

"Use Hone Claws," Silver said.

Ash knew this was Silver's strategy by now. He was going to start with a move to boost his Pokemon's stats. It wasn't a bad move by any means. Sneasel then sharpened its claws, and they seemed to shine. The sharp claw Pokemon then crouched down like a predator about to spring on its prey.

"Use Icy Wind," Silver commanded next.

"Use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu shot forward as Sneasel released a chilled gust of air. Pikachu grit its teeth as the cold blast hit it. The yellow rodent was trying to run against the wind to get to Sneasel, but it was quite powerful.

"Now use Faint Attack," Silver said.

Silver moved so fast it almost seemed to disappear. It was behind Pikachu within a fraction of a second and threw a sucker punch at it that knocked Pikachu forward. Pikachu tumbled for a few moments before it sprang back up.

"Nice job, Pikachu. Use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

"Agility and then Slash!" Silver ordered.

Pikachu unleashed the many bolts of electricity, but just like last time, Sneasel was only a blur. It sprang from one point to another as Pikachu tried to hit it. Sneasel was once again behind Pikachu and it slashed at the electric rodent with its claws. Pikachu cried out in pain as it fell forward from the force of the attack, and then Sneasel shoved it forward for good measure.

Before Pikachu could recover, Sneasel dove at Pikachu and tackled it to the ground. Sneasel now had Pikachu pinned on the ground and had its claws pressed over Pikachu's cheeks so it couldn't use any electric attacks. That Sneasel was so fast compared to Pikachu which was saying something.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried.

"Screech," Silver uttered.

Just like with the Metal Sound before it, Pikachu's ears were once again assaulted by the terrible noise. Its eardrums were vibrating at the high-pitched scream from such close range. However, it had no means to plug its ears from being pinned and was forced to endure it. Pikachu was grimacing and wanted to scream itself.

Ash knew he had to think quick. Pikachu was in bad position since it couldn't use its electricity right now. There had to be some part of Pikachu that Sneasel wasn't covering. Ash then saw its tail was still free.

"Finish it with Ice Punch," Silver said.

"Iron Tail on the ground, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu's tail glowed and slammed into the ground just as Sneasel threw a frosty punch forward. A eruption of dirt and grass came up from the ground from the force of the impact. Sneasel had to shield its face from the assault, and that was enough for Pikachu to break free.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

Sneasel looked up to see Pikachu in the air through the falling debris. Pikachu then charged up and shot the electricity forward. Sneasel grimaced as it was shocked by the powerful electric attack. It then fell on its knees as Pikachu landed on the ground, though it wobbled a little bit.

"Get back up, and use Ice Shard!" Silver growled, which caused Ash to frown.

Sneasel was on its feet in an instant and shot out a small but sharp chunk of ice. Pikachu was struck by the fast attack, and Sneasel was gone in an instant. Ash knew what was coming this time and prepared for it.

"Use Iron Tail, and swing it around!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu's tail glowed, and it gave a mighty swing. Though it looked like it was going to strike air, Sneasel was behind Pikachu just as expected as it prepared another Slash attack. Pikachu's tail intercepted Sneasel's claws, and both Pokemon were locked in their attacks.

"Use Ice Punch with your other arm," Silver told Sneasel.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

Sneasel was once again shocked by the powerful force. It grimaced in pain but still pushed through and punched Pikachu right in the stomach which knocked it into the air. Sneasel was once again on its knees as Pikachu was descending.

"Use Slash," Silver growled.

"Use Iron Tail!" Ash called.

Sneasel stood up as it charged up its sharp claws and waited for Pikachu. It and Silver then thought better of that, and it leaped after Pikachu. The yellow rodent's tail glowed as it swung it in an arc. However, it made sure not go for Sneasel's claws this time. The sharp claw Pokemon got a surprised look on its face as Pikachu arched its body to the side which caused the Slash to miss. It then completed the arc and slammed the Iron Tail right onto Sneasel's head.

Sneasel gasped in pain from the effective attack, and it went plummeting the ground as Pikachu kept using the Iron Tail to speed its descent. There was a resounding crash as Sneasel hit the ground, and Pikachu used its tail as a spring to bounce off. It flipped through the air and landed on the ground a short distance away from Ash. Meanwhile, Sneasel was lying on the ground, defeated.

"Sneasel is unable to battle! The winner is Pikachu!" Brock approved with a hand wave in Ash's direction.

"You did it! That's two Pokemon, Pikachu!" Ash grinned.

"Pika," Pikachu agreed, though it panted from its tiredness.

"Pikachu's doing so well," Misty smiled.

Serena nodded her head. Silver had already lost three of his Pokemon while Ash still had all of his six. If this kept up, he would be able to beat Silver. It made the honey-blonde girl wonder, though. Even though Ash was struggling immensely against Silver's Pokemon, the cold man's battle skills were a little underwhelming. His Pokemon were definitely strong, but for him to have a title like the winner of the Johto Silver Conference and Orange League were a bit strange. Was Ash just that good today, or…

"How does it feel, Silver?!" Ash shouted as Silver wordlessly returned Sneasel. "I'm not some stupid kid that can't battle. That should've shown when I beat Whitney and Jasmine right in front of you. Now I'm even winning against you."

To Ash's surprise, Silver didn't appear angry or give a retort. Instead, he merely smirked which caused Ash to give him confused look.

"Why are you smirking?" Ash wondered.

"Heh. You think you're that good, huh? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I've just been toying with you so far," Silver sneered.

"What?" Ash questioned.

"I meant just as I told you. Those three Pokemon you just beat are strong, but they haven't been winning me the tournaments. I'll admit I underestimated your Pikachu, but that win you had against Sneasel is going to be its last victory. I'm about to crush you with my last three," Silver said darkly.

"Bring it on then!" Ash shouted. "Pikachu, my Pokemon, and I can handle anything you throw at us!"

"Heh. Suit yourself," Silver smirked before he took out another pokeball and threw it just like Ash and Red did. "Go, Shuckle!"

"Shuckle?" Ash questioned.

A Pokemon that resembled a small turtle came out of its pokeball. It had a red shell with several openings in it, and its body was soft and appeared very limp. Unlike Silver's other Pokemon, this one didn't appear threatening at all. Its face seemed rather expressionless as it merely stared at Pikachu. Ash and Serena both pulled out their national dexes to scan it.

"Shuckle, the mold Pokemon. It can store berries in its shell to make berry juice and avoids attacks by hiding and remaining still," said the national dexes.

"Hmm…," Ash mused as he inspected the Shuckle.

"Be careful, Ash! Don't let Shuckle's looks throw you off! Remember what Silver said about his next Pokemon!" Serena called out to him.

"I know," Ash replied back before he thought to himself. _"I just don't know what to expect from Shuckle. Not even its pokedex entry sounded threatening. This seems more like a Pokemon that would rather hide than fight."_

"Pikachu versus Shuckle! Begin!" Brock shouted.

"Okay, Pikachu! Shuckle looks slow so use Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu charged up its cheeks and unleashed the electric attack to Shuckle. The mold Pokemon merely stared back as it awaited the attack.

"Hide in your shell," Silver uttered.

Shuckle withdrew into its shell just as the Thunderbolt hit it. Pikachu continued to shock the mold Pokemon until the attack stopped. When it did, Shuckle came back out of its shell and looked no worse for the wear.

Ash frowned when he saw that. That Shuckle's shell was pretty hard if could withstand a Thunderbolt from Pikachu without any damage. They would just need to get a little closer.

"Pikachu, use Agility and then Iron Tail!" he cried as Silver smirked.

"Use Withdraw," Silver said.

Pikachu, leaped into the air and swung its glowing tail downward. Shuckle slid into its shell much faster than one would expect, and Pikachu struck the mold Pokemon's shell. Despite the attack connecting, Shuckle came out of its shell and didn't appear hurt at all.

"What?" Ash questioned.

"Grab it, Shuckle," Silver said.

"Get away from it, Pikachu!" Ash called, confident Pikachu would be fast enough.

To his and everyone else's surprise, though, it wasn't. Shuckle reached out with one of its slimy appendages and grabbed Pikachu's foot as it tried to run which caused Pikachu to trip. Ash's eyes then grew wide with horror as Shuckle began dragging Pikachu across the ground back to it.

"Pikachu! Thunder!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu yelled out as it released its most powerful electrical attack. Despite this, Shuckle continued to drag Pikachu back. It then used its free appendages to start prying open Pikachu's mouth which forced the yellow rodent to halt the attack. Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock couldn't believe it. Shuckle didn't even flinch from Pikachu's attack!

Ash watched as Shuckle was using its one of its slimy arms to open Pikachu's mouth while it used the rest to hold Pikachu in place. Ash couldn't help but wonder what Shuckle was doing, but he didn't want to find out.

"Try to get away, Pikachu!" Ash cried.

"Pikachu's not going anywhere," Silver uttered.

With that, Shuckle rolled its heavy shell onto Pikachu which caused the yellow rodent to scream in pain. Now that it was completely immobile and its mouth was open, Silver called out his next attack.

"Toxic," he said.

Ash gasped as Shuckle blasted the disgusting goo directly into Pikachu's mouth. Pikachu began coughing and choking as it tried to spit out the gross goo, but Shuckle had forced Pikachu's mouth closed. Pikachu was firing off various Thunderbolts, but they weren't having any effect on Shuckle. Its defense was incredible. The yellow rodent then began gagging as it began to look really sick. It didn't help matters that it was hard for Pikachu to breath with Shuckle on top of it. Ash glared at Silver as there was no reason to use Toxic in that manner.

"Stop it!" Ash hollered.

"Fine," Silver snarled. "Use Power Trick, and then Stone Edge."

"What's Power Trick?" Ash couldn't help but ask.

He didn't have to wait for long. Shuckle glowed for just a moment before it summoned a huge jagged rock and rolled off of Pikachu just before it struck the yellow rodent. The Stone Edge hit Pikachu, and the yellow rodent was sent speeding like a bullet through the air. Ash yelled and he had to leap up and catch Pikachu. Despite that, the force was enough to knock him over, and they both fell on the ground. With as hard as Pikachu was hit from that Stone Edge, there was no telling how far it would've gone if Ash hadn't caught it.

"Ash!" Serena cried as she left the sidelines to where Ash and Pikachu were.

Ash groaned in pain as he sat up and stared at the Pikachu. The yellow rodent was shivering and started to throw up from the Toxic that it had been forced to swallow. It then fainted and went limp in Ash's arms. It was out cold.

"Pikachu…," Ash trailed as he stared at the unconscious Pokemon.

Serena was soon by his side, and she knelt down to check on it. Its face was turning blue and it was still coughing and choking despite being unconscious. Serena hastily reached into her bag and pulled out an Antidote before she began to apply it to Pikachu. The potion began to work as Pikachu's breathing became a little steadier as the poison was removed from it. Even though it was still knocked out, but at least it didn't look ready to invite death anymore.

Ash sighed in relief before he handed Pikachu to Serena. "Look after Pikachu for me," Ash said as he stood up, and Serena nodded.

Serena was cradling Pikachu in her arms as she walked back over to where Misty and Togetic were. They were all looking on with worry as Togetic shook its big brother gently to try to wake it up, but nothing was working.

"Is it going to be okay?" Misty asked.

"I think so," Serena replied before she glared at Silver just like Ash was doing.

The raven-haired boy was glaring at Silver who was glaring back. "That was dirty," Ash said angrily.

"It was legal," Silver countered. "As long as I don't kill your Pokemon, it's fine. If you can't handle this, then you better just quit because your other Pokemon are going to get it just as badly."

"I'm not giving in to you, not after that," Ash replied as he narrowed his eyes. He then pulled out another pokeball. Brock hadn't officially declared Pikachu unable to battle yet, but he didn't have to as it was pretty obvious. "Go, Ivysaur!"

The seed Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and scraped the ground with its feet as if it was preparing to charge. It was ready to take on its opponent no matter who it was. Ash hadn't used it in a long time, and it wanted to make Ash proud. Meanwhile, Shuckle still stared back with that same expressionless look. It was almost as if the mold Pokemon hadn't just knocked out a Pikachu in one of the most brutal ways possible.

"Ivysaur versus Shuckle! Begin!" Brock yelled.

"Okay, Ivysaur! Grab Shuckle with Vine Whip and send it into the ground!" Ash yelled.

"Power Trick again," Silver uttered.

Ivysaur nodded and shot forward its vines which wrapped around Shuckle. The mold Pokemon merely hid in its shell. Ivysaur then gave a groan and a mighty heave due to Shuckle's weight, and it began slamming Shuckle's shell into the ground. Silver watched the proceedings with a slightly bored look on his face.

"Are you done? That isn't doing crap to Shuckle," he muttered.

"Then try this! Use Sleep Powder, Ivysaur!" Ash yelled.

Ivysaur set down Shuckle before it shook its budding flower, and the brown powder began to come out from it. The Sleep Powder floated towards Shuckle and settled around it, but Silver merely shook his head again.

"That won't work, either. The holes in Shuckle's shell aren't large enough for any Sleep Powder to get in," Silver told him before he called out. "Use Sticky Web!"

From within its shell, Shuckle shot out sticky string which began to surround Ivysaur. Ash knew what was coming and ordered his Ivysaur to move around. The seed Pokemon began to run around to get away, but Shuckle already had Ivysaur surrounded with the Sticky Web. It wasn't long before Ivysaur was stuck, but nevertheless Shuckle still continued to use Sticky Web.

"Use Razor Leaf to break it!" Ash yelled.

"Power Trick and Sludge Bomb!" Silver said.

Ivysaur shot out the several sharp leaves from its body which snapped the string that Shuckle was shooting out to it. Ivysaur then began using Razor Leaf on the Sticky Web that was holding it in place, but Shuckle had already glowed for a moment before it shot out a bomb of black goo from its shell. The attack soared through the air and struck Ivysaur just as it became free. Ivysaur yelled in pain from the attack and soared like a bullet just like Pikachu before it, though it didn't go as far. Ivysaur landed a short distance away from Ash and moaned in pain.

"I don't understand," Ash said. "How does Shuckle have that much defense and power?"

"Are you stupid? Have you never heard of Power Trick?" Silver asked.

"No," Ash admitted.

"It's a move that switches attack and defense on a Pokemon," Silver explained. "Shuckle has extremely high defense and low attack so I always use it to my advantage."

"That's what it is," Ash realized as Ivysaur shakily stood to its feet.

"Now use Rock Slide!" Silver ordered.

"Use Vine Whip!" Ash countered.

"Power Trick," Silver said again.

Shuckle didn't have time to use the Rock Slide, but its body still glowed as it had in its shell. This time, however, Ivysaur began to drag Shuckle over to it. Ash wanted to make sure Ivysaur wouldn't miss this attack as it might be his only chance.

"I don't know what you're planning, but it won't work," Silver said.

"Oh yeah?" Ash asked. "Use Razor Leaf!"

"Destroy it with Rock Slide," Silver said.

Ivysaur began to shoot out the flurry of sharp leaves, but Shuckle began using Rock Slide. As expected, the Rock Slide was destroying the Razor Leaf before it even got close, and some were even hitting Ivysaur which caused it to grimace.

"Now use Leech Seed!" Ash cried.

Ivysaur leaped in the air while Shuckle was busy with the Razor Leaf. It then launched a well-placed seed from its flower. It soared through the air and landed directly on Shuckle's shell. The sapping vines then spread out around Shuckle and began sapping power from it. Ash smiled as he and everyone else realized what his plan was. He wanted to distract Shuckle with another attack so he could get a Leech Seed in.

Silver growled in annoyance and then noticed that Ivysaur had resumed dragging Shuckle over it, presumable so it would be able to attack past its shell. Fine then.

"Use Sticky Web!" he hollered.

"Send Shuckle into the air and use Solar Beam!" Ash yelled.

Ivysaur flung Shuckle into the air with its vines as it prepared to charge up Solar Beam. Despite this, Shuckle shot out the Sticky Web which forced Ivysaur still. Ash's eyes widened in concern as he saw Shuckle beginning to fall towards Ivysaur. He really hoped Ivysaur could charge in time.

Ivysaur seemed to realize this, too, as it grit its teeth as it tried to charge the attack faster. Shuckle's heavy shell got closer and closer. It couldn't move and could only take the attack and was too busy charging up Solar Beam so it couldn't break Sticky Web with Razor Leaf. Ash began to pant in worry until he saw Ivysaur's budding flower glow.

"Let it loose, Ivysaur!" Ash cried.

Ivysaur shot out the attack just as Shuckle crashed on top of it. There was an explosion that filled the battle field as smoke was kicked up. Everyone shielded their eyes to block themselves from it. Ash and Silver both waited to see the outcome of it. The smoke cleared enough for them to see, and Ash's mouth was open in complete shock while Silver smirked.

Shuckle was hiding in its shell until it slid out and looked no worse for the wear. The Leech Seed took effect which caused the mold Pokmeon to grimace, but it was otherwise okay. Meanwhile, Ivysaur was practically crushed under Shuckle's heavy shell and completely limped. It had been knocked out.

"Ivysaur is unable to battle! The winner is Shuckle," Brock declared.

"Oh. Ivysaur lost to Shuckle, too," Misty moaned.

Serena continued to watch until she felt something stir in her arms. She looked down to see Pikachu was finally waking up, and she smiled down to it. Pikachu was obviously in a lot pain, still, however.

"Hey, Pikachu. Don't worry. You battled really well," Serena told it.

"Chuuu," it grimaced.

"Don't talk right now. Just rest," Serena said.

Ash looked over and saw that Pikachu had woken up, at least. He breathed a sigh of relief before he turned back to Ivysaur and returned it. He then looked at the pokeball and thanked Ivysaur for battling hard. It had gotten that Leech Seed in which would help immensely. He then got another pokeball out.

"Go, Primeape!" he yelled.

The pig monkey Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and began beating the ground with its fists to pump itself up. Primeape then saw who its opponent was and gave snort as well as a leer at it. Meanwhile, Shuckle still stared back the its expressionless face. It was quite a contrast of Pokemon personalities.

"Don't let Shuckle's appearance fool you, Primeape. It's already defeated Pikachu and Ivysaur!" Ash warned.

"Kerplah!" Primeape spat, but it nodded its head to show it acknowledged Ash.

"Primeape versus Shuckle! Begin!" Brock announced and waved his hands.

"Okay, Primeape! We're going to need a lot power to take out Shuckle! Use Focus Energy!" Ash called.

"Encore!" Silver called out quickly.

Ash's eyes widened when Silver said that. Sure enough, Primeape seemed to be concentrating its energy while Shuckle began clapping its slimy appendages back and forth. Primeape glowed for a moment, but other than that, all it did was continue to focus its energy. It was completely locked into the attack.

"Come on, Primeape! Fight it off! Use Close Combat!" Ash shouted.

However, all Primeape did was use Focus Energy once more. The pig monkey Pokemon growled in annoyance that it couldn't use another move at the moment. It was completely helpless.

"Now that it's taken care of," Silver began. "Use Sludge Bomb!"

"Dodge it!" Ash hollered.

Shuckle withdrew into its shell and began to pump out the Sludge Bomb. Primeape dove out of the way and once again tried to use Close Combat or at least someting else. However, it was forced to use Focus Energy once again.

"Hmm…use Rock Slide, Shuckle! Trap it!" Silver ordered.

Shuckle then began summoning the rocks and creating an avalanche of them around Primeape. The pig monkey Pokemon was successful at dodging them. However, it couldn't use Brick Break or anything to break them with its fists because of the Encore. Every time Primeape would attempt to break the rocks, it would just use Focus Energy. It wasn't long before the rocks were starting to surround and bury it.

Primeape leaped up in attempt to jump over the rocks, but Shuckle saw this and landed a well- placed boulder right where Primeape was jumping. It was hit by the stone and knocked back to the ground. Primeape quickly got to its feet but it was pelted by another stone, and the fortress of rocks was beginning to cave in on it. Primeape once again tried to use a move to break the rocks, but Encore was still in effect, and it still only used Focus Energy.

"Come on, Primeape! You've got to snap out of it!" Ash hollered.

Primeape could hear Ash, but that was easier said than done. It was stuck continuously by the rocks, and they were starting to take their toll. It wouldn't be long before Primeape would be completely buried and unable to continue the battle. Primeape continued to grunt and spit in anger as more rocks collapsed around it, and it could only see a peek of sunlight which would seal it.

"Primeape!" Ash called out desperately.

However, his plea fell flat. The last boulder covered all of Primeape's remaining exits, and it was trapped in there, unable to get out, and probably half-crushed, as well. Ash hung his head as Silver smirked. That would make three Pokemon that Shuckle's defeated so far. Ash walked forward to start the process of removing the boulders to recover Primeape as Brock raised his hand to announce that Primeape was unable to battle.

However, a noise made them stop. Everyone looked to the source of the noise and heard it was coming from the rocks. It sounded like rumbling. About two seconds later, the pile of rocks exploded outward, and Primeape leaped out of the debris, grunting and pounding the ground. Ash grinned broadly at that while Silver looked surprised for a change and even Shuckle. Ash smiled even more as he felt a huge sense of satisfaction seeing that look on Silver's face. The fact that Primeape got out also meant something else. The effects of Encore had ended.

"Encore this!" Ash shouted to Silver. "Use Close Combat, Primeape!"

"Sludge Bomb!" Silver yelled.

Primeape dashed forward at Ash's commanded and leaped over the Sludge Bomb that Shuckle shot at it. The pig monkey Pokemon then descended upon the Shuckle with a leer on its face. Shuckle instinctively hid in its hard shell to protect itself, but Primeape didn't care. It was going to teach this thing a lesson.

Primeape then landed on Shuckle's shell and began to pummel it as hard and as fast as it could, and it was leaving no room for a counterattack. Because it had used Focus Energy, it was getting in a few critical hits, as well. Silver tried to call out a few attacks for Shuckle to use, but the mold Pokemon was still hiding away in its shell.

Finally, Primeape gave an extra hard smash with its fist, and everyone on the field gasped when they saw Shuckle's shell crack slightly. Shuckle emerged seconds later from its shell, and its eyes were spinning in dizziness. It then went limp and fell over to the ground. It had finally been taken down.

"Shuckle is unable to battle! The winner is…huh?" Brock paused as a screech of pain filled the air.

Everyone turned and saw Primeape was clutching its right fist and was yelling and grunting in pain. It was thrashing on the ground because its hand hurt so bad. Ash sighed and got a worried look on his face when he realized that Primeape must've just broken its hand from using Close Combat so fiercely on Shuckle's extremely hard shell. There was no way it could still battle under the condition it was in.

"Shuckle and Primeape are unable to battle!" Brock corrected himself and went over to check on Primeape with Ash, as well.

Silver said nothing and returned the defeated Shuckle while the two boys reached Primeape. Brock knelt down and inspected the still wailing Primeape's hand and saw it was rather limp and looked quite awkward. Yeah. There were definitely a couple of broken bones there.

"I'm sorry about that, Primeape," Ash said apologetically. "You did a great job and finally defeated Shuckle. I'm proud of you and how you were able to break out of that Rock Slide. We'll get your hand fixed up as quickly as we can once we get you back to the Pokemon Center."

With that, Ash returned Primeape and stood back up. Now that three of his Pokemon were defeated, it was almost tied up. Even so, Ash could still win this. He still had three very powerful Pokemon at his disposal, and Silver's Pokemon were beatable. It was just very difficult. Even so, he took a deep breath to calm himself so he wouldn't lose his cool. He had to focus.

"Come back out, Gengar!" Ash yelled.

Gengar appeared from the pokeball once again, and it seemed to be in slightly better condition. It was tired, but Ash quickly applied a Paralyze Heal to Gengar, and it could move around a little better. Gengar smirked as it waited for what Pokemon Silver would send out next. Ash and the others were a little curious, too.

"Humph. Go, Tyranitar!" Silver hollered.

A terrifying, dinosaur-like Pokemon that looked like it was made of rock appeared. It gave an intimidating roar which even caused Gengar to take a step back. It didn't take a genius to know that this thing was powerful just by taking a look at it. Ash and Serena took out their national dexes to scan it.

"Tyranitar, the armor Pokemon, and the evolved form of Pupitar and Larvitar. This Pokemon is very powerful and has been known to take down mountains and bury rivers," said the machines.

"You've got to be kidding me," Ash muttered as he once again looked at the intimidating Pokemon. "That has to be an exaggeration."

As if to prove Ash wrong, Tyranitar roared and stomped the ground with one of its feet. The ground began to immediately shake as Gengar, Ash, and his friends were thrown off balance by the quaking. After a few seconds, the shaking stopped, and Ash was breathing heavily. Okay. Maybe it wasn't an exaggeration, However, that was bad news. This certainly wasn't going to be an easy opponent.

"We've got this, Gengar!" Ash said even though he was slightly afraid.

"Gengar versus Tyranitar! Begin!" Brock shouted.

"Use Shadow Ball, Gengar!" Ash hollered.

Gengar floated into the air and began to charge up Shadow Ball while Tyranitar merely watched, and Silver scoffed. The dark orb flew through the air and struck Tyranitar right in the chest which caused a small explosion. However, the dust soon cleared, and Tyranitar still stood where it was and chuckled darkly like the Shadow Ball had tickled it more than anything.

"What!" Ash cried.

"It's a part dark-type," Silver explained. "Your Gengar can't harm it, no matter what it does."

"Fine! I'll use a different Pokemon, then. Return, Gengar!" Ash said as he reached for his pokeball.

"Oh no, you don't! Use Pursuit!" Silver ordered.

Ash pressed the button on his pokeball, and the beam shot out to retrieve Gengar. As soon as he did that, Tyranitar took off and chased after Gengar. Before it was recalled, Tyranitar gave a deadly blow to Gengar, and then Gengar was back in its pokeball. Ash stared with his mouth open as he looked on in worry at Gengar's pokeball. He then opened it up to see if Gengar was at least still conscious after that.

However, that wasn't case. Gengar appeared from the pokeball, but its grinning face wasn't staring back at Ash. It was keeled over and clearly knocked out.

"Gengar is unable to battle!" Brock announced.

"Gengar," Ash mumbled as he returned it again. "Great job."

In such a short amount of time, the battle had quickly turned in Silver's favor. They were now fully tied up at two Pokemon each. Ash then looked at his last two remaining Pokemon and took a deep breath. He then took out one and threw it forward.

"Go, Snorlax!" he yelled.

Snorlax appeared from the pokeball, and gave a yawn. Despite this, it understood the seriousness of this battle and got ready. The sooner it could win, the sooner it could sleep and eat so it was determined to beat its opponent.

"Come on, Snorlax! You can take out that Tyranitar!" Misty hollered.

"Go, Snorlax!" Serena added as Pikachu muttered a few words of encouragement from Serena's arms.

"Snorlax versus Tyranitar! Begin!" Brock declared.

"Okay, Snorlax. Start off with your Heavy Smash!" Ash hollered.

"Sandstorm," Silver started.

Snorlax then charged forward straight at the waiting Tyranitar. The dinosaur-like pokemon gave a roar as a whirl of sand surrounded the area. Snorlax held one of its heavy arms in front of its face but still continued forward. It collided with Tyranitar with incredible force, and the armor Pokemon roared in aggravation as it was pushed backwards.

Tyranitar then held out its arms and caught hold of Snorlax to stop its advance. That Snorlax moved a lot faster than it thought it would.

"Stone Edge," said Silver.

"Dodge it!" Ash countered.

Tyranitar summoned a large rock to hit Snorlax right in the face, but Snorlax tore free of Tyranitar's strong grip. It then fell backwards as the Stone Edge flew right over it, and the ground shook once the heavy Pokemon hit it. Tyranitar was shaken from the impact, but it quickly recovered.

"Use Dark Pulse," Silver ordered.

This time, Tyranitar quickly shot out a black beam from its mouth which hit Snorlax square in the stomach before it could get up. Tyranitar then went forward to ram Snorlax, and the sleepy Pokemon was knocked into the air, surprisingly. However, due to Snorlax's great athleticism. It was able to right itself. It landed on its feet which created an even greater shaking this time, and Tyranitar even stumbled a bit.

"Heavy Slam again!" Ash told it.

Snorlax ran forward and crashed in Tyranitar again who hadn't regained its footing in time. Tyranitar was actually knocked off its feet this time and landed a short distance away. It growled in annoyance and went to stand up, but Ash knew he couldn't let it rest.

"Use Body Slam!" Ash hollered.

Tyranitar soon saw a large shadow looming over it, and it turned around just in time to see Snorlax falling on it. The full weight of Snorlax crashed onto the armor Pokemon which created shaking once again. One would think that Tyranitar's armor would protect it, but Snorlax was so heavy that it didn't matter. Tyranitar gave a small groan of pain, but Silver would have none of that. Silver still frowned as it could tell this Snorlax was pretty good. It wasn't even really affected by the Sand Storm that was still blowing around them.

"Use Yawn!" Ash told it. If he could just get Tyranitar to go to sleep, it would help tremendously to get some good shots in.

Snorlax gave out a large yawn right in front of Tyranitar. The ferocious Pokemon's eyes began to droop as the yawn took effect. It growled in annoyance that this was happening to it. However, Silver's voice reached it.

"Don't you dare fall asleep yet!" Silver shouted.

Despite the effective yawn, Tyranitar's eyes shot open and it locked its arms around Snorlax and actually pushed the heavy Pokemon off of it. It then twisted Snorlax's fat arm, and the sleeping Pokemon moaned in pain from the uncomfortable position. It was immobile in Tyranitar's tight grip. Tyranitar continued to droop to fight it, but Silver called out another attack.

"Your Snorlax is finished," Silver snarled. "Use Hyper Beam."

Tyranitar gave a brief charge up, and it shot the Hyper Beam at point blank range right in Snorlax's face. There was a huge explosion, and it was hard to make out what happened. Tyranitar dropped to the ground and was clearly asleep. However, Ash gasped when he saw Snorlax fall backwards, too, but that wasn't because it was asleep. That Hyper Beam to the face was too much for it. This was one of the few times when his Snorlax had been defeated.

"Snorlax is unable to battle!" Brock said.

Ash stared in shock. His Snorlax had so much power and endurance. For just a second, Ash had gained the advantage with the Yawn and when it had Tyranitar pinned. However, the armor Pokemon was able to fight the effects just long enough to surprise Ash and Snorlax by turning the tides and rendering Snorlax immobile in its grip before it got in a point-blank Hyper Beam. Not to mention, just the fact that Tyranitar was able to push Snorlax off of it was unreal.

"I can't believe it," Misty muttered at how quickly Snorlax was knocked out.

"Chuuuu," Pikachu uttered in worry and weakly squirmed in Serena's arms to go to him, but she held firm.

"No. Not yet, Pikachu. You're still not well enough," Serena said, though she regretted it.

The honey-haired girl turned back to Ash and could tell he was starting to worry. He started off this match doing so well, and now, five of his Pokemon had just been defeated so quickly by just two of Silver's Pokemon. Serena wanted to go to him, but she also didn't want to interrupt his thought process.

"Nngh," Ash muttered in worry. "Snorlax, return. Thanks a lot. You put Tyranitar to sleep and got some good shots in."

Ash snapped his fingers a couple of times and took a deep breath. Okay. This battle just took a really bad turn very quickly. Silver still had two of his Pokemon left while he only had one. It was his Dragonite. The dragon Pokemon was undoubtedly one of his strongest and always looked out for Ash and never tried to upset him. If there was one Pokemon who could do this, Dragonite was it. If it could just manage to knock out Tyranitar, they might stand a chance. He couldn't delay, though. He had to start before Tyranitar woke up.

"Dragonite, I choose you!" Ash hollered and threw forward the pokeball.

Dragonite appeared with a cry and floated on the ground to gently land on its feet. It flapped its short wings to prep itself for the battle and stared at the sleeping opponent in front of it. The key was to launch a barrage of attacks to Tyranitar to knock it out before it had the chance to retaliate. It would do its best.

Meanwhile, Silver saw Dragonite and actually smirked in interest. Heh. A battle between two extremely powerful and rare Pokemon. This should be interesting. Still, Silver wasn't worried. Even if Tyranitar were to fall, his Feraligatr would be more than enough to take out this Dragonite.

"Dragonite versus Tyranitar! Begin!" Brock shouted.

"Dragonite, use Aqua Tail!" Ash hollered. He had to get as many super effective attacks in as he could.

Dragonite took off towards the sleeping Tyranitar and brought its tail up to charge it. Dragonite then swung its tail as hard as it could as if it were a vicious wave in a storm. Everyone then gasped when Tyranitar's eyes snapped open and grabbed Dragonite's tail to stop it!

"Heh. Tyranitar was never asleep," Silver smirked. "Use Stone Edge!"

"Hurry! Use Dragon Breath!" Ash cried.

Dragonite tried to fly away, but Tyranitar pulled back and summoned a very large stone. Dragonite quickly turned its head and blew forth a hot breath right in Tyranitar's face. The armor Pokemon grimaced in annoyance but held tight and blasted the large stone. The attack connected in Dragonite's midsection, and the dragon Pokemon cried out in pain. Tyrantitar then gave a mighty swing with its arms, and Dragonite flew forward and landed on the ground a short distance away.

Ash furrowed his eyebrows as he should've seen this coming. He had used the same sleep trick on his opponents himself with his Gengar. The opponent would be lulled into a false sense of security and attack up close which would be a big mistake. Now, Ash knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of it. So much for his advantage. A hard match up just got even worse.

"Use Giga Impact," Silver ordered.

Tyranitar gave a roar before it began charging forward towards Dragonite. The dragon Pokemon heaved itself to its feet and flew out of the way just in time. Tyranitar ran underneath it and halted its charge once it saw it missed. It turned around and glared at its retreating opponent.

"Hyper Beam," Silver uttered next.

 _"It doesn't even have to rest after using these attacks,"_ Ash thought to himself before he called out the next attack for Dragonite. "Counter it with your own Hyper Beam!"

Both Pokemon unleashed the powerful beam from their mouths. They both collided in midair which caused an explosion. Ash's Dragonite panted a little bit after using the powerful attack, but Tyranitar was still ready to go to deliver another attack. It hurled another large stone at Dragonite for another Stone Edge, and Dragonite narrowly made it out of the way.

"Use Dragon Rush, and then Dragon Breath!" Ash yelled.

Dragonite rushed forward and tackled Silver's Tyranitar heavily to the ground. The two Pokemon tumbled around for a moment, but luckily Dragonite managed to land on top. The Tyranitar was struggling to break free, but Dragonite held firm. It then unleased a hot wave of its breath on Tyranitar, and the Pokemon grimaced in aggravation.

"Dark Pulse," Silver ordered.

"Don't think so! Clamp its mouth shut!" Ash commanded.

Instead of using its short arms, Dragonite swiftly used its more powerful legs, and completely shut up Tyranitar's mouth. The armor Pokemon began to choke at the energy building up before there was an explosion. Dragonite was blown backwards but still hovered in the air.

Both Dragonite's and Ash's eyes widened when another Stone Edge suddenly came from the smoke and struck Dragonite. The dragon Pokemon was knocked to the ground once again, and it grit its teeth as these attacks were beginning to take its toll. Meanwhile, when the smoke cleared from the explosion caused by the pent up Dark Pulse, Silver's Pokemon was panting in tiredness, but it was still amazing how quickly it recovered to do Stone Edge again.

" _Oh, no. Dragonite's getting tired,"_ Ash thought. _"There has to be something I can do that would be effective against that Tyrantitar."_

Ash then began to think back to all the times he'd won against tough opponents in the past. It was always because of one of his crazy ideas This time was no different! He and Dragonite could still win this match. Dragonite was an exceptionally powerful Pokemon on his team, and even in the face of extremely hard opponents like Silver, it's won. It even defeated Drake's Dragonite in the Orange League, and it was a lot more experienced!

Serena clasped her hands and silently prayed for Ash to think of something. This was such an important match to him, and she didn't even want to think about what would happen if he lost. He was the better person than Silver. He deserved to win! He had to win!

Ash took a deep breath as he was about to try something crazy again. He remembered Jasmine did something similar in his previous gym match, but Silver had nothing to counter what Ash was about to do like Cyndaquil had.

"Use Hyper Beam," Silver uttered.

"Dodge it, and use Twister on yourself!" Ash hollered, which caused Silver to raise an eyebrow.

Tyranitar swiftly shot out the Hyper Beam, and Dragonite took to the air and dodged it. The dragon Pokemon then began to spin swiftly until a Twister spiraled up from the ground. Dragonite then actually dove inside the Twister to control it.

"Use Dragon Rage, now!" Ash called.

The Twister then began to spin faster than ever before. The violent spinning then began to be accompanied by blue flames from Dragonite's rage that began to swirl inside the funnel. Dragonite then began to put everything it had into the Twister as it controlled it from within. Everyone on the battlefield was impressed at Dragonite's power except Tyranitar and Silver who merely snorted.

Ash didn't let that deter him, however. "Alright, let him have it! Use Hurricane!" he shouted.

Everyone then gasped in awe as the Dragon Raged Twister actually turned on its side and began to shoot towards Tyranitar. Dragonite was flapping its wings as hard as it could to create the fierce winds that drove the Twister forward. Tyranitar barely had time to blink before the Twister seemed to eat it up, and the armor Pokemon was immediately bombarded by incredible power. It was almost like an explosion once the Twister collided into it.

Tyranitar was roaring in pain as the combination of attacks was quickly becoming too much for it. Tyranitar squinted from inside the powerful Twister and could see Dragonite controlling it and trying to focus the brunt of the attack onto it. The armor Pokemon growled in annoyance as it refused to be the only Pokemon taken down. It would take down Dragonite with it!

Tyanitar gave a mighty roar from inside the Twister, and Silver narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Very well. Hyper Beam," Silver stated even though he knew it would knock out Tyranitar.

"What? How can it still attack in there?" Ash muttered. "Get out of there, Dragonite!"

Tyranitar used its last strength to lift its head and point it directly at Dragonite before it began to charge up. Dragonite's eyes widened as it tried to halt the attack so it could safely get away. However, it was using so much power that it was fading away very slowly. Dragonite was just as surprised as Ash that Tyranitar was even still conscious. Most Pokemon would already be knocked out.

Tyranitar then unleashed the powerful attack at Dragonite, and almost a second later, there was a deafening roar as the Twister exploded outward from the amount of energy inside of it. Silver's Tyranitar was the first one seen. The Pokemon was blasted off of its feet, and it skidded for a quite a while before it slowed to a stop before Silver. The cold man turned to his defeated Tyranitar and nodded his head in acknowledgment to its sacrifice. Sometimes, this was necessary.

Meanwhile, there was no sign of Dragonite in the enormous dust cloud. Ash wanted to run inside to search for it, but he stayed put. It was another agonizing ten seconds before Dragonite slowly floated out of the dust cloud, but all was not well with it. There were scuffs all over its body, and it looked ready to pass out, which it probably was.

Dragonite landed on its feet, but its legs immediately buckled and it fell to the ground. Ash was initially happy that his Dragonite was still conscious after something like that until he saw the state it was in. The dragon Pokemon was shuddering as it tried its best to stay conscious. It couldn't lose. It had to win for Ash.

Dragonite gave a cry before it heaved itself onto its feet. It wanted to collapse and rest so badly right now, but it couldn't do that. Dragonite was swaying from side to side as it was using all of its energy just to remain standing.

Ash looked on in pity at Dragonite. It was trying so hard for him, but even if it did stay conscious which probably wouldn't be for long, there was no way it would be able to move, let alone use another attack. It was just hurt too badly. If Ash continued to force Dragonite to battle when it was unable to, he would be just like Silver or Paul or any other person who abuses their Pokemon. He couldn't do that. Ash then made a fateful decision even though it tore him up to say it.

"Dragonite, that's enough. I can't let you go on," Ash said softly.

Dragonite still was shakily on its feet, and it wanted to turn to look at Ash, but it couldn't. Instead, it fell on the ground as the last of its strength left it. Ash took a deep breath as he knew what this meant. Dragonite was his last remaining Pokemon, and Silver still had one Pokemon left he could use. He didn't have to call it out, whatever it was. Ash hung his head as Brock made the official announcement.

"Both…Pokemon are unable to battle. Silver still has one remaining Pokemon he can use while all of Ash's have been defeated. Silver is the winner," Brock said, but there was no enthusiasm in his voice.

Ash returned Dragonite and thanked it for trying its best while Silver said nothing and returned Tyranitar. Unable to hold it in, Ash sank to his knees. He lost. He lost to Silver. His whole family pride was on the line for this match, and he failed. He failed to defeat his brother, the one person whom Ash wanted to beat more than anyone right now. He tried his absolute best. His Pokemon tried their absolute best. It wasn't enough, though.

One would call the match close, but Ash didn't see it that way. Silver was just toying with him the first half of the match. When he got serious, all it took were two of his Pokemon to defeat Ash's full team of six. It was unreal. Silver was definitely worthy of being the winner of so many leagues in the past…while Ash…felt at one of his lowest points right now.

"I'm sorry," Ash mumbled to no one in particular.

He didn't know he was apologizing to. He didn't know if he was apologizing to his Pokemon, his friends, his mom. He didn't know. He just kept muttering that he was sorry as he felt tears sting his eyes. This was his one chance to get Silver to listen to him, but he didn't have a chance from the start. Undoubtedly Silver would've used his starter Pokemon for his final Pokemon, and there was no telling how powerful it was.

"Ash," a voice said softly from behind him.

Ash soon felt Serena's warm embrace around his body, but he didn't return it. He kept staring at the ground as the tears threatened to fall. He felt so pathetic right now. He couldn't defend his honor with this battle. He couldn't defend his mom.

"Ash, I'm so sorry," Serena whispered as Togetic gathered around him, as well as Misty and Brock, with Pikachu limping behind them.

A larger shadow was then cast over them as they looked up to discover Silver was standing there. The cold man was looking down on Ash with utter disdain and contempt. Ash glared at Silver as he took a few shuddering breaths.

"Now stay out of my way for good," Silver uttered darkly. "You and that woman can rot for all I care."

Silver then turned on his heel and began to walk away. Ash, however, couldn't believe what Silver just said about his mom like that. Silver can insult him all day, but Ash wasn't going to let him get away with talking about their mom like that. It was as if Ash felt something snap inside of him. Before he even knew what he was doing, Ash had balled up his fists and hastily jumped to his feet and began to charge at Silver with everything he had.

"Ash, don't!" Serena screamed, but Ash only saw red.

Silver turned around just as Ash was swinging his fist. Ash then delivered the hardest punch he could muster to Silver's jaw. He threw all of his anger and hatred to his half-brother into that attack. Brock, Misty, and Serena all gasped as Silver's head jerked to the side in surprise from Ash's punch, but it didn't last long. Ash went to swing another punch at Silver, but it ended once Silver caught his fist that time.

"No, Ash!" Serena cried as she, Brock, and Misty ran to help, but Silver had his Feraligatr out in an instant, and it stood in front of the group and growled menacingly at them as if daring them to take another step forward.

Ash found himself thrown to the ground in a flash, and Silver was on top of him even faster. Ash then groaned as he felt a solid punch to his gut that knocked the wind out of him. Silver then lifted Ash by his shirt and forced the raven-haired boy to face him so that their faces were just inches apart. Silver then gave Ash a very scary look and spoke with venom-filled words.

"You listen to me, you worthless little punk. I don't normally take on those who are weaker than me, but if you _ever_ try to hit me again, I'm going to take you aside and beat the crap out of you. Do you understand?" he hissed.

Ash didn't respond, and only continued to clench his teeth in anger. Silver didn't wait for him to respond, though. He threw Ash to the ground once more before he stood up and recalled Feraligatr. Without another word, Silver turned and resumed to walk away from the group.

Ash's friends were next to him in an instant as they checked him over to make sure he was alright. They wanted to shout at him and scold him for what he was thinking just then. They were scared for Ash and thought Silver was going to murder him right there. They found themselves unable yell, though, as they saw tears falling from Ash's face to the ground.

The raven-haired boy couldn't take it anymore. He felt so broken right now, and it was all because of Silver. Ash didn't care what relationship Silver had to him anymore. Ash began to take heaving breaths as his anger grew towards Silver even more. He then projected a statement at Silver that put all of his emotions into it.

"I hate you!" Ash screamed after Silver. "I hate you! I hate yoooouuuuu!"

There was no response from Silver as he continued to walk away. Ash crumpled to the ground as he coughed. Brock, Misty, Togetic, and Serena tried to hug him or lay a comforting hand on Ash's back to let them they were here for him, but Ash ignored it. He had all of his thoughts on Silver and the loss he just had against him. Ash didn't know how he was going to proceed with letting his mom know about Silver now. One thing was known, though.

Ash and Silver never wanted to see each other ever again.

* * *

 **Well, that could've ended better.**

 **Silver may seem like he's past the point of redemption, now, and maybe he is. There's still some more insight that needs to be explored with him, however. It makes one wonder how that's going to happen now since Silver made it quite clear to never see him again, and Ash feels the same way. Well, as always, things always get worse in this story before they get better...if they ever do.**

 **Here's Silver's full team of seven for your memory: Tangrowth, Skarmory, Sneasel, Shuckle, Tyranitar, Feraligatr, and the mafia boss Honchkrow.**

 **The next chapter should be out before October rolls around. Until then, have a good one, and thanks for all of the reviews and support!**

 **Chapter Forty-Eight: Ashes to Ashes**


	48. Ashes to Ashes

**A/N: Whew. I finally got the next chapter out. It didn't finish it in September like I hoped. I was too busy with things. However, here it is on the first day of October instead. Here's the aftermath of the battle with Silver. Please enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Eight: Ashes to Ashes

"Ash, please come out," Serena pleaded softly as she knocked on his room door.

It had only been one day since Ash's battle with Silver, and naturally, Ash had taken the loss very hard. Ash had retreated to the Pokemon Center room after Silver left, and he had been there ever since after telling Nurse Joy to check on his Pokemon. The raven-haired boy hadn't even come out that evening to eat supper which greatly surprised the group.

When Brock had checked up on him that evening, Ash was just lying on his bed with this face buried in the pillow. Brock attempted to speak to him a couple of times, but Ash never replied. When Brock had gone to bed that night, Ash hadn't moved and was still in the exact same position he was when Brock came in. If Brock didn't know better, he would think Ash was a wax dummy with how little he moved save from the occasional shift. At least that confirmed to Brock that Ash was still alive.

Now that it was the next day, Brock had informed Serena and Misty of Ash's current state. Needless to say, they were quite worried for him. Serena then took it upon herself to try to talk to Ash which is what she was doing right now. That didn't mean she was having much luck, though. Ash wasn't responding to her, either.

Serena sighed as she rested her head against the door. Ash had been upset about his losses several times before, but none of them compared to this. He had always been willing to at least talk about it to his friends, and then he would be over it the next day. In this case, it was already the next day, and Ash hadn't moved to her knowledge.

"Ash, if you won't come out, will you at least let me in?" Serena tried instead.

Once again, Serena heard no stirring from inside the room. Serena doubted Ash was still asleep and knew he could hear her, but why won't he answer to her? Serena waited for at least another minute before she gave up. She really hoped Ash would come around soon as she, Brock, and Misty were quite worried about him.

Brock then came into the hallway, and he frowned when he saw Serena wasn't having any luck, either. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his room key card and handed it to Serena.

"Thank you, Brock," Serena said and gave Brock a grateful smile.

"I just hope you can reach him by going in," Brock replied as he glanced at the door. "Just know that you may not like the sight of him when you go in."

"I understand. I just hope he'll say something," Serena sighed.

Brock then stood back to allow Serena access to the door. She then used the card key and gave a light knock on the door before she opened it.

"Ash, I'm coming in," Serena said gently as she went in.

Once Serena entered the room, there was no sound except for the air conditioner in the room. It was also dark in the room as the curtains were completely shut and no light was on. Serena would've thought the room was vacant if she didn't see Ash on the bed. At least, it looked like Ash. Serena's heart hurt for him once she took in his appearance.

As Brock had told them, Ash still had his head buried in the pillow and wasn't giving any movement. His hat was off which left his hair a complete mess. While Ash's hair was always messy, there was a certain type of style to it. Here, however, his hair was completely disheveled, and his clothes were wrinkly since he apparently hasn't changed since yesterday. Had he seriously been in this same position since yesterday afternoon? According to Brock, he hadn't eaten, either. Serena had never seen Ash like this before.

"Oh, Ash," Serena whispered in heartache for him.

Serena then sat on the bed opposite of his and faced him. However, Ash gave no sign of acknowledgement to her, not even a tilt of the head. Serena then took a deep breath as she addressed him.

"Ash, please talk to me. You know I'm here for you, anytime, anyplace. I'll never leave you and will always be on your side. You can trust me with anything," Serena said genuinely.

Ash said nothing, however. Serena hung her head as her eyes grew wet. Having Ash ignore her like this was very upsetting. Serena had always been able to pull Ash out of his slump at least somewhat before, but that was only because he would say something to her. Here, Serena felt as though she might as well have just been talking to a brick wall.

Serena furrowed her eyebrows once she thought of Silver. She couldn't understand how anyone could be that cold and terrible to their own family member. What he said to Ash was completely unforgivable, and what he said about Mrs. Ketchum, his own mom, was just as bad. Though she was scared for Ash attacking Silver like that, she could understand why he did. Now, all that energy from yesterday was used up, and all that was left was this comatose shell of a boy who couldn't even find it in himself to speak.

"You know, Ash, even though you lost to Silver, you're still the most amazing person I've ever met," Serena said. She didn't know why she did, but she just was speaking how she felt. "You always try your hardest at everything you do. You're a born leader whether you realize it or not, and you never give up. You care for you friends and family more than anything. I still remember when my ESP was going out of control, you were always there for me. Just like you were there for me then, I want to be her for you now. I promise I'll listen to whatever you say."

Serena then stood up and crossed the short distance to Ash's bed. She then knelt down next to it, and softly grabbed his right hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, but Ash didn't squeeze back. His grip was so limp. Serena then brought his hand closer before she gave it a light kiss before she set it back down.

"I…hate seeing you like this, Ash. I know you may feel like you couldn't defend yourself or Mrs. Ketchum with this battle, but that's not true. You always stand up for what's right just like you did yesterday. I…I…just want you to know that, Ash, and that I still love you no matter what. I just…wish you would talk to me," Serena said as she began to cry.

Serena couldn't take it anymore. Ash was so lifeless right now, and she couldn't even see his face. She couldn't see that youthful spark in his eyes or the happiness that was in his voice. There wasn't even any warmth to his hand when she held it a moment ago. This was Ash, but it also wasn't in a sense. He just laid there and did nothing.

"I'm not those things, Serena. I'm pathetic," Ash mumbled, but his voice was a little muffled from his face being in the pillow.

Serena's head jerked up in surprise more from the fact that Ash actually spoke rather than what he said. Even so, did he seriously just say he was pathetic? That couldn't be further from the truth! Serena wasn't going to let him say that about himself.

"That's not true, Ash!" Serena asserted as she felt her fists grow tight.

"It is," Ash muttered back.

"Not it's not!" Serena argued as she shook her head back and forth. "It doesn't matter that you lost to Silver! What matters is that you move forward from this. I've been where you're at so I know how you feel! Remember that time the performance hall collapsed, and I thought…,"

"Serena, you don't know how I feel," Ash stated firmly and finally took his face out of the pillow and turned to look at her.

Serena almost winced when she saw Ash's appearance. Brock was right. He did look pretty bad. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was red from when he had probably been crying. Combined with everything else about him, this looked nothing like the Ash she had grown to love. That didn't stop Serena from trying, though.

"I do," Serena nodded. "You feel like you're at the lowest point of your life right now just like I did, but I know…"

"You don't know how I feel!" Ash shouted and Serena actually leaned back a little from the forcefulness in his voice. "You haven't ever been humiliated by a complete creep who's related to you, and then who says he couldn't care less if you or your mom died! Silver's a jerk, and I wanted to believe that there was just an ounce of humanity in him, but after yesterday, I don't see how. I completely failed, Serena. I failed myself, and I failed my mom, and I failed my entire family. You don't know I feel!"

Serena took a shuddering breath to regain her composure before she addressed him again. "Then would you please tell me?" she requested.

"No. Forget it," Ash replied as he buried his face in the pillow again. "Please, Serena, just leave me alone."

Serena bit he lip at Ash's tone. She wanted to start crying again, but she forced herself to keep her tears in. However, that didn't stop her from what she said next.

"You can't be the Ash who I know," Serena said as she stood up. "You may look like Ash, but there's no way you're him. I want the Ash I love back! I want to see the real Ash again!"

With that, Serena ran to the door. She hastily opened it and closed it with a snap. Once she was gone, Ash briefly turned to the door before he sighed. There was something about what Serena said that reached him, but it wasn't enough to get him out of bed. Still, it was food for thought.

" _The real Ash,"_ he thought.

* * *

Serena walked back into the Pokemon Center lobby where Brock and Misty were. They looked up from their conversation when they saw Serena enter. They could tell by the upset look on Serena's face that it hadn't gone well. Serena sat down on the couch opposite from Brock and Misty before she hung her head. Togetic flew over to sit in her lap and gave her a worried look as it didn't like seeing Ash like that, either. Serena gave a weak smile before she rubbed its head.

Despite Ash had just yelled at her, she couldn't be mad at him. It hurt, of course, but she wasn't bitter about it. She knew Ash would never say those things to her if he were himself. As she believed, that wasn't the real Ash in there.

"He kept calling himself pathetic," Serena reported to Brock and Misty. "I tried to snap him out of it by listing all of his great qualities, but he didn't listen to me. He can't get the fact that he lost to Silver and the humiliation that came with it out of his head."

"What are we supposed to do then? Ash can't stay in there forever," Misty wondered.

"It's like no matter what we say, nothing helps this time," Serena said sadly.

The group sat in a circle for at least five minutes, but they didn't say anything to each other. They were all thinking about Ash and what they could do to make things right. However, nothing was appearing to work. That's when an idea came to Brock.

"Maybe we can't by just ourselves," Brock replied as he stood up.

"What do you mean?" Serena wondered.

"I think we're going to need a little help from others. What do you say we make a few phone calls?" Brock suggested.

Serena and Misty finally smiled at that. They knew exactly where Brock was going with this, and they were on board for it.

* * *

It was the next afternoon, and Ash had finally left his room. The raven-haired boy had wanted to stay in his room longer, but the small amount of food he'd eaten for the past day and a half was starting to get the best of him. That being said, he still wasn't really in the mood to talk. Even though he was finally feeling hungry, his first priority was to check on his Pokemon.

"Hey, Nurse Joy. How are my Pokemon?" Ash mumbled the question.

"Your Pokemon are doing just fine, Ash! With the exception of your Primeape, they all recovered, but they still need plenty of rest. Would you like to see them?" Nurse Joy asked.

"No. Not yet. Umm…could you just get Pikachu for now?" Ash requested.

"Of course. Hold on one moment, please," Nurse Joy replied before she went to the back.

Ash hung his head once Nurse Joy disappeared. He wasn't ready to face his Pokemon yet. He had let them all down, and Primeape was going to have a hand cast for a while before it would be able to battle. It was hard enough to even want to see Pikachu at the moment. Ash was sure his Pokemon wanted to see him, but he just couldn't see them without feeling guilt at how badly they were beaten.

Nurse Joy appeared a minute later with Pikachu on a stretcher. As soon as the yellow rodent saw Ash, it put on a bright smile and went to jump into his arms, but it stopped one it saw Ash' expression. They boy still wore the same crushed look he had yesterday when Serena saw him. His chocolate brown eyes still lacked the light and youthful flare they usually had. Pikachu hung its ears.

"Pika Pi," it mumbled.

"Hey, buddy. I'm glad you're better," Ash muttered and attempted a light smile, but Pikachu could tell it was forced.

"I'm sure all the rest of your Pokemon are worried for you, too, Ash. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to let them know you're alright as quickly as you can," Nurse Joy advised.

"Right," Ash nodded, but he wasn't making eye contact with her.

Nevertheless, Pikachu still hopped onto his shoulder. Even then, Pikachu could tell something was off. Ash's shoulders were completely slumped instead of straight, and it almost made it slide off. Pikachu stumbled a little bit before it regained its balance and tapped Ash on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Pika. Pikachu," it said.

"Yeah. I know you're better. I'm happy, but…," Ash began, but he didn't finish.

"Pika Pi…," Pikachu trailed.

Ash made his way out of the lobby and into the cafeteria. The smell of all the food hit his nostrils like a Rhydon's Take Down. Ash's stomach grumbled loudly as he took a few sniffs. Despite how down Ash was feeling, it was nice to be able to enjoy food again.

Ash helped himself to the offered items before he turned around. He then noticed Serena, Brock, Misty, and Togetic all at of the tables. Ash stopped and contemplated on whether he wanted to go sit with them or not. They were probably going to ask him a whole lot of questions about if he was okay and when he might feel better. Ash wasn't ready for those yet. He was about to go find a place on the other side of the cafeteria, but Serena had already spotted him.

The honey-haired girl smiled broadly and waved Ash over. Pikachu smiled back and waved while Ash inwardly grimaced. Great. He didn't have a choice now. He slowly made his way over to the group and sat down next to Serena. As soon as he did, Serena reached over and gave him a side-hug. It was a nice gesture, but Ash just still wasn't feeling it.

"Ash, I'm so happy to see you!" Serena told him.

"Yeah," Ash muttered before he looked down at his plate of food. "Listen, Serena, I'm sorry for raising my voice at you yesterday. You all are just trying to help me, and…"

"It's alright, Ash. We know you're upset. We just want you know that we support you, though you also can't stay in your room forever," Brock stated.

"Yeah. Just…give me a couple of more days. I'm still trying to figure things out," Ash said.

"Things like what?" Misty wondered.

"Like…just Silver in general, and what to tell Mom, and if…I should continue the Johto League," Ash finished quietly.

The entire group gasped at that.

"You can't be serious!" Serena exclaimed. "Why would you say something like that?!"

"I agree! Ash, just because you lost to Silver doesn't mean you should quit everything!" Brock rebutted.

"It isn't that simple," Ash muttered sadly. "Silver told me he won the Johto League, but he didn't say he beat the Elite Four. If he couldn't beat them, and if I lost to him that bad, what chance do I have?"

"A very good one!" Serena insisted. "We know you have what it takes to win! So what if Silver lost to them? You've improved so much since your time in Kanto, and you can't base your skills off of that one battle. It's as if all the other amazing battles you won in the past don't matter to you anymore!"

"I hear you. Just…let me think about it. I may feel the need to continue training before I try a league again," Ash replied.

The group frowned deeply at that. Even Pikachu and Togetic. They had to snap him out of this. They made the necessary arrangements with who to contact. It wasn't easy, but they said they would be here today. At this rate, they honestly couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Ash was back in his room and had laid back down on the bed. Now that he had some food, it was time to think and go over his options of what he needed to do. He was still devastated from his loss to Silver, but he had recovered enough to where he was good enough to do something now. Pikachu was on the bed, too, and was watching its trainer with worry. It seriously hoped Ash wouldn't consider giving up.

"I just don't know, Pikachu. I just wonder if I'm even good enough," Ash sighed.

"Chuuuu," Pikachu replied sadly.

Ash then heard the lock to his room door click and open. Despite this, Ash didn't turn to see who it was. He figured it was probably Serena who had come in to convince him that he wasn't pathetic and to not give up. It's not that Ash didn't appreciate it. He would just need something a little more in order for him to get out of his slump.

"Hiiiiiyah!" a female voice shouted.

Ash abruptly turned and his eyes shot open when was met with a wall of sky blue beginning to cover his vision.

"Holy…!" Ash began until he was cut off by a body slam.

Leaf's full body fell on Ash, and the bed groaned from the weight of the two of them and the force of the impact. Leaf then sprung up from Ash, and the raven-haired boy abruptly sat up and blinked dizzily for a few seconds to process the sneak attack. His eyes then settled on Leaf was now sitting next him and staring at him firmly.

"Leaf!" Ash exclaimed. "What the heck was that for, and…and what are you doing here?!"

"I figured it was the only way to get your attention," Leaf replied and placed her hands on her hips. "The others told us that you barely even talk to them."

"Well, it worked, but geez," Ash muttered before he picked up on something Leaf said. "Wait. You said 'us'. Does that mean…?"

"Yo, Ash," Gary greeted as he showed himself inside the door, as well.

"Piiiika!" Pikachu said happily at seeing Leaf and Gary appear.

"Gary!" Ash exclaimed before he turned back to Leaf and then back to Gary. "You guys came to see me."

"Of course we did. You're our friend, aren't you?" Leaf asked rhetorically before she added. "And we heard you're in a slump."

Ash's expression darkened slightly as he looked away. The initial shock of seeing Leaf and Gary was now gone. He had gone back to his melancholy mood. So, Brock, Misty, and Serena probably told them what was going on and requested they come over to help him. Unfortunately, it just wasn't that simple.

"They told you that I lost horribly and was embarrassed and couldn't protect my pride," Ash mumbled.

"No. What they told us was some creep that you call a brother beat you at a Pokemon battle and threatened you to never to talk to him again and insulted your mom on top of it. That's a lot different from how you described it," Leaf stated.

"They also told us something disturbing that you said this morning," Gary said as he went to sit down on the bed opposite of Ash and Leaf. "That you were thinking about quitting the Johto League to train because you think you're too weak. Tell me they're wrong."

"If I couldn't beat Silver, what hope could I have against the Elite Four or the Champion?" Ash asked the same question he did to the others.

"You wait right there, Ash!" Gary said firmly and stood up. "If you say you're not good enough, that's like saying that I'm not good enough! I know I have what it takes to win the Johto League so you do, too!"

"Gary's right, Ash," Leaf added. "You and him are true rivals. You both have had your own share of wins and losses, even against each other. Despite that, Gary's not going to quit the Johto League. He's going to try and win it with everything he has."

"I think of you as my equal, Ash," Gary nodded. "We're friends, but we're also rivals. Don't let one loss against that jerk get you down. You're stronger than this."

"None of you were there," Ash whispered as he began to tremble. "Silver…just toying with me. He insulted Mom."

"Snap out of it, Ash!" Leaf cried.

Gary frowned as he didn't like Ash's attitude right now. This pity party had to stop. He had tried to reason with him, but Ash was too far down in the dumps for that to work right now. It seemed like the only way to get him fired back up was to revert to his classic Gary Oak style. If this didn't work, Gary didn't know what would. He didn't want to, but this was to help Ash.

"Don't tell him that, Leaf," Gary said as he put on a smirk. "Maybe Ash isn't good enough, just as he said."

Leaf turned and gave Gary a sharp look as Ash looked up, too. "How can you say that, Gary?!" Leaf exclaimed.

"Don't defend him," Gary said simply with a shrug. "If Ash thinks he isn't good enough to handle being a Pokemon trainer, let him. Only losers think that."

"I'm not a loser!" Ash suddenly shouted and jumped to his feet.

"Please," Gary snorted. "You said yourself you can't beat the Pokemon League, Ashy-boy. Heh. You probably couldn't even make it past the first round."

"I can so!" Ash declared. "I made it further than you at the Indigo League! I'll do even better this time! I'll make it past the first round. Then I'll beat the last one and win! I can even beat the Elite Four and the Champion if I wanted to!"

Leaf was staring up in surprise. First, Ash was saying he wasn't good enough to compete in the Johto League. Now, he was even saying he could beat the champion of Johto. She then looked at Gary and couldn't help but giggle a little bit. She knew what he was doing now. Leave it to a good rival to get Ash fired up.

"Yeah right," Gary muttered with a roll of his eyes. "I bet you aren't even good enough to take care of me!"

"I'll show you!" Ash shouted and pointed his index finger at Gary. "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"

Gary smiled and crossed his arms. "Challenge accepted."

Ash suddenly fell silent and blinked a few times. It was as if he was trying to process the exchange of words he and Gary just had. What had come over him just now? All Gary had to do to Ash was taunt him. The arm and index finger that was fiercely pointed in Gary's direction fell to his side, and he chuckled a little bit.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Ash figured.

"It worked, didn't it?" Gary replied with a question.

"Well, I don't know if everything I said about beating the Elite Four and Champion was true, but I still want to battle you," Ash replied as he took a couple of breaths to calm down his old, fiery self. He and Gary had just acted like how they did before they started their Pokemon journey. Who would've thought a conversation like that would get him to move?

"Good enough for me," Gary shrugged as he turned to walk out the door. "You coming?"

"Definitely," Ash nodded before he turned to Pikachu.

The yellow rodent took the cue before it let out a big smile and ran up Ash's side until it was on his shoulder. The two then followed Gary out the door, and behind them was Leaf. As they walked out, Leaf leaned into Ash's ear and whispered.

"You sure are easy to dupe when it comes to Gary, Ash," she giggled, which caused Ash to blush in embarrassment.

" _That Gary,"_ Ash thought, though it was more from amusement.

Once they entered the lobby, Serena's eyes immediately lit up with happiness. She saw Gary with his hands in his pockets wearing a slight smirk and a beaming Leaf beside Ash. She knew that could only mean they actually reached him a little bit. Still, to be sure, she went over to them followed by Brock and Misty.

"So, how'd it go?" she asked.

"Ashy-boy and I are going to have a Pokemon battle," Gary replied.

"I won't lose, either!" Ash said firmly as he followed Gary.

Serena the sidled up to Leaf so she could get more information. "What did Gary say to Ash?" she wondered.

"Nothing he wouldn't say if they were younger. You know how much Gary liked to show off in front of Ash and how Ash always wanted to prove him wrong," Leaf smiled.

"Classic Gary Oak, then?" Serena figured with an amused look on her face.

"That's it," Leaf nodded.

"Before we battle, I still want to see my other Pokemon," Ash requested, which was followed by a nod from the others.

Ash went into the room where he saw the five pokeballs containing Gengar, Primeape, Dragonite, Ivysaur, and Snorlax. The raven-haired boy took a deep breath and released all of his Pokemon after making sure with Nurse Joy that it was okay.

The five Pokemon appeared, and they all seem to more or less recovered. Some exceptions were the cast around Primeape's hand, Ivysaur's plant a little ruffled and flattened, Snorlax's face still a little black from the Hyper Beam. Gengar appeared stiffer than usual, and Dragonite was still scuffed up from the explosion that took it out. Despite their less than perfect appearances, all the Pokemon looked relieved and happy to see Ash.

"Hey, guys," Ash muttered and gave them a sheepish smile. "I'm really glad all of you are alright, and thank you for trying your best…even though we didn't win."

His Pokemon nodded solemnly at that.

"I guess…a lot of you won't be in any shape to battle for a while," Ash figured. "I hate to say it, but I want you guys to go back to Professor Oak's lab for now to rest and recover. You guys just fought in the hardest battle I ever had to do, and I just want to make sure you all are alright."

His Pokemon got a sad look on their faces, but they understood. They were glad Ash chose them out of all the others to fight Silver, and they knew the risks against battling a cold trainer like that. They were more worried for Ash and how he was handling it since they hadn't heard from him in two days. At least he seemed to be doing better.

"Hey. Check this out," Gary smirked as he went over to Ash's Pokemon. "My pal over there mentioned something about not completing the Johto League. Can you believe that?"

" _Oh, shoot,"_ Ash thought as he knew he was about to get an earful from his Pokemon.

* * *

Ash finally managed to get all of his Pokemon to go back into their pokeballs after they bombarded him with surprised comments. Though he couldn't quite understand what they were saying, he got the gist that they were highly disapproving of the idea. He tiredly walked back into the lobby of the Pokemon Center next to Gary who was smirking and the others who were smiling awkwardly. Ash flashed an annoyed look at Gary.

"You didn't have to tell them that," Ash muttered.

"Somebody had to," Gary shrugged. "We all knew you weren't, and they have a right to know."

"I would've told them…eventually," Ash finished and hung his head. "I just don't know yet."

"Well, I think you're making a mistake, and so do your Pokemon. Our Pokemon battle should prove that."

Ash nodded his head and sat down in front of the Pokemon Center video phone. He quickly dialed the number to Professor Oak's lab and waited for it to ring. After a few moments, Professor Oak appeared on the screen.

"Ah, Ash, my boy!" Professor Oak greeted until he peered closer and saw Gary. "Oh, and Gary, too! Hello there!"

"Hey, Gramps," Gary said and gave a slight wave.

"So, I take it that you are going to make a few exchanges?" Professor Oak guessed.

"Yeah," Ash replied before his tone dropped. "They may not be able to battle to their fullest potential for a while. Silver was…pretty brutal to them. Just…prepare for them to not look as good as they normally do."

"I see," Professor Oak nodded solemnly. "It was that bad, wasn't it?"

"It was worse than bad, Professor," Ash mumbled. "I…he…"

Professor Oak held his hand up to stop him as he could tell it made Ash upset. "Ash, you don't need to say anymore. I understand. Just know you have great friends to support you. Also, your mom is quite worried about you so I suggest you give her a call since she hasn't heard from you. It may not be my place to say this, but now would be a good time to let her know about Silver."

Ash had to resist the urge to turn away. Maybe Professor Oak was right, though. Still, it's just now Ash wanted nothing to do with Silver and wanted to pretend that he didn't even exist. That included ever thinking about him or talking about him ever again. Silver wanted Ash out of his life? That was fine because Ash wanted Silver out of his life forever, too.

"I see," Professor Oak said after he noticed Ash's pause. "Well, I won't make you do something you don't want to do."

"Uh huh," Ash sighed.

"Hey. Some of your Pokemon are very anxious to see you, by the way!" Professor Oak spoke up to lighten the mood. "Chikorita still hasn't adjusted to being at the lab so I highly recommend you take it with you."

"Heh. Yeah. Chikorita and I are buddies," Ash smiled.

"Which Pokemon do you want to exchange for?" Professor Oak inquired.

"Hmm…," Ash mused as he thought. "Let's go with Chikorita, Croconaw, Noctowl, Heracross, and Houndour for now."

"Certainly. I'll just need you to set your other five pokeballs on the transmitter, and I'll go fetch the others," Professor Oak instructed as he got up to retrieve the other pokeballs.

"Thanks, Professor," Ash replied before he unclipped the other pokeballs and smiled at them. "Thanks, guys. You'll all be back to top form before you know it, and I'll think about what you all were telling me."

Though one couldn't tell that the Pokemon heard Ash because there was no indication from within the pokeball, Ash knew they did. No doubt they would tell his other Pokemon once they got back to the lab, and then he would receive a call from Professor Oak saying that his Pokemon were forming an angry mob to yell at him. Ash almost chuckled at the thought.

About a minute later, Professor Oak returned and set the pokeballs down on the transmitter and pressed the button. The pokeballs were transferred, and a few seconds later, the Pokemon exchange had been made. Professor Oak picked up the five Pokemon Ash had transported and nodded his head.

"I'll take great care of these Pokemon, Ash, and make sure that they are back to fighting form as soon as I can," Professor Oak informed him.

"Thanks, Professor," Ash replied.

"Oh, and Gary," Professor Oak said which drew the spiky-haired boy's attention. "Call here sometimes. You're my grandson, and I worry for you, too. Also, it wouldn't hurt to call Daisy, either. She may be off on errands sometimes, but you do have her number."

"Yeah. Yeah. Sure, Gramps. You got it," Gary said with a wave of his hand.

"Well, I just want to let you know," Professor Oak said before he addressed everyone else. "You all take care now."

"Bye, Professor!" everyone said.

"Wait!" Professor Oak suddenly cried, and everyone almost fell over in surprise. "Serena, I have great news for you!"

"Oh. What is it?" Serena questioned curiously.

"Your egg that you won in the Battle Chateau is about ready to hatch!" Professor Oak announced with delight.

"It is?!" Serena exclaimed as her eyes grew big.

"Yes! I don't think the Pokemon Center you're at has a proper transporter for this, but once you all get back to Ecruteak City, make sure to call me, and I'll send the egg over to you in its incubator!" Professor Oak told them.

"Finally, after all this time," Serena breathed before a question came to her. "By the way, Professor, why did the egg take so long to hatch?"

"I can answer that, Serena," Brock interjected. "You see, all Pokemon eggs take a very long time to hatche. They're very evolved living things and naturally need a lot more time to properly form inside the eggs. Some take more time than others."

"But Togetic didn't take long to hatch," Serena said as she glanced over at the happiness Pokemon.

"My guess is that it was already almost ready to hatch when Ash found it," Brock shrugged. "Who knows how long it had been there?"

"So when Serena got her egg, it must have just been recently laid," Ash guessed.

"It had to have. I mean…it did take over a year," Brock replied.

"Wow. I didn't know Pokemon eggs took so long to hatch," Serena muttered before she had another question for Professor Oak. "You…wouldn't happen to know what Pokemon is inside of it, would you?"

"Of course I do!" Professor Oak said with a laugh before he added. "I don't want to spoil the surprise, though! You'll know soon enough, and I think you'll like it!"

"Oh! I can't wait!" Serena squealed.

"Me, neither!" Leaf squealed, also. "You have to tell me when it hatches!"

"I hope it's cute!" Misty joined in.

"Oh my gosh!" all three girls cried.

"Are they for real?" Ash mumbled so only Gary and Brock heard him.

"Okay. Well that wraps up everything. You all take care," Professor Oak waved before he noticed no one was moving. "What?"

"We were just waiting for you to stop us again, Gramps," Gary smirked.

"Oh! I'm done for good this time! Take care, you all!" Professor Oak said again.

"Bye, Professor!" they all replied.

The video phone was shut off, and Ash turned to Gary. "So, you ready for a battle?"

"You got it, Ash," Gary smiled as everyone else around them grew excited. It was always worthwhile to see a battle between the two rivals.

* * *

Ash had out his Chikorita to battle Gary. The leaf Pokemon was clearly the most enthusiastic to battle when Ash had asked his exchanged Pokemon which of them wanted to. It had jumped into Ash's arms and snuggled into his chest when he chose it. This was fine for Ash as when he thought about it, he realized it had been a while since he used Chikorita in a proper battle.

The leaf Pokemon pawed the dirt and put on its tough persona as it prepared to battle whatever Pokemon Gary sent out. Gary, for his part, remembered this Chikorita from before and knew it was pretty tough. Still, he also knew it wasn't as experienced as some of Ash's other Pokemon so he wasn't going to use anything like his Arcanine or Blastoise against it. Gary would still give it a fair challenge, though.

"Donphan, I choose you!" Gary yelled and threw the pokeball forward.

A Pokemon that resembled a small elephant with black armor covering its backside and part of its short legs appeared. It lifted its armored trunk and gave small cry. It saw Chikorita pawing at the ground and mimicked it. Ash stared with interest at the Pokemon as he and Serena looked it up.

"Donphan, the armor Pokemon, and the evolved form of Phanpy. It has very strong tusks and is capable of knocking down a house with its power," said the machines.

"That's pretty cool," Ash noted before he looked down at Chikorita. "You ready for a good win, Chikorita?"

"Chika!" it nodded.

Brock was standing between Ash and Gary and acting as the judge once more. Serena, Leaf, and Misty were off to the side to watch. Serena was briefly wondering what was inside of the egg she got so long ago, but she also wanted to focus on Ash for his sake. She was still concerned about the state he was in, though he had significantly gained more life in him since yesterday.

"This will be a one on one match between Ash and Gary. There will be no time limit. The match will start now!" Brock declared and brought down both of his hands.

"Start things off with Earthquake to throw Chikorita off balance!" Gary yelled.

"Jump, Chikorita!" Ash told it.

Donphan stood up on its hind legs and went to stomp the ground hard, but Chikorita took its two vines out and slapped the ground to give it a boost. Chikorita lifted high into the air and well away from the shaking that Donphan just created. Both Gary and the Donphan looked startled for a moment. Gary smirked, however. He had a surprise for Ash.

"Use Magical Leaf!" Ash called.

"Use Ice Shard!" Gary hollered.

Now, it was Ash and Chikorita's turn to be startled. Donphan could learn Ice Shard? It was a ground-type, though. Still, before Chikorita could shoot out the many leaves, Donphan took aim and shot a fast shard of ice out of its mouth. The Ice Shard penetrated through the air and struck Chikorita out of the air. The leaf Pokemon fell and groaned in pain for a moment from the surprise super effective attack.

"Your Donphan knows Ice Shard?" Ash questioned.

"That's right," Gary nodded. "It's a special move that Donphan can only learn through breeding from an egg. I hatched this Donphan as a Phanpy from an egg. Maybe you should get yourself one."

"Heh. Maybe I will, one day," Ash smiled before he went back to the battle. "You alright, Chikorita?"

"Chika!" it confirmed and hastily jumped to its feet.

"Use Rollout, Donphan!" Gary said next.

Donphan gave a cry before it curled into a ball and began speeding towards Chikroita. The leaf Pokemon got a defiant look on its face and held its ground as it awaited Ash's next command.

"Use Vine Whip on Donphan!" Ash shouted.

Chikorita shot out its vines and quickly wrapped them around the rolling Donphan to throw it off balance. The leaf Pokemon dug its heels in the ground to stop it, but Donphan changed direction, and Chikorita gave out a surprised cry as it was soon along for the ride. Apparently, Donphan were a lot heavier than they looked.

"Hang in there, Chikorita! Try to find you footing!" Ash called out as Chikorita was dragged across the ground.

Chikorita grimaced with each painful bounce and drag it was given. It finally had enough, however, and got a determined look on its face. Chikorita used the next painful bounce to give a boost, and it was in the air again. Chikorita then righted itself and used its vines wrapped around Donphan to take careful aim, and it soon fell on top of the spinning Donphan and began to ride on top of it.

"Get that Chikorita off of you!" Gary called.

"Stay balanced with Vine Whip, and then use Magical Leaf!" Ash yelled.

Chikorita swung its huge leaf and began emitting several small strange-shaped leaves at Donphan. They swirled around the armor Pokemon for a moment before they struck it all at once. Donphan gave a sudden lurch from the force of the impact, and Chikorita unwrapped its Vine Whip so it wouldn't get caught when Donphan went down. It was flung from the spinning Donphan, and not even a second later, Donphan uncurled itself and began skidding across the ground. It came to slow stop in front of Gary before it stood back up. Likewise, Chikorita landed on its feet in front of Ash.

"Heh. Not bad, Ash," Gary complimented before he pointed his hand forward. "Use Giga Impact!"

Donphan gave a cry before it began charging at the Chikorita with everything it had. Chikorita stood ready as it awaited Ash's next command.

"Use Razor Leaf to stop it!" Ash yelled.

"Not so fast! Ice Shard!" Gary hollered.

Once more, Donphan shot a small, icy chunk from its mouth before Chikorita could use Razor Leaf. Chikorita was struck by the attack, and was stunned just long enough for Donphan to complete the Giga Impact, Chikorita cried out in pain and was knocked backwards several yards before it skidded to a stop. It shuddered for a moment before it shakily stood to its feet with a defiant look on its face.

"Are you alright, Chikorita?" Ash asked in worry.

"Chika!" it confirmed hastily.

"Heh. Your Chikorita's just as tough-natured as I remember," Gary smirked before it turned serious again. "It still won't last too much longer! Use Earthquake, Donphan, and finish it with another Giga Impact!"

Donphan stood on its two hind legs before it slammed onto the ground which caused massive shaking. Chikorita was too tired to jump in the air this time and could nothing but endure the attack. The leaf Pokemon grimaced as it tried to regain its footing but ended up falling over. Donphan took that opportunity to start charging for another Giga Impact.

Chikorita was still shuddering from the shaking of Earthquake, and Ash knew it wouldn't have time to stand up and use an attack like Razor Leaf or Magical Leaf. Besides, Gary would probably expect that and have Donphan use Ice Shard again which would also be lethal. There was, however, one thing Chikorita could still do.

"Use Vine Whip to trip Donphan!" Ash yelled.

Chikorita quickly extended its vines and went to slap at Donphan's feet. Donphan, however, saw this coming and jumped over the vines. It wasn't very high due to Donphan's weight, but it was enough to avoid the Vine Whip. Gary smiled as Ash's face fell. Chikorita, however, wasn't done. Donphan was almost upon it, and the leaf Pokemon swung its Vine Whip from behind Donphan this time.

The armor Pokemon cried out as the vines slapped its short legs, and it lost balance and fell over hard on its long nose and face. Chikorita then had enough time to get to its feet as Ash called out another attack.

"Use Solar Beam!" Ash yelled.

Chikorita began to quickly charge up as Donphan gave a shake and stood to its feet. Both it and Gary saw Chikorita charging the buds around its neck and hastily tried to stop it with a quick attack.

"Ice Shard!" Gary hollered.

"Not this time!" Ash rebutted. "Let it fly!"

Chikorita was able to unleash the massive beam this time before Donphan could use Ice Shard. The armor Pokemon was engulfed in the light as it cried out in pain before it was blasted off its feet. Gary's eyes widened as he saw Donphan fly though the air before it landed a short distance away, and it didn't get back up. It had been defeated.

Gary was rather astonished. How was a mere Chikorita's Solar Beam that powerful? Even if the attacks were super effective, Gary wasn't expecting Donphan to be knocked out in just a few hits. Nevertheless, the battle was over, and Brock raised his hands.

"Donphan is unable to battle, and Chikorita is the winner!" Brock declared.

"We did it, Chikorita!" Ash shouted as he ran over to the leaf Pokemon.

Chikorita was tired, but to see how Ash running towards it in happiness was enough to get its feet moving again. It leaped into the boy's arms and began to nuzzle into his chest affectionately.

As Ash rubbed Chikorita's head, he had a few thoughts going through his mind. He had just won another battle against Gary Oak, his greatest rival. Chikorita had a type advantage, but Donphan was really throwing them off with that Ice Shard. It had been a pretty close match. While it did make Ash feel a little better, he still couldn't get Silver out of his head.

Gary returned Donphan before he thanked it for battling hard and went over to Ash. The raven-haired boy looked up to greet Gary before he realized something going on with Chikorita. He looked inquisitively at the grass-type before he gasped as Chikorita began to glow white.

Everyone watched as Chikorita grew in size in Ash's arms, and the buds on its neck began to sprout. It was soon becoming too much for Ash to carry, and he ended up falling over with Chikorita on top of him. Finally, Chikorita stopped glowing, and in its place was a Bayleef.

"Baaaay!" the new Bayleef said in delight.

"Hey…you evolved," Ash said somewhat dizzily as Bayleef was still on top of him.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Serena asked as she and others approached him and Bayleef.

"Not...really. Bayleef's crushing me," Ash croaked.

Bayleef then got off of Ash, but it didn't leave him alone just yet. It lowered its head and began to rub Ash's face against its own. Apparently, evolving didn't change its personality too much.

"Haha! I'm happy you evolved, too, Bayleef! Congratulations!" Ash told it as he laughed.

"Bay! Bay!" Bayleef cried in return.

"Well, Ash, I hoped this proved you aren't pathetic," Gary spoke now that Ash had adjusted to Bayleef.

"Yeah. I guess," Ash muttered as he pushed himself off of the ground with Bayleef stepping back to give him some room. Pikachu soon hopped onto his shoulder.

"We're rivals, Ash, and you just beat me. I know I'm not pathetic so neither are you!" Gary affirmed before he added. "Besides, I don't think your Bayleef would evolve for you after a battle if it thought you were pathetic. Am I right?"

"Bay!" Bayleef nodded. It loved Ash.

"And judging from the reaction of your other Pokemon, they certainly aren't ready to quit, either! Neither should you!" Gary said.

"Gary's right, Ash," Serena added as she went over to Ash and hugged him. "We don't care about what Silver did. We care about you. That's why Brock, Misty, Togetic, Pikachu and me all want to support you. That's why Gary and Leaf came to visit you."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

"Toge!" Togetic added.

Ash looked down and smiled to himself. It felt a little silly, but Ash felt his eyes get a little wet at the great friends he had. Ash realized now just how stupid he was for thinking he was pathetic and wanting to quit the Johto League. He has what it takes to win this time! Then he can go on and challenge the Elite Four and the Champion! Still, that left one problem that Ash couldn't forget about…Silver.

"Someone get this guy a tissue!" Gary teased, but he put on a puzzled look when Ash didn't join in the laughter.

"Thanks, everyone. I appreciate you all being here for me. I'll continue our journey," Ash stated as he looked up, but he was no longer smiling. "Even so, I can't forget about Silver and how much I hate him. I don't want to be around him or know him, and I don't even know how or why I should tell my mom about him. He doesn't deserve her."

"Ash…" Serena trailed.

"I just…need some time to figure out about what to do," Ash sighed as he turned around and recalled Bayleef. "I'll see you guys at supper. I'm going back to the room to think for a little bit."

Everyone watched silently as Ash walked back into the Pokemon Center. They had been so close in bringing him back to the light, but the wound left by Silver was very deep. Brock looked up into the sky for any sign of the last person who he called. That person said they would be here later today, but it was well into the afternoon. Hopefully, he would be the one to heal Ash fully.

* * *

 _"You and that woman can rot for all I care."_

Ash slammed his fist down on his bed as that despicable sentence replayed in his mind over and over. Pikachu hung its ears and went over to lick Ash's hand that had pounded the bed. Ash's tense look softened at that. He turned and saw the yellow rodent giving him a look of concern. Ash picked it up and placed it in his lap before he scratched it behind the ears.

"Sorry, Pikachu. I'm just angry, but it isn't your fault, or Serena's, or Gary's, or anyone else's. I just can't stand him. Just thinking that there's another guy out there who acts just like Giovanni makes me mad. I don't care how much Silver denies it. He's like Giovanni in almost every way," Ash muttered.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu sighed.

"Come to think of it, I wonder if Silver or Giovanni are even capable of loving someone. Was there really a time when Silver actually loved my mom?" Ash questioned.

The question was, of course, rhetorical. He wasn't expecting Pikachu to have the answer. All the yellow rodent could do was listen to Ash's woes and try to be there for him the best way it could. They were buddies, after all. It still didn't know what it could do to make Ash let go of his hate, though. As it was proved several times in the past, when Ash really hates something, it shows up in the worst kind of ways.

Ash stood up before he walked over to the window and looked out. Though there were only a few fields surrounding the area from the Pokemon Center, it still made for a nice view of the outdoors. It made it hard believe that seeing things like this that people like Team Rocket or Silver actually existed in the world.

The boy looked up into the clear sky, and something caught his eyes. He could see a speck off in the distance, but he couldn't tell what it was. It was probably just a Pokemon flying high into the sky. It then got a little closer and lower to the ground, and Ash could tell it was a large figure. As it got closer, it was now clear that figure was intending to land, but that was weird.

Ash's eyes then widened when he saw it was a Dragonite. There was a Dragonite out here in the open, of all things, and there was even someone riding it? Curiosity got the best of him as he continued to watch, and then Ash gasped when he saw who it was. It was really him. Ash couldn't even remember the last time he saw him, but it was a while.

"Dad!" Ash cried as he immediately turned and bolted from the room with Pikachu right behind him.

Ash ran through the hallway of the Pokemon Center before he entered the lobby and ran right past his bewildered friends and out the door. It was the most excitement he had shown the past couple of days. They all glanced at each other for a moment and realized only one person could get a reaction like that from Ash. They all got up from the couches and followed him out the door.

Red was just landing once Ash made it outside. He had no sooner got off his Dragonite than when he saw Ash running right to him. Red grinned and opened his arms as he awaited Ash to reach him. Ash then collided with his dad and give him a big hug which almost knocked Red over. Nevertheless, Red returned the hug with enthusiasm.

"Dad! You're here!" Ash shouted, stating the obvious.

"Yeah. How are you, son?" Red asked.

"Great now that you're here!" Ash replied with the huge smile still on his face.

Red smiled before he looked up and noticed the others coming out the door to the Pokemon Center. Red then spotted Brock and nodded to the young man who nodded back. After all, it had been Brock who contacted him. He had looked up Red's number in Ash's Pokegear while Ash had been sleeping the night before.

"How are all of you?" Red asked Ash's friends this time as he approached them.

"Hey, Mr. Ketchum!" Leaf said giddily as she bounced over to him and hugged him which Red returned.

Serena was next, and she hugged the man, and Red let out a chuckle. "You've still been good to my son?"

"Of course!" Serena replied.

Misty was next and she hugged the man, too, while Gary and Brock opted for just a handshake with Red. Once the formalities were over, Ash walked behind Red as he finished shaking Brock's hand as he had a burning question on his mind.

"Dad, don't get me wrong. I'm really happy to see you, but how did you find me, and why are you here?" Ash wondered.

"Well, your friend, Brock, called me and said I should visit you," Red responded as he gestured to the tanned teen. "I'm here for quite a few things. One, I want to show you an old friend of yours, and another, do I really need another reason to see my son?"

"Wait," Ash gasped. "You said an old friend, do you…"

"Yeah. Say hello," Red grinned as he got out a pokeball and released the Pokemon within.

Everyone instinctively took a step back as the terrifying Pokemon that was Aerodactyl came from the pokeball and gave a loud cry. It spotted Ash within the second before it tackled him to the ground. It then opened its mouth and where everyone could see its saw-like teeth. It almost looked like it was about to eat Ash.

"Ash!" Serena cried from instinct.

Any worries were put to rest when Aerodactyl extended its long tongue and began to lick Ash. The raven-haired boy began laughing as Aerodactyl continued the show of affection to Ash. Even though they all knew that Aerodactyl had a jolly nature, it was still strange to see such a predator-like Pokemon act this way.

"Hahahahahaha! Cut it out, Aerodactyl! That tickles!" Ash laughed before he reached up and hugged it around the neck. "How've you been, buddy?"

"Aerooooooo!" Aerodactyl cried happily and got off Ash. Once it did, the two high-fived each other.

"Aerodactyl could hardly contain itself when I told it we were going to visit you," Red smiled.

"Yeah. It has been a long time, hasn't it?" Ash asked as he reached up and rubbed Aerodactyl's head before he turned to his dad. "Still, I thought you said you weren't going to come until my thirteenth birthday. Did you just decide to come earlier, or did you find time or something?"

"Well, yes, to both of those questions," Red nodded before his face took on a more serious tone. "Ash, I want to talk to you about Silver."

"I don't want to talk to anyone about him," Ash said as his tone dropped significantly. "That's the real reason you came here, wasn't it? Did they tell you?"

"I'm not trying to kill the mood of seeing you, Ash. I really am glad I came here early, and I did want to see you again, but this is something serious. They told me how the battle went," Red sighed.

"We just wanted to help, Ash," Brock stepped in. "We were worried about you, and we knew we couldn't pull you out of your slump by ourselves. That's why we called Gary, Leaf, and your dad."

"Can we just forget about Silver?" Ash mumbled. "I have nothing more to say to or about him to anyone. He told me that my mom and me can rot, well, so can he."

"Ash…," Serena trailed.

"Hey, Ash. Why don't we go for a walk…just the two of us? Let's catch up on a few things," Red suggested.

It had sounded like a suggestion, and Red's tone was light enough. However, there was the undeniable sense of authority in that sentence that everyone could detect. It was more of a statement that they should do it right now. Ash's shoulders slumped but he looked up to Red, anyway.

"Alright," he muttered.

With that, father and son soon started walking away from the rest of the group into the field. The others along with their Pokemon continued to watch as they got further away. Once they did, Serena sighed and turned to Brock.

"Do you think Mr. Ketchum will be able to help Ash?" she inquired.

"I think so. He seems to have the most effect in Ash's life right now," Brock nodded.

"So…Ash's Aerodactyl is back," Misty said as she slowly and nervously reached out her hand to touch Aerodactyl.

However, the fossil Pokemon didn't give her the chance. It lunged at her which caused Misty to cry out. It then began to lick Misty just like it did Ash. The redhead spluttered as she was being covered by Aerodactyl's long tongue while the others couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Ash and Red continued to walk along the path that led away from the Pokemon Center. They didn't get too far before Red decided to strike up a conversation. Yes. He wanted to talk to Ash about Silver, but there were also a few things about Ash he was wondering in general.

"So, how's your journey going?" Red asked.

"Well, I just earned my sixth badge," Ash revealed as he showed Red the inside of his jacket where there were six badges neatly pinned there.

Red nodded in approval. "There you go. You'll be at the Johto League in no time, and then you'll win."

"Then you'll be able to teach me about aura?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Hahaha! Slow down there, Ash! Yes. As I told you before, Riley and I will start to teach you about aura then. You'll be thirteen by then so it would sound like a good time to start," Red replied.

"Yes! I'm definitely going to win, then!" Ash declared and pumped his arms in excitement. He then turned to Red. "Any chance of having any early lessons?"

"Nothing that I haven't already taught you," Red said slyly before he added. "Besides, I think you're learning to control your aura little better. After how badly things ended with you and Silver, I'm surprised your dark aura didn't break out. When things make you as mad as he did, that's normally when it shows itself. I'm proud of you."

Ash stopped walking as he thought about what Red said to him. Actually, he had a good point. Ash hadn't thought about it, but now that it was mentioned, his dark aura really didn't break loose like it had in the past. He was extremely angry and Silver and still was, but it didn't come out. Ash couldn't help but smile slightly at that. Who knows how Silver would've reacted, not that Ash cares.

"You're right. It didn't," Ash agreed. "That would've been the third time. I don't know what would've happened if I did that again."

"So it looks like you heeded my advice in regards to that," Red nodded.

"Yeah. I was pretty depressed for a while, but I remembered what you told me when you said to me to not ever think I wasn't good enough and that I had great friends who will stand by me no matter what," Ash replied.

"You got it," Red said in approval.

"Still, I can't get him out of my head and how badly he beat me," Ash frowned. "I hate him. He just…toyed with me that first half."

"Ash," Red said seriously as he placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Be honest. Now that you're thinking a little bit more clearly, did you really expect to win this battle? Silver's been a trainer much longer than you have and has won numerous leagues from what I've read. You're good, but you've still only been a trainer for just over two and half years. There was a huge difference in experience between you two."

"No. I guess not," Ash admitted begrudgingly. "Still, I deserved to win more than him."

"Even if that's true, that doesn't change anything about what the outcome is," Red replied.

"So, you're saying I shouldn't have challenged him?" Ash questioned as he looked up sadly at Red.

"I…don't think you should've made a bet like the one you did," Red responded after a brief pause.

"I had to, Dad," Ash insisted. "I can't stand the way he talks about Mom. I don't care if he insults me, but I can't allow him to do it to her. She's done nothing to him."

"Ash, I'm glad you stand up for your mother and you want to protect her, but even if you did win, do you honestly believe that would've changed anything?" Red inquired.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"Well, Brock explained to me the bet between you and Silver. Let's say for an instance you did win and Silver had to call Delia. Would that have changed his attitude towards her? Would it have changed his dislike for you and me and your mom?"

"No," Ash admitted. "At least she would've known he was okay."

"Silver hasn't spoken to Delia since he left. I don't think one phone call is enough to change anyone's feelings," Red told him.

"So, what was I supposed to do?" Ash asked in a pleading tone.

"Call your mom and tell her that Silver's alright," Red said.

"I shouldn't have to!" Ash argued. "Why can't he just do it himself?!"

"He won't ever do that on his own free will. It's your place to do that Ash. Not me. You're the one who's seen him and talked to him," Red rebutted.

"Even so, why do I owe it to him to let my mom know he's alright," Ash muttered bitterly.

"Maybe you don't owe him, but you owe your mom," Red replied as he crossed his arms.

"What?" Ash wondered as he stared up at Red.

"Ash, no matter how much Silver hates Delia, she still loves him. You have no idea how much she wonders how you're doing when you're on your journey. Still, you call her and let her know how you're doing sometimes which puts her mind at ease. That's not the case with Silver. She hasn't known how he's been doing ever since he left, and it worries her greatly. There probably isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't think of Silver," Red explained.

"Yeah. It doesn't matter how Silver treats her or thinks of her, she still loves him from what she told me," Ash sighed.

"I believe that if you told your mom about Silver and that he was at least okay, it would ease a great deal off of her mind, and it would give her peace about him," Red stated.

Ash nodded his head slowly in response. He couldn't believe he never thought about that. He was going to at first, but after he discovered how nasty Silver was, he couldn't bring it to himself to tell her that he's like that. Still, it made sense that it probably wouldn't matter to his mom. Just the fact that Silver was alive and well was good enough for her. Ash knew it would make her happy to know that, and he did want to make her happy.

"Alright. I'll make sure to tell her about him. I'll do it this evening," Ash stated.

"That's what I wanted to hear, Ash," Red nodded and squeezed Ash's shoulders slightly.

"Even so, that doesn't change the fact that I hate him and don't want anything to do with him," Ash spoke up. "He's just like Giovanni. I can't stand people like him."

"Oh really? I think Silver is more like you," Red said as he rubbed his chin.

"I'm nothing like that jerk!" Ash suddenly shouted as he got fired up.

"I didn't mean it like that," Red replied as he shook his head. "I mean, even when he was young, he loved exploring and making friends with everyone he came across. He was a really happy boy who loved his life, and he had a dream of going on a journey and becoming a Pokemon Master just like you."

"Are you serious?" Ash asked with wide eyes. "That doesn't sound like the Silver I know at all."

"It's true," Red insisted.

"So…what happened to him? All that stuff with Giovanni?" Ash guessed.

"Yes. Silver was completely outcast by all of his old friends, and they wanted nothing to do with him. He made several attempts to try to go back to how things used to be, but they eventually started to take their toll on him. He just got unhappier and unhappier, and he couldn't stop being reminded that he was the son of Giovanni. Eventually, all of his unhappiness turned to anger. Delia and I tried our best to show we still loved him, but it wasn't enough," Red sighed.

Ash looked down once Red said this. He had heard this story once before back in the Viridian Hospital, but he believed he needed to be reminded. Silver used to be just like him. However, all these terrible things started to happen to him all at once. It wasn't fair to him and quite cruel. It almost made Ash wonder if he grew up just like Silver did if he would turn out like him. Ash then shook his head of the thought.

"I wonder if things had turned out differently, and Silver didn't have all of those things happen to him…if we would've been able to get along," Ash said.

"I'm sure you would've. You probably even would've been best friends," Red nodded before he added. "You may find this hard to believe, but when he was younger, Silver told Delia and me that he wanted a little brother one day."

"What?!" Ash exclaimed.

"It's true," Red chuckled at Ash's reaction. "He kept on and on about how he would introduce you to Pokemon and teach you how to battle and train them, and how when you reached the age to start your journey, he would take you with him, and you would be Pokemon Masters together."

This was news to Ash. Silver actually wanted a younger brother to teach about Pokemon and take care of. That _really_ didn't sound like Silver. Ash almost felt a smirk come to his face as he tried to imagine what it would've been like to travel with Silver on a Pokemon journey. Things could've turned out so differently between them. They would've been like real brothers.

"Delia keeps that fantasy in her heart," Red said which caused Ash to look at Red again. "She still hopes one day that you and Silver will be great friends…no matter how unlikely she thinks it is now."

"Yeah. It's pretty unlikely," Ash snorted.

"Both Delia and I believe that somewhere deep down, Silver really is the same boy he used to be, and in some ways, he still is. He still likes adventure, and he still wants to become a great Pokemon trainer. Everything else, though, has been…chipped…from all he's went through," Red stated.

"Do you think there's a chance he'll ever change, Dad?" Ash questioned.

"I don't know, son. I mean…it's possible, but I wouldn't know where to start," Red admitted before he leaned in a little bit. "I'll tell you with where you can start, however. You can tell your mom that you've seen him and that he's doing…okay as far as health wise."

"Alright," Ash nodded. "Thanks, Dad."

"You bet, Ash. So, no more of this hate. If you continue to hate Silver, the cycle of bad blood between you two and Delia will never change. You have to take the first step," Red told him.

"How, though? He told me to never see or speak to him again," Ash inquired.

"Heh. As if that's likely. It's almost like fate. You and Silver are tied together. I'm sure even Silver knows this. It's almost like you two are meant to keep running into each other. I believe that one day, things may actually change," Red replied.

"Yeah. We run into each other in the strangest places," Ash grimaced.

"Just try to hang in there, Ash. You're a lot stronger than you think you are, and I know you can be the better person in this," Red encouraged.

Ash knew Red was right. He and Silver were bound to run into each other again whether they wanted to or not. What Ash would do then…he had no idea. He supposed he would cross that bridge once he got there.

"Thanks, Dad. I can do it," Ash nodded.

"I know you can," Red agreed as he held out his hand for Ash to shake.

Ash reached over and shook Red's hand before they pulled it into a hug.

* * *

"Hey, guys!" Ash waved as he returned with Red back to the Pokemon Center.

Everyone was still outside playing with their Pokemon from earlier, and they all looked up at Ash's voice. The could see from the look on his face that things had gone quite well. Once Ash reached them, he rubbed the back of head nervously.

"I'm…sorry about the way I've been acting the past couple of days. You all had been right there to help me through this. Thanks for everything," Ash said.

"Of course!" Misty nodded.

"We're always here for you, Ash," Brock agreed.

"Definitely!" Leaf grinned.

"Heh. Just don't do it again," Gary smirked before Leaf elbowed him. "I'm kidding!"

"Umm…Ash?" Serena questioned as she looked at Ash.

"Oh…yeah," Ash sighed.

Ash realized just now how hard Serena had tried to be there for him, and he had pushed her away yesterday. She had been the most worried for Ash out of all of them and was greatly upset with everything. Ash walked over to Serena and gave her a hug.

"Thanks for being here for me, Serena. I'm glad you always are. You know that," Ash said sincerely.

Serena exhaled when Ash hugged her. She did miss the warmth of his embrace the past few days while he was locked up in the Pokemon Center room. It was almost as if he would never smile again. She was so glad he was back to his normal self.

"Of course, Ash. I'll never leave you," Serena replied with a smiled as she returned Ash's embrace.

Once they let go, Togetic flew around Ash in a circle to spread its happiness. Ash smiled and rubbed Togetic on its head before Pikachu ran up to his shoulders and patted Ash on the cheek.

"Aeroooo!" Aerodactyl suddenly cried which drew everyone's attention back to it.

"Oh, that reminds me," Red said. "You and Aerodactyl seem to have really missed each other, and you haven't really trained with it as much as you would like. Why don't you take it with you as you're traveling the rest of Johto?"

"What?! Really?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yeah. It took a while, but Aerodactyl has managed to control its natural instincts and should be a vital member of your team," Red nodded.

Ash grinned broadly at that. His hands began to shake as he couldn't contain himself. He leaped high into the air and pumped his fist.

"Alright!" he shouted before turned to Aerodactyl. "We're going to make a great team!"

"Aerooooo!" Aerodactyl cried in delight before it tackled Ash and began to lick him again.

"I know! I'm happy, too, Aerodactyl, but if you continue to lick me, there isn't going to be any of me left!" Ash laughed.

Everything had turned out fine in the end, after all. Ash just now realized just how good of a day this had been. He got to see Leaf and Gary again and battled Gary and won. His Chikorita even evolved into Bayleef in the process. He was able to talk to his dad about Silver and had finally let go of his hatred for him. To top it all off, Ash finally had Aerodactyl returned to him. Ash knew that good things were going to be on the horizon now. He was ready to continue his journey through Johto. Next stop would be Ecruteak City.

* * *

It was nighttime at the Pokemon Center, and Ash was ready to make an important call. He sat down on the seat and dialed the number to his home. The only other one in the lobby at the moment was Red. He was going to spend the night here at the center before he went back to wherever the next day. Tomorrow was also the day they would finally set out again for Ecruteak City.

Delia soon answered the video phone, and her eyes lit up when she saw Ash.

"Oh, Ash! You called me! How are you, Sweetie?" she asked him.

"Heheh. I'm great, Mom," Ash chuckled.

"Hello, Delia," Red greeted as he came up behind Ash.

"Oh, Red!" Delia said in surprise before she smiled warmly. "I'm so glad you two are getting to see each other. I wish I was there with you two so we could all be together. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't wish to be there with my family."

"About that, Mom. I have something to tell you," Ash started as he took a deep breath.

"Oh. What is it? You know you can always tell me anything," Delia replied.

Ash then looked at Red, and the man nodded his head solemnly. Ash was really nervous about what he was about to say, but he had committed himself to do it. Still, he had his dad here to support him, and his mom had the right to know. It was finally time to tell her.

"It's about Silver," Ash began. "I've seen him here in Johto."

* * *

 **I know a lot of you were waiting for Ash to tell her and how she would react. That will cover some of the next chapter. About Leaf and Gary, sadly, they won't travel back to Ecruteak City with Ash and co. They'll be heading off to Olivine City and Cianwood City.**

 **Serena's egg is ready to hatch! Be prepared for that chapter soon!**

 **There's still a lot of things to cover before Ash's seventh gym badge. They still have part two of Ecruteak City to do which starts next chapter, Serena's egg will hatch. Ash will get Phanpy's egg, an evil villain makes a return (not Giovanni yet), more information on Team Rocket's plans with the Radio Tower, and of course, the Lake of Rage arc. Boy, that's a lot.**

 **The next chapter will be out later in October! I'll be busy this month, too, but hopefully I can finish it in decent time. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Forty-Nine: The Two Towers**


	49. The Two Towers

**A/N: Hey, everyone! Here's another chapter for you! Please enjoy it! Ecruteak City: Part Two starts now!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 49: The Two Towers

"You're still looking cheerful, Ash," Serena noted as the group approached Ecruteak City.

"Heehee! He's been like that since we left the Pokemon Center on Route 39," Misty giggled.

Indeed, Ash had been a very good mood the past week since the group had been traveling. He had been humming to himself constantly and either relaxed or trained his Pokemon during breaks. Ash still had his ravenous appetite and exuded confidence in everything he did. It was as if he truly felt like he could win everything he tried at the moment.

Essentially, Ash was acting just like his old self again. It was all thanks to his friends, his dad, and finally telling his mom about Silver. It had gone over much better than he thought. It was also surprisingly much easier than he thought it would be.

XXX

 _It's about Silver," Ash began. I've seen him here in Johto."_

 _There was a bit of silence in the room once Ash said that. Delia lost the smile on her face, and she had her mouth slightly open as if she couldn't believe what Ash just told her. Red placed a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder to encourage him to keep going. Ash nodded his head before he continued._

 _"Yeah. I've actually seen him a few times actually," Ash muttered before he straightened himself to appear more composed._

 _"Silver? You've seen him in Johto?" Delia questioned quietly, and her voice had a noticeable crack to it._

 _"Yeah. We've run into him a few times. He didn't want to call you himself, but…he's doing fine. He's…safe," Ash said for lack of a better description that sounded positive._

 _Again, nobody said anything for a while. Ash took a deep breath as he prepared his mom to bombard him with questions. He had no doubt she had several. Truthfully, though, he didn't know if he wanted to answer him all. With the exception of just a few small instances, Silver hadn't made a good impression on Ash or any of his friends, not that he tried to. Silver may have a soul somewhere in his body as he does somewhat care for other things, but it's normally marred to meet his own goals._

 _Still, Delia did none of those things. Instead, she sniffed and reached for a small rag to dab her eyes with her. Seeing that look on his mother's face made Ash feel slightly guilty about not telling her sooner. It proved that no matter how much Silver despised her, she still loved him._

 _"Thank you for telling me, Ash. You have no idea how happy I am that you told me. After all this time, my Silver is still alive, and he's unharmed," Delia whimpered._

 _"Mom…," Ash trailed._

 _"I would ask you where you've seen him so I can come visit there, but I know it's just a pipe dream. I'm not foolish enough to think he would want to see me," Delia stated with a sad smile._

 _Ash felt his body tense briefly, but he quickly relaxed it. He didn't want his mom to notice the bad blood between him and Silver. Instead, Ash struggled with the next thing he said. He didn't know if he truly meant it or not, but it was for his mom's comfort._

 _"I…don't know if he ever will or not, but he may…at some point," Ash said slowly._

 _"Even if he doesn't, it's good enough for me to know he's okay. I've never stopped caring for him since he left," Delia replied and closed her eyes in contentment. "I keep wondering how his training his going, if he's getting enough to eat and sleep, and if he's changing his you-know-whats every day."_

 _"Uhhh…ugh," Ash grimaced as that thought of what Delia said last crossed his mind._

 _"Speaking of which, Ash," his mother started and switched topics. "Are you?"_

 _"Umm…umm…of course!" Ash squeaked though he was rather embarrassed. The sweet moment was pretty much ruined by now with Delia having to bring up that topic._

 _"And you, Red," Delia said as she turned to her husband. "I noticed you only packed two pairs of clothes when you left our house last year! I know those weren't the only clothes you've worn since then!"_

 _"What?! Don't drag me into this!" Red cried as he looked down and saw how faded his current clothes were. "You've got to be kidding me."_

 _"I knew it!" Delia scolded. "Red, I know you have the money to buy new clothes so why don't you do it?!"  
"She's all yours, Dad!" Ash hurriedly said and dropped the phone to bolt from the room as fast as he could. Ash felt bad for leaving his dad stranded like that, but he didn't want to receive another lecture from his mother about the importance of hygiene and underwear changing._

 _"Wait, Ash! You can't leave me here!" Red shouted after him._

 _"Not so fast, mister! This is about you, now!" Delia stated and placed the hand that wasn't holding the phone on her hip._

 _"Come on, dear. What I've been doing these past few years doesn't exactly warrant new clothes. I just need things that can get a little dirty," Red tried._

 _"That's just an excuse," Delia frowned. "There's no reason why you can't find time to get more."_

 _Red groaned just like Ash would as he knew he was about to receive an earful from his wife. Ash overheard the last part and couldn't help but start chuckling._

 _"Typical Mom," he mumbled to himself._

XXX

The fact that Ash told his mom about Silver seemed to have taken a lot of weight off everyone's shoulders. Ash didn't have to keep wondering about what was right and what was wrong with that, and he finally seemed to have gotten Silver out of his head for the time-being. Of course, he wasn't forgotten, but Ash had finally moved on from his loss and felt ready to tackle the Elite Four and Champion of the Johto region all over again.

The next destination for the group was Mahogany Town. Apparently, Leaf and Gary had already visited that area and had been on their way to Olivine City when they met up with the group. It was a shame that they couldn't travel together for a while, but such was the path they had chosen

Red also wasn't with them as he had left early the next morning.

XXX

 _"You're leaving already?" Ash questioned as his father let out his Dragonite._

 _"Yes. I have to go back," Red sighed._

 _Ash looked down at the ground. "I wish I knew what it was you were doing that was so important."_

 _"I promise to explain everything one day," Red replied as he shifted his backpack._

 _"What about Silver? What about Team Rocket?" Ash asked next._

 _Ash had told Red about the massive comeback that Team Rocket was supposedly planning the previous day. To Ash's surprise and comfort, Red already knew about it. Apparently, Yellow had kept her word on letting every relevant person know of Serena's revelation as soon as she was back in Kanto. She had clearly been in contact with Red, too. Ash had hoped that would persuade Red to stay in Johto a little longer to take care of Giovanni, especially since it was learned he had been in Tohjo Falls. Unfortunately, it wasn't._

 _Red walked forward and placed both of his hands on Ash's shoulders. Ash looked up and saw Red giving him a serious yet gentle expression._

 _"Ash, I trust Blue, Rose, and Yellow to handle Giovanni. If I could stay here, I would, but there's still something I'm trying to take care of. Just stay as far away from Team Rocket as you can. If you can do that, I know you and Delia will stay safe which is what I want," Red explained._

 _"Will you at least tell me where you're going?" Ash requested in a pleading way._

 _There was a bit of hesitation before Red replied. "I'm going to be in the Kalos region."_

XXX

Of course, what Ash's father was doing in the Kalos region was anybody's guess. It was still rather interesting to Ash, though, that he was in Serena's home region. Red made Ash swear not to tell anyone, of course, and Ash knew Red only told him the region because he knew it would bother Ash too much if he didn't. Red just wanted Ash to focus on his goal of winning the Johto League and not be focused on him.

That's what Ash was doing right now, fortunately. He marched along in front of everyone as they followed him. They were already on the outskirts of Ecruteak City. This would be their second visit to the old city. They would have to stop here before they could make their way to Mt. Mortar which would lead to Mahogany Town.

This wasn't bad, by any means. Ecruteak City was a very interesting place that the group didn't have a chance to fully appreciate the last time they were here because of the rush they were in with Serena's Mareep. Now, they could take their time and see the sights as well as learn more about the lore of Ho-oh and Lugia that Morty had promised to tell them.

"Well, here we are, guys," Ash announced cheerfully once they passed the sign that marked the entrance to Ecruteak City.

"It's great that we're already here! Those days of travel just flew by," Serena smiled as she clasped her hands.

"Yeah. I guess that makes for faster travel when you don't have a Murkrow mafia after you or a young girl driving everyone crazy," Misty muttered which caused the group the laugh.

The walk back to Ecruteak City was indeed much less eventful than the first travel through of the area. The group still remembered the unfortunate events regarding the Pokemon mafia group and the inconvenience Macy had caused with her obsession with Ash.

That was in the past, however, and it was time to face forward. The thing that was on the group's mind, now, was what to do first.

"I think we should all go to the Pokemon Center first before we visit Morty," Brock suggested.

"It also probably wouldn't hurt to visit the famous Ecruteak Kimono Girls while we're here," Serena brought up as the group made their way to the Pokemon Center.

"Kimono girls?" Ash questioned.

"Have you really never heard of them, Ash? The Ecruteak Kimono Girls are sisters, and they're known the world over for how good they are. They also are said to hold some kind of mysterious secret," Misty explained.

"And they're very beautiful," Brock mentioned before he caught himself. "But that's not important."

"What kind of secret?" Ash wondered after choosing to ignore Brock's comment. He knew Brock was still trying to be with Suzie.

"Nobody really knows. They may be waiting for one special trainer to meet to tell what it is," Serena shrugged.

"I don't know. It sounds kind of boring," Ash muttered.

"Come on, Ash. I don't think watching their show is going to be as bad as you think. Besides, it would also be beneficial to my Pokemon to watch, particularly Cubone, Gloom, and Eevee. I was planning on swapping out for them while I get my egg at the Pokemon Center," Serena said.

Ash thought about that for a moment. He did enjoy a good mystery, but he doubted these Kimono girls were as mysterious as everybody was saying they were. Maybe it just meant they were alluring with their movements as they danced. It was probably similar to when he watched Janine in Fuchsia City so long ago. Still, Ash supposed it was a nice break from the training he's done all week, and he could probably relax.

"Well, I guess I'll go, too," Ash relented with a shrug.

"Great, Ash!" Serena beamed as she linked one of his arms with her own. "I'm sure you'll like it!"

* * *

The group arrived at the Pokemon Center about ten minutes later. It wasn't too busy today, but there were still a few trainers there as well as a guy in a cape that looked vaguely familiar who was using the video phone, but they didn't really pay attention to him. The group made their way over to the Nurse Joy and Chansey, and the kind nurse gave them a smile.

"Welcome to our Pokemon Center. I take you'll need a room?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Yeah. We may be a here a couple of days, and we could also use some checking up on our Pokemon," Ash replied.

"I understand. I'll be happy to help," Nurse Joy nodded.

"While you guys are taking care of that, I'm going to call Professor Oak," Serena informed the group.

Ash, Brock, and Misty nodded their heads, and Serena made her way over to the video phone. As she did, the man in the cape stood up, and as he turned around, Serena stopped. She definitely did recognize this man now that she thought about it.

He was dressed in all purple, and had light brown hair with massive strands that went down his forehead. When the man saw, Serena, he got a big smile on his face and addressed Serena before she was able to address him.

"Wait a moment. I recognize you, young madam. I met you and your friends while on my travels," the man said.

"Oh! You're…Eusine!" Serena stated after a second to remember him.

Yes. It was Eusine. The slightly eccentric man who had a fascination with legendary Pokemon…especially when it came to Ho-oh and Suicune. They had met the man on the way to Cherrygrove City, and he was immediately interested in them and had challenged Ash to a Pokemon battle which the raven-haired boy had won.

Serena stating the name made the rest of the group turn towards her, and upon spotting Eusine, they smiled and made their way over to him. The man gave a flip of hair in greeting once they reached him.

"Ah, hello to you all, as well," Eusine said.

"Eusine! What brings you here?" Ash questioned.

"I'm here to visit my good friend, Morty," Eusine replied before he added. "Tell me, young Ash. Have you by chance seen Ho-oh or Suicune anymore since we last met?"

"Oh. Heheheh. I guess I haven't," Ash replied.

Now that he thought about it, Ash didn't believe he had seen any legendary Pokemon since then. It almost made him chuckle to think he was on some sort of drought from such a thing as legendary Pokemon seemed to attract to him like a magnet.

"I see," Eusine replied, though there was a slight disappointment in his voice. "I hope to have the luck you have one day and experience Suicune's beauty and elegance, too."

"You know, we were actually going to visit, Morty, too," Ash mentioned.

"Oh? Well, I say we visit him together, then," Eusine suggested. "I wonder if he knows about your magnificent encounters as I do. I'm sure he'd be interested."

"Oh. He does," Ash chuckled. "I already faced him in a gym battle. He didn't believe me at first, but I think he changed his mind after I won."

"We were on our way to see him to hear more about Ecruteak City lore and how it might relate to Ash," Serena said.

"Hohoho! I wouldn't be surprised! Let's make haste!" Eusine stated as he began to stroll out the door, but the group stopped him.

"Uhhhh…I need to use the video phone first and get my Pokemon," Serena muttered.

"And we need to get our Pokemon checked out," Ash added.

"I need to take a shower before we go anywhere. I'm nasty," Misty grimaced.

"I need go over everything and make sure our supplies aren't low," Brock finished.

Eusine almost fell over in disbelief. He may have been a little hasty by assuming the group was ready to leave. He turned around and gave them a sheepish smile and cleared his throat.

"My apologies. I shall wait patiently for you all to finish your obligations," he said.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, the group, as well as Eusine, found themselves on the way to Morty's gym. Serena had gotten her egg but left it at the Pokemon Center while they went to visit Morty. She was really excited for it as the egg was glowing which meant it was only days away from hatching. Serena, as well as everyone else, couldn't wait to see what it would be.

As they walked, they happened to pass by the Kimono Sister's theater. Serena and Misty stopped momentarily to read the sign.

"Oh! There's going to be a show in a couple of hours," Serena informed the group. "We should go see that one!"

"Ah, yes. The Kimono Sisters. No one is quite as skilled in the traditional Japanese waltzes as they are," Eusine smiled. "I've seen them quite a lot myself."

"See, Ash. It's plenty manly," Misty joked.

"Alas, I have asked them multiple times if they would divulge some of their knowledge of the legendary Pokemon on me, but they have politely declined my requests each time," Eusine sighed and placed a hand over his head in frustration.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," Ash frowned.

"But you, young Ash!" Eusine cried and pointed his index finger straight at Ash which caused the boy to jump. "You! I believe you to be a special trainer! Surely they would be able to sense that if you asked them!"

"Eheheheh. I don't know about that," Ash muttered and rubbed the back of his head.

"Nonsense! Come! Let us visit with them!" Eusine declared dramatically and began to march to the entrance of the Kimono Sisters Theater.

"Ummm…what about visiting with Morty?" Serena asked.

"And the Kimono girls' show doesn't begin until another couple of hours," Brock added.

"Wouldn't we need an appointment?" Misty questioned thoughtfully.

"You sure lose focus of your current objectives a lot," Ash finished.

Eusine almost fell over once more. He then turned and gave a nervous laugh to the group.

"Yes. It appears I acted hastily once more! Let's continue on to my friend, Morty," Eusine said.

Pikachu and Togetic both snickered.

* * *

Morty was inside the office of his gym right now. The young man checked his watch and saw it was already the afternoon. Eusine was supposed to meet him here thirty minutes ago so they could go to the two towers today, the old burned Brass Tower and the Tin Tower. The man was sometimes known to be fashionably late, but when the opportunity came for him to explore legends and lore, he was quite prompt.

Morty looked back over to the painting of Ho-oh with the legendary trio of dog-like Pokemon underneath it. They were Suicune, Raikou, and Entei. All Pokemon were very powerful that many people, like Eusine, would spend their whole live searching for but would never find. They only appeared to special people who would make a difference in Johto when a time of chaos would strike. The only person Morty had heard from to see Suicune so far was Ash Ketchum.

Ash was the boy who defeated him in battle a while back. The boy had claimed he had seen both Suicine and Ho-oh. At the time, Morty didn't believe him. While he was battling Ash, though, Morty did sense something special about him that made him believe what Ash said was true. Morty had offered to teach Ash the lore of the city to see if he could make any connections, but Ash had prior obligations with the promise he would come back once he was done.

Morty chuckled to himself. He wondered how Ash was doing right now and if he had seen any other legendary Pokemon since then.

A knock on the gym door interrupted Morty out of his thoughts. The young man stood up and breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's about time," Morty mumbled to himself as he left his office and made his way to the door.

Once he opened it, he was greeted by Eusine as expected. Morty's eyes then fell on Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock. It was a little ironic. Morty had just been thinking about them, and here they were along with Eusine. Eusine then spoke which caused Morty to turn to look at him.

"My apologies for being late, Morty. You see, I ran into a couple of familiar faces at the Pokemon Center after I got off the phone with you," Eusine said with a gesture towards the group.

"Oh! It's okay, Eusine," Morty replied before he turned to Ash and the others. "Hello to you all, as well. It's been a while. Welcome back to Ecruteak City."

"Thanks, Morty," Ash nodded.

"I figured since we were going to be visiting the two towers today, why not bring Ash and others along with us?" Eusine explained.

"Of course. It's no trouble at all," Morty said before he turned to Ash. "It's actually not surprising you're here today when I think about it. The fact that you've seen Ho-oh and Suicune may mean we will have a little bit of luck today."

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"You've heard the legend of the two towers, I presume?" Eusine asked.

"We have," Ash answered. "Morty told us when we first saw him."

"Right. Ho-oh and Lugia used to roost on the towers here a long time ago until a fire broke out. They both fled their respective towers," Brock reiterated.

"That's correct," Morty said and cast a look to the Tin Tower in the distance. "I believe the day Ho-oh will return is drawing near. The fact that you've seen it is proof."

"Indeed," Eusine agreed.

"Eheheheh. I don't think I'm that special," Ash replied and nervously chuckled.

Serena, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic gave Ash a look of disbelief. Surely, he was joking. They could count many times where Ash has saved the world or had a hand in stopping an evil crime organization or a group of mafia Pokemon. He and Serena also saw Ho-oh on the first day of their journey, and then they saw Suicune. Ash was really undermining his achievements.

Ash noticed the look his friends were giving him and blushed. He just wasn't used to all the praise he was receiving. It's not that Ash didn't like the fact that he's encountered so many legendary Pokemon in the past, but he did wonder what it would be like to just live an ordinary life as and ordinary trainer.

"With all due respect, I am eager to visit the two towers today. May we please set on our way?" Eusine requested before he stopped himself. "Erm…we are done here, aren't we?"

The group chuckled slightly to themselves. After being stopped so many times with so many reasons as to why they couldn't go yet, they couldn't blame the man for asking.

"Well, I'm good," Ash shrugged. "I can't wait to see some of this stuff!"

"Excellent! Let's make haste!" Eusine cried in delight and began to walk off.

"I…have to use the bathroom really quick," Misty said in embarrassment.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Eusine shouted in frustration and momentarily lost his mannerisms. If he didn't know better, he would think the group was doing this on purpose.

* * *

The group made it to the burned Brass Tower about ten minutes later. True to its name, the tower was rather rundown on the outside and clearly missing a few stories. It was probably even worse on the inside. They thought it was rather amazing that the tower has held up as long as it has. That still didn't mean that the safety of the tower was a concern.

"Umm…it is…safe inside there, right? It looks like this tower could go at any second," Misty pointed out.

"I assure you it's fine," Morty said with a glance to Misty. "I've been in this tower numerous times, and it is structurally safe. It's a natural landmark in our city so we try to preserve it in its original state as much as we can."

"Oh, good," Misty said with a sigh of relief.

"That being said," Morty added. "It is going to be dark in there, and the place is a big hang-out spot for ghost Pokemon. It can be dangerous if you aren't careful. It's off limits to normal tourists. Just keep close to Eusine and me, and you'll be okay."

"Great…," Misty mumbled, now not feeling so relieved.

"We'll be fine, Misty. As long as we don't walk off on our own, nothing bad will happen," Brock reassured.

"Exactly. We have some flashlights to for the really dark areas," Morty agreed and showed two flashlights out of his small sack and handed one to Eusine.

"I can't wait!" Ash said and pumped his fists.

With that the group went inside the ominous-looking tower. There was no longer a door to the building so the group was able to walk right in. It was dark in here as Morty had said, but there was a small bit of sunlight pouring in from the broken windows and the doorway. Nevertheless, Eusine and Morty flipped on their flashlights, and Brock got his from his backpack and turned it on for good measure.

At that moment, a shadowy ghost Pokemon emerged from the floor and gave a slight laugh. Morty then smiled at the Gengar and nodded his head to it which confirmed to the group that it was his own. That Gengar had proved to be a rather tough opponent against Ash's own Gengar, but they had prevailed.

"Hey, Gengar. Did you find anything interesting?" Morty asked.

"Gen," it replied with a shake of its head.

"That's okay. We're all going to explore the tower together. I do believe the legendary trio is here, and we may have the opportunity to see them if we're lucky," Morty said.

"So, why would they be here?" Ash inquired.

"They are supposed to gather when the one who will save the Johto region appears," Morty answered before he turned to Ash. "As I said, you came at the perfect time. It's no coincidence you're here today, Ash."

"Wow," Ash muttered.

"Even so, this is a little scary. I don't like the fact that Ash is supposedly involved in all of this," Serena said worriedly. "What proof is there?"

"Well, we could certainly be wrong," Morty shrugged. "But didn't Ash say a while back that he was the Chosen One in the Whirl Islands?"

"That doesn't mean he is here," Serena argued.

"Serena, are you okay?" Ash questioned.

Serena fiddled with thumbs as she tried to come up with a suitable answer. "I'm just worried for your safety, Ash. You're always involved in all of this world-saving business. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Ash stared at Serena for a moment with an unreadable expression before he gave a small smile and went forward to hug the girl. Serena returned the hug, but she wasn't really feeling it at the moment. The raven-haired boy then gave a slight squeeze before he released her.

"Thanks for worrying about me, Serena, but I believe everything will turn out okay just like it always does," Ash stated.

"I know. I just want us to be on a fun journey without having the entire Johto region in your hands," Serena muttered somewhat sarcastically.

"Well, maybe what you said is true. Maybe I'm not the Chosen One here," Ash smiled lightly in an attempt to brighten the mood, but it didn't seem to work.

"Yeah," Serena mumbled unconvincingly.

It was clear that Serena was done talking about the issue so nobody pursued it any further. Eusine cleared his throat and gestured for them to keep going to which they agreed. Serena trailed a little bit behind the group and grew rather quiet. She walked along with her hands behind her back which Ash took notice of. He slowed his walk slightly so he could walk next to Serena. He then grabbed her hand for comfort.

"Hey. We'll be fine, Serena. You'll see," Ash told her.

Serena accepted the hand grab and interlaced her fingers with Ash's as they went on. Like Ash had before her, Serena also wondered what it would be like if Ash was just a normal boy with no extraordinary powers or if she was just a normal girl. It then occurred to her that it was these very things that set them apart from being normal that had saved them several times in the past.

 _"We'd probably be dead,"_ Serena thought.

"So, Morty, what exactly makes you think that Ho-oh is going to return soon?" Ash asked curiously.

"It's because I heard the Tin Tower's bells chime a couple of days ago," Morty replied.

"What are the bells?" Ash wondered.

"They're a special type of bell that no one can ring on their own. They hold a special power that will only allow them to ring when Ho-oh is set to return. I was quite amazed. It was the first time the bells had rung in over two hundred years when Ho-oh was last reportedly spotted," Morty answered before he turned to Ash and Serena. "With the exception of you two."

"Heheheh," Ash chuckled with a cheesy smile on his face. Serena didn't see the humor, though.

"Morty told me about this, of course, so I came right over. The town was in an uproar all day," Eusine noted.

"Things have settled down a little, but there are still several people who have been peeking out their windows all day looking for Ho-oh," Morty added.

The group thought about what Morty said and realized he was right. Though they didn't take special note of it, they did see that a lot of people were peering out the windows of their home. A lot of people apparently believed in this legend.

"So, let's say that Suicune, Raikou, and Entei were in this tower. Where would they be since there isn't a top level?" Misty asked curiously.

"The basement," Eusine said immediately.

"This place has a basement?" Brock questioned.

"Yes. There is supposedly a secret entrance to it somewhere. I've been trying to search for it lately but haven't had any luck," Morty sighed before he turned to Gengar. "Gengar's been helping lately, but it hasn't found anything lately. There is one more area we still need to check, though. That's what we're looking for today.

"Gengar," Gengar nodded.

At that moment, Misty spotted an interesting painting on the wall that looked like Ho-oh. She went over to inspect it, and the floor creaked loudly where Misty stepped. The redhead let out a yelp as that part of the floor gave way. Brock and Morty reached out just in time to keep Misty from falling and pulled her to safety.

Misty took a few heaving breaths as she stared at the small hole in floor. While it was nowhere near big enough for her whole body to go through, her leg would've fallen through and gotten cut up very badly from the splintered wood. Misty turned with wide eyes to Morty.

"I thought you said this place was safe!" she shouted.

"I also said that you don't need to stray far from where Eusine and I go," Morty frowned.

Misty calmed down after Morty told her that because she realized he was right. The young man probably knew all the safe places to walk and made a point not to show the painting to the group as he knew what was over there. It was probably thanks to his Gengar that had inspected many parts of the burned tower.

Misty was about to apologize until the whole group heard a beautiful sound. It was the sound of harmonious ringing, but it wasn't coming from the tower. It was coming from outside. Morty and Eusine looked at each other for a split second before they hurried over to a nearby window with the group following them.

The two men looked out and gasped as they realized it was coming from the Tin Tower. Morty's head whipped around to turn to the bewildered group.

"The bells are chiming again! This can really only mean that Ho-oh is going to return very soon. If we hope to meet it, we must get to the Tin Tower immediately!" Morty announced.

Unfortunately, the tower began to shake violently. Everyone gasped as they were thrown off balance. The chaos that was going on inside the building was quite a contrast to the beautiful melody that was ringing outside. Brock, Misty, Ash, Serena, Pikachu, and Togetic all screamed as the floor gave way underneath them. Eusine and Morty grabbed for them, but they missed and could only watch in horror as the others continued to fall into the darkness.

Togetic managed to catch itself just in time and flew back up to Morty and Eusine as if asking what it should do.

"Go after them! Eusine and I will look for a way to follow," Morty commanded.

With that, Togetic nodded and flew down into the darkness after them.

* * *

Ash opened his eyes, but it didn't feel like he did as they opened to nothing but blackness. There wasn't any bit of sunlight in the whole room, or wherever he was. The raven-haired boy groped around in the darkness to try to feel for something, but he came up with nothing. He then moved his hand to his side and felt along the ground, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the familiar coat of Pikachu.

"Pikachu, it's me. Are you awake, buddy?" Ash whispered.

"Piiii," Pikachu breathed which relaxed Ash more. Good. Pikachu was still around, but he had no idea about the others.

The boy groggily looked around for some sort of clue where they might be, but there was none. He truly couldn't see a single thing.

"Can you see anything, Pikachu?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Chuuu," Pikachu replied.

Though Ash couldn't see its head shake, he could tell by its tone that it couldn't see anything, either. The boy sat there for moment at a complete loss of what to do. He was in an unfamiliar room in an unfamiliar place with zero light. Ash then smiled when he had an idea.

"Noctowl, I choose you!" he called and opened up the owl Pokemon's pokeball.

Ash couldn't see it when he appeared, but he knew Noctowl was there because he could hear the flapping of its wings.

"Use your psi to try to locate the others," Ash told it.

"Whooo!" Noctowl hooted as it closed its eyes to concentrate.

Ash could hear a faint glowing sound and realized Noctowl was searching. The raven-haired boy soon heard another set of small wings, and small cry confirmed it to be Togetic.

"Great! Togetic is here, too!" Ash smiled.

He then felt the happiness Pokemon fly into his chest and hug him. Ash returned the gesture as Noctowl continued to search around. After about thirty seconds, Noctowl gave a hoot. Ash's eyes then lit up as he followed the flapping of Noctowl's wings.

"Great work, Noc…aahh!" Ash began before he tripped over someone.

There were two groans of pain that came from the floor now. One was from Ash who was picking himself back up, and one was from the person who spoke first. Ash breathed another sigh of relief when he realized who it was.

"Ash, is that you?" Serena asked.

"Yeah. It's me. Sorry. I just can't see anything," Ash apologized and was looking in the direction he hoped Serena was.

"It's okay. I just woke up," Serena mumbled.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried.

"Toge!" Togetic added.

"Oh! Pikachu and Togetic, too! I'm glad you're alright!" Serena exclaimed.

Noctowl then hooted a couple of more times which was followed by a few more sounds of stirring. Ash then glanced wildly around for the darkness as he called out into it.

"Brock? Misty? Is that you?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. It's us," Brock muttered. "Well, me, at least."

"No. I'm here, too," Misty sighed. "What happened?"

"Well, we fell," Ash answered lamely.

"Can anyone see anything?" Serena asked.

"No. I can't," Brock replied. "We don't have a proper fire Pokemon to light the area, either. We can't just go using random Flamethrowers in an unfamiliar area where we can't see. We'll risk burning the place down or hitting someone."

Ash wished he had Cyndaquil with him so it could light up the area with the flames on its back. Instead, he had Houndour as his choice fire Pokemon at the moment.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Misty questioned.

"The only thing we have to rely on is my Noctowl," Ash replied as he turned where he heard Noctowl's flapping of wings. "Do you think you can find a way out?"

"Hoooo!" Noctowl hooted in response.

"Great. We'll wait here. Come back if you find anyone or anything," Ash told it.

"We're staying here?" Misty grimaced as Noctowl flew off.

"Of course. At least we know there's nothing here, and we're all together. It's the best plan," Ash shrugged.

"Well, that's true," Misty conceded.

"I wonder if this is the basement," Ash spoke up.

"Most likely," Brock responded. "Where else could we be?"

"I wonder if the legendary trio really is down here," Ash muttered.

"Well, if they are, we could sure use their help right now," Misty sighed.

The group paused for a moment when they noticed something. They realized they could still hear the faint chiming of the bells from the Tin Tower despite being further away. The ringing could apparently be heard from quite a distance. If Ho-oh really was returning, it would be accompanied by the fellow trio of Pokemon it had revived…according to the legend anyway.

"Man. What do you guys suppose caused that shaking anyway?" Ash inquired.

"Unstable structuring?" Brock guessed.

"It…just appeared to be restricted to this tower alone. I wonder if the chiming of the bells had anything to do with it," Ash hypothesized.

"Like we were meant to come down here?" Serena finished.

"Even if the trio is down here, it's not like we would be able to see them," Misty joked to lighten the mood a little bit before a torch suddenly lit up to their left. "I spoke too soon!"

The group turned as torches began to light up one by one around the room and ended up forming a side circle. The group then spotted this room only had a single exit off to their right which was probably the way Noctowl went. The fact that the group could see now brought them little comfort, however. The way the torches just ominously lit up for no reason was a little unnerving.

This room did appear as some sort of stone basement. It looked rather plain with not too much decoration. The most noticeable things in the room were three very high pillars that rose up from the ground…almost majestically.

"I think we should probably leave since we can find out where we're going now," Serena suggested as she crept closer to Ash and grabbed his arm for support.

A mysterious wind then began to blow in the room. It wasn't a chilling or spooky wind, it was actually rather soothing which contrasted with now nervous the group was. Misty grit her teeth and hid behind Brock as she had no idea what to expect, not that anyone else did, either. Serena clutched Ash's arm even tighter, but he didn't appear to notice.

In fact, the only one who wasn't scared was Ash. He could feel something very familiar about this wind. He closed his eyes as he tried find out why this felt so familiar…not in the physical sense. It was like the familiarity was coming from his soul. The raven-haired boy took a few steps forward when Serena's voice cried out from beside him.

"Ash, you're glowing blue!" she exclaimed.

"Pika!" Pikachu added for confirmation.

"What?" Ash questioned as examined his own skin and realized she was right. "Has my aura activated? I don't recall trying to or anything."

"Woah. This is getting a little weird. Were Morty and Eusine actually right about Ho-oh coming back?" Misty said.

"I…don't know," Ash replied honestly.

"Can we go then?" Misty pleaded.

"Hold on," Ash uttered as he held his hand out to stop them. "Something's telling me we should stay."

"Is it your aura telling you that?" Serena asked.

"Yeah. I think so," Ash nodded.

The group then gasped when they saw three blurs appear from seemingly nowhere. They circled the room for only a brief moment before they settled on the three pillars in the room. Once they were still, the group couldn't believe what they were seeing.

On the pillars were three majestic dog-like beings. One represented the element of water, Suicune. One of them represented the element of lightning, Raikou, and the last one represented the element of fire, Entei. All three Pokemon stood proudly on the pillars as they stared down at the group before them, in particular at Ash.

"Wow. They look so graceful," Serena breathed.

"What now?" Misty couldn't help but ask.

They got their answer when Suicune jumped down from its pillar and landed a short distance in front of Ash. It then began to slowly walk towards him, and the raven-haired boy instinctively leaned back a little. He had been in the presence of several legendary Pokemon by now, but that never took away from how awed he was each time. Each experience was unique in its own way. Suicune then stopped just in front of Ash, and the two stared at each other for a moment.

Ash had his mouth open as he wasn't quite sure what he should do while the others watched in wonder from behind him. Suicune continued to regard Ash with a serious expression before it closed its eyes. Feeling like he should follow, Ash did likewise.

Suicine soon began to glow blue just like Ash, and the blue energy radiated from them both before it rose up and intersected with each other. Once it did so, Ash jumped when he heard a powerful voice from inside his mind.

 _"Ash Ketchum,"_ it said.

Ash was completely amazed. Was Suicune actually talking to him via aura?

 _"Yeah?"_ he asked stupidly, but Suicune didn't seem to mind. _"How do you know my name?"_

 _"We all know your name ever since Ho-oh mentioned you to us on the first day of your journey,"_ Suicune answered.

Ash had to resist the urge to open his eyes at that. Wait. Was the fact that he and Serena saw Ho-oh on the first day of their journey really no coincidence? He really was meant to? Man. This Chosen stuff really took a toll on his mind sometimes.

 _"We have appeared to you now as the time is drawing close when you will need to save Johto,"_ Suicine continued.

 _"Save Johto from what?"_ Ash questioned.

 _"The forests' protector, Celebi, is in danger of being used for evil,"_ Suicune replied. _"A calamity is coming soon in Johto, and Ho-oh is returning for this very moment."_

 _"Ho-oh really is returning?"_ Ash asked.

 _"Yes. You have heard the bells, I presume?"_ Suicune said.

 _"Yeah,"_ Ash replied. _"What's…the evil that's coming?"_

There was a pause before Suicune replied. _"It is the man known as Giovanni. He will rise again, and it is only a matter of time before he does."_

 _"Wait! It…can't be him! I…told Yellow. She said she, Blue, and Rose are going to take care of him. My dad said the same thing! The police are now searching for him, too! They'll stop him first…right?!"_ Ash blurted out.

 _"I'm afraid it will not be enough,"_ Suicune said and kept its demeanor despite Ash beginning to freak out.

His friends noticed the troubled look on Ash's face and began to worry. What exactly was the conversation going on between them? Serena took a few steps forward, but she didn't get too close for fear of interrupting the connection.

"Ash, what's going on?" Serena asked, but she didn't receive a reply.

 _"What about Serena? What about Brock and Misty?"_ Ash asked.

 _"They will play a role which is why we showed ourselves to them, as well. You, however, will be the one to save Johto,"_ Suicune replied.

 _"I don't get it, though, Suicune,"_ Ash grimaced inwardly. _"Why is it always me? Why am I the Chosen One for everything? What did I do that was so special? I just want a straight answer. Why me?"_

Suicune almost seemed to smile inside Ash's mind with what it said next. _"Do you truly not know? You are the direct descendant of Sir Aaron Ketchum. He was the greatest aura user and hero in history. He saved the land many times in his era. Though Sir Aaron is no longer with us, his bloodline of heroes continues. The time for a hero to rise again has come. Ash Ketchum. That's you. It is your destiny to rid the world of the evil."  
_

What Suicune said processed through Ash's mind. All this time, Ash had heard about how he was in a prophecy or how he was the Chosen One. Despite all that, he never thought to ask, or when he did, it was more of a rhetorical question to his friends. Now, he actually asked a legendary Pokemon what they see in him, and he was given the answer. Truthfully, it made sense. That didn't make it any easier for Ash, though. To save Johto, after all, Ash would have to go directly against Red's wishes to stay as far away from Team Rocket as possible. He would need to get rather close.

 _"Man. I wish all this could've happened at a different time. I don't know if I have what it takes to be a hero like Sir Aaron. I'm just…Ash, a…not so normal boy from Pallet Town. I'm just overwhelmed,"_ Ash thought.

 _"Your hesitance is understandable. However, you do have what it takes, Ash. We all believe in you. You can rid the evil from this land,"_ Suicune insisted before it added. _"Of course, it is up to you."_

 _"What if I choose not to do it? What if I let someone else…like my dad?"_ Ash couldn't help but ask.

 _"Should you choose not be a hero, evil will win, and the world will surely die,"_ Suicune said gravely.

XXX

" _The world is dying."_

XXX

Realization crossed Ash's face as those words came to his mind. The evil, menacing figure with a psychotic laugh as it spoke that chilling sentence. Was this something that would truly happen if Ash chose to do nothing? Suicune noticed the troubled look on Ash's face and nodded solemnly.

 _"I believe you understand now what needs to be done,"_ Suicune said.

 _"But…when will it happen? When will Giovanni rise again? When do I stop him?"_ Ash asked.

 _"That is difficult to determine as too many other factors decide. It will be soon, however, and you will need to be prepared when the time comes. You will know,"_ Suicine told Ash.

Ash inwardly frowned. So, it looks like even legendary Pokemon couldn't entirely predict the future. All he was basically told was that a disaster was on its way, and he needed to be prepared for it, and it was going to happen sooner than he thought. Ugh. Why did this have to be so hard?!

 _"We know this is not easy to accept, but it will be okay, Ash Ketchum,"_ Suicune actually reassured after sensing Ash's discomfort.

Ash couldn't help but feel slightly surprised at that. A legendary Pokemon was actually showing a bit of humanity in it by sympathizing with Ash. Every time before, whether it be Lugia or Moltres, they would speak with Ash and tell him his destiny without considering his feelings on the matter. This was the first time one of them actually tried to reassure him.

 _"I have delivered to you the message given by Ho-oh. It shall be here soon, as well, but do not wait for it. Ho-oh will come to you,"_ Suicune said.

Ash wanted to ask Suicune another question, but he felt the aura connection abruptly shut off. The young man opened his eyes and saw Suicine staring at him for only a moment. It looked up and gave a mysterious yet beautiful cry from its mouth. The group smiled slightly as it did feel rather relaxing.

Instinctively, Ash reached out towards Suicune and paused as if asking if something was okay. Upon seeing Suicune nod its head, Ash continued until he touched Suicune on the side of the face. Its body and fur was so soft and flawless. Something so small felt so amazing. They held that position for only a moment before Suicune sprang backwards and up to the pillar it was on previously.

"Is anyone there?!" a voice called out.

Everyone turned at the sound of the voice and recognized it to be Morty's voice. It was coming from the dark corridor, and the group smiled now that they were going to be found and get out of this. Ash turned around to Raikou, Entei, and Suicune one last time. Suicine looked down and locked eyes with Ash for only a moment. Then swift as a blur, the three beings gave a mighty leap into the air and seemed to disappear.

Morty and Eusine, along with Noctowl and Morty's Gengar, arrived just at that moment. Once they were in the room, they stood shocked for a moment, particularly Eusine.

"What…I…that…was…was it really…the legendary trio? Though it was only a brief second, there could be mistaking that beauty," Eusine breathed.

The group realized there was no need to lie to the two men. They already saw Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, after all.

"Yeah. It was them," Ash muttered casually as if he hadn't just spoken through aura with a legendary Pokemon.

"I knew it!" Eusine cried and placed a fist in his palm. "This has to be the greatest day of my life! We were right about them being here, after all!"

"What does it all mean, though," Morty wondered as he scanned the room before his eyes landed on Ash. "Ash, can you explain this?"

The raven-haired boy then saw all eyes in the room turn to him. It made him a little uncomfortable, but he did realize he owed everyone an explanation. Though Serena, Brock, and Misty were in the room, too, it was only Ash who received the message. He supposed he should tell them. It wasn't like Suicine forbade Ash from telling anyone. Besides, the more people who knew about it, the better.

"Well, it looks like I'm the Chosen One again," Ash chuckled as he began the message Suicune told him.

* * *

Jessie, James, and Meowth trudged through the halls of the Radio Tower. They were dead tired from the months of working on their mission assigned by Giovanni. It didn't make it easier that Domino had been keeping tabs on them to make sure they didn't try to run away. Heck. Even if Domino wasn't watching them, the trio knew they wouldn't make it out of the Radio Tower. They just couldn't catch a break.

The nicer treatment the other Rocket members had given them had long since faded, and Jessie, James, and Meowth were back to being treated like garbage. The only difference between now and before was that Proton wasn't abusing them…physically anyway. The Rocket members knew they weren't to harm the trio on Giovanni's orders so they could complete their task. However, Proton and everyone else still took every opportunity to insult them.

The only thing Jessie, James, and Meowth had left were each other and their Pokemon.

The three reached Archer's studio and went to knock on the door to give their status report, but they stopped. From within the room, they could hear Proton's voice which was bad enough on its own. Not only that, though, he was clearly angry. Jessie, James, and Meowth could hear nothing but curse words coming from Proton's mouth as he was screaming at Archer about something, though they had no idea what it could be about.

The three pressed their ears against the door to try to listen in but ultimately decided against it. If they were discovered by any Rocket members attempting to listen in on an executives' conversation, things would get very bad.

"Let's just come back later," James suggested.

"Hey! Who's out there?" came Proton's voice from the room.

"James! You weren't supposed to say anything!" Jessie screeched and gave James a swift kick in the bottom.

"Numbskulls! You just made it worse!" Meowth yelled and extended his claws to scratch them across the face.

"You mangy alley cat! You just screamed, too!" Jessie bit back.

The three were about to start fighting, but they never got the chance. The double doors swung open, and the trio turned to see Proton's snarling face staring back at them.

"I should've known it was you three," Proton uttered. "What is it?"

"Umm…nothing. We'll just come back later," Jessie said and hoped that Proton would just leave it at that. Of course, he wouldn't.

"Actually, get in here. There's something I need to accuse you of," Proton sneered.

The trio sighed deeply. Great. They were about to be blamed for something they didn't do and would be given no chance to explain themselves. Jessie, James, and Meowth slumped down and made their way slowly into Archer's studio. As soon as they were in, Proton slammed the doors shut.

"Whatever it is, we promise we didn't do it," James tried.

"Shut up," Proton growled, "Someone spilled the beans about what our plans were!"

"What?" Jessie questioned.

"A police officer came in today and requested to see 'the director'," Archer explained and put air quotes around the last two words. "Apparently, they have reason to believe that Team Rocket is planning a comeback, and that it largely involves the Radio Tower."

"How would they know that?" James asked.

"Why don't you tell us?" Proton snapped and crossed his arms.

The trio couldn't help but feel a little angry at that. Proton and Archer both knew that they barely ever left the Radio Tower ever since Domino started watching them. They hardly had any time to themselves, and even when they did, they wouldn't have enough time to sneak off and tell the police of their plans. They wouldn't be able to anyway. The police knew what Jessie and James looked like so even if they could, they would be arrested on the spot.

"It wasn't us!" Jessie cried.

"We've been in this here Radio Tower the whole time working the boss' mission," Meowth added.

"Somebody within the organization had to do it!" Proton yelled. "The police force is now going to have a police officer here every single day to monitor things until Giovanni is caught! Do you know how much harder everything has now become!?"

"Wait. Did someone else find the boss?" Jessie wondered.

"Not yet, but they know where he's been. They were tipped off by the Kanto Champion that he was hiding in Tohjo Falls," Archer answered as he rubbed his chin in thought. "No need to hide it now. That's where you found him, right?"

"Well, yes," the trio admitted at the same time.

"I would accuse of trying to run away from Team Rocket when you found him, but there are bigger issues to worry about. You get a lucky break on that one," Proton snarled, which caused the trio to sigh in relief.

"I'm curious, though. How would the Champion on Kanto know of our plans and where the boss is? Someone had to tell him," Archer mused and folded his hands.

At that, there was a beep on Archer's computer. The Rocket executive looked over at it, and his eyes shot open in interest. It was very rare for Archer to show such a display of interest so it was clearly something really big. Proton noticed and went over to look, too, while Jessie, James, and Meowth stayed rooted on the spot.

"It's an email from the boss," Archer muttered. "This is the first time we've heard from him since he disbanded us."

"Hmm…it involves you three," Proton said as they read the contents of the email.

"It says to be prepared for his return. He is coming soon. He can't afford to wait anymore now that the police know of his whereabouts. He also told us to make sure you three are finished with your mission by the time he arrives," Archer stated as he looked up at them.

Proton cursed under his breath before he spoke again. "The boss expects to be ready for our big comeback by the time he gets here. It's going to be hard considering there's a police officer breathing down our necks every day. If we, or any other Rocket member, slips up in the slightest bit, we're screwed."

"Well, there is some bit of good in this," James began a little timidly. "It's why we came here in the first place.

Proton and Archer regarded James in interest as they waited for the man to clarify what he had to say. James took a deep breath before he said his next sentence.

"We finished the boss' assignment."

* * *

 **Things are starting to heat up now. Some more information on this arc's climax is brought in, and Jessie, James, and Meowth completed the mission Giovanni gave them! What it was will still need to wait, however.**

 **Serena has her egg back, and it will hatch in about two or three chapters. Some of you have been able to guess what it is thanks to the coloring of it, but at least you haven't mentioned it in the reviews to avoid spoiling other people. Thank you for that.**

 **The next chapter will be out before October ends. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Fifty: The Mysterious Kimono Sisters**


	50. The Mysterious Kimono Sisters

**A/N: Whew. I got this chapter out just in time before October ended. I hope you all enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter Fifty: The Mysterious Kimono Sisters

It was the next day since the group had been in the burned Brass Tower, and Serena was hard at work. The group was going to visit a show for the Kimono Sisters today, and the honey-haired girl was excited to see if she could learn anything new for her showcases. Of course, Serena wanted a head start which was why she was practicing now.

"Okay! Gloom, Eevee, Cubone! Let's do it just like we practiced!" Serena smiled.

As Serena and her Pokemon worked on their performances, Ash, Brock, and Misty stood off to the side and watched. They were even joined by Morty and Eusine today as they were visiting the Kimono Sisters, too…if only to see if they had anything to say about Ash. If there was one thing the group could tell was different between this showcase practice and the last one was how much more fun Serena seemed to be having.

"I'm glad Serena is enjoying the showcases again and not stressed out anymore," Misty commented.

"Right. She remembered why she's doing them in the first place again. The main reason is to have fun," Brock agreed. "Even though Serena realizes she has to win the next two showcases to have a shot at the Master Class, she isn't worried."

"Ah, so Serena aspires to be a Pokemon Performer," Eusine nodded.

"I think it suits her," Morty added.

"Yeah. When we were traveling around in Kanto, she did the Battle Chateau, and when she won, she got this egg," Ash said and made a gesture to the canister that he was currently holding for Serena. "Now, she's doing showcases."

"So, is this something she plans to continue to do?" Morty asked.

"Well, we don't know, really. Serena said she may not continue with showcases after we travel Johto, but we trust that she knows what she's doing. We'll know she'll find what she really wants one day," Ash replied.

"That was great!" Serena beamed as she group-hugged the three Pokemon.

At that, Gloom started coughing a little bit, and Serena released it. She smiled sympathetically at it and patted the brown flower on its head.

"You feeling okay, Gloom?" she asked it.

"Glooooom!" it replied in the positive.

Even though Gloom was no longer as prone to sickness and weakness as it was as an Oddish, it still wasn't quite up to the speed as the other Pokemon. Despite that, it was still trying its best to pull off the best dance it could. It was no secret that Serena had a Sun Stone for it to evolve at one point so it could be an even better dancer, but it had to tackle being a Gloom first before it could become a Bellossom.

"If you feel tired, just let me know," Serena told it, to which the weed Pokemon nodded.

The honey-haired girl then turned around and saw Eevee running off, and the girl took off after it. Serena just couldn't take her eyes off of that Pokemon for one second. It was always so full of energy and was Gloom's opposite in almost every way. She saw Eevee round a corner and went to retrieve it, but she stopped when she saw a magenta-haired woman there.

"Oh, hello. Sorry about my Eevee," Serena said apologetically as she knelt down since Eevee had stopped.

"It's no trouble at all. I'm just returning home from doing errands," the woman replied politely as she held up one of her hands. "Your Eevee seems very lively."

"Oh. It's lively, alright," Serena agreed.

The rest of the group rounded the corner, and Brock immediately pointed his finger forward. He gasped and got in the woman's face. The woman leaned back out of instinct as Brock seemed a little too excited for his own good.

"You! You're one of the Kimono Sisters, aren't you!" he exclaimed.

"What? She doesn't…look like it," Ash muttered as he stared at the woman. She looked quite ordinary to him and the others.

"How can you say that?!" Brock shouted as he turned to Ash. "It's clear that this young lady is a dancer with how graceful she is and looks."

Ash, Serena, and Misty peered a little closer at the woman. They tried to picture her in a kimono and black Japanese wig. Before they could wrap their heads around it too much, the woman giggled and nodded her head.

"Yes. I am actually one of the Kimono sisters. Your friend is very perceptive," she smiled.

"Or obsessed," Misty mumbled under her breath.

"I can vouch for her, too," Morty stepped in. "They try to keep their real identities secret, but as the gym leader, I have the right to know."

"Well, it seems I need to do a little bit better with my disguises," the woman giggled again before she introduced herself. "I'm Sayo."

"I'm Brock, and must I say you look lovely today," Brock smiled before he coughed and corrected himself. "However, I am currently seeing somebody."

"It works out then because I am, too," Sayo replied and laughed.

"Calm down, lover boy," Misty muttered before she introduced herself, as well. "I'm Misty!"

"I'm Serena!" Serena stated. "These are my Eevee, Cubone, and Gloom."

"I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash said and pointed to himself before he switched to the two Pokemon next to him. "That's Pikachu and Togetic."

"Pikapi! Togetic!" the two Pokemon greeted.

Sayo then got an interested look on her face after Ash introduced himself. She walked past Brock and folded her arms and took a closer look at Ash. The rest of group watched as the woman narrowed her eyes at the raven-haired boy.

"Ash Ketchum," she muttered to herself. "Could it be?"

"Could it be what?" Ash asked a little uneasily.

"Could you be the one we've been waiting to meet?" Sayo elaborated.

"I'm sure he is!" Eusine suddenly cried which startled everyone. "Please! You must inform us what this young man has in his destiny! He has seen both Ho-oh and the legendary Pokemon, Suicune! Why, just yesterday, Suicune visited him and gave a very important message which told him that he was destined to save Johto! He's the Chosen One!"

"Way to be subtle," Morty sighed with a roll of his eyes along with the rest of the group.

Sure enough, Eusine had listened to every detail that Ash told him and the others after they were found in the burned tower yesterday. The eccentric man had been beside himself with excitement and had insisted on visiting the Kimono Sisters with the group today. Apparently, he believed the legend that they housed a secret and wasted no time in telling them Ash was the Chosen One.

"Oh, so he is the Chosen One?" Sayo questioned as she continued to inspect Ash.

"Well, the secret's out," Ash shrugged.

"By any chance, would you all like to attend our show late this afternoon?" Sayo inquired and finally took her eyes off Ash, much to the boy's relief.

"We actually were," Serena jumped in and gestured to the three Pokemon beside her. "I've been practicing with my Pokemon for Pokemon Showcases, and I figured we could get some great ideas from watching you. They say that you all are some of the most graceful and elegant dancers ever."

"Oh, I don't know about ever," Sayo said modestly before she addressed the rest of the group again. "I'd be happy to see you all there this afternoon. Of course, you all can be our personal guests today so paying is not an option. I'm sure my sisters will be pleased, as well."

"Great! Thank you so much!" Serena smiled at Sayo's generosity to let them in for free.

"I bet it has to do with Ash being the Chosen One," Misty whispered to Brock, and the tanned teen nodded.

"Excellent!" Eusine yelled and threw his arms into the air. "I can't wait to see what they have for young Ash!"

"Hold it, buddy. We're there first and foremost to watch the Kimono sisters for Serena's showcase," Misty uttered and pulled on Eusine's ear. She then realized what she did and smiled to herself. "I sure did miss doing this to Brock now that I think about it."

* * *

About ten minutes later, Sayo had led the group to their dance theater. Despite how interested everyone was, nobody said anything, not even Eusine. Speaking of Eusine, the man had been unusually quiet after Misty tugged his ear. Whether it was because he got the message that he needed to chill out or was in complete shock that someone did that to him was anybody's guess…though it was probably a bit of both.

Sayo held her finger over her mouth to signal for the group to stay silent, to which they nodded. The Kimono Sister then opened the back way and let the group go in past her before she walked in after them.

As soon as the group was in, they heard a beautiful melody that sounded like it was being played on a kota. Their guess was soon confirmed when they saw four Kimono girls. Unlike Sayo, they were actually dressed in their kimonos and black Japanese style wigs.

Three were swaying gently as they danced while the remaining sister was the one playing the kota. It was clear that the Kimono Sisters noticed the group as soon as they came in but did not give any obvious acknowledgement so as not to have their routine disturbed.

Instead the group waited patiently for them to finish. Pikachu and Togetic swayed back and forth in tune with the Kimono Girls but soon lost their balance and fell over. Serena flashed a warning look at the two to behave themselves which the two Pokemon gave a sheepish smile in response. The Kimono Sisters soon finished, and Sayo walked over to them.

"Hello, girls. The practice seemed to go very well for you. I'm sorry I didn't get to practice this time," Sayo said.

"That's quite alright. We know that you are ready to perform with us soon," one of the sisters replied pleasantly.

"We see you brought guests with you," another one observed.

"Yes. They are to be our special guests, sisters," Sayo confirmed.

A look of understanding seemed to dawn on the remaining sisters' faces that wasn't lost on the group. Okay. They were clearly meant to be here for something. Serena gave a sideways glance at Ash who seemed to be a little nervous. Was the saying really true that the Kimono Sisters housed a secret and were supposed to wait for the Chosen One to appear?

The four other Kimono Sisters then stood up and bowed politely to the group.

"I am Naoko," the one furthest from the right introduced.

"I am Zuki," said the next one.

"I am Kuni," stated the third one.

"And I am Miki," finished the last one in line.

"Everyone, you all know Morty. The others are Eusine, Brock, Misty, Serena, and Ash Ketchum," Sayo said as the group noticed that she only mentioned Ash's last name.

"It's nice to meet you," the sisters replied with another bow.

"So, what brings you to us today?" Miki asked.

"Well, we were actually planning on seeing your show today," Serena responded. "I was practicing for my Pokemon Showcase when we ran into Sayo. You see, I was wanting to try something a little more traditional with my showcase for this one and thought if I watched you all perform, it would help."

"We'll do more than that," Naoko smiled. "We will give you some pointers ourselves."

"You would!?" Serena gasped as she clasped her hands in excitement. "Thank you so much!"

"It's our pleasure, Serena," Sayo replied before she placed her hands on her hips. "We'll need to get you your own Kimono and wig so you appear authentic."

"My own Kimono and wig?" Serena echoed.

"Of course," Sayo nodded.

"Wow. If Serena uses a kimono from the Kimono Sisters and uses thier pointers in her next showcase, that's sure to score a lot of points," Ash whispered.

"Yeah. Being the girlfriend of the Chosen One has its advantages, doesn't it?" Misty smirked, which caused Ash to chuckle lightly.

* * *

Serena slowly stepped out behind the backroom and stared shyly at everyone in front of her. The honey-haired girl was now clad in her own kimono outfit complete with the wig and sandals. She was followed by Cubone, Eevee, and Gloom. Eevee and Gloom had an outfit that was pretty similar to Serena's while Cubone's robe was more masculine. Serena then stood in front of the group and bowed to them.

"So, how do I look?" she asked.

"Gorgeous," Misty smiled.

"Stunning!" Brock added.

Ash stared at Serena in amazement. He had never seen her dressed this way before, and he was actually pretty impressed. Serena was able to pull off the Kimono girl look quite well. Misty quickly elbowed his side to get him to say something. Ash then cleared his throat.

"You look beautiful," he breathed.

Serena turned away from Ash as she blushed at the compliment and scratched her cheek. He really thought she looked beautiful like this? Ash wasn't usually one to say things like that so it was a little embarrassing even though he was her boyfriend. It also worked the other way because that meant she looked well-suited for her showcase if she wore this. Of course, looks weren't everything when it came to a Pokemon Showcase.

"You look like you could be one of us," Sayo stated as she and her sisters came out of the room after Serena.

"Why don't you consider it? We could be six sisters," Naoko smiled.

"Oh. I…um…," Serena stuttered.

"Please relax. We were only kidding," Sayo reassured before her voice took a more serious tone. "Now, are you and your Pokemon ready to learn?"

"Yes! Please!" Serena responded eagerly with a quick bow.

"Very well," Sayo nodded before she held up a pokeball that was hidden in her kimono. "We shall use our Pokemon to instruct yours as well. Go, Espeon!"

"Go, Flareon!" Naoko yelled.

"Go, Umbreon!" Zuki said.

"Go, Vaporeon!" Kuni mimicked.

"Go, Jolteon!" Miki finished.

The Eevee evolutions appeared from their pokeballs and gave a stretch. They then sat down as they patiently awaited their trainers to start the dance. Eevee's eyes sparkled in interest as it saw many of its evolved forms in front of its eyes. There were so many to choose from!

"Hey. Check it out," Ash commented as he observed the Eevee evolutions before him.

"Your Eevee will look like one of them some day," Brock told her.

"Heehee! Wouldn't that be great, Eevee?" Serena asked as she looked down at the evolution Pokemon.

"Vee Vee!" it cried happily.

"We're sure whichever evolution happens will be meant to happen," Sayo informed Serena.

Serena was then handed her fan, and the four sisters then stood in front of her. They then fluidly snapped their fans open as they awaited Serena to do the same. Serena stared at the fan nervously for a moment before she snapped it. Unfortunately, it didn't go out all the way. Sayo gave a small smile and walked over to Serena.

"That's okay. I would be remarkable if you get everything right the first time. Just follow our lead, Serena…like this," Sayo informed her before she took Serena's hand to show her the correct motion.

This continued on for a while. Serena eventually got the hang of how to open her fan and move around correctly before she and the sisters moved on to the dance. Her Pokemon seemed to be getting into it, as well…two of them, anyway. Gloom seemed to be a natural born dancer with how graceful it was being. It was perfectly in tune with everyone and did everything right the first try. Cubone was trying its best but ended up stumbling around a lot, and it was trying to use its bone as a fan substitution which was interesting. Eevee was too mesmerized by its evolution forms to pay attention to anything else.

"Make sure to practice, Eevee. This is the only time we'll be able to learn from the Kimono Sisters," Serena told it as she continued to dance.

"Have you chosen what evolution branch you would like to take?" Sayo asked curiously.

"I haven't decided yet. They all seem to be great, and Eevee can't seem to make up its mind, either," Serena replied as she swayed to her other side as part of the dance.

The group continued to watch Serena dance for about an hour, and she was actually getting a little bit better. Though she was nowhere near the level of the Kimono sisters, she had at least learned the routine. By that point, Serena was quite tired, and so were her Pokemon…all except Eevee.

"Vee Vee!" it cried as it circled around Serena.

"Still, Eevee?" Serena panted.

"Glooooom," Gloom sighed as it plopped down.

Serena walked over to Gloom and knelt down before she placed her hand on its forehead. "You did excellent, Gloom. Before long, I know you'll be a good enough dancer to become a Bellossom before my next showcase."

The weed Pokemon smiled at that. It had been such a sickly Pokemon for so long, but it was finally going to achieve its dream of being a great dancer. It was on the right track and just had to practice a little more, and everything would be great.

"You all did awesome!" Ash smiled as he walked over to Serena.

"Thank you, Ash. I'm just a little worn out," Serena responded.

"If you will excuse us, it's almost time for our show to start," Sayo spoke up as she and the others bowed.

"Oh. That's right. I can't wait to see you all perform, and thank you for letting us see the show for free," Serena said.

"It's our pleasure," Sayo nodded as she, her sisters, and her Pokemon turned to the door to leave. "Afterward, we all invite you for afternoon tea. We have things we need to discuss with you all."

"What kind of things?" Serena asked curiously.

"Such as the real reason we brought you all here," Sayo replied lightly despite how mysterious it sounded.

With that, she slid the sliding door shut which left a bewildered group behind her. The real reason the sisters brought them here? What did that mean? Did they really house some sort of secret? Were they really waiting for them? How did the sisters know it was them who they were really waiting for? They had so many questions, especially Ash and Eusine, they but knew they wouldn't be getting their answers until after the show.

"Nnnnggh…I knew it!" Eusine suddenly exploded in exclamation. It sounded as though he hadn't spoken in years with how loud and excited he sounded to say that sentence.

* * *

The group had been mesmerized the whole show the kimono sisters had performed. The way they had performed in their actual show was much better than anything the group had seen while the sisters were teaching Serena.

It only became much better after the sisters sent out their Pokemon. They and their respective Eevee evolution was in percect sync, and Ash, Serena, and the others got a front row seat to it all. Serena's Pokemon were interested and had seen the show, as well. Even Eusine, who was the most excited to hear what the Kimono Sisters had to tell them, was asking for an encore after the show ended.

Now, however the group was waiting patiently in the backroom as the Kimono sisters changed out of their uniforms. They were sitting on their knees around a long table in traditional Japanese style. Pikachu, Togetic, Cubone, Gloom, and Eevee were sitting around a long table, as well, though it was much shorter than the other one. Presumably, that's where the Kimono sisters' Pokemon would sit.

"What do you think it is they have to tell us?" Ash wondered as he looked around at the group for any ideas.

"I think the better question is what all do they have to tell _you_ ," Misty emphasized.

"Well, I mean…it could be a message for us all," Ash shrugged.

"Get real, Ash. You're the Chosen One. We all know it's for you. They're helping Serena, but they didn't really seem interested in the rest of us until they knew who you were," Misty told him.

Ash rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He knew Misty was probably right and echoing everyone else's thoughts. He just had no idea what it was the Kimono Girls would want to tell him that Suicune already hadn't told him. Yeah. There was a disaster coming, and he needed to be prepared for it. So what else was new?

"I am bursting with excitement. They can't change out of their dresses soon enough," Eusine said eagerly as he rubbed his hands.

The group gave Eusine a weird look. They knew what he meant, but the way he said it made it sound awfully perverted. Eusine noticed their looks before he gave a slight cough and blushed in embarrassment. It was clear he realized what he said.

"Umm…yes…well…my apologies," he muttered, not able to come up with a decent explanation.

The group shook their heads at that. Things would've been very awkward had the Kimono Sisters walked in on the wrong part of that conversation. There was no denying Eusine's intelligence, but the man did have some social issues he needed to work on.

The Kimono Sisters arrived about five minutes later in their normal clothes, and they seemed to hold a pleasant expression. They didn't appear overly firm or serious which relaxed the group a little bit that it was nothing bad. Miki was even carrying the promised kettle of tea while Naoko carried small cups. They were still really curious about the real reason the Kimono Sisters had brought them here.

The five sisters sat down on the opposite side of the long table from the group. Miki produced the pot of hot tea and carefully poured a cup for each person in the group before she poured one herself and her sisters. The sisters then politely nodded their heads at the group to encourage them to take a sip. Morty obliged and went ahead as he had drunk tea with the sisters before. Ash and Serena shared a brief sideways glance with each other before they took a careful sip which was followed by the others.

"It's delicious," Serena smiled as she set the cup down.

"I'm glad. We always find it relaxing after a performance," Sayo informed them.

"So…there was something you wanted to see us about?" Ash questioned, not really feeling the need to subtly introduce the topic.

"Yes, we did," Sayo confirmed and took a small sip of tea. "It is actually about you, Ash, the Chosen One."

"Told you," Misty whispered to Ash.

"Umm…okay," Ash muttered and continued as he couldn't help himself. "Does it involve me saving the world? Does it involve me fighting evil? Are you going to tell me who the evil is that I'm going to be fighting?"

Serena, Brock, Misty, Eusine, and Morty sighed while the Kimono Sisters stared at Ash for a moment with an unreadable expression. Ash could always try to use a little more tact. Even so, Sayo gave a slight chuckle before she continued.

"Actually, we called you here to give you something, or rather, lead you to retrieve an item," Sayo said.

This got the group's attention. They wanted Ash to retrieve something? This was an interesting change of pace from what they were used to hearing when it came to Ash being the Chosen One.

"What do you need me to get?" Ash asked.

"We need you to go to the Tin Tower to retrieve the Rainbow Wing at the top of the tower," Sayo replied.

"The Rainbow Wing?" Ash echoed.

"Said to be taken from the wing of Ho-oh itself?" Morty added.

"The very same," Sayo nodded.

"Is it sort of like the Silver Wing that I won when I beat the Whirl Cup a little while back?" Misty wondered.

"Oh, you have the Silver Wing?" Miki asked this time as she and her sisters regarded Misty with interest.

"Uhh…yeah. It's right here," Misty said and reached into the small pocket in her backpack and showed the shining Silver Wing to the sisters.

"That is indeed a true feather from Lugia," Sayo confirmed.

"That's great and all, but why do I need to the get the Rainbow Wing from the Tin Tower?" Ash wondered.

"It is clear that you don't understand what the purpose of the Silver Wing and Rainbow Wing are," Sayo said with a small smile.

The group shook their heads in response. Morty then cleared his throat to begin speaking, but Eusine held his hand up to stop the young man. It was clear he wanted to be the one to tell them.

"The Silver Wing and the Rainbow Wing are feathers left behind by Ho-oh and Lugia. They are said to be the only proof the two still exist as no one has seen them recently…well…with the exception of you all," Eusine explained.

"So, do they grant me special powers?" Ash questioned.

"No. They are the tools needed to be able to meet with Ho-oh and Lugia. They will only appear to the one who is holding their wings. You said that Suicune told you that Ho-oh was going to come to you, right? In order for that to happen, you need the Rainbow Wing," Morty stepped in this time.

"Why is it needed, though?" Ash asked.

"Ho-oh and Lugia will not appear to anyone if they do not possess their respective wings," Morty said.

"That can't be, though," Ash protested and turned to Morty. "Remember when I said that I saw Lugia in the Orange Islands. I met with it, spoke with it, and even rode on it! I didn't have a Silver Wing then. If I'm the Chosen One, why do I need one?"

"Well, you are right on one account, Ash. You did not possess a Silver Wing at the time. However, I believe you had a young girl with you who lived there on Shamouti Island…Melody, I think was her name?" Sayo said thoughtfully.

"Wait? What? Melody had a Silver Wing?!" Ash exclaimed.

"How do you know that?" Serena added.

"Why…we were the ones who gave it to her. Being the maiden of the ritual on Shamouti Island, she was allowed to carry one in case the real Chosen One ever appeared…in which case was you," Miki smiled.

"There's a picture right over there on the wall," Sayo pointed out.

The group turned, and they looked quite surprised. They didn't even notice that picture at first. Sure enough, it was a photo Melody who looked a couple of years younger than when the group first met her. She was adorned in her maiden outfit, and around her were the Kimono Sisters. All this time, they thought Melody was simply a tag-a-long who was worried about Ash, but was that just a ruse? Melody realized Ash was the Chosen One and knew she would need to be present and in possession of the Silver Wing for Lugia to appear?

"Well, Melody never told us that," Serena huffed, a little put out.

"There wasn't a reason to tell you, I suppose," Sayo replied as she calmly took a sip of her tea. "The Chosen One ended up saving the world so all was well."

"So, you know about my adventure in the Orange Islands then?" Ash deduced. "Did Lugia tell you that?"

"Oh, no. We were there in the Orange Islands at time so we naturally saw the event on television," Sayo smiled.

"You were?" Ash questioned.

"Yes. We knew of the prophecy there just like this one and how the Chosen One was to appear. We naturally traveled there to see who it was," Naoko replied.

"And now, the time for the Chosen One is again upon us. We need you to go to the Tin Tower and retrieve the Rainbow Wing," Sayo told Ash in a more serious tone this time.

Ash smirked and looked down. It seemed that no matter where he went, there was some sort of tie in that seemed to be related to world saving or helping someone. There hasn't been a single normal town yet that he's visited in Johto. He could only imagine what Mahogany Town and Blackthorn City had in store for him.

"Well, it looks like I don't have a choice," Ash shrugged and adjusted his cap now that the bandage was no longer there. "I'll do it."

"Very well. We shall escort you to the Tin Tower," Sayo responded as she and her sisters stood up before she addressed the rest of the group. "You all are welcome to come, as well."

"Of course. There is not a chance I would miss this opportunity," Eusine declared first, as expected.

"I'll need to get back to my gym since I took yesterday off and haven't been there today," Morty said as he stood up, as well and held out a hand to Ash. "Ash, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. It was a pleasure. If you're in the area again, drop by and say hello."

"Thanks, Morty!" Ash smiled and shook the man's hand.

With that, Morty said goodbye to everyone else and gave a polite bow before he left. It turned out meeting with Morty had been very informative. He was able to tell them a lot of the Ecruteak City lore and lead them in to what Suicune and Ho-oh wanted with Ash. They wouldn't have been able to do it without him.

"We're coming with Ash, too," Serena spoke up as she, Brock, and Misty stood up.

"Excellent. We will lead the way," Sayo nodded.

* * *

The group arrived at the Tin Tower about thirty minutes later. It proved to be quite a walk and was further than the group thought it was. Though the Burned Tower was in the northwestern part of the city, it wasn't too far. To get to the Tin Tower, however, the group had to travel through a patch of woods. It was the furthest structure that was still considered to be in the city limits.

The group gazed in awe at how tall the Tin Tower was. They knew it was going to be tall considering they could see it all over the city, but when it was before them, it really was quite a sight. It had to be ten stories tall.

"The Rainbow Wing will be at the very top of the tower," Sayo told Ash.

"So, all I have to do is ride the elevator up and get the wing? Simple enough," Ash said.

Sayo and the other Kimono Girls giggled. "Elevator? This is a national landmark, Ash. There are no elevators. You must ascend the stairs to reach the top."

"Uhh…man. That's going to be quite a climb," Ash muttered as he looked up at the tower again.

"There will be a few challenges in there, as well," Naoko informed them.

"Challenges? Like what?" Ash questioned, now not feeling too sure about this.

"Fear not, Chosen One. It's nothing you can't handle," Sayo assured him.

That's when Ash and the others understood. Ash was going to be entering the Tin Tower and retrieving the Rainbow Wing all on his own. Everyone else was just going to spectate and wait outside. Serena frowned as she turned to Sayo.

"Why does Ash need to go in by himself?" she questioned.

"I'm sorry. Only the Chosen One may enter the Tin Tower and retrieve the Rainbow Wing. If anyone else were to accompany him, he would not be able to reach it. This is a protective measure created by Ho-oh to keep thieves from taking the Rainbow Wing as well as to ensure that only the Chosen One takes it," Sayo explained.

"I'll be fine, Serena! It'll be a piece of cake!" Ash smiled with a wink and thumbs up to his girlfriend. It was clear to Serena that he was acting a lot more confident than he felt.

"Pikachu!" the yellow rodent reassured, as well. Since it was Pokemon and not a human, it would be with him.

"Yeah. I got you, buddy. We can do this," Ash nodded to Pikachu.

Serena looked uncomfortable, but she didn't press the issue. This was probably no more dangerous than when they visited the Burned Tower with Morty and Eusine. Though they ended up falling through the floor when the bells started ringing, everything still turned out okay. Besides, Ash would have his Pokemon with him. He would be fine.

"Alright. Just be careful, Ash," she sighed.

"You bet! I'll be back in a flash with that Rainbow Wing!" Ash grinned.

"Wait, Ash. Take this, too," Misty called out to him before she reached into her backpack and handed him an item.

Ash stared at the Silver Wing in his hand that Misty had given him. He looked up and gave her a curious look.

"Why are you giving me your Silver Wing?" he asked.

"I don't know," Misty shrugged. "Since you're getting the Rainbow Wing, it just seems right for you to have this, too. Who knows? Maybe it will come in handy."

Ash nodded his head. "Okay, Misty. I'll take it. Thank you."

Togetic flew around Ash a couple of times to give him a little bit of luck. Ash smiled at the happiness Pokemon before he gave a nod to his friends, Eusine, and the Kimono Sisters. With that, the raven-haired boy turned and walked to the entrance doors to the Tin Tower. He had no idea what to expect in here or if all this talk of possible traps were just a rumor. Ash reached the doors and took a deep breath before he pushed it open and stepped inside.

Unlike the burned Brass Tower. This place was actually already lit up with several torches which illuminated the room nicely. There wasn't any apparent electricity, but as long as Ash could see where he was going, that was okay to him. Ash turned to give everyone one last look before he shut the doors behind him.

"Well, Pikachu, what now?" Ash asked.

"Piiiika," Pikachu drawled as if it were obvious.

"I know that. We get the Rainbow Wing. I just meant…in what way," Ash elaborated.

"Chuuu," Pikachu drawled again.

"I know we climb the stairs! What I meant was…never mind," Ash sighed.

Ash then decided to inspect the room in front of him. It's not like he had a time limit in here so he was free to not rush anything. There were several statues of Ho-oh littered around the room which to Ash seemed quite excessive. They still looked rather impressive, though.

"To think, Ho-oh actually used to live at the top of this tower," Ash breathed.

"Pika," Pikachu agreed.

Ash walked a few steps forward and scanned the room to try to locate any stairs. Since there unfortunately wasn't an elevator which would make the task very quick, he decided to go ahead and find them. As Ash made his way around the room, he began to get a confused look on his face. All he saw was a room full of Ho-oh statues.

Ash continued to walk around in confusion until something began to dawn on him. He couldn't find the stairs anywhere! He checked along the walls and in the middle of the room, but he came up with nothing! Were there truly no stairs in this large room? How was he supposed to ascend the tower with no stairs?

After a few more minutes of trying to find the stairs, Ash slumped against the wall and sighed. Piakchu joined him and slumped against the wall, as well.

"Man. This is just great. The Kimono Sisters said I'm supposed to use the stairs to go up, but that's kind of hard do if there aren't any! Having no elevator is one thing, but it's not like I can fly up there! There isn't even an opening in the ceiling for us to fly to!" Ash complained.

"Pikachu Pika," Pikachu suggested.

"I don't know. I guess I could ask the Kimono Sisters, but I don't think they would know. Besides, I feel like this is some sort of test for me. I doubt whoever built this tower wouldn't make it easy to get to the top," Ash sighed.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded.

"Still, all that's in here are us and these statues," Ash continued before his eyes lit up. "The statues! That's it!"

Ash jumped to his feet, and he and Pikachu began to inspect the statues in front of him. He looked them up and down as he tried to find any sort of clue that might help him out in order to get higher up. There were about fifteen statues in the room so it was taking a while to study them all. Maybe he was wasting his time, but it was all Ash had at the moment.

He soon reached the statue in the center of the room and noticed there was a small inscription on the back of Ho-oh's right wing. Ash and Pikachu both leaned in and squinted as they read what the message was.

"Produce the wing's brother to reach its brother," Ash muttered before he slumped down. "That was a little dramatic."

Ash then thought about the puzzle for a moment, and he thought of something. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the Silver Wing that Misty gave him. The raven-haired boy then noticed there was a small space near the inscription that seemed to be the perfect size for the Silver Wing.

"I guess it makes since that we would need the Silver Wing to get the Rainbow Wing from here," Ash shrugged. I guess they want to make sure whoever comes in here really is the Chosen One," Ash figured.

"Pika Pikachu Pika?" Pikachu asked.

"You know, that's a good question. If we need the Silver Wing to the get the Rainbow Wing, would we need the Rainbow Wing to get the Silver Wing? If so, how would you get either of them?" Ash wondered before he sighed. "Well, whatever."

Ash then placed the Silver Wing in the small opening and waited for something to happen. He then gasped as the Silver Wing began to shine brightly, and Ash and Pikachu had to cover their eyes. There was then a rumbling as the floor began to shake which began to freak Ash out. It was almost as if the tower was about to crash down.

"Please tell me I didn't just do something stupid!" Ash cried.

"Piiiika!" Pikachu shouted.

The two soon got their answer when the statues around the room began to glow as well. The statue in front of Ash began to sink down into the ground before him. Once it was completely down, a flight of stairs began to rise out instead.

Ash backed up as the stairs began to spiral upwards. As they did, the ceiling above Ash began to open up, as well. The stairs went through the opening and continued to rise and rise. Ash watched in interest as the stairs continued to rise out of the ground, and it was like they would never end, but finally they did.

"Well, I guess that's our answer on how to get up," Ash muttered in awe to Pikachu before he realized something. "Wait. What about the Silver Wing?"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and pointed on the first step.

Ash looked down and saw the Silver Wing shining innocently on the first step. Ash smirked to himself before he picked it up and placed it back in his pocket.

"Heh. I'm glad we got it back. Misty probably would've killed me if we lost it," he said.

With that, Ash took his first step on the spiral stairs and looked up. They seemed to stretch quite a long way and clearly took him farther than the next floor. Would they take him all the way to the top? If they did, he was in for one heck of a climb.

"Well, let's get to it, Pikachu," Ash muttered as he began his ascent.

Indeed, the stairs did go all the way to what was apparently the top floor of the tower. Whether the rest of the floors existed or not, Ash wasn't sure. The raven-haired boy was panting as he walked up the last step while Pikachu looked relaxed as it rode Ash's shoulder the whole way up. It seemed to be purposely rubbing it in Ash's face. Well, Ash would see about that.

"Comfortable, Pikachu?" Ash asked it in annoyance.

"Pika," Pikachu responded as it continued to lounge on Ash's shoulder.

"How about now?" Ash smirked as he jerked his shoulder.

Pikachu fell off Ash's shoulder and crashed onto the floor. The yellow rodent was disoriented for a moment before it jumped to its feet and looked angry for the rude awakening. Ash smirked back at Pikachu.

"Heh. Serves you right. You can walk, too," he said.

"Chuuuu," Pikachu snorted but let the subject drop.

The two faced forward and saw a pedestal about twenty feet ahead of them. It was the perfect size for Ash to grab an item from and went up to his waist. It was made of marble and seemed to sparkle just as much as what was on top of it.

"The Rainbow Wing," Ash muttered as he walked over to it.

Yes. The Rainbow Wing was shimmering on the marble pedestal and was apparently waiting for someone to take it. That is, if it wasn't covered by what appeared to be an aura-enveloped barrier. Ash stared at the swirling blue energy for a moment before he reached his hand out to touch it and immediately drew it back as he received a nasty shock.

"Ow!" Ash exclaimed as he rubbed his hand.

"Pikachu," Pikachu asked in concern.

"I'm okay, Pikachu. It's nothing worse than what I've received from you," Ash replied which caused Pikachu to grin.

That still did create a problem for him, though. If the Rainbow Wing was protected by a magical barrier, how was he supposed to retrieve it? Ash and Pikachu both folded their arms as they thought about what they could do.

"Hmm…I suppose there isn't just an off switch," Ash said rhetorically before he turned to Pikachu. "Try using your Thundershock on it."

Pikachu nodded its head as it began to charge up its cheeks. It then shot forward the stream of electricity straight towards the barrier. As soon as the Thundershock hit, it rebounded completely off the aura and back to Ash. The raven-haired boy gasped in pain as the Thundershock hit him and knocked him backwards off his feet. Ash made a painful groan as Pikachu ran over to him in concern.

"Okay. That was a bad idea," Ash mumbled as he slowly sat up.

The blue aura field continued to swirl as Ash approached it again. Okay. He could figure this out. The Rainbow Wing can only be retrieved by the Chosen One and someone who had the Silver Wing with them. That was a clue to him right there. That meant he possessed something that no one else would have. The Chosen One. A descendant of Sir Aaron Ketchum, an aura user. An aura field barrier…

"I've got it," Ash stated as he closed his eyes and concentrated.

Ash sure hoped this would work. He had been better at controlling his aura more recently. He was nowhere near the level where he could use it freely, but he might be able to summon it if he tried. Ash relaxed as he continued to reach deep into his soul as he tried to find the special energy that was given to him since birth.

A moment later, Ash felt a warm sensation come over his body. Pikachu gave a coo of admiration as it watched Ash summon his aura and begin glowing blue. That told Ash that he was at least able to activate it. Now, he just had to direct it to the aura barrier.

Ash slowly stretched his arm out and held open his palm to the barrier. A beam of aura floated from his hand and began to envelop the aura that was covering the Rainbow Wing. There was a bright flash and whoosh of air which caused Ash and Pikachu to instinctively cover their eyes again. When they opened them, the aura barrier was gone, and the Rainbow Wing was shimmering on the pedestal and was waiting to be taken.

"Heh. How about that, Pikachu. I actually did it," Ash smiled as he walked over and picked up the Rainbow Wing.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded in approval.

Ash stared at the Rainbow Wing for only a moment. He now had the item needed for him to meet with Ho-oh, whenever that may be. He may have seen the phoenix-like Pokemon in passing, but to actually meet and speak with it, this was apparently needed. He was actually curious as what Ho-oh had to tell him that Suicune couldn't. Did it know more? Was there more to his role as a hero that he wasn't aware of?

"I kind of wish Ho-oh would just appear now, but Suicune told me it would come to me when the time is right. I guess I'll have to wait until then," Ash said as Pikachu nodded.

* * *

Ash and Pikachu strode out of the Tin Tower with a proud smile on their faces. His friends, Eusine, and the Kimono Sisters approached him with expectant looks on their faces. To answer the obvious question, Ash held out the Rainbow Wing to them to prove he had gotten it. Serena grinned and gave Ash a hug while Brock and Misty patted him on the back.

"So, how was it, Ash?" Serena asked once she released him.

"Well, it turned out that the Kimono Sisters weren't kidding when they said that only the Chosen One could get the Rainbow Wing. There was a barrier of aura that I needed to combat with my own to get it," Ash replied.

"You were able to summon your aura?" Serena, Brock, and Misty asked in amazement as Eusine jumped in Ash's face.

"What I wouldn't have given to see that! Please, young Ash! You must summon your aura again so I can see it!" the eccentric man pleaded.

"Uhhhh…," Ash mumbled, a little startled

Eusine noticed Ash's discomfort and sighed. It seemed like he had missed another chance to witness something amazing. Still, his trip to Ecruteak City hadn't been a total bust. Though Eusine had not been able to witness Ash speak with Suicune, he was at least able to see it. The caped man straightened up and gave a slight cough.

"I see. It must've been taxing on you to retrieve the Rainbow Wing. I shall withhold my chance for now. You must absolutely show me the next time we meet, though," Eusine relented.

"Sure," Ash replied before he remembered something and turned to Misty. "By the way, Misty, that Silver Wing you gave me came in handy. I needed it to get past the first floor."

"Oh. I'm glad it was of help. It was lucky, after all!" Misty smiled.

"Wait, then. That reminds me. What if Misty didn't have a Silver Wing handy? What if she didn't win the Whirl Cup and someone else did? What would I have done then since it was needed?" Ash asked the Kimono sisters curiously as everyone else laid eyes on them, as well.

"If you needed a Silver Wing to proceed, we simply would've let you use ours," Sayo smiled as if it were obvious.

"Do you all just have an unlimited supply of those things?" Serena wondered.

"Hmmhmm. Of course not. We only have one. We would've needed it back as soon as Ash was done," Sayo giggled before she added. "Then again, Ash wouldn't have been very Chosen-like if he already didn't have a Silver Wing in possession."

"Heheh. Right," Ash chuckled.

* * *

The group was standing on the outskirts of Ecruteak City. They were finally ready to move on in their journey after getting some valuable information and items from Morty and the Kimono Sisters. Eusine had already left and bid the group the best of luck while he continued his tireless search to one day truly meet Ho-oh and Suicune. He had also given a not so subtle hint that he wanted to see Ash's aura and hear about his meeting with Ho-oh the next time they met. Heh. They would have to see about that.

They stood on a hill that overlooked the city and gave a small smile. It looked so much smaller from a distance than it really was. Also, the Burned Tower and the Tin Tower could be seen on their respective sides.

"Well, I guess it's finally time to say goodbye to Ecruteak City," Ash sighed.

"Yeah. It's definitely been interesting," Serena agreed as she looked down at her egg incubator. The egg was still glowing inside of it which meant that hatching was soon. "Ooh! I can't wait!"

"We all are really anxious! You'll have new baby Pokemon," Brock smiled.

"And Togetic can be a big brother, too!" Serena added as she looked at the happiness Pokemon who smiled brightly in return.

"Pihihihi," Pikachu chuckled to Togetic who now didn't look so sure. Pikachu had told Togetic that it would be the middle child which didn't sit right with it.

"What are you telling Togetic, Pikachu?" Ash asked suspiciously.

"Piiiika," Pikachu said and whistled innocently.

"Well, whatever. Togetic doesn't have anything to worry about," Serena reassured which relaxed the happiness Pokemon.

"So, the next stop is Mt. Mortar, huh?" Ash questioned as he looked to Brock who had pulled out the guide book.

"Yeah. It's not a treacherous mountain, but there are plenty of Geodude and other rock and ground Pokemon in the area. We would be wise to watch our step so we don't trip over them," Brock advised.

"Great, and then Mahogany Town where I'll have another shot at a Princess Key, and I'm going to win this time!" Serena smiled. "Cubone, Gloom, and Eevee will do great!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's head on out!" Ash said excitedly.

With that, the group took one final look at Ecruteak City before they turned away and began their trek towards the mountains, passing by the news board which had nothing of importance on it. Their spirits were high as they set out. Serena and her Pokemon had learned some tips from the Kimono Sisters, and they would be using those in their next showcase. Ash had gotten the Rainbow Wing which would let him meet Ho-oh when the time was right, and of course, no one could forget the meeting with the three legendary beasts. At the rate they were going, things were going to go smoothly until when Ash knew he would save the world. He wasn't going to worry about that, though. The time would come when it came.

About thirty minutes after the group had left, two crewmen had come to update the news board for Ecruteak City, and they didn't look happy. They hung a new, urgent message before they crossed their arms and sighed.

"I can't believe he's loose again," one man frowned.

"I just hope everyone has a chance to read this before they go to Mt. Mortar. They might want to hang back a few days until the police get him," the other man agreed.

The two men walked away and left the notice behind. Had one read it, the notice would've stated that the evil Pokemon Hunter, Rico, had escaped from prison, and that he was last seen heading towards Mt. Mortar.

* * *

 **Heh. I told you this dirt bag would make another appearance. What evil could this guy possibly be up to now? Also, he won't be exactly pleased to see the group again if you consider the fact that they're responsible for him being in jail in the first place.**

 **I had to make Misty pull on Eusine's ear at least once. The opportunity was too good to pass up since she doesn't do it to Brock anymore.**

 **Ash now has the Rainbow Wing, and I can't wait for you guys to see his and Ho-oh's conversation. Super Plot Twist alert in that scene! However, it won't come until after the climax of the arc...which is getting pretty close.**

 **The next chapter will be out in November! Thanks for all the reviews and support which keep me going after doing this series for over three and a half years...especially those of you who have been with me since the beginning. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Fifty-One: Cubone's Destiny**


	51. Cubone's Destiny

**A/N: Okay. Bad news out of the way before the chapter begins. I will not be doing the movie, Latios and Latias. I know I said I would, but it's just not working the way I want it to. It would be too big of a deviation from the main journey and would be more like a side story than actually being integral to the plot. Fillers is something I really try to avoid. This fic is long enough as it is.**

 **I'm sorry, but this is the way it has to be. Working movies into this series is a lot harder than one thinks, and when you run into an issue like this, you have to can the idea. The first two movies were easy to incorporate as they are integral to the plot of of this fic. Latios and Latias is not. That's why I'm not doing it along with Spell of the Unown.**

 **As for the other moves beyond this one? Who know? They're in one moment and out the next. There's really no point in asking me if a certain movie will happen as I could very well change my mind, or find out something is working the way I want it to like Latios and Latias, or do something completely different with the plot which is why I'm not doing Pokemon 4Ever.**

 **The only movie I will confirm 100% is Lucario and the Mystery of Mew. It's integral to the plot because it deals with Sir Aaron who as you know, is Ash's ancestor in this series. I've already worked it into the plot so that won't change.**

 **With that out of the way, please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 51: Cubone's Destiny

Serena was busy rubbing her egg as the group had stopped for lunch. She had taken the egg out of its incubator for the past hour since they stopped. She had even left it out while she practiced for her next Pokemon Showcase. Serena claimed it was because she wanted the Pokemon to already be accustomed to showcases by the time it was born. It was said that what the Pokemon was exposed to as an egg would have an impact on its lifestyle, and the fact that Serena was taking great care of the egg proved she wanted it to be happy.

Serena couldn't stop the smile that was coming to her face. The egg had been glowing ever since they left Ecruteak City a couple of days ago. According to Brock and Professor Oak, that meant the egg could hatch at any time. Serena couldn't wait to see what Pokemon was inside the egg. According to what the Chatelaine sisters had told her a while back, it was special Pokemon so it was probably quite rare.

"When you come out of your egg, I'm going to take great care of you! We'll be great friends and have a lot of good times together! You'll see," Serena smiled as she rubbed the egg.

"That's right. We haven't had a new addition to our group in a while," Ash commented as he went to sit down next to Serena before he added. "Except for Aerodactyl. It's a permanent member of our team, now."

The group had estimated that the egg would hatch before they reached Mahogany Town. That was about three days away from where they were right now. They had just entered the area of Mt. Mortar which all trainers had to cross before they could get to Mahogany Town. That made it as good a place as any to rest for a bit before they began their trek.

"Lunch is ready!" Brock called. "I've got some good submarine sandwiches today!"

"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed as he leaped up from next to Serena and dashed over and was joined by his Pokemon.

Serena smiled before she carefully placed the egg back in its incubator and stood up. She looked over to see her own Pokemon coming over for lunch, as well, except for one. Cubone stood where it was and seemed to have a strange look on its face. It didn't appear to be sad or happy…just concerned. It was almost as if it was listening for something.

Serena walked over to the lonely Pokemon and knelt down next to it. Only then did Cubone break away its concentration and turn towards Serena. The honey-haired girl offered Cubone another smile, but Cubone merely stared back. Serena then decided to address its concerns.

"Hey, Cubone. Is something wrong?" she asked it.

"Cubone Bone," Cubone responded with a sigh. It didn't think anything was _wrong_ necessarily. Something just felt quite off.

"Well, lunch is ready. Why don't you come have some? You deserve it after how hard you've worked to be in my next showcase," Serena suggested.

"Bone," Cubone nodded and followed Serena over to where everyone else was. The lonely Pokemon turned around one last time to scope out what it thought it was hearing. Though no one else heard it, not even Pikachu, Cubone could've sworn it heard another of its own kind crying out in agony.

* * *

The group was now marching up Mt. Mortar after having a good lunch. It had actually been a fairly nice day for going up a mountain. The sun was shining, and they saw a few of the local Pokemon roaming around. Of course, the group had to be careful, especially Serena since she was carrying the egg canister. There would occasionally be a Geodude in their path that they needed to avoid tripping over. Other than that, things were going well.

"This mountain…is…a little steep, but it's…nothing we haven't…done before," Misty stated as she took even breaths.

"Yeah. This mountain is also supposed to have to some pretty cool rock or ground-type Pokemon. I could use one now that I think about it," Ash said thoughtfully. It was then Ash realized he didn't own a ground-type. Now would be as good a time as any to get one.

"Do you have any in mind you would like to get?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah. Don't Phanpy and Donphan live around the mountains?" Ash asked Brock.

"Well, they aren't very common, but the guidebook did say one could find some on this side of Johto," Brock replied.

"Super! If we run across one, I'll definitely get it! After seeing Gary and Paul's, I really want one!" Ash said with determination.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"They probably wouldn't be on the main trails, though. Phanpy and Donphan aren't necessarily shy, but you do have to travel a little bit on the rougher parts of the mountain to find them," Brock pointed out. "I got that from the guidebook."

"Well, we couldn't like…you know…take a detour?" Ash asked hopefully.

The group then stopped as they knew where this was going. It seemed Ash was actually serious about trying to find a Phanpy or a Donphan, after all. Since that was the case, it seemed like their travels to Mahogany Town would be put on hold briefly.

"I guess that's okay if you really want to," Brock shrugged. "We aren't in any particular hurry to get to Mahogany Town. We're only a few days away."

"Right. My contest isn't for another week, either," Serena added.

"It's fine with me, too," Misty said.

"Awesome! Let's go search for one!" Ash said eagerly and immediately left the main trail and into the more rocky and wooded area of Mt. Mortar.

"Wait up, Ash! We can't go too fast! I'm still carrying this egg canister!" Serena shouted, after him.

Ash reappeared from the woods a couple of seconds later and smiled sheepishly. He nodded his head and chuckled. They could stand to go a little slower. It's as the others said, they weren't in any particular hurry. If he went too fast, he'd scare away all the Pokemon anyway in his eagerness.

"Yeah. Sorry. Let's move on," he said and waited for the others to get off the trail and carefully climb over a few large rocks.

"We aren't going to get lost on this mountain, are we?" Misty couldn't help but ask.

"I think we'll be okay. Mt. Mortar has a lot of signs for directions, and its paths are pretty straightforward. We shouldn't have any trouble as long as we can find those," Brock reassured.

With that, the group left the comfort of the main trail and set out to search for some wild Phanpy or Donphan. Even though Brock had told them they weren't common, they figured they would come across one eventually if they searched long enough. Even if they couldn't find one now, they were still supposed to be all across this region of Johto.

The group continued to look around for a while. They had come across plenty of Pokemon so far but no Phanpy. There were still several signs to direct them back to the main path so they weren't worried, but it was just taking a little longer than they thought.

"Man. Well, no one said this would be easy," Ash sighed after about forty-five minutes.

"Brock, what other kind of Pokemon live out here?" Misty asked.

"Well, there are Phanpy, Geodude, Aipom, some Spearow, occasional Heracross, Marill, Onix, and even some Cubone," Brock replied as he looked at the guidebook.

"Hmm…what's an Aipom?" Ash questioned in curiosity as he took out his national dex to look it up. Soon, a picture of a purple, monkey-like Pokemon with short arms and legs appeared. It looked rather mischievous and had another hand-like appendage at the end of its tail.

"Aipom, the long tail Pokemon. Aipom's tail is so powerful it can use it to grab a tree branch and hold itself upright," said the machine.

"Are you interested in finding a Aipom, now?" Misty asked as Ash snapped his national dex shut.

"Maybe somewhere down the road but not right now," Ash replied as he looked up and happened to see one swinging from tree to tree by its tail. "Heh. That is a neat trick, though."

"It sounds like we'll get a lot of new team members at this rate," Brock commented as the group continued along.

* * *

After about another hour, the group still hadn't had any luck. Ash wasn't deterred, however, but the other group was getting rather tired, especially Serena since she was holding the incubator.

"Hey, Ash. Let's rest for a little bit. I don't want to get tired and become clumsy with the egg," Serena called out.

"Alright," Ash replied.

The group stopped along a gathering of rocks, and Misty slouched along a rock while Brock took out a bottled water and downed a few gulps before he sighed in contentment. Serena figured this was a good time to let Cubone out of its pokeball and ask what was bothering it.

The lonely Pokemon had eaten all of its food at lunch, but it seemed to keep being distracted. Cubone would keep looking over its shoulder as if something kept getting its attention before it would go back to eating. It didn't engage in conversation with the other Pokemon, either. It was too busy thinking about something else…whatever it was.

Serena set the incubator down before she opened up Cubone's pokeball, and Cubone materialized a couple of seconds later. As soon as it did, Cubone got the same concerned look on its face and started looking around. The difference now was that Cubone went from concerned to looking worried. This didn't sit well with Serena.

"Cubone, will you tell me what's bothering you? You haven't been yourself today," Serena stated.

"Bone," Cubone muttered.

The lonely Pokemon didn't exactly know how to put it. Cubone just seemed to have a sense of dread inside of it, but it wasn't for itself. For some reason, Cubone had the same pit in its stomach that it felt just before its real mother was killed by a scary lady from Team Rocket. All of its friends appeared to be fine, though, and most importantly, Serena did, too.

"Does it involve you?" Serena asked as she tried to put together the pieces.

"Bone," Cubone replied with a shake of its head.

"Does it involve someone you know?" Serena tried again.

Cubone shook its head in reply to that, too. It was weird. Why was Cubone worried about something that it didn't have anything to do with? Cubone just felt like something was wrong in the area. Did it really hear one of its own kind sound like it was in trouble? It was so faint that Cubone believed it might not have even heard it at all.

"If it doesn't have anything to do with you or us, why are you worried?" Serena pressed.

Before Cubone could answer, the group heard an angry screech from above them. They immediately looked up and saw a Fearow flying overhead. It appeared to be circling around the area the group was in, but that was rather strange behavior. The group didn't have anything that would be valuable to a Fearow, and even if they did, wouldn't Fearow typically have an army of Spearow behind them? That was none of those scenarios, however. The Fearow just continued to circle above the trees and screech.

"What do you suppose this Fearow wants?" Ash wondered.

"Who knows? I don't know if it's after us, specifically, but we're clearly near something it's looking for. We should just move on," Brock suggested.

"Right," the rest agreed. If there was one thing they learned on the way to the Orange Islands, they didn't want to be in the way of an angry Fearow. Though Serena managed to catch that Fearow and add it to her team, it was still better off to just let a Fearow be.

"Cubone," Cubone growled as it stared up at the Fearow.

"Don't worry about that Fearow, Cubone. It has no reason to be after us so let's just get out of its way," Serena told it as she stood up and prepared to return Cubone to its pokeball.

"Bone!" Cubone cried. It was getting a really bad vibe from this Fearow.

"Wait. Are you saying that this Fearow is connected to what's been bothering you?" Serena questioned as understanding seemed to dawn upon her.

"Cubone," the lonely Pokemon nodded, but it didn't know why that was so.

"What are you waiting for, Serena? Let's get a move on before the Fearow decides to attack us," Ash called out to her.

"Okay," Serena replied before she turned back to Cubone. "We'll finish this conversation later once we're out of danger, Cubone."

Despite its protests, Serena returned Cubone to its pokeball and grabbed her incubator. Then the group hurriedly set off. They didn't want to be around to see what Fearow had in store for them. To their surprise, Fearow gave another angry screech and actually began following them.

They then picked up the pace to get away from Fearow and even took a few turns to try to lose the beak Pokemon. However, Fearow was making sure to keep up with them each time and never let them out of its sight. It was then the group realized that this Fearow flying overhead wasn't just a coincidence. It really was stalking them!

"Why is this Fearow chasing us?! What did we ever do to it?" Ash asked in confusion.

"I have no idea, but I don't like this," Brock muttered.

"What could we possibly have that a Fearow would be after?" Misty wondered.

"Who knows, but if it even thinks about coming down here, Pikachu will have something to say about it," Ash replied as Pikachu nodded its head in confirmation and sparked its cheeks.

Despite this, the Fearow continued to screech and follow their every step. Ash thought about sending out his Aerodactyl to get Fearow off their backs, but it was probably best if they didn't provoke the Fearow anymore. Still, if this kept up, Ash may have to.

"Ngghh…hey, Fearow! Why don't you just leave us alone!?" Ash shouted up to it.

"Ash!" Serena exclaimed.

"Well, it clearly won't do it on its own," Ash argued before he turned back up the Fearow. "If you don't stop stalking us, we're going to have to fight you!"

The Fearow stopped circling around them and hovered in the air for a moment. It then looked straight at Ash as if it were actually challenging him to bring it on. Ash frowned and fished around for Aerodactyl's pokeball. If this thing wanted a fight, he would give it one.

"Aerodactyl, I choose you!" Ash hollered.

The prehistoric Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and looked at Ash in expectancy. Ash briefly took note and was relieved that Aerodactyl still seemed to have it mind and not the evil predatory glint in its eye despite the danger it probably sensed they were in. His dad really did help it, but that was beside the point right now. Ash pointed his finger upward.

"Drive off that Fearow!" Ash told it. "It's clearly after us for something."

"Aerrroooo!" Aerodactyl cried and flew straight up towards Fearow.

The beak Pokemon seemed to sweat drop for a moment as even it clearly wasn't expecting an Aerodactyl of all things to challenge it. Despite this, it still narrowed its eyes and let out another angry screech.

"Aerodactyl, use Iron Head!" Ash hollered.

Aerodactyl gave a cry and charged straight at Fearow with its hard head. Fearow flew out of the way and then turned around and used what appeared to be Aerial Ace. The attack struck Aerodactyl, but it appeared to have little effect.

"Way to tough it out! Use Ancient Power!" Ash yelled.

Aerodactyl summoned a few levitating rocks around it before it hurled them at Fearow. The beak Pokemon tried to dodge the rocks, but there were too many, and it ended up being struck by them.

"Now use Iron Head!" Ash called.

Aerodactyl dove forward at blistering speed and struck Fearow hard in its midsection. Fearow cried out in pain, but it still managed to keep flight. Fearow gave another angry cry before it dove forward and struck Aerodactyl with its own head. Aerodactyl gave a surprised cry from that, and Ash realized that the Fearow must've used Mirror Move to copy Aerodactyl's Iron Head.

Fearow then grabbed Aerodactyl with its large wings and began stabbing it repeatedly with its beak for a Fury Attack. The prehistoric Poekmon grimaced from the attack, but Ash knew that it could tough it out.

"Use Roar!" Ash yelled.

Aerodactyl reached back with its scaly wings and brought Fearow around to face it. Fearow cried out in anger and struggled violently, but Aerodactyl let out a terrifying screech right in Fearow's face. The Fearow froze on instinct as the move took effect and struggled make a run for it. Much to Ash's relief, Aerodactyl let go of Fearow and let it fly off. That proved that Aerodactyl really could control itself now.

The Fearow continued to fly away until it disappeared through the trees, but it was still screeching angrily. The group watched it leave before they turned up to Aerodactyl who was now flying down to them. Ash grinned broadly.

"Way to go, Aerodactyl!" Ash cheered.

The raven-haired boy was then tackled to the ground by the prehistoric Pokemon, and it began to lick him in happiness. Ash tried to push Aerodactyl off, but he was still laughing. Even though it was a small battle against a wild Fearow, this was their first battle together since Aerodactyl had been back, and it was their first win together overall.

Aerodactyl finally allowed Ash up, and Ash panted for a moment before he patted Aerodactyl on the head. It looked like he could safely use Aerodactyl now without having to worry about any danger. Ash couldn't wait to use it in some of his gym matches or the Pokemon League. He hoped Charles Goodshow would see the change in Aerodactyl and allow it.

"Well done, you two!" Serena smiled as she went over to them with Pikachu and Togetic giving Aerodactyl a thumbs up.

"Yep! We make a great team, don't we, Aerodactyl?" Ash asked it.

"Aerroooo!" Aerodactyl agreed.

"Well, I say we go ahead and get a move on. I'd hate to run into any more Pokemon like that Fearow, and I'd like to try and find a Phanpy before it gets dark," Misty commented and looked up to see it was already well into the afternoon.

"Yeah. Good idea," Ash agreed before he thought of something. "I wonder if Aerodactyl could look around to see if it can find any Phanpy from flying overhead? We'll wait here."

"Aerrrooo!" Aerodactyl cried in the affirmative.

The prehistoric Pokemon then flew upwards and out of sight like the Fearow before it. The group then sat down where they were and took another rest. Now that the Fearow had been driven off, they should be okay. Also, with as fast as Aerodactyl was, it would probably find a Phanpy around in no time. Then it could lead the way, and Ash could try for a capture before they continued on.

The group then heard a strange sound that was getting closer. It certainly wasn't a Pokemon, but it sounded more like an…engine? What would a vehicle be doing on this rough terrain? Why wouldn't it stick to the main trail.?

The rumbling and buzzing got louder until a jeep burst through the trees, and the group had to leap out of the way to avoid being hit. The jeep then screeched to a halt, and the group slowly got up and felt a little disoriented. Ash was the first to recover, and he was about to ask the drive what the big idea was, but the driver spoke first.

"Well, well, I can't say expected to see you kids again. What an unpleasant surprise," the driver scowled.

Ash's eyes shot open when he heard that voice. He recognized it. This voice belonged to a man he hated almost as much as Giovanni. He had stolen their Pokemon, injured them and had even tried to kill them before. Ash's mouth hung open as he slowly looked up to see who the driver was and discovered it was none other than Rico, the evil Pokemon hunter.

Serena, Brock, and Misty both gasped in shock and fear once they saw Rico, as well. The man was eyeing them with a look of disgust. It was hard to tell what the man was thinking right now, but it certainly wasn't good. Besides, the group was too surprised to see him to ask what exactly he was doing.

"Rico," Ash muttered.

"Tch. So, you remember me?" Rico snorted.

"Weren't you in jail? What are you doing here?" Brock demanded.

"I have no need to answer little children like you. If you must know, however, the point is I'm out, and I'm back. I've even already got a new assignment," Rico replied and gestured behind him.

The group looked on the back of Rico's jeep, and they gasped when they saw a bunch of Cubone crammed into a cage. There had to be at least ten Cubone in there, and the cage was only big enough for two at the most. The Cubone were piled on top of each other and in very awkward positions. Serena, in particular, gasped. Was this what Cubone was feeling that made it so uneasy?

"My Fearow has been scouting out for Cubone. It had been pointing me in this direction. The fact that it led me to you must mean you have a Cubone with you," Rico said.

"So, that was your Fearow that was stalking us," Ash uttered.

As if to answer his question, the group heard an angry screech, and a battered but still flying Fearow appeared from the woods before it settled itself on the jeep. It gave angry glances at the group and viciously snapped its beak at them.

"Heh. My Fearow was able to get away from the police when they tried to subdue it. As soon as it learned I was free, it came and found me," Rico smirked as he patted it on the head, a rare gesture of affection from him. If only it wasn't from such a despicable man and Pokemon.

Serena then felt her pokeball wiggle, and she stared in horror as it opened up, and Cubone came out. That was such horrible timing. It must've sensed the trouble its kind was in again. Cubone made a small cry and turned to see the other Cubone crammed into a cage. The lonely Pokemon's eyes watered up when it saw that.

"Cubone!" it cried in distress.

"Cubone! You need to get back in your pokeball where it's safe!" Serena scolded.

"I don't think so," Rico muttered. "I'm here to take out the local Cubone nuisances for my client. You would do well to hand it over right now."

"I won't do any such thing!" Serena retorted. "This Cubone belongs to me and is my friend, and even if it was wild, I would never give it to the likes of you!"

"I think you may have forgotten who you're dealing with, little girl. I'm a dangerous Pokemon hunter, and I have quite a grudge against you kids for landing me in jail. If you don't cooperate with me right now, I _will_ destroy you," Rico said dangerously.

For emphasis, Rico pulled out another pokeball and opened it up to reveal a terrifying Tyranitar. The armor Pokemon roared dangerously and gave an evil eye at the group. They all took a step back out of reflex. They already knew from Silver how powerful Tyranitar were, and they certainly didn't want to face one again. They couldn't just give in to the demands of Rico, though.

"Now, you have until to the count of three to hand over that Cubone and all of your other Pokemon, or face my Tyranitar's wrath," Rico told him and then seemed to notice Serena's egg. "And give me that egg while you're at it."

"I see your time in jail hasn't changed you a bit," Ash said in disgust.

"One…," Rico began, ignoring Ash's comment.

Another Screech filled the air, but it wasn't from Fearow this time. Rico, his Fearow, and his Tyranitar looked around in confusion for a moment as Ash smiled. Aerodactyl burst through the trees a second later and made a beeline towards Rico for daring to harm its trainer.

The prehistoric Pokemon collided with the man which completely knocked him off of his feet. Rico flew through the air and landed hard on his back a short distance away and gave a groan of pain. The Tyranitar and Fearow stood dumbfounded for a moment with how quickly that Aerodactyl had come out to save its trainer. Ash knew he had to take advantage of the situation.

"Great job, Aerodactyl!" Ash praised before he turned to the rest of the group. "Let's get out of here!"  
"Right!" the others agreed as they, Aerodactyl, Pikachu, and Togetic took off. Cubone stayed behind, though.

"Bone!" it cried in distress at leaving its own kind like this.

"Cubone, we have to get out of here! We'll come back to save the other Cubone later! I promise!" Serena said.

Cubone didn't listen, though. It wanted to stay and fight. Feeling what Cubone was about to do, Serena picked it up and carried it with her. There was no way Cubone could take on a dangerous Pokemon hunter and his equally dangerous Pokemon by itself.

As Cubone was carried off, it felt so helpless. It thought it had grown in its time with Serena, and while that may be true, that didn't change the fact that it was helpless and could do nothing to save the ones it cared about. It always had to rely on others to help it out rather than do those things itself.

"Grrrr…you brats aren't getting away from me this time!" Rico hollered, now having recovered from his brief shock. His Pokemon must've also came to their senses as the group could hear them screeching and roaring.

The group ignored the man, however, and kept running. They could hear Rico start up the engine on his jeep again and knew they had to lose him quickly. They went between a huge thicket of trees, and Ash had to return Aerodactyl because it was too big to fit through. The group continued wading through the many trees and brush. They were a getting a few small scratches from the thorns due to how thick this part of the wooded mountain was, but that was better than Rico finding them. They continued on for another few minutes until they could hear the sound of the jeep's engine no more.

"Phew…that was close," Ash panted as he held his chest for support.

"I can't believe someone like him is on the loose again," Misty added.

"We should definitely call for the police," Brock suggested as he flipped open his Pokegear. The tanned teen then frowned to himself. "You're kidding me."

"What's wrong?" Serena asked.

"I'm not getting any service for phone calls on this mountain with all the trees in the way," Brock answered.

The group all checked their Pokegears, as well, and saw they were in the same predicament. That complicated things a lot with someone like Rico driving around and back to his evil poaching ways.

"I guess we'll have to get closer to main trail and out of these woods to get service," Serena figured.

"And right out into the open where Rico can find us," Misty muttered.

"Well, we can't stay in these woods forever," Brock reasoned.

"Brock's right. We have to find a place where we can get service and hopefully avoid Rico," Ash agreed.

Cubone then forcefully squeezed itself from Serena's arms and hopped to the ground. It glared in the direction where Rico's engine was last heard and let out a soft growl. How dare that evil man poach and harm its kind. Cubone wouldn't stand for it. Serena saw Cubone's expression and gave it a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry about the others, Cubone," Serena told it, "But we're going to do our best to save them. Once we're able to call the police on Rico, they'll be released once he's arrested."

"Bone," Cubone mumbled and looked down to the ground. Somehow, Serena's words didn't reassure it. Who knows how long that could take? By then, its friends could be long gone.

"We can't go face Rico head on like this. He's too dangerous," Serena said as she knelt down and patted Cubone's head. "Everything will turn out fine, though."

"Cubone," Cubone sighed, but it relented.

"We better get a move on," Ash spoke up once he felt the issue was resolved.

With that, the group set off to try to find a more open area where they could use their Pokegear. Serena got out Cubone's pokeball to return it, but Cubone refused. Understanding that Cubone wanted to remain out to see this whole thing through, Serena nodded her head. She then tucked the pokeball back in her belt as Cubone walked beside her. Serena just hoped that Cubone listened to her and wouldn't try anything rash.

It took the group about twenty minutes, but they had finally found an open spot where they could receive service. They took this opportunity to sit down and rest for a little bit. Brock flipped open his Pokegear and dialed for the local police while the others watched. They supposed they would just wait here until Rico was caught. Brock would give the police their location and where they last saw Rico so they would be alerted when the area was deemed safe for them to travel again.

While Brock was on the phone, the group looked around and couldn't help but realize how quiet everything had gotten since they saw Rico. Before, the area had been rich with wild Pokemon and had a sunny atmosphere to it. Now, they hadn't seen a single other Pokemon since their encounter, and there were clouds that had formed above them which took away the sunlight. It was amazing how much the atmosphere could change after a single unwanted meeting.

"Toge, Toge," Togetic said gloomily.

"It's okay, Togetic. I doubt Rico will find us out here. We're too well hidden," Ash reassured it.

Pikachu then went over to Togetic and patted it on the back to show it that they were all here for each other. The yellow rodent then noticed Cubone sitting silently a bit further away from the group and figured it could use a little cheering up.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu said brightly.

"Bone," Cubone replied shortly.

Pikachu hung its ears and attempted to converse with Cubone again. However, all Cubone would do was give short answers like the first one. The lonely Pokemon had always looked up to Pikachu ever since Serena caught it, so for Pikachu to see Cubone acting this way did upset it. After a few more tries of talking to it, Cubone finally had enough and turned its head away. It was in no mood to feel happy at the moment. It wouldn't feel happy until it knew that Rico was captured and that the other Cubone were free.

"Chuuuuu," Pikachu sighed and slumped back over where Ash was. By that time, Brock had just gotten off the Pokegear.

"The police have actually been searching Mt. Mortar the past couple of days for Rico. I just told them where we last saw him so they'll be actively searching that area. Then again, Rico is on a jeep so he may not even be near here anymore," Brock reported.

"So, no one has any idea where this guy is in Mt. Mortar? This place is huge," Ash figured.

"Yeah, but they're sending an Officer Jenny over to our location, and she'll escort us the rest of the way through Mt. Mortar," Brock nodded.

"Great! We won't be stuck here, after all," Misty smiled.

Cubone hardened its expression at that information. So, they were concerned about just getting through Mt. Mortar safely and not rescuing its kind? There wasn't even a guarantee that they would find that evil man soon. How could Cubone go on past this area without making sure any of the other Cubone were safe? It couldn't! Cubone's nature of not wanting to see any more of its kind suffer after what happened to its mother was winning over.

Well, if Serena, Brock, Misty, Ash, or even Pikachu and Togetic wouldn't help, then Cubone would have to do it itself. The lonely Pokemon took a brief glance at the others to make sure no one had their attention on it. Then Cubone quietly got up and hurried off in the direction it believed was the way to Rico. Cubone would save them and protect them. It would do for them what it couldn't do for its mother.

"They should have Officer Jenny here in about an thirty minutes," Brock continued.

"I guess we'll chill out here until then," Ash shrugged and slung his backpack off his shoulders and sat down so he was more comfortable with the rest of the group following suit.

Ash opened his backpack and pulled out a package of peanut butter crackers to hand to Pikachu and Togetic. The two Pokemon took it and ate happily. He then offered some to Brock and Misty who refused before he showed them to Serena.

"I don't want any, but Cubone might. It seems to be having a hard day," Serena said before she turned to where Cubone was, only to find it wasn't there. "Cubone?"

At this, the rest of the group started glancing around the small clearing to try to find any sign of the lonely Pokemon. However, they couldn't find it anywhere. It soon became quite clear that Cubone was no longer in the clearing. Serena soon got a worried look on her face and stood up to call out to it.

"Cubone!" she cried.

"Did Cubone run off? Why would it do that?" Misty wondered.

"I don't know," Serena muttered before her eyes widened in horror. "Unless…you don't think Cubone decided to go after Rico on its own, do you?"

"I really hope not. I know Cubone really wants to save the other Cubone, but surely it knows the danger," Ash said.

"I don't think it matters to Cubone when you consider its background," Brock spoke up and folded his arms. "Cubone saw its mother shot right before its eyes. We all know that the fact that Cubone was unable to protect is mother has weighed heavily on it for a long time. Though it's gotten easier, it's something Cubone has never truly forgiven itself for. Now, the past has come back to haunt it in the form of Rico poaching other Cubone, and it doesn't want to feel powerless to protect anymore."

"Then we've got to find it! Cubone isn't strong enough to take Rico on his Pokemon on its own!" Serena exclaimed in worry.

"I'll send out Aerodactyl to look for it!" Ash said and went to summon his Aerodactyl again, but Brock stopped him.

"Wait, Ash. Rico knows you have an Aerodactyl now. If he sees Aerodactyl scouting in the sky, it'll give away our location," he warned.

"I'll have to search for it on foot then!" Serena stated as she put the egg canister in her backpack.

"I'll come with you," Ash told her and turned to Brock and Misty. "You two stay here in case Officer Jenny comes."

"Are you two going to be alright on your own?" Misty asked.

"We'll have to be," Ash sighed before he turned to Pikachu and Togetic. "You two should come, too. We'll need Pikachu's scent track Cubone."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded and hurried over to Ash's side. It would've come regardless of whether Ash asked it or not, and it was soon joined by Togetic who felt the same way.

Pikachu then sniffed through the air for a moment. Though it wasn't as good at tracking a Pokemon's scent as Houndour was if Ash had it with him, Pikachu still had a good record of finding other Pokemon of the group. The yellow rodent then perked its ears up and pointed off to its left. Ash and Serena then nodded and turned back to Brock and Misty.

"We'll be back soon! Cubone couldn't have gone far! " Serena said before she, Ash, Pikachu, and Togetic took off.

"Be careful," Misty said as she and Brock watched the four disappear into the trees.

* * *

Cubone wandered throughout Mt. Mortar as it used the best of its senses to try to find the other Cubone. The lonely Pokemon knew they weren't free yet and could still feel their distress in the air just like it could before it even knew about the situation. Because it couldn't track scent like Pikachu could, all Cubone had were its instincts.

One would think an evil Pokemon hunter who was poaching wouldn't be hard to find and that the police would've caught him by now, but that wasn't the case. Cubone had been running along for about an hour now and still hadn't found him. Cubone also knew that Serena and the others probably knew it was missing shortly after it left and would probably be right on its heels if it stopped.

Cubone figured it would get a good scolding from Serena for running off which was fine as long as Cubone rescued the others first. It couldn't stop for that reason. Cubone was tired of running through the thickets and the rocks, but its desire to help the other Cubone was stronger.

Cubone then stopped when it saw a jeep parked behind a thicket of trees. Cubone's eyes lit up that was actually able to find a clue. It then darted behind a few trees and peered around them to try to find the captured others. Cubone wasn't able to see them, but it could still sense they were there. The lonely Pokemon quickly glanced around to make sure Rico wasn't there before it crept towards the jeep.

It then inspected the jeep for anything out of the ordinary. Cubone then narrowed its eyes when it noticed how the background around the back of the jeep looked strange compared to the surroundings. It got a little closer and realized it was actually a camouflage blanket. To any casual passerby who wasn't looking for anything in particular, they wouldn't notice. For Cubone, though, who was expecting something, it couldn't be fooled.

Small arms reached out as Cubone began to tug on the camouflage blanket. It was a little heavy for Cubone's small size, but it still managed to pull the blanket off. Once the disguise was off, Cubone wasn't surprised to see the cage full of its own kind. Only this time, they looked different. While they were struggling and giving distressed cries from the cage before, here, they just looked so pitiful.

The various Cubone weren't even trying to put up a fight to get free anymore. They were just piled on one another with a completely defeated look in their eyes. They looked so weak. It hurt Cubone's heart to see them look this. It couldn't bear it anymore.

Cubone hopped up onto the seat of the jeep and climbed its way to the back until it reached the cage. It then reached out to touch the cage and immediately felt an electric shock. This didn't faze Cubone, however, as it was a ground-type. If this was the only defense that Rico had for his cage, Cubone knew it could free them as soon as it broke the lock.

It took the bone in its hand and immediately used a Bone Club attack. The bone smashed the lock of the cage, and the other Cubone looked up as Cubone opened the cage. It then hopped down and motioned for them to get out.

"Bone! Bone!" it called.

The Cubone began struggling as they tried to find their footing. It was extremely difficult, however. Cubone frowned when it realized they might need a little bit of help. It hopped back up to where the cage was before it grabbed another Cubone's hand to help it break free from the pile. It took a little bit, but Cubone finally managed to yank it free.

The two Cubone toppled over the edge of the jeep and fell to the ground. Serena's Cubone immediately got up and checked its comrade's condition. It appeared to be weak and tired, but it was nothing a good meal and rest wouldn't fix. Thankfully, it was nothing serious, and Cubone was sure the others were the same way, as well.

Cubone went back up to the cage to begin to assist the others in getting out of the tight fit cage. It was just about to have the second one out when they all froze in fear. Serena's Cubone sensed this, as well, and turned around just as a hand reached out and grabbed it by its throat. It was then brought around to face its captor and could see the snarling face of Rico, along with his Fearow and Tyranitar.

"Going somewhere?" he sneered.

"Booooone," Cubone growled.

"Heh. I really need to stop leaving my property unsupervised if scum like you is going to keep coming along. Maybe I should leave my Tyranitar in charge. It'll make sure nothing happens while I'm gone," Rico muttered to himself as Tyranitar gave a soft roar for emphasis.

Cubone struggled as it tried break free from Rico's grasp, but it was too tight. The single Cubone that was freed tried to make a run for it, but Rico's Fearow was quick to spot it and immediately snatched it up before throwing it back in the cage.

"Cubone!" Cubone cried at the rough treatment of its kind.

"I've got a great idea. Since you're so concerned about your friends, I'll let you stay here with them. You can join them in that cage!" Rico grinned evilly as made his way over to the cage to shove Cubone in.

Cubone didn't let that happen, though. It lifted its bone up and slammed it as hard as it could on Rico's hand. The man gave a yell of pain as he released Cubone, and the lonely Pokemon fell to the ground. It then got in a defensive stance.

"Grrrr…I'm really angry now," Rico growled as he held his throbbing hand. "Tyranitar, teach that little punk a lesson, and make it quick. I don't want this commotion to capture the police's attention!"

Tyranitar gave a roar before it stood in front of Rico and charged up a Hyper Beam. Cubone threw its bone at Tyranitar for a Bonemerang attack. The attack hit Tyranitar in the face before it came back and struck it again. The armor Pokemon growled in pain and annoyance from the super effective attack.

Though it was effective, Cubone simply didn't have enough power to break completely through Tyranitar's defenses. The armor Pokemon quickly recovered and finished its Hyper Beam and shot it towards Cubone. The lonely Pokemon was blasted off of its feet, and its back slammed into the jeep. It then slid down to the ground and shivered from the pain.

"You made a dent in my jeep," Rico snarled as he went over to the semiconscious Cubone and picked it up by the throat again and began shaking it violently back and forth. "This thing cost a fortune! What are you going to do about it!?"

Cubone gasped in pain as Rico's fist came around and punched it across the face. Cubone's head jerked to the side as Rico was taking short breaths in anger.

"That was for when you hit me. You should've just done as you were told and gotten in the cage with the others, but its too late. I don't need you alive for my client. A dead Cubone is just as good!" Rico snarled.

Cubone moaned in pain as it closed its eyes and prepared for the worst.

"Hyper Beam!"

This attack wasn't called by Rico or made by Tyranitar, however. A beam shot towards them and exploded near Rico's feet. The confusion caused Rico to drop Cubone to the ground and stumble backwards.

Cubone landed on the ground and looked up to see Serena, Ash, Pikachu, and Togetic come through trees, and they were followed by Aerodactyl who had apparently launched the Hyper Beam. It let out a weak smile. Everything would be okay now that they were here. They would save the Cubone.

Serena's eyes immediately saw Cubone, and she ran over to it and picked it up and cradled it in her arms. Cubone couldn't help but snuggle into her a little bit. It almost felt like how Serena would hold it when it was still a baby.

"Cubone, are you alright?!" Serena cried.

"Bone," it mumbled weakly.

"Don't run off like that again on your own to do something so dangerous! You've been hurt, now!" Serena said worriedly.

Cubone shut its eyes as it expected this. It couldn't help it, though.

"I'm really getting sick of you kids interfering with me," Rico breathed dangerously. "Tyranitar! Hyper Beam!"

"Get it, Aerodactyl!" Ash yelled as the prehistoric Pokemon flew forward and began to duel the Tyranitar.

The raven-haired boy then made a dash for the cage where all the other Cubone were kept, but Fearow squawked loudly and flew towards him. Pikachu, however, leaped in front of Ash and gave the Fearow a good shocking with Thunderbolt. The Fearow cried out in pain before it fell to the ground and coughed a little bit before going limp.

The cage was still open so Ash was able to reach into the cage and start pulling the Cubone out one by one. He had finally gotten them all out was about to tell them to make a run for it before he heard Serena scream.

The raven-haired boy turned and froze when he saw Rico now had his rifle out and was pointing it directly at Ash. Aerodactyl saw this, as well, and diverted its attention away from Tyranitar to save him, but the armor Pokemon used this to its advantage and launched a Stone Edge at Aerodactyl which slammed it into a tree and rendered it dazed.

"Aerodactyl!" Ash cried as Pikachu and Togetic stood in front of him protectively.

"Heh. What do those pipsqueaks think they can do?" Rico sneered before it morphed into a scowl. "My patience is up. If you don't take those Cubone and place them in the cage right now, I _will_ shoot, and that goes for your Pokemon and that girl, as well."

Ash gulped at that. He looked around and tried to find anyway out of the situation, but it didn't look like there was. Rico was the one holding the gun, and his Tyranitar was standing next to him like a body guard, ready to attack if asked to. He looked over at Aerodactyl who was still dazed and Serena and Cubone who were frozen in place.

"Do it!" Rico roared.

Ash grimaced and begrudgingly picked up the various weak Cubone and placed them back in the cage. He gave them all an apologetic look for doing this, but the most important thing was keeping everyone alive right now.

"Now, hand over your pokeballs," Rico ordered and turned to Serena. "You, too, and the egg!"

Knowing that Rico was serious about shooting them, Ash and Serena silently set all their pokeballs on the ground and Serena took her Pokemon egg out of her backpack and set it down, too. They then reached their hands up in the air in surrender. Rico then went and scooped up all the pokeballs and Serena's egg and returned Ash's Aerodactyl before carelessly throwing them all in the back of his jeep. Both Pikachu and Togetic looked around for a way to retrieve them, but a roar from Tyranitar held them in place.

"Good. Good," Rico smirked. "You're all completely defenseless."

"So, what now?" Ash uttered.

"Oh, I don't see a reason to keep you all around anymore. I'm free to kill you," Rico grinned evilly as he raised his rifle and pointed at Serena. "I'll start with her!"

"Nooooo!" Ash yelled, but a quick Hyper Beam from Tyranitar quickly blasted Ash, Pikachu, and Togetic which silenced them.

Serena's eyes widened in panic, but they were nothing compared to Cubone. No. This couldn't be happening again. Cubone was living its worst nightmare all over. It had been so devastated it couldn't protect its mother from being killed. Now, it finally found a new family, and Cubone was about to lose them, too.

Tears fell from Cubone's eyes. It was completely helpless. It was powerless. It was a failure. It couldn't save anyone then, and it couldn't save them now. Cubone shut its eyes and felt like a complete coward as it couldn't bear to watch something like this all over again.

XXX

 _Cubone was in a daze, or was it in a dream? Was this just all in its head? Cubone wasn't sure._

 _The lonely Pokemon looked around, and it gave a silent gasp at who was. The fact that no sounds escaped Cubone's mouth confirmed that everything was in its head, but that didn't matter._

 _Standing before Cubone was an adult female Marowak. To be precise, its real mother. Had it died and gone to heaven where she was? Was it already killed and didn't know it? This was so unreal. Cubone didn't think it would ever see its mother again, but here it was._

 _Cubone took a few tentative steps forward before it ran the short distance to its mother and hugged her tightly. The mother Marowak returned the gesture, and Cubone felt the warmth of its touch. The lonely pokemon sniffed as it cried silently. This was the most joyful moment in its life since it lost its mother._

 _Cubone's mother then gently brushed the tears away from her son's eyes and gave a firm nod, and Cubone gasped. The Marowak was telling Cubone what it had to do. It had to go back out there and protect its surrogate mother and its own kind._

 _Cubone hung its head as it didn't feel much like a hero at the moment. It had failed to protect everyone, but the mother Marowak shook its head which forced Cubone to look up at it. It then nodded its head again. Marowak was telling Cubone to be strong and that it could save Serena and everyone else if it tried. Just because things looked grim now didn't mean something couldn't turn around. Cubone just had to believe it could protect them, and it would._

 _Cubone sniffed again as it realized its mother was right. It may not have been able to save its mother in the past, but that was a long time ago. Cubone had grown a lot since then, and it wanted to make its mother proud of it. Cubone was going to save them! It knew it could. It wasn't going to just lay down and let all of its loved ones get killed anymore!_

 _The lonely Pokemon then saw its mother fading away. Though it hurt to see it go again, Cubone was okay. It did a quick thank you in its mind for its mother and knew what it had to do._

XXX

Serena's scream filled the air, and Cubone didn't waste any time. It summoned up its weak state and found a new energy to protect everyone. Cubone threw its bone forward as quickly as it could. The bone spun threw the air like a bullet itself and slammed into Rico's hands which made him drop the gun and and he fell to the ground in pain.

The resulting drop caused the gun to give misfire, and a hole was blown into the Pokemon hunter's jeep which started a gas leak, but no one seemed to notice. The bone, meanwhile, spun back, and Cubone expertly caught it in its hand.

"Cubone!" Serena cried as he looked down gratefully and gasped when it began to glow white.

Cubone grew larger as did the bone it was holding. Serena stared in awe. After all this time, her little Cubone was evolving. When it was done glowing, Cubone had evolved into Marowak!

"Cubone…you…," Serean started, but a roar from Rico's Tyranitar got their attention.

The Tyranitar had stepped up and prepared to launch another Hyper Beam. Marowak held out its hand in front of Serena protectively to indicate for her to stay back. In then threw its bone extremely quick like a bullet again, and Tyranitar was smacked in the head, and that time it hurt a lot worse than when Marowak was a Cubone!

Marowak then leaped into the air and caught its bone before it descended. The bone keeper Pokemon landed on Tyranitar's back and began to use Bone Club repeatedly.

Tyranitar roared in pain with each successive hit before Marowak leaped off its back and gave an extra hard swing with its Bone Club. Tyranitar was knocked backwards until it tripped over and slammed into Rico's jeep. The force caused the jeep to begin to tip over where Rico was still on the ground. Rico saw this, and he growled in anger.

The Pokemon hunter tried to get up and scramble out of the way, but he wasn't quick enough. The jeep fell onto his legs which completely pinned him. The evil man shouted in pain and tried to reach for his gun, but it was just out of his reach. Tyranitar, for its part, was knocked out.

The resulting tip of the jeep caused the cage to spill over on to the ground. The weakened Cubone then used this opportunity to try to get out. Marowak and Serena went over to help them, and Serena made sure to get her egg canister and she and Ash's Pokemon, as well. By this time, Ash, Pikachu, and Togetic were waking up, and they looked around wildly before their eyes fell on Marowak, Serena, and all the Cubone.

"Serena…you're okay, and everyone else is, too!" Ash cried as received his pokeballs back from Serena.

"That's right, and its thanks to Marowak here," Serena smiled as knelt down and hugged Marowak.

"So Cubone evolved?" Ash asked.

"It sure did, and it saved everyone and took care of Rico!" Serena grinned.

Marowak blushed at all the praise it was getting. Still it felt good, and Marowak breathed a sigh of relief. It finally had the strength to protect those who were important to it. Marowak was then startled when it saw all the Cubone who were captured gather around it and began to cheer. Marowak looked around in amazement that they were all looking at Marowak like it was some sort of hero.

"Looks like you have a fan club, Marowak," Serena smiled.

"Maro," Marowak nodded.

"You brats think it ends here!" Rico shouted from underneath his jeep.

"I think it does," Ash confirmed. "The police should be here anytime to take you back to jail where you belong!"

"Grrr…," Rico growled angrily before he turned, and his eyes widened in panic. The group followed suit, and their eyes widened in panic, as well.

The gas leak that had been spilling out from the gunshot was flowing and getting dangerously close to one of the small fires created from all the Hyper Beams that had been launched recently.

"Oh, shoot! We got to get out of here!" Ash cried.

Knowing there was no time to help Rico, not that they really wanted to, the group and their Pokemon ran as fast as they could and ducked behind some trees a suitable distance away. Rico, meanwhile, was yelling and cursing and doing his best to try to get out from underneath the jeep, but he was completely stuck. Not to mention, his Pokemon were out cold and couldn't help him, either.

The man then turned in panic one last time as the gas touched the fire. Knowing what was about to happen, both Ash and Serena covered their eyes. There was loud boom as an explosion was created. The smoke went sky high as flames erupted and engulfed Rico's jeep, as well as anything around it. Tyranitar was made of rock and would only receive a few injuries. Fearow was a safe enough distance away to avoid the worst of it. Rico, however…

Ash and Serena took a peek around the trees and could see the flames roaring and licking its way further into the jeep. There was no way Rico survived that. They couldn't even see his body if it was even still there. Ash gave a deep breath and sent out his Croconaw to put out the fire before it began to spread.

The group then turned around and saw Brock and Misty coming towards them with an Officer Jenny right behind them. Upon seeing the group, both Brock and Misty sighed in relief as Officer Jenny looked around in confusion.

"What's going on here? Your friends told us you all were in danger," Officer Jenny said.

"Well, we were. We were almost killed by Rico, but Marowak saved us," Serena replied and gestured down to the bonekeeper Pokemon.

"Is that your Cubone? It evolved?" Misty gasped.

"It sure did, and it was amazing," Serena nodded.

"So where is Rico?" Officer Jenny asked as she pulled out her handcuffs, ready to arrest him.

"He's…," Ash trailed as he turned back to the scene as Croconaw was putting out the last of the flames.

Officer Jenny understood the message and slowly nodded her head and put away her handcuffs. "I see," she said solemnly. She then went over and tried to search for a body and control the damage while the rest stayed behind

"So Rico's…dead?" Misty asked for confirmation.

"Yeah. There's no way he could've survived that," Ash sighed and clenched his fists. "He was despicable until the very end."

"Some people are like that," Brock said and went to place his hands on Ash's shoulders. "Sometimes, we need to do what needs to be done, even when it isn't pretty."

"I wanted to see him live to regret all the evil he had done," Ash muttered.

"Is it the same way with Giovanni? Do you want him to live?" Serena couldn't help but ask.

There was a pause before Ash answered. "Yeah. I want him to answer for everything, too," Ash responded. "We will stop him when he comes back."

Meanwhile, all the Cubone had gathered once again around Marowak and started cheering for it. Marowak looked around and saw the adoration in their eyes and the pleading look in them. Marowak knew exactly what they were wanting, and its mouth hung open. It then took a look up at Serena and back at the other Cubone.w Yes. It truly had ones it could protect now.

Serena took notice of this, and she saw the needy look in the Cubone and how they truly looked up to her Marowak. They really did need it, and when she saw Marowak nod its head, Serena inhaled sharply as she knew what it meant.

* * *

The group was now back at the main trail, and Marowak and all the other Cubone hung back and watched them. Serena and Marowak stared at one another as they knew what this was. Serena and the others would be continuing on their journey through Johto, but Marowak wouldn't be coming with them.

"You're…staying here?" Serena asked.

"Marowak," Marowak confirmed with a nod.

"I see. I understand, though. These other Cubone really need you a lot more than me to protect them. I know you'd be able to do that." Serena said as she tried to force herself not to cry. "Marowak…you've become so strong. I'm proud of you."

Marowak's eyes watered at that. Serena…its surrogate mother…was proud of it. Marowak had never heard anything so wonderful in its life. It had grown from a whiny, lonely Cubone who needed to be fed with a bottle into a strong Marowak who had the strength to protect others when it couldn't before. Marowak then ran to Serena, and Serena knelt down, and the two enveloped each other in a big hug.

"Oh, Marowak! I'm going to miss you so much!" Serena cried.

"Maro!" Marowak replied.

"I know…this is for the best, though. All those Cubone really need you. Your real mother…would be very proud of you. You've grown so much," Serena wept.

The two stayed in their hug for a full minute while the group watched. They finally released each other, and Pikachu and Togetic made their way over to Marowak.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled and held up its arm for a high five.

"Maro!" Marowak nodded and used its free hand to high five Pikachu back before the two hugged each other, as well.

Togetic flew up to Marowak, and the bonekeeper Pokemon gave it a mock skeptical look. The two hadn't been on the best of terms at first because Marowak had viewed Togetic as the baby to take its place, but it didn't feel that way anymore. Marowak gave a nod to Togetic and shook its hand, which made Togetic happy.

Marowak then walked back over to the Cubone, and they all hugged it for choosing to stay with them. Serena watched the scene with a sad smile and wiped her eyes. Marowak caught her gaze and two continued to look at each other. It was always hard to say goodbye…especially to someone who you've known since they were a baby.

The group finally turned around, and began to walk way from Marowak and the Cubone. Ash, Misty, and Brock turned and waved goodbye to it, as well.

"Catch ya later!" Ash called.

"Take care!" Misty added.

"Continue to be strong, Marowak!" Brock said.

The group then turned back around and face forward. Once they did, Ash gave a sigh.

"Man. After all this time…and all of this happens," he said.

"What do you mean?" Misty wondered.

"Serena's Marowak is staying here…and…," Ash began before he paused and cried out. "I've been searching all day for a Phanpy and still haven't found one!"

"Heh. I think I can help you with that," Brock smirked and reached into his backpack and pulled out an object, and Ash's eyes widened.

"A Pokemon egg?" Ash questioned.

"Not just any Pokemon egg," Brock answered. "Check the coloring."

Ash inspected the egg, and he grinned in excitement. It was light gray which was the exact same coloring as a Phanpy. Not only that, but the egg was glowing which meant that it was going to hatch very soon, as well.

"A Phanpy egg!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yeah. We found that after you left with Serena. Now that everything's calmed down, I think now is a good time to give it to you," Brock smiled.

"Yeah! Thanks a lot, Brock!" Ash grinned. "Now, I can finally have a ground-type on my team!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"Toge!" Togetic added.

"That's right! We'll have some new friends, soon!" Ash agreed.

"Yeah...with my egg, too," Serena muttered as she looked down at her own glowing egg. By adding a new friend, she would be leaving one. Serena turned back again and saw Marowak was almost out of sight now. Fearing that she would change her mind and be selfish to run back and get it, Serena faced forward and made her resolve.

"Goodbye, Marowak," she whispered.

Meanwhile, Marowak had its arm raised in farewell, and when the group disappeared, it slowly lowered its arm and sighed. Marowak then looked back to all the Cubone behind and realized this was its new family, and it would be their parent. It would really miss Serena, but this was right.

There was a small breeze that blew by, and Marowak looked up and smiled with how good it felt. There was then a sound that filled Marowak's ears, and if Marowak didn't know better, that sound was just like its mother. Was it voicing her approval of how strong its become?

Marowak closed its eyes in contentment as a sing tear rolled down its cheek. Thank you, mother. Thank you, Serena, for everything. Thank you for helping it find its destiny…to grow up and have the strength to protect its kind.

* * *

 **Marowak's departure was planned from the very beginning ever since Serena got it. This proved to be the best character development for it, and it goes out with a bang. I'll miss writing about the little guy, but who knows what may happen one day?**

 **I know Phanpy's egg appearing so suddenly seemed a little strange, but it will be explained more next chapter when Phanpy hatches. This chapter was just running a long time length-wise and I didn't want to take away from the emotional scene with Serena and Marowak.**

 **This is actually one of the few deaths I think I've actually wrote in this fic. Rico's death wasn't the one I was talking about in the beginning, however. There is still a more prominent character who will have that happen to them.**

 **Well, Ash finally got the Phanpy egg, and Serena has her egg. Both are hatching next chapter, and then Mahogany Town is after that one! It'll be out later in November! Until then, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 52: The Fearful and the Fearless**


	52. The Fearful and the Fearless

**A/N: Happy belated Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. Now a cheesy word from the author! What is among one of the things I'm thankful for? You guys! I can't do this story without you...whether it's pointing out errors that I somehow missed or praising how much you like the fic! Thanks a lot! Now with that, please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter 52: The Fearful and the Fearless

Ash was staring eagerly at the Phanpy egg in front of him as it continued to glow. The raven-haired boy wanted to stop and not move from his spot until the egg was hatched. The group wasn't quite sure if that was a good idea or not. Some eggs could take a few days to hatch even after they start glowing. If that was the case, they would get behind. They were still making great time to get to Mahogany Town and Serena's next contest, but if they hung around Mt. Mortar too long, she would have little time to prepare.

Speaking of Serena, she had been rather quiet today. It was only the day after she had released Marowak. While she knew it was for the best, it still hurt to let go of a Pokemon she had raised since it was a baby. Still, Serena tried to look on the bright side. Marowak had grown into a strong Pokemon who could protect others, and Serena knew she would now have a new Pokemon to raise when her own egg hatched.

Serena was watching her glowing egg calmly which was a stark contrast to how Ash was. Ash picked up his glowing egg and walked over to Serena before he sat down and placed his egg next to her. He then gave her a wide smile which Serena couldn't help but return.

"Wouldn't it be cool if our eggs hatched at the same time, Serena?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. It would. They would be like twins," Serena replied.

"I'm so pumped!" Ash said as Pikachu and Togetic joined him.

Still, a question did come to Ash. He had been so excited to receive the Phanpy egg yesterday from Brock that he forgot to ask something fairly obvious.

"Hey, Brock. Where did you get this egg anyway?" Ash questioned. "You aren't the type to just take an egg without asking."

Brock nearly snorted up his bottled water as he tried not to laugh. "No, Ash. I didn't take the egg from its mother. It was given to me by Officer Jenny."

"Oh. I thought you said you found it," Ash said.

"Well, I did, technically," Brock answered as he recalled the events to Ash.

XXX

 _"I hope they haven't gotten lost out there. I feel so helpless while we sit here and wait," Misty sighed._

 _"I don't like it, either, Misty. We have to be here for Officer Jenny, though. Maybe we can lead her to where Rico is if we follow Ash and Serena. Then he can be back in jail," Brock replied._

 _It had been almost twenty minutes since Ash and Serena left. With each passing minute that Officer Jenny didn't appear felt like an eternity. Misty and Brock were fidgeting quite a bit as they waited._

 _The two then heard a noise of what sounded like rustling bushes, and they looked up to see Officer Jenny finally appear into the clearing. She wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead before she gave Brock and Misty a serious expression. Despite apparently walking quite a distance, Officer Jenny still got down to business._

 _"Are you kids safe? Wait…weren't there four of you?" she asked in confusion._

 _"There were, but one of their Pokemon ran off, and they had to search for it! We're worried they'll run into Rico! You have to help us!" Misty cried._

 _"Slow down! We'll find them! Show me where they went," Officer Jenny said as she motioned with her hands for Misty to settle down._

 _"We'll lead you the way they took as best as we can," Brock replied as he stood up and slung his backpack over his shoulder._

 _"I better prepare in case we do run into him," Officer Jenny mentioned as she took off her own backpack before she unzipped it and rummaged through it._

 _As she made her way through the bag, something caught Brock's eye. The Pokemon Breeder peered closer, and he smiled when he saw what it was._

 _"I see you're taking care of a Pokemon egg," he observed._

 _"Oh? Yes, I am," Officer Jenny said off-handedly before she added, "It's a Phanpy egg. With Rico on the loose, we've found a lot of isolated Pokemon eggs."_

 _"What kind of parents would leave behind their babies like that?" Misty questioned a little angrily._

 _"I don't think the parents abandoned them, Misty…if you know what I mean," Brock sighed._

 _Misty got the gist of what Brock was saying and hung her head. Rico had been out of jail, and he was apparently poaching Cubone when they saw him, but who knows what he was poaching before the group saw him. If he had gone after Donphan before, the Phanpy eggs lying around in strange places would make sense. It would also explain why they hadn't seen any wild Phanpy or Donphan so far._

 _"That's horrible," Misty muttered sadly._

 _"We try everything we can to find these eggs' parents. We use Growlithe to track scent, and sometimes we're successful, and other times…we aren't," Officer Jenny frowned. "This poor little guy is one of those cases. I was thinking of hatching it and raising it myself."_

 _With that, Officer Jenny took out a pair of handcuffs and placed them in her back pocket and got a couple of pokeballs ready before she zipped up the bag. The three then set off in search of Ash, Serena, and Cubone. They were moving rather briskly due to the urgency of the situation. Still, as they were running, Brock had a thought._

 _"Officer Jenny, would you by any chance be willing to part with that egg if I told you about a very special trainer whom I could promise would take really good care of it?" Brock questioned._

XXX

"…And there you go," Brock smiled as he finished.

"Wow. Thanks, Brock. You rule," Ash said gratefully as he turned back his egg.

"So, Officer Jenny was ready to give it to you?" Serena questioned.

"Not quite. I told her a lot about Ash and his accomplishments. She then agreed to give me the egg after she met Ash for herself and if we assisted her in stopping Rico. Once she met Ash, she knew he was the type of trainer I told her about who cared deeply for Pokemon. She had no qualms about letting you have it after that," Brock explained before he added sneakily. "Then…I just hid it from Ash in my backpack until the time was right."

"I really owe you one, Brock. Thanks," Ash said again.

"Just looking out for my little buddy," Brock grinned as they fist bumped.

"Still, if what Officer Jenny said is true, that meant that this Pokemon is an orphan," Misty frowned. "Just like Cubone was."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air at that. It made the group wonder what kind of Pokemon Ash's Phanpy would turn out to be. It was quite an unpredictable situation. Would it be a shy and withdrawn Pokemon? Would it know that Ash really wasn't its parent and immediately distrust him? Would it think of Ash like a dad like Togetic?

"Man. I just hope it's healthy and happy," Ash said after a moment.

"That's what we all wish for," Brock nodded.

"I think whatever's inside my egg should be okay," Serena spoke up. "Professor Oak's been taking really good care of it, and so have I. It's been very comfortable since I got it from the Battle Chateau."

"Yeah. What Pokemon experience inside their eggs can affect their personality," Brock noted.

That was when the two eggs started shining brightly. Everyone then gathered around the eggs as they knew what was about to happen. Ash, Serena, Pikachu, and Togetic were closest to the eggs while Brock and Misty sat behind them. They didn't want to overwhelm the baby Pokemon by having too large of a crowd around them right at birth. It was still exciting, though.

"Awesome! I finally can get a Phanpy!" Ash grinned.

"And I'll finally see what's inside this egg," Serena added.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu muttered in awe.

"It would've been pretty neat if your Pokemon egg hatched in a few days instead," Misty noted. "That way you three could share a birthday."

It was true. Ash's thirteenth birthday was only two days away. They would reach Mahogany Town by then, and there were quite a few things they would be able to do once they got there. They wanted to make it a special day for Ash. However, Ash was too transfixed on his Phanpy egg about to hatch to think about it.

"Yeah, but it still gets to share a birth date with Serena's egg so they'll be like twins," Ash replied.

Ash's egg then began to take shape as the group heard a few cracks. There was then another flash of light, and the group had to shield their eyes. When they lowered their arms, in place of Ash's egg was a Phanpy.

"Phanpy," it said happily.

"Awesome! It's finally here!" Ash smiled as he got a closer look.

"Piiiiika!" Pikachu greeted as it went over to say hi.

Unfortunately, Phanpy took it as a sign Pikachu wanted to play. It gave a delighted cry before running over and tackling Pikachu. They yellow rodent flew backwards a few feet before landing on its back. Phanpy then looked over at Togetic to see if it wanted to play, too, but the happiness Pokemon shyly backed away after seeing what happened to Pikachu.

"Heh. I guess Phanpy doesn't know its own strength yet. It just hatched, after all," Ash told Pikachu.

"Piiika," Pikachu mumbled, quite dazed.

"Don't worry about that, Phanpy. I'm sure we're going to be great friends!" Ash said.

"Phanpy!" Phanpy smiled and did a few jumps of joy.

"Here how about some tasty Pokemon food, made by yours truly," Brock offered and showed Phanpy some of the food.

Phanpy took a few quick sniffs before it hurried over and began eating. As the group watched it eat, Ash couldn't help but wonder something.

"You know, I've noticed that Phanpy isn't needing to be nurtured like other baby Pokemon we've had before like Togetic and Marowak," he noticed.

"That's right. Some Pokemon, like Phanpy, are strong to begin with. They still need to be taken care of, though. All baby Pokemon are built with great trust so the last thing you want to do is do something that would break that trust," Brock warned.

"Right," Ash agreed as he reached his hand out once Phanpy finished the food.

Phanpy looked at Ash for a moment and stared curiously at him. The raven-haired boy figured this was a good time to let Phanpy get used to his touch. If they were going to have battles and train together, this was quite important. Seeing that Phanpy didn't move away, Ash extended his hand until he rested it on Phanpy's head. The long nose Pokemon gave a contented sigh as Ash rubbed it on its head.

"How's that feel, Phanpy?" Ash asked it.

"Phanpy," it said, relaxed.

Ash, Misty, and Brock then heard a gasp from Serena. They quickly turned around snd saw Serena staring sadly down at her egg. They soon noticed why. Unlike with Phanpy's egg which had hatched, Serena's egg had stopped glowing all together!

"I don't understand. What's wrong?" Serena muttered.

"Maybe it was a false alarm," Misty suggested.

"I doubt it," Brock said thoughtfully as he crossed his arms. "Serena's egg was ready to hatch without a doubt, but something stopped it."

"What do you think it was?" Ash asked as Phanpy looked on in curiosity, not really understanding anything.

"Maybe it needs some more warmth," Serena said as she placed it inside her long vest and wrapped it up with her arms.

"Hmm…," Brock mused.

"Something up, Brock?" Ash wondered.

Brock looked and saw the curious faces of Ash and Misty as well as the worried one of Serena. The tanned Pokemon breeder then realized he may be jumping to conclusions too soon. Maybe a little warmth was all it really needed.

"No. Let's see if what Serena said was true," Brock replied as the group visibly relaxed.

Phanpy nudged Ash's hand a little bit and forced it up until Ash's hand was on its head again. Ash looked down and smiled at the long nose Pokemon.

"Haha. I guess you like being rubbed on your head," Ash figured.

"Phanpy!" it nodded.

"Well, I don't think Phanpy's going to have any trouble fitting in with the group," Misty smiled.

"Definitely. Actually, I was a little worried about it due to Officer Jenny telling me it was an orphan, but it seems like it will be just fine," Brock nodded.

"That's right! You're strong and won't be afraid of anything, right?" Ash said to Phanpy.

"Phanpy!" it agreed, not really understanding what Ash said to it but knew it was something positive.

"Now we just need to hope the same for my Pokemon," Serena added as she rubbed the egg for more warmth.

Serena's egg began to shine bright once again, and the honey-haired girl prayed it would hatch this time. Not only was the suspense of what kind of Pokemon it was killing her, but she also wanted to make sure nothing was wrong with it.

The egg continued to shine brighter as it began to take shape, too. Serena then gave a slight gasp as the egg suddenly became a little heavy. She set it down on the ground as the egg completed its hatching. There was another flash, and in the egg's place was the new baby Pokemon of the group.

It was a small, green reptilian Pokemon with rocky skin. It had a blunt spike on its head with red scales that covered its stomach. Unlike Ash's new Phanpy who was standing up, this one was curled up and on its side.

"Lar," it mumbled.

"It's a Larvitar," Brock said.

"A Larvitar?" Serena questioned.

"Right. The chatelains weren't kidding when they said this Pokemon was rare. A Larvitar is the pre-evolved form of Pupitar and Tyraitar," Brock replied.

"Just like Rico's and Silver's," Ash mumbled, unable to help himself.

"Remember, Ash, it's the trainer that makes Pokemon who they are. I know we haven't had a good encounter with these types of Pokemon in the past, but we can be sure that Serena will raise it with love and care," Brock reassured.

"That's right!" Serena said brightly and leaned in towards Larvitar to give it a big smile. "It's nice to meet you, Larvitar! I'm Serena!"

Rather than uncurl itself and greet Serena, instead, Larvitar curled into an even tighter ball made made some sort of noise that sounded like a whimper. That was a little unexpected. Still undeterred by this, Serena continued to give a warm smile to it.

"It's okay, Larvitar. I'm just saying hi. No need to be shy," Serena tried as she reached out her hand to rub Larvitar.

That proved to be mistake. As soon as she touched it, Larvitar did indeed uncurl itself. However, it let out a loud screech. The group immediately covered their ears as even a few Pidgey scattered from nearby trees. Pikachu looked rather dizzy from Larvitar's ear-splitting cry as it had covered Phanpy's ears which left its own unprotected. Phanpy continued to laugh like it was a game while the rest of the group was grimacing.

"Well, that was pleasant," Ash muttered sarcastically.

"What was that all about? Larvitar isn't afraid of me, is it?" Serena asked, a little hurt.

"Hmmm…," Brock mused again as he scooted a little closer to Larvitar. As soon as he did, Larvitar looked away and clammed up.

"I don't think it's you, Serena. I think it's people in general," Brock stated.

"It's alright, Larvitar. We aren't going to hurt you. We promise," Serena said as she attempted to smile at Larvitar again.

Larvitar didn't respond and instead stayed clammed up. The group looked at each other in confusion. This wasn't normal behavior for a newly hatched Pokemon.

Pikachu then took it upon itself to try. Being a fellow Pokemon, maybe Larvitar wouldn't be afraid of it. They yellow rodent confidently walked over to Larvitar and offered it a paw to shake.

"Pika!" it said brightly.

"Lar…," Larvitar whimpered back and didn't even look at Pikachu.

Pikachu hung its ears at that. Was this Larvitar truly going to be afraid of everything? Phanpy greeted it just fine…albeit a little painfully. Why wasn't Larvitar doing the same?

"I don't get it, Brock. What's wrong with Larvitar?" Serena questioned, hoping he had an answer.

"I'm…at a complete loss," Brock replied. "I don't understand why Larvitar would be scared of us. Professor Oak took great care of it while it was still an egg at his lab. Even when you got it back, you made sure nothing bad happened to it. Based off of all the happiness it had while an egg, you would think Larvitar would be a happy Pokemon just like Phanpy."

The group looked back down at Larvitar who hadn't moved from its spot since it clammed up again. It was still hiding its face from everyone and…shivering? Not from cold, though. It was shivering from pure fear.

"Larvitar, won't you please look at me? I promise we won't hurt you," Serena said.

At that, Larvitar finally cracked one of its eyes open and peered at Serena. The honey-haired girl was giving it the most inviting smile she could muster, but it didn't appear to affect Larvitar. Serena figured this was a start if she at least got it to look at her.

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it. Come over here to me and say hello," Serena smiled as she opened her arms to give Larvitar a hug.

However, Larvitar instantly shut its eye and hardened up again. Serena dropped her arms to her side. She had raised this egg as best as she could while it was with her and was really looking forward to welcome it into this world. However, it seemed like Larvitar didn't even want to be in this world at the moment.

"Do you think this had something to do with Larvitar not hatching as fast as Phanpy?" Ash inquired.

"Probably so. Larvitar was ready to hatch just like Phanpy, but it forced itself not to so it could remain in the egg where it felt safer," Brock theorized.

"Larvitar, there's no reason to be scared," Serena told it.

Phanpy used this opportunity to get to know the new Pokemon. The long nose Pokemon could tell that this was a newborn, as well. It probably wanted to play just like it did. Phanpy gave a happy cry and charged forward.

Unfortunately, Phanpy still wasn't used to its own strength. It rammed into Larvitar which knocked Larvitar off its feet just like Pikachu before it. The group let out a horrified gasp once that happened. Larvitar hit the ground a few feet away, and it had a look of pure terror on its face. Larvitar immediately curled into a ball again, and the group could see…tears streaming down its face.

"Oh no. That's the last thing Larvitar needed right now," Brock muttered.

"Phanpy, you shouldn't have done that," Ash scolded.

"Phanpy?" it asked curiously. Why did this boy suddenly look unhappy with it? Didn't he like playing?

Ash sighed as he knew he had to be gentle. "I'm sorry, Phanpy. Let's just hold off on the playing for now."

"It's okay, Larvitar. Phanpy didn't mean any harm. It was just playing," Serena said as she tried to offer an explanation.

Larvitar didn't appear to be listening anymore. It was too busy crying. The group looked back and forth between the two baby Pokemon and realized they had a big problem on their hand. They would be sure to make a phone call to Professor Oak and ask what the problem was. Hopefully, he had some answers.

* * *

Professor Oak was currently having a cup of coffee with Delia and Grace. He had invited the two women over to his lab as everyone could use a break. It was something he did with the ladies at least once a week. With their kids away and husbands not around, Professor Oak made sure they were always welcome at his lab. Normally, Rose was with them, too, but she was too busy trying to help Yellow and Blue find Giovanni.

"Oh, Professor Oak. You're going to be doing another radio show in Goldenrod City soon, aren't you?" inquired Delia.

"Yes. I was invited by DJ Mary to come over. Heh. Mary also told me I have a new fan over there. She said the receptionist, Cassidy, has been asking her every day when my next show is so she can meet me," Professor Oak responded with a light chuckle before he added. "I'm not a celebrity."

"You're being modest, Professor Oak. There are several people who would like to meet you. You aren't called the world's authoritative on Pokemon for nothing," Grace smiled as she took a sip.

"Well, I won't deny that," Professor Oak replied with a smirk before he seemed to be in thought.

"What is it, Professor?" Delia asked curiously.

"The Radio Tower sure has a had a lot of new staff within the past year," Professor Oak said. "They also all want to meet me for some reason. The receptionist isn't the only one. All the new DJs, as well as one of the producers, Archer, maybe? They all want to meet me, as well."

"It's as Grace said, Professor. A lot of people want to meet you," Delia said.

"Haha, yes. I just think it will be a little overwhelming," Professor Oak replied with a laugh before he switched topics. "How would you ladies like to go with me to see this radio show? It will get you out of your houses for a change."

"Oh! I'd love to!" Delia smiled as she put her hands to her cheeks. "I'd love to visit all the stores that Goldenrod City has to offer!"

"Well, that's one yes," Professor Oak smiled before he turned to Grace. "How about you, Grace?"

"Thank you for the offer, Professor Oak, but I will decline this one. Ever since I retired from Rhyhorn Racing, I've never been for much travel. Besides, I've recently been to the Johto region to see my daughter, and that was enough for me," Grace responded with a sigh.

"Understandable," Professor Oak nodded. "I trust Tracey and Daisy to watch the lab just fine while I'm gone."

"Oh! I'll be in the same region as my two sons!" Delia beamed. "Just that thought alone is incentive enough to go!"

"We should definitely let Ash and his friends know," Professor Oak said, choosing not to acknowledge Silver. "I'm sure they'd love to come to Goldenrod to see the show."

"A wonderful idea, Professor!" Delia agreed as she finished her coffee and checked her watch. "Well, I better get back before Mimey tries to tend to the garden again. That's one thing it can't seem to get right."

"It needs a green thumb," Professor Oak chuckled.

"I need to be going, too, Professor. These coffee breaks are always such great stress relievers," Grace spoke as she stood up.

"The pleasure is always mine, ladies," Professor Oak replied.

Professor Oak then walked with Delia and Grace to the door and bid them farewell. The elderly professor then placed his hands in his pockets as he prepared for his afternoon duties. It seemed like one of them would be now be to prepare for his radio show. Though it wasn't happening immediately, it would be a good idea to figure out which topics he would want to discuss.

 _Ring! Ring!_

Professor Oak chuckled to himself. It seemed like that would have to wait until after he answered the phone call. Now that he thought about it, this would be the day when he predicted Serena's egg would hatch. That made Professor Oak smile, and he went over to his video phone in the next room so he could answer the call. He hoped it was Serena with the news. As he placed phone to his ear and turned it on, he did indeed see the face of Serena with Ash standing not too far behind her.

"Ah! Hello there!" Professor Oak greeted.

"Hi, Professor," Serena replied.

"I take it you're calling me about the egg?" Professor Oak hoped.

"Yeah. It hatched. It was a Larvitar," Serena said sadly which didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Is there something wrong? Do you not like it?" Professor Oak asked, concerned.

"No. That's not it. I'm very happy about the Pokemon…just like I would any other. I'm just…concerned about it," Serena corrected.

"About what?" the professor wondered.

"Is it normal for Larvitar to be shy and withdrawn when they are born?" Serena questioned.

Professor Oak rubbed his chin as he thought about it. The Larvitar line was one he could use a little more experience in so he didn't know the answer right off. Still, the question Serena was asking him apparently was important to her.

"No. Larvitar are actually very independent Pokemon. They are strong and ready to be trained as soon as they hatch," Professor Oak replied.

He then noticed that Serena and Ash exchanged glances and frowned in concern. Professor Oak then decided to address the matter a little more directly so he could figure out what was going on.

"Is everything alright with your Larvitar?" Professor Oak inquired.

"Well, it's healthy, but I've never seen such a scared Pokemon in my life, Professor. It's like Larvitar is scared of every little thing, and it clams up each time me or someone else tries to approach it,' Serena replied.

"This isn't normal," Professor Oak agreed with a nod.

"What could be wrong with it?" Serena cried in worry. "Larvitar shouldn't be acting like this! We've all taken such good care of it!"

"Alright, Serena, I need you to listen to me carefully," Professor Oak began. "I need you to tell me everything Larvitar's egg has been through since you received it back from me."

"Well, we've been climbing Mt. Silver, but I've been making sure to keep it safe," Serena responded.

"Is that really all?" the professor continued.

The group looked at each other as if wondering if they should tell Professor Oak they had another run in with Rico, the Pokemon hunter. They had wanted to keep that between themselves to avoid any unnecessary worry, but this was for Larvitar. If Professor Oak was asking them for this kind of information, then it was really important.

"We…happened to come across Rico, the Pokemon hunter, again" Ash answered this time before he quickly added. "But we're all safe, and Rico's been taken care of!"

Professor Oak wanted to say more on the matter, but it was clear that Ash or the others didn't want to talk about Rico at the moment. He had read in the newspaper this morning that Rico had been killed so he was no longer a threat that needed to be addressed. Still, Professor Oak wanted to know what the meeting was like.

"Ash, I know this is hard, but you must explain to me what happened when you met Rico. Did he take your Pokemon? Did he harm the egg?" Professor Oak questioned.

"Well, he attempted to. There was a huge Pokemon battle, and…he tried to kill us, too. We were only saved because my Cubone evolved into Marowak," Serena muttered instead.

"So, it was a scary time for you all," Professor Oak concluded as he folded his arms.

"Yes…," Serena mumbled.

"That may be the problem," Professor Oak sighed.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked.

"Pokemon are affected by their surroundings while they are in an egg. It's true that you raised it with care while it was with you which may have led Larvitar to be a normal Pokemon had you not run in to Rico. If your meeting with Rico was as scary and dangerous as you claimed it to be, and when it was so close to hatching, that could have a massive impact on how Larvitar sees life," Professor Oak elaborated.

"Even if it was raised with care before?" Serena gasped.

"Yes. You saw that awful Pokemon hunter just before your Larvitar hatched. Naturally, Larvitar could hear and sense everything that was going on outside its egg. All the battling and shooting and terror from the experience transferred over to Larvitar's egg. That most likely has terrified it from leaving the egg and entering the world for fear of danger," Professor Oak explained.

Serena looked sorrowful for that while Ash appeared stoic. Even though Serena had tried her best to take care of the egg, it wasn't enough because their encounter with Rico was just before it hatched. After sensing something as horrible as a Pokemon hunter so soon to hatching, no wonder Larvitar tried to stop itself from hatching and not want to be in this world. It was absolutely terrified!

"Poor Larvitar," Serena muttered sadly.

"Rico. Even after he's gone, he still leaves us in pain," Ash said as he grit his teeth and clenched his fists.

"Isn't there anything that can be done, Professor?!" Serena cried. "Please tell me Larvitar won't stay like this!"

"I think the best thing you and the others can offer Larvitar right now is love," Professor Oak responded. "Show it that there's nothing to fear. Leave it out of its pokeball for a while so it can experience the beauty of nature on its own. In time, Larvitar may come to appreciate life and the fact that it can be a part of your group."

"What about Phanpy? Why isn't it afraid like Larvitar?" Ash asked suddenly.

"Oh? I wasn't aware you had a Phanpy," Professor Oak said, a little surprised.

"We got it as an egg from an Officer Jenny," Ash explained. "According to her, Phanpy had become an orphan because Phanpy's parents had most likely fallen victim to Rico. I'm happy it isn't, but shouldn't it be afraid, too?"

Professor Oak pondered on that for a moment before he came up with an answer. "It's possible that Phanpy never experienced Rico even if its parents were victims. If they chose to flee to keep their baby away from Rico, then anything bad would've happened away from Phanpy. If its parents took great care of the egg, it most likely came out normal."

"This still isn't fair to Larvitar," Serena muttered.

"I believe Larvitar will be fine in due time, Serena," Professor Oak reassured before he had and idea. "You all will be approaching Mahogany Town soon, correct? I believe you should show Larvitar the Lake of Rage."

"Lake of Rage? That doesn't sound very friendly," Ash replied.

"It's called the Lake of Rage due to being the only lake that Gyarados live in. Others can only thrive in the ocean," Professor Oak explained.

"A lake full of Gyarados doesn't sound friendly, either," Ash said.

"Oh. I assure you it's fine. The Gyarados that live in that lake are rare, and the ones that are there are actually very friendly!" Professor Oak stated before he continued. "Anyway, the lake is a very beautiful place with crystal clear waters, and it's surrounded by a beautiful forest. It's a popular place for tourists to see, and I think Larvitar will appreciate the nature."

"What do you think, everyone?" Serena questioned as she turned to face Ash, Brock, and Misty.

"Count me in!" Ash said immediately.

"Definitely!" Professor Oak heard Misty and Brock say even if he couldn't see them.

"Okay. We'll check out the Lake of Rage," Serena told the professor.

"Excellent!" Professor Oak smiled before he reminded them. "Remember, Larvitar isn't going to change overnight. A traumatized Pokemon takes time to heal. In the meantime, let it travel outside of its pokeball."

"Right. I will, Professor," Serena nodded.

"Oh, and happy early birthday, Ash!" Professor Oak added.

"Heh. Thanks, Professor," Ash grinned. "Now that I think about it, it looks we'll be visiting the Lake of Rage on my birthday."

"It'd be a great spot to spend it at to," Professor Oak approved. "Well, take care, and keep me updated on Larvitar and Phanpy."

"We will! Bye, Professor!" Ash and Serena replied before the screen shut off.

Once he hung up his end, Professor Oak walked out into his Pokemon Ranch so he could ponder on what he could talk about. He decided not to mention to Ash and Serena that he and Delia were coming to the Johto region as they had a lot to worry about right now. He would be sure to let them know soon, though. As soon as he stepped out, Professor Oak spotted Ash's Muk sliding towards him as fast as it could. The elderly man barely had time to yelp before he was tackled into a slimy hug.

"Yes! I know! It's always a pleasure to see you, too, Muk!" Professor Oak grimaced before the idea came to him on what he could talk about. "I've got it! The friendly relations between Pokemon and people! Thank you, Muk!"

Unfortunately, that only made Muk hug Professor Oak even tighter.

* * *

Serena hung up the phone from Professor Oak and turned to look at her friends. Well, they heard what the professor said. It didn't look like there was a quick solution to this as they had hoped to help Larvitar. Speaking of the rock skin Pokemon, it was huddled up in a corner of the Pokemon Center with its back to the group.

That was an improvement now that the group thought about it. They were at least able to get Larvitar to come with them instead of it staying put. The only reason was probably so it wouldn't be left alone, however. They knew it still had yet to trust them.

"Let's rest here for the day," Brock suggested. "We don't want to wear out Larvitar and Phanpy on their first day of being born. We can set out to the Lake of Rage and Mahogany Town again tomorrow morning."

"Good idea," Ash nodded as he turned to Phanpy, who was simply smiling by his feet. "Besides, this would give Serena and me some time to bond with our new Pokemon."

"Phanpy!" Phanpy cried in delight.

Serena walked over to Larvitar and knelt down beside it. As soon as she did, Serena could see it harden up and let out a small whimper. Serena still tried to address it in the gentlest voice she could muster.

"Why are you over there in a corner, Larvitar?" she asked sweetly. "We're about to head outside and play. Would you like to join us?"

Serena didn't even get a response from the timid Pokemon. Though Marowak was on the shy side when she first got it as a Cubone, that was nothing compared to this. Serena knew she had her work cut out for her. There had to be some way to get Larvitar to go outside with them without having to force it.

Pikachu walked forward with a small ball in its paws and showed it to Larvitar. The rock skin Pokemon took a quick peek at the toy before it hid its face again. Despite that, Pikachu still made a happy cry and bounced the ball in front of Larvitar in hopes to show that it was fun.

"Pika!" it said happily.

"Lar?" Larvitar uttered as it peeked at Pikachu playing with the ball.

Phanpy saw the ball and quickly hurried over to Pikachu. It began jumping up and down in an attempt to show Pikachu it was ready. The yellow rodent happily obliged and tossed the ball over to Phanpy. The long nose Pokemon leaped into air and bounced the ball off its nose. Togetic flew in next and bounced the ball back to Pikachu.

Once Pikachu got the ball back, it gave a quick nod to Larvitar who was watching the whole thing. It then made a motion with its head that they were all about to go outside. Larvitar knew what Pikachu was wanting and visibly hesitated.

"Lar…," it mumbled and clammed up again.

Pikachu hung its ears again that another attempt to connect with Larvitar had failed. It gave a sorrowful look up to Ash, but the raven-haired boy shook his head.

"Don't feel bad, Pikachu. You gave a good effort. Let's still go outside and have a good time. Hopefully, Larvitar will join us," Ash reassured.

"Phanpy!" Phanpy cried at the thought of playing.

"You got it, Phanpy!" Ash smiled before he turned to the others. "You guys coming?"

"Count me in!" Brock said.

"Me, too!" Misty added.

"You guys go on ahead. I'll stay in here with Larvitar so it isn't by itself," Serena told them.

"Toge!" Togetic squeaked to show it would stay, too.

Ash nodded. "Okay. We understand. We'll be just outside."

Serena smiled faintly. "I know."

Ash walked over to Serena and gave her a hug. Serena relaxed under his show of affection and hugged him back.

"Larvitar will come around just like Professor Oak said. You'll see," Ash told her as he and the others turned to leave the small Pokemon Center.

Serena nodded as she watched them go outside. She then turned back to Larvitar and saw it hadn't moved from its spot or even looked up since Pikachu tried to talk to it. Serena sighed as she went to sit down on the chair that was next to it. Larvitar didn't acknowledge anything and still stayed as it was.

 _"Oh, Larvitar,"_ Serena thought.

* * *

Ash had much larger beach ball in his hands now instead of the one Pikachu had shown to Larvitar. He, Brock, Misty, and all of their Pokemon stood in a circle. Ash had out his Pikachu, Phanpy, Bayleef, Croconaw, Cyndaquil, and Noctowl. Brock had out Stantler, Graveler, Vulpix, and Bonsly. Pineco was with him, too, but it was still inside its pokeball for obvious reasons. It still liked to explode. Finally, Misty had out Starmie, Corsola, Psyduck, and Shellder. Onix and Gyarados, being a little too large, merely watched in contentment and would be the designated fetchers of the ball if it went out of bounds. Misty's Remoraid didn't play, either, as it was a little unfit for playing with a beach ball on dry land.

"Okay, guys. The object of this game is to keep the ball in the air as long as possible," Ash stated as he tossed the beach ball up and down in his hands. "Whoever misses will have to sit in the center until the next one misses."

Everyone nodded to show that they understood. Well, they all understood except for Phanpy, most likely. Even so, nobody was really worried. Phanpy would instinctively want to bounce the ball up regardless of what the rules were. It would fit in just fine.

Ash tossed the ball over to Phanpy first, and just as everyone thought, Phanpy didn't waste anytime in bouncing the ball off its nose. It went towards Bayleef who slapped the ball with its leaf over to Croconaw. The big jaw Pokemon knocked it over to Psyduck

Psyduck, however, stared stupidly as the ball went closer to it. The duck Pokemon then realized what was happening and flailed around as it tried to position itself. The ball ended up bouncing off its head and went over to Brock's Vulpix. Everyone couldn't help but laugh. It seemed Psyduck's hard head saved it, after all.

"Good ole Psyduck," Misty giggled as the ball was sent over to her by Brock's Vulpix. She then passed it along to Bonsly

Meanwhile, Serena was watching her friends play from the window. She then gave a small giggle when she saw Bonsly miss the ball and start to cry. Brock hastily had to run over to the Pokemon and try to calm it down, and eventually, Bonsly went to the center and waited. They all looked like they were having so much fun. If only Larvitar realized it.

Serena then heard a shuffle beside her, and she turned to see Larvitar had lifted its head ever so slightly. There was no doubt it could hear the laughter and happy sounds coming from outside. Serena quickly turned away so Larvitar wouldn't notice her looking at it. She wanted the rock skin Pokemon to be curious on its own.

Larvitar glanced up at the window from which Serena was looking out and unfurled itself. It made a curious growl and slowly shuffled its way over to Serena's chair. The honey-haired girl got out from her seat to allow Larvitar to climb onto it.

Larvitar made a small leap to the chair, but its short arms missed it by less than an inch. Serena knelt down in an attempt to help Larvitar up, but the rock skin Pokemon saw her hand coming towards and immediately hardened up. Serena recoiled her hand before she sighed.

"I only want to help you, Larvitar," she muttered.

"Lar…,"it uttered timidly.

"Okay…," Serena trailed as she stepped back.

Larvitar uncurled itself again and hopped a little higher this time. It was able to grab the edge of the chair and pull itself up. It then climbed up to the window sill and looked outside. There, it could see a bunch of other people and Pokemon playing and having fun. Seeing them this happy made Larvitar a little curious. They weren't scared in the least. What about all the scary stuff it heard before?

"You see, Larvitar. The world can still have good things in it," Serena said to it as she stood a comfortable distance back.

"Lar…," it muttered.

Larvitar then saw Togetic miss the ball next. The happiness Pokemon seemed to take its loss better than Bonsly, and it quickly flew to the center while Bonsly waddled out happily. Larvitar seemed to have some sort of internal battle going inside its head. Serena could tell it did want to go outside, but its fear was keeping it rooted to the spot.

"Doesn't it look nice out there?" Serena encouraged.

Unknowingly to Larvitar, Ash had caught the rock skin Pokemon watching them out of the corner of his eye. He then gave a slight nod to everyone else and made a small motion to the window. Understanding the silent message that Larvitar was watching them, all the rest of the people and Pokemon made it a conscious effort to look like they were having fun, not that they weren't.

Larvitar's eyes sparkled in interest as it watched them. It then saw Phanpy, which it knew as a newborn, as well, having no trouble at all. Though Larvitar wasn't on good terms with Phanpy due to the tackle from earlier, it was still curious how Phanpy wasn't scared like it was.

"Ash's Phanpy realizes there isn't anything to be afraid of," Serena spoke up as if reading Larvitar's mind before she continued. "Lavitar, I know the reason you're scared, and I won't deny it. The Pokemon hunter was a frightening time for us. I'm very sorry you had to endure it."

Larvitar didn't say anything as it contemplated Serena's words. So, that's what the scary noises and screams and explosions it heard were. This…Pokemon hunter was the cause of it and not the people before it, well, the instigators anyway. Still, with someone like him out in the world, why would Larvitar want to be outside anyway?

"The world is still full of good things, though!" Serena added. "Pokemon hunters aren't common in the world, and it wouldn't surprise me if we never ran into someone like him again. You can't just see the bad, Larvitar. You also have to see the good."

Larvitar watched everyone outside. It was true. There was no trace of fear on anyone's eyes…only happiness. Did it really want to stay put forever? That would lead to a terrible life, but at least it would be safe, right?

Serena stood behind Larvitar with her hands clasped in a pleading manner. She really hoped her words had reached the newborn Pokemon. If she could just get it to go outside, that would help it tremendously.

To her relief, Larvitar didn't harden up again. In fact, it turned away from the window and jumped down from the chair. The rock skin Pokemon then made its way over to the Pokemon Center door. Serena's heart leaped into her throat when she saw Larvitar do that. She grinned broadly and hastily followed behind it. The sliding glass door opened, and both person and Pokemon stepped outside.

Everyone outside watched as Serena and Larvitar came out, and as soon as they did, there was a small applause. Larvitar stopped at the clapping hands or feet or wings in some cases, in confusion. Serena giggled slightly.

"They're cheering for you, Larvitar. They all want you to come over and play," she told it.

Larvitar took a huge breath as it resumed taking slow steps towards them. Though it was taking a little longer than necessary, nobody was showing any sign of impatience. Phanpy looked like it wanted to go over to greet Larvitar, but Pikachu held out a hand to steady the excitable Pokemon.

Finally, Larvitar made it to the circle and stood between Pikachu and Togetic. Those were the Pokemon it was least afraid of at the moment.

"We're really happy you decided to join us, Larvitar," Ash told it.

"You ready to have some fun?" Serena asked it, and it nodded slowly in response.

"All you have to do is hit the ball when we bounce it to you. This ball is very light so you don't have to worry about it hurting you," Ash explained. "I'm going to throw it to you. Give it a good smack."

Larvitar took a deep breath as Serena did, too, but it was for a different reason. Ash gently tossed the ball over to Larvitar, and everyone watched as the ball came closer. Thought it sounded silly, this was important. Larvitar could either choose to run and hide or hit the ball and play.

Larvitar's eyes grew big, but it didn't shy away. It wound its fists backwards and hit ball with all of its might. Everyone thought of cheering, but it was obvious what would happen to a beach ball when a rocky hand hit it as hard as it could.

The ball popped right in Larvitar's face.

Everyone gasped at that. Larvitar felt the burst of air slam into its face like a hurricane. It still had the arm it hit the ball with held out, and its face was in shock. Larvitar blinked a few times as it tried to process what happened.

"Oh no," Brock mumbled.

This wouldn't help Larvitar at all. The timid Pokemon would blame itself for what happened and realize they couldn't play because of it. Not to mention, the sound of the ball popping in its face would sound a little similar to a gunshot. What was supposed to be a good exercise for Larvitar quickly took a turn for the worst. Now what were they supposed to do?

"Larvitar, I'm so sorry," Serena said gently until her eyes widened at what happened next.

Larvitar started laughing. It wasn't just a small chuckle, either. It was full on laughing merrily. Whether it was because it found the ball popping funny or because it thought that was fun, none of that mattered to anyone. This was the first smile Larvitar had smiled since it was born, and Serena was overjoyed.

It wasn't long before everyone else joined in the laughter, also. It was great that everyone was able to find the humor in the situation. It was as if they and Larvitar were laughing like they didn't have a care or fear in the world. Now that Larvitar was laughing, maybe, just maybe it might be okay, after all.

"I'm proud of you, Larvitar!" Serena smiled as she knelt down and grinned broadly at it.

Unfortunately, Larvitar quit laughing immediately and clammed up once again. Serena's smile instantly dropped from her face. Everyone else stopped their laughter as an awkward silence filled the air again. Serena hung her head. She thought there was so much progress when Larvitar laughed, but now it looks like they just took another step back. It still didn't trust her or anyone else.

"Just give it some time, Serena. You know we'll be behind you the whole way," Ash said as he went over to Serena and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Serena nodded even though she was disappointed. It was still a long way to go with Larvitar. Phanpy could also use a little less excitability otherwise it might wind up into unnecessary trouble. Raising two new Pokemon was a lot different than just raising one.

* * *

Jessie, James, and Meowth had just flown into Mahogany Town. Now that they were finished with their assignment at the Goldenrod Radio Tower, Proton didn't waste anytime in getting them away from him. The trio couldn't say they were upset about that. They had no desire to be around Proton, either. Heck. They wouldn't even miss the Radio Tower. Even so, they knew that whatever Team Rocket wanted them to do next wouldn't be any good. When would they catch a break?

The small helicopter landed among a small clearing. To any normal person, this looked just like a normal helicopter. Since Team Rocket was laying low, they were smart enough to take the red R off that had previously been on the vehicle.

Jessie, James, and Meowth stepped off the plane with the Rocket pilot behind them. They then began to walk to the designated area they had been told to meet at. They had changed out of their Rocket uniforms and were now clad in regular clothes to avoid attention. They were on their way to the Mahogany branch secret base, after all.

As the trio passed by an Officer Jenny doing a round, they had half a mind to yell for help and tell her what was going on. However, on second thought, that would end terribly for them. They would either wind up in jail or wind up dead from the other Rocket members. Thus, they remained silent. The Officer Jenny did a small nod in their and the pilot's direction before moving on. The moment had passed.

It wasn't long before they all arrived at what looked like a casual convenience store. They all walked in without hesitation, and a small bell jingled as they opened the door and closed it. Apparently, nobody would suspect a convenience store to be a secret base for a criminal organization.

The only two people in the store were a clerk and what appeared to be a customer who was rummaging through the snacks. As soon as the clerk saw the trio and pilot enter, he gave them a wide smile…a little two wide.

"Welcome! How may I help you?!" he asked brightly.

"We're here for you 'you know what'," the pilot answered immediately.

The clerk's demeanor changed instantly. His very wide smile went to a serious one, and the supposed customer perked up and appeared to be paying careful attention. It was then that Jessie, James, and Meowth realized that these two were apparently Team Rocket members.

"Password?" the Rocket clerk asked.

"Magikarp," the pilot muttered.

With that, the clerk nodded and pressed a small button behind his desk. There was a small buzz, and the door behind him clicked. He then nodded to the supposed customer and gestured to the door behind him.

"Take them down to Professor Namba and his two scientists," the clerk said.

The other Rocket member saluted and signaled with his hand for Jessie, James, and Meowth to follow him. The pilot didn't go with them and stayed back with the clerk. Once they opened the door they could see a stairwell that led downwards.

The trio remained silent as they went down the stairs, and they soon entered a hallway that was littered with Persian statues. The Rocket member leading them pressed button on the wristwatch he was wearing, and the eyes of the Persian statues flashed once before going back to normal.

"I turned off the security while we pass through," he muttered as he resumed walking.

The Rocket member continued to walk through a few halls and down a few more stairs until they reached a shutter that was at the end of one of the hallways. The Rocket member opened the slot next to the store and spoke into it.

"The password is 'Hail Giovanni'," he said.

The lock on the shutters clicked, and the Rocket member nodded to the trio to signal they go through the door before he went back. Jessie, James, and Meowth looked at each other, not quite knowing what to expect. Nonetheless, they opened the shutters and stepped through.

Once they were in, they saw a very large machine in front of them. It looked like an enormous generator. Electricity was pouring into the machine, and the trio could soon see why. There were at least a dozen Electrode off to the side using their Thunderbolts to power the generator. Jessie, James, and Meowth could tell the Electrode weren't there by choice and were more or less having the Thunderbolt sucked out of them rather than using the attack.

"Good! You finally got here!" said a nasally voice to their left.

The trio turned, and they spotted Professor Namba sporting an impatient look on his face. Next to him were two scientists who were operating the machine. One was a man with short blonde hair, and another was a woman with thick lavender hair. Jessie, James, and Meowth saluted and hurried over to Professor Namba.

"Reporting for duty!" the said formally.

"Heh! We all wanted you three see the result of our hard work. Thanks to my impressive research, we finally perfected this device, though it had much trial and error," Professor Namba said.

"What does it do?" James asked.

"This machine plays special radio waves that we learned through experimenting at the Radio Tower in Goldenrod City," the lavender-haired woman answered.

"That's right. It can force evolution on any Pokemon," the burly, blonde-haired man added.

"Really?" Jessie inquired with wide eyes.

The did recall hearing that's what Ariana had been overseeing here in Mahogany Town. She was the only executive currently at this base, and who knows what she was doing right now. The trio was still curious what Professor Namba decided to do with the device.

"What do you plan to use it for?" James questioned.

"We're planning to blast the Lake of Rage with these radio waves," the woman replied. "Magikarp are worthless, but Gyarados rake in big money. It will give us the funding we need to complete our comeback."

"The whole Lake of Rage?" Meowth gasped.

"Isn't that dangerous to the Pokemon there?" Jessie asked.

At that, Professor Namba and the two scientists turned to look at Jessie like she had grown a second head. The two scientists behind Professor Namba gave cold laughs while Professor Namba shook his head.

"Who cares about the Pokemon in that lake? We're just using them for cash. So, what if it's dangerous and a few Magikarp die from radiation? They were trash who were too weak to go through with our plan and deserve to be disposed of," Professor Namba said carelessly.

Jessie, James, and Meowth couldn't help but be filled with anger at that statement. They may have been villains, but they would never refer to any Pokemon as worthless. They greatly cared for the Pokemon they owned, and Meowth resented that remark since it was a Pokemon, too. Despite that, they forced themselves to remain calm.

"So, why are we stationed here again?" Jessie asked to change the topic.

"Eh, we had to put you somewhere. You were of no more use to us at the Radio Tower," Professor Namba shrugged. "Just shoo and do some guarding. Just don't screw up. If Ariana needs you, she'll let you know."

The trio's fists clenched. So, they were being treated as disposable pawns again, just like those Magikarp. They hated being a part of Team Rocket. They would like nothing more than to see those high and mighty executives and others like Butch and Cassidy and Professor Namba fall hard and have those smirks wiped off their faces. Still, it looked like they were stuck in this situation whether they liked it or not. They just hoped they could live long enough to see everything through.

Team Rocket was going to return sooner rather than later.

* * *

 **This sets everything up nicely for the Lake of Rage. One thing I'd like to mention: in case any of you were wondering: the two scientists who were with Professor Namba were Attila and Hun. There was just not a need for them to introduce themselves to Jessie and James in this chapter. Since they're so great with science, I had them be the ones who built most of the radiation machine. They'll be officially introduced next chapter. Also, I KNOW that Hun is actually a man. Jessie, James, and Meowth are just mistaking him for a woman because let's face...he looks and sounds like one.**

 **Serena's egg is Larvitar. I altered the events that made it fear life. Darn it, Rico! Serena and Ash now have will own one psuedo-legendary when Larvitar becomes Tyranitar eventually.**

 **Next chapter is Ash's thirteenth birthday (finally), and it also starts the Mahogany Town arc! A couple of familiar faces will return. One is obvious, and one is not so obvious. Also, it seems Professor Oak and Delia will be at the Radio Tower soon...one big happy reunion between Ash, Delia, and Silver!**

 **Also, just a fair warning, the next chapter will have some disturbing scenes in it. I mean...you can't expect a machine blasting harmful radiation into a supposedly peaceful lake with weak Magikarp to be pleasant.**

 **Well, anyway, the next chapter will be out in December. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 53: An Out-Rage-ous Birthday**


	53. An Out-Rage-ous Birthday

**A/N: The actual birthday part is skipped over this chapter. After doing four of them, it's a little difficult to come up with different gifts every time and do something that isn't too similar to the other three. Please understand. Besides, the more important things are what happens during Ash's birthday than the actual celebration itself.**

 **Please enjoy this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 53: An Out-Rage-ous Birthday

It took some time to cross Mt. Mortar, but the group had finally made it to Mahogany Town. They had still arrived in great time, though. The group reached civilization just in time for Ash's birthday which was today. They also made it in plenty of time for Serena's showcase. It was a few days away, and with as much as Serena had practiced, she felt ready…unlike last time. Put quite simply, the group felt they were in great shape.

"Isn't this a nice town, Larvitar? Doesn't it look peaceful?" Serena asked.

Larvitar stood by Serena and looked around in wonder. It had never seen a town before. It supposed they were supposed to be a community with a large gathering of people. The rock skin Pokemon could see people going about their daily duties, but they didn't appear hostile.

"Lar…," it muttered.

"There's also something else today that you get to experience," Serena added. "It's also Ash's birthday. That's where we celebrate the day a person is born. Think of the time we had fun while playing with the ball, only a lot better!"

"Yeah. I'm finally thirteen…in about an hour," Ash said as he checked his Pokegear. He was born at 11:23 A.M, and it was only 10:20 A.M.

"That means no cake or presents for you until that happens," Misty smirked lightly.

"Heh. That's okay. I'd much rather do the celebrations at the Lake of Rage to make it more exciting," Ash grinned.

Larvitar watched the exchange going on between the group in interest. They all appeared happy about this birthday celebration. According to Serena, it was going to be fun. If it were to stay hidden away the whole time, would it miss out on something fun like this was supposed to be?

Unfortunately, Larvitar still looked a little reluctant to go for anything quickly. It still didn't quite trust its trainer yet. Though she had done nothing to harm it, Larvitar still couldn't help but stiffen up every time she got to close to it. The group saw this and sighed.

"I wish Larvitar would learn to smile more like it did when we were playing with the ball," Serena sighed.

"This looks like a job for the world's greatest Pokemon breeder!" Brock exclaimed and struck a pose.

"What are you going to do?" Misty wondered.

"I bet I can make Larvitar laugh! What kind of Pokemon breeder would I be if I couldn't connect with all Pokemon I meet?" Brock explained.

"Well, okay," Serena muttered a little reluctantly.

"Who makes the cute little Pokemon laugh now, huh?" Brock grinned as he got in Larvitar's face.

The rock skin Pokemon cracked its eyes open and saw Brock making all kinds of strange faces at it. He was also making weird noises. What was he trying to do? Was this supposed to be fun? Larvitar didn't think so. If anything, it looked very scary, and it wanted Brock to stop now. Rather than clam up, Larvitar let out a loud Screech.

The group grimaced and instantly covered their ears once Larvitar did that. The Screech lasted for a good ten seconds before Larvitar quit and clammed up again. It especially made sure to have its face turned away from Brock. The Pokemon breeder rubbed his head sheepishly as everyone else gave him a deadpan look.

"Way to go, Brock," Ash mumbled.

"I guess Larvitar isn't much for laughter," Brock shrugged.

"Brock, those faces almost made _me_ cry," Misty said.

"Why don't we just head to the Pokemon Center?" Serena suggested and turned Larvitar. "It's okay, Larvitar. Brock will make sure not to make those faces again."

With that, Ash, Misty, and Serena continued on. Larvitar followed close behind them. Brock stayed back a little bit and turned to see Pikachu and Togetic snickering. Feeling a little bit better that he got some Pokemon to laugh, Brock smiled and continued forward.

Pikachu and Togetic weren't snickering for the reason Brock thought they were, though. It was just to make fun of him.

* * *

Once the group arrived at the Pokemon Center, they weren't greeted by the scene they thought they would have. Even though they were essentially hospitals for injured Pokemon, Pokemon Centers still had a calm or gentle atmosphere about them. It was none of those things here, however. They could all feel…gloominess in the air, and the worried Pokemon trainers scattered about the center proved it.

"Uhhh…," Ash uttered awkwardly as he and the others made their way past the melancholy people to get to Nurse Joy's front desk.

Larvitar noticed how unhappy everyone looked and frowned. Why did they all look so sad? Furthermore, why did it feel so uneasy ever since they entered this town? What happened to the happy things it was so supposed to see today? So far, everything had been weird or unnerving.

Serena noticed Larvitar's expression and grimaced. Great. Larvitar was supposed to feel calm and relaxed from the fresh scents and atmosphere of the Pokemon Center like the one on Mt. Silver. Why were all of these things happening right now?

"It's okay, Larvitar. Really," Serena told it, but Larvitar didn't look convinced.

They soon reached Nurse Joy's desk, and she appeared worn out like the Pokemon. She had bags under her eyes which indicated she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep lately. She sighed when she saw the group approach her.

"Let me guess. Your Pokemon have come down sick, too," she stated.

"Sick? No. We just arrived here in town," Ash replied.

"Is that what's going on here? A lot of sick Pokemon?" Serena asked as she looked around.

"Not just a lot. Almost every Pokemon in town has become sick," Nurse Joy answered.

"What?" Ash questioned in confusion.

"It just started yesterday. A lot of trainers suddenly came in here with their sick Pokemon. Even my Chansey has been affected. Because I have no help, it's been a little overwhelming," Nurse Joy replied.

The group exchanged glances with each other. That was really weird. Why would so many Pokemon suddenly become ill? Their Pokemon hadn't been affected yet, but they didn't live here, either. Did they come at a bad time, after all?

"Do you have any idea what could be the cause of it?" Brock questioned.

"I have no idea," Nurse Joy sighed with a shake of her head. "I've been too busy trying to heal all the Pokemon so I don't have time to study what the cause of it is."

"Well, we were going to ask you to check on our Pokemon and rent a couple of rooms here, but you seem to have your hands full," Serena started.

"No. Please. I insist. It's my job so I'll happily take them. I'll get two rooms ready for you, too," Nurse Joy said and tried to offer a kind smile. "This is actually the first break I've gotten in several hours."

"So, does that mean the Pokemon are starting to feel better?" Ash asked hopefully.

"That's the strangest part," Nurse Joy said as she looked thoughtful. "It's very off and on. The Pokemon will be acting completely normal one moment, and when I think they're okay to be released from the center, they'll wind up sick again."

"That's weird," Ash muttered in confusion.

"I know this may not be the ideal situation in a Pokemon Center, but please try to enjoy your stay and relax. The Lake of Rage is a great attraction," Nurse Joy told them as she handed them their room keys.

"Great! We were actually going to visit there in just a little bit!" Ash spoke brightly in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"I'm sure you'll all enjoy the beautiful waters there," Nurse Joy smiled as she took their Pokemon.

Serena looked down to Larvitar who looked a little reluctant. It already was slow to trusting her and the others. Going with a complete stranger would be almost out of the question.

"That's a Nurse Joy like the one we saw at the Pokemon Center last time," Serena told Larvitar. "She just wants to check up on you and make sure you're healthy. Will you go with her?"

"Lar…," Larvitar muttered and clammed up.

"I see," Serena sighed. "Well, I won't force you if you don't want to."

"Hey. Let's get cleaned up and changed. Then we can head off to the Lake of Rage," Brock suggested.

"Yeah," the rest of the group muttered.

As they made their way to the rooms, they could start to feel the uneasiness that everyone else in the Pokemon Center was feeling. Whatever was going on didn't appear normal if Nurse Joy couldn't even figure out. Something just seemed to be very wrong in this town.

Ash and Brock unlocked the door with their room key and stepped inside with Pikachu and Togetic behind them. Ash set his backpack on the bed and pulled out his bathing suit to change. As he made his way in, he saw Brock watching him with a goofy smile on his face. Ash raised his eyebrows questioningly at the tanned teen.

"Okay, Brock. What's up?" Ash asked.

"More like what's up with you. You're a teenager going to the Lake of Rage," Brock grinned.

"So, what?" Ash shrugged.

"Come on, Ash. What are you going to be doing there?" Brock elaborated.

"Uh…swimming?" Ash answered, not understanding where Brock was going with this.

"Aaaaaaand with you and your girlfriend swimming together…how does that make you feel?" Brock pressed.

"Well, it should be fun," Ash replied casually and turned back to go to the bathroom.

Pikachu finally understood what Brock was getting at and started snickering. It couldn't wait to see the look on Ash's face when his hormones got the gist, too. Togetic still couldn't quite get it, though, and stared in confusion.

"You'll know what I mean when we get to the Lake of Rage!" Brock called after Ash.

* * *

"Come on out, everyone!" Ash shouted and threw his pokeballs up in the air.

The five pokeballs opened up in midair, and the beams hurried to the ground before they materialized into Ash's Pokemon. As soon as they were out, they didn't waste anytime in making a beeline to Ash for a good birthday tackle. They couldn't give Ash presents, but they could still let Ash know they cared.

Ash's eyes widened as he braced himself for the big impact. Bayleef was first and practically body slammed Ash which knocked him to the ground. Croconaw fell on top of Bayleef and tried to get to Ash, too, but it was hard since Bayleef was smothering him. Phanpy came next. It didn't quite understand what was going on, but it still looked like fun. Noctowl and Cyndaquil were next. Pikachu and Togetic glanced at each other deviously and were the last ones to join in on the dog pile.

"Thanks, guys! Really, but I can't breathe!" Ash gasped.

His Pokemon sighed but obeyed and slid off of him. Ash coughed once before he slowly stood up and looked around with a grin on his face. His best friends and Pokemon were here with him on his birthday at the Lake of Rage. It was a shame a few others like Leaf, Gary, Jimmy, or Marina couldn't be here, but Ash was thankful for the ones that were. Brock, Misty, and Serena had been together with him since Kanto...except for when Brock was staying with Professor Ivy.

Ash had just gotten some great gifts and had a great birthday cake. Seeing his friends and Pokemon around him really made his heart warm. Now, it was time to have some fun! After he got through taking in the scene around him, Ash clapped his hands.

"What are we all waiting for? Let's play!" Ash shouted, and Serena, Brock, and Misty released their Pokemon, as well.

"Come on, Ash! Let's go swimming together!" Serena said as she grabbed Ash's hand to pull him along.

"Right behind you, Serena!" Ash agreed until he fell silent.

Now that Serena was close to him and standing still, he realized something. Serena had always been taller than him throughout the Orange Islands and especially in Kanto by a couple of inches. Here, however, he wasn't having to look up at all. He was actually looking downward. He had finally surpassed Serena in height and was a little taller than her, though it was only by about half an inch. That wasn't what had the most of his attention, however.

He felt weird. He was looking at Serena's beautiful face just like he always was, and it made him happy. This time, it was a little different. The fact that his girlfriend was in a swimsuit made him extra happy. Before Ash knew what he was doing, he found his eyes drifting downward to Serena's bare legs that were showing. They then slowly continued up, and he found himself seeing Serena's developing curves. They had been there before, but Ash felt like he was seeing them for the first time. It made his mouth go dry.

"Ash?" Serena questioned.

Ash shook his head like he had been in some sort of trance. He then gave Serena a big goofy smile.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Ash cheered and hurried off to the lake with Serena. Their Pokemon also dispersed to do their own thing.

Meanwhile, Brock was grinning like an idiot and rubbing his hands together. He recognized that look on Ash's face just now. He wasn't just thinking Serena was gorgeous. No. He was actually _appreciating_ her looks this time. His little buddy was finally starting to grow up!

"Atta boy, Ash!" Brock said.

"Brock, leave him alone," Misty giggled. She knew what Ash had been thinking, too.

"Hey! I have been waiting for almost three years to take Ash under my wing! When I get through with him, he'll be the ultimate babe magnet!" Brock protested.

"I don't think it'll work. He's pretty committed to Serena as he should be," Misty countered.

"Oh, I know that! I meant he'll have girls galore wanting to be with him!" Brock smiled.

"Oh brother. Maybe I better warn Ash," Misty muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"No! Don't ruin this for him, Misty!" Brock hissed.

"I like to think of it as saving him," Misty replied.

"Well, I only have one thing to say to that!" Brock said with indignation.

"What's that?" Misty wondered.

"Last one to the water is the rotten Exeggcute!" Brock cried and gave a sly grin to Misty before he took off running.

Misty got a pouting look as she took off after Brock. "Hey! No fair! I wasn't ready!"

Ash and Serena were already well into the water by the time Brock and Misty got there, and they were having a blast. They weren't the only ones, however, as there were several people at the Lake of Rage at the moment. Some people were riding around on their power boats while pulling along others on a giant tube. Some people were fishing, and others were simply playing in the water like Ash and Serena. It was apparently a good tourist attraction.

Ash held his breath as he went underwater. As he did, he could see several Magikarp swimming around merrily near the water's surface. Professor Oka hadn't been lying when he said this lake was full of them. Gyarados were also supposed to live in this lake, but they were rare and wouldn't be near any place people were. Besides, Professor Oak said they were friendly Gyarados so no one was worried about an attack.

Ash came up from the water and saw Serena was treading water next to him, and Croconaw was next to her. She moved a little closer to him and had a suggestion.

"Hey, Ash! Let's see who can hold their breath the longest. Croconaw can be the judge!" she said.

"Hah! You're on! The winner gets to do whatever they want to the loser!" Ash smirked.

"Sounds good," Serena agreed and turned to Croconaw. "Are you ready?"

"Naw!" Croconaw nodded.

The big jaw Pokemon held up three of its claws and began to count down. One it lowered the last one, Ash and Serena took a deep breath and dove into the water.

As soon as Ash was in, he immediately felt confident he could do this. He was a teenager now and was one step closer to being a man. What kind of man would he be if he couldn't beat Serena at this? The raven-haired boy could see through the water that Serena was waving at him to try and make him lose his concentration, but he wouldn't fall for it. Ash's face held firm.

A minute had passed, but Ash was feeling strong. Serena didn't appear in too bad of shape, either. She was doing a little better than he thought she would do. She must've been able to practice her breathing from doing showcases. Doing all of that would make one lose their breath quickly if she didn't practice.

By the time it got to two and a half minutes, Ash was starting to feel it. He swelled his cheeks out of instinct, and he squinted his eyes in pain as his lungs demanded air. Serena also seemed to be getting the need for air quickly, too, but Ash was determined to win. He already had a list of what he wanted Serena to do if he won.

Three minutes, came, however, and Ash couldn't hold it anymore. He quickly rose up and saw Serena doing the same. Ash's head broke the surface a little sooner than Serena, though. Croconaw pointed in Serena's direction to indicate she was the winner. Even so, both were quite out of breath.

"Man…," Ash panted.

"That…was…close," Serena gasped, as well.

"Fine. A deal's a…deal. What do you want me to do?" Ash questioned.

Serena finished catching her breath for a moment before she answered, and a smile graced her features. "I want to give you a big birthday kiss."

Ash grinned at that. "Heh. That just makes it a win for me, too. It's a lot better than what I would've made you do."

"And what would that be?" Serena asked with a mischievous look.

"Doesn't matter," Ash replied, eager to get to the kiss.

Knowing what they were about to do, Croconaw turned away, and it happened to spot Bayleef near the shoreline. The leaf Pokemon had extended one of its vines and patted the ground next to it with a mischievous smile on its face. Croconaw felt steam come out of its ears and made a beeline straight for the dry land. It moved so fast it would've left a trail of smoke in the water if that was possible.

Now that they were alone, Ash and Serena wouldn't have anyone to disturb them. Serena moved closer to Ash and wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. As soon as she did, Ash turned beet red. Dang. What was going on? He always loved kissing Serena, but this felt different. Was this what Brock was talking about? Ash figured he may need advice from Brock, after all. Lesson one was to see the girl, but lesson two was self-control. Ehhh…Brock never seemed to excel in that area.

Serena noticed Ash's expression and couldn't help but giggle. She realized what was going on, and it made her happy that he felt that way about her. Ash, the young dense boy was finally starting to notice girls, but Serena would make sure he still only had eyes for her. She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on his lips before she began to deepen it.

As Serena kissed him, Ash believed he could finally understand why Brock got so crazy around girls. They were awesome, especially since he already had a girlfriend! Ash and Serena had kissed several times before, but now, he wanted Serena to keep going, but she broke it after about a minute. Ash's mind screamed that he wanted more, but he tried to keep his thoughts away as much as possible. He didn't want to move too fast. Ash still had a dorky smile on his face, though.

"That was nice," Ash mumbled as his mind was abuzz.

"Heehee! There's plenty more where that came from, too!" Serena smiled.

" _Yes!"_ Ash screamed in his mind, but he didn't voice it even though Serena probably wouldn't mind.

"I think we should go get Brock, Misty, and some of our Pokemon to get a game started," Serena suggested.

"Huh?" Ash uttered stupidly.

"Focus, Ash!" Serena told him. "Let's play a game."

"Oh. Right. Sounds good!" Ash agreed and broke out of what seemed like a trance again. Hopefully this wouldn't happen every time his hormones raged. He just had to get used to it.

Ash and Serena swam onshore and saw Brock and Misty not too far away. They then walked over to them and mentioned playing with the new beach ball in the water to which they agreed. Ash tried to find where his Croconaw went to, but he couldn't find it or his Bayleef for that matter so he gave up for the moment. There were still several Pokemon that would be good to join them.

Larvitar stayed perfectly still despite seeing many Pokemon about to play. Serena walked over to it and knelt down.

"Would you like to come into the water with us and play? I sure would hate for you to miss out," Serena told it.

"Lar…," it mumbled and clammed up.

"I promise nothing bad will happen. I'll hold onto you the entire time and won't let go. I just want you to experience how it feels. You may actually learn it feels quite nice. I mean…I know water is your weakness when it comes to attacks, but this water won't be attacking you," Serena tried.

Larvitar didn't respond and kept its head turned. Serena knew she wasn't going to get anywhere at this rate and hoped Larvitar would join them after a while.

"Okay, then. If you change your mind, we'll be right over there," Serena pointed towards the water. Larvitar didn't look, but Serena was sure it knew what she meant.

Serena stood back up and walked back the others. Apparently, they had seen what happened.

"Still no luck with Larvitar, huh?" Ash questioned.

"No. I just wish it would give us a chance," Serena said sadly.

"Hey. I'm sure Larvitar will come around. Just give it the space it wants," Brock reasoned.

"Yeah," Serena mumbled and turned to look back at Larvitar, and then she gasped.

Larvitar had just completely keeled over! It was clutching its head and appeared to be some sort of agony. Before she could run over and see what was wrong, she heard Ash cry out Pikachu and Togetic's name. Sere turned and saw that they were in the same predicament. Pikachu was grimacing and writhing on the ground while Togetic was whimpering and appeared extremely tired.

"What…what's going on?! What's wrong with you?!" Serena cried as she looked back and forth between the three Pokemon.

"It's not just them!" Brock suddenly said. "Look!"

The group looked around, and they could see all the surrounding Pokemon were acting extremely strange. Some looked to be in pain while others appeared very tired. Either way, this was certainly not normal behavior for any type of Pokemon. All of the group's Pokemon were the same way, too.

"Pikachu! Tell me what's going on!" Ash said as he knelt down and picked it up.

"Piiiiiii," it cried in a strained voice.

"What should we do?!" Misty cried.

"Let's just stay calm and don't panic," Brock commanded as he took a deep breath to lay out his game plan. "We need to gather all of our Pokemon back in their pokeballs and go see Nurse Joy. Whatever is going on here may be related to those sick Pokemon we saw at the Pokemon Center."

"Okay!" the others agreed as they dispersed to find get their Pokemon.

As they retrieved their Pokemon, they could see several other people doing the same. A lot of people that had been out in the water were now coming on shore and appeared to be extremely frightened or confused. In such a short time, the fun atmosphere had become pure chaos.

Several Pidgey and Pineco were falling out of the trees while a few other flying types that had been overhead were crash-landing into the nearest thing, whether it be a tree, the ground, a bush, or in one case, an unfortunate person. Everyone's ears were being assaulted by the cries of pain from all the Pokemon that were in the area. An Oddish had even stumbled out of a nearby bush before it fell to the ground and didn't move.

Ash, Serena, and Brock had finally managed to get all their Pokemon, and just like with Pikachu, Togetic, and Larvitar, they were all acting extremely weird as though they were in pain, but Misty was still frantically searching. The rest ran over to her, and the redhead had a panicked look on her face.

"I can't find Psyduck!" she yelled.

Ash took a good look, and he spotted a small yellow speck quite far out in the lake. He ran to the edge and could see it was Psyduck. The duck Pokemon was face down in the water and not even putting up a fight. What was it doing that far out anyway? Even Psyduck knew it couldn't swim well!

Misty immediately got her pokeball and pressed the button to retrieve it. However, to her horror, she realized that the beam wouldn't reach far enough. They would have to go get it.

"I'm going out there!" Misty said as she ran into the water but almost fell over in her haste.

"I'm going, too!" Ash declared and followed her in.

"Be careful! We don't know what's going on here!" Brock called after them.

Ash and Misty heard him, but their minds were elsewhere right now. They both waded into the water until it was deep enough to where they couldn't touch and began to swim to Psyduck as fast as they could. By now, everyone else had gotten out of the Lake of Rage and began to flee the area. The several wild Pokemon around the area were still acting abnormal.

Ash's eyes widened when he saw Psyduck beginning to sink. Though Psyduck was a water-type and couldn't necessarily drown easily, it would still be extra hard to get it if it went under. It's wasn't like their Pokemon could help them if that happened.

"Hang on, Psyduck!" Misty cried even though she wasn't sure if it could hear her.

Underneath them, the water began to slosh around a little bit, but they weren't very concerned at the moment. From Brock and Serena's vantage point, something weird was definitely going on with the water. Small waves began to form in the lake which pushed Ash and Misty back a little, but they kept forward.

"Hurry up! Something's not right!" Serena shouted urgently.

Psyduck went underwater just as Ash and Misty reached it. However, Ash extended his arm underwater and grabbed the duck Pokemon before it could go any further under. Ash yanked it back above the water, and as soon as he did, both he and Misty saw that Psyduck was unconscious but most definitely alive. They nodded to each other and grabbed one end of Psyduck to haul it back to the shore. Once they got there, Misty would be able to return it, and then they could get out of here and try to figure out what was going on.

"Man, what's with these waves?" Ash muttered as they tried to swim back.

"Ash…I don't like this," Misty said.

"We're almost there," Ash replied.

Just then, he heard Serena scream and Brock yell out a warning. Ash and Misty turned and could see a very large, dark shadow coming to the surface. That was apparently what was causing the disturbance in the water. It was extremely long, and both their eyes widened in panic as they recognized what was coming.

"No! Not now!" Ash grimaced as the shadow broke through the surface.

A Gyarados exploded from the lake's water with a mighty and angry roar.

* * *

"Hey! Wake up you three!"

Ariana's voice shouting as she entered the room startled awake Jessie, James, and Meowth. They didn't even try to hide the fact that they were asleep just now. It wasn't like they had anything better to do. As Professor Namba had told them…to just go off somewhere and stay out of their way, and that's exactly what the trio did.

Still, they snapped to attention since Ariana was an executive. They had no idea what the Rocket executive was planning for them, but whatever it was would probably be dull, boring, degrading…

"I need you three to fetch that Gyarados that just evolved in the Lake of Rage," Ariana told them.

…or extremely dangerous.

"You…what?" Jessie asked.

"Our evolution signal was a complete success. Come with me," Ariana commanded.

The three followed Ariana out of the room. They walked down the hallway until they reached the familiar room closed off by various shutters. Ariana spoke the password of "Hail Giovanni" into it before they opened. Once they were in, they saw Professor Namba and the two scientists from earlier. They all had their eyes transfixed on the projector with the huge machine chugging along beside them.

When the trio looked at the screen, they almost couldn't believe their eyes. Sure enough, there was a Gyarados thrashing around in the water, but that wasn't what was so odd. It was the coloring of the Gyarados. It wasn't blue. It was instead a bright red color that was the same as a Magikarp.

"Woah. Check that out," Meowth muttered.

"You want us to go capture that thing?" James squeaked.

"Yes. Make yourselves useful. You ran out of your welcome as soon as you finished our boss' assignment. If you succeed at this, we'll keep you around a little longer," Ariana told them.

"The red coloring is most likely a byproduct of its past evolution by being forced to evolve. No matter, though. In fact, it only makes the Gyarados more unique," Professor Namba said.

"You three did fine work," Ariana nodded to him and the scientists.

"Attila and Hun will be coming along with you. Those two men can certainly get the job done," Namba said to Jessie, James, and Meowth and gestured to the two scientists with him.

Jessie, James, and Meowth looked back and forth between the two scientists who had their arms crossed with smirks on their faces. Wait. If Professor Namba said they were both men…the trio's eyes grew wide as they did a double take at the lavender-haired scientist.

"What?! You're a dude?!" Meowth exclaimed.

The lavender-haired scientist's face grew angry. "Of course I am a male, you imbeciles!"

"I thought Hun was a woman, too, at first," the blonde-haired scientist, who was apparently Attila, mumbled to himself so Hun wouldn't hear.

"Never mind that!" Ariana snapped. "We need you to go fetch that red Gyarados for us right now!"

"Yes, ma'am!" the trio saluted and inwardly grimaced. They really hoped they could manage this.

* * *

Ash and Misty were swimming as fast as they could through the water. So far, the Gyarados was still thrashing around and hadn't appeared to notice them yet. At first, the group was amazed and confused at the red coloring on it, but that all quickly broke away when they realized the urgency of the situation.

"Come on!" Serena yelled from the shoreline.

The group then heard a powerful roar from the Gyarados. Ash and Misty turned, and they both gasped when they saw the red Gyarados now had its eyes on them. It looked very angry and had a look with the intent to harm them. Ash and Misty screamed and turned to swim again with Psyduck in tow. They were almost at the shore! Just a little more!

Unfortunately, Gyarados was quicker. It lifted its tail and swung it downward towards Ash and Misty. The two had to duck and go underwater to avoid the large tail. However, it still caused quite a disturbance in the water.

Ash and Misty soon found themselves thrown around in the water as they desperately tried to hold on. A few large waves were created, and Ash and Misty were ripped apart from each other in different directions. Misty still held on to Psyduck and managed to be thrown back onto dry land.

The redhead coughed and wheezed as Brock and Serena helped her up, and Misty immediately returned Psyduck. They then quickly looked around for Ash, and with growing horror, realized that he was still in the water.

Ash had inhaled a lot of water during the ordeal, but he managed to break the surface of the water. He was coughing and went to swim again, but he realized he was now further away from the shore, and all of his friends were screaming out warnings to him. Ash turned around and saw the Gyarados was right behind him.

"Wait, Gyarados!" Ash cried, but it didn't listen.

Gyarados opened its mouth and lunged towards Ash with the intention to bite him in half. Despite how disoriented he was from inhaling water, Ash dove back into the water once again to avoid the angry sea serpent Pokemon.

"Ash!" Serena screamed as she actually went to run into water.

"Don't, Serena!" Brock yelled and reached out to hold her back.

"Ash is in trouble! What do we do, Brock!?" Serena shouted.

Brock grimaced. He had no idea. All of their Pokemonw were out of commission, and things were still getting worse. More and more Pokemon around them appeared to be getting sick, and they were the only ones at the Lake of Rage now since everyone else had fled.

"I…I don't know," Brock mumbled.

Tears burned Serena's eyes as she still struggled against Brock's grip. She didn't care if she was putting herself in danger! She had to save Ash somehow! There had to be _something_ they could do!

"Let me go, Brock!" Serena screamed again.

Brock didn't comply and held firm. It broke his heart to see Serena like this, and it hurt even more to see how much danger Ash was in. The worst part was there was nothing they could do about it.

Ash's head appeared above the water once again as he dodged another one of Gyarados' attacks. He was wearing out very quickly and knew he couldn't keep this up for much longer. It was only a matter of time before Gyarados didn't miss. He had to keep moving.

"I'm not your enemy, Gyarados. Why are you attacking me?!" Ash exclaimed.

Gyarados just did another roar and lunged at Ash again with its tail. Ash went to duck underwater, but the red Gyarados had other plans this time. It used its long tail to reach under where Ash dove. It then pushed Ash out of the water and sent him high into the air.

Ash screamed as he felt himself in the air before he began his descent. He then turned and screamed again when he saw he was now falling straight to the red Gyarados. The Pokemon had its mouth open as it waited for Ash to fall in so it could devour him whole.

"Nooooooo!" Serena screamed as she forced herself free from Brock and ran forward with Brock and Misty chasing after her.

Ash had his mouth open in pure terror as he realized this was the end. There was no one or no Pokemon to save him. He had worked so hard to be a Pokemon Master and live a good life. It was now all about to end by becoming a Gyarados' snack. This couldn't be how it ends. Ash didn't see any way out, though. He was just a short distance above where Gyarados could reach up and close its mouth around him. Just a few more seconds…

 _"Mom…Dad…Serena,"_ Ash thought as he closed his eyes and prepared for the end.

Ash then felt himself land, but for some reason he felt himself still moving, like he was flying. Not to mention, it wasn't sticky or slimy like he expected a Gyarados' mouth to feel like. Ash cracked one of his eyes open and realized he could still see sunlight instead of complete blackness. What's going on? Did the Gyarados still have its mouth open?

Ash then looked down and saw the red Gyarados was roaring angrily below him which immediately debunked that theory. Okay. He was just falling to his death to be eaten by a Gyarados, but what on Earth could've happened? How was he flying away?

Ash chanced a look and opened his eyes all the way, and he could see he was in orange-colored short arms…a Pokemon, and it was one he recognized, as well. Ash followed the arms up to its owner and discovered it was a Dragonite, but it wasn't his own. A Dragonite came in to save him, but whose was it? Was it Dad's? Did his dad save him?

"Are you alright, Ash?" a familiar voice called out and looked down from the side of his Dragonite, but it wasn't Red.

"L-Lance?" Ash stuttered.

Sure enough, it was the dragon trainer and one of the Elite Four of Kanto. Ash hadn't seen the man since the Indigo Plateau when he had helped Ash figure out Aerodactyl's problem. Ash tried to blink away the amazement in his face and processed it. There were a few things he wanted to ask Lance like what he was doing here, but only two words escaped Ash's mouth.

"Thank you," Ash said.

Meanwhile, Serena, Brock, and Misty all had breathed a huge sigh of relief, especially Serena. They really thought Ash was a goner. Serena sank to her knees and held her hands over her chest as she tried to steady her breathing. That was way too close for comfort.

"Thank goodness," she mumbled.

"Is everyone okay?" a new voice asked.

That voice also sounded vaguely familiar, but it wasn't one they had heard in a long time, even longer than Lance. They spun around and saw a black-haired teen boy running their way. Though he was wearing a red and black uniform and appeared a little older, there was still no mistaking who it was. Serena stood up and had another look of amazement on her face, but it was for a different reason now.

"Calem!" Serena exclaimed.

The teen boy stopped in front of the group and just now seemed to notice who he had been running to. Calem blinked a few times before he smiled.

"Serena, it's you!" he stated.

"Wh-what are you doing here? What is Lance doing here? Why are you wearing that uniform? What's going on?!" Serena bombarded him.

"Woah! Slow down!" Calem said and motioned with his hands to try to settle Serena down.

At that moment, Lance had swooped in with his Dragonite, and the dragon Pokemon set Ash on the ground. Ash wobbled slightly and felt like he could kiss the ground after what just happened. He didn't get to rest for long, though, as Serena had collided into him and wrapped him in a big hug.

"Ash! You're okay!" she exclaimed.

Ash almost turned red again from having Serena pressed up against him like this, but he shook his hormones away at the moment. He gave the honey-haired girl a reassuring smile, but it looked more like he was trying to convince himself that he was alive than Serena.

"Yeah. I am," he muttered lamely.

"Lance, what's going on?" Brock was the first to ask.

Lance held up his hand. "I'm sure you all are full of questions. I'll answer as many as I can, but first, let's get back to the Pokemon Center. Your Pokemon appear to be feeling better now."

The group looked and breathed another sigh of relief. They had done that a lot recently. Pikachu, Togetic, and Larvitar didn't look ready to pass out anymore, and some of the surrounding wild Pokemon appeared to be regaining their footing or taking to the air again.

Ash knelt down and hugged Pikachu while Serena hugged Togetic.

"Buddy, you're okay," Ash said.

"Pika!" it nodded.

Serena went to reach for Larvitar to hug it, too, but the rock skin Pokemon immediately backed away. Despite that, Serena still wanted Larvitar to know she cared for its well-being.

"I'm really glad you're better, Larvitar," she told it, but Larvitar didn't respond.

Calem looked back towards the Lake of Rage where the red Gyarados was, and he immediately turned away and shut his eyes. The group gave him a look of confusion at seeing how much he revolted at what he just saw.

"Don't look," he warned.

Despite the warning, the group couldn't help but wonder what he was referring to. They turned back to the Lake of Rage, and their mouths opened in pure shock. The red Gyarados was still in the middle of the lake, thrashing around, but it didn't appear concerned with the group. That wasn't it, though. All throughout the Lake of Rage, the group could dozens of dead Magikarp, their lifeless bodies floating at the water's surface.

"H-how horrible," Misty whispered as she clamped a hand over her mouth.

Unfortunately, Larvitar had seen this, as well. It saw all the dead Magikarp in the water, and almost turned as pale as a ghost. Tears welled up in its eyes as it looked absolutely terrified. It turned away and curled into the tightest ball it could muster.

"L-Lance…how could…what…," Ash stuttered, completely horrified at the scene before him.

"You guys don't need to see this," Lance sighed. "Please, let's get back to the Pokemon Center. As I said, I'll explain what I know there."

The group nodded and followed Lance and Calem away from the Lake of Rage. They wanted to get far away from this place after what they just saw. Despite not wanting to see the scene again, Ash couldn't help but turn one last time at the writhing and roaring Gyarados. It appeared to be in so much pain, and Ash didn't have a clue why.

* * *

Everyone was back at the Pokemon Center in Mahogany Town, and it was still quite busy, but there didn't appear to be as many people around anymore. Naturally, since Lance was there, a lot people were excited to see him. It was like his presence alone was enough to boost everyone's spirits…which it probably did.

The red-haired man was sitting in a chair across from the group with Calem in a chair next to him. Lance appeared to be in thought as he figured out how he wanted to word everything. Of course, the first question that was on everyone's mind had to be answered first. Even Nurse Joy had gathered around Lance to hear what he had to say.

"So, Lance…what are you doing here in Mahogany Town?" Ash wondered.

"I'm here to investigate. I'm suspecting some really foul play in Mahogany Town…especially at the Lake of Rage," Lance answered.

"So, do you know what it is?" a boy in the crowd asked.

"I have a suspicion, but I'm not for certain yet," Lance replied as he crossed his arms.

"Why is Calem with you, though?" Serena asked this time.

"Calem's my partner in this. He's a Pokemon G-man in training," Lance responded while Calem gave a shy smile.

"A Pokemon G-man in training?! How did you become one of those, Calem?" Serena asked him.

"Well, remember that time I met you guys in Viridian City and said I was meeting with someone? Lance was that guy. I was meeting with him to apply. I've undergone a lot of training the past year with things like martial arts, Pokemon training, and special care to Pokemon. This is my first actual field mission," Calem explained.

"Lance has trained you? That's really cool, Calem," Ash smiled.

"I'm really proud of you," Serena added.

"Well…yeah. It's great to see all of you again, too, but I wish it was under different circumstances," Calem said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Right. Speaking of the circumstances, you all should leave everything to us. We'll get to the bottom of this," Lance spoke to everyone in the Pokemon Center.

"Lance will definitely figure out what's going on. He'll save our Pokemon!" a young girl in the crowd shouted out while the rest of the crowd gave their murmurs of approval.

"I'll do my best!" Lance said with a light laugh.

"So, what's going on with that red Gyarados? I've never seen anything like it," Ash muttered.

"This is where my clue comes in. I've never seen a red Gyarados myself. It was like it evolved, but not fully. Evolution is very natural for Pokemon so they all should be able to fully obtain their next form with little effort," Lance explained.

"That's why we believe the Gyarados may have evolved unnaturally," Calem finished.

"Unnaturally? How?" Ash asked in confusion.

"I have no idea, and it still doesn't explain all of the sick…or dead Pokemon, either," Lance frowned.

"Right. Our Pokemon were so sick in those few minutes, but now it's like nothing happened," Serena said as she looked at Togetic, Pikachu, and the hardened Larvitar. It hadn't moved since being in the Pokemon Center.

Lance took notice of Larvitar and looked towards Serena. "Is Larvitar, alright?" Lance asked her.

"I don't think so. That sight at Lake of Rage must've really shook it up. Also, Larvitar had a bad experience in its egg right before it hatched. I'm worried it may never come outside again after what it saw," Serena said sadly.

"Hmm…may I, Serena?" Calem requested and nodded towards Larvitar.

"Oh? Umm…okay," Serena nodded, not knowing what Calem was doing.

Calem then knelt down next to Larvitar and smiled at it, but Larvitar didn't move. The group watched curiously as Calem spoke to it. He appeared quite relaxed as he did so.

"Hi there, Larvitar. It's nice to meet you. My name's Calem," the black-haired boy said.

Larvitar cracked its eyes open and looked towards Calem. Though it was small, that was more than what the group was expecting. If anything, they expected Larvitar to harden up even more.

"Hey. I think I know what might cheer you up. How about some nice Pokemon food?" Calem asked as he reached into his special G-man backpack and pulled out some Pokemon food. "This may not be as good as Brock's since I'm told he's really good, but I'm still sure it's tasty. Go ahead and have some."

Larvitar stared at the open gesture for a moment as if considering the offer. The group expected it to harden again, but to everyone's amazement, Larvitar actually loosened up and timidly moved towards Calem. It then looked at the Pokemon food before back at Calem. The black-haired boy gave another kind smile and nodded his head. Larvitar then took the food and began to eat it.

"Good, right?" Calem questioned.

"Lar," it muttered in approval with a mouthful of food.

"That's amazing Calem! How did you do that?" Serena gasped. "I have trouble getting Larvitar to even look at me."

"It's all in your body motion, and what you're really feeling," Calem responded.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"Newborn Pokemon are very perceptive of emotions. They can feel the mood of everyone around them. My guess is that when you speak to Larvitar, you're nervous because you're scared it will harden up again. However, it's actually counterproductive as that only makes Larvitar nervous. The all have a strong sense of trust, and the trainer's mood to it is very important," Calem explained.

"I get it," Brock stepped in. "It's easy to tell Larvitar something, but if Larvitar feels like none of us mean what we tell it, it has no reason to believe us. Because it's already so terrified, it hardens up. Being a Pokemon breeder, I would know."

"Does that explain those creepy faces you were giving Larvitar earlier?" Misty mumbled which caused Brock to laugh sheepishly.

"I guess…I have been worried about how Larvitar would react, but I can't help but worry after knowing what its been through," Serena sighed.

"I'm sure Larvitar knows you care, Serena. You just have to give it a reason to believe in your words by letting it sense your emotions. Feel relaxed and full of fun and care when you talk to it," Calem informed.

"Okay. I will. Thank you, Calem," Serena smiled gratefully.

"That was well-done, Calem," Lance nodded in approval. "You're coming along just fine."

"Oh. Thank you, Lance," Calem replied with a bow.

"Anyway, everyone appears to be safe now. I need to be going," Lance said as he stood up.

"Wait. Where are you going?" Ash asked.

"I have to go back to the Lake of Rage where the red Gyarados is. I'm thinking Team Rocket may be involved, and if they are, they will definitely come for that red Gyarados," Lance replied.

A hushed silence filled the room now that Team Rocket was mentioned. Ash clenched his fists as he thought about those crooks and all the harm this situation seemed to be causing Pokemon. It would be just like them to devise something so despicable. The only problem was no one knew how they were involved or what was causing it.

"Lance! Let me come with you!" Ash suddenly said and jumped up from his seat.

"Ash…," Serena trailed.

"I'm sorry, Ash. This is too dangerous. A skilled Pokemon trainer you may be, I can't put you in this sort of danger. I can't even let Calem go with me for this. He'll remain here in Mahogany Town and help restore a little order," Lance responded.

"I can't let Team Rocket do what they want! I have to stop them!" Ash yelled.

"No, Ash. You need to stay here where it's safe," Lance said firmly.

Brock gently placed his hand on Ash's shoulder. "Hey, Ash. We all know how much you hate Team Rocket and how you helped stop them over a year ago, but Lance is a Pokemon G-man and one of the Elite Four in the Kanto region. We should leave this to an expert."

"That's right, Ash," Calem added. "It's as Lance said. I'm not even going with him to the Lake of Rage. He has a plan, though, to figure out everything about what's going on. He'll get to the bottom of it for sure."

Ash loosened himself and breathed out. The raven-haired boy slowly sat down on the couch and looked down to the ground. He just couldn't get Team Rocket or that red Gyarados out of his mind. As violent as it was and the fact that it almost ate him, it still appeared to be in so much pain. Not even angry Gyarados would act like that. Something was very wrong with it. Did it evolve unnaturally like Lance said?

"Everything will be fine, Ash," Serena tried to reassure.

"Pika!" Pikachu added and jumped into Ash's lap.

"Well then, I'll head off," Lance nodded before he turned to the others in the Pokemon Center. "You all have nothing to fear. As a member of the Pokemon G-men and an Elite Four member, I promise to uncover this mystery."

"We're certain you will, Lance. Thank you so much," Nurse Joy smiled.

Lance then gave one fine nod before he turned to went out the sliding glass doors of the Pokemon Center. Ash watched him go with a frown on his face. Lance was a man that Ash respected quite a lot ever since he vouched for him to not be expelled from the Pokemon League and helped Ash with Aerodactyl back then. Ash knew he wasn't as skilled as Lance was, but he had still grown a lot stronger since Lance last saw him. Surely, he knew that. Why didn't he think Ash could do it?

Then again, what did Lance know? This man had no idea about Ash's past with Team Rocket or how their old boss, Giovanni, was once with his mom. He had no idea about all the pain and suffering they had caused Ash when they had kidnapped his mom to get to him. He didn't know any of this. Ash didn't want to just play hero. He wanted to see Team Rocket stopped. It was his part of his destiny, after all. Suicune said so itself. He had to be the one to stop Team Rocket, and if they were involved in this, Ash had to go back.

"I'm going," Ash stated and stood up again which received shocked looks from everyone.

"You can't be serious, Ash!" Serena cried. "What about what Lance said?"

"I don't care what Lance said," Ash uttered. "Don't you guys remember what I told you that Suicune said to me? I have to be the one to stop Team Rocket, not Lance!"

"But you don't even know if Team Rocket is involved? You could be making a big mistake," Misty interjected.

"Then so be it, but I have a feeling they are. This whole situation just reeks of the type of evil they would do," Ash said.

"I'm…completely lost at what you guys are talking about," Calem spoke up. What was all this talk about Ash speaking to Suicune and needing to be the one to stop Team Rocket?

"It's a long story, Calem," Ash replied and turned to look at the boy. "I'm leaving whether I'm supposed to or not. Are you going to try to stop me as a Pokemon G-man?"

Calem looked into the challenge in Ash's eyes. Apparently, Ash was saying that if Calem tried to stop him, Ash would fight back. Serena sure did pick one determined, if not stubborn, boy for a boyfriend.

"I guess you leave me no choice," Calem frowned as he stood up.

Serena gasped as she thought a struggle was about to break out. She didn't want Calem or Ash to fight. However, she put on a look of confusion when Calem held his hand out to Ash and offered him a smile.

"As a member of the Pokemon G-men, I at least can't let you do this alone. I'm going with you," Calem stated.

"But what about what Lance said?" Ash asked suspiciously.

"Well, I'll deal with the consequences I guess," Calem shrugged.

"If you two are going, then so am I," Serena asserted and stood up, as well.

Both boys looked at the honey-haired girl for a moment. They should've known better. Also, they had no right to refuse her. After all, they were disobeying an order from someone else, as well.

"Alright, Serena. Thank you," Ash nodded and turned to Brock and Misty. "What about you two?"

"No, but keep in touch. You have our Pokegear number. If you find something out, let us know," Brock said and smiled. "We can get the citizens to safety and alert the police a lot faster that way if we need to."

"Just please be careful," Misty sighed.

"You got it. We're off then" Ash said.

The raven-haired boy then briefly glanced at Nurse Joy and few of the other occupants in the Pokemon Center. They were all looking at Ash, Serena, and Calem like they were crazy for trying to disobey Lance. However, there was also a sense of admiration in their eyes like they would still respect the group's decision and their willingness to help them out. Ash then turned and sprinted out the door with Calem, Serena, Pikachu, and Togetic close behind him.

"Brock, were we right to just let them go like that?" Misty asked.

"Yes. I think we were," Brock muttered before he lowered his voice. "Ash and Serena weren't called the Chosen Ones to save the world for nothing."

* * *

Jessie, James, and Meowth were speeding along on a large power boat right now. Jessie and James were the ones driving the vehicle while Attila and Hun were using their devices to track the red Gyarados. They had been driving around in the Lake of Rage for the past ten minutes, and there had been no sign of the atrocious Pokemon.

"Hurry up, you three!" Hun urged them.

"We're going as fast as this boat can go," Jessie grumbled. "Besides, aren't you and Attila the ones who are actually searching for it? How about you hurry up?"

"Humph. Worthless trash," Hun uttered and went back to his GPS before his eyes lit up. "Halt the boat! The red Gyarados is fifty meters below us!"

Jessie and James slowed the boat down until it came to a stop. They could hear a beeping sound coming from Attila and Hun's GPS which meant they must be close. Attila and Hun had excited looks on their faces while Jessie, James, and Meowth rolled their eyes.

At that time, Lance arrived back at the Lake of Rage. Off in the distance, he could see a large power boat in the middle of the lake. He took out his binoculars and peeked through them but couldn't get a good look at the occupants. Nonetheless, he did find it rather odd that a boat was out here so soon after what happened about an hour ago. Deciding to wait and see how it played out, Lance stealthily hid behind a large nearby tree.

"So, how are we going to capture this Gyarados?" James wondered.

Attila smirked. "Heh. We? I think you mean _you!_ "

"What are you talking about?" Jessie asked, suddenly a little concerned.

"You have to make yourselves useful somehow! You three are going to put on that scuba gear and distract the Gyarados while we launch the net from here!" Hun barked.

'Wh-what?! We're going in there?!" James cried.

"Of course! That Gyarados is extremely violent right now! We could never capture it if it's focused on us. However, if it's focused on you, that will make it an easy target," Hun replied.

"So, we're just bait?" Jessie muttered.

"Call it what you like. Get that gear on, and get in the water!" Attila ordered.

The trio hung their heads and slowly shuffled into the scuba gear. Once they were finished, they stood at the edge of the boat and took a deep breath. What they saw made them sick to their stomach. Just like the group had before them, Jessie, James, and Meowth saw several dead Magikarp that had floated up to the water's surface.

"We're about to jump into a pile of dead fish?!" Meowth cried.

"Those Magikarp aren't going to hurt you! Besides, they were just too weak to be part of our plan! Forget about them!" Hun growled.

Jessie, James, and Meowth felt anger again by what Hun had said. How could they be so callous about another Pokemon's life? Still, Jessie, James, and Meowth knew they had been that way once before, too, when they were back in Kanto when they were actually considered a threat.

Now that they were in Johto, the trio had seen the light and realized that their lives are precious as they've struggled to stay alive in this ordeal. It made them come to appreciate the lives of others, too. They couldn't believe they once wouldn't feel anything at seeing a sight of so many dead Magikarp.

"We said hurry up!" Hun yelled which caused the trio to turn back and glare at the scientist.

They briefly wondered why Attila and Hun couldn't simply throw a pokeball at the red Gyarados to capture it, but the two would probably just argue that the red Gyarados would need to be caught as wild because it's experimental material. With that, Jessie, James, and Meowth closed their eyes jumped into the water.

The three were underwater in an instant, and tried not to think about what they just went through upon hitting the water. Jessie, James, and Meowth then opened their eyes and looked around for the atrocious Pokemon. They didn't see it anywhere, though.

"Okay! No Gyarados! Let's go back!" James said and began to swim back, but Jessie grabbed him by his leg.

"Get back here! There's no telling what Attila and Hun will do if they see us come back up without the Gyarados. They could report to Ariana about our failure, and of course Proton will hear about it, and that's the last thing we want," Jessie reasoned.

James whimpered from within his head gear but stopped resisting Jessie's pull. He then slowly sank back to where they were, and the trio looked at each other.

"Remember. We're in this together. We can do this. No dying, okay?" Jessie assured.

"Right!" James and Meowth agreed.

The three then swam deeper in the water to make it look like they were moving somewhere. Attila and Hun were probably tracking their movements, and they didn't want to make it look like they weren't doing anything. After swimming around for a few minutes, they started to feel a little more relaxed. They secretly hoped Gyarados had swam away since Attila and Hun had spotted it on their GPS. Besides, what were the odds of running into a red Gyarados in this large lake anyway?

They then heard what sounded like an underwater roar, and they froze. Great. Of course, it would appear now that they thought it was safe. The frantically looked around everywhere and saw a very large black, slender shape heading straight for them. The black shape then revealed itself to be none other than the red Gyarados.

The trio screamed at the top of their lungs through the scuba gear before they turned and swam frantically away. They didn't dare look back for fear of seeing how close it was to them. As they moved, they could feel the air of Gyarados' breath on them and knew that it was gaining. There was no way they could out swim it. If they could just get to the surface of the water…

"Please! I don't want to die yet!" James pleaded.

"Just keeping swimming!" Jessie shouted.

"Who would've thought Meowth would become fish food?!" Meowth cried.

The roar of Gyarados was deafening so it must've been right behind them, but they were so close! Don't die! They had to keep swimming! Pleeeeeaaaasse!

At last, they broke the water's surface, but they didn't have anytime to rest. The red Gyarados broke through, as well, about a second later. It then stared balefully at Jessie, James, and Meowth before it lunged at them The trio screamed again and prepared for the deaths.

However, a giant reinforced net sprang out from the large boat and fell over the Gyarados as well as the trio. The red Gyarados then took its attention off of Jessie, James, and Meowth, and instead began struggling to get the net off. The trio then turned and gave a thankful look to Attila and Hun who had evil grins on their faces. However, Jessie, James, and Meowth didn't feel so thankful for too long.

"Initiate the shock!" Attila hollered and pressed a button.

An electric current then ran along the net and began shocking everything within it, including Jessie, James, and Meowth. The three felt like they were being fried alive. Not only were they being shocked with an incredible amount of voltage, but it didn't help matters that they were in the water.

"Wh-what are you doing?! We're on your side!" Jessie screamed as they flailed around in pain.

"You should've moved out of the way," Hun said carelessly as he and Attila continued the shock.

The trio could feel themselves losing consciousness as they continued to be shocked. Their struggles became feebler, and they let out a choking sound before they went limp in the water. At that time, the red Gyarados lost consciousness, too, and Attila and Hun smiled deviously as they as finally shut off the electricity. Hun then pulled out a communicative watch and pressed a button. They soon heard Ariana's voice on the other end.

"Go ahead, Hun," Ariana said.

"We've captured the red Gyarados. The mission was a total success. We're bringing it back to the base via the passage outside Mahogany Town," Hun reported.

"Humph, So, Jessie, James, and Meowth were useful here, after all. I'm actually impressed," Ariana seemed to smirk through the communicator

"What do you want us to do with them? It seems like they got caught in our net and passed out," Attila said.

"Leave them for now. The red Gyarados is more important. I don't have a use for them right now and neither does the boss, apparently. If they manage to get out of the lake, they know where the hideout is," Ariana said darkly.

"Understood!" Attila and Hun nodded and shut off the communicator.

With that, Attila and Hun turned the boat back on and began to speed away while taking the red Gyarados with them. Lance saw them taking away the red Gyarados and quickly followed it to see where they were going. This appeared to be Team Rocket, after all, and it looked like he would have to infiltrate them in a disguise to get a closer look. Unfortunately, he didn't see the trio still the water as he chased after the boat.

Jessie, James, and Meowth, meanwhile, were still unconscious and slipped through the large holes in the net as it passed over them. Their motionless bodies then went face down in the water with the dozens of dead Magikarp around them.

* * *

 **Well, that wraps up part one of the Lake of Rage section.**

 **Once again, sorry for not saying which presents Ash got. I simply couldn't think of anything original, and there will be other birthdays even thought his was his thirteenth. Of course, now that Ash is thirteen, he'll notice girls a lot more now if this chapter was any indication. Let's hope he doesn't become attracted to other girls or Serena's not going to like it! Ehh...Ash made sure to be committed so he should be okay...probably.**

 **The next Lake of Rage chapter will be out before the end of the year! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 54: A Switch of Sides**


	54. A Switch of Sides

**A/N: This chapter got out fairly quickly. I guess it was mainly because the Lake of Rage Arc turned into three chapters rather than two. On the bright side, that means the next chapter should be up fairly quickly, as well, as it will probably be a little on the shorter side compared to these last two. Well, anyway, enjoy the chapter! Also, please no more asking if Ash is getting the red Gyarados. You'll see it when it happens. Whether he does or doesn't catch it, I'll explain my reasoning...probably even within the chapter itself.**

 **A cool side note. With this chapter, I have now surpassed the word count of the Kanto Arc!**

 **A/N: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 54: A Switch of Sides

Ash pumped his legs as he, Serena, and Calem continued running to the Lake of Rage as fast as they could. If they were fast enough, they might catch up to Lance. Of course, if they saw him, they would have a lot of explaining to do…especially Calem. Nevertheless, they were still determined. It was just over a thirty minute walk to the Lake of Rage from Mahogany Town, but only about fifteen to twenty minutes if one was running. Thankfully, they were in great shape from all the exercising they did from walking.

The group finally came off from the main trail and into the Lake of Rage clearing. They tried not to focus on the still dozens of dead Magikarp that had floated to the lake's surface. Unfortunately, they didn't see the red Gyarados or Lance anywhere.

"Do you think the red Gyarados went back underwater?" Serena suggested.

"I think so," Ash replied.

"Is it really a good idea to lure it out again without Lance here?" Calem inquired.

"I wonder where Lance could've gone, though, now that you mention it. Didn't he say he was coming to the Lake of Rage?" Ash inquired.

"I think he may have decided to search for clues around here first. He may be in the area, just not within our sight," Calem suggested.

Calem then went to the edge of the lake and took a look around. All the black-haired boy could see were dead Magikarp, and no sign of Lance in the surrounding…wait. Calem's eyes widened when he could see three very distinct shapes that were definitely not Magikarp out there. Calem took out his binoculars, and he gasped when he saw the shapes out there were two people and one Pokemon. Their breathing tubes were out of their mouths so they weren't merely snorkeling. The worst part was they were completely limp!

"Guys!" Calem cried as he turned to face Serena and Ash. "There's someone out there!"

"What?!" Ash exclaimed as he and Serena ran to the edge of the lake and looked.

"Oh no! We have to help them!" Serena yelped.

"Croconaw, I choose you!" Ash shouted and threw the pokeball forward.

Much to his relief, Croconaw looked completely healthy again and gave no sign that it was once writing on the ground in agony. The big jaw Pokemon dove in the water and sped through the lake until it reached the helpless trio. It then used its powerful arms to grab all three of them and paddled back to the shore.

As Croconaw got closer to the shore, Ash and Serena couldn't believe their eyes. It was Jessie, James, and Meowth…notorious Team Rocket members! They hadn't seen them since Goldenrod City, and before that when Serena helped them out of the Ruins of Alph.

Calem's eyes also hardened when he saw the red R that was on their scuba gear. Was the fact that they were here mean Team Rocket was involved in this crisis, after all, or was it just a coincidence? Regardless, the group was still confused and disapproving of who Croconaw was dragging back. Pikachu and Togetic couldn't help but sweat drop.

Croconaw reached the shore and dropped the trio on the ground. Ash thanked the big jaw Pokemon and returned it to its pokeball as he, Serena, and Calem gathered around the trio. It was clear they were unconscious. As they laid there, the group exchanged glances as they tried to decide what to do with them.

"We should take them straight to the police," Calem said. "Even if they have nothing to do with the Lake of Rage incident, that doesn't change the fact that these guys are members of Team Rocket."

"Yeah, but they're a little bit different," Serena muttered. "At least from how they used to be."

"What do you mean?" Calem wondered.

"We've ran into them more than once throughout Johto, and they haven't been hostile to us at all this whole time. They had the perfect chance to restrain me or kill me at the Ruins of Alph when I was unconscious, but they chose not to," Serena explained.

"I say we wake them up and try to squeeze some information out of them before we take them to the police," Ash suggested. "I at least want to know what they were doing unconscious in that lake.

Ash then looked to Pikachu and nodded his head. The yellow rodent smiled deviously as it had wanted to do this to Team Rocket members for quite a long time. It charged up its cheeks and unleashed a Thunderbolt. It wasn't too powerful so it could avoid hurting them, but it would be enough to jolt them back into consciousness. It was rather ironic that electricity was also what caused them to pass out in the first place.

The result was immediate. Jessie, James, and Meowth sprang up from the ground and yelped in surprise and pain, and Pikachu quickly stopped the attack. The trio swayed a little bit as they tried to regain their footing. They couldn't hold themselves up and instead fell back to the ground on their hands and knees where they began spluttering up lake water.

As the group watched the trio cough and wheeze, they couldn't help but feel a bit of slight pity for them, but it was only slight. How long had they been in the water before the group found them?

"I don't know…who you are but thank…you," Jessie gasped as she, James, and Meowth looked up to their saviors.

Upon seeing Ash and Serena, they immediately jumped to their feet and struck a pose as if nothing was wrong with them five seconds ago. The group watched with revulsion as the trio started their motto. To be honest, they looked quite ridiculous since they were still in their scuba gear.

"Prepare for trouble because we're out of the lake!" Jessie began.

"And make it double because we're alert and awake!" James began.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of the Lake of Rage!"

"You better lesson well so we're on the same page!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket comes back to life at the speed of light!"

"We're no longer coughing water so prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

"Wooooooobbuffet!"

"What are you doing?" Ash asked as he and the others gave the trio a deadpan expression.

"You should watch your mouth around us, twerp!" Jessie declared as she pointed her index finger forward. "Don't forget that we're dangerous members of Team Rocket!"

"And don't forget that we're the ones who just saved your lives. How about a thank you?" Serena retorted.

The trio's tough attitude deflated considerably once Serena said that. James sighed and took off his flippers while Jessie tended to wringing out her long hair. Meowth stripped off his scuba gear and gave a mighty shake to rid the water from his fur. A lot of the water ended up spraying Wobbuffet, who was still outside its pokeball, but the blue blob didn't appear to mind.

"Alright. Despite the less than gentle awakening, you still did save us," Jessie began as she, James', and Meowth's face contorted as if what they were about to say was repulsive, but eventually, the look caved.

"Thank you so much!" they said gratefully with a bow.

With that, the trio turned and began to walk away from the group. They had no idea where they were going, though. Logic told them to forget about Team Rocket since Attila and Hun had left them to die in the Lake of Rage. However, fear was telling them they should just go back to the base. If someone, specifically Proton, spotted them not among Team Rocket, things would be bad for them.

"Wait a minute," Ash uttered with his arms crossed. "You still haven't told us what you guys were doing here."

The trio stopped at those words. They looked back and forth as if trying to choose what they should say to that. Finally, they turned around and Jessie was the one who answered.

"Look, kid. We appreciate you saving our lives, but these sorts of matters don't concern you. You and your pals have no reason to get into our business," she replied.

"Are you still part of Team Rocket or not?" Serena asked this time.

The trio hesitated at Serena's question. They weren't quite sure what they were now. It was almost as if Attila and Hun had left them to just drown not long ago. They never officially received a slip that would state their dismissal from Team Rocket, but did anyone even _expect_ them to return?

"W-Well…we don't' know," Jessie admitted.

"Do you know anything about what's happening here?" Ash asked again.

"Maybe," Jessie answered, trying to gain back her pride.

"Then it is my business!" Ash suddenly shouted, which startled the trio. "I don't know what's going on here, but it's hurting my Pokemon! I've never seen Pikachu or Togetic in so much pain before! I've also never seen so many dead Pokemon! It isn't just my Pokemon or the Magikarp in the Lake of Rage, either! It's Serena, Brock, Misty's, and everyone else's Pokemon in Mahogany Town, too!"

"Think about if this was happening to your own Pokemon, or even you, Meowth!" Serena added. "Would you be able to bear to see them like that?"

Jessie and James averted their eyes while Meowth seemed to shiver. Yes. They had seen how much it was hurting the other Pokemon, and it angered them to see Team Rocket would use such cruel methods to get what they wanted. They couldn't imagine what they would do if they saw Arbok, Weezing, Victreebel, or Wobbuffet disoriented and writhing on the ground.

"Weezing and Victreebel are like family to me. I wouldn't ever want to see them go through that," James shuddered.

"Not mention my Arbok and lovable blue blob," Jessie muttered.

"Or Meowth," Meowth finished.

"You don't think that they would actually use it on us, do you, Jessie?" James asked hopefully.

"I don't know. It's hard to say after how they just treated us in the Lake of Rage," Jessie mumbled.

"So, Team Rocket really is involved," Ash figured.

"Even if we did tell you, what do you plan to do about it? You're just a twerp!" Jessie snapped.

"I'm going to stop Team Rocket," Ash replied without missing a beat.

"And you think you kids can really do that?" James asked.

"I think so. We did force your leader to disband the whole gang over a year ago. I think we can do it again," Ash retorted.

"Yeah, right. Thanks, but no thanks," Jessie snorted.

With that, the trio turned back around and marched away from the group. They didn't get far, however. Ash ran ahead of them and stopped right in front of them. He then spread his arms out and gave them a very serious look. The trio went to move around Ash, but he was quick to jump in front of them once again.

"Move it or lose it!" Jessie growled.

"I'm not moving until you tell us what you know," Ash stated with determination. "You have to. I know Team Rocket, and so do you. We both know that they won't just stop at the Lake of Rage. They could soon do this to the entire world. Think of all the Pokemon that could get hurt or worse because of this. If you three have any shred of humanity, you have to tell me. Please."

Jessie, James, and Meowth sighed. Here was a boy whom they met over two years ago. Back then, he was just a twerp who they believed would never amount to anything and was just another easy target to steal Pokemon from. He wasn't that boy any longer. He had grown into a strong Pokemon trainer who even had the strength to spoil their plans at the Silph Company and most importantly, take down their boss. Maybe this kid really was the key to get them out of this nightmare that Team Rocket had become. They turned and saw Serena and the other teen boy had the same defiant looks on their faces. It looked like the trio didn't have much of a choice…not that it was a bad one.

"What do you think, Jessie?" James questioned.

Jessie frowned that James and Meowth were leaving it up to her. She then turned back to Ash and looked him straight in the eye.

"Tell me something," Jessie began seriously. "Do you truly believe you can stop Team Rocket and save us from them? Don't forget that if we help you, we're taking a huge gamble. Our lives are on the line here. If they catch us helping you, they'll kill us."

"Would they really go that far on their own teammates?" Serena gasped.

"Kid, you don't know half of it," Jessie muttered.

"You have no idea how much Team Rocket has gone downhill ever since the boss left. Those horrible executives have been in charge, and they only care about themselves. They treat everyone else on our team like garbage, especially the ones they don't like. Grunts are terrified of them. We're terrified of them, and even the ranking scientists, and Cassidy, and…Butch…are terrified of them. They'll never admit it, though. Proton is by far the worst," James shuddered.

"When the boss was in charge, it wasn't like that," Meowth muttered sadly. "How I miss those days."

Ash rolled his eyes that they were speaking highly of Giovanni. However, he held his tongue. What was most important right now was getting as much information out of Jessie, James, and Meowth as he could.

"Don't worry. You have my word. I promise I'll stop Team Rocket," Ash declared.

"Okay," Jessie nodded. "Listen well."

"There you are!"

Everyone jumped at the sound of a man's voice shouting. They all looked and saw Attila and Hun marching towards them. Ash's fists clenched at the sight of seeing more Rocket members here. He also glared when he saw Jessie, James, and Meowth snap to attention.

"I must say, I'm rather impressed you're out of the water," Hun stated. "You three are tougher than we thought you were. I'm sure Ariana would be pleased."

"W-what? She would?" James questioned in confusion.

"Oh, yes. We just delivered the red Gyarados and were coming back to get you from the lake. However, it seems that there was no need for that," Hun smirked.

"You captured the red Gyarados!?" Ash suddenly shouted.

Attila and Hun looked in surprise at Ash like they just now noticed he was there. They then saw Serena and Calem behind them.

"Heh. Who might you pipsqueaks be?" Attila sneered.

"None of your business. The only thing you need to know is that I'm stopping you crooks right here!" Ash said and drew Croconaw's pokeball as well as Serena and Calem.

"Put those away before someone gets hurt," Hun said coldly and took out a remote control and pushed a button

The effeminate man then looked over Serena and Calem. He then noticed the outfit Calem was wearing and got an amused look on his face along with Hun.

"I recognize that uniform. You're with the Pokemon G-men. What? Have they fallen so far that they sent the peewee division here?" Attila laughed along with Hun.

Calem frowned but said nothing. He wasn't about to let them know that Lance was around here somewhere, too. Speaking of the man, where _was_ he? They could seriously use his help right now! Ash had enough of these two and went to throw his pokeball, but something unexpected happened.

It was at that moment that Pikachu and Togetic's eyes drooped down. Pikachu keeled over while Togetic couldn't keep in the air and fell to the ground. They weren't the only ones, though. Even Meowth did. He looked a bit woozy and fell over on his back.

"Meowth!?" Jessie and James gasped.

"I don't feel so great…," Meowth muttered.

"It's that experiment again!" Calem exclaimed and pointed to the remote control that Hun had. "So, you crooks are behind everything!"

"What _is_ it, though?!" Serena cried

"What are you doing?!" Ash shouted. "Turn it off!"

"Pipe down, kid. We're just making sure there aren't any interruptions with our plans. It seems you've seen too much," Attila said.

"We'll have to take you three as our permanent prisoners," Hun added and crossed his arms.

"I'm not letting you get away with this!" Ash hollered and charged at Attila.

The large, blond-haired man just laughed and placed his hand on Ash's head to keep him from going further. Ash shouted angrily and swung his arms as he tried to hit Attila, but it was to no avail. Attila smirked and leaned in a little closer.

"Heh. Not so tough without your Pokemon, are you, kid?" Attila taunted before he shoved Ash to the ground.

Serena and Calem both ran over to help Ash to his feet. Ash glared hatefully at Attila and Hun. It seemed Jessie and James wanted to step in and say something, but they didn't. They exchanged glances between Meowth, Pikachu, and Togetic, and the group could tell it was painful for them to watch, too.

"Now, you kids have two options," Hun started. "You can either come quietly, and we'll turn off the radio waves immediately, or you can continue to resist us, and who knows what will happen to your Pokemon then."

Ash clenched his fists and growled angrily to himself as tears burned his eyes. He looked back at Pikachu and Togetic who looked close to passing out. Sending out his other Pokemon wouldn't do anything, either, as they would be affected by the waves, too. Did he make a big mistake again by charging in to the Lake of Rage? The worst part was he got Serena and Calem involved, too. He then glanced at Jessie and James who were now kneeling over Meowth and were trying to wake him up. It seemed like he didn't have a choice.

"Ash, we should just do what they say," Calem stepped in. "The most important thing is just keeping everyone safe. They have us beat here."

Ash tore his eyes away from Pikachu and Togetic before he glared again at the two scientists.

"Alright. We'll come with you. Just please turn that thing off," Ash relented.

"Very well. First of all, we have to restrain you," Hun said and turned to Jessie and James. "You two! Tie those kids up!"

Jessie and James were then thrown a rope by Attila. They looked hesitant to leave Meowth's side, but they knew that this was the quickest way to help him. They went over to the group and forced Ash's hands behind his back by tying him up first. Ash could've sworn he heard Jessie and James mumble an apology to him, but he was too focused on Pikachu and Togetic who were still writhing on the ground. Jessie and James then restrained Calem and Serena by wrapping the rope around their hands, too. Once they were done, they saluted to Attila and Hun.

"There. We're caught. Now please turn it off," Ash pleaded.

"One more thing," Hun said and pulled out what looked like a gun before he pulled the trigger.

A net shot of it and quickly spread around Togetic and Pikachu, who made no effort to resist it. Ash gasped as he stared at his Pokemon.

"Pikachu! Togetic!" he yelled.

"Don't have a Miltank, kid. We're just making sure they can't escape once we turn the waves off. That net is shock proof, by the way," Attila sneered before Hun pressed the button on his remote control again.

Pikachu, Togetic, and even Meowth visibly relaxed as soon as that happened. Attila walked over to the net that held Pikachu and Togetic and unceremoniously swung it over his back. Ash growled at the rough treatment but said nothing.

"Now, come with us," Hun ordered and began to walk away with Attila.

"Man. Lance is going to kill me for this," Calem mumbled.

James picked up Meowth since he was still feeling weak and got behind the group with Jessie. They all then began to follow Attila and Hun back to where their base was presumably. Ash couldn't help but glance at Jessie and James to see how they felt about this. They were avoiding eye contact with Ash and looked a bit guilty at tying Ash, Serena, and Calem up after they just saved their lives. Still, they were clearly too scared to try anything to defy Attila and Hun.

* * *

The group soon found themselves at the Team Rocket hideout outside Mahogany Town. They immediately spotted the red Gyarados being hoisted up by a crane operated by several grunts. It was then placed in a large tank of water which closed up as soon as it was in. A red-haired grunt standing by saw Ash, Calem, and Serena, and his eyes widened. What were they doing here?!

"Hey! What do you plan on doing with that Gyarados, anyway?" he asked.

Attila and Hun stopped and turned to face with boy with a smirk on their faces. "Well, seeing how you're going to be our prisoners for the rest of your lives, I see no harm in us about telling you of Project R," Hun said.

"What's Project R?" Calem questioned.

"It's short for Project Revolution," Hun explained. "It's an excellent system that we and Professor Namba created. It actually allows us to manipulate Pokemon evolution."

The group's eyes widened at that. So _that's_ what this experiment was! The group thought back to everything going on. It explained everything. It explained why all their Pokemon felt so weak and helpless. Most of all, it explained the red Gyarados. Ash then briefly wondered if they had kept using that machine if Pikachu would've evolved into a Raichu. Ash forced the thought away and clenched his teeth. Unknown to them, the Rocket grunt nearby with red hair also looked surprised and interested with what was said, but nobody took notice of him.

"You can't do that! It interferes with nature!" Serena cut in.

"Oh, but I believe we can and already have, little girl. That red Gyarados proves that our system is a complete success!" Attila grinned evilly. "That evolution inducement wave is incredible!"

"Evolution inducement wave," Ash muttered.

"We blasted it straight at the Lake of Rage where it appears a Magikarp promptly evolved into a Gyarados," Hun said. "However, it appears there are a few bugs we have to work out. That red coloring is clearly a lingering trait of its Magikarp form. We'll have a do a complete examination of it, and then we'll be able to perfect Project R."

The group continued to stare angrily. It looked like Lance's theory about the red Gyarados was correct, after all. If only he was around to here all this! Where was he?!

"Heh. We also learned that wave is a great weapon against anyone who tries to stop us. You kids can't do anything to us as long we have control of that machine," Hun laughed.

"Yes. This remote control that allows us to operate the wave from a distance sure does come in handy," Attila smirked.

"Once we perfect our machine, we'll be able to evolve all the Pokemon, including ours, stronger and stronger. Then we'll have the ultimate Pokemon army, and we can always sell anything we don't feel like we need. Team Rocket will make a great comeback with this experiment. I assure you," Hun grinned evilly.

The two Rocket scientists then gave cold laughs at that. Jessie and James didn't join in and continued to watch. Despite how twisted this plan was, they couldn't help but be slightly impressed. It truly was a good way to bring Team Rocket back. If they weren't so desperate to get out, they would probably be on board with this plan, too. Still, the thought of their Pokemon or Meowth being hurt by this experiment was too much for them to take. It had already proven to have killed dozens of Magikarp, after all.

"You…really don't care about the Pokemon you're hurting because of this," Calem said as his voice shook. "Those poor Magikarp."

"Of course not. Any Pokemon that dies in this experiment is weak and not worthy to be sold or added to our army," Hun uttered.

"How could you say that?" Serena whimpered.

"You'll never get away with this!" Ash hollered.

"We already have, kid," Attila smirked and thumped Ash on the head.

Hun then turned to Jessie and James. "Take them to the dungeon. Make sure they are locked up tight. Also, change out of those clothes already. You look ridiculous."

"Oh…uh…sure," the two muttered.

"What's wrong?" Attila asked as he noticed their hesitation.

"Oh…um…nothing!" Jessie said brightly! "We'll do as you say!"

"Will Meowth be okay?" James couldn't help but asked as he looked at the weakened Pokemon in his arm.

"It'll be fine in about ten minutes," Attila waved off dismissively. "Just get those brats to the dungeon and relax. I'm sure Ariana will let you know if she needs anyone else."

Jessie and James sighed before they nodded their head and signaled the group to follow them. Ash didn't move as Attila still had Pikachu and Togetic swung over his back. The raven-haired boy's eyes watered. He couldn't just leave them like this. Pikachu opened its eyes and gave a slight nod to Ash that it would be okay. Ash forced himself to turn away. He would just have to trust Pikachu.

Ash remained expressionless as he continued to remain transfixed on the trio. He had been so close to getting them to listen to reason, but to no avail. Ash knew that Jessie and James knew it, too, as they hadn't looked at him once since he, Serena, and Calem were captured.

As they walked off, the red-haired grunt, who turned out to be Lance in disguise, watched them go with a frown on his face. Why did they disobey his orders to stay away from the Lake of Rage!? Calem should especially know better! Now, this has happened! It looks like uncovering the secrets of this experiment would turn into a rescue operation, as well. He couldn't expose himself right now, though. He hated to do it, but Ash, Serena, and Calem would have to endure the dungeon for a short period of time while he formulated a plan.

* * *

Nobody said anything as the Team Rocket trio led the group down to the dungeons. They each had their own individual thoughts going through their mind. They soon entered a restricted area in the base, and Jessie said the first sentence of anybody.

"You may not like what you're about to see," she muttered before she entered the access code, and the door slid open.

"What is it?" Ash couldn't help but ask despite the aggravation he was feeling.

"This was…the research area where Dr. Namba, Attila, and Hun conducted their experiments on Pokemon during the beta stages of Project R," James answered.

The group then stepped into the room, and it was a rather disturbing sight. Though it wasn't as bad as seeing all the dead Magikarp in the Lake of Rage, it was still enough to make the group gasp.

There were several Pokemon in either cages or tubes, and they were all barely conscious. They were clearly malnourished and in very bad shape. Pokemon of many species and sizes were there. What stuck out most to the group was that they were all evolved, and though some were similar, they were all the color of their pre-evolutions. There were Beedrill, Gloom, Nidorina and Nidorino, and even an light brown Ursaring.

"So, I take it that these were the Pokemon who passed the experiments," Calem figured.

"Yes, but the more proper term is how many survived," Jessie mumbled.

"How many did…you know…not make it?" Serena inquired.

"We don't know, but we were told that different Pokemon were replaced every week," James sighed.

"You guys really are the lowest of low," Ash spat.

"Hey, kid! We didn't want any part of this experiment! We only did it because we were ordered to!" Jessie said angrily.

"So, what are you going to do now? Lock us up? After everything we said to you? After we saved your lives?" Ash uttered.

"Yes. We only agreed to help you because you said you would be able to stop Team Rocket if we told you what we know. Now look at you. You and your little crew were captured at the first opportunity. Face it, kid. You guys are out of your league with Team Rocket. We have no reason to help you anymore," Jessie stated.

Ash wanted to retort, but he knew Jessie was right. He rushed into the Lake of Rage without thinking because he believed he was the one to stop Team Rocket, and he had convinced the trio to help him put an end to this experiment. Yet, as soon as two Rocket members came, he was powerless to prevent his, Serena, and Calem's capture. As long as they had that machine, there was no way he would be able to use his Pokemon. He just hoped Lance knew what was going on and would be able to save them. Afterwards, well, he would have a lot of explaining to do.

Serena sadly watched all of the captured Pokemon as she passed them. They all looked so pitiful. As she passed the Ursaring, she noticed it weakly look in her direction, and when it spotted Serena, it sat up a little bit. It was a little hard to tell with how weak it looked, but it almost looked surprised to see Serena. It was a little unnerving for Serena to see such a large Pokemon watching her. The Ursaring never took its eyes off of her as they passed through the room.

 _"That was weird,"_ Serena thought to herself as they exited the room.

The group soon found themselves going down a stairwell, and the plastered walls were becoming rough stone. The lights were turning to torches. It was clear they were getting close to the dungeon. Ash couldn't help but roll his eyes at how stereotypical this dungeon looked.

They got off the stairwell, and the group immediately spotted the three cells lined up against the wall. Jessie and James muttered for them to each get into a separate cell which they complied. They then shut the door and looked it with the key.

"What's going to happen to Pikachu and Togetic, and our other Pokemon that those two scientists have?!" Ash cried.

"We don't know," James sighed. "We'll at least try to make sure nothing bad happens to them."

"So, that's it then," Ash muttered. "You three are just going to leave us here."

"Of course. What did you expect us to do? Play nice? You did this to yourself, kid. Had you just stayed out of Team Rocket's way, this wouldn't have happened," Jessie snorted.

"And if we hadn't come to the Lake of Rage to save your lives, or help you out at the Ruins of the Alph, you wouldn't even be here," Serena countered.

Jessie and James didn't have a proper reply to that. What were they supposed to do?!

"Attila and Hun would've saved us in the lake. They said they were coming back for us," Jessie defended.

"Come on. You guys know you might've drowned by then," Ash said.

"Look, kid! There's nothing you can do against Team Rocket right now, and neither can we!" Jessie shouted.

Ash glared at them, but he finally grit his teeth and turned his head away. It seemed as though he had nothing more to say to them. Upon seeing the raven-haired boy's look, Jessie and James' expression softened a little bit.

"Look, we'll try to make sure you're treated well while you're here, but us helping you now for all of our sake is out of the question," Jessie sighed.

With that, the trio turned to leave. Ash kicked the bars in frustration since his hands were still tied up. Calem and Serena both sighed at sat down as they had no idea what was in store from them for them now.

"I shouldn't have trusted them," Ash growled. "At the end of the day, they're still in Team Rocket."

* * *

"Nnngh…what'd I miss?" Meowth muttered as he woke up from the effects of the evolution inducement wave.

"Oh, you're awake now," James said with a smile and set Meowth down on the ground. They all were finally out of their scuba gear and back in their Rocket uniforms.

"Meowth feels tired," the scratch cat Pokemon yawned. "The last thing I remember we were going to help those twerps. Where are they?"

"Well, they're locked up in the dungeon now," Jessie muttered and looked away.

"What? They went and got themselves captured after we helped them?" Meowth questioned.

"We…never got the chance to hep them," Jessie sighed. "Attila and Hun used the evolution inducement wave, and those kids could to do nothing to stop them."

"Well, why didn't you two do anything? You could've talked your way out of it to help them. Attila and Hun still think we want to be a part of Team Rocket," Meowth argued.

"What do you know? You were passed out like some drunken alley cat the whole time. Attila and Hun wouldn't have listened to us!" Jessie snapped.

"How do you know? Didn't you at least try? These kids were offering us a chance to get out of this nightmare! Why didn't you take it?!" Meowth asked pointedly, now fully awake.

Jessie and James sighed and looked away. Surely, Meowth knew the answer to that. If they tried to go against anything Attila and Hun said, they would've been reported to Ariana. Still, was there truly a convincing story that they could've told Attila and Hun to keep those kids out of trouble?

"Look, take this from a Pokemon's point of view like me. That little evolution wave is bad news! I've never felt so bad in my life, and that's saying something. That wave was worse than any abuse Proton's ever given us. Meowth would do anything to not go through that again!" Meowth yelled. "I'd probably kill myself if I ever became a Persian against my will!"

"What do you suggest we should've done then, Meowth?!" Jessie shouted back.

"Let those kids help us, of course! Not lock them in a dungeon!" Meowth hollered.

"We can't do that! We'll get caught, and who knows what will happen to us!" Jessie yelped.

"They'll probably kill us," James shivered.

Meowth had enough. "Numbskulls!" he shouted and scratched them across the face.

Jessie and James fell silent as they stood there in shock. They looked down at Meowth who was breathing heavily and looked quite angry. Normally, they would respond back and punch the daylights out of him for that, but they had no reaction this time.

"Look at you two. You're pathetic. I'm a coward, too, but if something comes along that gives us a chance to get out of this nightmare, we should take it, even if it involves bending the rules a little. Have you two really lost any spine you have left?" Meowth growled. "This wave is evil, plain and simple. Even you two should be able to see that."

"But Meowth…," James began, but Meowth cut him off.

"Look, remember that promise we made in Tohjo Falls? How we'd always be together no matter what? Even in the good times and bad? If we ever hope to get out of this nightmare, we have to take a risk at some point," Meowth reasoned.

"You aren't scared?" Jessie questioned.

"Of course I am," Meowth muttered. "But I'm more scared about what will happen if we don't do anything. Remember what that twerp said? Team Rocket isn't going to stop using that machine here. They could use it on the whole world if they come back to power! I'll never let that happen! If you two won't me help me, then I'll do it myself. Anything's better then being under the effects of that wave again!"

Jessie and James were at a loss for words by Meowth's speech. He had such passion in his eyes as he spoke. It was clear he was determined to put a stop to this thing whether Jessie and James were going to help him or not. They were even more surprised when their pokeballs wiggled, and Weezing, Arbok, Victreebel, and Wobbuffet came out of their pokeballs and stared at the two with disapproving expressions.

"What? You all, too?" Jessie asked.

"Charbok! Charbok!" Arbok nodded.

"Weeeezing!" Weezing said followed by screech of agreement from Victreebel.

"Woooooobuffet!" Wobbuffet finished.

Jessie and James gasped at their Pokemons' words. Though they couldn't understand fully, Jessie and James knew what their Pokemon were asking. They wanted to know if Jessie and James would ever let that inducement wave hurt them. Though they were already evolved, that wouldn't shield them from the harmful effects of the radiation if it was ever aimed at a place where they were at.

"No! We would never let that happen to all of you!" Jessie shouted forcefully.

"Chaaaaarbok!" Arbok pointed out.

"What? You're saying that not doing anything about this machine is the same as approving of it?" Jessie asked, to which all of their Pokemon nodded.

Jessie shut her eyes and clenched her fists as tears came to her and James' eyes. They were having a disturbing image of their Pokemon writhing on the ground in pain, passing out, or even worse because of that evolution wave. The two didn't think they would ever be able to bear it if that ever happened to their Pokemon.

"W-We would never want that to happen. Of course we care about you," James cried.

"We just…don't know what will happen to us, or you, if we go against Team Rocket like this," Jessie said as her voice shook.

"Hey. We're in this together. Remember. I know that if we team up with those twerps and destroy that machine, there will be nothing that could stop us," Meowth told them.

Jessie and James looked at each of their Pokemons' serious expressions. These were not just their Pokemon, but their friends. They were the ones that were always there to lift Jessie and James up just like they did that night on the roof of the Goldenrod Radio Tower. That was their way of showing Jessie and James that they were always there for them, even if Victreebel would sometimes rather make James its lunch. There was no way Jessie and James would pay them back by letting them fall under the effects of Project R. Just like their Pokemon would be there for them, they would be there for their Pokemon.

"You're right. We're not going to let you go through something like that. Let's put a stop to that machine, and let's do it together," Jessie stated and finally smiled.

"I'm in, too!" James added.

"That's more like it! All in!" Meowth declared and stuck out one of his paws.

It was followed by Arbok's tail, Victreebel's vine, Wobbuffet's arm, Weezing's…smaller head, and finally Jessie and James' hand. No more cowering in front of the other members. They were going to stand up for what they believe in! They knew exactly what they had to do!

* * *

Ash looked up as he heard the door to the dungeon opening. It was accompanied by footsteps hurriedly coming down the stairs. Ash growled to himself and forcefully turned away as he was sure it was some Team Rocket grunts who had come down to taunt him. Right! He knows he messed up! It was wrong to think that he could change any Team Rocket members' mind about what they were doing was wrong. Now, it was going to get rubbed in his face.

That was when he was surprised when he heard keys jingling and the sound of his cell door unlocking. He turned and stared in confusion when he saw Jessie, James, Meowth, and all their Pokemon outside the cell door. What were they doing?

"What's going on?" Ash wondered.

"We're bustin' you and your pals out, twerp," Meowth answered.

"You are? Why?" Serena couldn't help but ask.

"Because what Team Rocket is doing is despicable! We're not going to let them harm Meowth, our Pokemon, or any other Pokemon with that machine!" James responded as he finished undoing the lock to Ash's cell door. He then went to work on Serena's door.

"It took the words of our Pokemon to knock some sense into us," Jessie said.

"So, you guys are going to help us?" Ash questioned.

"Yep. We're gonna to take you straight to the machine that's powering that evolution wave," Meowth replied.

James then finished unlocking Calem and Serena's door. Once they were out, Ash still noticed one more little problem.

"Aren't you going to untie us?" Ash asked.

"Not yet. We need to make it look like you're still our prisoners. We'll untie you as soon as we get to the room with the machine it," Jessie said.

Ash nodded his head as he decided that made sense. The trio then made Calem, Serena, and Ash line up, and they each stood on one side of them and had their Pokemon behind them to make it look convincing.

"Do you guys know where Pikachu, Togetic, and the others are?" Ash asked.

"We think so," James replied. "Now don't talk."

With that, they began to walk forcefully out of the dungeon and up the stairs. The group couldn't believe that Jessie, James, and Meowth had finally seen the light. Two years ago, they never would've guessed that they would be teaming up to get rid of a common evil.

"Thank you," Ash finally said.

"Don't get mushy on us, kid! We didn't do it for you!" Jessie snorted.

"Still, you guys actually came through. Maybe you aren't as bad as we thought," Ash stated.

Jessie's face contorted as if she was about to smile but trying to force herself not to. "Well, whatever," she said instead.

The group was soon was back in the room that had the experimented Pokemon. Once they entered, the Ursaring from before looked up, and it once again looked straight at Serena as if it couldn't believe its eyes. Serena gave the Pokemon a confused look. Why was it looking at her like that? Furthermore, why did it look vaguely familiar?

"Wait," Serena said and broke free out of the line.

"What are you doing? We'll save these Pokemon after Team Rocket is taken care of," Jessie called her back.

"It's not that," Serena muttered and took a few tentative steps to the Ursaring.

As she got closer, the Ursaring gave a weak moan and placed one of its large paws against the cage it was in. As Serena got closer, she noticed something even stranger about it. It was the Ursaring's eyes. They looked adorable, yet full of mischief. Where had she seen those eyes before? It especially looked familiar because of the Teddiursa-coloring still on it. Serena gasped as she ran forward the rest of the way.

"It can't be," she gasped as she reached the cage.

She then inspected the Ursaring from head to toe. If this was the Pokemon she thought it was, it would have a very distinct scar on its ear. She had never taken much notice of it before, but all Pokemon with markings like that would even keep them upon evolution. Sure enough, there was a small, crescent-shaped scar on its right ear. Serena gasped again and took a step back.

"I can't believe it. It's you," Serena breathed, and the Ursaring gave a low growl to indicate she was correct.

"What is it, Serena?" Ash asked.

"It's that Teddiursa! The one I released!" Serena exclaimed.

"What?!" Ash cried as he broke free to get a closer look.

"Hey! We haven't got all day! What if someone comes in here?!" Jessie cried.

"Just wait a minute," Serena told them before she turned back to the Ursaring, still unable to believe it was the same Teddiursa. "How did…what happened? How did you get here? I left you in the reserve park where I knew you'd be safe."

The Ursaring finally turned its eyes away from Serena and looked away guiltily. Serena frowned as while this Ursaring truly did look pitiful and regrettable for its actions, Serena had seen this trick before. As despicable as Teddiursa had been, no Pokemon did deserve this.

"Don't worry. I promise we'll set you free as soon as we stop Team Rocket. You'll be back out in the wild soon," Serena told it.

At that, the light brown Ursaring turned back to look at her and weakly shook its head. It gave a low moan and went to nudge her hand with its paw and pointed at an empty pokeball on her belt. Serena knew what it was wanting and turned to look at it in surprise.

"You…actually want to come with me?" she asked, which prompted a nod from Ursaring.

At that, the girl frowned and gave Ursaring a suspicious look.

"Why do you want to come with me?" Serena questioned.

Ursaring looked down. Did she really have to ask it that? Yes. It knows it was a total jerk the entire time and even was enough trouble for Serena to get sick of it. It had ruthlessly put her in harm's way at the National Park and didn't even care. Only when it was about to be cut down by a Scyther did it finally realize that Serena did really want to look out for it and care for it. Unfortunately, Serena's patience had run out by then, and she released it right there. Teddiursa had tried to beg for her to come back, but she never did. It wanted to come with her because it truly did want a trainer.

Serena sighed and looked down herself. "I really want to believe you, but how can you expect me to do that after all that's happened?"

Ursaring said nothing as it continued to look down. It really couldn't blame her. Ursaring didn't even try to put on its fake cutesy act anymore. It probably wouldn't work anyway now that it was no longer a Teddiursa and instead a scary Ursaring. Maybe it got what it deserved.

Serena then came up with an idea. "Hold still, Ursaring," she told it and turned back to the trio. Untie my hands."

"What? We can't do that, yet! What if someone walks in?!" Jessie cried.

Serena gave them a hard stare which showed she meant business which caused them to shrink back a little bit. "Just do it. You can tie me back up afterward," she uttered.

Jessie and James slowly nodded her head before they walked over and began to untie her bind. They had no idea what she was planning, but it was clearly important, whatever it was. Once Serena was free, she took a second to stretch her arms out and looked straight at Ursaring.

Ursaring looked up and saw Serena reaching both her hands to it. As she did, she closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She really hoped this worked. She hadn't tried to use her ESP since Cianwood City when she stopped her fall, and that had turned out to be a disaster. Her ESP had remained completely dormant since then. She wasn't sure if she could even still use it properly after all that happened.

The Team Rocket trio was clearly getting impatient, but they also couldn't help but be curious at what she was doing. Calem also watched in interest as he had never seen this, either. Finally, Serena rested her hand on Ursaring's head. She then concentrated as hard as she could to delve into its thoughts. What she saw completely surprised her.

She saw it all. She saw how Teddiursa had been regrettable of its actions after Serena saved it. She saw how Teddiursa had chased after her and wanted to beg her for another chance and how it really wanted to be her Pokemon. She saw it was captured by Proton while trying to look for her. Serena then grimaced as she started to see all the horrible experiments Teddiursa had gone through and how mistreated it was. It looked to be in such agony. Finally, she saw Teddiursa's inevitable evolution into an Ursaring, and the Pokemon looked like it had gone through absolute torture while doing so. Most Pokemon were happy or pleased upon evolving, but Teddiursa wasn't. Upon seeing its new form, it gave a horrified and agonizing roar until it was shocked into submission by the Team Rocket scientists who had evil smiles on their faces…

Serena tore her hands away as she broke links with Ursaring's mind. She couldn't bear to look at that anymore. Serena looked scared for Ursaring as she continued to stare at it while Ursaring stared sadly back at her. Ash looked on in concern as Serena had begun shuddering at what she had seen.

"Serena, what did you see?" he asked in concern.

"I saw everything," Serena whispered. "This is all my fault. All of this happened to Ursaring because it was looking for me and wanted to apologize. This never would've happened had I not given up and released it."

"Wait. What do you mean you _saw_ it?" Calem wondered.

"Wait! We've seen this before from you and that other twerp at our boss' gym! It's that voodoo psycho stuff, isn't it?!" Meowth accused.

"I wouldn't call it that, but yes, that was my ESP," Serena answered, still breathing heavily at the trauma she saw. Thankfully, she didn't have a headache after using it.

"Serena…you're…," Calem began with wide eyes.

Serena turned and faced Calem while giving him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry I never told you Calem, but there was never really a good time to do it. The last time I saw you, it was still really new to me."

"No. It's fine. I just think it's amazing," Calem told her before he looked to Ash. "So, based on what that talking Meowth said…"

"I don't have ESP, but I do have aura, but I'm not great at using it yet," Ash muttered.

"Woah," Calem uttered and shook his head as he seemed to be clearing his mind. "That's a lot to take in."

"We'll have to explain everything to you one day then when we have time," Ash said.

"Yes! Yes! We get it! So, what are you going to do now, girl?!" Jessie asked impatiently.

Serena turned back to look at Ursaring. She didn't ever think it possible based on its previous deceptive ways, but Ursaring truly did seem to regret the way it treated her before. She really did feel sorry for it. What it had gone through here was horrific, and no Pokemon should have to endure that. She gave Ursaring a tender look.

"Ursaring…there's a lot of apologizing both us need to do," she told it, and Ursaring nodded before she continued. "I think…we never got a chance to truly understand each other. I'd like to have that opportunity and start over with you."

Though it still felt like garbage from the effects of being malnourished, Ursaring couldn't help but have its eyes shine with hope. Serena was willing to forgive it after everything it did to her? It would get the chance to apologize, after all?! Once it had been captured by Team Rocket, it thought its life was over, and it pretty much was. Yet, Serena had come to save it and take it back, after all. She really was a trainer it wanted in its life.

"Meowth, pick the lock on the cage," Serena told it.

"Uhh…sure," Meowth muttered and leaped up before it used one of its claws to unlock the door. The cage door then swung open.

Serena unclipped the empty pokeball from her belt and pointed at Ursaring. She didn't even need to officially ask it to join her team again. She knew this was what Ursaring wanted, and truthfully, Serena wanted it, too.

"Don't worry. I'll get you to a Pokemon Center and heal you as soon as this is all over. I look forward to having you with me again, Ursaring," she said.

With that, she pressed the button on her pokeball, and the beam shot out and struck Ursaring. The hibernator Pokemon didn't think the sensation of going back into a pokeball could feel so great. It was as if all its troubles and worries would finally go away. Serena forgave it, and Ursaring felt like it could finally belong. It soon turned to energy, and the beam retracted back into the pokeball. Serena looked at the pokeball now containing Ursaring and couldn't help but smile.

"Welcome back," she whispered.

"Alright! Enough of this mushy stuff! We need to hurry and tie you back up. Who knows what could be going on, right now?!" Jessie cried.

Serena spun around and nodded her head. "Right! We still need to rescue our Pokemon and destroy that machine!"

* * *

The group was now back in their binds as Team Rocket led the way. Well, that was if one could call it leading. They appeared to be wandering around aimlessly and taking a lot of turns. After a few minutes, Ash couldn't help but sigh.

"You guys do know where you're going, right?" he inquired.

"Of course we do! We know exactly where the room with the machine is!" Jessie insisted.

"But…you don't have a clue where our Pokemon are being kept, do you?" Serena asked.

"Well, no," James admitted, and the group face-faulted. He quickly added, "But we have a plan to find them!"

"What's the plan?" Ash asked, but then he fell silent as he saw a Team Rocket grunt approaching.

"Oh, you three. What are you doing?" the grunt asked curiously.

"We're transferring these prisoners," Jessie replied. "They were caught trying to snoop in our plans at the Lake of Rage, and we can't have that. We're making sure to keep them heavily guarded."

"Huh? These kids? They don't look too threatening. Besides, I didn't hear we were moving criminals," the grunt scoffed as he took a closer look.

"Of course not! You're just a grunt!" Meowth pointed out.

Despite that, the grunt eyed the group in an appraising manner. Ash, Serena, and Calem tried to look as…unhappily natural…as they could. They avoided eye contact with the grunt. The grunt then looked at Jessie, James, Meowth, and their Pokemon. They appeared to be totally serious…even Wobbuffet. However, unknown to him, the only thing they were serious about was stopping that machine.

"Alright. Works for me," the grunt shrugged and saluted Jessie, James, and Meowth before he began to walk off.

As soon as he did, James did something unexpected. He leaped forward and did a karate chop right on top of the grunt's head. The grunt looked dazed for a second before he fell to the floor, knocked out. Jessie, Meowth, and even their Pokemon and the group looked at James in surprise. James dusted his hands and looked sheepishly at the group.

"Wow, Jimbo. That was pretty hardcore," Meowth noted.

"I didn't know you had it in you? Where did you learn moves like that?" Jessie asked.

"Oh. Just one of the many things I learned in my lessons at my old manor. I can't wait for the day I can use those moves on Proton," James muttered and looked at the grunt of the floor. "We can't have him blabbing what we're doing, or the whole plan could be ruined."

"Right. We should hide him," Jessie nodded and turned to Arbok. "Take care of him."

Arbok slithered over the grunt and wrapped its long body around him. Wobbuffet then opened a nearby door which led to a closet, and Arbok tossed the grunt inside. The trio then nodded for a job well done, but they didn't get to celebrate as they saw another grunt was approaching them. This was going to be a little harder than they thought.

The grunt kept his head low as he continued to approach them, and he was carrying a sack. He said nothing which was a little unnerving for the group. Once he reached them, he lifted his head only slightly, and the group could make out red hair underneath the hat.

"Where are you taking them?" the grunt asked.

"Prison transfer," James replied.

"There's no need. I'll take them," the grunt said immediately.

"Hey! Who do you think you are, buster!?" Jessie snapped.

The grunt then fully lifted his head, and Ash, Serena, and Calem gasped. "Lance!" they all exclaimed.

"That's right. I'm here to rescue you guys and take out that machine," Lance replied and reached for one of his pokeballs. "However, it seems like they need to be dealt with first."

"Wait! You have it all wrong! We're on your side!" Meowth cried.

"Wait. What?" Lance questioned in confusion and ignored the fact that he saw a Meowth just speak.

"They're actually helping us out," Calem intervened. "They're leading us to the room where the machine is that's the source of that wave."

Lance looked back and forth between the group and the former Team Rocket members. They were clearly worried and didn't wish to face Lance. Even they knew that he was a member of the Pokemon G-men as well as the Elite Four. They breathed a sigh of relief when Lance nodded his head and put away his pokeball.

"My apologies," he said and added, "Are you all really Team Rocket agents?"

"Well, we were, but no longer!" Jessie declared, fired up. "We're deciding to fight for what's right, for a change! We're tired of being in this nightmare and are ready to break free from it!"

The trio and their Pokemon then struck a pose that sort of made them look like they were agents of justice. Everyone else couldn't help but sweat drop at how overly dramatic they were being. Nevertheless, they were still thankful for their help.

"Lance, before we go to the machine room. We have to get back our Pokemon!" Ash told him

"You mean these?" Lance asked with a smile and opened the sack he was carrying. "I picked these up on the way over here."

"Our Pokemon!" Serena exclaimed as and the group looked into the sack and saw all their pokeballs in there. Pikachu and Togetic jumped out, too!

It was relatively easy to figure out which Pokemon belonged to them. There was just something about a trainer's bond with their Pokemon which let them know. After they were finished getting clipped to their belts, Serena watched one her pokeballs teleport away and immediately remembered the reason why. Ursaring had joined her team again.

"So, I don't believe I have your names," Lance inquired to Jessie, James, and Meowth and held out his hand. "I'm Lance."

The former Rocket members stared at the open gesture in shock. A Pokemon G-man, Lance, was actually accepting them and offering a handshake?! That's something they never thought they would experience in their lifetime. If there was one thing the trio and their Pokemon had learned in this, it was that the good guys are a lot nicer to them than their own teammates.

"I'm…Jessie," the redhead woman said slowly and took the handshake.

"I'm James," the blue-haired man introduced and shook Lance's hand after Jessie.

"And I'm Meowth, but that was obvious!" Meowth said.

"Woooooobbuffet!" Wobbuffet piped up.

"You aren't that important, blobby!" Meowth yelled at it.

"So, you're a Meowth that can talk…fascinating," Lance noted in interest as he rubbed his chin.

"Well…I try," Meowth blushed and kicked at the ground.

"Well, there will be plenty of time for talk later," Lance stated and looked at Jessie, James, and Meowth. "I believe I heard that you know where that awful machine is being kept?"

"Oh, yes. We're going there right now," James responded.

Lance nodded. "Excellent. Please lead the way. I turned off the security cameras in the Persian statues just before I found you so we should be okay."

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and pumped its fist into the air. Now that they were all back together, it was time to kick some Team Rocket butt!

James, however, let out a squeak. "Eeep! What if they saw us let the twerps out?! I didn't even think of that!"

"I think it'll be fine," Jessie reassured. "That grunt we just took out didn't question us."

"Right! We're as slick as ice!" Meowth nodded.

"Well, I guess…," James mumbled, though he didn't look convinced.

With that, the group set off down the corridor with the still disguised Lance in tow. The Persian statues were all around them, but they were useless now. They were now free to head to the control room and destroy that machine!

However, despite the fact that Lance disarmed the Persian statues, there was still a cleverly placed micro camera in the corner of the corridor. It had seen the exchange just now, and Jessie and James were in fact spotted when they released the group from their cells.

* * *

 **Oh boy. The trio wasn't being as sneaky as they thought they were! One can only guess what's in store for them now.**

 **Yeah. Serena got Teddiursa...err...Ursaring back. That's all well and good, but how do they plan on bonding when they almost couldn't stand each other when they parted? Awkwardness to ensue.**

 **The last part of the Lake of Rage arc is next! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 55: Proton's Deal**


	55. Proton's Deal

**A/N: Phew. Just in time for the new year. This chapter ended up being longer than I thought, but I still finished it in time. Hopefully, by the end of next year, the Johto arc will be complete, and I'll be in the Hoenn arc. It's a goal, anyway. With that, please enjoy the conclusion to the Lake of Rage.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 55: Proton's Deal

A helicopter was just now landing at the Lake of Rage. The waters were slightly disturbed as it had parked right next to the water. The occupants of the helicopter weren't really worried about being spotted at the moment. The lake was considered a danger zone right now so no one was coming up here until Lance had deemed it okay. That's why when the helicopter opened that the people came out proudly wearing the red R on their uniforms.

"Ah…smell that air!" Proton said gleefully as he stepped off the helicopter.

"I think I'm going to puke," A Rocket grunt gagged as he followed Proton.

"What are you talking about!? Just look at all of these Magikarp?! I love the smell of dead Pokemon in the morning!" Proton smiled deviously and slapped the grunt on the back.

"Yeah. Sure," the Rocket grunt mumbled.

Proton then opened up the communicator on his wrist. He was eager to hear from Ariana about the red Gyarados and where it was. After learning the evolution inducement wave had been a success, the sadistic man wasted no time in coming over to see for himself. He wasn't worried about the Radio Tower, though. Archer and Petrel were still there, and with the way things were right now, the less Rocket members at the Radio Tower, the better.

Soon, Ariana's voice came through the communicator. "Ah, Proton. You got here sooner than expected," she said.

"What can I say? I've wanted to see this inducement wave in action ever since we began. You have no idea how much I wanted to be here and watch the experiments," Proton replied.

"Yes. Well, please come to our base, but don't use the entrance in Mahogany Town. It's in an uproar right now, and please be careful. We've heard rumors that there are Pokemon G-men in the vicinity," Ariana warned.

"Pah! I'm not scared of them!" Proton scoffed.

"Also, there's something else I think you need to see. I'll explain it once you get here. It involves Jessie, James, and Meowth. I know I said to be careful, but don't delay, either," Ariana said.

"Huh? Oh, sure," Proton answered and wondered what it would be.

With that, the communicator shut off, and Proton growled to himself. What was it those three could've done this time? If they screwed up in any way…the man clenched his fists in anger. Proton imagined himself throttling their necks, and it brought a small smile to his face which actually calmed him down. How the boss put up with that trio was beyond him. Well, whatever. If this was as serious as Ariana said it was, then Proton would make sure to deal with them personally.

"Let's go!" Proton barked to the grunt and the pilot behind him. The two lower ranks then saluted and followed Proton to the base.

* * *

"Here it is," James muttered as he and the rest of group reached the shutter doors.

"So, this is where the machine was. I have to admit it, they kept it well-hidden," Lance frowned and crossed his arms.

James then opened up the slot next to the door and typed in a pass code. He then spoke the words "Hail Giovanni" into it, and the shutters slid open as usual. Jessie, James, and Meowth crossed their fingers that no one was in here at the moment. Though they had no doubt that Lance could take care of anyone in the way, they still wished to be seen by as little Rocket members as possible. Namba, Attila, and Huh, were supposed to be with the red Gyarados, and they hoped that was still the case.

The trio breathed a sigh of relief once they stepped in. No one was here. Even though the room was vacant, however, the machine was still active. It was still chugging along and showed no signs of shutting down. The Electrode still looked as miserable as ever as the energy was sucked out them to power the evil device.

"This is terrible," Serena mumbled as they all stepped into the room.

Ash, Serena, and Calem then found their hands hastily being untied. Once their arms and hands were free, they gave them a good stretch. It was nice to finally be able to move them properly again.

Lance then began inspecting the machine and computer next to it. He gestured for Calem to come over and help him to which the boy nodded. Ash, Serena, Jessie, James, and Meowth stood behind, and Jessie was getting impatient. She tapped her foot on the ground as she watched them.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked.

"Hold on. Calem and I are looking for the direct line that's powering the machine," Lance muttered. "Doesn't this have an off switch?"

"No," Jessie sighed. "Namba saw no reason for us to ever turn this machine off."

"Typical Team Rocket," Ash spat, but Jessie ignored him.

"There has to be some kind of emergency shut down," Lance pressed as he turned to face the trio.

"Well, I'm sure there is, but we don't know how to do it. We're pretty sure only Namba, Attila, and Hun know," James said sheepishly.

"Hmm…this could be a problem," Lance said and looked up at the huge computer next to the machine. "I'm not comfortable using an unfamiliar computer to try something like this. I could end up accidentally making the problem worse."

"So, what should we do, Lance?" Calem asked him.

"Could we simply just destroy the machine?" Jessie suggested.

"Bad idea," Lance replied immediately. "If we even try to attack this machine, those Electrode will be disturbed. They won't hesitate to explode. With that many Electrode going off simultaneously, it could bring the whole building down."

The group shuddered at the thought. Ash then worked his brain as he began to think. He looked over every part of the machine. There had to be something they could do. Ash then heard Lance sigh. The raven-haired boy turned and saw Lance call out his Dragonite. He then nodded to Calem, and the Kalos native nodded his head.

"Go, Chespin!" he called.

A small chipmunk-like Pokemon with a hard, green shell on its back and leaf-like spikes on its forehead came out. The rest of the group looked rather intrigued as they had never seen a Pokemon like that before. Well, Serena had, but only in picture books.

"That's a Kalos-native Pokemon, Calem. Where did you get that?" she wondered.

"Well, honestly, this little guy was my starter," Calem replied.

"Your starter? So, you actually began your journey in Kalos?" Serena asked.

"Well, that's where I got my starter Pokemon, but I wanted to check out Kanto ever since I was young so I traveled there first," Calem replied.

Ash wanted to comment how cool it was that he got to see two Kalos-native starter Pokemon now. He could only imagine how cool the water-type starter would be. He didn't dwell on it, though, as there were more pressing issues to deal with at the moment.

"What are you guys going to do?" Ash asked.

"We have no choice," Lance said seriously. "We have to faint these Electrode. Calem is going to use Chespin to cut the wires these Electrode are attached to. That will stun them just long enough to where my Dragonite can take them out before they explode."

"You're going to hurt the Electrode, but it's not their fault!" Ash protested.

"I'm aware of that, Ash, but we're running out of time. If you have a plan, I'm willing to hear it," Lance replied and gave Ash a hard stare.

Ash shrunk back under Lance's gaze. The red-haired man was right. Ash really couldn't think of another solution right now. They were all pressed for time and needed to destroy this machine as quickly as possible. Not to mention, Ash wasn't even supposed to be here. He had to rescued, and it was just supposed to be Lance who would handle everything. Ash then realized just how out of line he was by challenging Lance like that.

"I'm sorry, Lance," Ash said quietly.

"Listen, Ash. I know you care about Pokemon just as much as I do. However, there are some things that need to be done. I'll make sure these Electrode are found and taken care of, but the most important thing right now is stopping this machine," Lance told him, and Ash just nodded his head.

Both Lance and Calem then turned to the machine, and Calem made the first move. "Use Vine Whip, Chespin!" he called.

"Chespin! Ches!" it cried and shot out two long vines.

It then used the vines like a whip, and began snapping all the wires that were attaching the Electrode to the machine. Both Ash and Serena were rather impressed at how quickly and efficiently it was using the Vine Whip. Apparently, Calem's Pokemon had received rather special training as well. Ash didn't think he had ever seen one of his Pokemon use Vine Whip that quickly before. He would like a chance to battle that Chespin one day.

Lance was next. He ordered his Dragonite to use Hyper Beam as quickly as it could. He wanted to take these Electrode out in one shot. One reason was so they didn't have to suffer, and another reason was so they wouldn't explode. His Dragonite launched the Hyper Beam all around the room. As it did so, Ash realized just how much more powerful this Dragonite was then his own, and that was saying something.

The machine slowly began powering down as its source of electricity ran out. It finally stopped running altogether, and that's when Lance finished the job. Dragonite did one last Hyper Beam which destroyed the machine completely without any chance of repair. Everyone smiled when they saw the wretched device was no more, even Jessie, James, and Meowth. Lance turned around to everyone and nodded his head.

"Well done, everyone," he said before he turned to Jessie, James, and Meowth. "Especially to you three. You rescued these children and led me to the control room."

"Oh! It was nothing!" Jessie replied bashfully. There was no need to tell Lance they were the ones who locked the group up in the first place.

"So, is it over?" Serena asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Lance responded and got a serious expression on his face again. "We still need to rescue that red Gyarados and alert the police!"

"You won't take another step!"

The group looked, and their expressions soured. Ariana stood at the doorway to the control room, and she looked very angry. Both Ash and Serena recognized this woman as a top-ranking Rocket executive. It didn't take Lance or Calem too long to piece this information together, either, as Jessie, James, and Meowth looked quite scared.

Ariana continued to glare at the group, and she narrowed her eyes. "I also see that you destroyed our precious machine. I don't think you realize how much hard work we put into that. I hope you plan to compensate that for us."

"So, I take it you're the leader here?" Lance spoke up as he stepped in front of the group protectively.

"Oh my. Is it that obvious?" Ariana mocked as she looked at Lance in an appraising manner. "I knew you seemed suspicious even in that Rocket disguise. I know my subordinates pretty well…especially you three!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth both leaped in fright as Ariana turned her hard gaze onto them. They were sweating bullets with that look she was giving them. Did she know they helped the group? Didn't Lance destroy the cameras? Was their cover blown? Would Ariana believe they were in here trying to stop the group?

"Your concern should be with me, not with them," Lance stated as his Dragonite stood beside him.

"Hmmhmm. You're right. I have to pay you back for destroying my lovely machine," Ariana uttered and took out two of her pokeballs.

"You two go on ahead. Calem and I will take care of her. Alert the police, and find the red Gyarados," Lance told Ash and Serena.

"I don't remember giving them permission to leave. There are a few choice words I'd like to say to those kids, as well. I still haven't forgotten how much they've gotten in our way in the past," Ariana sneered before she turned to the trio. "You three! Apprehend them now, and return them to the dungeons!"

Ash and Serena were both surprised when Jessie and James saluted and immediately and hastily tied their hands behind their back again. They weren't quite sure what the trio was playing at anymore. How can they truly believe that Jessie, James, and Meowth want to change when they keep flip-flopping sides over and over?

"Just trust us," Jessie whispered in Ash's ear.

Lance and Calem must've gotten the message, too, as they didn't put up a fight. They merely glared at Jessie, James, and Meowth to appear as if they were disapproving of their actions. The trio then saluted Ariana once more and not too gently shoved Ash and Serena forward and moved past her. As they did, Ariana had one final statement for them.

"Don't betray us again," she growled.

The trio almost felt their heart stop at that sentence. They swallowed the lump in their throats and hastily muttered that they wouldn't. Then they left the room. Once they were gone, Ariana returned her stare to Lance and Calem and gave an evil smile.

"Hmmhmm. Pokemon G-men. I must admit that it's a treat to battle you. I've always wanted to test how a Team Rocket executive's strength stacks up to one," she said.

"Well, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed with the results. Calem and I won't go down easily," Lance replied.

"Heh. I'm going to enjoy having you as our prisoner," Ariana smirked and threw forward her pokeballs. "Go Vileplume! Go Honchkrow!"

The two Pokemon appeared and gave a dark look at Dragonite and Chespin. Despite its small size, the chipmunk-like Pokemon put on a brave face. Calem wasn't worried that it wasn't evolved. This Chespin had been with him since the beginning and was exceptionally powerful for its size. With that, the four Pokemon charged at each other as the battle began.

* * *

As soon as the group was out of the room, the trio began leading the group in the complete opposite way from where the dungeons were. Ash and Serena widened their eyes. If they didn't know better, it seemed as though Jessie, James, and Meowth were leading them to the exit.

"Wow. You guys really are going through with this," Ash said in surprise.

"What about what Ariana said?" Serena questioned.

"Who cares what that hag said?! We certainly don't! Here's what I have to say to anything she tells us!" Jessie exclaimed and made a funny face with her tongue out.

"That's right. Yes. We're terrified that they discovered that were helping you, but we believe you kids and Lance can stop them. You've already destroyed the machine, after all," James told them.

"That's right! We're in this to the end!" Meowth nodded.

Ash was now actually impressed. This was completely different from how they were acting earlier. Before Ash and Serena were placed in the dungeon, the trio was really reluctant to help them. It appeared whatever motivated them after that really reached them. Still, there was one thing they still needed to know about for Ash to make sure they were fully committed.

"You guys do realize that once this is over, you'll probably be in prison along with the other Team Rocket members," Ash mentioned.

"Yeah. Don't remind us," Jessie mumbled. "I won't look good in stripes."

"Even if we do wind up in jail, anything is better than remaining with Team Rocket!" James declared.

"In that case," Ash began, "I'm trusting you guys to help us until the end."

"You got it, kid!" Meowth nodded and held up one of his claws.

"Attention, Rockets! We are now prepared to transport our red Gyarados for further study! I will be joining this," came a voice over the intercom, and trio got confused looks on their faces.

"Wait. That's Proton's voice! When did he get here?!" James exclaimed.

"Is that bad?" Ash asked, as he had only seen the man a few times in life, but none were still pleasant. Proton did refer to himself as the cruelest of the Rocket members, after all.

"Worse than bad!" Meowth answered. "We gotta scram and fast!"

The trio than led Ash and Serena to the exit where surprisingly few Rocket members were. They went outside and saw several Rocket members getting into jeeps. Tied to two of the jeeps was the red Gyarados. Jessie, James, and Meowth instinctively hid their faces when they saw Proton climbing into the lead jeep that was pulling Gyarados, along with Namba, Attila, and Hun getting in the other one. Before the group could react, the jeeps sped off. Ash glared at the rough treatment they were giving that Gyarados…just dragging it along the road like that.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Serena asked.

"Cool it, kid! We'll give you a lift! James is actually a pretty mean driver!" Meowth told them.

Ash and Serena then found themselves untied. They followed the trio over to another jeep. Jessie, James, and Meowth hopped in the front while Ash and Serena hopped in the back. They then heard shouting, and they turned to see several furious Rocket grunts coming after them in the hideout.

"It's Jessie, James, and Meowth! They released the prisoners! They're betraying us!" one screamed.

"Capture them! Report their betrayal to Ariana immediately!" another one screamed.

There was then a flurry of pokeballs up in the air, and several Zubat and Golbat were released. Jessie and James, however, were quick to call out their Arbok and Weezing respectively.

"Weezing! Use Smokescreen!" James yelled.

"Arbok! Poison Sting!" Jessie shouted.

"You're up, Pikachu! Let him have it with a Thunderbolt!" Ash said.

Pikachu and Arbok then shot their attacks through the Smokescreen that Weezing had created. The several flying Pokemon were unable to see the attacks due to smoke, and several of them were hit while others had to fly around wildly in order to dodge the attacks.

Jessie and James then returned their Pokemon before James started the jeep and floored the gas pedal. There was a huge roar as the jeep gave a mighty shake before shooting off. Ash and Serena actually almost fell out due to the sudden change of velocity, but Jessie reached out her hands to steady them.

"Geez! I thought you said James was a good driver," Ash muttered.

"He is, but we're in a hurry! You better fasten your seat belts!" Jessie told them.

Ash and Serena gulped before nodding their heads and doing as told. As soon as everyone had their seat belts tightened, James went even faster, and Ash and Serena had their backs pressed against the vehicle as the jeep sped down the road. The two couldn't help but be in awe of Jessie, James, and Meowth right now. They looked so determined and weren't bothered at all with how fast the jeep was going. Ash and Serena never thought they would think this of the trio, but they were actually acting pretty cool right now.

It was only a couple of minutes later that the group found themselves within eyesight of the leading jeeps, including the one that was holding the red Gyarados. They had to catch up before the Rockets reached Mahogany Town!

"Ugh! Can't this thing go any faster, James!?" Jessie growled.

"It can, dear Jessie!" James smiled and went as fast as the jeep could go. The engine roared loudly which actually drew the attention of the Rocket members in front of them. Proton looked in his side view mirror, and his face contorted with rage at seeing who it was. They were going to pay big time!

"Namba! Attila! Hun! Stay with me! The rest of you take care of those traitors!" Proton screamed into the radio communicator.

At that, the other jeeps began to slow down. They continued to get slower and slower until they were driving right next to the group's jeep. Ash wondered what they were doing until the Rockets gave a mighty swerve and slammed the side of their jeep in theirs. Serena and Jessie both screamed. Those Rockets were trying to make them crash! Ash took out his pokeball and threw it forward.

"Noctowl! I choose you!" he called and released the owl Pokemon. "After that Gyarados!"

Noctowl gave a hoot and flew as fast as it could to catch up. Ash grimaced as one the Rocket jeeps crashed into theirs again. James had to release the gas and keep his hands straight so he could remain in control of the vehicle. Pikachu almost flew out of the vehicle from the sudden jerk, and Ash had to reach out and grab it.

"If we don't do something soon, we're gonna to be dead meat!" Meowth yelled.

"Try to lose them, James!" Jessie screeched.

"I can't! They're keeping even with my pace!" James protested as one of the Rockets crashed their jeeps into the side again.

Meanwhile, Proton saw Ash's Noctowl gaining on them in the rear view mirror, and his face contorted into an angry scowl.

"Get out there, Houndoom! I want roasted bird for dinner tonight! Incinerate that thing!" Proton shouted and released the dark Pokemon into the back of the jeep.

Proton's Houndoom appeared in the back of his jeep and began shooting a series of Flamethrowers at Noctowl. The owl Pokemon gave a hoot of surprise and had to start making evasive maneuvers to dodge the fire attack. This Houndoom was surprisingly good at aiming. If this kept up, Noctowl knew it wouldn't get a clear shot at the net that was holding the red Gyarados.

"Ash! Noctowl's in trouble!" Serena cried as she could see the shots taken at Noctowl off in the distance.

"Grrr…," Ash growled as he thought of what to do. There had to be something! He couldn't have Pikachu shock the drivers of the other jeeps as that was too risky. Their jeeps could go out of control and crash into theirs, or the close proximity could also cause the group to get shocked as well which may cause the jeep to explode. He then saw the tires and had an idea.

"James, listen to me," Ash told him, and James titled his head to indicate to Ash that he was listening. "When I say 'go', I want you to accelerate as fast as you can."

"What are you going to do?" Serena asked.

"You'll see," Ash said and took out a pokeball. He was about to throw it but didn't get the chance.

Both the jeeps slammed into the side of the group's vehicle and began steering them in the direction of the river. James tried to squeeze out from between them, but the evil Rocket drivers were relentless. There was the horrible sound of metal scraping against metal as they continued to be steered to the river. They were about to fall in!

"James!" Jessie screamed.

"Jessie!" James screamed.

"Ash! Serena screamed.

"Serena!" Ash screamed.

"Meowth!" Meowth screamed his own name.

Ash didn't waste anytime and threw his pokeball. "Bayleef! Slash their tires with your Razor Leaf!"

Bayleef appeared from its pokeball and immediately shot a Razor Leaf in both directions. The leaves cut right through the tires and the effect was immediate. The two jeeps began shuttering uncontrollably and gave a might swerve before they began spinning out of control.

"Go!" Ash hollered.

James did as told and sped ahead of the other jeeps before he gave a mighty turn and swerved out of the way just before they fell into the river. Meanwhile, the two other jeeps continued to spin until they tumbled upside down into the river. Ash then faced forward as James floored the pedal again to catch up. They hadn't fallen too far behind as they could still see the red Gyarados up ahead.

"Put the pedal to the metal! Full speed ahead!" Meowth yelled and pointed a claw forward.

Proton saw the group catching up behind them again, and he screamed in anger. The cruel man gnashed his teeth and began cursing. There wasn't enough room in the jeep for him to send out another Pokemon. The veins in his neck began popping out as his anger was reaching its breaking point.

"Kill them, Houndoom!" Proton roared. "I don't care how you do it! Just kill them!"

Houndoom couldn't help but look back in confusion at its trainer. What did he want it to do? Did he want it to attack Noctowl or the jeep? Proton was clearly getting so angry he wasn't thinking clearly. Namba, Attila, and Hun could hear Proton cursing from even their vehicle, and even they turned their heads to look at him like he was crazy…which wasn't too far from the truth.

Fortunately, that hesitation was all Noctowl needed to use its Confusion attack to slow down the vehicles pulling the jeep. With that taken care, it didn't take the group long at all to catch up to them.

"Bayleef! Use Razor Leaf on that net!" Ash called.

"Bay!" Bayleef cried and swung its large leaf.

The leaves spun through the air and easily sliced through the net that was carrying Gyarados. The force caused the atrocious Pokemon to roll off the side and into the river right next to the road. The sudden loss of weight that the two jeeps were pulling caused them to go out of control, as well. James immediately slowed his vehicle to a stop so they couldn't get caught in the chaos.

Namba, Attila, Hun, and Proton were all yelling as they tried to regain control of their vehicle. It was only a matter of time that they steered in the direction of the surrounding river, as well. Their jeeps went plummeting into the river just like the other jeeps before them. There was massive splash as the water stirred for a moment before going still.

The group watched for a moment in complete shock. Was it really…over? Did they save the day? Jessie, James, and Meowth were the first to react, and the trio hugged each other.

"We did it!" they cheered.

"Woooooobbuffet!" Wobbuffet added as it popped out of its pokeball.

"Oh! Get in here, too, you big blob!" Jessie cried as she pulled Wobbuffet into the group hug, as well.

Ash smiled while Serena couldn't help but giggle. Even though they were once former enemies, it was actually nice to see the trio look so happy for a change. The times they had seen them at the Lake of Rage and in the Ruins of Alph, they had looked miserable.

It seemed like everything was okay now. Lance and Calem were taking care of things back at the base. Proton, Namba, Attila, and Hun had been stopped. The red Gyarados was free…wait…the red Gyarados! What were they going to do with it?!

They soon got their answer as the water in the river began to stir again. Ash was getting a strange since of déjà vu as he watched the waters slosh even more. This was exactly what happened before…

The red Gyarados burst out of the water and gave an angry roar into the air. It had just woken up, and it was out for revenge.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Team Rocket base, Ariana was losing very badly. She was screaming in anger as she watched Dragonite's powerful attacks, and that nimble little Chespin running circles around her Pokemon. A grunt had even run in to help her, and she was still losing!

"Grr…I don't understand! How are your Pokemon this powerful…especially that little runt!" Ariana shouted.

"I could easily say that it's because we trained, but I believe it's because Lance and I have a reason to fight! Our will is stronger than yours! We won't let you harm Pokmeon any longer!" Calem returned as his Chespin tripped up Ariana's Vileplume with its Vine Whip.

"Well said, Calem!" Lance nodded in approval as his Dragonite launched a Hyper Beam at Ariana's Honchkrow and Vileplume, which ended the fight. The grunt's Pokemon were already defeated.

"No! This can't be!" Ariana cried as she looked at her fallen Pokemon and took a step back. She then turned to make a break for it, but Dragonite was quick to block her exit.

"It's over, Ariana," Lance said. "You've lost. I've already contacted the police. They'll be here any second."

As if on cue, there were several sirens that began to sound outside. Ariana looked around for any possible escape room, but there was none. She grit her teeth in anger as she glared hatefully at Lance and Calem.

"You think it ends here?!" Ariana shouted. "It's not even close! Team Rocket still plans to make a comeback! Our boss will return, and we'll be back to our glory days! They'll break me out of jail, and there's nothing you and your G-men can do to stop it! I swear you'll pay for this!"

"We'll see about that, won't we," Lance breathed.

At that moment, two police officers ran into the room, and there were undoubtedly more storming the building. The police officers ordered Ariana to return her beaten Pokemon. They then took the pokeballs into custody and promptly cuffed the Rocket executive and the grunt next to her. Officer Jenny came in the room and saluted Lance.

"Thank you, Lance! Because of you, we were able to discover the Rocket hideout here in Mahogany Town! We'll make sure these Rockets never get out of jail!" Officer Jenny told him.

"That's great to hear, Officer Jenny," Lance nodded.

"Heh. Good luck finding that red Gyarados. Proton is long gone with it," Ariana smirked as the two other police officers took her away.

"They have the red Gyarados!" Officer Jenny gasped as Lance's eyes grew wide.

"Oh no! I think Serena and Ash may have gone after them!" Calem said.

"Then there's no time. We have to catch up! Dragonite! Let's go!" Lance hollered.

"Don't worry about things here, Lance! We'll take care of it and catch up to you in a moment!" Officer Jenny told him.

"Sounds good, Officer Jenny! Thank you!" Lance replied.

Calem then returned his Chespin as he, Lance, and Dragonite hurried out of the machine room. Once they were outside, Calem and Lance promptly got on Dragonite's back, and the dragon Pokemon gave a mighty flap of its short wings before it took off in the direction where the Rocket jeeps had presumably gone. They must've gone in the opposite direction from where the police had come.

As Lance feared, Ash, Serena, or those Rockets that helped them were nowhere in sight. He hoped he could make it to them in time.

* * *

Gyarados was thrashing around uncontrollably and roaring so loud that Mahogany Town could probably hear it. Ash and Serena watched the Pokemon in pity. It looked to be in so much pain and so miserable. Seeing a Pokemon out of control like this highly reminded him of how his Aerodactyl use to be. This rage wasn't caused by instincts, though. It was caused by forced evolution and harmful radiation. Ash took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Kid! What are you doing?" Meowth cried.

"I just want to see if I can talk with it," Ash replied as calmly as he could.

"Are you crazy?! You could get killed!" Jessie rebutted.

Ash figured maybe he was crazy. Still, he had to try. If he didn't do it, no else around would. As Ash walked towards the outraged Gyarados, he tried to do anything he could to sense how it was feeling on its inside. He closed his eyes and concentrated. If he could get his aura to activate, maybe he could form a link with it that would allow him to speak with it.

"What is he doing?" James wondered.

"I think he may be trying to use his aura," Serena answered.

"What is it with you kids and your special powers?" Jessie snorted.

"Quiet, Jessie. I want to watch this," Meowth told her.

Ash tried to reach into the depths of his soul as he tried to form a link with Gyarados, but nothing was coming. Why couldn't he form a connection when he needed it most? He could usually activate it when he needed to lately. Why wasn't it working now?

"Ash?" Serena questioned.

"It's not working, Serena," Ash muttered, and he had no idea why. The trio actually sighed in disappointment.

It was at that moment that the red Gyarados took notice of the group. It gave an evil eye to the group before it charged up a Hydro Pump and shot it right at them. They screamed and jumped out of the way as the jet of water sprayed the road with enough force to actually create a hole in it.

Dust when kicked up from the hole in the road as the Gyarados roared again. In then began swimming away in the direction of Mahogany Town. The group gaped at the hole for a moment before their senses kicked in. If Gyarados reached Mahogany Town, things would get bad fast.

"We have to go after it!" Ash cried as he, Pikachu, Togetic, and Serena took off after it.

Serena looked back at the trio. "Are you three coming?"

"Oh! Umm…yes!" the trio answered and stood up and ran after them.

"We must be crazy just like them," Jessie mumbled.

The red Gyarados continued to blast Hydro Pumps along the ground as it swam down the river. There was even the occasional Hyper Beam. That tipped the group off of just how enraged this Gyarados was since it was able to use so many powerful attacks in a row.

"Gyarados! Please stop!" Ash cried.

The Gyarados gave another roar before it looked back at the group and fired off another Hydro Pump at them. They jumped out of the way once again, and Ash grit his teeth. There had to be something he could say to the Gyarados to get it to calm down.

The raven-haired boy then spotted a small bridge he could get onto that would help him get in front of Gyarados. Ash figured if he could at least get Gyarados to stop and listen to him, he might be able to reason with it.

The group then crossed onto the bridge that crossed the river as Gyarados continued to blast Hydro Pumps in every direction. Jessie, James, and Meowth got rather nervous as this Gyarados was showing no signs of slowing down. Gyarados wouldn't really just plow through the bridge and take them out with it, would it?

The Gyarados soon reached the bridge, and stopped and looked around briefly as it decided what to do. That was when Ash decided to make his move.

"Gyarados, please listen to me," Ash said as gently as he could, and the Gyarados turned its angry eyes in his direction. "I promise we don't want to hurt you or battle you. We're not like Team Rocket."

Jessie, James, and Meowth frowned at that statement until they realized they were no longer a part of Team Rocket. Besides, it was best to just let Ash say what he had to say. Hopefully it would be enough so they wouldn't get killed.

"We just want to help you, Gyarados," Ash told it. "I want to be your friend, if you'll let me. I know how much you must be hurting right now, but I want to help fix it. Please."

The enraged look in Gyarados' eyes seemed to soften slightly at Ash's words. Serena and the trio were surprised. They, Pikachu, and Togetic were silent as they watched Ash speak. Was Gyarados actually considering his words?

"I know I'll help you if you let me," Ash continued and gestured to the town behind him. "Besides, there are a lot of other nice people who I'm sure live in that town. They would want to be your friends, too. You can't truly want to hurt them, right. I know you're a better Pokemon than that. Once again, Gyarados. I just want to help you. If no one else will, I promise you I'll be your friend. You can trust me."

Ash had the sincerest look in his eyes as looked at the Gyarados. The atrocious Pokemon stared back at Ash, and its breathing seemed to soften. Serena gave a slight gasp. Had Ash actually done it? Was he really able to calm it down? Ash let a small smile come up as he looked at Gyarados.

"Thank you, Gyarados. I'd knew you'd come through," Ash said.

"Wow. The kid actually did it," Jessie mumbled.

Gyarados then lowered its head to Ash, and Ash believed that it was going to allow him to touch it as that first step of trust. However, that moment was completely shattered as Gyarados stopped just in short of Ash's reach, and it began charging up a Hyper Beam. It probably was only stopping its rage so it could get a better shot at Ash!

"Oh no! I spoke too soon!" Jessie cried

Ash's eyes widened in panic as the angry look returned to Gyarados once again. It then launched its Hyper Beam straight in Ash's direction, and he thought he was finished. It looked like in the end, and he wasn't able to do a thing to help the red Gyarados, after all.

"Dragonite, Hyper Beam!" Lance shouted.

Another Hyper Beam came from the group's left, and it intercepted Gyarados' Hyper Beam at the last second. The group turned and saw Lance and Calem flying in, and the group couldn't help but smile. That was the second time Ash had been saved by Lance. If Lance and Calem were here, that meant that Ariana had been taken care of!

"Ariana and those other Rockets are going to get booked! The police are on their way, here!" Lance confirmed.

"That's great!" Serena smiled.

"What about Gyarados, though?!" Ash cried.

Lance looked over to the red Gyarados and sighed. He wasn't going to like what he was about to do, but battling Gyarados was the only way to save it. Talking to Gyarados won't get through it right now due to the amount of pain it was in. Lance nodded to Calem, and the two hopped off Dragonite, and the dragon Pokemon flew up into the sky where the Gyarados stared hatefully at it.

"What are you going to do?" Ash asked.

"Dragonite! Thunder Wave!" Lance called.

The Dragonite launched an electric wave at the atrocious Pokemon, but it blocked the attack with a Hyper Beam which caused a small explosion. Dragonite then used that opportunity to fly around Gyarados and launch the attack again. This time it connected. The Gyarados roared in pain as the paralyzing effects ran down its body.

"Lance?" Ash questioned.

"Don't you see, Ash?" Lance asked rhetorically. "I have to do this. It's the only way we can truly save Gyarados."

"Lance knows what he's doing, Ash. You can trust him," Calem said.

"I know. I just can't stand to see Gyarados in so much pain," Ash muttered.

"It hurts me, too, Ash, but Gyarados won't have to feel it for much longer," Lance said and continued the battle. "Now use Hyper Beam!"

Dragonite charged up another Hyper Beam and shot the attack at Gyarados. The beam struck Gyarados right in the middle, and it roared in pain again. It was just so sick of everything. It was tired of its anger, its fear, its pain. It just wanted it all to end. Gyarados turned to Lance and saw the sincere look in his eyes. Even though he was hurting it, Gyarados could tell that this man was the deal. Though the other boy was talking to it, his words didn't have the same depth as what this man was speaking to him, even though he said nothing to it all. The boy had just been saying flowery words and wasn't sure if he could help it.

 _"Soon, my friend. Soon. I promise to rid you of all your sorrows,"_ Lance thought.

Gyarados panted a little and felt itself struck with a Dragon Rage. The blue flames were continuously were shot out of Dragonite's mouth, and Gyarados roared in pain again. It couldn't take this pain anymore and just wanted help. Was there anyone out there who could take the pain away? Was it this man who was attacking it? Unable to stay awake any longer, the red Gyarados collapsed in the water in unconsciousness. Please. Just let it all end.

"All this anger wasn't Gyarados' fault at all," Serena said sadly.

"That's right. Blame it on Team Rocket and the horrible evolution wave," Calem agreed.

Lance took out a pokeball and threw it at the red Gyarados. The beam opened and sucked in the Pokemon. It then landed on the ground shook for a couple of seconds before it dinged to show that the capture was made. Lance walked over to the pokeball and picked it up before he turned around and faced the group.

"Gyarados is going to be alright, now," he said.

"Please take care of it," Ash pleaded.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it just as you would, Ash," Lance replied.

Ash looked off to the side at that remark. Did Lance really mean that? Ash wasn't able to do a single thing to help Gyarados. He tried and offered to be Gyarados' friend, but it didn't listen to a thing Ash had to say. It even tried to kill him and probably would've succeeded had Lance not intervened. It was almost like with Aerodactyl. Ash wasn't able to do anything to help it either and had to let his dad take care of it. This Gyarados was way out of his league just like Aerodactyl had been.

Lance noticed the troubled expression on Ash's face and frowned. "What's wrong, Ash?" he asked.

"It's just…I don't know what I'm missing," Ash muttered. "I tried so hard to get Gyarados to listen to me. I spoke to it as sincerely as I could and wanted to help it. I even believed I could. Gyarados just wouldn't listen."

"Ash, don't take this the wrong way when I say this, but you haven't yet achieved the skill level or bond with your Pokemon that a Pokemon Master needs," Lance told him and took a few steps towards Ash until he was in front of him.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked and looked up to the red-haired man.

"Don't get me wrong. The love you have for people and all Pokemon is very apparent, but sometimes, that may not be enough. You have to not just speak to a Pokemon with words. You have to speak to their heart," Lance said.

"Speak to their heart," Ash echoed.

"It's sort of like with Serena's Larvitar," Calem stepped in. "One can talk to it and love it all day, but if they aren't reaching its heart, they won't get anywhere."

"What does that mean, though?" Ash questioned. "Please tell me!"

"That's something you have to figure out for yourself, Ash. It's different for each person and Pokemon. As your skills as a Pokemon trainer develop, you'll discover it. I know you will," Lance encouraged.

Ash felt a little encouraged by Lance's words despite still feeling a little bit down. Pikachu climbed up onto his shoulder and nuzzled his cheek. Even though Ash wasn't a Pokemon Master yet, Pikachu still thought he was pretty great. Ash then looked up at Lance.

"Do you really think I'll be able to achieve that bond someday, Lance?" Ash asked.

"Of course. You are Red's son, after all," Lance smiled

"Heh. Yeah," Ash chuckled and adjusted his cap.

"I think you may have seen that bond once already, Ash," Serena told him. "Remember your match with Giovanni?"

Ash then thought back. That had been so long ago. He was in a fight to the death with that evil man. They were both down to their last Pokemon, and Pikachu was on the verge of being drilled right through with Rhyperior's Horn Drill. Ash's aura had activated, but even it wasn't enough. He could hear his friends and mom calling out to him. He had wanted to fight with Pikachu, and just before everything ended, he found himself bonding with Pikachu and Serena. They almost became one, and Pikachu was able to achieve some type of super charged aura mode. That had been completely amazing.

"Yeah. That was really something. It'd be great to have a bond like that all the time with my Pokemon," Ash said.

"It truly is an amazing thing when a trainer has incredible bonds with their Pokemon. They can achieve many things they wouldn't be able to do on their own," Lance nodded. "Some Pokemon may even take on their trainer's appearance."

"Their appearance?" Ash questioned in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"Their bonds with their trainer are so strong that they almost fight as one. A Pokemon is much more powerful than normal means and can reach their maximum potential. Some Pokemon scientists call it the bond phenomenon," Lance explained.

"Wow," Ash mumbled. "What kind of Pokemon can do that?"

"You'll know it when it happens," Lance answered before he placed his hands on Ash's shoulders. "Ash, I want you to keep training and become the best Pokemon trainer you can be. I believe you have amazing potential. You'll become every bit the trainer your father is, and he's a man I greatly respect."

"Thank you, Lance," Ash smiled.

"And who knows?" Lance added with a wink. "When that time comes, I'd like to battle you."

"You would?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Of course. I always welcome a worthy challenge, and I know you would give me the greatest battle I could ever ask for," Lance smiled.

"It's a deal then," Ash nodded. "I'll work hard on training and increasing the bonds I have with not just my own Pokemon, but Pokemon everywhere. I'll also figure out what you mean about speaking to their hearts," Ash nodded.

"And so will I! I think I learned a lot from you two about how to reach my Larvitar," Serena added.

"It was our pleasure, Serena," Calem nodded.

It was at that moment that several police cars arrived. There had to be more than a dozen of them. Lance looked away from Ash and walked towards the vehicles. Officer Jenny came out and saluted Lance.

"We've apprehended all the Rockets at the base. We even found a few in the river on the way here. They were promptly arrested, as well." Officer Jenny said and gestured behind her.

The group looked where she was pointing, and they smiled when they saw Attila, Hun, and Namba in one of the police cars. Good. They were going to jail where they belong. Now, they can't create experiments to hurt anymore Pokemon. The world would be a safer place. If Lance took care of Ariana, she was probably in one of the police cars, too."

"I can't thank you enough for all your help in this, Lance," Officer Jenny told him.

"Well, it wasn't just me. Ash, Serena, and Calem helped, too, even though Calem did disobey my orders to stay behind," Lance said and gave a disapproving look at Calem who chuckled sheepishly.

"Heheheh. Sorry, Lance. I guess I still have a ways to go before I'm a true Pokemon G-man," Calem said.

"Well, since it all worked out, I'll forgive you. You're still doing a great job," Lance told him.

"Wait!" Serena suddenly cried. "Where did Jessie, James, and Meowth go!? We can't forget about them since they helped us, too!"

"That's right. We couldn't have made it this far without them," Lance realized.

"You mean the wanted criminals of Team Rocket? Those three?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Right," Ash confirmed. "But they aren't members of Team Rocket any longer! They helped us."

The group looked around for the trio, but they didn't see them anywhere. Come to think of it, they hadn't seen them since Lance arrived to help Gyarados. Where did they go?! It was like they vanished into thin air.

"Why did they leave so suddenly?" Serena wondered. "We never got a chance to actually thank them for a change."

"Hmm…I see," Officer Jenny sighed and turned to the other police officers. "Scan the area for those three and apprehend them when you do."

"Wait," Ash started. "You're going to arrest them?"

"I have to," Officer Jenny replied as she turned to the group. "Though they helped you stop this horrible experiment, that doesn't erase all of their past crimes…especially in the Kanto region."

"Still…," Ash muttered, but he knew Officer Jenny was right.

"Their sentences will be lighter compared to the other Rockets, but they will still be spending plenty of time in jail when we find them," Officer Jenny said.

"So. what's the status on other Team Rocket members?" Lance asked.

"Well, we captured one of the executives with Ariana," Officer Jenny replied. "We'll see if we can get any information from her about their plans."

"Wait," Ash said. "Just one executive?"

"Of course," Officer Jenny replied. "That's the only one we saw at the base."

Ash and Serena exchanged glances with each other. If they remembered correctly, the Rocket executive known as Proton had come for a visit, as well. He had been dragging the red Gyarados with Attila, Hun, and Namba in their jeeps. The last they saw of him, his vehicle had tumbled into the river. The police were able to get the others, but had Proton escaped? The group suddenly had an uneasy feeling if that horrible man was still on the loose.

"Is something wrong?" Officer Jenny asked.

"There was another executive here," Ash frowned. "His name was Proton. Please tell me you captured him, too."

"Oh my," Officer Jenny gasped, which confirmed to the group that he wasn't. "We'll do an extensive search of the area. We won't leave a single section of this area overlooked.

"I'd stay and help, but I just got called to a new assignment," Lance said regretfully. "I hope you will find this horrible man and put him in jail with the others."

"You're leaving?" Ash asked.

"I have to, Ash," Lance sighed. "Our work here is done."

"Will we see each other again?" Ash wondered.

"Of course," Lance confirmed which caused Ash to smile. "We did promise to battle one day."

"Goodbye, Calem," Serena said and gave the boy a hug. "It's always great to see you. I just wish we had more time to talk."

"Heh. Yeah. I'll have to take some time off from my training. When I do, I'll give you call," Calem agreed.

"Please do," Serena said.

"You take care of yourself, too, Ash," Calem said.

"You too, Calem. Thanks for everything! That Chespin you had was pretty cool, too. I hope to have my own Kalos starter one day. With you and Serena having one, I kind of feel left out," Ash chuckled as he and Calem shook hands.

With that, the group parted ways. Officer Jenny had gotten back into the police car, and she and several others went to search the area for Proton, Jessie, James, and Meowth. It wasn't long after that until Lance and Calem got onto Dragonite and took flight. With a final wave, they turned around and flew off into the distance.

As Ash and Serena watched them go, they were filled with a new sense of determination about how to move forward. They still had a long way to go, but that was also what made it exciting. There was still much more to know with the mysteries of Pokemon. They were both going to find out what Lance meant and apply it so they could be the best they could be. For now, Ash had his seventh gym match, and Serena had her showcase to look forward to.

With that, they, Pikachu, and Togetic started to head back to Mahogany Town and were ready to tell Brock and Misty all about what they experienced.

* * *

"Do you think it was right for us to just leave the kids like that when Lance showed up?" James asked as the trio walked through the woods.

"Of course. Since he was there, that must've meant that the police were on their way, too. They would arrest us on the spot. Though we're not with Team Rocket, jail still isn't something I want to experience," Jessie scoffed.

The trio had no idea where they were going. They were just getting out of Johto. They were in the northern part of the region and a long way from Tohjo Falls. There was no way they could make it there undetected. Besides, wasn't that where Giovanni was?Well, he apparently wasn't there anymore, but there was a high chance they could run into him which would be bad.

"So, where do we go now?" Meowth asked.

"If I remember correctly, if we keep heading north from here, we'll eventually reach the Sinnoh region," Jessie said thoughtfully.

"Great. A new place where we can start over. No one knows us there," James smiled.

"That's right. We did our little play nice act with those kids so now we can leave them guilt free," Jessie smiled.

"Yeah. It actually felt good," James agreed.

"So…Sinnoh it is then?" Meowth confirmed.

"That's right! We'll finally be able to live to our motto now that we're starting over," Jessie smiled.

With that, the trio marched along happily, but they weren't going too slow. They knew the police were going to search this area far and wide for them, but if they kept going straight, they should be okay. The most important thing was that they were finally free of Team Rocket. No more evil schemes. No more Rockets keeping tabs on them. No more, Archer, Ariana, Petrel, and especially no more…

"Flamethrower, Houndoom!" an angry voice shouted.

Jessie, James, and Meowth spun around just in time to see a stream of flames heading their way. They didn't have time to move out of the way and instead just ducked. They felt the heat of the flames pass over their heads, and it probably singed a few of their hairs, but that was the least of their troubles.

They soon heard feet pounding against the grass, and a second later, an incredible force collided with all three of them which sent them flying backwards. The trio landed painfully on their backs before they dizzily stared up at their attacker, and their eyes grew wide with terror.

Proton was standing there with his Houndoom, and he was still wet from falling into the river. If looks could kill, the trio would be dead a thousand times over. Proton was muttering incomprehensible sounds, and he was clenching his teeth so tightly that they trio thought they would break off.

"You…" Proton growled before he gave a battle cry and charged forward once again. "I'll kill you!"

The man grabbed James by the throat and began slamming his face into the ground continuously. Jessie and Meowth grabbed Proton's hands to try to get him to release James, but the man just gave another enraged cry and ordered his Houndoom to use Flamethrower.

The dark Pokemon shot another stream of flames, and Jessie and Meowth had no choice but to release Proton and move out of the way to avoid being roasted alive.

"I'm going to murder you three! Our beautiful plan was ruined because of you! You destroyed that wonderful machine that would've helped us return to our glory days. On top of that, Ariana, Namba, Attila, and Hun have all been arrested! What are we supposed to do now?! Huh?!" Proton roared and continued to slam James' face into the ground with almost every word. The blue-haired man couldn't even whimper because Proton's choke hold wasn't allowing him to breath.

"James!" Jessie cried with worry and ran to help again, but Houndoom knocked her back down.

"I'm coming, James!" Meowth yelled and extended his claws before he leaped at Proton.

However, the Houndoom let out another Flamethrower which caught Meowth in midair. The scratch Pokemon screamed in pain as this wasn't just a normal Flamethrower. It was a continuous one that was aiming to kill. The attack finally stopped, and Meowth skin was almost completely black. He coughed once and fell over.

"No! Meowth!" Jessie cried and looked at Proton with tears in her eyes. "Please stop! Just give us another chance!"

"Ha! Why should I give you losers another chance!? You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this! Now, I have the perfect excuse! I'm going to roast all of you alive, grind your ashes into the ground, and then I'm going to spit on them, and then I'll continue to repeat the process until I'm satisfied!" Proton screamed.

"Please!" Jessie pleaded. "We'll do anything! Anything! We don't care what it is! Just please don't kill us!"

Proton finally halted his attack on James and loosened his grip. The blue-haired man was finally able to gasp for air, but it wasn't pretty sight. His face was bruised and bloody, and one of his eyes was squeezed shut. His face was so swollen that he almost didn't resemble James at all. Jessie gasped in horror at the terrible state James and Meowth were in.

"You'll do anything?" Proton sneered and turned to Jessie with an evil look in his eyes.

Jessie gulped but nodded. "Yes. "We'll do anything."

Proton released James, and James collapsed back on the ground. Jessie crawled over and helped James into a sitting position. The man was moaning in pain as Jessie watched him in worry. She wanted to tend to his and Meowth's wounds, but she didn't have a first aid kit with her, and there were no hospitals around. They were just at Proton's mercy.

"Oh, James," Jessie sobbed.

"Hey! Back to me!" Proton shouted.

"Umm…right," Jessie said and forced her eyes to turn away from James to face Proton.

"I have one simple task for you three," Proton began before he gave an evil smile. "In fact, I'll make this interesting for you. If you three do this for us, I'll forgive you for everything you've done. Your service will be greatly appreciated, and I'll even start treating you better. I'm sure Archer and Petrel would agree to do so, as well. You'll be full, respected members of Team Rocket again. How's that for motivation?"

"You…you would?" Jessie asked hopefully. "What is it?"

There was a pause before Proton answered. "Those brats. Kill them."

"Wh-what? What do you mean?" Jessie asked.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Proton shouted. "Those brats that are always getting in our way! The one our boss despises! The ones YOU three were helping! Kill them!"

"How do we do that?" James mumbled, but it was little difficult to understand him since his face was so swollen.

"Our plan to make our glorious comeback at the Radio Tower is almost complete. Knowing those kids, they'll almost certainly be there in some way to try to stop us! Do what our boss couldn't do! Your job is to kill them once they come! I don't care how you do it! Just kill them! With those brats out of the way, think of how pleased our boss would be knowing their gone. Not to mention, one of our biggest thorns will be gone for good! If you do that, we'll certainly forgive you for everything and gladly welcome you back in the ranks of Team Rocket," Proton explained.

"But I'm not sure if we can," Jessie protested.

"It makes thing easy for me then!" Proton snarled and turned his Houndoom. "Incinerate those three!"

"Wait!" Jessie cried, and the Houndoom stopped its charge up. The woman took a few deep breaths before she continued. "So, we have to kill those kids?"

"That's what I said," Proton uttered before he continued. "Don't even think about trying to run away from the Radio Tower, either. We'll have Rockets and security cameras watching you 24/7. If you show even the tiniest ounce of disobedience, then you're dead, and if you fail in not killing those brats, you're dead for that, too!"

Jessie and James both grimaced. They had been so close to freedom. Now, things were worse than ever. They had a choice to do something they didn't want to do or die on the spot. The trio had actually grown to sort of like those kids after how much they helped them. They even saved their lives in the Lake of Rage. Now, they had to kill them to save themselves? This was not an easy decision.

"Well?" Proton asked impatiently. "I don't have all day! The police will no doubt be breathing down our necks at any minute. If you don't decide within thirty seconds, I'll decide for you and have my Houndoom turn you all into ashes."

Jessie and James took shuddering breaths as they tried to make up their mind. Despite both being horrible options, they had to choose the one that would most likely save them. Jessie shut her eyes and clenched her fists. She said a quick prayer that she and James would never see those kids ever again to avoid doing this.

"Hurry up!" Proton shouted.

With that, Jessie and James nodded their head and gave the most convincing expression they could in their broken state.

"Okay. We'll do it."

* * *

 **Man. Poor Jessie, James, and Meowth. How are they going to get out of this one? They had even grown to like Ash and Serena. Stay tuned...**

 **Yes. Lance still caught the red Gyarados. Think about it. It just didn't make sense for Ash to catch it. He's not at the proper level of skill yet in his journey to handle the red Gyarados. It's sort of the same thing with Aerodactyl. Besides, a twelve year old kid catching it over a skilled Pokemon G-man and Elite Four member? The answer is pretty obvious.**

 **How'd you like the Froakie and Ash-Greninja references in this chapter? Let's see. Fennekin was introduced in Orange Islands, Chespin was introduced here...I wonder when our favorite little frog will have his debut. Heh.**

 **Well, Ash's seventh gym battle will kick off the new year in January. Happy New Year to all of you, and until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 56: A Cold and Icy Gym Battle**


	56. A Cold and Icy Gym Battle

**A/N: Here's the seventh gym battle. I was busy so it took longer than expected, but I think it turned out well. I hope you all enjoy it. Oh, and just a couple of more chapters before the climax.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter 56: A Cold and Icy Gym Battle

The next morning at the Mahogany Town Pokemon Center was a lot livelier than it had been the past few days. Now that the evolution inducement wave had been shut down, many of the Pokemon that were staying there were feeling much better and being allowed to leave with their trainers. It only been one day, but even that was enough to completely change the atmosphere.

Ash stepped into the lobby center with Pikachu that morning and could see it had already cleared out for the most part with just a few traveling trainers still staying. He then saw Serena, Brock, and Misty were waiting for him. Well, they probably were, but they seemed to be preoccupied with the newspaper Brock was reading. Brock had a grim look on his face while Serena and Misty were frowning as they read over his shoulder.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" Ash asked them.

"Well, we're good, but…you better read this," Brock muttered and handed Ash the newspaper.

Ash took the newspaper and opened it to the article the others had been reading. As soon as he saw the headline, he glared. This was certainly not something he wanted to wake up to.

 _Rockets on the Loose_

 _Several Team Rocket agents were arrested yesterday, including their executive, Ariana. The arrest was due to harmful experiments with Pokemon evolution done at the Lake of Rage. Many Magikarp were killed in the process due to radiation. Their plans were brought to a halt by the Pokemon G-man, Lance. He was able to defeat their leader and secure a red Gyarados that evolved as a result of the experiment._

 _Officer Jenny received information that there were still other agents in the vicinity that had yet to be arrested, an executive by the name of Proton, and two agents known as Jessie and James. Police have done an extensive search on the area but found nothing._

 _"We did see an unknown helicopter fly off towards the west later in the evening. Due to it being in the air, our Growlithe were unable to pick up a scent," Officer Jenny reported._

Ash stopped reading right there. Proton was never found. That was just great.

"The police were interrogating Ariana all night, but she never told them any information," Serena sighed. "All she said was that Team Rocket will rise again, and there's nothing they can do to stop it."

"It was also reported on the news this morning that the entire Johto region has been put on high alert for criminal activity. Anything that even seems to be the slightest bit suspicious is supposed to be reported to the police. Goldenrod City is especially vulnerable," Brock added.

"This is crazy," Ash growled. "Because of Team Rocket threatening to come back, the Johto region is in an uproar right now, and that's exactly what Team Rocket wants."

"Wait a second, Ash," Brock warned and dropped his voice down to a whisper. "We all know what Suicune told you about stopping Team Rocket, but don't do anything rash. That's not going to help anyone."

Ash nodded his head at Brock's words. He knew the Pokemon breeder was right, but he wasn't happy about it. Though he had helped deal a major blow in Team Rocket's plans, there were still so many things he didn't know. He also had a feeling that Jessie, James, and Meowth knew a lot about what was going on, too. He should've asked them about it when he had the chance. Now, who knows where they were. The only thing he could do now was wait for a new clue to come up. Ash just hoped by then, he wouldn't be too late.

"Excuse me, Ash. You have a call on wait for you. It seems Professor Oak is calling you. Would you like to take it?" Nurse Joy asked as she came over to Ash.

Ash's eyes lit up in interest. What would the Professor be calling him for? Ash hadn't told him anything about yesterday's incident with Team Rocket. It probably hadn't reached the Kanto region yet, and there were no major events coming up. Still, Ash figured it would be best to take it. He was going to call the Professor today anyway to swap some Pokemon so he could prepare for his gym battle.

"Okay. Thanks, Nurse Joy," Ash replied and went over to the video phone that Nurse Joy directed him to. Ash picked up the receiver and pressed the screen button, and soon, Professor Oak's face appeared on the screen.

"Hello there, Ash! Good morning!" Professor Oak greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Hey, Professor. I was actually going to call you myself to prepare for my gym battle," Ash replied as Brock, Misty, and Serena came up behind him.

"Yes. We can get to that in a second. First, I have some news for you that I think you will like," Professor Oak said.

"Oh? What is it?" Ash wondered.

"I was actually going to tell you this last time I saw you, but you and Serena seemed preoccupied with your new Pokemon. I'm flying out to Goldenrod City in a few days to do a radio show in Goldenrod City. Your mother will also be joining me. I figured it would be a great time for all of us to gather. You would even be able to view my radio show!" Professor Oak smiled.

"You and mom are coming to Johto?!" Ash exclaimed in excitement

"That's right! I figured you would want to see us, so I've already secured your plane tickets for you and your friends to fly out from Mahogany Town since you told me that's where you were heading to. You wouldn't mind staying there until you're supposed to fly out, would you?" Professor Oak asked.

"Of course not!" Ash grinned. "We'd love to see you guys!"

"We can't ever deny an invite to see Professor Oak," Brock added.

"Definitely!" Misty agreed.

"That's excellent! I'll send your tickets over on the day your flight leaves! I'm sure your mother will be so happy to see you," Professor Oak approved.

"Yeah! I haven't seen her since I left for Johto!" Ash smiled.

This was great. He and his friends could revisit the largest city in Johto. He could watch Professor Oak do his radio show. He could see his mom. He was sure Serena and Misty would want to revisit the department stores again. They might even have time to go say hi to Whitney. It'd be great! Wait…

Ash's face darkened slightly. Professor Oak and his mom had no idea about the situation in Johto yet. Though things weren't especially bad yet as all travel was still proceeding as normal, caution had still been advised. Not to mention, Goldenrod City was under extensive investigation for Rocket activity ever since Ash and Serena reported their findings to Blue, Yellow, and Rose.

Professor Oak noticed Ash's change in expression and gave him a puzzled look. "Is everything okay, Ash?"

"Yeah…," Ash answered after a moment before he continued. "Hey, Professor. I'm really glad you and mom are coming over. Just please try to be careful and always stay in a group. Team Rocket activity has been on the rise lately. I just want you all to be safe."

"I see. Blue did mention this to me," Professor Oak nodded, and Ash breathed a sigh of relief that the professor was at least informed. "Don't worry. Your mother and I will never be by ourselves, and the Goldenrod Radio Tower has booked our hotel in the safest area of the city."

"That's good to hear," Ash breathed a sigh of relief. He'd never forgive himself if his mom was captured by Team Rocket again. The chances of everything happening while they were there were slim, but it never hurt to be cautious.

"Now, I also believe you told me that you wanted to make some Pokemon exchanges?" Professor Oak questioned.

"Oh yeah!" Ash remembered. "I was told the Mahogany Town gym leader likes to use ice-types. I've already got Cyndaquil, but I'll need Houndour, too."

"Of course, but what Pokemon would you like to send me?" Professor Oak asked.

This wasn't an easy decision. Ash had Bayleef, Croconaw, Cyndaquil, Noctowl, and Phanpy. He didn't really want to send over his Phanpy yet since it was still new to his team. He also didn't want to send over Noctowl, either, as it was always good to have an aerial scout in case of something.

"How about Croconaw?" Professor Oak suggested. "Its dances are sure to liven some of your pokemon up. Wartortle has actually been trying to start a group with it."

"Wait. Are you serious?" Ash asked with an incredulous stare.

"Hahahaha! I am! I don't know if they're having a lot of success, though!" Professor Oak laughed.

Ash then tried to imagine his Croconaw and Wartortle in a dance group. They would both be wearing sunglasses. Wartortle would be the rapper while Croconaw would be break dancing next to it. The thought was rather odd, but it did cause Ash to chuckle.

"Heh. Alright. I'll send Croconaw over. I'll have to ask it how all that's going when I see it again," Ash said.

"Excellent! I'll get Houndour for you then!" Professor Oak stated.

A couple of minutes later, Professor Oak returned with the pokeball and placed it on the machine. Ash did likewise and wished his Croconaw good luck with forming a group with Wartortle before he pressed the transfer button. The pokeballs disappeared in a bout of electricity before they reappeared, and both Professor Oak and Ash showed each other the pokeballs made it through safely.

"Well, that'll do it, Ash. We'll see you in a few days!" Professor Oak waved.

"Bye, Professor!" the group said with an added cry from Pikachu and Togetic. Larvitar stood by silently.

 _"Please be safe,"_ Ash thought to himself. He hoped he was just overreacting and that his fears were unfounded. They would be staying in a safe part of the city, after all.

With that, the screen shut off. Ash sighed for just a moment before he turned to the others.

"Well, I think that saved us a call. Let's have some breakfast, and then we can head off to the gym," Ash suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Brock nodded.

"Oh! If you're heading to the Mahogany Gym, your friends might want to take a jacket with them. Pryce keeps it very cold in there," Nurse Joy told them from her desk.

"What about me?" Ash wondered.

"Well, you can wear it at first, but…you'll see," Nurse Joy shrugged.

"Umm…okay," Ash muttered, and he couldn't help but wonder what she meant by that.

* * *

"So, I guess this is the Mahogany Gym," Ash figured as he stared at it.

It looked normal enough on the outside. It was a circular building with windows on the side. As the group had figured out many times in the past, the way a gym looked on the outside was quite deceiving. They had been to gyms that would seem to fit the theme and typing the gym leader uses quite well, only to be normal on the inside, and the opposite has happened, too.

Ash shrugged his shoulders and figured he might was well be prepared for whatever this gym had in store for him. He opened the double doors to the gym, and the group immediately felt like they were punched in the face. A blast of cold air whooshed out of the gym, and they leaned back from instinct. They took a few steps forward to recover from their shock and walked inside.

"Wow! Nurse joy wasn't kidding when she said Pryce kept it cold in here!" Misty commented. "I should've brought my winter coat instead of a jacket!"

"No kidding, and we just walked inside!" Brock added as he shivered.

"How does this Pryce guy bear it when it's this cold?!" Ash asked rhetorically. Pikachu took shelter in Ash's backpack while Togetic took shelter in Serena's. At least it was a little warmer in there.

"Well, he does train ice-types. Maybe he developed a tolerance for it," Serena suggested.

"It's still cold," Ash muttered. He took a breath and blew which produced a cloud.

"Hey! Close the door! You're letting all the hot air in!" a gruff voice shouted.

The group jumped in surprise at the sudden shout. They looked around for the source of the voice and soon spotted and elderly man walking towards them. He even appeared to be older than Professor Oak and needed a cane to walk. That wasn't what got their attention about the man. He wasn't wearing warm clothing at all. In fact, he was only in a short-sleeved polo shirt and khaki shorts! He wasn't even giving any indication he was cold. They were freezing!

"Umm…sir? Are you cold?" Ash asked anyway.

"Nonsense! Of course I'm not! I've been in summer days colder than this! This temperature is just right!" the man insisted.

"Uhhh…," Ash uttered, unsure how to respond to that. It was approaching summer, but it was definitely warmer outside than it was in here. Speaking of outside…

"Are you going to close the door or not? My ice Pokemon won't tolerate it if they aren't in their proper environment," the man said.

"Oh. Uh…right," Ash replied as he turned around and shut the double doors.

"Ah…much better," the man sighed. There was something he had just said, though, that Brock picked up on.

"Hold on. You said that you have ice-type Pokemon. Are you the gym leader, Pryce?" Brock inquired.

"Oh? Yes. I am Pryce, they gym leader!" the man introduced. "And who are all of you!?"

"My name's Brock," Brock replied.

"I'm Misty!" Misty added.

"I'm Serena," Serena said.

"I'm Ash Ketchum! I've come for a gym battle…sir!" Ash finished and gave a salute to Pryce. Everyone else face-faulted.

"Ash, you're being silly. Pryce is just an elderly man. He's not a military commander," Serena sighed.

"Well, he just has that commanding tone in his voice," Ash shrugged.

"Hah! So, you want a battle, young man?" Pryce asked as he leaned on his cane.

"I do! I've already gotten six badges! I want to get my seventh from you!" Ash declared.

"Hmm…I accept your challenge, then! Just be warned that my Pokemon will put yours on ice!" Pryce replied. "Follow me!"

"Great. Ice puns," Misty mumbled, but Pryce didn't hear her.

The group followed Pryce down a long hallway, and if they didn't know better, they thought it was getting even colder. Serena rubbed her hands and arms to try to stay warm but eventually settled for snuggling against Ash. The raven-haired boy smiled back and put both his arms around Serena so they could use each other's body heat. Brock did likewise with Misty so she wouldn't be left out. Once they reached another set of double doors, Pryce stopped and looked at them.

"Ash, you may hang your jacket on that coat rack before you come in to the battle arena," Pryce told him and pointed to a coat rack to his right.

"If you don't mind me asking, why? I'm pretty cold," Ash rebutted.

"It's because if you can't battle under any condition, how do you plan to be a great Pokemon trainer!?" Pryce exclaimed which caused the group to jump again. "I always make my challengers battle in the cold because I believe that they need to show great skills and decision making even when the conditions aren't ideal for them! If you need perfect weather for you and your Pokemon to battle at your best, then what hope do you have to win the Johto League!?"

"He's got a point," Brock said thoughtfully.

"Nngghh…okay," Ash muttered and unzipped his jacket before he slipped it off.

Ash inhaled sharply as he took it off as the cold air overtook his more exposed skin now. As he hung the jacket up, his teeth were chattering, and he was shivering violently. Serena looked worriedly at him.

"Ash, will you be okay?" she asked him.

"Y-y-yeah! I-I think so," Ash stuttered.

"Humph. Surely if an old man like myself can handle this, you can," Pryce sighed.

"R-right! L-let's do this! Y-you ready, P-pikachu?" Ash asked and turned to his rodent partner in his backpack.

"Piiika," Pikachu muttered. Could it have a blanket first?

"Fine. I'm s-sure we'll get used to it, after a while," Ash stated and strode ahead of Pryce through the doors.

As he walked in, Serena frowned and looked at Pryce. The elderly man noticed her expression and realized what she must be thinking. Pryce gave Serena a reassuring smile which seemed out of place for him since he'd seemed so gruff so fair.

"Do not worry. I would never keep it cold enough in this gym where it puts the trainers or the Pokemon in danger. He will be just fine. As I said, I'm in this temperature all day, and I get along well in it. I would never make a trainer do something I wouldn't do. Besides, his body temperature will warm up since he will active giving orders in our battle," Pryce told her.

Serena felt better after Pryce said that and nodded her head. He was right. It was just a little bit of cold. Besides, the more Ash was cold, the more they could snuggle up later on after he was finished with the battle. Serena blushed at the thought but shook her head from it so she could focus on watching Ash battle. She then went with Brock, Misty, and Pryce after Ash into the battle room.

The group stepped into the room, and they were quite impressed. The whole battling field was made of ice. There were sharp, jagged, blocks of ice that came up from the field. The only part of the field that wasn't ice was the small pool in the middle. Of course, it was also colder in here than anywhere else in the gym.

"Oh! I'd love to go ice skating on this!" Misty smiled.

"You can ice skate, Misty?" Serena inquired.

"Of course! I always did it when I was younger! It was so much fun! As a water Pokemon trainer, I still have to remain graceful, and few things are as graceful as a beautiful ice skater!" Misty said dreamily.

"Well, you ready for a battle, whippersnapper?" Pryce joked as he passed Ash.

 _"Whippersnapper?"_ Ash thought before he answered. "You bet. I'm going to win! Achoo!"

"We'll see, won't we? Keep in mind…I was a gym leader before you were even born. I've seen many strategies in my life. I won't be an easy opponent," Pryce replied before he added. "By the way, my friend, Sheila, will be the judge."

At that, an older lady with her hair tied behind her head stepped into the room. Like Pryce, she wasn't wearing warm clothing, either. She must be used to the cold just like he was. She went to the side of the room and nodded to the group.

"Howdy, everyone! Let's have ourselves a good battle!" she greeted brightly.

"Hello," the group replied back with a smile.

Pryce had made it to the other side of the gym a lot quicker than one would think for a man on a cane. Once he made it, He set his cane down and got a serious look on his face. Sheila nodded her head and announced the rules.

"Okay! This will be an official three on three match for the Glacier Badge! The challenger may make any substitution while the gym leader may not!" Sheila declared.

"That works for me," Pryce replied.

"Fine by me, too! I already have my three Pokemon selected!" Ash smiled and turned his hat backwards.

"Who would like to choose their Pokemon first?" Sheila asked.

"I will!" Ash stated and threw his pokeball forward. "Go, Houndour!"

The dark fire-type Pokemon appeared from its pokeball and gave a short bark before it got on all fours. It dug its claws into the ice a little bit so it would avoid slipping. Being a former pack leader, it had learned to adjust to many different types of environments. An ice field was no different.

"A fire-type. How predictable, but I believe I have the perfect answer for that," Pryce declared and threw his pokeball. "Go, Dewgong!"

The sea lion Pokemon appeared with a cry and landed in the pool in the center of the gym. Ash hardened his expression. As a gym leader, of course Pryce would have an answer to his type's weakness. Dewgong may be an ice-type, but it was also a part water-type which put Houndour at a disadvantage. He would need to be careful and make good decisions…and not think about how cold it was. Otherwise, it would distract him.

Sheila then raised her flags. "Are the trainers ready?"

"I am," Ash nodded and stopped shivering so he could focus.

"As am I," Pryce agreed.

"In that case, the match will start now!" Sheila declared and brought down her flags.

"Let's start things off with an Icy Wind!" Pryce called.

Dewgong took a deep breath before it blew out a chilling wind. The gust of air soared across the battlefield and struck Houndour, and it continued to carry to Ash. The raven-haired boy grit his teeth and winced. It was bad enough temperature-wise in this gym. Did Pryce have to make it colder by having his Dewgong use Icy Wind? Ash then tried not think about it. He had to focus.

"It's okay, Houndour! Use your fire-typing to keep your body warm! Use Flamethrower!" Ash yelled.

Houndour pushed through the cold wind and blew the hot stream of fire from its mouth. As soon as it did, Dewgong dived into the pool to avoid it. A small bit of steam was created from the Flamethrower.

"Use Aurora Beam, Dewgong!" Pryce said.

A multicolored beam of light came out of the pool. Houndour went to move out of the way, but it slipped slightly on the ice and ended up getting hit. Houndour quickly shook the attack away, though, as it wasn't very effective. However, Pryce was relentless with his attacks.

"Use Aqua Jet!" he called next.

Before Ash or Houndour could react, Dewgong shot out of the pool. It cloaked itself in water and crashed into Houndour. The dark Pokemon gave a howl of pain and went soaring back until it hit one of the blocks of ice. Dewgong, meanwhile, used the momentum of Aqua Jet to get back in the pool where it immediately dived underwater again.

"Are you alright, Houndour?" Ash asked in worry.

Houndour gave another short bark to Ash that showed that it was. That attack was super effective and hurt pretty badly, but Houndour had trained itself to be made of tougher stuff than that. It would need to be more careful if it hoped to dodge any attacks while on ice, though.

"Signal Beam!" Pryce called next.

Like the Aurora Beam before it, another colorful beam of light shot out of the pool towards Houndour. This time, the dark Pokemon was able to not slip and get out of the way, but it soon had to dodge another Signal Beam. Ash knew Houndour couldn't keep this up forever. There had to be something he could do.

As long as Dewgong was in that pool, it would be safe from any type of attack. Still, it had to come up for breath at some point. True to his thoughts, he saw Dewgong come up from the water as Pryce called out his next attack.

"Aqua Jet again!" he ordered.

"Counter it with Flamethrower!" Ash yelled and silent hoped Houndour would be able to take this attack, too.

However, Dewgong had crashed into Houndour with a watery veil before Houndour could even take a deep breath. The dark Pokemon howled in pain once again, but it wasn't going to cancel its attack so suddenly. It still launched Flamethrower from its mouth, and the attack struck Dewgong as it was going back into water. The sea lion Pokemon grimaced in pain, but the attack hadn't caused a lot of damage as it wasn't a direct hit.

"How you holding up, Houndour?" Ash asked.

Houndour nodded its head to show it could still fight, but two Aqua Jets had taken a lot out of it. Houndour was panting and making short growls. One more good attack in would probably be all that would be needed to knock it out.

"Signal Beam!" Pryce yelled.

"I need you to dodge as much as you can until Dewgong comes out of the pool! I know you can do it, Houndour!" Ash encouraged.

Despite how tired it was, Houndour scurried out of the way on the icy battlefield. More and more Signal Beams were launched from the pool. Ash was focused so hard on the battle as he watched Houndour that he wasn't even thinking about the cold right now. He had mentally counted how long Dewgong stayed underwater before it had to come up for air because he had to time this right, or else Pryce would find a way to counter it.

Houndour growled as a Signal Beam grazed its skin, but it was still alright. If Ash had counted correctly, Dewgong should be coming up any moment now. Ash would make sure it had a nasty surprise when it came up.

"Odor Sleuth, Houndour, and then Smog!" Ash told it.

Houndour dodged another Signal Beam and took a few sniffs in the air as it tried to find Dewgong's scent. Despite it being in the water, Houndour was able to lock onto it, and it fired a noxious cloud from its mouth just as Dewgong was coming up for breath.

Instead of coming for air, however, Dewgong came up to breathe in a toxic cloud. Dewgong started coughing as it tried to breathe for a moment, and Ash took advantage of it.

"Flamethrower!" Ash hollered.

Houndour started running across the ice as quickly as it could on such terrain. It blew forth the hot flames, and it streaked through the air until it struck Dewgong in the center of its body. Dewgong cried out in pain as it was pushed out of the pool. Ash then decided to let Dewgong have a super effective attack as well with Houndour's unique move it had learned.

"Thunder Fang!" Ash yelled.

"Oh my! Get up, Dewgong!" Pryce cried.

Houndour leaped over the small pool of water and landed on top of the stunned Dewgong. It then electrified its fangs and bit down onto the sea lion Pokemon. Dewgong cried out in pain as it continued to be shocked, and Houndour gave a mighty shove and pushed Dewgong into one of the blocks of ice. Dewgong then collapsed onto the ground and didn't move.

"Dewgong is unable to battle! The winner is Houndour!" Sheila declared.

"Alright! Good job, Houndour!" Ash cheered.

Houndour gave a soft growl and looked at Ash before it nodded its head. Ash frowned when he saw how tired Houndour was. It had just taken a lot of hits and used a lot of energy to stay balanced on the ice.

"I'll let you take a rest for right now, Houndour, in case I need you later," Ash told it and returned it to its pokeball.

Meanwhile, Pryce returned Dewgong to its pokeball. "Well done, my friend," he told it before he looked to Ash. "So, how is the temperature now, Ash?"

"I don't feel so cold anymore, now that you mention it!" Ash replied. "I'm so focused on the battle that I'm not even feeling it!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Pryce approved and took out his next pokeball. "Let's continue with our battle then! Go, Jynx!"

A strange humanoid Pokemon appeared. It resembled a woman with a purple face, big lips, and huge eyes. Ash had heard about this Pokemon before, but he had never actually seen one. It did look quite strange, and it was a strange mixture of an ice and psychic type. Ash almost wished he had saved Houndour for this Pokemon as it would've been effective against both of its types. He then turned to Pikachu who was still in his backpack.

"What about it, buddy? You up to battle a Jynx?" he asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu confirmed with determination before it sneezed.

"Heh. Yeah. I guess you're still cold. I'm sure after you battle a bit, it'll warm you up," Ash told it.

Pikachu nodded and leaped out of Ash's backpack before it ran onto the gym floor. It was going too fast, however, so it slipped and fell on its behind.

"You have to be careful, Pikachu. You can't use speed as effectively on ice," Ash warned.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded and slowly got to its feet.

"How do you think Pikachu will do, Brock?" Serena asked.

"Hmm…I'm not sure. One of Pikachu's biggest assets is its speed. It'll have a difficult time using it. However, if we know Ash's Pikachu, it's not a normal one," Brock answered.

Pikachu then went over to the center of the battlefield where Pryce's Jynx was. The human-shape Pokemon was swaying side to side as it waited for the battle to begin. Jynx winked at Pikachu and gave a seductive moan which caused Pikachu to raise its eyebrows. This Jynx made it quite uncomfortable. It couldn't let Jynx psyche it out, though.

"Pikachu versus Jynx! Begin!" Sheila shouted.

"Use Psychic, Jynx!" Pryce told it.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu knew it couldn't run away to dodge as it would slip. Instead, it leaped high into the air, and the blast of psychic waves soared underneath it. Pikachu then did a flip in midair, and it charged up its cheeks as it knew what Ash would call next.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash called.

Pikachu let loose the electric attack almost instantly since it was already charged up. The Thunderbolt sailed downward, and it was expected to hit. To Ash and Pikachu's surprise, Jynx merely spun and glided out of the way. Pryce then called out his next attack.

"Ice Beam!" Pryce shouted.

"Counter it with Iron Tail!" Ash called.

Jynx took a breath and shot out the beam of ice as Pikachu swung its glowing tail around. The two attacks collided, and Pikachu grimaced from the cold. However, it used its Iron Tail to begin to break through the ice and forced its way through the beam. It finally broke through completely and crashed its glowing tail on Jynx's head.

The human-shape Pokemon moaned in pain from the super-effective attack and glided back slightly. Pikachu let off the attack and flipped off Jynx, but it was surprised when Jynx reached and grabbed Pikachu by the tail. It then turned Pikachu around and winked again at it which caused Pikachu to sweat drop.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash cried.

"No! Jynx, use Lovely Kiss!" Pryce called.

Pikachu charged up its cheeks, but not before Jynx leaned in and gave Pikachu a big kiss with its glowing lips. Pikachu made a gagging face and looked quite dizzy. Ash thought it was going to be confused until Pikachu's eyes drooped, and it fell fast asleep.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Use Ice Punch, Jynx!" Pryce told it.

Jynx reached back with the arm that wasn't holding Pikachu. The arm then began to have ice form around it before it swung the arm around. Rather than a punch, though, it was more like a slap. Pikachu was knocked through the air until it hit one of the ice blocks. It then slid down, but it was still fast asleep.

"Psychic!" Pryce yelled.

Jynx then unleashed the psychic waves again, and they traveled through the air until they struck Pikachu. The waves continued to hit the yellow rodent until the ice block broke behind it. Pikachu was pushed backwards and slid on the ice and slowed to a stop, still asleep.

"Pikachu! You have to wake up before its too late!" Ash cried.

"I'll help Pikachu with that! Use Wake Up Slap, Jynx!" Pryce shouted.

Jynx glided forward until it reached Pikachu. It then picked up the yellow rodent and began to slap it hard across the face repeatedly. Pikachu's face jerked from side to side with each successive hit. Jynx then gave one final hard slap, and Pikachu was sent soaring backwards again. It landed on the ice and slid several yards again before landed by Ash's feet.

"Pikachu! Are you okay?!" Ash asked in worry.

"Chuuu…," Pikachu muttered weakly. Its face was a bright pink from being slapped so much. It slowly got to its feet and tried to shake off the pain.

"Hmm…your Pikachu is pretty resilient. I thought for sure that Wake Up Slap would've knocked it out," Pryce commented.

"Well, Pikachu and I have been in a lot of battles!" Ash replied before he looked at Pikachu. "Use Iron Tail on the ice!"

"Not so fast! Use Ice Beam, Jynx!" Pryce shouted.

Pikachu's tail glowed, and it slammed it down on the ice. Shards of ice flew everywhere as a result of the hard hit. Jynx had managed to shoot out the Ice Beam, but it soon had to halt so it could shield itself from the shards of ice that kept pelting it. They weren't very effective, but they were still pretty uncomfortable. When Jynx finished shielding itself, both it and Pryce discovered Pikachu was gone!

"Thunderbolt!" Ash hollered.

Jynx and Pryce looked up just in time to see Pikachu in the air and shooting out a Thunderbolt. Jynx moaned and cried out in pain as it was shocked.

"Now, use Iron Tail again!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu's tail glowed once again, and it swung it downward, but Jynx was still quick to recover.

"We won't fall for that again. Use Psychic this time, Jynx!" Pryce told it.

"Watch out, Pikachu!" Ash warned.

Jynx lifted its hands and blasted forth psychic waves. Because Pikachu was in the air, it had no way to dodge the waves unless it canceled the Iron Tail. Pikachu halted the attack and maneuvered its small body as best as it could. It was able to avoid a small part, but not all of it. Pikachu cried out in pain as the bits of psychic waves hit it, and it fell to the icy ground right in front of Jynx

"Finish this with Ice Beam, Jynx!" Pryce commanded.

"Use Iron Tail one more time!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu slammed down its glowing tail on the ice again, and then it cried out in pain as it was struck by the Ice Beam.

"Your Pikachu can't hide behind the shards of ice when Jynx is that close," Pryce told him.

"Who's hiding?" Ash asked with a smile. "Use Wild Charge!"

"Then use Ice Punch, Jynx!" Pryce countered.

Pikachu got up and cloaked itself in a bout of electricity. It almost slipped due to the ice, but it remedied that by leaping into the air straight at Jynx. It collided right in Jynx's center, and Jynx yelled in pain as Pikachu continued to knock it back with its Wild Charge. Despite that, Jynx still swung at Pikachu with its frosty hand. The two Pokemon soon collided with another ice block which caused an explosion of ice to shoot everywhere.

The ice rained down on to the ice field as Pryce and Ash waited to see the outcome. When it was finished. Jynx was lying down on the ground, and Pikachu was standing on top of it. Jynx, meanwhile, didn't get up. The yellow rodent then held up a V-shape with its fingers.

"Pika!" it smiled.

"Jynx is unable to battle! The winner is Pikachu…oh," Sheila began but stopped.

Pikachu soon fell over from on top of Jynx and landed on the ice on its stomach. Ash gasped once that happened as he, Pryce, and Sheila waited to see if Pikachu would get up. Unfortunately, after about ten seconds, it didn't so Sheila made her call.

"It's a double knockout. Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" she declared.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried as he walked as quickly as he could on the ice but was also careful not to run.

"Pikachu powered through a lot of Jynx's attacks and was able to knock it out, but it ultimately succumbed to all the damage it received while battling," Brock frowned.

"That's Pikachu for you. It always wants to make sure it can defeat something before it goes down," Misty attempted to smile.

Ash scooped Pikachu up in his arms and smiled at it while Pryce returned Jynx and thanked it. Pikachu opened its eyes and nodded its head.

"Hey, buddy. You did great. I'll let you rest now," Ash told it as he walked off the ice.

"Well, Ash, I must say you're doing very well. However, my next Pokemon is by far my strongest. We've battled together for almost thirty years!" Pryce told him.

"Whatever it is, we can handle it," Ash told him as he set Pikachu down next to him. Togetic flew over to check on it.

"Very well. Mamoswine, I choose you!" Pryce yelled and threw the pokeball forward.

A very large, hairy Pokemon that resembled a cross between a mammoth and a boar appeared. It lifted its tusks and gave a cry upon appearing. Ash widened his eyes as this Pokemon would completely dwarf Houndour and Cyndaquil. Ash could tell this was going to be a tough fight just by looking at it. The raven-haired boy took a deep breath and threw his pokeball.

"Cyndaquil, I choose you!" he shouted.

Cyndaquil soon popped out of the pokeball and gave a small yawn before it ignited its flames. Ash inwardly smiled at how the fire mouse Pokemon could be relaxed even right before it fought in a gym battle. That was before it saw the large size of Mamoswine. Cyndaquil gave a small squeak and backed up several steps.

"It's okay, Cyndaquil. Don't let Mamoswine scare you!" Ash encouraged.

"Quil," Cyndaquil muttered and scooted up a little bit.

"If the Pokemon are ready, we will now begin the battle! Cyndaquil versus Mamoswine! Go!" Sheila called.

"Use Blizzard, Mamoswine!" Pryce called.

Mamoswine gave a large snort before a blanket of snow and ice seemed to come out of nowhere. It seemed to spread across the whole gym room. Even Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty were feeling the effects of it and shivered violently. Cyndaquil felt the worst of it, though. While ice-type attacks weren't very effective against it, it was still really cold.

"Now use Take Down!" Pryce shouted.

"Take Down? How is it going to charge forward like that with a pool in the middle?" Ash wondered.

He soon got his answer as he soon saw Mamoswine coming in through the thick snow. Ash tried to yell out a warning to Cyndaquil, but it was too late. Mamoswine's large body collided with Cyndaquil and sent it sky high. For Cyndaquil, it was like getting hit by a truck. As it was in the sky, Pryce called out his next attack.

"Now, show Cyndaquil your Ancient Power!" he called.

"Watch out! Use Flamethrower!" Ash cried.

Mamoswine gave another snort, and a row of stones appeared around Cyndaquil. The fire mouse Pokemon regained control of its body while in air and began shooting its Flamethrower at the rocks to deflect them. It didn't do much good, though, and it was struck by the majority of them. Cyndaquil cried out in pain as it was hit and fell onto the icy gym floor.

By then, the Blizzard had stopped, and Ash's eyes widened when he saw the pool in the center was now gone. It must have been completely frozen over during the Blizzard which was how Mamoswine made it to the other side so easily. That was bad as now Mamoswine had free movement in the battlefield.

"Quuiill…," Cyndaquil panted as it stood up. It slipped a little bit but still managed to hold its position.

"Use Blizzard again, Mamoswine!" Pryce shouted.

A thick sheet of ice and snow soon rained on the battlefield. Ash was extremely cold right now, but he couldn't let this affect his thinking. Mamoswine was probably going to come in again so he had to have Cyndaquil attack before it did.

"Use Take Down!" Pryce called.

"Use Swift, Cyndaquil, and locate Mamoswine!" Ash hollered.

Cyndaquil nodded and soon launched the star-shaped bits of energy. It was careful to watch where they went since the move never missed. Ash and Cyndaquil saw the attack go slightly to the right followed by a few grunts of discomfort. Ash quickly called out his next attack.

"Flamethrower right there!" he shouted.

Cyndaquil looked in the direction where the Swift went and shot out the flames just as Mamoswine was coming into view. The Flamethrower blasted through the snow and ice before it struck Mamoswine. The mammoth Pokemon cried out in pain as it reeled from the super effective attack. The Blizzard was canceled as a result, and Cyndaquil exhaled greatly now that it was no longer in the biting cold.

"Great job, Cyndaquil!" Ash cheered.

"Hmm…not bad. Let's see how Cyndaquil handles this. Use Earthquake, Mamoswine!" he yelled.

Mamoswine stood on its two hind legs before it slammed down on the ice which actually shattered the area around it and created a hole. Despite that, Cyndaquil was shaken greatly as it bounced up and down from the shaking. It wasn't long before Mamoswine took control of the situation again and rammed into Cyndaquil for another Take Down.

The fire mouse was sent flying and was heading fast to the wall. It didn't need to take any more damage or things would get even worse.

"Quick, Cyndaquil! Use Flamethrower against the wall!" Ash cried.

Despite the great pain it was in, Cyndaquil turned around and shot the stream of fire from its mouth. The attack hit the wall which slowed Cyndaquil down significantly. The fire mouse Pokemon then halted the attack and used its short legs to propel itself off the wall.

As Ash watched Cyndaquil twirl in the air, he suddenly had an idea. Cyndaquil was in huge danger from Mamoswine every time it was on the ground. If Cyndaquil was able to constantly be in the air, Mamoswine wouldn't be able to reach it. Cyndaquil soon landed on the ground, and Ash quickly called out to Cyndaquil before Pryce did to his Mamoswine.

"Into the air again, Cyndaquil, and use Flamethrower to keep yourself up!" he yelled.

Cyndaquil leaped into the air and unleashed the stream of fire from its mouth. The fire attack struck the icy field and Cyndaquil maneuvered itself over Mamoswine. Because of the fire, the area where the Flamethrower hit melted and became a hole of water. Cyndaquil then used Flamethrower on Mamoswine who cried out in pain again from the attack. As soon as Cyndaquil landed, it leaped into the air again before Mamoswine could attack. It used Flamethrower to push itself further up in the air, and once again that part melted into water. Ash's eyes lit up. He knew how he could immobilize Mamoswine!

"Just use Flamethrower all around the field!" Ash hollered.

"Hah! I know what you're trying to do! Cyndaquil won't be safe in the air, either! Use Ancient Power, Mamoswine!" Pryce yelled.

A bundle of rocks appeared around Cyndaquil as before. The fire mouse Pokemon looked left and right as the rocks closed in on it. Ash saw the attack coming and knew Flamethrower wouldn't deflect it so he tried something else.

"Flame Burst to knock them away!" he shouted.

An explosion of fire erupted around Cyndaquil as the rocks sped towards it. While it didn't have the strength to push the rocks back, it did have enough force to cause them to misfire and miss Cynadaquil completely.

However, because it had used Flame Burst, it wasn't able to use Flamethrower again to push itself up. It instead landed on top of Mamoswine. The hulking Pokemon turned around and saw Cyndaquil on its back. It then began to thrash around to shake the smaller Pokemon off.

"Hang on tight, Cyndaquil, and use Flamethrower!" Ash hollered.

Cyndaquil looked down and blew the flames on top of Mamoswine. The twin tusk Pokemon began to flail around even more and stampeded around the ice field in confusion and pain. However, because it wasn't watching where it was going, it tumbled right into one of the ice pools created by Cyndaquil's Flamethrower and took Cyndaquil with it.

Both Pryce and Ash gasped when they saw that happen. Both Pokemon won't do well in the water at all. Everyone waited to see if either Mamoswine or Cyndaquil would come out. Ash was worried for his Pokemon. Even if neither Pokemon did come out and Sheila called it a draw, he would still win because he still had Houndour, but that didn't mean he could forget Cyndaquil.

The was a small form of bubbles that formed on the surface, and both trainers leaned in so they could see who was coming up. The massive form of Mamoswine broke through the surface, and miraculously, Cyndaquil was still on its back. Mamoswine was thrashing left and right as it tried to find an edge to pull itself out of the water.

"Swift!" Ash hollered.

Cyndaquil shot the star-shaped beams of energy right on Mamoswine's back, and the twin tusk Pokemon grunted in pain. It had enough and gave the hardest jerk it could. Cyndaquil was thrown from Mamowine's back and into the air. The wool mammoth Pokemon was then finally able to climb out of the water, though with some difficulty due to its weight.

"Well done, Mamoswine! Now, use Blizzard!" Pryce told it.

Everyone in the gym once again felt the freezing cold as the snow and ice blew forth from seemingly nowhere. Ash was trying locate Cyndaquil in the snow and ice, but he couldn't see it to call forth a command. He then gasped when he heard a splash and quickly called out an attack.

"Use Flamethrower to quickly break through the Blizzard!" he yelled.

He then saw a bit of red through the thick blanket of snow as Cyndaquil no doubt was doing the attack. Both Pokemon struggled against the other before it was a draw as both Pokemon halted the attacks. Just because that happened, though, didn't mean that both Pokemon were in favorable conditions.

The lower half of Cyndaquil was now completely trapped in ice. The small pool it had fallen into was frozen completely solid by the Blizzard while it was still inside of it. The fire mouse Pokemon looked around in panic as it tried to break free, but it was stuck tight.

"Quick, Cyndaquil! Use Flamethrower to break free!" Ash hollered.

Cyndaquil nodded and pointed its snout downward to unfreeze the ice. To it and Ash's horror, though, only a puff of smoke came out. It then tried the attack again, but the same thing happened.

"It would seem your Pokemon is so cold with its backside trapped in the ice and water that it can no longer can use fire attacks from its mouth," Pryce informed Ash.

"No, Cyndaquil," Ash muttered, but he realized Pryce was probably right.

Ash then saw Cyndaquil trying to use Swift on the ice to see if that was having any effect, but it wasn't. The ice remained just as firm as ever. Pryce gave a solemn nod when he saw that.

"It is unfortunate about your Cyndaquil's condition, Ash, but I'm afraid I must continue to attack to ensure a victory for Mamoswine," Pryce told him before he addressed Mamoswine. "Finish this with Take Down!"

Mamoswine reared up on its short but thick hind legs before it began to charge at Cyndaquil. The smaller Pokemon continued to struggle in the ice to break free, but it wasn't getting anywhere. It was just wasting its energy. Ash grimaced as he knew for sure this would knock Cyndaquil out. He still had Houndour, but it wasn't feeling very great, either, to battle.

"Keep trying, Cyndaquil!" he told it.

"However, the only thing that happened was more and more puffs of smoke that was produced. Cyndaquil was waving its tiny arms around and around as it flailed inside the ice as Mamoswine came closer and closer. It was just about to run right over Cyndaquil until Ash saw Cyndaquil's arms glow.

As soon as that happened, an eruption of fire sprang up out from underneath Mamoswine. The mammoth Pokemon was completely engulfed inside of it. That wasn't the only thing that was happening, though. The ice around Cyndaquil was melting due to the close proximity of the flames. The fire continued to burn Mamoswine until the ice quickly melted around it, and it fell through and into the water once again, along with Cyndaquil. Ash was completely amazed at what he saw.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Hey, Ash! It seems like Cyndaquil just learned Inferno!" Brock called out.

"Really?" Ash exclaimed as he turned to Brock before he turned back to the field.

That was a move his Charizard had learned, as well, a while back. Unlike most fire attacks, Inferno was not performed by any part of the Pokemon's body. The flames would seemingly erupt out of nowhere like the ice and snow did from Blizzard. That's why it was able to use Inferno but not the other attacks. It didn't require fire to be blown from its mouth.

Despite that, though, that still didn't mean if Mamoswine or Cyndaquil had survived the fall into the pool. Both Pokemon were extremely weakened and could faint at any moment.

" _Come on, Cyndaquil,"_ Ash thought before he noticed something.

The icy cold pool started glowing white, but it was different from the white of the snow and ice. The water shimmered and sparkled as the glowing became brighter and larger. Then, all of a sudden, a glowing ball of light shot of the pool and into the air. Ash was wondering what on Earth that was until he noticed the glowing light was Cyndaquil. It only took him a second to realize what was happening.

Everyone watched in awe as Cyndaquil's body lengthened and grew larger. The glowing light seemed to explode off Cyndaquil, and in its place was its evolved form of Quilava!

"It seemed like Cyndaquil evolved, too, upon learning Inferno," Brock added.

Meanwhile, more bubbles came from the surface of the water, and the hulking form of Mamoswine came back up. Unlike Quilava however, it was no longer conscious. It floated in the water and wasn't moving anymore. Quilava soon began its descent on Mamoswine before it landed on its back in victory.

"Quilava!" it cried, which signified the end.

"Mamoswine is unable to battle! The winner is Quilava! That makes Ash the victor in this match!" Sheila cried.

"Yes!" Ash cried and took off running to Quilava, only to slip and fall on the ice.

He didn't have to get much further, though. Quilava leaped off the unconscious Mamoswine and hurried to Ash, but it slipped and fell, too. Both human and Pokemon laughed with each other that neither of them could keep their balance. They eventually made it to each other, though, and Ash hugged his new Quilava while Quilava hugged Ash back, making sure to shut its flames off first. Meanwhile, Pryce returned Mamoswine and thanked for a hard fought battle.

"That was awesome, Quilava! Way to go!" Ash cheered.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded weakly from beside Ash and gave Quilava a thumbs up on its new evolution.

"Eeeeek!" Serena suddenly shrieked.

Ash turned and saw Serena skidding towards him. She had apparently run on to the ice and started losing her balance. Ash quickly set down Quilava and held out his arms for Serena. The honey-haired girl almost fell, but she first slid right into Ash's arms. Ash scooped her up until he has holding her. Serena smiled sweetly at him.

"Thanks for the catch, Ash," she said.

"It's what I'm here fo…fo…woah!" Ash cried until he slipped again.

Both Ash and Serena both tumbled to the icy ground in a pile. Ash was on the bottom and propped himself up on one arm in annoyance. Well, so much for catching Serena heroically from falling. Instead, they both fell, and he just broke her fall! He could hear Brock and Misty laughing to the side and turned red in embarrassment. Serena could tell Ash was embarrassed, but she still giggled.

"It's okay, Ash. You still saved me," Serena smiled.

"Yeah. I know," Ash muttered.

Serena then got off from on top of Ash and held out her hand. Ash took it, and Serena pulled him to his feet. It was at that time that Ash and Serena noticed Pryce had just approached them.

"Ash, you've just shown me that you are able to make snap decisions when the going get tough, even when the weather conditions aren't favorable to you. This old man knows you will continue to go far in your career as a Pokemon trainer. This Glacier badge is rightfully yours," Pryce told Ash and held out a hexagonal badge that looked like a snowflake.

"Thank you, Pryce!" Ash smiled and took the badge to inspect it. He only needed one more badge now to enter the Johto League.

"I believe you told me you had six badges before you faced me. Now, with mine you need one more badge. Would it happen to be the one from Blackthorn City?" Pryce inquired and leaned on his cane.

"Yeah. It would," Ash confirmed.

"Ah, that would be Clair. Many believe her to be the toughest gym leader to beat in all of Johto. She trains dragon Pokemon, and like me, her gym battle is far different from a traditional match in a gym," Pryce told him.

"Dragons?" Ash echoed thoughtfully before he asked. "What's the battle like?"

"Hohoho! It wouldn't be any fun if I spoiled it! Just know to bring your best battle. Clair will definitely give you a hard battle," Pryce replied.

"No problem! I'm sure I can win!" Ash confirmed and turned to Pikachu. "Right, buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu confirmed.

"Quilava!" Quilava added.

"Toge!" Togetic finished.

"Well, I don't know about all of you, but Sheila and I could go for a nice cup of hot chocolate after that battle. We would like you to join us. I'd like to learn what your journey has been like so far, Ash," Pryce offered.

"Hot chocolate! Yes! I'm totally in!" Ash said enthusiastically, eager to finally warm up.

"That's good. I'm sure I'm not as cold as Ash, but I could use a something good like that," Brock said and walked out to the ice. He slipped, too.

"Hahaha! Well come on to the back!" Pryce laughed and began lead the group off the ice towards the housing part of the gym.

"Wait for me!" Misty cried and ran to the ice and soon caught up to the group.

"Well, I got to hand it to you, Misty. You're the only one of us who hasn't fallen. You are graceful," Brock smiled.

"Of course!" Misty grinned.

She promptly slipped and fell on her butt.

* * *

 **Cyndaquil finally evolved, too. After beating a Steelix and a Mamoswine and enduring ice water, it's no surprise. I haven't decided yet if it will evolve again before Johto ends. Probably not. Bayleef and Croconaw are still fair game, though.**

 **Like Pryce, Clair's battle will be a little bit different. With her being Ash's final test before the Johto League, I'm want to make sure to make it great like with Giovanni's battle. I'll put a lot of work into it so it will probably take longer than normal to do, or maybe it will flow out perfectly. Who knows? I haven't reached it yet.**

 **The start of the Rocket showdown approaches! First, however, is Serena's showcase! Another character debuts next chapter. This person was considered evil in the anime because they were in the way of amourshipping...and pushed Serena too hard to become a Kalos queen but also offered to train her. Oh come on! You all know who it is after those hints!**

 **The next chapter will be up hopefully before the end of January. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 57: An Evolving Dance Routine**


	57. An Evolving Dance Routine

**A/N: Yes! I got this chapter out faster than I thought! I was surprised at how few people guessed who was making a debut this chapter based off the reviews, especially because I said this person wanted to train Serena. It wasn't Miette. She's already appeared twice in this story anyway. Well, the first paragraph will answer the question.**

 **Please enjoy this chapter, everyone!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 57: An Evolving Dance Routine

It was early morning in Mahogany Town, and a limousine had just entered into it. Inside the limousine were three occupants. There was the chauffeur, of course, and in the back were two women, one clearly older than the other. Their destination was the performance hall in Mahogany Town.

The older woman had her face propped up on her fist as she stared out the window in a bored fashion. The younger woman, who was clearly her assistant, seemed to be fiddling with her fingers and appeared rather nervous. The older woman then sighed and turned to her assistant.

"Please tell me again why we're coming here," the woman said.

"Palermo, we're here to scout out any performers. You haven't found any in Kalos since Aria, and this is the only other region that has Pokemon Showcases," her assistant replied.

"Can we really expect to find someone in such a small town, though?" Palermo frowned.

"With all due respect, ma'am, wasn't Aria from a small town in Kalos, as well?" the assistant asked.

Palermo closed her eyes and sighed again. Yes. That much was true. However, Aria was a special case. She was a girl whom Palermo had trained personally, and she had also seen Aria perform on multiple occasions before. Aria also shared Palermo's dream to expand Pokemon showcases all over the world. So far, only the Johto region had picked up on it. The Orange Islands had, as well, but the showcases there were just for fun and not for any competition. Who else could have an ambition like Aria?

"Please try to remain optimistic," the assistant said and attempted a smile, but Palermo didn't return it.

"Very well. I will watch this showcase if I must. Just please don't be surprised if I leave here unchanged," Palermo replied.

"That's all I ask. We can always search the larger cities after a small town," the assistant said.

"Hmmm…right," Palermo mumbled, not the least bit enthusiastic. "Let's just get to the hotel."

"Of course!" the assistant nodded brightly despite her superior's attitude.

Palermo then turned and stared out the window again. _"Can I really find someone like Aria again?"_

* * *

"Oh, wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!" Serena exclaimed as she read the Mahogany newspaper that morning at breakfast.

"What is it?" Ash asked as he took a bite of pancakes.

"Palermo is coming!" Serena exclaimed again.

Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic stared at Serena with confused expressions on their faces. Call them crazy, but they had never heard of Palermo. Serena looked up from the newspaper and chuckled in embarrassment upon seeing their expressions. Yeah. She probably should explain exactly who Palermo was.

"Palermo is a former Pokemon Showcase queen from the Kalos region!" she smiled.

"Ohhhhh…and…," Ash said, still not getting what Serena was saying.

"Palermo is coming here to Mahogany Town today to watch the Pokemon Showcases!" Serena cried and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Why is she coming here?" Misty wondered.

"I don't know!" Serena replied as she continued to read the newspaper.

She couldn't believe this! Palermo was the woman who had trained Aria, and Aria was the girl who got Serena interested in Pokemon showcases and given her Fennekin. If Palermo was going to be here, Serena had to make sure to be her best. She couldn't settle for anything less. If she could get Palermo's approval, Palermo could train Serena herself just like Aria, and…and…maybe she was getting a little carried away.

"Hey, Serena. You might want to relax a bit. Your hands are trembling so bad that I can't see the article myself," Brock informed her.

"Sorry," Serena muttered and relaxed her hands a bit. "I just totally wasn't expecting this."

"Lar?" Larvitar questioned as it stared at Serena curiously. It had never seen her so worked up.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Larvitar. I guess I haven't really introduced you to Pokemon Showcases yet," Serena said before her eyes lit up. "I have an idea! Why don't you watch my showcase today with the audience?"

"Lar?" Larvitar questioned again as it wondered what Serena was talking about.

"It'll be great! You can decide if you'll like them or not!" Serena smiled as she reached out to pet Larvitar…only for it to clam up again.

"Lar…," it muttered.

"Right…," Serena sighed. "I did come on a little strong. You just do what you want to do."

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu reassured Larvitar, and the rock skin Pokemon peeked at Pikachu before it relaxed.

"Well, your showcase isn't until noon. Are you going to get any last minute practices in before it starts?" Brock asked.

"Yes. I want to go over the dance again one more time with Gloom and Eevee," Serena nodded.

"Eeeeek! Palermo is coming! I can't wait for her to see me!" another girl suddenly shrieked in the Pokemon Center.

Serena then remembered that she wasn't the only one competing in a showcase today. There were many other girls who were here just for that. Not to mention, Serena only had one Princess Key because the one in Olivine City had been a total disaster. She had given a perfect showcase in Goldenrod City, but maybe that was just a premonition of her other showcases not being great. Palermo would probably be inspecting and scrutinizing every performer here today. It would be nice if Palermo saw potential for something great in Serena, but she also had to be realistic.

"Maybe I am getting a little excited. I'll just try my best and try not to think about Palermo watching me," Serena said.

"That's the spirit, Serena. Don't let anything distract you, and you'll do great!" Ash approved. "If I can withstand extreme cold to win the Glacier Badge, then you can withstand a former Kalos Queen watching you to win your second Princess Key!"

"I don't think those are quite the same thing," Misty mumbled.

Serena giggled. "I know what you meant, Ash. You're right. I'll just focus on having fun, and if I meet Palermo, that's great. Even if I don't, that's fine, too!"

She secretly hoped it was the latter, though.

* * *

It turned out news of Palermo coming to watch the competition spread quite quickly. Serena was outside in the Mahogany Town park practicing her performance, but so were many other girls. The group looked around in discomfort as there had to be at least a hundred other girls there. Were all of them even really performers, or did they just want to meet with a celebrity?

"This is nuts," Ash muttered after Serena's dance was overlapping with another girl's practice. "Is Serena even going to be able to practice here?"

"Of course, Ash," Serena answered as she swayed. "I just…have to be careful."

"Couldn't we try someplace else, like the Lake of Rage?" Misty questioned.

"That won't work," Brock sighed. "Lake of Rage is still off limits while the police clean everything up there. They're also still looking for Proton. Not to mention, by the time we made it there, we would have to come right back to make it in time for Serena's showcase anyway."

"It's okay! Really!" Serena asserted.

Gloom and Eevee were out of their pokeballs and practicing the dance along with Serena. They were doing very well. Gloom was anyway. Eevee kept being distracted by all the other girls and practices from them that were going on. Misty noticed this and turned to Serena.

"I say this as a friend, Serena. Are you sure that Eevee is mature enough to do this competition without being distracted?" Misty questioned.

Serena turned to Eevee who was keeping the moves in sync with her and Gloom for the most part. Every once in a while, however, it would look off at someone else and misstep. Serena frowned and turned back to the group.

"The truth is I am a little worried, but we've worked so hard at this, and Eevee is doing great besides that. It's too late to swap it out for Fennekin or another," Serena replied.

Serena also had Larvitar and Ursaring out. Larvitar was looking on with curiosity and interest while Ursaring had a bored look on its face. Still, Ursaring wasn't about to complain or make fun of it. Serena had been generous enough to take it back after all the bad blood between them, and it was thankful. Though she had released it, she was also the one to pull it out of all the heck it had gone through. Still, Ursaring couldn't help but think Serena looked quite nice with how she moved so gracefully.

"Oof!" Serena grunted as she tripped over another girl and fell flat on her face.

…that is the grace of a circus clown.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the girl who Serena tripped over said angrily.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Serena said anyway as she picked herself up off the ground. Gloom and Eevee had also stopped dancing to watch.

The girl who Serena had tripped over had had long, flowing black hair that reached her waist. She was also dressed quite fancily and a had jewel-laden purse. She appeared to be quite wealthy. She also had large blue eyes. The girl would be considered rather pretty if her eyes didn't look so ice cold and haughty. Once Serena got off the ground, the girl gave a huff.

"Well, whatever. Just don't make it a habit," she snorted.

"Excuse me. No need to be so rude. It was just an accident. Serena did say she was sorry," Ash stepped in.

"Well, her _accident_ is going to have to make me start over with my routine with my Pokemon," the girl said and crossed her arms. She had a Dragonair and an Espeon next to her who looked equally conceited.

"I'm sure you'll live. There's still plenty of time before the showcase," Misty frowned as she and Brock came over.

The girl turned to Misty and sneered. "Speaking of which, I take it you aren't competing since you aren't practicing. Were you not considered pretty enough?"

"Wh-what?! How dare you?!" Misty screeched as her face turned red.

"Hey, relax. I'm sure you're better than klutz right here," the girl smirked and pointed to Serena.

"What?!" both Misty and Serena exclaimed heatedly.

"Okay. Okay. That's enough. Why don't you just get back to your practice, miss?" Brock suggested as he stepped between the three girls. It had looked like a fight was about to break out. He gave Amelia a hard stare.

The girl stared back at Brock before she shrugged her shoulders. "Fine. I don't want her klutziness to rub off on me anyway."

"Who do you think you are, anyway?" Serena asked as she clenched her teeth.

The girl gave a surprised look. "What?! You don't know me? I'm Amelia. All the residents of Mahogany Town know me. My family is very renowned in this town."

"Shame about the members of the family, though," Ash said disdainfully, but Brock gave him a warning look to not push this further.

"Well, little boy. You won't think that when Palermo recognizes this member of the family when I win the performance," Amelia smiled and flipped her hair. "Too bad it won't happen to klutz here."

Ursaring watched the exchange going on in anger. It wasn't going to let this girl talk to Serena that way. When it was a Teddiursa, it probably would've laughed at all the things this Amelia girl was saying about Serena, but Ursaring wasn't going to stand for it this time. It gave a roar which drew all the nearby girls' attention to it. Ursaring then stomped over to the group and stood up on its hind legs and growled threateningly at Amelia and looked ready to attack. The black-haired girl actually got her fearful look in her eyes and stepped back.

"What? You're going to sic your uncouth bear on me because you can't handle me yourself?" Amelia tried to ask with a brave face, though her voice shook a little.

"Ursaring, please. Settle back down," Serena pleaded as the last thing she wanted right now was to create a scene.

"You know what? I am leaving, and please stay out of my way," Amelia stated and hastily turned around before she strutted off with her Pokemon.

Ursaring then stopped growling and went back on all fours as Serena gave a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Amelia decided to leave as things could've gotten bad very quickly. She then glared off after the retreating form of Amelia and clenched her fists.

"Oh. That…that…," Serena seethed but Brock gently covered Serena's mouth to keep her from saying a dirty word.

"We all know how you planned to finish that sentence, Serena, and don't worry. We all agree," Brock acknowledged.

Serena nodded her head as Brock let go. She then took a deep breath to calm herself. Brock was right. This girl wasn't worth it, and there were more important things to worry about. Serena then felt something bump her slightly, and she turned to see Ursaring looking at her in concern. That reminded her.

"Listen, Ursaring. I know that you were trying to help, and I appreciate it, but you also need to learn when and when not to threaten others," she told it. "If this went any further, I don't want to think about what could've happened."

Ursaring gave a look of confusion to Serena. What? It had done wrong again? It had learned that Pokemon were supposed to protect their trainers from others. This girl and Serena were clearly not friends and didn't like each other. It was just trying to live up to be Serena's Pokemon and earn her trust, but she was scolding it. Ursaring gave a soft growl and looked away in hurt.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Ursaring! I'm not upset! I just…," Serena trailed, but she was at a loss of words, too. Instead she looked away.

Ash, Brock, and Misty watched the two with sadness. It seemed like Serena and Ursaring still had a lot to work on in regards to building a relationship. Ash then spoke up to try to relieve the obvious tension in the air.

"Hey, Serena. Why don't you just get back to practicing? We were all having a good time before Amelia showed up, after all," he suggested.

"You're right, Ash," Serena nodded and turned back to Gloom and Eevee who looked uncomfortable with the situation. "Let's take it from the top!"

Gloom and Eevee took a deep breath to clear their heads before they smiled. They then resumed their dance while Ursaring turned around to go back over to Larvitar. The rock skin Pokemon grit its teeth in fear at the scary Ursaring and hardened itself. The bear Pokemon noticed this and cast its eyes downward before it headed to a spot where nobody would have to be near it. Serena watched Ursaring sit down as far away from everyone as possible without overlapping another girl's performance. Her heart actually began to ache for it.

" _Oh, Ursaring,"_ she thought. It looked so miserable.

* * *

"It's Palermo!" a reporter cried as the older woman stepped out of the vehicle.

" _I can't even go to a small town without the media bothering me,"_ Palermo thought.

The reporters then began swarming Palermo and holding up microphones to her face. The woman gently pushed the microphones away from her before she strode on to the door of the performance hall without looking back. She couldn't stand it when reporters did that. Palermo's assistant bowed in apology to the reporters.

"Please understand. Miss Palermo does not wish to do any interviews right now," she said.

One man managed to push his way through the crowd and run past the assistant to Palermo herself. Due to the interruption, Palermo couldn't help but stop and turn to the hopeful looking man. She could see he wasn't a reporter, at least, but she had no idea what he was doing. Palermo frowned at him.

"Yes. What is it?" she asked shortly.

"I was hoping you would consider training this young lady right here. It's my daughter, Amelia. She has two princess keys already and has a great hope to be Kalos Queen. Our family is well known throughout Mahogany Town, and it would please us greatly if you would consider," the man said and showed Palermo a picture of Amelia.

Palermo looked at the picture and immediately turned away. "I don't take on pupils based on what others say. I judge them myself after seeing them perform. Excuse me," she replied as she continued on once more.

The father and the reporters hung their heads dejectedly and sighed. Behind them, a lot of others who were passing by noticed Palermo, as well, and stopped to see if they could get a good look at her. Among them were Serena and the rest of the group who were on their way to the performance. It was just thirty minutes away now.

"That was Palermo," Serena uttered as she stood on her tip toes so she could see over the heads of others. "She really is here."

"Do you think you will get a chance to meet her?" Ash asked.

"I don't know. I'm hoping she'll meet with all of us to give us great advice for the performance today," Serena replied.

"Well, before you get in, it looks like you'll have to make it past this line first," Misty pointed out.

The group looked, and there was a massive crowd of people who were struggling to get into the performance hall. The area was in such chaos that they even had another Officer Jenny there to help maintain control, though she was having little success. Apparently, in addition to everyone watching the performance, they were all hoping for the opportunity to see Palermo.

"How come every time I try to compete in a Battle Chateau or a showcase, we always have a hard time getting in? It's never like this whenever Ash has a gym battle," Serena sighed.

"Well, if that was the case, no one would be able to see you perform except us," Brock reasoned. "At least you won't have to fight this crowd since you're a performer. You can go in through the back."

"Right. I'll see you guys later since I have to get ready. Wish me luck in the performance," Serena waved.

"You won't need it this time," Ash grinned.

Serena smiled back at Ash and nodded her head. She then turned and went over to the backside of the performance hall where competitors were allowed to enter. When Serena got there, she couldn't help but grimace. It was almost just as bad back here due to the amount of competitors today. The line was even going out the door here!

"I hope I have time to prepare before the showcase," Serena said to herself.

Serena finally made it in to the performance hall after about fifteen minutes. Though it was a wait, it was still shorter than what she thought it would be. The lady at the entrance scanned Serena's trainer card before hurrying her on so the next one could come in after her.

As Serena stepped into the dressing room, she sighed again. All the mirrors where girls could put on their makeup and changing rooms were completely full and had lines. If winning this showcase and the next one wasn't mandatory for her to enter the Master Class, Serena would've considered skipping this showcase due to how crazy it was.

Serena then glared when she saw Amelia sit down in front of one of the mirrors once it was available. She then released her Pokemon and set her make up bag on the table before snapping it open. She then brought out a powder puff and began to apply it. Serena turned away from the snobbish girl and got in line once again as she waited her turn to change and apply make up.

"Attention, everyone! Due to the large number of participants in today's performance, there will be a delay. The showcase will begin at 12:30 instead of noon in order to make sure everyone has time to prepare," a voice announced over the intercom.

"Phew…," Serena sighed. At least now she didn't have to worry about that.

"Humph. If they can't be ready on time, then they shouldn't be competing," Amelia muttered to herself.

Serena finally made it to the changing room and was able to get into her outfit. She heard that the performers might be getting a little roughed up in the first part of the competition so they were all warned to save their best clothes for the freestyle performance.

Serena made her way out and saw many of the girls standing in awe around Amelia. The black-haired girl was striking a pose and had an arrogant expression on her face. Serena crossed her arms and looked away. She hated to admit it, but Amelia did look pretty right now. She would probably be extremely hard to beat. If only everyone knew about her personality.

"Wow! You look beautiful! I don't think I can top that!" one girl said and clasped her hands.

"Well, you can always try at least," Amelia smiled and noticed Serena turned away. "What's wrong, klutz? Can you not appreciate true beauty when you see it?"

"There are a lot more things important than just outward appearances," Serena replied shortly without looking at Amelia. Serena was a bit surprised she said that. She used to think outward appearances were really important when it came to Battle Chateaus. At least she had grown out of that line of thought.

"Of course there are. It's too bad you have none of those traits. If you're as clumsy as you were today, then there's no hope for you to win. You'll fall flat on your face just as you did when we first met," Amelia taunted.

A few of the girls who had been admiring Amelia turned to look at Serena. At that, Serena turned and walked away. She wanted to bite back and could think of a few scathing remarks to give to Amelia, but she held her tongue again. Amelia was just trying to get a rise out of her and distract her, but Serena wasn't going to take the bait. The best thing was to just try to ignore her. Serena knew if she got into a fight with Amelia, she would get disqualified. Granted, Amelia would get disqualified, too, but Serena really needed to win this one if she had hope to become queen…especially since Palermo was watching.

Serena went over to a chair that was on the other side of the room and released Gloom and Eevee. She reached down to rub them both and smiled at them.

"We can do this, you two. Just remember how we practiced, and we'll be fine," she told them.

She then reached into her backpack and pulled out the Sun Stone for Gloom to see. The weed Pokemon's squinting eyes lit up, and it gave a smile.

"If our dance performance goes great today, I'll give you this Sun Stone so you can evolve into a Bellossom, Gloom," Serena told it. "I've been meaning to give you this for a while, but I wanted you to become the best you could be as a Gloom before you evolve. You understand, don't you?"

"Gloom! Gloom!" it nodded.

"Great! Let's do our best then!" Serena grinned and hugged Gloom, only to realize Eevee wasn't next to it. "Eevee?"

She then saw Eevee wandering around the dressing room as it looked in awe at everything. A lot of the girls were commenting how cute Eevee looked and would pet it. The evolution Pokemon seemed to be enjoying the attention. Amelia merely scoffed and turned away. Serena frowned and got up from the chair to get Eevee. It seemed that the performance was not on its mind at the moment.

"I'm glad that you're interested in everything around you, but we have to focus on the performance," Serena reminded it as she reached down and picked it up.

"Eevee!" it smiled.

"Oh. What am I going to do with you?" Serena sighed.

"Attention, everyone! The Pokemon showcase is about to begin! Our first girls to be on the stage will be Sarah, Emily, Amelia, Lily, and Noelle. Please make your way to the stage," the voice sounded from the intercom.

" _Five girls at a time? It must be because there's so many of us,"_ Serena thought.

"Excuse me. You're in the way," Amelia said rudely.

Serena saw that she was indeed blocking the doorway out and hastily moved aside. Amelia walked by her haughtily while the other girls followed. The honey-haired girl blushed in embarrassment that Amelia was right on this one, and her grip unknowingly tightened on Eevee. It gave a small wince, and Serena gave it a surprised look.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Eevee! I didn't mean to!" Serena said and hugged it. She then turned to the large television set in the room so she could watch the proceedings.

* * *

"Bonjour, Pokemon lovers everywhere! Our Mahogany Town Pokemon Showcase will begin now! I am you guide, Monsieur Louis!" Louis' voice echoed around the room.

He then rose up out of the stage and tipped his hat to the audience. By this, time, Ash, Misty, and Brock were just now getting into their seats. Larvitar was with them, but didn't seem to have its mind on watching Serena perform. It was scared of all the people around it. Larvitar immediately hardened itself and gave a small whine.

"Pika!" Pikachu tried to tell it and was saying that Larvitar would enjoy the show. It was one of the many things that one could have fun with in life.

"Toge!" Togetic added.

"Lar," Larvitar muttered. How could it have fun when so many people were around?

"Today's winner will be one step closer to becoming Kalos Queen! She will win this beautiful Princess Key, and the lovely lady will be chosen by you, the audience!" Monsieur Louis continued and showed a Princess Key that was hanging on his staff. "I will now take you by the hand and show you the first challenge for our performers!"

The stage began to change and lift up to reveal what looked like a grassy field. There was then a slight rumbling noise which caused a lot people to look on in confusion. It turned out the noise was a bunch of Rhyhorn storming onto the stage. They all gave soft roars, but they didn't appear aggressive. Even if they were, they were contained inside a fence to prevent them from stampeding into the audience.

"Rhyhorn? That's different," Misty muttered.

"I bet they got all those Rhyhorn from Mt. Mortar since it's close by," Brock noted.

"What do you suppose they'll be doing," Ash asked until Monsieur Louis answered for him.

"A Pokemon performer's job is not just to capture the hearts of people but capture the hearts of Pokemon, as well! Our ladies will compete with each other to see who can attract the most Rhyhorn to them within three minutes. They may accomplish it anyway they please! The winner of each round will move on to the finals!" Louis explained and spread his arms out wide. "Now, for our first group of performers, here they are!"

Several girls then rose onto the stage, and Amelia was among one of them. Palermo noticed this was the girl whom she was told about. Well, she might as well see what she's made of. The group also noticed Amelia as she came out along with her Dragonair and Espeon, and they also noticed the confident look on their faces. Misty glared and stuck her tongue out at Amelia.

"I hope she totally blows this," Misty said heatedly.

"Well, I think she said she has two Princess Keys. Realistically, she won't," Brock shrugged, but he quickly shut his mouth when Misty directed her glared to him.

"Whose side are you on, anyway?! That girl called me ugly!" Misty seethed.

"She didn't say that. She just said that she didn't think you were pretty enough to be a performer," Ash joked, but he was quickly hit in the head by Misty.

"Watch it, Ketchum. I'm very sensitive about my looks, especially since I'm the youngest of four sisters," Misty declared.

"Right. Sorry," Ash mumbled as he rubbed his sore head while Pikachu and Togetic snickered.

"And now, let's begin!" Louis exclaimed, and the performance was on.

Because there were so many girls on stage at once this time, everyone was able to see a wide variety of attempts. One girl was dancing with her Pokemon as she tried to make the Rhyhorn take notice with her. A couple of enterprising girls were having their Pokemon use Sweet Scent to try to have the Rhyhorn move over to them. They all looked busy except for one girl, Amelia. She just merely stood there with her eyes closed with that same cocky smile on her face.

"What's she doing?" Ash wondered. "She isn't even going to try to win?"

"Maybe she got cold feet," Misty said hopefully.

"Doubtful. She's up to something," Brock muttered as he continued to watch.

Two minutes into the show, Amelia still hadn't moved an inch, and neither had her Pokemon. A few of the other girls were looking at her strangely as they gathered up the last of the Rhyhorn they could. Even Monsieur Louis looked confused. Thirty seconds left in the show, Amelia made her move.

"Espeon, Dragonair! Use Attract!" she ordered with a wave of her hand.

The two Pokemons' eyes glowed, and they began to shoot out several hearts that spread all across the stage and even into the audience. The audience gave murmurs of approval as the hearts floated around them. The Rhyhorn looked around in wonder at the hearts before one would pop on their face.

As soon as a heart would land, the Rhyhorn it touched would seem to get hearts in its eyes and charge over to where Amelia and her Pokemon were. The effects were widespread, and other girls were all beginning to lose the Rhyhorn they had worked to get. Espeon and Dragonair would continue with the Attract while Amelia never said a word but merely watched as all the Rhyhorn flocked over to her.

"Time's up!" Louis declared as a buzzer sounded. "The winner of this round is…Amelia!"

The crowd erupted in cheers as Amelia looked on with a smile. Indeed, she had a significantly larger amount of Rhyhorn with her. Those Attracts were pretty powerful. Ash, Brock, and Misty were clapping lightly, but it wasn't close to the applause everyone else was getting. Clearly, Amelia was the crowd favorite here as she had a hometown advantage.

"She's such a showoff," Misty mumbled. "She didn't even try to win until the round was almost over just so she could rub it in the other girls' faces."

Meanwhile, Serena was watching the television and had just seen Amelia win. That would mean Serena would have to compete against her again if she was able to win this round. The thought wasn't a pleasant one.

"Abigail, Serena, Celia, Kayla, and Shara. You girls are in for the next round. Please make your way to the stage," the announcer sounded.

Serena then turned to the exit and went out along with the other girls. As she made her way to the stage, she passed by Amelia. The honey-haired girl did her best to ignore her as she passed by. She didn't want to give Amelia any leeway that might make her think about something other than the performance at hand. Thankfully, Amelia didn't have a snide remark. She was probably to wrapped up in her easy win to acknowledge Serena anyway.

Serena then stepped onto the platform that would lift her up into the air along with Gloom and Eevee. As the platform rose, Serena started to think of her strategy. She could try to lure them in with Sweet Scent and Eevee's playfulness along with words of her own. The plan sounded quite good. She just hoped it was enough to win.

"Feast your eyes on the next lovely ladies for round two!" Louis announced as Serena was brought on stage.

Serena then looked around at all the people who were watching her. Unlike last time, she was prepared to win. She wasn't going to be scared and have fear that anything bad would happen. She then cast a glance at Louis, and it was clear from his look that he recognized Serena from the Olivine City showcase. Whether that was a good or bad thing, Serena wasn't sure.

Louis wasn't the only one to recognize Serena. Palermo leaned in a little closer one she saw Serena on stage. She had heard of the collapse of the Olivine City performance hall, as well, and that a girl by the name of Serena Gabena had been caught up in it. There also had been a picture of Serena in the newspaper. Palermo then narrowed her eyes as she watched the performance. She couldn't help but be curious how this girl performed.

"Hey, Larvitar. Serena's on. Don't you want to watch her perform?" Ash asked it.

"Lar…," it mumbled as it uncurled itself a little bit.

It then climbed up on Ash's lap since there wasn't a single empty seat in the whole performance hall. Though Larvitar was scared, it was curious on what Serena did for her career.

"We will now begin our second round!" Louis called and snapped his fingers again.

All the girls then began formulating their strategy as Serena was about call out for Gloom to use Sweet Scent and for Eevee to go play with them. She then stopped when she saw all the Rhyhorn turn to her. Serena then leaned back a little and sweat dropped when she saw the Rhyhorn looking at her in interest. Oh, boy.

"Okay. Okay. Let's settle down, now," she chuckled nervously.

All the Rhyhorn then gave a roar of excitement and charged towards Serena. The honey-haired girl shrieked and covered her head to brace herself for the impact. Gloom and Eevee were frozen stiff as they had no idea what to do, either. There was a noticeable gasp from the audience, in particular from Ash, as they all thought Serena was about to be bulldozed over. Nothing of the sort happened, though.

"Ahahaha! Stop! That tickles!" Serena laughed.

It turned out that all the Rhyhorn had ran towards Serena to show her affection. They were all licking the girl with their tongues, and Serena couldn't stop laughing. She fell to the floor as the Rhyhorn closed in on her. More and more came over so they could see Serena, too.

"Woah! All the Rhyhorn have went to Serena!" Monsieur Louis cried in shock.

Everyone in the audience was either amused or very surprised. Ash, Misty, and Brock started chuckling while Larvitar watched in confusion. Pikachu and Togetic were equally amused.

"I don't know what it is about Serena and Rhyhorn. She has that pet one back at home in Pallet Town. Maybe it was because she grew up trying to be a Rhyhorn Racer, and all the Rhyhorn can sense she has experience with them," Ash guessed.

Meanwhile, the other girls tried their own methods to try to lure the Rhyhorn away from Serena. A couple had tried Sweet Scent while others were calling out to them or trying to get them to move. A few left Serena to go over to the other girls, but it was clear who had the most throughout the whole match. The three minutes were up, and Monsieur Louis made his announcement.

"Well, the young lady with the most Rhyhorn is…Performer Serena!" Louis said dramatically, and the audience cheered while a few others laughed.

"Alright! Easy!" Ash cheered and pumped his fist into the air.

"Pika! Toge!" Pikachu and Togetic cheered, as well.

"What did you think of that, Larvitar?" Ash asked it.

Larvitar didn't respond and instead just watched Serena. That was strange. She didn't do anything, yet all the Rhyhorn flocked towards her, and they were all rock and ground-types like it was. Did Pokemon just naturally like Serena? Had its fear of her been unfounded? It needed to watch her a little more closely to make that decision.

Palermo herself wasn't so much amused as she was curious. She leaned back in the cheer she was sitting in and crossed her arms.

 _"Hmm…what an unusual girl. I haven't seen anything like that before in all my years,"_ Palermo thought.

Despite the round being over, the Rhyhorn continued to lick Serena, and she had to gently push them away.

"It's okay. Hahaha! I like you all, too, but I have to go now!" she giggled. "Please let me through!"

Serena was then able to squeeze out of the herd or Rhyhorn and exit the stage. She was feeling pretty good about this performance, and she was also a little curious what Palermo thought. She cast a smile at Gloom and Eevee who were still beside her.

"Hey, you two. Sorry about that. I was a little surprised, too," she admitted, but Eevee laughed playfully while Gloom shook its head to show everything was okay.

Serena was soon back into the waiting room, and she was immediately confronted by Amelia. The girl's icy blue eyes bore into Serena's own blue eyes, and their glares matched each other. Amelia placed her hands on her hips before she spoke.

"I don't get it. How on Earth did you get all those Rhyhorn to come towards you without doing a single thing?!" she growled.

"Maybe because they can sense what a nice person I am, unlike you!" Serena shot back.

Amelia opened her mouth and looked like she was about to retort, but instead she closed it back. She gave an annoyed huff and turned away from Serena.

"Well, whatever. We'll see who the better performer really is in the second half, won't we? Just prepare to lose," she said arrogantly as she walked away.

Serena narrowed her eyes as she watched Amelia leave. She then looked at Eevee and Gloom to show she was ready to win. At the very least, there was no way she would lose to a girl like Amelia. With that, she went to clean up.

* * *

The other rounds came and went, and each of them had their winner. However, none of them had even as close to as many Rhyhorn as Serena had. Because so many entrants were in each round and only one winner was chosen, the normal number of competitors in the freestyle performance was normal again. Monsieur Louis then gave his announcement as the stage changed around him.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We will now move on to the freestyle performance! Our winner will be selected by you, the audience! Watch all of the ladies compete, and vote on who you think did best!" Louis declared. "Our first performance will be done by the lovely Amelia!"

"I don't know about lovely," Misty muttered.

The grass field then disappeared as the large open area of the freestyle performance then went back to normal. A few seconds later, Amelia rose up on the platform and still had her Espeon and Dragonair next to her. Like she was before the start of the first round, she had her eyes closed with a confident smile on her face.

"May we have much beautiful performances from these talented ladies!" Louis said and snapped his fingers. "And now, s'il vous plait!"

"Alright, Espeon! Use Psychic, and Dragonair, use Dragon Dance!" she called.

Espeon's eyes then glowed blue, and it used its psychic powers to lift Dragonair, Amelia, and itself into the air. Dragonair then began to circle itself around Amelia and Espeon, and a few bits of sparkling energy began to rain down. Amelia then floated down onto Dragonair and pointed forward.

"Espeon and Dragonair! Use Attact!" she smiled.

While still floating in the air, a bunch of glowing hearts came from the two Pokemon. They floated out to the audience as they all watched in wonder. Ash, Brock, and Misty couldn't help but be impressed, as well. For all her arrogance, they had to give credit where it was due. Amelia really was good at what she did, and she seemed to be enjoying it, too.

Everyone's eyes then grew wide as they saw Amelia rise to a standing position on Dragonair and walk towards the tip of its tail. The group figured that it was part of Espeon's Psychic attack that was keeping her steady, but it was still rather impressive. She then pointed forward again after the hearts had dissipated.

"Espeon, use Rain Dance, and Dragonair, use Ice Beam!" she commanded next.

Espeon's eyes glowed blue again, and a small drizzle began to fall on the stage, but Amelia didn't seem to mind. Dragonair then shot out its Ice Beam, and all the small droplets of water were instantly frozen and became ice pellets. Amelia then did her close.

"Now, use Hyper Voice, Espeon!" she said.

Espeon gave a loud cry, but despite that, it wasn't painful to the ears as most Hyper Voices were. It must've had good training for that. As the sound waves spread out, they passed over the ice pellets which then began to sparkle. The waves had also blasted the bits of ice over a large distance, and it began to sprinkle down on the audience and the stage. Everyone gave approving murmurs as they all smiled at the pretty display.

Amelia then jumped off Dragonair as her Espeon guided her gently to the ground. Amelia landed at the same time Espeon and Dragonair did. She and her Pokemon then struck a pose.

"I'm…finished!" she said brightly, and the audience erupted into applause, and some even stood up from their seat.

"Wow. That was actually really good," Ash admitted.

"At least Amelia has the skill to back up all of her snide remarks about being talented," Misty frowned.

"I sure hope Serena isn't intimidated by this. She needs to focus more on having fun rather than beating Amelia. I hope she knows that," Brock said.

"It's Serena. I'm sure she'll keep a cool head about this," Ash assured.

It was a few more contestants before Serena went. She wasn't the last one to go, but there were still a fair number of great performances she just saw, in particular Amelia. She and the arrogant girl hadn't spoken to each other since Serena won the first round, and that was definitely for the best. Everyone had done amazing so far so Serena could, too! She took a deep breath just before she appeared on stage and turned to Eevee and Gloom.

"Remember, you two. Just like we practiced, and we'll be fine. We had a long time to prepare and even received tips from the Kimono Sisters themselves," she told them, and her Pokemon nodded. "Just don't focus on anything else other than the performance."

Serena was then brought into the view of the cheering audience before her. Unlike last time, she was going to give a knockout show. She and her Pokemon were fully prepared in their kimono outfits and had every bit of confidence in her Pokemon that they could pull this off. They then got into position as they prepared to dance.

"We shall now see the wonderful performance of Serena! Now, s'il vous plait!" Louis announced and snapped his fingers again.

Without saying anything, Serena, Gloom, and Eevee began the mysterious yet beautiful dance. She swayed gracefully to the side as she remembered all the tips the Kimono Sisters gave her about how to move perfectly in a way that would mesmerize the audience. With the murmurs that were coming from the crowd, Serena figured she must be doing great

"Use Moonlight, Gloom," she whispered.

While twirling, Gloom effortlessly waved one of its arms as if it were doing part of the dance. The stage then grew dark before a glowing light was cast right in the center, bathing Serena and her Pokemon in it. That made the dance look even more beautiful.

"Now, use Petal Blizzard, Gloom. Eevee, use Charm," she said.

A flurry of leaves came from Gloom's flower, but not so much to where it distracted from the performance. Eevee then winked while it spun gracefully, and tiny hearts emitted from it. The small heart bits mixed in with the Petal Blizzard which caused the leaves to glow. They then fell around Serena, Gloom, and Eevee as they continued to dance.

"That's it, Serena! Keep going!" Ash cheered as he and the others began to applaud.

The glowing leaves continued to fall around the stage as Serena and her Pokemon danced in the Moonlight. Serena smiled to herself that everything was going so well. She was doing great! She then cracked one of her eyes open and could sense a very slight hesitation in one of Eevee's steps. She hoped it wasn't getting distracted, but she knew how to fix that.

"Use Sweet Scent, Gloom," she whispered again.

Gloom then began to release a sweet smelling aroma from its flower that washed over Serena, Eevee, and the others in the audience. Eevee smiled in contentment once it was relaxed and immediately went back being fully focused on the performance. Serena then inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

After about another fifteen seconds, Serena finally finished the dance. She and her Pokemon ended with a pose, and the Moonlight faded as the last of the glowing petals fell.

"And…done!" she spoke.

Just like with Amelia, the crowd erupted into more cheering. As Serena watched the crowd cheer around her, she almost felt tears come to her eyes. She really did it. She was able to pull off the perfect dance in front of everyone. Gloom and Eevee did absolutely amazing. She was so happy everything went right.

"Way to go, Serena!" Ash called out, but he was sure she couldn't hear him.

"That was a really difficult dance to pull off, much more so to do it as flawlessly as Serena did. You can really tell she put everything she had into it," Brock approved as he clapped.

"You go, Serena!" Misty cried.

Larvitar watched in utter astonishment. It didn't think it would feel this way at first, but Larvitar felt that Serena really did look great out there. The rock skin Pokemon actually felt a smile come to its face as it watched how happy Serena and everyone else looked. Was this one of things that was considered a joy in life? Something it didn't have to be afraid of?

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled once it saw Larvitar.

Larvitar looked over to Pikachu and nodded its head. Yes. It actually really did enjoy itself.

Palermo watched from the top of her private box. Her assistant then noticed an intrigued expression on the woman's face.

"Ma'am. Have you found anyone yet that you think has potential?" she asked.

"Heh. It's a secret," Palermo replied with a small smile.

* * *

"Everyone, you have now seen our lovely performers! Who will be our elegant winner of today's Princess Key! Cast your votes on the screen in front of your chair!" Monsieur Louis said as he waved his staff.

Serena was lined up along with nine other girls, including Amelia. The black-haired girl still had that same confident smile on her face like there was no way she could lose. Serena was beginning to loathe that look. She didn't show her disgust, though, and instead, just faced forward as she watched the audience cast their votes.

 _"Please, I really need this,"_ she thought.

"Hey. Do you think Pokemon count?" Ash wondered as he voted for Serena. "I think Pikachu, Togetic, and Larvitar want a go at it."

"I'm not sure, but it's not like they can even if they are allowed. All the seats are full," Brock noted as he looked around.

"Here, Larvitar. You can use my vote. Just press the button next to Serena's picture," Misty offered. "I'm sure Serena would be thrilled if you voted for her."

Larvitar went over and stared curiously at the screen. It really did think it's trainer was the best today. It then placed its stubbed hand on the button and jumped a little bit when it beeped. Larvitar then smiled and went to press the button again, but the buzz came on which signaled a second vote.

"Hahaha! It's okay, Larvitar. You can only vote once, though," Misty told it.

"Lar…," it nodded.

"We shall now tally up the votes to see who will be the winner of the ceremony!" Louis announced and waved his staff towards the large screen in the back center of the stage.

Everyone then watched as the number of votes began to pile in. There was a large number for this one because of how many people watched. Eventually, the votes stopped for one girl and another. Then it was down to just Amelia and Serena. The honey-haired girl did a sharp intake of breath when she saw her votes were still coming. Please. Please…

Finally, Amelia's stopped. A second later, so did Serena's. The winner had been decided.

"We have the results! The Mahogany Town showcase winner is…Performer Serena!" Monsieur Louis declared.

"Yes!" Ash and Brock cheered, and Ash turned to Larvitar. "She won!"

"Lar," it smiled.

"Great job, Serena!" Misty cheered and added. "Way to sock it to that girl!"

"Pika! Toge!" Pikachu and Togetic cheered as they jumped up and down.

Serena was amazed. She really pulled it off. She was able to win this showcase and would get her second Princess Key. Now, she would only need one more. After the Olivine City showcase incident, she didn't think she had a chance to win the next two showcases. Now, with this win, there may be hope for her, after all.

"We did it!" Serena smiled as she hugged Gloom and Eevee.

"Congratulations, Serena!" Louis cried as he went over to her.

He then held out his staff and took the Princess Key off of it. Serena then held out the case the contained her first Princess Key, and Louis placed it neatly inside and smiled.

"And congratulations on your recovery, too," he whispered with a nod, which caused Serena to smile back.

Meanwhile, Amelia was staring at the results with a completely dumbfounded look on her face. She couldn't believe she had just lost, and to the klutz of all people! She controlled her anger, though, before she pursed her lips together and strode off the stage with her Pokemon. So, what if she didn't win? She would find Palermo anyway. Surely the woman had recognized her obvious talent after watching the performance.

* * *

"Congratulations on your win, Serena," Ash told her.

It was late in the afternoon, now, but not quite evening. Ash, Misty, and Brock had just met with Serena outside the performance hall. She had Ursaring, Gloom, and Eevee outside their pokeballs. There were still lots of people filing out of the hall, and a few other people who passed by Serena were congratulating her on her win, too, which Serena bowed in appreciation.

"So, did you ever get to meet Palermo?" Misty asked.

"No. Unfortunately, I didn't," Serena sighed. "I was really hoping to get the chance to speak to her."

"Yeah, but at least she still saw your win. Maybe you'll get to see her sooner than you think?" Ash guessed.

Right," Serena nodded before she smiled and changed the subject. "Well, Ash, we just need one more badge and Princess Key to get one step closer to our goal."

"You bet, and you can count on that we'll do it, too," Ash replied while he gave Serena a hug.

"What about you, Ursaring? How do you feel about my win?" Serena wondered.

Ursaring stared at Serena for a moment. She was actually wanting its opinion on something? It gave a soft growl and nodded its head to Serena. It then raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Serena when she started to giggle.

"Thank you, Ursaring. Do you think performances are your thing?" she asked. "I think you'd look cute if you balanced on a ball and juggled!"

The rest of the group got a good laugh as Ursaring blushed in embarrassment. It wasn't in a circus! Still, as it thought of itself doing that, Ursaring did get a good chuckle from it, too. Heh. It felt nice to be able to laugh with the others for a change.

"Lar," Larvitar spoke up as it walked slowly up to Serena.

"Hmm…what is it, Larvitar?" Serena asked kindly as she knelt down.

Larvitar shuffled its feet on the ground in shyness. It wanted to tell Serena what a good job she did, but something kept holding it back from getting close to her, and it didn't know why. Larvitar didn't feel this around the others. Despite this, it gave a small murmur of approval for Serena. Even if it was just that, it caused Serena to smile broadly.

"Aw, thank you so much, Larvitar. That means a lot to me," she told it.

"Lar," it muttered and quickly backed away from her, a move that wasn't lost on Serena. Even so, she tried to ignore it, but it still hurt.

 _"Why is Larvitar still scared of me? I've been trying to speak from my heart as Calem and Lance said,"_ she wondered before her eyes lit up. "Oh, I just remembered something!"

Serena then reached into her backpack to get out the Sun Stone. She then held it out to Gloom who smiled broadly.

"Here you go, Gloom. If you're ready to be a Bellossom, go for it," she said.

Gloom didn't waste any time in reaching out and grabbing the Sun Stone. As soon as it did, it began glowing white, and the Sun Stone seemed to be absorbed inside of it. The group continued to watch Gloom change form until it stopped. Once it was done, the new Pokemon leaped into the air and gave an elegant twirl. It finally reached its dream from being a sickly Oddish to a graceful Bellossom.

"Bell!" it said happily.

"I think this new form suits you perfectly, Bellossom," Serena said and gave it a hug, and Bellossom hugged her back. "We'll have a lot of great performances together!"

"Bell!" Bellossom agreed.

"You know what? I think it would be great to give you a nice grooming to celebrate your evolution!" Serena grinned as she looked into her purse, only to tilt her head in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Ash wondered.

"Oh! I think I may have left my brush and some make up back in the changing room. Maybe they will still be there if I hurry. You all can wait here," Serena replied.

Serena then hurried off on her own back to the performance hall. She was about to go in the back way, but she stopped when she saw Palermo and Amelia had just exited. Palermo seemed to have a cold look on her face while Amelia looked quite upset.

"This is an outrage! I need you to train me! I should've won, anyway! My performance was much better than hers!" Amelia complained.

Palermo turned around to face Amelia with the same cold gaze on her face. "Yet the audience didn't feel that way. You still lost."

"You can still help me become the first Johto Queen, though!" Amelia said hopefully.

"Tell me. Why do you want to become Johto Queen?" Palermo asked.

"Why? It's so everyone can see how great I am!" Amelia replied and struck a pose. "I want everyone to know me!"

At that, Palermo glared harshly at Amelia, and the black-haired girl shrunk back a little under the older woman's look. Her earlier arrogance seemed to have completely vanished. Even Serena grimaced a little at the look Palermo was giving Amelia.

"You understand nothing about what it means to be a Queen. You should do something else with your life. You'll never become a Queen with that attitude," Palermo said coldly.

"But…but…I really want this," Amelia squeaked.

"You don't have what it takes. I can see your heart is full of conceit. If you want to change other's lives, start by changing your own first. Lose the attitude," Palermo told her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be off."

Amelia eyes watered, and she looked as if she wanted to cry. If Amelia wasn't so unpleasant, Serena would've felt sorry for her. Unable to find a suitable answer, Amelia spun on her heels and walked off. Serena noted it was no longer a purposeful strut. It was slow and melancholy. Serena then squeaked herself when saw Amelia was coming straight where she was. Unable to find a good hiding place, Serena gave into her fate and waited for Amelia to get to her.

Amelia rounded the corner, and she and Serena were face to face. They stared at each other for a moment. Unlike she usually did, Amelia didn't look like she had a snide remark. It was as if all the energy had been sucked out of her. With a scolding like that from someone you admired, who wouldn't? Besides, it wasn't like Amelia could make fun of Serena anymore. Both Serena and Amelia knew that she was beaten fair and square, and there was nothing that Amelia could do about it. Serena was also sure that Amelia knew Serena had just seen what transpired. Finally, after about ten seconds Amelia sighed and looked down to the ground.

"Please move," she whispered, and it was clear she was trying to fight back a sob.

Serena didn't say anything in response, but she obliged anyway and moved aside for Amelia to pass. Amelia slowly walked past her, and she didn't look at Serena again. The honey-haired girl continued to watch Amelia until she was out of sight. Some lessons had to be learned the hard way. Serena then went to go in the back room again, and she leaped in surprise when she saw Palermo staring at her.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Serena hurriedly apologized. "I promise you that I wasn't trying to eavesdrop! I was just here to get a couple of things I left behind, and…!"

"I've seen you before," Palermo interrupted, and Serena fell silent. "There was a disaster at the Olivine City performance hall, and you were in the center of it."

"Oh, yes ma'am. You know about that?" Serena muttered and shuffled her feet in nervousness.

"Were you injured in anyway?" Palermo continued as she came over to Serena. "Are you okay now?"

"Well, I did receive a few injuries, but I'm fully recovered!" Serena said brightly. "With the help of my friends, I was able to get the help I needed!"

"So, you need someone else's help to build you back up from being broken down?" Palermo asked pointedly. "You may rely on others too much."

"Wh-what?" Serena stuttered, but Palermo had another question.

"About your win, too. Were you satisfied with that performance?" Palermo continued.

"Umm…well…," Serena said as she fumbled around for the right words before she found her answer. "I know I had a lot of fun!"

"I see," Palermo replied.

It may have sounded like a harmless response. However, it was clear from Palermo's tone of voice that she didn't think very highly of Serena's answer. Serena continued to stare at Palermo and wondered what it was she said wrong. Palermo was turning out to be a lot different than Serena had imagined her. She wasn't exactly unpleasant, just very pointed.

"From our conversation, I can tell there is something you definitely lack to be the first Johto Queen," Palermo said.

"Do you…do you think I have any chance at all, Miss Palermo?" Serena asked nervously.

"That is for you to decide, dear. Once you figure out that something you lack, you'll have a start," Palermo replied before she actually gave a small smile. "I believe you may find it, though. I can tell in your heart that you're caring, compassionate, have a will to help others, and…"

Palermo stopped, and her smile vanished. Serena was a bit startled by this sudden change in demeanor. Palermo continued to regard her with an unreadable expression, and it was starting to make Serena uncomfortable.

"Um, Miss Palermo?" Serena questioned.

"Never mind, dear. Just think about what I said," Palermo responded, and seemed to snap out of something as if she was in a trance. Without another word, Palermo turned around and strode off to her waiting limousine.

"But…," Serena started, but Palermo interrupted her.

"Just think about what I said," Palermo repeated.

Without waiting for another response from Serena, Palermo got into her limousine. Serena was completely bewildered as she watched the limousine start a couple of seconds later, and then it drove off and out of sight. Serena continued to stand there as she wasn't sure how she was able to take the advice Palermo had given her. She was just so confused, and it wasn't because Palermo said there was something she lacked. It was why she suddenly stopped talking to Serena and seemed to hurry away from her.

 _"What was the last thing she was going to say?"_ Serena wondered.

* * *

 **That was a little ominous at the end. Fear not. Answers will be on the way...in a few chapters.**

 **Well, the next chapter begins what is the most anticipated part of the Johto arc for me! You all know what it is, too! The Rocket take over and Celebi arc!**

 **I'll have it out as soon as I can as I'm eager to start writing about it! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 58: Unhappy Reunion**


	58. Unhappy Reunion

**A/N: This chapter would've been out Saturday, but this site was experiencing a problem that didn't let me upload chapters. I guess it was fixed now, apparently. Anyway, enjoy the first chapter of the radio tower and Celebi arc! I've introduced a new character in this chapter, and it kind of makes me wonder why he wasn't there for this incident in Heart Gold and Soul Silver as he would've been perfect for it.**

 **Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 58: Unhappy Reunion

It was just after midnight in Goldenrod City. Most businesses had closed, and few people were on the streets at this hour, for this side of town anyway. There was still the underground tunnel and casinos that were open in the less safe parts of town, but for the most part, it was quiet.

Among the places that were already closed was the Goldenrod Radio Tower. Most of the employees were already home, and just the few nighttime DJs were still there, and of course a security guard. There were two others there, too, and they rarely ever left for fear that something would go wrong in their plan to take over the radio tower and ultimately the entire region.

Proton walked up to the roof and spotted Archer looking out over the sparse lights of the city. The teal-haired man went over to Archer and stared out over the city, as well. Archer had said he wanted to see him, but the Rocket executive was saying nothing. Though Archer was Proton's equal in every way, he still got impatient when Archer said nothing.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Yes," Archer nodded and turned away from the city to Proton. "I'm a bit concerned with being found out."

"How to you figure?" Proton asked as he crossed his arms.

"The police know you are on the loose and have been searching the entire region for you. Though you've managed to evade them, I worry someone here will eventually recognize you now that the police know your face. Ariana has been tight-lipped about everything to my knowledge, but the police can only be kept at bay for so long, especially that detective that's been here for several weeks. I'm especially worried about him," Archer explained.

"Don't blame me for that," Proton snorted. "It was those stupid brats again who took down the boss back in Kanto."

"It's a shame that Team Rocket can't even handle children," Archer stated. There was a noticeable sneer in his voice that Proton knew was directed at him, but he chose to ignore it.

"Heh. Well, we shouldn't have to worry about those brats for long. I think they'll be taken care of should they ever show up at the radio tower again," Proton smirked.

"Are you referring to the threat you gave to Jessie, James, and Meowth?" Archer inquired with a raised eyebrow. "You actually expect them to succeed?"

"Of course not," Proton scoffed. "I expect them to fail miserably. Their only job is to weaken those kids' defenses so us executives can take them out immediately afterward. Even those losers can do that."

"Do you really expect those kids to come?" Archer inquired.

"Of course! Didn't you hear? Professor Oak is going to be here tomorrow! Those kids will be here for sure," Proton answered.

"Oh. That's right. We should give Professor Oak a warm greeting when he gets here," Archer said with a dark grin.

Archer's Pokegear then beeped to show he had an email. The dark man inquisitively looked at who it was from, and he nodded at Proton to lean in closer. When Pron saw who it was from, he smiled evilly, as well. It was from Giovanni. Archer clicked the email icon, and he and Proton read the contents of the email.

"It says the boss is going to be coming here in the three days. He expects the Goldenrod Radio Tower to be taken over by then, and he's bringing a nice little surprise with him," Proton read before he looked at Archer. "Three days, huh? It's about time. I was getting sick of waiting around for him to tell us to siege this city. What was he doing that was taking him so long, anyway? Jessie, James, and Meowth finished their assignment to prepare for his return a while back."

"I bet it has to do with the surprise he mentioned. In that case, we don't have a moment to lose," Archer said as he put away his Pokegear. "We need to inform Petrel and the other Rockets that it's finally time for this charade to end. We make our move tomorrow as soon as Professor Oak's show is over! The radio tower and the city will belong to Team Rocket!"

* * *

Ash, Brock, Misty, and Serena stepped off the plane and into Goldenrod City. They just had a long flight from Mahogany Town that had left early that morning. They were pretty beat from being on a plane for so long. It was now noon, and the first thought that came into their mind was to get something to eat.

"Man. I'm starving! Those plane peanuts don't do it for me," Ash exclaimed.

"Piiiiika," Pikachu agreed from his shoulder.

"I'm hungry myself. Once we find your mom and Professor Oak, let's eat something here at the airport," Serena suggested.

"Sounds good to me! I don't think they would've had lunch yet," Ash replied.

The group exited the terminals and rode down an escalator. Ash had spoken to Professor Oak that morning and was told that he and Delia would be waiting in Section D of the airport. The Goldenrod City airport was the largest in all of Johto so even though the group was already in Section D, they still had to keep their eyes peeled to spot them. There were people everywhere.

"Ash!"

Ash's eyes lit up when he heard his mom's voice amongst the huge crowd of people. He glanced around wildly until he spotted his mom and Professor Oak waving to him and the others. Ash grinned broadly and hurried to his mom as fast as he could. He almost tripped over several people which caused a few annoyed people to tell Ash to watch where he was going. The raven-haired boy didn't care, though. He didn't stop running until he reached Delia, and once he did, he hugged her tightly.

"Hi, Mom!" Ash greeted.

"Hello, sweetie!" Delia chirped as she returned the hug and turned to the yellow rodent on Ash's shoulder. "Hello to you, too, Pikachu!"

"Piiiika!" Pikachu greeted and gave a V-shape with its fingers.

"Ash, my boy!" Professor Oak smiled shook hands with Ash once he finally released his mother. "Long time, no see!"

"I know! It's great to see you both again!" Ash agreed.

By that time, Serena, Brock, Misty, and Togetic had reached them. They took things at a more leisurely pace so they weren't crashing into other people like Ash had less than a minute earlier.

"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum," Serena smiled as she and Togetic hugged her

"Hello, Serena. Are you making sure Ash is taken care of?" Delia said as she hugged Serena back. "I want to make sure he's changing his you-know-whats every day."

"Same old Mom," Ash muttered as he and Serena blushed in embarrassment that Delia just mentioned that to Serena of everyone.

"Oh, and Misty and Brock, too!" Delia greeted as she went over and hugged them. "Thank you so much for traveling with Ash and Serena for so long. I don't think things would be the same without you two."

"Of course!" Misty smiled.

"We all have a blast together," Brock grinned and struck a pose, and Pineco appeared out of its pokeball. Did it hear a blast?

"Pineco!" it said as it went to use Explosion.

"No! Not literally!" Brock cried and hastily returned the bagworm Pokemon before it could do so. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Brock's Pineco still loved to do that.

"So, is Tracey minding the lab while you're here?" Ash questioned as he turned from Brock to the professor.

"Yes. Daisy just got back from her errand in Hoenn so she and Tracey can provide relief for each other. You and Serena's Pokemon are in good hands," Professor Oak responded before be noticed something and turned to Serena. "Serena, speaking of your Pokemon, where is your Larvitar? Don't you usually keep it outside your pokeball?"

"Oh," Serena replied and looked down, and the rest of the group frowned, as well.

Professor Oak and Delia looked back and forth between the four. It wasn't like them to get quiet when it came to their Pokemon. Serena even looked quite a bit upset. He knew they were having trouble with getting Larvitar to open up, but was it really this bad?

"Is everything okay with it?" Professor Oak asked.

"I don't know. I'm keeping it in its pokeball right now because I didn't want it to get scared by being in an airport with so many people," Serena sighed.

"Yet that isn't what's worrying you," Professor Oak acknowledged.

"No. I just don't know what to do, Professor. I'm trying to follow advice about speaking to Larvitar from my heart, but it still acts like it's scared of me whenever I get close," Serena replied. "The worst part is that it's like the problem is me rather than Larvitar."

"How do you mean?" Professor Oak asked curiously.

"At times, I feel Larvitar is closer to Ash, Brock, and Misty than me. They told me how Larvitar was watching my showcase and even sat in their lap and enjoyed itself. It won't even touch me," Serena said sullenly. "I'm always kind to it and attempt to play with it, but it keeps avoiding me."

"Serena…," Ash trailed.

Professor Oak crossed his arms as he thought. That was most unusual now that Serena mentioned it. He could understand if Larvitar was scared of everyone, which it was at first. Now, however, it seemed to slowly be warming up to the others, but Serena still can't even touch it without it hardening up. Why is that?

"Please tell me what I'm doing wrong, Professor!" Serena suddenly cried which caused a few people who passed by to look in her direction.

"Woah! Settle down!" Professor Oak replied to keep Serena from getting hysterical. "If we have time, I promise to take a good look at Larvitar. I'll see what I can do to help."

"Hey, Serena. Don't forget that the Nurse Joy who has a degree in Pokemon Psychology is in Goldenrod City, too," Brock reminded Serena. "We could always pay a visit to her."

Serena took a deep breath to calm herself. She didn't know if she was overreacting or not, but it was just so strange. Serena was close to all of her Pokemon except for Ursaring, but even their relationship has been showing signs of improving. The only one who wasn't was Larvitar. Surely, it was used to her by now. It really did hurt her feelings that Larvitar would tense up every time she was near it. What did she have to do?

A loud rumbling noise broke the tension. The noise had come from none other than Ash's stomach. The raven-haired boy turned red again and held his stomach as all eyes fell on him. He then gave a cheesy grin to everyone.

"Hey. Uhhhh…can we eat?" he asked.

"Oh! Yes. Of course! Delia and I haven't eaten, either. I've arranged to meet with someone for lunch anyway so we'll have a guest," Professor Oak replied.

"A guest? Who is it?" Ash wondered as they started walking.

"Unfortunately, I can't say here. You never know who might be listening," Professor Oak responded before he turned to Serena. "We'll talk more about Larvitar later, Serena."

Serena nodded her head and followed everyone. She had decided to just relax for now. There were very qualified people here whom she knew could get to the bottom of everything. They would be able to identify what Larvitar's…or her problem was. Did it have something to do with why Palermo was so quick to get away from her? She hadn't told any of her friends about that incident. Should she? Serena just didn't know.

* * *

"Oh! Ash! You have seven badges already! I'm so proud of you!" Delia cooed.

They had just sat down at a diner to eat. It had to be quick to make sure they weren't late for Professor Oak's radio show. They had two tables pushed together so there was enough for all of them. Pikachu and Togetic were on the floor with a bottle of ketchup.

"Yeah. I only have one more to go, and Pryce told me that many consider the gym in Blackthorn City to be the hardest one," Ash smiled from his mother's praise.

"Oh, yes. That would be Clair. She actually studied directly under Lance," Professor Oak acknowledged.

"Yeah. Pryce told me she trains dragon-type Pokemon," Ash replied before he stood up. "That doesn't matter, though! I'll win for sure! Then I'll enter the Johto League!"

Someone was approaching the group as Ash made his outburst, and the man almost stumbled due to the sudden shout. Everybody in the group turned to the man. He was probably in his forties and had black hair with bits of gray speckled in it. He wore a large brown coat over a suit. His face appeared rather stern, but his eyes showed no hostility. He gave a friendly wave to the group before he turned to Professor Oak.

"Professor Oak, good to see you again," the man greeted.

"Ah, Looker! It's good to see you again, too," Professor Oak replied as the two shook hands.

"Looker?" Ash questioned with a raised eyebrow "That's your name?"

"Ash!" Delia scolded.

Looker gave a light-hearted laugh. "Hahaha! No. That's not my real name. That's just the codename I use when I'm working."

"Allow me to clarify," Professor Oak stepped in and dropped his voice down a little bit. "Looker is the man hired by Blue to investigate Goldenrod City for Team Rocket activity."

"You're with the police force?" Serena questioned as they all turned back by Looker.

"Yes. The International Police Force. I'm a detective and have been researching Goldenrod City for the past two weeks, especially at the Radio Tower," Looker replied.

"Have you found anything?!" Ash suddenly blurted out.

Everyone was once again startled by his sudden outburst. Serena, Brock, and Misty looked a little embarrassed while Delia and Professor Oak were frowning at him, but Ash didn't care. If this man knew anything about Team Rocket, Ash had to know. Thankfully, Looker didn't take offense to it. Instead, he smiled at Ash.

"Hmm…your Red's son, I believe. You look just like him," Looker said as he rubbed his chin. "You're Ash Ketchum, aren't you?"

"Yes. I am," Ash confirmed before he got back to his original question. "Have you found out anything about Team Rocket…sir?"

"Ash, that's what Looker was here to report," Professor Oak told him before he added. "Also, please try not to be so forceful and loud when it comes to police business like this. As I said at the airport, you never know who could be listening. We all want to catch Team Rocket just like you do, but we have to let Looker do his job, too."

Ash deflated a little at Professor Oak's words. Professor Oak was right. He had to stay calm when it came to Team Rocket. Everyone knew how much he hated the evil gang, and he and Serena were also the ones who alerted Yellow of a possible comeback. He had a right to know any update regarding them, but he also had to consider others, too.

"I'm sorry, sir," Ash bowed in apology.

"Ha! No need for formalities! Just Looker is fine!" Looker smiled and waved his hands to show he accepted Ash's apology.

"I'd love to hear your report, Looker, but please, let us enjoy lunch first," Professor Oak suggested with a smile.

"Sounds good to me, too, Professor Oak," Looker agreed as he sat down in the empty chair next to him.

The group spent the next thirty minutes making small talk. Along the way, they had learned the Looker had been with the police agency for nearly fifteen years. They talked about Ash's journey in Johto. They talked about Serena's final Princess Key that she needed. She still didn't tell anyone about her meeting with Palermo, though. Delia and Professor Oak were both proud of Misty's decision to join a special team of Pokemon Rangers that help guard Pokemon of the sea. Delia was also pleased to learn that Brock had gotten over Professor Ivy, and he was trying to get closer to Suzy. The Pokemon breeder than humorously freaked out when he realized he hadn't called her in almost three weeks. Put simply, they all had a pleasant lunch.

Looker then wiped his mouth with a napkin before he turned to Professor Oak. The police agent had just finished his meal. He and Ash were the last ones to finish. It turned out Looker almost ate as much as Ash, much to everyone else's amusement.

"Well, that was nice," Looker smiled as he sighed in contentment.

"You said it, Looker," Ash agreed. He had grown to like the man in such short time, especially when he learned how much Looker could eat. He didn't feel like such a glutton, anymore. There was a just a certain respect they had between each other now.

"Nothing brings someone closer to the other than a nice meal," Misty commented with a slight roll of her eyes."

"Hahaha! I have been told I eat too much sometimes!" Looker said with a laugh.

"And there's nothing wrong with that!" Ash grinned.

"Well, it's been fun to catch up with all of you, but now we need to move on to why I was meeting Looker in the first place. My radio show starts in an hour and a half," Professor Oak said.

"Yes. Of course, Professor Oak," Looker replied and cleared his throat before he put on a more business-like expression. "I want to start off by saying that I want you to be extremely careful in the radio tower."

"Your suspicions of Rocket activity are high there, I take it?" Professor Oak asked.

"Very high," Looker nodded. "I've had several interrogations with workers there, some who may even be Rockets members in disguise. I think the Rockets have infiltrated the higher ups."

The group began to get uncomfortable at that. If there were Rocket members calling the shots at the Radio Tower, who knows what could happen? There hasn't been anything suspicious with any of the radio shows or music that's played, but that's what the Rockets would want.

"Can't you just go arrest them?" Ash asked.

"Ash, you can't just go making arrests without evidence," Brock told him. "Besides, Looker never said he knew who the Rockets were."

"It's as he said," Looker nodded.

"What's Director Hiro think of this?" Professor Oak asked him.

"That's the weirdest part," Looker replied with a shake of his head. "Hiro doesn't appear concerned at all. I've questioned him twice and told him he needs to take caution, but he just blows me off each time."

"That's not very nice," Delia frowned. "You would think that the director would show a little more concern if a police agent told him that his radio tower has been infiltrated by a criminal gang."

"He's supposed to be a very kind man who makes donations to many charities. He's loved by many people," Professor Oak spoke up. "That doesn't sound like him to ignore your warning."

"I agree," Looker said. "Whenever I speak with him, he speaks politely to me, but there's just something about him that seems very…false."

"We noticed that about him when we met him, too," Serena jumped in, which caused the adults to look at her. "When I was participating in my first showcase, Director Hiro was there to watch it. He was nice, but he also made me really uncomfortable. I had a bad feeling about him."

"I wonder if what people said about him was a lot of garbage, or he was just faking everything," Ash muttered.

"No. I don't think people have been simply lying about how Hiro is. He wouldn't have built up such a great reputation, otherwise. I think there's something a little deeper," Looker said thoughtfully and folded his hands.

"What do you think it is?" Ash questioned.

"I just don't know yet, but things may be made a little clearer today," Looker replied before he elaborated. "I finally had permission and received a search warrant for the Goldenrod Radio Tower. There are more than a few rooms I'd like to check out."

"So, you must have had a lead on someone if the police force granted you one," Professor Oak stated.

"That's right. There's one of the producers there named Archer. He's given me the worst vibe of anyone there when I spoke with him. He's been there only a year, but he's already risen through the chain of command to make it to executive producer, and he revealed to me that he had no prior work experience with broadcasting," Looker explained.

"Archer," Ash muttered to him before his eyes lit up, and he looked at Brock, Misty, and Serena. "Hey guys! This may be a coincidence, but wasn't Archer the name of one of Giovanni's executives?"

"That's right," Serena nodded. "There were four, I think: Archer, Ariana, Petrel, and Proton."

"Ariana was recently put behind bars after she was discovered at the Lake of Rage," Looker said as he seemed to be thinking about something. "I haven't heard anything about a Proton or Petrel working there, though. If they are there along with Archer, they must be behind the scenes, or somewhere else altogether."

"Then you're going to start with this Archer man?" Professor Oak inquired.

"That's right. I'll be conducting my research while you're doing your radio show. That would be the best time to sneak into his studio. He, along with several others, really want to meet you," Looker responded.

"Suddenly, I'm a little weary of meeting all these people at the radio tower," Professor Oak sighed.

"I know. I want to advise against you from doing your radio show, but if you were to cancel on such short notice, it would look really suspicious. Any Rockets there could make a move," Looker frowned.

"Is there a chance this is all completely wrong?" Delia suggested.

"Hardly, ma'am. The police force agrees with me which is why they granted me the search warrant. If the radio tower isn't the center of Team Rocket activities, then it's pretty high on the list," Looker told her.

"Ash, I'm a little nervous," Serena said.

"There's nothing to worry about because Delia and I aren't worried," Professor Oak smiled. "Looker is very good at what he does. If he's able to find any proof of Archer being an agent of Team Rocket, you can be sure that several arrests will be made."

"Today is the day I'm hoping to resolve all this," Looker confirmed.

"Finally," Ash said as he clenched his fist. "Team Rocket may be brought down for good."

"Has there been any word about Giovanni?" Delia asked this time.

The group could tell that she was extremely uncomfortable talking about Giovanni. He was her ex-lover, though, so it was only natural that Delia was curious about him, as well.

"Not yet. The police are still actively searching for him," Looker frowned. "If we manage to catch any Rockets today, we may get a few more leads. They've turned Tohjo Falls inside out looking for him, but nothing has turned up."

"We won't be fully safe until Giovanni is caught," Professor Oak agreed.

"I'll be doing my best," Looker stated and gave a salute.

"Thank you for telling us all this, Mr. Looker," Serena said.

"Of course, and as I told Ash earlier…just Looker is fine," Looker replied with a smile.

Serena and Misty both grinned and turned a little red. Though they each had someone they loved, there was just some sort of mature charm that Looker had from being an older man. He really did live up to his code name of Looker.

Professor Oak then checked his watch and stood up. "Oh, we better head off to the radio tower so I don't miss my show!"

"You're still going, Professor?" Ash asked.

"I have to, Ash. I already agreed to do the show, and as I said earlier, I can't just cancel," Professor Oak told him.

"I'll be there, too," Looker reassured. "I'll be escorting Professor Oak and Delia personally while they're here."

Ash felt a little bit better that Looker just said he would be with them. Besides, he was going to be investigating all the rooms at the radio tower while Professor Oaks's show as airing. Still, Ashd was uncomfortable. He wanted to fully believe that everything would be fine, but it was at moments when he thought that when things would take a turn for the worst.

* * *

Silver was in a corner in the lobby of the Goldenrod Radio Tower as he normally was. He had been in here every day since he made it back to Goldenrod City. The strange part was that he never spoke to anyone. All he did was stand in a corner and glared at everyone around him. No one would dare approach him as it was clear from his look that he didn't want to be disturbed. That still didn't mean people weren't curious as to what he was doing, especially because of the lookout for Team Rocket activity.

The young man had already been questioned a couple of times from a police agent by the code name of Looker. Though Looker was convinced Silver wasn't a Rocket agent, he advised Silver that he doesn't need to just stand in a corner and loiter all day. It looked too suspicious. Silver, however, disregarded the advice. The only time the angry man ever made a move to look like he was doing something was when that Looker guy was around. Silver despised being questioned about his objective, and he had to choose his words very carefully each time he was questioned. He didn't want Looker to know he planned on killing any Rocket members he found.

"Hi! Welcome to the radio tower! Don't forget Professor Oak is coming today!" the blonde-haired receptionist said brightly to a couple that had just walked in.

Silver rolled his eyes and growled to himself. Professor Oak reminded him of Pallet Town. Why were all the workers here making such a big deal about Professor Oak coming here, anyway, especially that receptionist? She hadn't shut up about it all day, and Silver was sick of hearing it. She had caught his glares several times today, but she had chosen to ignore him by now, and Silver hated it. The red-haired man remembered how she was creeped out the first few days and looked nervous that he was there all the time in a corner, but she was used to him by now. If Silver had to hear that one more time…

"Hi! Welcome to the radio tower! Don't forget Professor Oak is coming today!" the receptionist chirped again to another person.

That did it.

"Shut up!" Silver suddenly shouted which caused several people around him to jump.

The receptionist herself jumped, and she glanced around for the source of the voice. She soon found Silver glaring at her from across the room and realized he was directing that command at her. She took a breath to regain her composure before she put back on a smile, but to Silver, it looked false.

"Is there a problem, sir?" she asked.

"Yeah. There is," Silver uttered as he crossed the room over to the receptionist.

He shoved past some people who were going to ask the receptionist for information and placed his hands firmly on her desk. The receptionist was once again startled by his forcefulness, but still managed to keep her smile. Silver could've sworn he saw her eyebrow twitch, though.

"What's the big deal about Professor Oak coming today? That's all you ever say! It's getting on my nerves," Silver growled.

"Well, sir, if it bothers you, you could always stand somewhere else…like outside of the radio tower. He's coming today whether you like it or not," the receptionist replied, and Silver could tell there was a slight sneer in her voice. She then added, "Besides, you're getting on my nerves by standing there every day. Do you realize how criminal you look when you're like that? You're lucky I haven't called security to escort you out."

"Fine. Answer me this, then," Silver said. "Why do almost all the workers here want to meet Professor Oak? I know he's a celebrity, but this is ridiculous, especially since I know the executive producer wants to see him personally. It's not like he hasn't been here before."

"But a lot of us have never met him," the receptionist pretended to whine.

"That's another thing that's bothering me," Silver stated. "Why have there been so many new workers here the past year?"

At that, the receptionist seemed to lose her false cheerfulness. It morphed into a frown, and Silver knew he had a silent victory. Her true colors were about to show, and that's exactly what Silver wanted her to do.

"You sure have a lot of questions," the receptionist deadpanned. "Who do you think you're supposed to be, anyway? Last I checked, you weren't with the police."

"I'm just a citizen," Silver answered and leaned in a little closer to the receptionist. "Now, answer my question. I know you're hiding something, and don't think for a second I won't force it out of you if I have to."

A few people were starting to gather around the confrontation going on and exchanging confused glances with each other. The receptionist seemed to be getting a little uncomfortable with all the looks she and Silver were getting. Silver, however, kept his gaze solely fixed on her. His eyes bore into hers as if he was trying to search for any trace of a lie. The receptionist then seemed to have an idea and smirked at Silver. She pressed the button on her desk.

"Yes. Get me security please," she said sweetly. "We have a confrontation going on in front of my desk. This man has threatened me and several others. Please escort him off the premises."

She then turned back to Silver with a smug look on her face while Silver continued to glare. He then turned around and saw two burly men coming towards him. They soon grabbed him by each of his arms. Silver turned back around and narrowed his eyes at to the receptionist.

"I'll be back," he uttered. "You _will_ answer my questions."

"Oh, I think those guards will make sure you don't. They know how to take care of trouble," the receptionist smiled with fake sweetness.

Silver glared as he was pulled away from the receptionist. That cocky look she had on her face really ticked him off. What he wouldn't give to wipe that off her face right now. After his talk with her and her refusal to answer his question about the new workers, he was sure she was working with Team Rocket or at least knew about them. He _will_ findout the truth.

As he disappeared from sight, Cassidy turned away to the wall and inwardly swore to herself.

" _Curse the brat!"_ Cassidy thought angrily. _"I swear to Arceus that if I wasn't in disguise right now, I would've had my Raticate tear him to pieces! How dare he talks to me like that!?"_

"Miss, is there a vending machine here?" a little boy asked.

Cassidy spun back in her chair and forced her irate look to go back to her false smile.

"Yes, sweetie. It's just over there," she pointed to it.

"Thank you!" he replied with a grin and hurried off.

Once he was gone, Cassidy sighed and propped her head on her hand. Well, Professor Oak was still coming today. She was told by Archer to alert him as soon as she saw Professor Oak enter the building. At least she wouldn't have to keep up this façade for too much longer. Being nice all the time made her sick to her stomach. At least that little punk would be taken care of by her _security_.

Once they were outside, Silver realized they still hadn't let him go. They were still walking. The red-haired man sighed in annoyance and turned to the two security guards.

"We're outside now. Are you going to release me?" he snarled.

"Not yet," one of the guards replied. "We think you need to be taught a lesson."

"Really?" Silver asked sarcastically.

"That's right. We know you'll come back so we'll have make sure you get the message not to," the other guard said.

They led Silver down a dark alleyway near the radio tower. Once they made sure no else was around, they released Silver and shoved him against a wall. They then narrowed their eyes dangerously at him.

"Alright, kid. You're on to us about something. What is it?" the first guard asked.

"Just the fact that I know your radio tower is being overrun by Team Rocket members," Silver smirked. "I'm just trying to help you out. If you were real guards, you would be questioning that receptionist and not me."

The guards blinked in surprise for a few moments. They exchanged glances with each other before they turned back to Silver. The first guard then socked Silver in the stomach. The red-haired man gave a groan of pain before he keeled over briefly, and before he knew it, he was shoved up against the wall again. Despite their threats, Silver wasn't the least bit afraid. He recovered quickly and looked the guards straight back in the eye.

"How do you know about Team Rocket being here?" the second guard asked.

"So, I take it you guys really are Rocket members, after all?" Silver deduced and gave a low growl. "I _hate_ Team Rocket."

"I suppose there's no point in hiding it now," the first guard said.

He pulled down his shirt collar a little bit to reveal a black shirt underneath it. There was no doubt a red R was on it in the center even though Silver couldn't see it. Silver narrowed his eyes at the disguised Rocket members. That was very foolish to reveal their true identities to him.

"Now that you know our secret, we're going to have to rough you up a little bit," the first guard said dangerously.

His hand went to grab Silver's throat as the other one reached for a knife hidden in his jacket, but Silver caught the first guard's hand before he grabbed hold of his index finger and began to twist it. Silver kept twisting the first Rocket's finger awkwardly until he felt a snap. The first Rocket guard began yelling in pain and released Silver to instead grab hold of his broken finger. The second guard gave an angry shout and pulled out his knife, but Silver was faster.

His Feraligatr was out in an instant, and the two Rockets didn't even have time to scream.

* * *

The group was about to reach the Radio Tower. They could already see it off in the distance. As they walked, there were a few people who would point or try to say hi to the Professor Oak. The group wasn't bothered too much, however, as Looker was with them. Apparently, that kept most people at bay. Despite that, Professor Oak would still smile and nod his head back to as many people as he could. He would usually even stop and talk to them for a little bit, but he just wanted to make sure he made it to his radio show in time.

"This is kind of exciting that you're going to let us see your show, Professor. That's so nice!" Serena smiled.

"My pleasure," Professor Oak replied as he held up his hand. "We hadn't seen each other in a long time, and this was a great way for us to catch up!"

"So, we never asked you what it is you're going to talk about," Ash stated.

"I'm going to talk about the relations between people and Pokemon," Professor Oak smiled before he added. "Your Muk gave me the idea!"

"Oh. Heheheh. That's Muk for you," Ash chuckled. It was too affectionate for its own good, sometimes.

"Hmm?" Misty questioned as she noticed a few police cars near the radio tower. "What's going on over there?"

"I'll go see," Looker said and took off running to the scene with the group not too far behind him.

As they got closer, they could see a small crowd of people gathered around, and an Officer Jenny was talking through a megaphone to keep everyone at bay.

"I need all citizens not involved to take a step back and give us some space! We need to look into this further to have any answers!" she said.

"What's going on, Officer Jenny?" Looker asked as he arrived on the scene and showed his badge to her. "It's me, Looker, with the International Police Agency."

"Oh, Looker," Officer Jenny said and took her voice away from the megaphone so she wouldn't be overheard. "There's just been two murders here."

"Murders?" Looker questioned as his face grew serious.

By that time, the rest of the group arrived. They gave a questioning gaze to Looker, but he motioned for them to stay away as he went behind Officer Jenny to peek into the alleyway. As soon as he saw the scene behind her, he closed his eyes and turned away with a disgusted look on his face.

"That's worse than a murder. That's a massacre," he muttered.

"Someone was killed?" Serena gasped.

"Yes. It's best if you kids don't see this…hey!" Looker started and gasped when Ash pushed past Officer Jenny and Looker to see with Pikachu on his shoulder. What he saw in the alley made him sick. Pikachu gagged and turned around before it hopped off Ash's shoulders and ran back so it didn't have to see anymore.

There was blood splattered against the walls of the alleyway and several pieces of trash on the ground which indicated there had been some sort of struggle. The worst part was that there were two bodies, or what was left of them, sprawled out on the ground. Their faces were mangled beyond recognition, and a few of their limbs were separated from their bodies. There was a pile of clothes next to them, which made Ash wonder why the person would've stripped them down, but his overall disgust with the gruesome scene in front of him made him not focus on that.

Looker placed his hand on Ash's shoulder and sighed. "I told you not to look, Ash," he said.

Ash didn't respond. He just couldn't tear his eyes away from this scene. He had seen something like this before, minus the bodies. It was a while back at the Slowpoke Well in Azelea Town. The person who did that was all but confirmed to be Silver. Had he done this, too? For what purpose? Why would he kill two citizens? Were they even just citizens? Well, Ash didn't know for certain it was Silver, but this type of image was too familiar to him.

Delia and Professor Oak were soon behind Ash to take him away from the scene, but even they couldn't resist to look. Once they did, Delia gasped and covered her mouth while Professor Oak frowned and looked on solemnly.

"Come on, Ash. Let the police work and clean this up," Professor Oak said and steered Ash away back to where Serena, Brock, Misty, and Togetic were.

"Ash, why did you do that?" Serena asked disapprovingly.

"Guys. About what was back there," Ash muttered and gave them a knowing look. He then mouthed Slowpoke Well to them, and they understood.

They seemed to know what Ash was talking about and gasped. This wasn't lost on Delia and Professor Oak. Delia placed her hands on her hips and gave Ash a worried look.

"Ash, do have any idea what went on here?" she asked fearfully.

Ash turned back to his mother. The truth was he had an idea, but he wasn't sure. There wasn't any hard proof that this was Silver's doing. These people were literally sliced apart. It's just the way it was done was too similar to what he saw in the Slowpoke Well. Besides, Ash wasn't about to tell his mother that her other son had possibly been the culprit. Such a statement obviously wouldn't sit well with her.

Also, if this was Silver, that meant that he was here in Goldenrod City. That was where he told Ash he was going in their last meeting. Chances were that he was still here given the fact that Ash told him what he knew about Team Rocket and the radio tower. Knowing Silver, he wouldn't leave that alone unless he received a strong lead somewhere else which was unlikely.

"No. I don't," Ash said quietly, but it was only a half-truth.

Delia looked like she wanted to question him further, but thankfully, she chose to let it drop. She didn't want her son to be involved with anything that had to do with this. Therefore, she chose to take his word for it. However, she couldn't help but wonder what some of the more disturbing things he saw on his journey were. As his mother, she wanted to know, but at the same time, she didn't.

"Professor Oak, why don't you and the others go on ahead into the radio tower?" Looker suggested as he returned to them. "I want to stay here and investigate this further."

"Yes. I believe that's for the best," Professor Oak agreed solemnly and turned to the others, in particular Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty. "Please try not to speak of this inside the radio tower. The less people know, the better."

Ash nodded as Professor Oak and Delia moved on ahead. Looker nodded to the group before he went back to Officer Jenny so he could view the scene a little more. As they followed Professor Oak and Delia, Serena nudged Ash slightly which caused Ash to turn to her.

"Are you sure it was Silver?" she whispered.

"No," Ash replied. "But all the pieces point to him."

"Why would he kill civilians, though?" Misty wondered. "I don't think they were Rocket members, were they?"

"Who knows?" Ash shrugged.

"Hmm…if Silver's here, this may mean trouble for you and your mom. You remember what Silver told you about not seeing him again, right?" Brock asked pointedly.

"Yeah. I remember," Ash whispered back, but the tone of his voice made the rest uneasy.

"Ash, you aren't actually going to try to find Silver here, are you?" Serena asked worriedly. "I don't want to you to, especially with Mrs. Ketchum here."

"Don't worry. I won't look for him," Ash reassured before he uttered. "I won't avoid him, either."

"Ash!" Serena whispered harshly.

"Look, Serena. I know you and the others are worried for me. I just have to know what he's up to. I know we left on bad terms, and I really can't stand him. However, my last talk with my dad made me realize something. It's like fate. Silver and I are going to meet each other again whether we want to or not. I think it will be soon, too. I wouldn't be surprised if even Silver even knows that," Ash said sternly.

"Still, I'm just worried for you," Serena protested.

"Don't worry. If we do run into him…I…," Ash began but realized he didn't have a suitable response.

"Yes?" Serena pressed as she, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic waited.

"Umm…just trust me," Ash finished lamely.

Serena frowned and looked like she wanted to pursue the matter. However, Professor Oak and Delia had turned to look at the group after they heard the whispering. Judging from their inquisitive glances, it was best to not talk about it anymore. Silver was one thing the group did not want to bring up in front of Delia. Besides, they had just made it inside the radio tower so it they needed to keep quiet.

That would be a little difficult, however. As they were about to discover, nobody in the radio tower was going to keep quiet. That was especially true when the group heard a squeal of delight come from their right. They whipped their heads in that direction to see the receptionist had stood up and was jumping up and down like a little school girl.

"It's Professor Oak! I'm a huge fan!" she smiled. Several other people turned and smiled when they saw who it was.

"Oh! Heheh. That's nice to hear," Professor Oak responded, a little nervous from her excitement.

"I'll inform everyone that you're here to do the radio show!" she told them.

"Hahaha! There's no need," Professor Oak laughed as he and the others went over to her. "Just let Mary know. I'll be doing the show with her."

As they came closer, Cassidy noticed that Professor Oak wasn't alone. Those kids and Giovanni's old wench was with him, too. This wasn't good. She had to inform Archer, Proton, and Petrel. It didn't help matters that the kids were all looking at her strangely. She hoped her different hairstyle and glasses would fool them. Cassidy cleared her throat.

"Is something wrong?" she asked curiously.

"Have we met before, ma'am?" Ash asked her. Pikachu squinted its eyes, too.

"Beats me. Have you visited the radio tower before?" Cassidy questioned. "I've been the receptionist here for a while."

"No. Not here," Ash frowned.

Cassidy sweat dropped. Great. The last thing she wanted was her cover to be blown when they were so close to putting their plan into action. She was wanting to ask Professor Oak some questions before he did his show, but if she kept them here any longer, those kids would just have a longer chance to recognize her. She had to hurry them away as quickly as possible.

"Well, maybe you're mistaking me for someone else," she shrugged but smiled anyway and turned to Professor Oak. "I'll let DJ Mary know you're here."

"Thank you, Miss," Professor Oak nodded and left with the others.

Cassidy watched them go and breathed a sigh of relief. That was too close. Proton had told her to be on the lookout for those kids. While she was expecting them, she wasn't expecting them to come until after their take over had already happened. She had to inform the others, but first she needed an aspirin. This day was giving her a headache.

"Something on your mind, Ash?" Professor Oak inquired as they got to the elevator.

"Yeah," Ash replied as he glanced back at the receptionist.

She was just then swallowing an aspirin with water. She noticed Ash still watching her and waved with a bright smile before turning to help the next guest. Ash realized he must look very strange for continuing to stare at her so he turned back around.

"I still think we've seen her before," Ash finished. "I just wish I could remember where."

"Should we be concerned, Ash?" Delia inquired.

Ash paused before he replied. "No. At least, I don't think so."

"Well, in that case, you'll have plenty of time to think of her after Professor Oak's show, right?" Delia told them as they stepped into the elevator.

"Heh. Yeah," Ash said.

They rode the elevator up to the fourth floor and stepped out. They could see various office workers hurrying from one room from another. Various DJs were doing their typical shows. A maintenance worker was carrying a box of tools to probably go fix something that was broken. In short, everything looked so normal up here. If it wasn't for Looker's investigation, the group wouldn't feel the need to be concerned about anything. It was quite hard to believe that some of these could potentially be Rockets in disguise.

"So, where do we go from here?" Ash wondered.

"DJ Mary should be meeting us," Professor Oak told him before his eyes lit up. "Oh! There she is now!"

The group looked to see the bespectacled woman hurrying towards them. She was almost bumping into a few people in her haste. One she reached the group, she smiled and gave a bow to Professor Oak.

"Thank you so much for coming today, Professor Oak! I know it's been a bit crazy with everyone talking about your arrival!" she said.

"Indeed," Professor Oak chuckled before he gestured to the group behind them. "I invited some of my friends to watch the show. I hope that's no trouble."

"Oh! No trouble at all!" Mary chirped before she turned to the group and smiled. "Hello! I'm Mary. I'm the host of the Pokemon and People show on the radio!"

"It's great to meet you. We've listened to your show a little bit ourselves," Brock smiled. He was trying to stay committed to Suzy, but even he was trying not to fall for Mary's charm. He still thought she looked good.

"That makes me happy to hear! Thank you!" Mary grinned as Brock tried not to blush.

"So, how long have you been working here, Mary?" Ash wondered.

It might've sounded like a harmless question, but Ash had an ulterior motive. He could actually feel the group's eyes boring into his back. Apparently, they knew what it was. Ash was wanting to see if her job experience was related to when the Rockets supposedly came to Johto.

"I've actually been on air for ten years, now!" Mary said brightly, not catching on to Ash's intent. "I've loved every minute of it."

"Great!" Ash nodded.

"Well, we need to get moving so we aren't late, Mary," Professor Oak urged.

"Of course! Sometimes I get so wrapped up in talking that I forget my task at hand," Mary said sheepishly. "Come on! I'll take you all to my studio."

With that, Mary turned around and led the way with the group behind her. As they walked, Ash felt a nudge from Serena, and he turned to the honey-haired girl.

"You actually thought Mary could be a Rocket?" Serena asked.

"You can never be too careful, Serena," Ash defended.

Serena giggled. "That word would never come out of your mouth when we were younger."

"I can assure you Mary's not a Rocket member, Ash," Professor Oak whispered. "I've known her for years."

Ash nodded his head as they continued walking, they could see various DJs and workers wave to Professor Oak as he passed by. Almost everyone did in fact. It wasn't too different from how Professor Oak was being treated in the city so nothing was out of the ordinary about it. Even though Professor Oak had been to the Goldenrod Radio Tower a few times before, the newer workers hadn't seen him yet.

The only weird thing was they saw one green-haired DJ hastily turn away when he saw Professor Oak coming. As they passed, he seemed heavily involved with setting up music to play. Maybe he wasn't fond of Professor Oak?

Once they passed, Butch turned back around and breathed a sigh of relief. Unlike Cassidy, he wasn't disguised very well. If those kids had seen him, they surely would've recognized him, and the whole radio tower and their plan would be in an upheaval.

"Hey, Biff. Someone has a request for a song they want you play on this station," another DJ said as she came over to him.

"It's Butch, not Biff," Butch grumbled.

When the group reached Mary's studio, they were a little startled to see quite a bit of workers gathered around. Were they all really here to meet Professor Oak and watch the show, too? Professor Oak looked uncomfortable again while Mary tried to wave the crowd off.

"Don't worry! We know how much you wanted to meet Professor Oak, but he isn't going to be able to concentrate with so many people watching him," Mary said.

"We'll get to meet him later, right?" a maintenance man asked hopefully.

"Sure! I'd love to meet all of you!" Professor Oak smiled, though to the group, he still seemed nervous.

The crowd seemed satisfied with that, and they dispersed a little bit through the area. Once they did, the group saw only one person was left. It was none other than Director Hiro. Serena instinctively stepped behind Ash when she saw the man. Even though it was several months since she's seen the man, he still gave her the creeps. Director Hiro gave Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock only a brief glance before he stepped over to Professor Oak and held his hand out to him.

"I'm pleased to see you again, Professor Oak," Hiro greeted.

"You as well, Hiro. I trust you are well," Professor Oak responded as he took the handshake.

"I couldn't be better actually," Hiro smiled. "Today will be a special day indeed!"

"Oh? What makes it special?" Professor Oak inquired curiously.

"That's right," Mary agreed. "I wasn't informed of anything special going on today."

"It's special because Professor Oak is here!" Hiro exclaimed.

"You're too kind, Hiro," Professor Oak chuckled.

"Well, just know you're always welcome in my radio tower," Hiro nodded before his phone beeped. "Oh. Excuse me. Archer called me to discuss some business."

"About Archer," Professor Oak brought up. "What kind of worker is he?"

"One of the best we have," Hiro replied. "Things have definitely run a lot smoother with him as executive producer."

"I take it he must've given quite the interview to rise so quickly in ranks," Professor Oak said thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin.

"Are you implying something, Professor Oak?" Hiro asked.

"It's just I wonder if you were concerned about him. I've spoken with Looker about him. We have reason to believe he isn't all what he seems to be. We just wanted to let you know to be careful with him," Professor Oak explained.

Hiro narrowed his eyes. "Archer has caused no concern for me or anyone else here at the radio tower. As I said, he is very efficient. Now, once more, if you'll excuse me, I need to see him, and you can tell Looker the same thing, not that I haven't already told him myself."

With that, Hiro turned around and walked away from the group before he disappeared around the corner. The group let out a sigh once he was gone. They hadn't even noticed they were holding their breath the entire time Hiro was present. Pikachu sparked its cheeks. Even Delia, Professor Oak, and Mary looked uncomfortable.

"Creep," Misty muttered.

"Yes…well…it's almost time to start, Professor. If you would join me in my studio?" Mary offered to try to clear away the awkwardness.

"Thank you, Mary," Professor Oak nodded and followed her inside.

Ash and the others waited outside as Professor Oak set up for the show. Delia watched the proceedings, but Ash, Serena, Misty, and Brock weren't concerned with the show anymore. They were still staring off after Director Hiro and working their brains as they tried to figure it out. Something about him was just so…off.

* * *

Looker just then arrived at Archer's studio. He had just come from investigating the two murders outside. Try as he might, he wasn't able to get any leads on if the crime was connected to Team Rocket or not. Team Rocket preferred to do their crimes with Pokemon, he knew, and that murder was clearly committed by Pokemon. Team Rocket, however, wasn't known to completely maul their opponents as it was too messy, and they preferred to be underground. He just couldn't figure it out.

Looker then knocked lightly on Archer's door. He hadn't seen Archer anywhere else in the tower so he must be here. While Looker would've preferred if Archer wasn't here while he was doing his investigation, it still made it a little easier to access the studio if Archer would just let him in. Though his warrant allowed him to search the whole radio tower, he wanted to check out Archer's studio first. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Archer opened the door. His eyes lit up in slight surprise upon seeing Looker before he looked over Looker's shoulder to see if anyone was behind him.

"Were you expecting someone else rather than me?" Looker questioned.

"I was, as a matter of fact. I'm meeting with Director Hiro. We have important business to attend to so I'm afraid I don't have time for your interrogations of me right now," Archer replied with narrowed eyes.

"I'm afraid I'm not here to question you this time, Archer," Looker said coolly.

"Oh? What is it then?" Archer asked.

"I'm here to search rour office," Looker replied.

"That's an invasion of privacy. You need a warrant for that," Archer uttered somewhat darkly.

Looker then held up his search warrant to show to Archer. The Rocket member's eyes settled on the warrant before back to the police officer. Looker could tell that Archer clearly looked uncomfortable all of the sudden which only made his suspicions grow. Even if Archer wasn't a member of Team Rocket, there was definitely going to be something in here that he didn't want Looker to see. After some hesitation, he stepped aside for Looker to pass.

"You stay there in the corner where I can see you," Looker ordered as he walked in, and Archer obeyed.

"May I ask what it is I'm being accused of?" Archer uttered.

"Don't play ignorant, Archer. You know exactly why I'm searching your office," Looker replied.

Archer didn't reply as he continued to watch Looker with narrowed eyes. The police agent went over to the drawers of Archer's desk and began to search through them. He wasn't finding much, but he wasn't expecting to see anything important out in the open. There was a file that had Team Rocket labeled on it, but that wasn't enough to incriminate Archer. If there was anything seriously wrong in here, it would be on the computer.

Looker's eyes then widened when he saw a gun in the last drawer he looked. How did Archer sneak that in, and what was he doing with one? Looker picked it up with gloves to keep the fingerprints on it before putting it in a bag, and then he placed it on the desk. That would come in handy for evidence.

Looker went over to the computer and saw that it was locked and required a password. He frowned and turned to Archer who was watching Looker with a dangerous expression.

"What's the password?" Looker demanded.

There was a pause before Archer answered. "Master Giovanni," he uttered.

Looker made sure to take note of that before he put in the password. As soon as he did, he saw exactly what it was he was needing to see. Archer was apparently reading his emails when Looker came to search him. There were, of course, emails about situations at the radio tower, but there were also emails from a man named Giovanni, and everyone knew that was the leader's name by now. It didn't help matters that there were mentions of Team Rocket in the emails.

Looker then gasped when he saw a recent email that stated Giovanni was coming to the radio tower soon, and that the Rockets needed to prepare for their take over. Looker exited the emails and could see all kinds of files about Team Rocket on the computer. He then looked up and glared at Archer, who was glaring right back. There was no doubt in Looker's mind now that Archer was indeed a high-ranking member of Team Rocket. The worst case scenario had come true.

"It's just as I thought. You are with Team Rocket," Looker said.

"I suppose there's no point in denying it, now," Archer growled.

Looker then pulled out handcuffs he had stuffed in his trench coat. "You've just confessed. This will be a lot easier on you if you cooperate," he told Archer.

"And what do you plan to do with me?" Archer sneered.

"I'm taking you down to the police station, and you're going to tell us all the employees here who are working for Team Rocket, as well as what happened to the real employees," Looker revealed. "Now, turn around."

Archer did as told and turned around to allow Looker to cuff him. Looker went over and put the handcuffs on Archer. The police agent did find it a little strange with how cooperative Archer was being. There must be something else he's plotting. That was okay for now, though. Looker would make sure to get the answers he needed when Archer was at the police station. He was just about to lead Archer out the door when someone appeared there.

"What's going on here?! What are you doing with Archer?!" Director Hiro exclaimed.

"Director Hiro, I regret to inform you that this man is without a doubt a member of Team Rocket, and there's no telling how many others are here. Their influence has reached very high up," Looker told him.

"You don't say? Archer, a member of Team Rocket?" Hiro asked as he glanced at Archer.

"It would seem so," Archer muttered.

"Hiro, I need you not to tell anyone yet about what just transpired here. I don't want to cause a panic for the real employees and have the Rocket members flee, or worse, attack someone. We'll have your radio tower a safe place again soon," Looker nodded.

"Is there anything I can do?" Hiro asked.

"Just keep the place running normally for now. I'll try to get out the backway with Archer so no one can question what I'm doing," Looker replied.

"I will you do as you say," Hiro said.

"Thank you," Looker nodded as he grabbed Archer and pointed to the gun in the bag that was still on his desk. "Will you please get that for me and make a call to the police station?"

"Oh. Of course," Hiro responded as he went over and picked up the bag with the gun in it.

Looker's blood then ran cold at what happened next. Quick as an eye, Hiro ripped the gun from the bag and pointed it at Looker.

"Director Hiro! What's the meaning of this?!" Looker cried.

"Heh! We totally had you and everyone else fooled for the longest time! I'm not the real Hiro! I'm an imposter!" the fake Hiro grinned evilly.

"Wait. Then that means…," Looker gasped.

Hiro then took off his hat, gray wig, fake mustache, and what looked like some sort of mask. When he was done, what was standing in his place was a purple-haired, somewhat lanky man. It was none other than Petrel, the other Rocket executive.

Looker couldn't believe his eyes. This whole time since his investigation started, the Rockets had been controlling everything in the radio tower the whole time. He knew something was off about Director Hiro, but he certainly wasn't expecting this! Things just got bad very quickly. Looker reached for his own gun, but a click from Petrel's gun made him stop.

"Ah, ah, ah," Petrel said. "Run wrong move, and I will pull the trigger."

"Heh," Archer smirked, though he was still cuffed. "The tables have turned, haven't they, Looker?"

Looker then began to glance around the room. He had been trained to handle situations like this. There had to be something he could do to get out of this. He just had to take note of all the surroundings. What he wasn't counting on were Archer's next words.

"I think it's time you took a little nap, Looker," Archer sneered.

Looker then felt himself struck on the head with something heavy. He felt woozy and turned around to see a teal-haired man grinning evilly with a club in his hand. Looker began to sway as he lost consciousness and struggled to stay awake. He then collapsed on the floor. No. He couldn't let this go on. He had to…to…

Then everything went black for him.

* * *

"And that concludes today's show with Professor Oak!" Mary smiled. "Make sure to tune back in a couple of hours, and we'll have another hit show for you!"

Mary then began to play music for her station and stood up from her chair along with Professor Oak. The group then clapped for the professor from outside the studio. Quite a crowd of people had gathered around them again to see Professor Oak, as well. Were they all here to meet him?

Professor Oak noticed the crowd of people waiting for him and smiled sheepishly before he waved. It looked like he was about to sign a bunch of autographs. Just the thought itself made him tired. He really was getting old.

"I'm sorry, Professor Oak. I think I made it too public you were coming," Mary apologized.

"No need to apologize, Mary. I'm happy to help you out with your show. I'll just need to lie down after this," Professor Oak sighed.

"I could try to shoo them away," Mary offered.

"Thank you, Mary, but I'll be alright," Professor Oak said.

He then stepped out of the studio, and he was immediately bombarded by people who were wanting to speak with him or get his autograph. Ash and the others were practically squished as people tried to get to the professor.

"Goodness!" Delia cried.

"This is crazy!" Misty agreed.

"Mmmph! Mmmph!" Brock tried to say but couldn't due to having his face pressed against someone's back.

"Hold on!" Ash cried, but no one was paying attention.

Before anyone knew what was going on, they saw Professor Oak being half dragged, half steered away from the group. Mary tried to call after them, but they were too preoccupied with Professor Oak to listen. The group stood in complete amazement at what just took place.

"I…certainly wasn't expecting that," Brock uttered.

"They were like wild Pokemon," Serena said. Pikachu and Togetic didn't take offense, though.

"I guess we better go save him," Mary chuckled as she walked off. "I'll be right back.

"Why were they so excited to meet Professor Oak anyway? He's been to several places before, and it's never been this crazy," Ash asked.

"Well, he isn't seen around as much in Johto," Delia reasoned.

"Even so…it's weird," Ash muttered.

There was then a beep over the intercom, and everyone looked up and expected to hear Hiro's voice on it, but it wasn't. Instead, it was dark, cold voice that sent shivers down their spine. They had heard this voice before.

"It's time," was all it said.

"Time for what?" Serena questioned as Ash's expression darkened. He didn't like the sound of that.

There was a scream from nearby as one of the DJs was knocked unconscious by one of the maintenance workers. The group was about to go over to help, but someone else began yelling as he was captured by someone, too, this time by a DJ.

"What's going on?!" Delia cried fearfully.

The radio tower was then thrown into chaos. People began running around in a panic. Some were running and others were chasing them. There was such a mix of the victims and the pursuers that it was hard to tell who was friend or who was foe. One thing was certain, however. That was especially true, when one of the DJs took off his shirt to reveal the Team Rocket's signature shirt underneath to reveal the black R. Wait! That was Butch! He then disappeared in the crowd before the group had a chance to get to him.

"Guys…I think we have our answer about what's been going on at the radio tower," Ash uttered.

"Team Rocket really has been trying to take over," Serena gasped.

"We need to get out of here as quickly as possible!" Misty screamed.

The group began to dash down the hallways as they tried to dodge various people in the madhouse the radio tower had become. Hopefully they could get out of here safely and be able to warn the police. Anyone that looked suspicious and tried to grab the group were quickly shocked away by Pikachu.

"Thanks, buddy!" Ash nodded to the yellow rodent.

Mary had heard the announcement herself and just made it down to the lobby so she could escape. Some people were getting out, but others weren't so lucky and were being captured. As she was nearing the exit, she saw Cassidy running to her. Mary was confused why Cassidy was running the opposite direction of the exit so she stopped.

"Cassidy! What are you doing?! We have to flee!" Mary cried.

"Oh yes! Let's go together!" Cassidy agreed, but instead reached out and grabbed Mary.

"What's going on?!" Mary gasped.

"I'm taking you away like you asked. What else?" Cassidy smirked.

Mary then gasped in horror. It couldn't be! Cassidy was one of them, too?!

"Sorry, honey. I'll miss our chats, but I have a job to do," Cassidy told her.

Mary could do nothing to overpower Cassidy as she was put in a chokehold, and she soon lost consciousness and passed out.

Meanwhile, the group made it down to the second floor, and they heard the alarm go off. They also heard the same evil voice from earlier on the intercom telling fellow members of Team Rocket to lock all the doors. That wasn't good. They had to get out fast or else they wouldn't able to get out!

"What about Professor Oak?!" Delia cried.

Ash grit his teeth. He was most likely already captured. All of those people who supposedly wanted to meet him were probably Rocket agents sent to capture him! How had this happened?! How could things have gotten bad so quickly?! Why was this happening now of all times?!

"What are we going to do, Ash?!" Serena cried.

Ash didn't know how to respond. His head was still in a whirl by everything happening so quickly. Less than five minutes ago, they were simply enjoying Professor Oak's show. Now, they didn't know what to do. Furthermore, where was Looker? Where were the police?! Weren't they supposed to be investigating?! This was so complicated! Ash didn't think how the situation could get any worse!

He was wrong, though. The group was just about to go down the stairs to the first floor, but a cold red-haired man appeared from the stairwell first. Ash stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes met with the man in front of him. The rest of the group stopped as they couldn't believe who it was, either, especially Delia. It had been a long time since she saw him. He looked a lot older than when he saw him last, but she still recognized him.

"S-S-Silver?" she stuttered.

* * *

 **This concludes the first part with the inevitable meeting again with Silver and Delia.**

 **This explains why the group was getting such bad vibes from Director Hiro the whole time they've known him and also how he seemed to recognize them at Serena's first showcase. He was Petrel all along. Just like with the games, he was an imposter, and the real Director Hiro is stashed somewhere else.**

 **The next chapter will be out later in February. Hopefully, my writing for this arc won't take too long! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 59: The Imposter  
**


	59. The Imposter

**A/N: Hello, everyone! I know this chapter had a different title when I revealed the name of it in the last chapter. However, it started to get super long so I had to divide it. "The Trio's Last Stand" will be the next chapter. It just goes to show that there's no telling how long this arc is going to be. Regardless, please enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 59: The Imposter

Kurt was in his house in Azalea Town making supper. He was having a pretty relaxing day. There weren't very many orders of special pokeballs made, and any he did have left to finish would be completed well before the deadline. He even had time to play outside with his granddaughter and catch up on a good book he had been reading. It was quiet and peaceful.

"Maisy! Dinner is ready! Go wash your hands!" Kurt called.

"Okay, Grandpa!" Maisy called back from the next room.

Kurt took the fried rice and eggs from the frying pan and placed them on a plate. He then took a glance at the GS ball that was on the counter before taking the plates to the small table in the dining room. Even though he was having a slow day, Kurt would never let the GS ball too far out of his sight. He had been studying it the past many months in his spare time, and he had learned quite a few interesting things about it.

He had deduced that it did originate in the Johto region. It also didn't take Kurt long to figure out that this pokeball could only be opened a special way at a special time. Kurt also believed the GS ball contained a mythical Pokemon. Despite all of Kurt's progress, however, he still had many questions about it. For instance, why did a mythical Pokemon need a special pokeball in the first place? Shouldn't it be free and watching over the land? Was it asleep this whole time? Was Kurt's hunch about the Pokemon in the GS ball even correct? With every answer he got, a new question arose. Maybe he would get the answer one day.

Kurt had just finished getting the plates and chopsticks ready on the table when Maisy came in with her hands still slightly wet from just washing them. They then sat down on their knees before placing their hands together and saying "grace". With that, they began to eat.

"Thanks for taking me to the park today, Grandpa! I had a lot of fun!" Maisy beamed as she took a bite.

"I'm glad, Maisy. It always is nice to have a day when business is slow," Kurt replied.

"Were you able to learn any more about the GS ball today?" Maisy inquired.

Kurt chuckled slightly to himself. It was funny how he was just pondering on the GS ball on the way to the table, and Maisy brought it up so soon.

"Well, I believe I get one step closer to figuring out its mystery every day, but in order to fully understand what it is, we have to wait for something to happen," Kurt answered.

"What do you mean?" Maisy asked.

"It's almost as if the GS ball is waiting for something to happen itself," Kurt replied.

"That sounds confusing," Maisy said with a frown.

"Haha! Well, don't trouble yourself over it, Maisy! Your grandpa here will certainly figure out all of its secrets!" Kurt grinned.

"Yeah! You're the best!" Maisy agreed.

Kurt was just about to take another bite of food when both he and Maisy heard a crash in the kitchen. It wasn't loud so it wasn't anything heavy, but it was enough to get their attention. They both glanced towards the kitchen, and Kurt gave a sigh and stood up from his kneeling position.

"It sounds like a Rattata may have found its way into the house again. I'll shoo it away," Kurt said.

"Be nice to it, though! Maybe it wants some leftover rice!" Maisy added.

"Well, that will depend on how cooperative it is," Kurt replied.

Kurt walked into the kitchen to discover it wasn't a Pokemon that had caused the crash. It was the GS ball. The mysterious pokeball had fallen to the ground and was shaking violently. Kurt gasped and ran to pick it up. It then began to glow. He was utterly astounded. This was the first type of reaction he had ever seen from the GS ball since he began to study it. What could this mean? Could it be…

"What is it, Grandpa?" Maisy asked as she walked into the room and saw the GS ball. "Oh! The GS ball is glowing! It looks pretty!"

"It's like the GS ball is guiding me to do something," Kurt muttered. "It wants me to take it to Ilex Forest."

"Why would it want you to go there?" Maisy wondered.

"Maisy, I think I finally understand the GS ball, now! What it's meant to do!" Kurt exclaimed.

"What?!" Maisy asked in excitement.

"I think the GS ball houses the mythical Pokemon, Celebi! The guardian of the forest!" Kurt replied. "I have to go there, now!"

"Let me come, Grandpa!" Maisy said eagerly.

"No, Maisy. I want you to stay here. It's late, and I don't know what to expect," Kurt told her.

"Awww…," Maisy moped.

Kurt placed a hand on her head. "I promise I will come back soon. If my hunch is correct and Celebi appears, I should be there to welcome it and wonder why it's choosing to appear now of all times."

"Will you show it to me?" Maisy questioned.

Kurt sighed. "I don't know. It depends on…circumstances."

With that, Kurt gave Maisy a hug and left his house swiftly. Maisy watched him go with a sad look on her face before she went back to the dining room where her and Kurt's unfinished food still were. She plopped down and sighed. She really wanted to see Celebi, but she also hoped her grandpa would stay safe if he was going to the forest by himself.

* * *

Kurt trudged through Ilex Forest with the GS ball clutched safely in his hand. He wasn't in danger of being attacked as most Pokemon in the Ilex Forest knew of Kurt and knew he meant no harm. Also, the glowing of the GS ball was deterring any wild Pokemon from getting in his way.

He wasn't quite sure where he was going, but he didn't need directions. It was almost as if the GS ball was guiding him itself. Kurt could only imagine what he was about to be in store for. If Celebi was indeed inside this pokeball and appeared, what next?

Kurt soon stepped into a clearing, and his eyes lit up when he saw the shrine there. He looked at the GS ball and noticed it had stopped shaking, and the signal to lead him on had stopped. So, this was indeed where he was supposed to go. This was the shrine to Celebi, the forest's protector. It was one that was said to appear when a great disaster was going to happen. What would that disaster be?

The elderly man took a deep breath before he slowly went up to the shrine and inspected it. There was a small circular opening in the center, and Kurt noticed that the GS ball would fit perfectly in there. Is that where he was supposed to put it? There was only one way to find out.

Kurt gently inserted the GS ball into the altar and waited for something to happen. For about ten seconds, nothing did. Then all of a sudden, the GS ball started glowing once more. A bright shining light came out of it and shot towards the sky. Kurt instinctively jumped back in astonishment as he watched.

A strong wind came from seemingly nowhere and rustled the trees and leaves in the area. Kurt shielded his face from the powerful breeze as he continued to watch in awe. The light began to diminish after thirty seconds, and the wind died down, as well.

Kurt gasped at what he saw. In the center where the beam of light originally had been was none other than Celebi. It was a small Pokemon that resembled a green fairy and had very large eyes. The said large eyes were closed, and Celebi's small arms were crossed across its chest. It was either meditating or had just awoken from a deep sleep. Whatever the case, it was nothing short of completely amazing. Kurt took a sharp breath.

"I don't believe it," Kurt muttered. "Celebi has actually appeared. I didn't think I would ever see it in my lifetime."

"Celebi is a truly amazing creature, isn't it?" a new voice said from behind Kurt.

The old man jumped and spun around to see a tall man in a trench coat standing there. Kurt was unable to see his face because it was obscured by the hat he was wearing which cast a shadow over it. Kurt was a little uneasy, but the man wasn't showing any hostility at the moment. Instead, Kurt slowly nodded his head. Celebi also finally opened its eyes to spot the two humans in front of it.

"Err…yes. It is," Kurt agreed. "May I ask who you are and what it is you are doing here, sir?"

"I was following you," the man answered casually, and Kurt could tell there was bit of a smirk in his voice. At that, Kurt was immediately put on guard.

"You were following me?! Who are you?! Why were you following me?!" Kurt demanded.

"Settle down. There is no need to get so uptight," the man responded, and Kurt could still tell of the smirk in his voice. He then answered. "I was following you because I knew you had the GS ball. If I waited around long enough, I knew you would lead me to Celebi. My patience has paid off."

"And why is that?" Kurt inquired as he stared at the man suspiciously.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to get my hands on this Pokemon," the man responded and finally looked up, and Kurt gave a horrified gasp at who it was.

"I know you! You're Giovanni! The leader of the disbanded Team Rocket!" Kurt exclaimed.

"Oh, Team Rocket is not disbanded anymore. I assure you," Giovanni smiled darkly. "We're planning a comeback as we speak. I must make haste to meet my team."

Kurt turned around and looked at Celebi. It was still floating in the air and watching the two humans before it with a calculating expression on its face. It was as if it was trying to decide how to proceed with the situation. It was probably groggy from being asleep for so long. The old man then ran in front of Celebi and spread out his arms protectively even thought Celebi was high above him.

"I don't know what you're doing here or what you want with Celebi, but I can't let you take it! Celebi is only said to appear when a great disaster will happen! You shall not have it for your evil gain!" Kurt asserted.

"Hmm…so the legends were true about that," Giovanni mused as he looked at Celebi.

"I'll ask you again! What do you want with Celebi!?" Kurt demanded.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to answer your questions, old man. I'm very busy," Giovanni said and showed the menace in his voice for the first time. "I'm here to capture Celebi, and I intend to get it whether you're standing in my way or not."

"There's nothing you can do to hold Celebi," Kurt stated. "The only pokeball meant to hold it was the GS ball."

Giovanni then chuckled and reached into his coat. Kurt leaned back from instinct as he was expecting Giovanni to draw a gun, but he didn't. Instead, it was large pokeball that was purple in color at the top and had an M engraved into it.

"No! A Master Ball! How did you obtain one?!" Kurt gasped.

"Our plans at the Silph Company a long time ago weren't a total waste," Giovanni responded. "We learned how to make our own during our time there. I originally as going to use this on another Pokemon, but now that the time has passed, Celebi is even better."

"No! You can't!" Kurt shouted and turned Celebi. "Hurry! Get out of here!"

"I don't think so," Giovanni growled and sent out the dark Hypno and Rhypherior.

Celebi began to glow and began using its psychic powers to put in a barrier around itself and Kurt. Hypno began using its own dark psychic powers to combat Celebi's barrier while Rhyperior was constantly ramming into it and trying to break it.

"Help! Someone!" Kurt cried, but he knew it was futile.

He then yelled when he saw the barrier dissolve and looked up in panic to see Celebi looking worn out. Oh no! Its powers haven't fully awakened yet since it just woke up! It was slowly floating down to the ground, and Kurt ran to catch it, but he was soon caught by Giovanni's Rhyperior.

"I'll be taking it instead," Giovanni said and threw the Master Ball at Celebi.

Kurt watched in horror and even made a futile grab at it to stop, but it went well over his head. It soon struck Celebi before it opened up and sucked the Pokemon inside. It then fell to the ground and made the obligatory ding to show the capture had been made. It always caught a Pokemon without fail.

Giovanni walked up to the Master Ball before he picked it up and grinned evilly. He then nodded to his Rhyperior, and the large rock Pokemon gave a mighty shove. Kurt was thrown from its grip, and his back slammed hard against the wood post of the shrine. He gave a shout of pain and crumpled to the ground. Kurt feebly stirred and slowly looked up at Giovanni who was leering down at him.

"I must thank you for taking such good care of the GS ball for me until the time was right. As thanks, I will spare your life, old man," Giovanni said before he returned his Rhyperior and Hypno. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be. Know that Team Rocket is rising again, and now that I have Celebi in my possession, nothing is going to stop us!"

"No…," Kurt moaned.

With that, Giovanni walked away from Kurt and disappeared into the shadows of the trees. Kurt feebly reached out his hand in a futile attempt to stop, but it soon fell to the ground. He was unable to get up because of his injured back, but he could still call the police. He reached into his robe and took out his Pokegear. He had to inform the police while he could…

* * *

"S-S-Silver?" Delia stuttered.

If Silver was surprised enough to see Ash and his friends again, it was especially a shock to see Delia. He never expected to see her again. Yet here she was, and she was staring at him with pure shock on her face, and she looked like she was going to pass out. Silver was extremely mortified that this was happening to him. He didn't know what to say or do, either.

Another thing the group noticed that was odd about Silver was that he was wearing a Team Rocket uniform. Where had he gotten that? The group wasn't stupid enough to think he had suddenly decided to join them. Was he in disguise? So many questions were going through their minds right now as they tried to process everything.

Silver finally reacted after about ten seconds. He charged forward and began to push everyone roughly into a nearby room. He then slammed the door shut. The group then realized Silver had led them into an empty room, probably so they wouldn't be seen. They didn't get to dwell on it for long, however, as Ash soon found himself picked up by the shirt and slammed against the wall.

Ash made a grunt of pain, and he soon saw Silver's face only inches from his. The cold man's face was contorted in a snarl, and his eyes bore cold fury. Ash still tried not to let the fear show on his face, however. He had no idea what to say to Silver, but Silver knew what to say to Ash.

"What are you doing here, you little punk? I thought we made it clear to never show your face to me again," Silver growled dangerously.

"It's not like I did it on purpose," Ash said as he tried to pry Silver's fingers off his shirt with no success.

"You knew I was going to be here!" Silver snarled and shook Ash for emphasis. "Why are you here?!"

"We came to see Professor Oak do his radio show," Ash answered honestly. "We were on our way to leave when this chaos started. I wasn't trying to look for you."

Silver then pulled Ash from the wall so their faces were even closer. His eyes bore into Ash's to make sure the raven-haired boy got the message of what Silver wanted to say.

"Look, I'm here to stop Team Rocket, and you aren't going to get in my way. I'm leaving and locking the door behind me so you can't get out. Someone will come get you when I'm done and long gone," Silver uttered.

"You can't just lock us in here!" Serena shouted.

Silver turned his dangerous look to her. "Can't I?" he asked.

"Right! You don't even know if you'll stop Team Rocket. If you don't, who knows how long we'll be in this room!" Misty argued.

"I told you I'm going to stop Team Rocket, and I will. I'll kill them. I'll kill them all!" Silver hollered.

"That's enough, Silver!" Delia suddenly spoke up.

All eyes in the room turned to her. They were more shocked that Delia had actually spoken rather than the words that she said. It was as if Silver had just taken notice of her. He had completely ignored her up until now, but it was a little hard now that Delia had directed a commanding statement to him. The weirdest part was that Delia said it in a way how a mother was scolding a child. Silver released Ash and turned to face her. It looked like the inevitable talk between Silver and Delia was about to begin…even though he wanted to avoid it first.

"I have nothing to say to you," Silver muttered.

"Well, I have plenty of things I would like to say to you!" Delia stated as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm not interested," Silver replied immediately. "You stay out of this and never speak to me again."

"Don't talk to Mom like that!" Ash suddenly shouted, but he was quickly shoved back by Silver.

"I didn't say you could talk to me, either!" Silver shouted.

"Chuuu," Pikachu growled as it sparked its cheeks at Silver, and Silver turned his dangerous eyes to Pikachu.

"You want to fight my Feraligatr, you little rat? It'll destroy you," Silver uttered.

"I hate to interrupt this fight going on," Brock interjected sternly, "But if we keep shouting at each other, we're sure to be discovered in here."

Despite the fact that nobody was in a good mood at the moment, they couldn't help but see the truth in Brock's words. Ash and Delia both took a huge breath while Silver merely grunted. He then turned around so his back was to the group.

"I'm done here," Silver asserted. "I at least won't lock the door. No Rockets should come in here if you keep quiet. Just stay out of my way and leave me alone."

"Silver, wait!" Delia called.

Silver clenched his fists and gave a low growl as if was trying to restrain himself from lashing out. Despite that, Delia still had a resolved look on her face. Silver didn't move so that meant he was at least going to let Delia talk. Delia closed her eyes and felt tears come to her eyes.

"You have no idea how worried I've been the entire time you've been gone. I thought of you every day. I never forgot about you and was always wondering what you were doing. You may hate me Silver, but I've never stopped loving you. I'm very happy to see you again after so long even if you don't feel the same," Delia said sincerely.

Nobody said anything after Delia's statement. The group was looking back and forth between Silver and Delia as they wondered who would speak again first. Delia had her hands clasped as she almost had a pleading look her eyes while Silver had a shadow cast over his eyes by his hair so no one could see what he was thinking. Finally, after a while, Silver spoke.

"If you're done, I'm out of here," he muttered.

"That's all you have to say to her!" Ash flared up.

"Yes. It is," Silver replied as he turned to face Ash with a heated glare. "I made it clear to all of you that I never wanted to see you again, and none of you adhered to that. Don't expect anything to change now."

"We aren't just going to stay here the whole time just because you're here! I'm going to stop Team Rocket, too!" Ash declared.

"You'll just get in the way," Silver said with narrowed eyes.

"I will not!" Ash insisted. "In case you've forgotten, I stopped Team Rocket a year ago when I stopped Giovanni, and I even helped stop them at the Lake of Rage."

Silver frowned as he knew Ash had a point. He hadn't forgotten that fact, and it actually showed just how truly pathetic Team Rocket was when it came down to it. Still, Silver knew that he wouldn't be able to extract his revenge against Team Rocket and ultimately, Giovanni, if Ash was in the way. Silver knew Ash and Delia well enough that they wouldn't approve of him slaughtering any Rocket member he came in contact with. He didn't care about their opinion of him, but they would be a huge nuisance to him.

"Let me put this a different way," Silver said. "I don't _want_ your help."

"Then don't be near me. We can each do our own thing," Ash replied. "I'm not letting you just stuff us in here, though."

Silver sighed as this argument had gone on too long for him, and he was wasting time. He didn't have any patience left to deal with this group. They stressed him out enough as it was, and if he was distracted, he wouldn't be able to focus on his mission. He knew Ash wasn't going to let this go, and as much as Silver wanted to beat the crap out of him right now, he didn't have time. That would just lead to a fight which would draw attention to this place. Silver slammed his fist against the wall to show his frustration before he spoke again.

"I'm heading down to the underground mall. There's a secret entrance to it on the first floor. I learned there are Rocket members hiding out in a secret room down there while in this disguise. If you want to help that badly, go save the director. Team Rocket probably has him hostage on the top floor," Silver revealed.

"And after that?" Ash asked.

"I don't care!" Silver said in exasperation. "Just stay out of my way!"

Ash knew that this was the best response he was going to get from Silver. The cold man had finally relented and was tired of fighting with Ash, and Ash felt the same way. They were both here for their own reasons and didn't have time to hate each other. Ash finally nodded his head at Silver.

"Alright," Ash said before he added to it. "I think the Rockets have already captured Professor Oak. If they did, he's probably down in that secret place you mentioned. If you see him, please save him."

Silver merely shrugged at Ash's request. "Whatever," he muttered.

With that, Silver promptly opened the door and closed it with a snap behind him. He wasn't worried about being captured or seen because of his Rocket disguise. He could pretty much go wherever he pleased. Ash and the others didn't have that luxury, however. They let out an exhale as they tried to figure out what to do next. Delia was taking a few extra breaths to calm herself as seeing Silver again had the biggest impact on her more than anyone else.

"Mom, are you okay?" Ash asked her.

"I'll…be fine," Delia said, but her voice shook. "After all this time, I get to see Silver again. I'm just so happy."

"Mom, he treated you horribly," Ash said a frown.

"It doesn't matter. He's still my son," Delia sniffed.

"So, what's the plan?" Brock asked to change the subject. "Should we follow Silver's advice and try to save the director?"

"Do we really have to save that creep?" Misty grimaced.

"Maybe this Rocket takeover was the wake up call Director Hiro needed. I think he would be pretty cooperative with us," Serena pointed out.

"The question is how?" Ash sighed.

"Also, where is Looker? I thought he would be investigating this place today," Misty realized.

"Do you think something happened to him?" Serena asked worriedly.

"I don't know. There are still so many things we're unsure of. Where Looker is. Silver's true objective. Professor Oak's whereabouts. The deal with Director Hiro. It's all just so confusing," Ash said and ruffled his hair in frustration.

"We should start by just doing what we can," Brock suggested and rested his hand on Ash's shoulder. "Let's save Director Hiro."

"How do we do that, anyway?" Misty wondered. "If we walk out of this room and someone sees us, they'll surely capture us!"

The group folded their arms and thought about it. Ash then heard a small zap to his right and turned to see Pikachu sparking its cheeks. It nodded its head at Ash, and Ash nodded back. Pikachu was going to distract anyone outside the door. Then they could make their move. Pikachu had wanted to shock some more Rockets since this whole situation started.

"You got it, buddy," Ash nodded before he turned to Delia. "Mom, I want you to remain here so I know you'll be safe."

"And let another one of my sons willingly walk into danger like that! Absolutely not!" Delia scolded.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing," Ash argued.

"What about Looker or the police? They should be able to handle this," Delia rebutted.

"We've been through this already, Mom," Ash sighed. "We don't know where Looker is or if the police have even been informed of the situation."

Ash knew that Delia could see the truth to his words. He also knew that she realized he was right with everything he said. Ash had to be the one to bring down Team Rocket whether she liked it or not. Despite that, Delia's eyes began to water.

"I just want you to remain safe," Delia cried. "When you first started your journey, I imagined you making so many friends and having fun and achieving your dream. Why did you have to get mixed up with Team Rocket? Why did I help create them with Giovanni?!"

At that, Delia broke down and began to cry. Ash's heart hurt to see his mother so distraught. He really did almost feel guilty for walking out and trying to stop Team Rocket now. Even so, he had to do it. Ash walked up to Delia and gave her a hug.

"Mom, I am making a lot of friends and having fun on my Pokemon journey just as you thought," Ash said truthfully. "It's just…remember what Lugia said in the Orange Islands? Serena and I are the Chosen Ones."

 _"If that's true, why haven't I done anything yet?"_ Serena thought in confusion, but she quickly pushed that thought away as it wasn't time to think about it.

"I know you are, Ash," Delia sniffed. "I couldn't be a prouder mom because of you. I just want you to live a normal boy's life and enjoy being young while you can. This is a burden that no one your age should have to bear."

"But I am," Ash sighed. "I'm going to do it. I'll stop Team Rocket and put an end to their plans once and for all."

"We'll be right behind him, too, Mrs. Ketchum. He won't do this alone," Brock said and stepped up behind Ash.

"We're with Ash to the end!" Misty added and stepped up, also.

Delia looked around from Serena, Misty, Brock, and then back to Ash. She could see the resolute expression in their eyes and knew they had made up their mind. There was nothing she could do to stop them. Ash was still a young boy at heart, but he was showing the maturity of an adult right now. Red would be proud. He really was his father's son.

"You've made such great friends, Ash," Delia cried. "I know I can't stop you from doing what you have to do. Just promise me that you'll be safe. Please. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."

"I promise. We'll be back, and it'll be because we took down Team Rocket!" Ash smiled.

"Okay, Ash. I'll wait here. I don't have any Pokemon to defend me so I would just slow you down. I'll remain strong, though, because I know you, Serena, Brock, and Misty are," Delia said.

"Thanks, Mom," Ash replied and gave Delia one last hug before he turned around. "Let's go, guys."

* * *

The door cracked open, and Pikachu peeked out into the hallway. The yellow rodent's ears perked up, and it immediately spotted two Rockets coming. Pikachu casually walked out of the room and made its way to the Rockets. Upon seeing Pikachu, the two grunts got a confused look as they stared at it.

"What the…? What's a Pikachu doing here?" the first wondered.

"I don't know. Do you think it belongs to someone here?" the second one questioned.

Togetic then came out of the room next and decided to press their buttons a little bit. It flew in front of one of the Rocket grunts before it threw a sparkling dust on them. The Rocket grunts coughed a little bit and stared angrily at Togetic.

"Who cares if they belong to someone!? Let's get 'em!" the first one yelled.

Pikachu and Togetic gave a mock look of surprise before they turned around and ran or flew off in the opposite direction. They made sure to go by a few more Rockets in the vicinity. They would spot Pikachu and Togetic and chase after them, too.

"Hey! Get back here, you little freaks!" one shouted.

Once the hallway had been cleared out, Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty stepped out. They didn't see any Rockets around which meant that Pikachu and Togetic had led them all away. Ash couldn't help but shake his head. For as dangerous as Team Rocket was, the grunts weren't the sharpest tools in the shed. They were easily distracted. The group wasn't going to complain, though, as it made it easier for them.

"So, I guess we just need to go straight up to the director's office? The elevator is near here, and there shouldn't be any guards there, now," Serena figured.

"Yeah. Let's have our other Pokemon ready just in case, though. There probably would be some grunts standing guard to his office," Ash nodded.

"Or worse, an executive," Misty said, being realistic.

"Yeah. Them, too," Ash muttered.

That was the huge difference between a grunt and an executive. The executives were extremely smart, calculating, and ruthless. They've shown numerous times that they don't care the age of their victims. They would attempt to capture or kill anyone.

The group soon reached the elevator, and thankfully, it was deserted. Pikachu and Togetic did a great job luring everyone away. They pressed the up button and waited for the elevator to come down. They also readied their pokeballs in case a Rocket was inside. It soon dinged and opened up to reveal no one. They quietly entered the elevator. They saw they were on the third floor and pressed the button that would lead them to the fifth. They had told Pikachu and Togetic to meet them there so they weren't worried about losing them.

The elevator soon opened up, and they stepped into another hallway and looked around. It was surprisingly deserted. They all peeked around before they fully got off the elevator. If they were right in their assumption, Archer's studio was up here, as well as Director Hiro's office.

"Which one should we ago to first?" Serena asked.

"I think we should try to take out Archer first," Ash suggested. "If we try to save Director Hiro, and Archer finds out about it, that could lead to some big…trouble."

The group then made their way to the hallway, and they couldn't help but feel uneasy as they went along. One would think that the hallways would have high security considering that both Archer and Director Hiro were up here. Serena then felt a shiver as a thought came to her.

"I just thought of something, guys. Don't you find it strange that there aren't any other Rockets up here?" she asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Ash wondered.

"I think…the reason why there aren't any guards up here is because there isn't a need for them," Serena answered.

"Who would stop Director Hiro from escaping on his own, then?" Misty questioned.

"That's just it," Serena said. "There would be no need for Director Hiro to escape. What if he's been working with Team Rocket this whole time?"

The group paused in their walk as they thought about it. If Director Hiro was indeed working with Team Rocket, things would make a lot of sense. No man who was said to be as kind and generous as Director Hiro would give them the creeps every time they saw him. Still, even if he was working with Team Rocket, why would he let them take over the radio tower in the first place? What would he have to gain? Something was wrong.

"I guess that's just another reason for us to keep our guard up around him," Ash finally replied. "We'll have our Pokemon to defend ourselves if we need to."

The group then heard a ding from the elevator a little bit behind them. They spun around and had their pokeballs ready, but soon found out there was no use for them. Pikachu and Togetic came out of the elevator, and Pikachu was dusting its paws off while Togetic looked quite amused.

"Hey, guys," Ash smiled when he saw them. "I take it you gave those grunts a good shocking."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

"Great job," Ash told it as he knelt down and gave a high-five to both Pikachu and Togetic.

With that, the group continued on, and they soon came to the executive producer's door that read Archer's name on it. Though it wasn't completely confirmed to them that this Archer was the same executive of Team Rocket they had seen before, they could still put two and two together. Wasn't Looker supposed to be searching this place? Had he done so already?

Ash went to turn the door knob and discovered it was locked. Ash frowned, but soon had an idea.

"Phanpy! I choose you!" Ash yelled and opened the pokeball.

The long nose Pokemon appeared from the pokeball and flapped its ears playfully. It then looked up to Ash and clearly wanted to play, but Ash held up his hand to stop it. He then knelt down and rubbed Phanpy's head.

"I know, Phanpy. We'll try to play later, but we need your help with something first," Ash said and pointed to the locked door. "We need you to slam into that door as hard as you can. We can't get in."

"Phanpy?" Phanpy looked in confusion at Ash. The raven-haired boy then realized this was one of the first commands he had ever given Phanpy since it hatched. It needed to be trained first.

"My Graveler can handle this!" Brock nodded and released it.

Graveler appeared from its pokeball and slammed into the door. Ash then smiled when he thought of something.

"Hey, Phanpy. Let's have a competition with Graveler and see who can ram the door the hardest!" Ash told it.

"Phanpy!" it said playfully.

Both Phanpy and Graveler lined up before Ash counted down from three. The two Pokemon charged forward and rammed into the door as hard as they could. The door fell over the first try and even had a huge, splintered hole in it. One could call this vandalism but it was for an emergency. The group ran in the room but discovered it to be deserted.

"No one's here," Brock frowned.

"But there has been signs of people here," Ash noted as he saw all the open drawers and scattered papers. There had been some sort of struggle. He returned Phanpy and Brock returned Graveler upon seeing no one else there.

"Where do you suppose he could've gone?" Serena asked as they took a look around the room.

Ash made his way over to the computer and saw that it was still unlocked. Whatever Archer's reasons for doing that, he clearly wasn't expecting a threat to come anytime soon. Ash saw the emails, and he suddenly had a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Guys," he said slowly. "I think this is the same Archer who was an executive of Team Rocket, after all. "I just saw a recent email. It says that Giovanni's coming soon!"

"Giovanni?" Serena gasped.

Ash clenched his fists as he thought of the horrible man. So, Team Rocket was planning a comeback, and Giovanni was coming, too. Ash then understood full well what Suicune had warned him about. This was the disaster. Team Rocket and Giovanni were back on the rise, but was there more to it? Surely, that couldn't have been all of the disaster.

"That just makes this more urgent," Ash said. "We have to stop them. Archer isn't here, but let's save the director while we can."

"Did it say when Giovanni is coming?" Serena asked as they hurried out.

"No, but we have to be prepared for when he does. It could be anytime. That means we have to hurry," Ash replied.

* * *

It wasn't long before they reached Director Hiro's office. Once again, there were no guards there. The group exchanged glances with each other as if deciding their next course of action. Ash nodded his head to Pikachu who sparked its cheeks. With as crazy as today had been, they needed to be prepared for anything. They hurried through the door which they took note of wasn't locked and stepped into the room.

"Oh!" a voice shouted out which startled the group.

They immediately spotted the source of the voice. Director Hiro was sitting at his desk, and he had a surprised look on his face. They relaxed slightly that he wasn't showing any hostility, but only slightly.

"Wh-what are you kids doing here?! How did you make it all the way here?!" Director Hiro asked frantically.

"We're here to rescue you," Ash stated and stepped forward. "We need to get you out of here and someplace safe. Once we save you and all the workers, we can take down Team Rocket for good."

"You came to save me?" Director Hiro gasped. "Thank you!"

"You can thank us after we're safe," Ash said. "We don't have time to talk. Come on!"

They saw Hiro stand up from his seat and go towards them. Figuring he was following him, the group turned around to leave, but his voice made them stop.

"Go, Weezing!" Hiro shouted. "Use Smog!"

The group spun around and saw the gas Pokemon releasing the noxious fumes from its mouth. They all began coughing as the gas filled the room.

"I knew it! You were with Team Rocket the whole time!" Misty accused as she covered her mouth.

"I'll do you one better," Director Hiro smirked and took off his disguise to show himself as Petrel again. "Remember me, kids?"

"It can't be! Director Hiro's been one of the executives the whole time! This explains everything!" Brock said.

"Where's the real director?" Serena demanded.

"Heh! Wouldn't you like to know?" Petrel sneered before he sent out five Koffing. "You kids can choke in despair from my Pokemons' gases!"

The five Koffing and one Weezing began shooting noxious fumes all over the room. The group began coughing as they held their mouths to try to block the horrible gases from getting into the mouths.

Ash was about to send out Noctowl to blow the fumes away, but he was soon kneed hard in his stomach by Petrel. The raven-haired boy gave a sharp gasp of air when that happened which didn't turn out not to be good because all that he inhaled were the gases. Ash's eyes watered and he began gag and cough even harder as he fell to the ground. The others weren't faring much better. Since Pikachu and Togetic had small lungs, they were already close to passing out so they couldn't attack the Koffing and Weezing who were shooting out more gases into the room by the second.

Petrel had a gas mask on so he wasn't affected by the fumes. He leered down at the group as he watched them struggle and slowly get poisoned to death.

"You kids have been a huge thorn in our side ever since Kanto so it's about time to get rid of you. I'll tell you what, though. I'm a nice guy so if you surrender to Team Rocket right now, I'll order my Pokemon to cease their attack and clear out the smog in the room. What do you say?" Petrel offered.

"N-never!" Ash choked out.

"Well, that's a shame. Don't say I didn't offer to spare your lives. I suppose you'll just have to be poisoned to death then," Petrel shrugged.

There was absolutely know way to vent out the smog in the room right now. The door had been shut behind them, and all the windows had been shut. The room had become so thick with smog that even if Ash were to send Noctowl out right now, it would probably faint after only a few seconds. Ash looked over and saw Pikachu and Togetic were already unconscious.

He crawled over to them and picked them up in one of his arms as the other one was held into his mouth. Ash tried to shake them awake, but it was to no avail. This was bad. If he couldn't get them to wake up, there was no way they could shield themselves from breathing in the noxious smog.

"Ash, I can't breathe!" Serena cried.

"Yes, little girl. I suppose you all have only a couple of more minutes before you pass out, and then only a few minutes after that before you die," Petrel added. "I'll give you all one last chance to surrender."

Ash looked around as all of his friends' movements were becoming feebler and feebler as they began to succumb to the effects of the gases. Ash himself was getting light-headed and could feel his consciousness slipping away. All the while, the Weezing and Koffing kept pumping more smog into the room with no way to ventilate it. No. It couldn't end like this. There had to be something that could be done. If he had Muk, he could use it to battle since it was resistant to poisonous fumes, but none of his current Pokemon he had with him could do that. Well, even if he did have Muk, it would still have five Koffing and one Weezing to battle with.

Ash glanced around woozily as he tried to find something…anything. The only thing that might be strong enough to break the glass window was the lone chair which Petrel sat at. The problem was that Petrel was blocking it as he leered down at the group. Despite how weak he was feeling, Ash knew he had to try or they were done for. He gave a silent prayer before he took action.

Ash gave a last burst of strength and charged at Petrel. The lanky man clearly wasn't expecting this as he leaned back in surprise, and Ash collided into him. Petrel was knocked backwards across his desk and fell to he ground. Ash continued to use his adrenaline to lift of the chair before he swung it at the window as hard as he could.

The chair bounced off the window the first time, but Ash didn't stop. He swung it again, and this time, there were a few cracks that formed. He swung one last time, and this time the glass window shattered. Bits of glass were sprayed outward and into the sky. Ash hoped there wasno one passing by on the streets below due to the raining glass that was sure to come, but he didn't have time to worry about that. He immediately stuck his head out the window and let the sweet breath of air fill his lungs. That's when he took out Noctowl's pokeball.

"Noctowl, u-use Wh-whirlwind to…to take out the…gas!" Ash panted.

The owl Pokemon was outside the window before it began to blow wind through the room to vent it out. It was working a little, but not fast enough as the poison Pokemon were still using Smog. Ash felt himself grabbed from behind and turned to see Petrel there. Ash was yanked back into the room where he was once again greeted by the noxious fumes entering into his lungs. He and Petrel began to grapple with each other as Petrel's Weezing floated out the window to duel with Noctowl.

Ash was pushed to the floor, and Petrel was soon on top of him. Though he was lanky, Petrel was actually stronger than he looked. He gripped his hands around Ash's throat and began to choke him. Ash gagged as this was only speeding up his slip into unconsciousness. If he passed out, they were dead for sure. Ash clawed at Petrel's hands as he tried to loosen his grip, but Petrel was relentless and perfectly healthy because of his gas mask. Wait! That was it!

Ash reached up and swiped the mask off Petrel's face in an instant. Petrel was dazed for a moment before he, too, began to breathe in the noxious fumes. He began to cough as Ash took the gas mask that was on floor and put it around his own face.

"Taste of your own medicine?" Ash gasped.

Petrel continued to choke on his own Pokemons' fumes. He began to writhe on the ground as he tried to cover his mouth but knew it was no use. He had no choice but to call off his Pokemon.

"St-stop! Stop it!" he cried to the Koffing.

The Koffing immediately halted their assault. Once they did, Ash sent out his other Pokemon.

"Bayleef, Croconaw, Quilava, I choose you!" he cried.

The Pokemon appeared, and though the room was still quite gassy, it was at least starting to clear out due to the opening in the window. All three of the Johto started used their attacks to subdue the Koffing, and Ash then turned his attention on the Weezing who was still dueling Noctowl.

"Use Psychic, Noctowl!" he yelled.

Noctowl dodged a Tackle attack from the Weezing, and then it blasted forth the Psychic waves, the Weezing turned around and was immediately struck with the waves. It looked like it was still ready to fight, but Ash had different plans.

"All four of you, attack it!" Ash ordered.

Croconaw used Water Gun, Bayleef used Razor Leaf, Quilava used Flamethrower, and Noctowl used Psychic. The gas Pokemon looked around at the incoming attacks and tried to find a way to dodge them but unfortunately, it couldn't in time. It was struck by the attack and gave a cry of pain. Noctowl then swooped in and delivered the finishing blow by ramming it back into the room. Ash couldn't let Weezing faint and fall five stories through the air to its doom.

Now that the Koffing and Weezing threat had been taken care of, Noctowl immediately went back to using Whirlwind to blow out the smog. It wasn't too long before the room was clear again. Though there were still small traces of the smog left, the air was still breathable.

Ash turned around saw Petrel still coughing slightly and he ran over to stand over him. His four Pokemon stood behind him and glared, as well. Petrel looked up in anger at the four of them, but he also knew he had been beaten.

"Where's the real director?!" Ash shouted.

"He's…he's in the underground tunnel by the mall," Petrel growled. "That's where…the other workers are, too."

"Is there anything required to get it in?!" Ash demanded.

"You need a key. It's in the top drawer to your right," Petrel replied and pointed to it.

Ash turned around and began to sift through the drawer while his Pokemon watched Petrel. He then found an oddly shaped key and showed it to Petrel. The Rocket executive nodded his head to show that was the correct one.

"The underground tunnel is near the herb shop in the mall. Go down the alley, and you'll see an elevator. Take it down to the basement level, and use the key to unlock the door there," Petrel told him before he smiled. "It may be too late for your friends, though."

Ash's eyes shot open. He spun around and saw Brock, Misty, Serena, Pikachu and Togetic sprawled out on the floor behind him. Oh no!

"Guys!" Ash cried as he ran over to them.

Brock was the closest so Ash knelt down beside him first. Ash then heard a scuffle and the sound of Pokemon being returned. He turned around and saw Petrel running out of the room as fast as he could. Ash grit his teeth that Petrel was getting away, but the most important thing was checking on his friends.

Ash looked down at the Pokemon breeder and saw him stirring slightly. They all needed cleaner air into their systems as fast as possible. He then turned to Bayleef.

"Bayleef! I need you to use Sweet Scent!" he commanded.

"Bay!" Bayleef nodded and began to gently sway its large leaf.

The fresh, cleaner air began to waft throughout the room, and the tense faces on Brock were becoming less noticeable. Pikachu and Togetic were also starting to wake up as their natural Pokemon healing abilities were allowing them to recover faster. Brock soon slowly sat up and looked around groggily.

"What's going on?" he muttered.

"You're okay, Brock!" Ash smiled and turned to Serena and Misty to see they were still unconscious. "You check on Misty, and I'll check on Serena!"

"Uhh…right!" Brock agreed and crawled to Misty while Ash went to Serena.

The honey-haired girl looked so lifeless at the moment and was just lying there. Ash pressed his ear against Serena's chest and gave a gasp of horror when he discovered she wasn't breathing.

"No! Serena!" Ash cried as he began to shake her.

Meanwhile, Brock and managed to wake up Misty. The redhead was groggy, too, and coughing a little bit, but at least she was awake. She and Brock took a second to process the situation before they saw that Ash was still trying to get Serena awake. They hurried over and stood over the girl.

"Come on, Serena!" Ash said frantically.

He then started taking short breaths as he felt like passing out again. Without even thinking, he pressed his mouth against Serena's and began to use artificial respiration. Ash somewhat knew what he was doing and had a few lessons from Brock a while back. He still had to try. He couldn't let Serena go like this.

Ash continued to breathe into Serena's mouth as Bayleef used Sweet Scent around them. He would stop and listen to some sort of breathing but wasn't getting any. Ash tried to keep his tears in check as if he started to cry, he wouldn't be able to properly do this. He took a deep breath to steady his tears before he breathed into Serena's mouth again. Both Brock and Misty had their hands clasped as they silently prayed for this to work.

Finally, Ash felt a breath enter his own mouth, and he pushed himself off of Serena to stare. She then coughed slightly and slowly opened her eyes to see Ash. The raven-haired boy felt relief wash over him as tears formed in his eyes.

"Ash…," Serene mumbled and slowly sat up.

"Serena, I'm so glad you're okay," Ash breathed as he hugged her. "I thought I almost lost you. I had to use artificial respiration."

Serena blushed at the thought of Ash quite literally giving her the kiss of life before she hugged him back. After almost losing Serena like that, they didn't want to let go of each other. They stayed like that for a few moments while the others smiled. Finally, Ash remembered the task at hand and turned to the others.

"Are you guys sure you're okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Just give me a minute to breath in some more air," Misty answered.

"Same here," Brock added.

"Serena?" Ash questioned as he turned to face her.

"I'll be fine, too, thanks to you, Ash," Serena replied.

The group then took a little bit to breathe back in clean air from Bayleef's Sweet Scent until they felt refreshed again. With that, Ash stood up and thanked his Pokemon before he returned them. Brock then brought up what Ash learned from Petrel.

"Ash, did you find out anything?" Brock questioned.

"Yeah. I got the key which opens the door to their underground hideout. That's where Petrel said the real director and the other workers were. It's near that underground mall," Ash revealed as he showed them the key.

"Where is Petrel, though?" Misty wondered as she looked around.

"He got away," Ash grimaced before he added. "I don't think he'll be getting in our way for a while since we defeated his Pokemon. He may alert the other Rockets, though."

"Then we have to hurry up," Brock replied.

"Yeah. Let's the save the real Director Hiro this time," Serena said with Pikachu and Togetic nodding in agreement.

"Wait. Didn't Silver say he was going down there, too?" Misty asked.

Ash paused for a moment before he answered. The angry man had made it clear to not get in his way here or there would be trouble. Ash wasn't looking forward to seeing Silver either if they happened to run into him. It was the only lead they had, though. Silver told them to rescue the director, and that's what they were doing.

"He'll just have to deal with it," Ash finally replied. "We're going to save everyone."

With that, the group left Hiro's office with Pikachu and Togetic behind him. They were heading to the underground tunnel, and they had no idea what to expect down there. They soon reached the elevator and pressed the button to hurry down. As the elevator closed behind them, Petrel stepped out from behind one of the corners. His eyes narrowed and pressed a button his communicator.

"Jessie, James, those kids are coming. You better be prepared to take them out," Petrel threatened.

There was a small pause on the communicator before Jessie's voice came back on the communicator.

"We're prepared. We'll…finish them," Jessie replied

* * *

 **Well, now things are really starting to heat up. Two executives are down with Petrel and Ariana even though Petrel got away. Jessie and James are prepared to meet the group, and Giovanni got his hands on Celebi. One can only imagine the wild ride the next chapter will be. What IS Giovanni's plan with Celebi, anyway? Time will tell.**

 **I'll have the next chapter up before February's over. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 60: The Trio's Last Stand**


	60. The Trio's Last Stand

**A/N: This chapter, the next chapter, and the chapter after that are going to be pretty intense. I hope you guys are enjoying this arc as much as I am writing it! Let's hope I can still get the remaining chapters of this arc out quickly! I get excited when I'm actually writing this which makes me more determined than usual! Please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter 60: The Trio's Last Stand

The group stepped off the elevator and on to the first floor. It was virtually deserted save for two Rocket guards at the door. Upon seeing them, the group hid around a corner. It was a rather eerie sight to see such a usually lively place so quiet, and it wasn't a comfortable quiet. They didn't even see any hostages.

"How are we going to get out the door?" Brock questioned.

"Petrel didn't happen to mention he would let us just go waltzing past the guards to the underground passage, did he?" Misty asked hopefully.

"No," Ash sighed. "We could always fight our way through."

"If they see us approach them with our Pokemon, they'll probably sound the alarm again, and then there could be a whole squadron of Rockets attack us," Brock pointed out. "They also probably have guards outside, too."

"Great," Misty muttered with a roll of her eyes. "We're stuck."

Ash frowned as he tried to think of something they could do. He realized he had been taking charge and coming up with a lot of the ideas lately. It made sense, though. It was him who wanted to stop Team Rocket and confront them directly. It all came with being the Chosen One. He was supposed to be the one to bring light back to the world.

 _"And Serena, too,"_ Ash reminded himself.

He turned back to the girl whom he loved and studied her. Serena was watching him with hopeful eyes as she waited for him to come up with a plan. Serena was a Chosen One, too. That was what Moltres told them, right? So far, she hadn't stepped up to do anything very Chosen-like, especially when Lugia appeared before them. She was more or less just helping Ash out like Misty, Tracey, or Brock had been. This had never bothered Ash before, but now that he actually thought about it, why _hadn't_ Serena done anything yet? The last thing he remembered was when she helped him fight Giovanni for his eighth badge. That had been so long ago, though. She will help him bring light back to the world, right?

 _"You must use extreme caution with her, Chosen One."_

 _"She may become…your greatest enemy."_

Lugia's words rang in Ash's memory the deeper he thought about it. That didn't make any sense, though. If Serena was the Chosen One along with him, why would she become his enemy? She would help him, right?

Serena noticed Ash staring at her with a weird expression on his face. She raised her eyebrows and gave him a questioning look. Ash realized what he was doing and shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think about that. Even if Serena hadn't awoken yet as a Chosen One, she would once the time was right. He had to focus on taking down Team Rocket, now.

Ash's eyes lit up. He remembered Silver telling him there was a secret passage to the underground tunnel here on the first floor! If they could find it, they could use that to avoid trying to go through the streets of Goldenrod City and the guards! Well, there was just one problem, and it slipped by Ash the first time he thought of it. They had to _find_ the secret passage. Silver hadn't exactly said where it was, and the first floor wasn't small by any means.

"Did you think of something, Ash?" Brock whispered.

"Well, sort of," Ash admitted. "We could always try the secret entrance that Silver mentioned, but none of us know where it is."

"Of course not," Misty frowned. "That's why it's a secret."

"Do you think those guards know where it is?" Serena asked.

"Probably, but it's not like they'll willingly tell us anything," Ash replied.

"And that leads us back to square one where we can't simply try to fight them, or they'll call in reinforcements," Misty sighed.

Ash felt a tug on his pant leg, and he turned and saw Pikachu nod and spark its cheeks again. Apparently, it was telling Ash that it would serve as a decoy again. Ash knelt down and rubbed Pikachu's head.

"I appreciate what you're doing, Pikachu, but I don't want to have to keep using you to ensure we can get what we need," Ash told it.

"Piiiiiiiika," Pikachu scoffed. Those Rocket grunts were easy pickings last time. It had no trouble shocking the daylights out of them. What was two more to it?

Ash chuckled to himself as he thought of a plan. He looked around and didn't see anymore guards in the area, but there were probably security cameras. If they were to get information of the guards, they would have to be pretty quick, or the reinforcements could arrive, anyway. The raven-haired boy then looked at Pikachu and Togetic. They were right. It was their only shot.

"Okay, you two. I need you both to distract the guards, and we'll take them out from behind. Hopefully, they'll talk," Ash said.

"Pika. Toge," both Pikachu and Togetic responded.

The two Pokemon then rounded the corner and innocently walked out into the lobby. They made their way over to the guards who watched the two curiously. Pikachu and Togetic made it look like they were going out the door, but the two guards blocked them with their foot.

"Going somewhere?" the first Rocket sneered. "Go, Grimer!"

The two Rockets each sent out a Grimer, and the sludge Pokemon began hurling globs of sludge at Pikachu and Togetic. The group wasn't expecting them to attack with Pokemon so suddenly. They had to take care of them fast before anyone else was alerted. Ash quickly drew one of his pokeballs and threw it forward.

"Bayleef, I choose you! Use Vine Whip!" Ash called.

Bayleef appeared from its pokeball and shot the vines from its neck. The vines quickly snaked their way around the Pokemon before it made it the two Rockets. The evil gang members were wrapped up tight and immobilized. Their Grimer stopped hurling sludge momentarily to look at their trainers' predicament, but Pikachu used that opportunity to use Thunderbolt. Togetic then used Extrasensory, and the super effective attack finished them off.

The Rocket members were struggling as the group hurried from the corner over to them. Bayleef had its vines tight around them so they couldn't move, though. Once the Rockets saw who it was, they got intense glares on their faces.

"I know who you brats are," one said. "You're those ones the boss can't stand! You spoiled all our plans and forced the boss into hiding!"

"Yeah. That's right," Ash uttered before he got to the point. "We hear there's a secret entrance to the underground tunnel here. Where is it?"

"Pah! Like we'll tell you brats anything!" the other one yelled.

"Hmm…no good. Like I thought," Ash said as he turned to the others.

The all sighed at that. They should've known it sounded too easy. Petrel may have told them where the Director was, but it didn't matter if they weren't able to get to it in the first place. Going outside and finding it in the underground mall was too risky right now. They certainly weren't going to torture the Rockets for information, either. They weren't Silver.

"Heh. Looks like you kids are at a stalemate," the first Rocket sneered. "Go ahead and knock us out. You still won't find the entrance."

Ash frowned and looked at the others. They each nodded their heads as if tell Ash to go ahead and do it. At least with these Rocket members out of the way, they could search for the secret entrance without any interruptions. That was unless another Rocket member entered the area which was quite likely. Speaking of…

"Like hello there!" a cheery voice called out.

The group jumped when they heard the voice. They quickly spun around to spot an older teenage girl sauntering towards them with a slender figure and blonde, spiraling curls. She held a black tulip close to her heart, and she would've been quite attractive, but the fact she was wearing a Rocket uniform made a fantasy in Brock's head go away.

"Who are you?!" Ash demanded as Pikachu sparked its cheeks to prepare for battle. The rest of the group also got out their pokeballs. Despite this, the girl wasn't fazed by it.

"I'm known as the Black Tulip of Team Rocket," the girl smiled before she continued in her sweet voice. "You may all call me Domino! I'm like the leader of Team Rocket's espionage unit!"

"What do you want?" Ash asked as he and the others didn't let up on their guard. "Are you looking for a fight?"

"Like settle down. I'm not here to fight you," Domino replied as she twirled the tulip in her hand. The group wished she would stop that as it was quite distracting. "I'm…"

"Then you're here to capture us!" Ash interrupted.

"Would you let me finish, you little twerp?!" Domino snarled as her false cheery demeanor broke before it returned a second later. "I'm here because I understand you're looking for the secret passage where Director Hiro is kept. I can tell you where it is."

The group said nothing as they remained on guard. They continued to regard Domino with a hard stare as if they expected her to attack at any second or send out a Pokemon. The two Rockets behind them were still struggling. They were looking at Domino as if pleading with her to get them free, but she wasn't even sparing them a glance. She only stared back at the group with a sweet smile on her face and continued to twirl the black tulip in her hand.

"As if we'd believe you," Ash finally said.

Domino put on a mock look of hurt at that. She wiped away false tears at that before she spoke again.

"You'd think I would lie to you? I would never result to such deceit! I've had my fair share of trickery, but I don't lie," Domino sniffed

"Hey, Domino! Are you going to let us out?!" one of the Rockets finally called out.

Domino rolled her eyes before she threw the black tulip she was holding straight at the hostage Rockets. The group was surprised when the tulip actually cut through Bayleef's vines. The two Rockets were released and fell to the floor. They looked up to see Domino looking at them with a bored expression.

"Get out of here. You two are pathetic. Wait for me on the next floor," she deadpanned.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" the two saluted and went to scurry off.

"Hey!" Ash called as he and the others went to chase after them.

They weren't expecting Domino to draw another tulip and throw it at them. Ash froze as it sailed right by his head, and the stem stuck inside the wall behind him like a dart. Domino then drew out another black tulip, and the group then realized they weren't dealing with an ordinary Rocket member. She was actually quite dangerous. If that tulip had hit Ash...

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried as it launched a Thunderbolt at Domino.

Domino back flipped and athletically dodged the Thunderbolt, Bayleef then shot out Razor Leaf at Domino, but she threw the tulip she held to cut the Razor Leaf to bits. The group was then put on guard as they prepared to attack full on, but Domino held out a hand to stop them. She was no longer smiling.

"Now, are you kids going to play nice with me, or else?" she asked dangerously and no longer had her valley-girl accent.

"Or else what?" Serena asked this time with glare. "We could send all our Pokemon against you! You can't take on all of us!"

"Oh, I know, but every Rocket in the building can!" Domino smirked as she held up a device with a big red button. "You see, I'm a valuable resource in Team Rocket and have a lot of information. They can't lose me. If I press this distress signal, you can bet that every Rocket in the building will be down here in seconds. Not only will you lose my information, but you'll lose your lives, as well."

The group exchanged glances with each other as if weighing their options of what they could do. They weren't stupid enough to trust Domino. Even if she did tell them where the secret entrance was, there was most definitely a trap down there. If they tried to run, she would just press that button, and soon, the entire number Rockets in the building would be down here. She was essentially taking them prisoner without the binds.

Domino, meanwhile, took out a nail file before she slipped off her white glove and began to file her nails casually. She hummed a tune to herself as she awaited the group to make their move. She clearly wasn't scared of them at all. The fact that she was so casual meant she knew she could take them on if the situation called to it. They didn't really want to face the wrath of someone known as the Black Tulip.

"We know you're leading us into a trap," Ash uttered.

"I won't deny it," Domino replied as she checked her nails after filing them.

"Then tell us why we should come with you," Ash said.

Domino gave an exasperated sigh before she put her file away and put her glove back on. She walked over to the sliding glass doors that were the entrances to the radio tower. She knocked slightly on the window doors, and as soon as she did, at least four people dressed in casual clothes appeared from the side. They showed the group the gun under their clothes before going back to their position. That confirmed to the group that there were disguised Rockets outside.

"Like as you can see, those Rockets are going to open fire on anyone who walks in or out these doors that isn't a part of Team Rocket. Your only option to get where you want to go is with me," Domino told them as she went back over to her original spot. She then folded her arms. "Would you like please hurry and make up your mind? I'm a busy girl and don't have all day."

"I don't think we have a choice, Ash," Brock told him.

Ash remembered a situation similar to this back in the Silph Company. The four Rocket executives had led him, Serena, and Gary straight to Giovanni without any opposition. They had managed to get away with their lives then, but that was only because the police had showed up. Ash doubted they would get lucky twice in a row.

"Like oh my gosh!" Domino cried out. "The director is down there and so is Professor Oak and all the other workers! Will you just come on already?!"

That got the group's attention when she said Professor Oak was down there. That was true. There was so much on the line here, and they didn't have any other options. As much as they hated it, they had to go with Domino if they wanted to save everybody, trap or not.

"Alright," Ash relented. "Where is the entrance?"

"Like follow me, and I'll show you," Domino replied as she turned around and swaggered off. "Oh, and please return your Pokemon. They make me oh-so scared."

The group frowned but obeyed, and Ash returned Bayleef. They then followed her and noticed she was leading them down another hallway. As they walked, Ash noticed Domino's blonde curls bouncing up and down as she walked. It was almost mesmerizing how she had the saunter in her walk, and how her hair bounced playfully like she was teasing him…

Ash immediately stopped himself when he could feel drool forming in his mouth and felt disgusted. He couldn't believe he was thinking of this evil Team Rocket member as sexy. It was those darn teenage hormones that hit him like a ton of bricks when he turned thirteen. He now couldn't really fault Brock for being girl crazy for so long. To take his mind off Domino, Ash tore his eyes away from her back and looked at Serena. She should be the only one he thinks of. Ash noticed Pikachu staring at him with a disapproving look on its face, and Ash embarrassingly continued to focus on Serena to avoid his buddy's gaze.

"Here you go!" Domino chirped as she opened a seemingly random door that led to a staircase.

"That's it?" Ash asked skeptically. "No special button or wall that makes us fall into a secret room."

"Hmmhmm! That's right!" Domino giggled as she tapped Ash on the nose with her tulip. His ears almost burned at the gesture.

"Are you going to come with us?" Misty questioned.

"Little old me? Of course not. As I said, I'm a busy girl. Petrel told me you have the key to the locked door down there so you shouldn't have any problems getting in," Domino told them.

"And after that?" Serena wondered.

"You try to save everyone! I don't want to spoil the surprise!" Domino said.

"So, for all we know, a whole horde of Rockets could be down there waiting to shoot us as soon as we open the door?" Brock questioned.

"No. If it was that simple, we would've done so, already. Team Rocket is busy so we just don't have time to deal with all of you," Domino said as she folded her arms.

"How nice of you," Misty snorted.

The group then walked past Domino and into the stairwell. It looked quite normal and wasn't dark or dreadful. The group realized that someplace with easy access like this would be a perfect place to take any prisoners.

"Have fun in there!" Domino chirped before she slammed the door behind them.

The group immediately turned and went to charge back, but they heard a lock click just as they collided with he door. Their shoulders shot with pain as the door refused to move. They gave a groan of pain before they sighed. Great. They knew that this was a trap. They didn't have a choice, but they still should've expected something like this. It appeared the only way was forward, now.

Meanwhile, Domino pulled out a communicator and spoke it to it. "Hey, Archer. Those kids are heading down to the underground passage now. We finally have them out of their way. While they're wasting time down there, that just gives us more time for the boss to come and prepared for our true takeover."

"Yes. Even if Jessie and James fail, and the kids do rescue everyone, it will be too late by then," Archer said with a dark laugh. "It makes it so much easier that we don't have to bother killing them ourselves."

"Like totally!" Domino beamed.

* * *

The group had gone down the stairwell to what was presumably the basement. The door that apparently led to the underground tunnel was the only thing left that was standing between them and rescuing everyone at the radio tower. Before they went in, however, they knew they needed a plan.

"What kind of trap do you suppose Domino was talking about?" Serena wondered.

"Well, I don't think it's a firing squad," Brock chuckled nervously, but no one saw the humor in it. They wouldn't put anything past Team Rocket.

"The only thing we know for certain is that all the captives really are down here. Even though they're part of Team Rocket, I could tell Domino and Petrel weren't lying about that," Ash reasoned.

"Still, why let us rescue everyone? You'd think they'd keep that secret even if you did beat them," Misty questioned.

The group pondered on that for a moment. Surely Team Rocket knew that they had been stopped before by this very same group. Weren't they risking a lot by doing this? It only meant that Team Rocket had a true ace up their sleeve that the group knew nothing about. What was it, though? They still had no idea why Team Rocket was taking over the radio tower in the first place.

"I say we open the door and have our Pokemon ready. If someone shoots at us, at least we'll be prepared," Ash suggested.

The group figured that was the best thing to do. They each only sent out one Pokemon because the stairwell could only fit so many people or Pokemon in it. The underground tunnel would clearly be the same way. Ash still had out Pikachu. Serena had out Ursaring. Brock had out Bonsly, and Misty had out Politoed.

Ash then took the key that he found in Petrel's desk out of his pocket before he unlocked the door. He and the others then took a deep breath before they swung the door open and immediately jumped back as they expected an ambush. However, there was nothing there. Upon learning that the danger was still possible, they peeked through the door so they could see into the area.

It was rather plain, honestly. Nothing was remarkable. It was a dimly lit area, but still had plenty of lighting. The ceiling was white, and so were the walls. Various boxes were stacked against the wall or piled on top of each other. It looked like a normal storage room, just a really big one. It had to be if it even connected through the underground mall.

"Well, any leads on which way we need to go?" Ash asked as he adjusted his cap.

"We definitely shouldn't split up," Serena figured.

They couldn't use Pikachu or any other Pokemon to sniff out the captives as they didn't know their scent. There's no telling where everyone was here or if they were even in the same place. It was then the group realized this might take a while. There was also the fact that Silver was down here somewhere. It wasn't a pleasant thought to imagine if they ran into him again.

"Grrr…we're going to be down here searching for everyone while Team Rocket is doing who knows what," Ash muttered.

"Do you think that was their plan?" Serena asked. "They told us where everyone was so we would waste time down here while they put together everything above us?"

"It's likely," Brock deduced as he folded his arms. "We can't go back upstairs, either way. Our only option is to go forward to rescue everyone or find a different way out."

With that, the group entered the underground passage and made their way down one of the corridors. They decided to take the one that led straight as opposed to the others ones as it was most likely to lead them somewhere.

It was then Serena gasped and held a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming. The group looked to see where she was staring, and they had to resist the same urge. Bonsly even began to cry. A dead Rocket member was slumped against one of the walls, and it looked like he had his stomach gutted out. A trail of blood was seeping out of his body and had streamed onto the center of the pathway that the group was walking down. Silver had definitely been here.

"Ash…," Serena trailed and buried her face in his shoulder to keep herself from looking.

Ash was completely disgusted. He couldn't believe how brutal Silver was when it came to Team Rocket. He didn't just simply kill them. He mangled them or even went as far as to tear out some of their insides like the scene in front of them. Did he seriously not have a conscience or some degree of respect for himself? How did his Pokemon feel about it?

"Maybe it wasn't Silver," Misty said hopefully.

"Well, whoever did it definitely had a Pokemon with sharp claws, and we already know Silver has a Feraligatr and a Sneasel," Brock replied.

"I can't believe I'm related to someone who would do this," Ash mumbled before he turned to Serena who still had her face in his shoulder. "Serena, if you want go back to the entrance, you can. Chances are we're going to see a lot more of what's in front of us if we keep going, and we'll have to so we find everyone."

"N-no. I'll come, too," Serena stuttered and let out a sigh. Her Ursaring frowned as it stared at Serena as it tried to find someway to cheer her up, but it could come up with nothing. It was never good at this sort of thing. There was still a time where it once had no morals.

Brock picked up Bonsly and began to soothe it in case it began to attract attention. With that, the group continued on and did their best to not glance at the dead Rocket member as they passed him and stepped over the trail of blood.

They had been walking for over ten minutes now, but they didn't feel any closer to finding everyone. The group had passed by several more dead Rockets as they went through the tunnel. Some were in worse condition than others, and it was starting to make the group sick. When they would come across a dead Rocket member, they would close their eyes and keep going until they passed it.

It as then they heard what sounded like muffled shouting in the distance. They grew alarmed and starting forward and passed by a few more dead Rockets. They continued going until the voices and shouting became louder. It was only about another minute of running that they came to a split in the path and saw it for themselves.

Silver had his Feraligatr out, and a Rocket member was cowering on the ground before him. There was absolutely no remorse in Silver's eyes as he stared coldly at the Rocket in front of him.

"Pl-please! I gave you the information you wanted! Just please don't kill me!" the Rocket grunt begged.

"I'm not negotiating with terrorists," Silver sneered before he turned to his Feraligatr. "You know what to do."

Feraligatr nodded before it reared its claws back and stabbed them into the Rocket's stomach, and the grunt let out an agonizing scream. Feraligatr didn't stop there, though. It used its claws to rip through the inside of the Rocket until the blood began pouring out of the Rocket's midsection. Feraligatr then grabbed a chunk of flesh and tore it away. The Rocket shuddered for only a couple of seconds before he went still, clearly dead.

The group was horrified beyond words. They had never seen anyone killed so violently before. Even though they had seen the results of Silver's kills, to see him actually do it right in front of them was on a whole other level. Ash felt like vomiting at the gruesome scene in front of him, but he managed to keep it down. Serena and Misty both had tears on their cheeks, and Brock was tight lipped and shielded his Bonsly's face so it didn't have to see the scene. It didn't matter if the Rocket was evil or not. To see him beg like that and Silver kill him so mercilessly was sickening.

Their horror then multiplied tenfold when they saw Silver turn his ruthless eyes over to them. His Feraligatr had drool coming out of its mouth and had a clear sense of blood lust like it wanted to kill even more. The group would even go as far as to say that Silver and his Feraligatr didn't appear as if they had even a shred of humanity in them with how insane they looked.

The group's Pokemon stood in front of their trainer's protectively while Brock returned Bonsly and opted for Graveler instead. These events were too intense for it. Despite being four on one, neither Silver or Feraligatr looked afraid. All Silver did was point his index finger forward and utter one word.

"Attack."

Silver's Feraligatr sprang forward at the group and reeled its claws back for a Slash attack. The group jumped out of the way, and Pikachu leaped at Feraligatr and unleased a Thunderbolt. The Feraligatr got a glint in its eye and dodged the Thunderbolt before it reached Pikachu. It was about to attack again, but Ursaring and Graveler rammed in Feraligatr from the side which knocked it the ground.

Ash was about to run to Pikachu, but he didn't get a chance. He was suddenly thrown to the ground, and Silver was on top of him in a matter of seconds. For one of the first times, Ash was truly terrified of Silver with how evil he looked as he stared back at Ash.

"I warned you," Silver started. "I warned you not to come down here yet you did. I left you peacefully in the radio tower and told you what to do. You just don't listen, do you? Now, my patience is out. I'm really sick of you, and I'm going to beat you so bad that you won't even be able to try to look for me again."

"Get off of him!" Serena screamed as she charged at Silver and jumped on top of him.

Ash grunted in discomfort as the extra weight Serena put on him made it that much worse on him. Silver made a snarling face before he grabbed Serena by her hair and threw her off his back. Serena was quick to get back up as she was soon joined by Brock and Misty who both were now trying to pull Silver off Ash.

Silver swung his fist back at them and ended up punching Brock in the face. The Pokemon breeder stumbled backward before Silver's attention went back to Ash. He then began to punch Ash continuously in the chest and stomach, and the raven-haired boy groaned with each hit Silver delivered. Serena and Misty weren't strong enough to get Silver off of him.

Meanwhile, Feraligatr was battling the other four Pokemon on its own. All it took was a couple of Hydro Pumps to send Brock's Graveler down for the count. Misty's Politoed was doing okay, but Feraligatr was clearly stronger, and Pikachu was not much more than a David and Goliath type of match. Every time it would try to get an electric attack out, Feraligatr was quick to hit it. The only one who was almost putting up a decent fight was Ursaring. It was acting almost as savage as Feraligatr due to Silver harming Serena. They were trading blow after blow to each other while Togetic flew around as if deciding who it should help.

Ash wasn't quite sure when Silver was going to stop, but he was in a lot of pain. His vision was blacking out with each successive hit, and he as pretty sure he was going to lose consciousness soon. What then? Would Silver then proceed to attack his friends? Attack Serena? Serena was still screaming as she did everything she could to get Silver off Ash. She was pulling Silver's hair and even biting him, but Silver was relentless in his pummeling.

Ash soon became scared for them. He couldn't imagine the thought of Silver hurting Brock or Misty or Serena. Silver seemed to have reached the point beyond redemption. Ash had seen it himself. Silver was nothing more than a monster who was consumed by his own hatred and quest for vengeance. He seemed to have no more reasoning left in his system, and Ash wasn't even quite sure if he was really Silver anymore. All this killing Silver had done so far to the Rockets had completely drained his humanity. There was no telling who he would attack now.

Would Silver become a criminal himself? Would he kill other people merely because they were in his way? Would he harm Mom? Would he even go so far as to kill her after he was done killing the Rockets? No. The thought terrified Ash, but he wasn't going to stand for it any longer. Silver said he was sick of him? Well, Ash was sick of Silver. He was sick of his horrible attitude. He was sick of his terrible treatment of him, his friends, and family. He was sick of everything about him. Ash wasn't going to stand for Silver anymore.

He unknowingly began to glow blue as Silver continued to punch him. Silver must've noticed it, though, as he stopped punching Ash to stare at him revoltingly but still in surprise.

"What?" Silver uttered, before he was blasted off of Ash with a powerful burst of aura.

Ash wasn't the only one charged up. Pikachu was, as well. Ursaring was injured greatly with several wounds, but it managed to get one more swing at Feraligatr, and that was all the time Pikachu needed to charge up and deliver an aura-filled Thunder on Feralitgatr.

The big jaw Pokemon roared in pain as Pikachu shocked it with everything it had. Pikachu didn't think it had ever tried to shock something so hard in its life. The yellow rodent was actually beginning to sweat with how much it was trying. The electric attack went on for at another least ten seconds before it finally stopped. Feraligatr stood in surprise for a moment before it made a gagging noise and fell over. It had actually fainted and been defeated.

Silver was slumped against the wall on the other side of the group and looked at his fallen Feraligatr before he looked to where Ash was only to see him not there anymore. Silver was then grabbed by aura-covered hands and had his face slammed into the wall by Ash this time. Ash then began punching Silver with everything he had. He wasn't going to let Silver hurt him, his family, or his friends anymore. With each successive punch, Ash got even more satisfaction.

"I'm not letting you hurt us ever again! I hate you!" Ash hollered as he continued to swing at Silver. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Ash!"

Ash suddenly stopped mid-swing at Silver once Brock called his name and stared at his aura-covered hands. He was still glowing blue, but there was a dark tint to it like it was trying to change color. The only other type was red which indicated dark aura. His righteous anger to protect his friends against Silver had quickly morphed into a rage that almost matched Silver himself. Red had warned Ash about this several times before. Ash couldn't let his emotions control him like that.

Ash took a deep breath as the glow disappeared, and the aura went away, too. He turned to look at Serena, Brock, and Misty, and saw them staring at him in concern. He couldn't blame them. It seemed they were just as aware about what was happening to Ash as he was. Ash then chanced a look at Silver.

The red-haired man's face was swollen, and his nose was bloody. Though Ash had seen much worse before, it probably wouldn't have taken much longer for the bruises to become much more severe, especially if Ash's aura had managed to shift into red.

Silver was still conscious as he looked at Ash in front of him. For the first time Ash had seen him, Silver looked a little worried, but it was only for a second. It soon morphed back into his usual scowl, but it was clear he wasn't going to fight anymore. With that, Ash backed away to give Silver some space. Surprising, it was also Silver who spoke first.

"So, you're an aura user, too. Just like Red," Silver said as he wiped some blood away from his mouth.

"Yeah," Ash replied slowly.

"Heh. You really were blessed with a better life than me. You got everything," Silver muttered.

"And you didn't?" Ash retorted.

"Of course not," Silver responded, and Ash was surprised there wasn't any more hostility in the sentence. Just remorse. He then continued. "You were born into a family where parents loved you and didn't have to lie to you. You weren't the son of a criminal. Look at you. You have friends who will fight for you every time you're in danger. You're a happy goody two-shoes who grew up without a care in the world. You're living out your dream to be a Pokemon Master but still have a home waiting for you despite all that. You have the life I should've had!"

The last sentence was delivered with such force that the group actually winced a little. Silver then turned away from the group, and if they didn't know better, they could've sworn they heard a sob, but only if they really listened for it.

"Is that a reason to go around acting like a jerk to everyone?" Ash suddenly asked, and Silver spun around to face him. "Is that a reason to ruthlessly murder every Rocket member you see?"

"Yes," Silver replied. "Destroying Team Rocket is the only thing I have to live for. It's the only way I'll finally have my revenge on Giovanni."

"And then what?" Ash questioned with a hard glare. "What will you do after that?"

This questioned seemed to catch Silver off guard. The red-haired man opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. He then put on a thoughtful expression as he tried to find the appropriate answer. Ash frowned that it was taking Silver so long to answer such a simple question, and it only grew deeper when Silver finally answered.

"I don't know," Silver said. "I have nothing else to live for."

"So, you're just going to continue to go around aimlessly by yourself?" Ash asked hotly.

"I guess so," Silver muttered. "The truth be told…I'm just tired of living."

Ash widened his eyes at the statement before his look softened a little. Serena, Brock, and Misty were all looking at him the same way. It was then they all realized just how pitiful Silver truly was. He was a man who had no hopes or dreams in his life. The only thing he cared about was revenge on Team Rocket. That was his only driving force. He may have once had a dream to be a strong Pokemon trainer when he first started his journey, but that was all gone now. After this was all over, Silver said it himself. He would have nothing to live for.

"It doesn't have to be that way," Ash said after a moment. "The only reason your life is like this is because you chose it to be this way."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Silver asked as he fixed Ash with a glare.

"Just the way it sounded. You may claim you left home to get away from Mom. You may say all your friends left you when they all found out you were the son of Giovanni. You may think the world is against you, but it's only like that because you made it so," Ash elaborated.

"Pfft. What do you know?" Silver spat. "You don't know what I've been through."

"I know enough," Ash insisted. "Mom has clearly shown she still loves you despite what you think. Don't even think for a second to tell me that a single person hasn't shown you kindness since they found out you were Giovanni's son."

Silver stared at Ash for a moment before he began to think. He still remembered the awful memory of everyone abandoning him. He still remembered all the lies he was fed, and how sinister Giovanni was that night when he told Silver that he was his real father. Even so, he also remembered that Delia still tried to show she loved him. He could still remember the aftermath of the incident when they moved to Pallet Town.

Silver had no one his own age who wanted to play with him, but there was one girl who saw him every day…Daisy…was her name? Blue's daughter and Professor Oak's granddaughter. He had no doubt that she knew the truth about him, but despite that, she still wanted to play with him every day. Did she truly not care about who he really was? Silver ignored her most of the time since she was a few years younger than him, but the few times he did give in, he actually had fun.

All the adults were still kind to him, too…like Blue, Rose, and Yellow. Professor Oak even let Silver come over to play with the Pokemon on his ranch. They really did try to help him, but Silver didn't let anyone in. He had left his home with no regrets to start his journey. Ever since then, he had been alone and hadn't tried to get close to anyone.

He came across several people who would be friendly to him and offer to travel with him, but Silver would reject their offer outright. If they knew he was the son of a criminal, they would surely abandon him just like all of his other friends did, but would they?

Silver realized he never gave anyone a chance. He had been so affected by his ordeal that he assumed that everyone else would treat him the same way. Just because his childhood friends had abandoned him, Silver thought everyone else would do the same. Even so, everyone whom he met on his journey treated him with kindness despite Silver not showing any in return. Had they genuinely tried to be his friend? The gym leader, Jasmine, was even friendly to him despite the fact that she knew how terribly he treated Ash and of his quest for vengeance. What would they have done if they knew the truth?

"Even if there was, they would've shunned me as soon as they found out I was Giovanni's son," Silver replied.

"You don't know that!" Ash exclaimed. "Just because you had one bad experience…okay…a really bad experience, you're going to assume everyone else is the same?! Those kids probably abandoned you because they didn't understand! Not everyone would've done that! There are some people out there who know that you're your own person, and your family doesn't shape who you are. I bet if your old friends were to see you today, they might even try to be friends with you again!"

Silver merely grunted.

"I'll tell you why they wouldn't like you, though!" Ash continued. "They wouldn't like you because you treat everyone like a jerk and mindlessly kill every Rocket member you see! It would have nothing to do because you're Giovanni's son!"

"Tch…so what am I supposed to do?" Silver asked pointedly.

There was a pause before Ash answered. "You can start by letting people into your life and changing yourself. You can realize that there are still people out there who care about you. There are people out there who still would like you even if they knew you were Giovanni's son. There's still a lady out there who loves you even though she knows how horrible you've become."

Ash didn't need to say who it was for Silver to know Ash was talking about their mother. Silver had seen her for the first time in over ten years today. She tried her very hardest to talk to him, but he immediately shut her out. What would she have said if he gave her a chance to speak? Did she really…

"You don't have to be alone if you don't want to," Ash stated once he saw Silver didn't respond. "You only became this way because you chose to whether you believe it or not. I bet if you were to go talk to Mom right now, she'd welcome you back."

Silver cast his eyes away from Ash, but Ash's next sentence really got his attention.

"Also, You…," Ash began as though saying the next part was a little painful. "…would have a brother, too. If you actually stopped hating me, we could probably get along. I'd forgive you for everything you've done to me and to mom and to all of my friends. I'd forgive you for killing all of these Rocket members, too."

Silver was surprised at that statement, but it wasn't his usually angry, revolted surprise. It almost looked like it was pleasant surprise. There wasn't hostility in his eyes at all. Even Ash was a little surprised he said it. He half expected Silver to punch him for making such a suggestion, but he didn't. Ash knew there was no going back so he walked up to Silver and held his hand out to him.

"Let's…be brothers, for a change. Let Mom back into your life. Let me in. I know you may feel like I took everything from you, and I know that's why you hate me. None of that is true, though. I'm happy and have a lot of friends because I chose this. You can, too, if you try."

Silver stared at Ash's open hand for a moment. Nobody in the room was saying anything. Even their Pokemon were watching quietly. Silver's Feraligatr was starting to wake up, but even it had lost the hostility in its eyes and wanted to know what its trainer would say. Silver took a deep breath, and for a shining second, Ash believed Silver was going to accept the handshake.

"No."

Ash stared at Silver like he couldn't believe what he just heard. He had just given Silver every possible reason he could think of to change his ways, and he still said no?!

"I'm sorry, but no," Silver repeated quietly and turned away from Ash. "It's too late for all that. It's too late for me."

"You know, it's as Ash said. It doesn't have to be. I'm willing to give you a chance, too," Serena tried.

"It's not that," Silver said with a shake of his head. "I can't change just like that. I've been on this path for so long, it's like I don't know anything else. I'm just…tired…of everything."

Silver then returned his Feraligatr and turned back to the group. He then began slowly walking down one of the corridors, but it was like he had no purpose. The group could see the look on his face, and he appeared to be so defeated. They had never seen anybody look so miserable in their life. It was as if all the life had been sucked out of Silver, and all that's left was an empty shell.

"Look, that Rocket I just killed told me that everyone who was captured isn't too far up ahead that way," Silver said and pointed in the opposite direction he was going. "Go on and save everyone."

"What about you?" Ash asked.

"I…don't know," Silver sighed. "I don't know anything anymore, except for one thing. I have…nothing."

With that, Silver kept walking and soon disappeared around a corner. Ash almost went after him but found himself unable to. Instead, he let out an exhale of breath and turned the opposite direction where Silver had gone. Ash had managed to get Silver off his quest for revenge, but he still couldn't help him. Truthfully, it did hurt a little. Ash soon felt Brock's hand rest on his shoulder.

"I hate to say it, Ash, but sometimes there's nothing you can do," Brock said solemnly. "Some people, like Silver, really do reach a point where they can't come back. It hurts, I know. Still, I think the only person who can help Silver now is Silver himself."

"I wonder," Ash began as he let his shoulders slump, "If me thinking I could help Silver was just arrogance on my part."

"I don't think that was it," Serena stepped in as she came over to Ash. "You wanted to help Silver because you care about others. You weren't doing it for yourself."

"There's still too much bad blood between you two for him to accept your offer," Brock added. "Maybe one day, he'll come around."

"I hope so, for Mom's sake, as well," Ash replied.

"Hey," Serena interjected gently. "We still need to save the workers and Professor Oak."

"Yeah. I'll start with what I can do. I'll at least be able to save them," Ash stated and adjusted his cap.

With that, they began walking again in the direction Silver pointed them to. As they went, Serena inwardly breathed a sigh of relief that Brock was able to snap Ash out of beating up Silver before his dark aura began to take effect. Serena didn't reveal this to anyone, but at the time, she was kind of hoping Ash would've killed Silver, too, and it frightened her.

* * *

A few minutes later, the group stepped into an open area. Thankfully, they hadn't run into any more Rockets along the way. Maybe Silver had killed them all? Regardless, it was a bit of blessing that they hadn't run into any opposition. Clearly, the trap that Domino had mentioned to them had failed. They had probably planned for the group to get ambushed, but with Silver already having been through here, that wasn't likely.

The noticed a door off to the right as well as a path that kept going forward. The group exchanged glances with each other before they made their way over to the door. The was a sign next to it that read _No Entry_ , but that usually meant they should check it out. Ash pulled on the door only to discover that it was indeed locked. He then knocked lightly on the door, and gasped when he heard a voice.

"Who's there?" came the voice of Professor Oak.

"Professor Oak!" Ash cried as everyone's else gasped, as well. "Are you okay?!"

"Ash? Is that you, my boy?" Professor Oak asked in surprise.

"Yeah! It's us!" Ash replied as he began to pull on the door knob in a futile attempt to open it. "Grrr…it's locked."

"I can't believe you actually made it all the way down here?" Professor Oak exclaimed from the other side.

"Well, we did run into a little bit of trouble," Ash admitted. "We're just glad you're okay. Is anyone else with you?"

"Yes. We're all here!" Professor Oak confirmed. "Looker is in here, as well, but he's knocked out. I think he suffered a nasty hit to the head before he was brought in."

The group looked at each other. That explained what had happened to Looker. He probably had figured out everything but was discovered and taken down here with all the other workers. They had to free everyone. Also, if they could wake Looker, he could probably alert the police and have this place swarming with police in a matter of minutes. Ash then turned to Brock.

"Hey, Brock. I know Graveler is knocked out, but do you have any other Pokemon that could probably break down the door?" he asked.

"No," Brock muttered. "The only ones I have are Vulpix, Pineco, Bonsly, Graveler, Stantler, and Golbat."

"And Ursaring was too badly injured fighting Silver," Serena said.

"Phanpy's not strong enough," Ash said more to himself than the others before he turned back to the door. "Professor Oak, do you know who has the key to here?"

"There were guards here in this room all along. They have them," Professor Oak replied before he realized something. "Wait. Didn't you take care of them?"

"No. This room was…empty…," Ash trailed as he and the others were soon put on alert. Was this the trap Domino had been talking about? Someone was probably watching their every move, and if that was true…

"You're not taking another step!"

The group spun around, and they were both surprised and confused when they saw who was coming from around the corner. It was none other than Jessie, James, and Meowth. The trio had determined and serious expressions on their faces as they stared at the group in front of them.

"You guys? What are you doing here?" Ash questioned.

"We're here to stop you, of course!" Jessie answered.

"You are? Wait. You're still with Team Rocket?! We thought you quit! You said so yourselves!" Serena accused.

"Well, we did, but we decided to join them again," James replied.

"Why?" Ash asked. "After they treat you so horribly, and the fact that they know you helped us stop them at Lake of Rage? What could you possibly gain by being a part of Team Rocket again?"

"Don't question us! Now, get in that room along with the other captives, and we won't have to hurt you," Jessie growled.

"So, that means you guys have the key," Ash figured.

"And we have no intention of giving it to you twerps, either!" James finished.

"Something's not right," Brock interrupted as he stepped forward. "We know for a fact that you guys wouldn't be a part of Team Rocket again unless they promised you something. What was it?"

"Arbok! Shut that twerp up with your Poison Sting!" Jessie shouted and threw forward her pokeball.

The cobra Pokemon appeared and gave a savage look to the group before it shot out the glowing needles from its mouth. The group gasped and jumped out of the way before they turned back to the Team Rocket group. They didn't have much time to relax as they soon saw Meowth leaping at them with its claws extended. Pikachu leaped forward as well and intercepted the attack with its Iron Tail. The two Pokemon were interlocked with each other before it ended in a stalemate, and they jumped away from the other.

"Why are you doing this?!" Ash shouted.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be! Our orders were to kill you, but if you surrender right now, we won't have to do that," Jessie panted.

Ash grit his teeth before he noticed something strange about Jessie, James, and Meowth. Though the trio had just attack them and was looking them with resolute expressions, it didn't show to the bottom half of their bodies. Their knees were shaking. Ash suddenly understood what was going on and looked back up to them.

"I get it," Ash muttered. "You guys are being threatened, aren't you?"

It was then the trio began to shake even more once Ash made the accusation. Their determined expressions shattered, and tears began to stream down their faces. The façade was gone, and they now looked to be nervous wrecks more than anything.

"They'll kill us if we don't stop you!" Jessie suddenly screeched hysterically. "Proton found us near the Lake of Rage and came close to killing us. He almost really did to James and Meowth! I couldn't stand to see them like that! Proton only agreed to spare our lives if we killed you!"

"We don't really want to kill you," James said. "We have to, though."

"You twerps have been good to us lately so yes, it hurts, and we don't really want to do it, but there's no way out," Meowth added.

"Wobba! Wobba!" Wobbuffet finished as it popped out of its pokeball. It looked scared, as well.

"So, we've saved you lives twice before, and this is how you repay us…by taking ours?" Ash asked lowly.

"Yeah. We admit it! We're scum so deal with it!" Jessie shouted before she shouted. "Now, are you going to send your Pokemon out so we can battle? We won't wait around much longer for you to defend yourselves."

"Ash, isn't there anything we can do?" Serena asked hopefully.

Ash began to wrack his brain as he tried to think of something. They knew that Jessie, James, and Meowth didn't really want to harm them, but they felt like there was no other alternative. Surely, there had to be something that they hadn't thought of. The trio said they would be killed if they failed. Ash had actually sort of grown to like them since the Lake of Rage, and he didn't want to battle them, either. What could he do?

"Victreebel! Use Razor Leaf!" James called and threw forth his own pokeball.

The flytrap Pokemon also appeared from its pokeball and began throwing forth razor sharp leaves. It didn't even try to eat James this time. The group was forced to throw themselves out of the way again which snapped Ash out of his train of thought. He wouldn't have time to think if they kept attacking them! Then again, Brock's words from earlier rang in his head…that he couldn't save everyone. Was Team Rocket another one of those cases? Did he really have to defeat them and let them die at the hands of Team Rocket to save the radio tower?

"Those were just warning shots! Our Pokemon won't miss again! You better prepare for battle, now!" Jessie warned.

"So, you guys are serious," Ash frowned.

"Of course we are! We've never been any more serious in our lives!" Meowth hissed and extended his claws again.

"Fine, then," Ash said as he turned his hat backwards. "I'm sorry. If you guys are going to stand in our way of stopping Team Rocket and rescuing everyone, I'll do what needs to be done."

"Pika," Pikachu uttered as it stepped forward and sparked its cheeks.

"Is there really no other way?" Serena asked. "Maybe we could help you? If you let us save everyone, and we stop Team Rocket, you wouldn't have to worry about them killing you."

"If only it were that simple, twerpette," Meowth sighed.

"Those Rockets are probably going to be down here to kills us the moment we lose. You may be able to stop them while they're taking care of us, but there's no way we'll make it," James said sorrowfully.

"Enough of this!" Jessie growled as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. "We have to stop you, now!"

With that, the Team Rocket trio had out all their Pokemon. Arbok, Weezing, Victreebel, Wobbuffet, and even Meowth all stood at the ready.

Ash frowned to himself. Could he really not save as many people as he thought even though he was the Chosen One? Pikachu got ready, and Ash sent out Croconaw, as well. He could only send out so many due to room's small area. Serena sent out Fennekin. Brock sent out Golbat. Misty sent out Starmie. It was a perfectly even match, now.

"We know your Pokemon are stronger, our lives are on the line! We aren't going to hold back!" Jessie declared.

"I know," Ash muttered before his face became one of determination, as well. "We won't, either."

* * *

 **So, Silver's become nothing more than an empty shell with no motivation. What's he going to do now? Ash finally beat him, but it was pretty hollow victory.**

 **The Team Rocket trio is going to be fighting to the death next chapter. Naturally, it won't be such a simple blast off as you see in the anime every episode. They are most serious, but so is the other side. Hopefully, something good will come out of it.  
**

 **The next the chapter will hopefully be out sooner rather than later. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 61: The Master Plan**


	61. The Master Plan

**A/N: Here's the next chapter everyone! Everything's heating up! I hope you all enjoy the chapter as a lot things happen in it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 61: The Master Plan

"Arbok, Poison Sting attack!" Jessie said shrilly and pointed her index finger forward.

"Weezing! Sludge Attack! Victreebel, Razor Leaf!" James hollered

The cobra Pokemon lunged forward and began shooting the several glowing needles from its mouth again. Weezing opened its mouth and released the disgusting sludge while Victreebel shot forward the many sharp leaves. The group got into a battle stance as they prepared for the moves.

"Fennekin, use Flamethrower to stop the Razor Leaf!" Serena told it.

"Golbat, I need you to endure the Poison Sting and retaliate with Confuse Ray!" Brock commanded.

"Starmie, cut through the sludge with Psychic!" Misty said.

The three Pokemon used the attacks, and it wasn't long before the Rockets' attacks had disintegrated. Golbat then whipped around the room and used Confuse Ray on Arbok. The cobra Pokemon's eyes glowed for a moment before they started spinning as it had become confused.

Ash was about to smile and tell Golbat and Brock that was a good job, but Meowth was leaping for him again. Meowth latched onto Ash's arm with one his paws and used the other one to try to swipe at Ash's face.

"Take this!" Meowth cried as his claws glowed to prepare for a Slash attack.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu exclaimed and knocked Meowth off Ash with an Iron Tail.

Meowth went skidding across the ground and slowed to a stop. It then slowly got up and saw Pikachu standing in front it with its cheeks sparked. Meowth glared at the yellow rodent and crouched low. Pikachu got on all fours, and the two sprang at each other.

Pikachu launched a Thunderbolt in Meowth's direction, and Meowth took the brunt of the attack and cried out in pain from the attack. Meowth than fell to the ground as Pikachu flipped through the air and started glowing its tail to use Iron Tail again. However, Meowth was nimbler than it looked and rolled out of way. Pikachu's Iron Tail slammed into the ground, and Meowth grabbed Pikachu from behind.

"Fury Swipes!" Meowth shouted and began to claw at Pikachu repeatedly.

"Leave Pikachu alone!" Ash hollered and charged at Meowth to help Pikachu, but he was rammed into a nearby wall by James.

"Don't count Jessie and me out of the fight, either! We're battling, too!" James said.

"Fine then!" Ash hollered back and tackled James instead.

Meanwhile, Arbok was still confused and was randomly charging at both friends and foe alike. Though it was attacking its allies, too, the Confuse Ray was almost doing as much harm as good because of Arbok's unpredictable and wild movements.

"Watch it, Arbok!" Jessie shouted as her Arbok pointed its Poison Sting attack at her.

"Wobba!" Wobbuffet shouted to jump in and save the day. It used its Counter attack which sent the Poison Sting right back at Arbok. The cobra Pokemon grit its teeth before it went back to attacking whatever was closest by. Jessie looked gratefully at Wobbuffet.

"Thank you, you big blue blob," she told it.

"Woooba," Wobbuffet said modestly and blushed.

"Don't let it go to your head! We still have to beat those twerps!" she shouted.

"Wooooobbuffet!" Wobbuffet cried and went back to the battle.

Croconaw was battling Weezing while James and Ash were duking it out. It was like the two trainers were in perfect sync with each other. Every time Ash would land a blow against James, Croconaw would land a hit on Weezing. The reverse also held true.

Serena ran forward to help Ash, but she soon bumped into the confused Arbok. The cobra Pokemon glared savagely at Serena before it snaked around her body and began to squeeze. Serena squirmed inside its grip until she was immobile and couldn't move her limbs anymore. Ash, Brock, and Misty saw what was happening and immediately stopped what they were doing to rush to her aid. They couldn't use really strong attacks to get Arbok to release Serena otherwise they might hit her, too.

"Golbat, rush in, and try to save Serena," Brock commanded.

Golbat nodded and flew forward swiftly before it bit into Arbok's hood and began to use Mega Drain. Arbok grimaced and looked around dizzily before the confusion appeared to wear off. Now that it had its mind back, Arbok turned around to Golbat while still squeezing Serena and went to bite it. Golbat moved swiftly out of the way before Arbok launched a Gunk Shot at Golbat.

"Get off me!" Ash growled to James. "Serena's being crushed to death!"

"…I know," James said sorrowfully as he held Ash down. "We have to do what needs to be done. I don't want to watch, either, which is why I'm purposely turned away."

"Croconaw!" Ash hollered.

Croconaw turned away from Weezing and used Water Gun on James. The blue-haired man was sprayed with the cold water and knocked off Ash. Unfortunately, since it had turned away, Weezing was able to get a good Sludge attack on it. Croconaw as knocked to the ground, and Weezing followed up with a Sludge Bomb this time. The attack exploded on Croconaw as Weezing slammed down on top of it twice for a Double Hit.

Ash wanted to help his Pokemon for saving it, but he also had to save Serena. He was running for Arbok as fast as he could. The snake Pokemons saw him coming and shot an Acid attack at Ash. The raven-haired boy's eyes widened, and he leaped out of the way. He was then joined by Brock and Misty as the three began to tug on Arbok's body to get it to loosen its grip on Serena. Arbok was relentless, however, and continued to attack the three.

The honey-haired girl began gasping as she felt her body getting even tighter. Serena closed her eyes and tried to scream, but no voice was coming out because Arbok's grip was getting so tight. Golbat and Starmie came back and Starmie began using Rapid Spin by hitting Arbok in the head while Golbat was using Bite attack. While the attacks were doing damage, they weren't doing enough as Arbok refused to release its hold on Serena. Arbok knew its life was on the line so it was enduring as many attacks as it could to get the job done.

"Keep squeezing, Arbok!" Jessie encouraged.

"Grr…"Ash growled to himself as he was getting fed up with them now and turned to Pikachu. "Pikachu, we need you!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried after it had just taken a Slash attack from Meowth before it abandoned the fight to help Serena.

"Oh no, you don't!" Meowth hollered and pounced on Pikachu.

"Chu!" Pikachu grunted once Meowth landed on it.

Meowth then used his arm to cover Pikachu's cheek pouches so it couldn't use any electric attacks. He then gave a dark look to Pikachu and extended his claws to run Pikachu through.

"I'm sorry," Meowth uttered before he shoved his sharp claws forward to slice up Pikachu.

Pikachu closed its eyes to prepare its demise, but it didn't come. Pikachu felt Meowth thrown off of him, and it turned its head to see Ash had tackled Meowth himself, and the two were rolling along the ground. Meowth gave a snarl once they were untangled and began to savagely scratch Ash.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried in alarm.

"Don't worry about me! Just save Serena!" Ash grimaced as Meowth slashed his face.

Pikachu knew Ash was in trouble, but he wasn't in danger as much as Serena. The yellow rodent dashed across the room and weaved its way around the other battles going on before it reached Arbok. It then leaped high into the air and charged up its tail since it couldn't use Thunderbolt without risking to hurt Serena.

Arbok turned just as Pikachu was swing its tail. The cobra Pokemon was smashed in the face, and the force was great enough for it to finally let go of Serena. The honey-haired girl dropped to the floor and began coughing as air tried to rush back to her lungs.

"Serena, are you okay?!" Misty asked as she and Brock ran to help her up.

"I think…so. My chest really hurts, though," Serena gasped.

"Just try to take it easy," Brock said gently as they pulled Serena as far away from all the battles as they could.

Starmie and Golbat could now properly fight Arbok again, but Wobbuffet had joined the battle and was acting as Arbok's shield by using Counter or Mirror Coat when one of the two Pokemon would use an attack.

Pikachu was hurrying back to Ash and leaped over a Razor Leaf that Victreebel shot towards Fennekin. The fox Pokemon was doing well at fending off Victreebel's attacks due to the type advantage, but Victreebel was still stronger physically so Fennekin was getting a little worn out.

Pikachu then rammed into Meowth who went rolling along the ground again. It then was able to deliver a nice Thunderbolt to Meowth to get its attention off Ash. Meowth grimaced and dropped to one knee while Pikachu turned to Ash.

"I'm fine, Pikachu," Ash muttered even though his physical condition seemed to say different since he was covered in scratches.

"This is crazy!" Misty cried out to the trio. "If this keeps up, neither us or our Pokemon will be able to fight anymore!"

"That's what we want!" Jessie shouted back. "At least we would've stopped you!"

Victreebel then shot out a Vine Whip and quickly wrapped it around Fennekin which completely immobilized it. Victreebel then swung its Vine Whip upward in an attempt to place Fennekin inside its mouth.

Brock's Golbat quickly flew over and cut the Vine Whip with an Air Slash. Fennekin was dropped to the ground, and Brock went over to quickly unwrap the vines from around it. While he was doing so, he heard a shout of warning

"Brock! Look out!" Misty screamed.

Brock turned and saw a Razor Leaf right in front of him. Golbat immediately used Air Slash to try to stop it, but it didn't make it in time. Brock screamed in pain as he felt the Razor Leaf strike him. Sharp leaf after leaf dug into his skin as Brock took the full force of the attack and was thrown backwards. He landed a short distance away and feebly stirred as he had some pretty deep wounds.

"Brock!" Misty screamed again as she and Ash ran to him. Serena crawled over, as well.

All three checked Brock as his Golbat flew over, as well. Brock was bleeding pretty badly. He was gasping and grimacing in pain and he laid on the ground. Even the Team Rocket trio found the Pokemon breeder's condition hard to watch, they had to get back to the battle at hand.

"Come on, Brock. You'll be okay," Ash said as he frantically tried to think of something to save him.

Misty gently picked up Brock's head to place in her lap while Ash turned and saw how all of their Pokemon were faring. Everyone appeared to be on equal grounds, but they were all starting to take some serious damage. This fight couldn't go on any longer, especially with Brock now out of commission.

Brock saw his Golbat staring at him in worry and shook his head.

"Don't worry…about me, Golbat," Brock told it. "You need…to help everyone…else."

Golbat clicked its pincers as if to say it didn't want to leave its trainer's side until it saw Brock go limp. Misty tried to shake Brock for a little bit, but he had already passed out. Ash growled to himself and slammed his fist on the ground as Misty and Serena's eyes welled up with tears. If something didn't happen soon, Brock could potentially bleed out and die.

Everyone in the room then heard a screech, and they saw the source of the noise to be Brock's Golbat. The bat Pokemon took to the air as they all watched in wonder as it began to glow white. It grew bigger and sprouted an extra set of smaller wings. When it was done, Golbat had become a Crobat. It glared angrily at the Victreebel that was still fighting Fennekin. It would end this battle quickly for them daring to harm its beloved trainer like that.

Quick as a bullet, Crobat sliced through the air and cut across Victreebel with an Air Cutter. James' Victreebel screeched in pain and turned around to shoot a Sludge Bomb at Crobat, but the bat Pokemon once again seemed to disappear because it was moving so fast. While Victreebel was focused on Crobat, that finally gave Fennekin enough time to get a good Flamethrower off. The stream of fire flew through the air and straight into Victreebel. The plant Pokemon screamed in pain before it fell over, knocked out.

"No! Victreebel!" James cried as tears came to his eyes.

"Quit blubbering!" Jessie shouted. "We can't back down now!"

"Okay. We're tired of this. You guys have really done it," Ash said lowly as he stood up from beside Brock. "Now that you three have hurt Brock and Serena, we aren't letting you get away with it."

"We don't recall asking you to!" Meowth retaliated as he took another swipe at Pikachu.

"Let's finish this!" Ash hollered.

Now that Victreebel was knocked out, the group had gained the upper hand. Crobat flew over to Weezing and gave it a hard smack with its large wings. Weezing went sailing off, and Croconaw was finally able to stand up again. It tiredly gave a thumbs up to Crobat before it used Hydro Pump on Weezing. The gas Pokemon was pushed back until it slammed into wall. Fennekin then rushed over and used Flamethrower on Weezing. The gas Pokemon moaned in pain until it fell to the ground, as well.

Meanwhile, Starmie was constantly dodging Arbok's Poison Sting attacks. Every time it would get a good attack off, Wobbuffet would be quick to use Counter or Mirror Coat. It was clearly a lot faster than the poison snake and blub blob, but fighting two at once was quite hard. Thankfully, Crobat came swooping in so fast that Wobbuffet didn't have time to put up a Counter Attack. Wobbuffet was knocked away as Starmie finally found the opening it needed and used Psychic. The cobra Pokemon yelled in pain and fainted, as well. Meowth looked over upon seeing it was only him and Wobbuffet before Pikachu slammed an Iron Tail into Meowth's back.

The scratch cat Pokemon shrieked as he flew through the air and landed near Jessie and James. He gave a moan of pain as he couldn't fight anymore. Jessie and James then looked and saw all the group's Pokemon surround them, and they turned desperately to Wobbuffet who was simply standing there now that no one was attacking it.

"Come on, Wobbuffet! It's all up to you! We have to fight, or we'll die!" Jessie cried.

"Please!" James added.

"You can…do it," Meowth muttered.

"Wooooooobb," Wobbuffet said sadly. It couldn't attack unless it was attacked first.

"It's over," Ash told them.

"No, it's not!" Jessie shrieked.

With that, she and James charged at the group with everything they had. Ash couldn't help but pity them with how desperate they looked. Even after their Pokemon were defeated, they still wanted to fight. However, he had to stop them.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt," he uttered.

Pikachu shot out the electric attack from its cheeks, and it struck Jessie and James just before they reached the group. The two yelled and hollered in pain as the attack continued to shock them. Pikachu finally thought they had enough so it relented the attack. The two then fell on their hands and knees while Wobbuffet waddled over and worriedly looked at them.

Jessie and James closed their eyes and grit their teeth. In the end, they couldn't even do this one thing when their life literally depended on it. Their fists shook as they knew they didn't have chance at all for survival. They were either going to die at the hands of these kids or Team Rocket, and there was nothing they could do about it. They truly were failures.

Knowing that there was nothing the trio could do now, Ash hurriedly went to check back on Brock. Croconaw and Starmie were using a weak Water Gun to clean the blood away while Misty now time to get a small first aid kit out from Brock's backpack to help tend to his wounds.

"How is he?" Ash asked.

"I don't think he's in any immediate danger anymore, but he still needs to get to a hospital," Misty replied.

At that, Crobat gave a worried click of its pincers. Ash looked up at Crobat before he reached out and rubbed it.

"Hey. You did really well and helped turn the battle around. I'm sure Brock's really proud of you, right now. He'll be just fine," Ash told it.

Ash then heard a jingle behind him, and he turned around to see that James had taken out a key before he tossed it to the group. It landed with a small ding next to Ash, and the raven-haired boy turned to look at Jessie and James inquisitively.

"It's the key to the door," Jessie stated.

"You're just giving it to us?" Serena questioned.

"It doesn't matter," Jessie said sullenly. "We're dead no matter what we do."

"We don't want to die," James said as his voice shook. "That's why we had to fight you. Proton told us we had to kill you no matter what, and now, there are Rockets who are probably coming down right now. You need to free the workers and get out of here before it's too late. There isn't any hope for us."

"You got that right!"

Everyone turned at the new voice and discovered it was none other than the cruelest Rocket, Proton. The teal-haired man had a smirk on his face before he went over and began to kick Jessie and James in their sides repeatedly.

"You really are the pieces of worthless trash I thought you were," Proton sneered. "Out of the generosity of my good heart, I gave you losers a second chance, and you failed. I can't say I'm surprised, though. You never did amount to anything."

Jessie and James could only grunt in response with each kick Proton gave to them.

"Leave them alone!" Ash shouted as he stood up and glared at Proton.

"Or else what?" Proton snarled and turned to Ash before he pulled out a gun. "I'll deal with you kids in a second, but first, I'd like to kill these three."

Proton then clicked his gun as a warning for the rest of the group before he turned back to Jessie, James, and Meowth. The group knew they couldn't make any sudden movements, and they were too tired and injured to get to Proton before he would have a chance to pull the trigger.

"You know what? Since this is the end of your lives, I'll let you in on a little secret," Proton smirked as he leaned in closer to the trio. "I was going to kill you three anyway whether you stopped these brats or not."

Jessie, James, and Meowth paled and clenched their fists as Proton gave a menacing laugh at their expense. They really did fight these kids for nothing. Proton had turned them against the only people that had shown them kindness recently and made them believe they might have a chance at living, but it was ultimately futile. They were going to die, either way. Proton's deal at the Lake of Rage was nothing more than delaying the inevitable.

"You're despicable," Ash uttered as his fists shook. "How could you?"

"What?" Proton asked in surprise as he turned to Ash. "Don't tell me you actually care about these three losers? They did just try to kill you, after all."

"I don't care! They're still much better people than you could you ever be!" Ash shouted. "I've only seen you a few times, but I can already tell you have no moral or conscience! You treat all Pokemon and people horribly, and you don't even care! Even if it involved giving them intense pain, you're nothing more than a sadist! You're the worst!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth looked up at Ash in surprise. He had just told Proton what they had been wanting to tell him all along. He truly was a man who cared about no one but himself and had absolutely no redeeming qualities about him.

"You know what? I think I changed my mind. You're talking is getting on my nerves so I think I'll kill you first," Proton said as he pointed his gun at Ash.

Ash froze and took a deep breath as the others stared in fear. Something unexpected happened, though. Jessie and James got a burst of energy and leaped up before they tackled Proton. The teal-haired man gave a surprised yelp as he fell to the ground. The group watched as the three struggled and were unsure how to help. If their Pokemon helped they would undoubtedly hit Jessie and James, as well.

Proton gave a yell of rage and slammed his gun into James' face. James winced but used his free hand to punch Proton in the face which caused him to drop his gun. The gun landed with a clang by Jessie and James as Proton stood up. He had a look of pure ire in his eyes as he faced the group. Now that he wasn't armed, he was completely defenseless.

"It's over for you, too," Ash told him.

Proton's raged look softened before it turned into sigh. He then put his hands into the air.

"Fine. I surrender. I guess you'll go and free everyone and have that Looker guy arrest me. I'll save you the trouble so he can cuff me," Proton sneered and turned away from the group.

Serena was off to the side and saw a glimmer in Proton's pocket as he reached for it. Oh no!

"Ash!" Serena screamed in warning just as Proton drew another gun and turned around to kill him.

There was a gunshot that filled the room. Everyone was frozen in their place at what just transpired. Ash was gasping heavily, but it wasn't because he had been shot. It had just been a close call. Instead, all eyes were locked on Proton. The man had a bullet hole embedded in his chest that was bleeding out fast. Proton had a look of pure shock on his face as he slowly turned to see the one who shot him.

James was shakily holding Proton's gun as he kept it pointed at him. Proton gave a gurgling sound as his voice caught in his throat. His eyes widened as for a split second he knew what had happened to him. Then Proton fell backwards onto the floor in a sprawled out position. Proton, the cruelest member of all the Rockets…was dead.

James exhaled and dropped the gun he was holding. He looked like he was going to pass out at what he had just done. He wasn't about to let Proton kill him, his friends, and those kids, though. After Ash had said to Proton something they had always wanted to say, it gave him the power he needed to stand up to the man once and for all. He was still shaking, though.

"Wow. You actually saved us," Ash muttered.

"Y-y-yeah. I g-guess I di-did," James said shakily before he fell over.

"James!" Jessie cried as she caught him.

The blue-haired slowly looked up at Jessie and saw her smiling at him. He honestly hadn't seen her smile since the night they danced together on top of the radio tower. It made him really happy to see that look on her face. He wanted to say something heroic or something really cool. He wanted to say how he didn't want to lose her to Proton's evil hands. He could say how he was inspired to protect her and the others no matter what the cost. However, James had never been a very smooth talker. Instead, he just smiled back up at her.

"Hey, Jessie," James said.

"Hello to you, too, idiot," Jessie replied as tears came to her eyes. "How's your face?"

"Oh…umm…it's sore, but the thought of losing you was more painful," James attempted.

"Dang, Jimmy. I could smell that cheese all the way over here," Meowth muttered as he and the others groaned at how corny that sounded.

"Well, umm…," James said in embarrassment as he tried to think of something else.

"Just kiss me," Jessie finally said as she leaned in and pressed her lips against his.

James stiffened and his eyes widened from Jessie's kiss before he relaxed and kissed her back. The two stayed like taht for a moment as Meowth and Wobbuffet cheered. The group, meanwhile, was happy but was in shock. They had no idea there was romance going on between these two. They finally broke the kiss before they embraced. Pretty soon, Meowth and Wobbuffet joined in the hug. It was honestly the happiest they had been in a really long time. Ash couldn't help but smile himself. Even though they were enemies just a second ago, the trio didn't have to die. Maybe Ash could save someone after all.

It was then Ash remembered Professor Oak and the workers. He hastily picked up the key and went to unlock the door. He swung it open and was greeted by Professor Oak, Mary, as well as many others. They all had terrified looks on their faces as they looked around.

"Goodness, Ash! You're alright! What was going on out there?!" Professor Oak cried.

"Well, we had a bit of a fight to take care of, but it's all good now," Ash replied before he smiled. "It's good to see you safe, Professor."

"You, too, my boy, but are you sure everyone's alright?" Professor Oak asked.

"Well…," Ash trailed as he turned to Brock. "Brock was hit directly by a Razor Leaf."

Professor Oak looked and saw Brock still lying on the floor, unconscious. His Crobat hadn't left his side since the battle ended. Professor Oak knelt down and checked his pulse. He was no doctor, but he could at least tell if someone was in a life threatening situation. Once he was done, Professor Oak breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think Brock will be fine. His pulse seems to be normal," Professor Oak reported before he turned to Misty still bandaging him. "I'd say you did a good job patching him up."

"That's good to hear," Misty said.

"Young man?"

The voice caused everyone to turn, and they saw the real Director Hiro coming out of the room with Looker next to him. Looker was grimacing and rubbing his head as he had only just woken up. Director Hiro made his way over to Ash and extended his hand.

"I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, son. I'm Hiro, the director of the radio tower," he introduced.

"Do not worry. He is the real one," Professor Oak reassured with a slight smile.

"Oh! Hello, sir!" Ash replied and accepted the handshake.

"You actually came down here to save us from those crooks. I've been locked down here for months and given little to eat, but now that I'm free, I think I can get back to my duties," Director Hiro said.

"I think it would be best if you check in to the hospital just to make sure there isn't any damage to your body first. Who knows what being trapped in there for so long can do to you?" Professor Oak advised.

"Yes. I know, old friend," Hiro replied with a chuckle.

"Wow. You're a lot nicer than that fake Hiro," Misty joked.

"Thank you, miss. I love people and Pokemon. As long as we can all come together through my shows and music, I feel like I have done my job," Hiro stated.

"Now, that is something only the real Hiro would say," Professor Oak smiled.

Looker was next and clapped Ash on the shoulder. "Ash, Serena, Misty, thank you. I was able to uncover Team Rocket, but they got the jump on me and locked me down here."

"We're just glad you're okay, Looker," Ash responded.

"Now, that everyone's safe, what do we do now, Looker?" Serena inquired.

"Hmmm…," Looker mused as he folded his arms before his eyes settled on the trio. "You guys!"

"Umm…yes!?" the trio asked and jumped up to salute him.

"You were the guards. Did you have a walky-talkie available?" Looker asked them.

"Oh…umm…yes, sir!" they responded and handed him one.

"Thank you. I'll deal with you three in a moment," Looker said and chose to ignore that he just saw a talking Meowth.

"Wait, Looker!" Ash intervened. "Don't be too harsh on them. They've helped us on numerous occasions!"

"Weren't they the ones you were fighting outside the door?" Professor Oak questioned.

"Well…yeah…but they only did it because they were forced to!" Ash replied.

Everyone in the room looked at the trio who seemed uncomfortable. The three were no longer in danger from getting killed, but they still had an international police agent right in front of them. They didn't quite know how to respond.

"We were able to stop Team Rocket's radio wave transmission experiment in Mahogany Town thanks to them," Ash continued.

"Is that a fact?" Looker asked as he turned back to Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Yes," Jessie confirmed.

"Very well," Looker responded and turned to Brock. "We'll need to get him above ground and to a hospital. In the meantime, you three can tell us all of what you know about Team Rocket's plans."

"Us? Reveal the plan?" James asked and gulped.

"That's right. Do you know something?" Looker asked.

"Well, we sort of are the ones who are the cause of it," Meowth confirmed.

"What?" Ash questioned.

"We didn't want to go along with it!" Jessie defended. "We ran into the boss…err…ex-boss, and he made us do it!"

"You saw Giovanni!?" Ash exclaimed. "Where was he?!"

"Slow down, Ash," Professor Oak told him and placed his hands on Ash's shoulders to calm him.

"I read on the files on the computer that Giovanni is returning soon. What is it he's planning?" Looker asked and fixed the trio with a hard gaze.

Jessie, James, and Meowth hesitated. The truth was they were ashamed that they had gone along with such a plan and made it this far. They were hoping some sort of miracle would happen to where everything was ruined. If they revealed the plan, and it was known that they had a part in it, they would spend some serious time in jail.

"You have to tell us!" Serena cried. "If Giovanni is planning something that could bring Team Rocket back, he has to be stopped!"

"What do you think, Jessie?" James asked. "It looks like we'll be spending time in jail no matter what we do."

"Oh, fine," Jessie sighed before she took a deep breath and decided to get the biggest piece of news out of the way first. "Giovanni plans to capture Celebi."

An audible gasp was heard from their audience at that followed by a few murmurs of confusion. Some of them believed Celebi to be no more than a myth while others knew one hadn't been seen in over two hundred years. Even the ones who knew it existed remembered that it was a legendary Pokemon and wasn't easily obtainable.

"Capture Celebi?" Professor Oak asked in confusion this time.

"Celebi was the Pokemon we saw a shrine dedicated to that time we passed through Ilex Forest," Misty remembered. "Why would Giovanni want it? How would he even capture it?"

"He told us it was in a special gold and silver pokeball that had a GS symbol on it," James said.

"The GS ball!" Ash, Misty, Serena, and Professor Oak exclaimed at once.

"So, that was the legendary Pokemon in there," Professor Oak said to himself. "Does Giovanni have it?"

"W-we don't know," James answered honestly. "The last we heard of him was when we saw him in Tohjo Falls."

"So, how does this play into your task? What were you assigned to do?" Looker questioned.

"W-we were assigned to build a small machine at the radio tower using its radio waves," James replied. "Giovanni told us his scientists had been studying it for months and gave us the blueprints for it. It was supposed to be able to control Celebi."

"Control Celebi under its will?" Looker asked angrily. "And you agreed to this?"

"We didn't have a choice!" Jessie cried. "The boss could've killed us if we refused to obey him! We knew what we were doing was wrong!"

"Why does Giovanni want to control Celebi? What could he hope to gain?" Ash wondered.

"Well, as you know, Celebi is able to manipulate time and open up time portals," Professor Oak responded. "Giovanni must be wanting to manipulate events in the past to his own doing. Any man with that kind of power would be extremely dangerous."

"Do you know Giovanni's true goal?" Looker asked the trio.

"No. We don't. We asked him, but he just told us it's none of our business and that we would know soon enough," Jessie replied.

"This is very bad. A man like Giovanni can't have access to the GS ball. I must make a call to Kurt and make sure he never lets the GS ball out of his sight," Professor Oak said.

"I agree. If Giovanni's coming to the radio tower, we have to be prepared for his arrival. I'll need to get to a phone and call Officer Jenny to form a perimeter around the radio tower. No one that isn't a police agent goes in or out until Giovanni is caught. Meanwhile, the police go in and arrest all the remaining Rockets. Now that all the workers are safe, Team Rocket has no one they can use for hostages now," Looker added before he turned to the dead Proton. "I assume…that he was the cause of the gunfire we heard."

"Yes," Serena confirmed. "He tried to kill us, but we were saved thanks to them."

"Are there any others?" Looker questioned.

The group frowned and looked down. Yeah. There were a bunch of other dead Team Rocket members, but they were more mutilated than anything. They resembled more about what the group had seen in the alleyway not long ago. The worst part was when they saw Silver kill someone right in front of them. The recent memory still brought chills to them.

"I see," Looker said solemnly as he got the message. "Do you all know who did that? Something tells me it wasn't you."

Ash looked back down to the ground. Here was the moment. He could confess Silver's crimes, and he would probably be taken to jail along the Rockets. Sure. It may have been criminals he was killing, but that didn't take away how brutal he was, and it still qualified as murder as he wasn't protecting anyone while doing so. Ash took a deep breath.

"His name was Silver," Ash muttered.

"Silver?" Professor Oak questioned as he raised his eyebrows. "Delia's other son?"

"Yes…my…brother," Ash mumbled.

"Do you know where he is, now?" Looker pressed.

"We don't. He went off into another part of the tunnel. I don't think he'll kill anymore Rockets, though," Ash inquired.

Looker nodded solemnly and walked up to Ash. The raven-haired boy looked up and saw Looker was giving him a kind and understanding look.

"I can tell this memory brings pain to you so I won't ask anymore," Looker said. "We'll try to search for him based off what you just told me."

"Thank you," Ash replied gratefully.

"With that, I have a call to make, but the Rockets stripped my gear when they captured me" Looker said and turned to the Team Rocket trio. "Do you know where they put them?"

"They should have all your belongings up ahead," Meowth answered and pointed. "The room after that one should be the exit to the underground mall."

"I'll make a call to get an ambulance for Brock," Professor Oak said and turned to Misty. "May I borrow your Pokegear?"

"Oh. Sure," Misty replied as she handed it to him.

"We have no time to lose then," Looker nodded before he turned to the trio. "I have to reclaim my Pokegear. I'll have someone restrain you three as soon as we're free. Nobody let them out of your sight."

"You're going to arrest them?" Ash questioned.

"Ash, I have to. They may have helped you and revealed all they know willingly, but that doesn't erase all their past actions," Looker told him as he took off.

Ash remembered Officer Jenny had told him the same thing back at the Lake of Rage. He just wished there could be another way. Nobody said anything for a moment as they were all lost in their own thoughts. Ash then looked up and saw the trio was actually smiling at him.

"Hey. It's okay, twerp," Jessie replied.

"Yeah. We may be going to jail, but it's a lot better than working for Team Rocket and being worried for our lives," Meowth added.

"We can always start fresh when we get out," James reassured.

Ash couldn't help but smile a little bit himself. They were still going to be arrested, but there was no denying they deserved it. Everyone knew they had to. Even so, the trio was okay with it, and now that there was no danger on their lives, Ash had managed to save them. Ash truly believed everything would work out okay, after all. As long as the police got there first and arrested Giovanni and the remaining Rockets, and he never got a hold of Celebi, everything would be okay.

Looker came running back in a hurry and was still on his Pokegear, but the serious look on his face told them all wasn't well.

"No perimeter! I want every police agent in Goldenrod City to storm the radio tower and arrest every Rocket you see! We're out of time!" Looker shouted.

"What's wrong?" Misty asked.

"The police of Goldenrod were just informed by Kurt that Giovanni has captured Celebi and is making his way to Goldenrod Radio Tower right now!" Looker informed them.

"What?! How?! Is that possible?!" several people were murmuring.

Ash's eyes lit up with worry. He now understood that this was the disaster Suicune had warned him about. This had to be the incident that would cause Celebi to appear. The GS ball was probably acting up at Kurt's house which caused Celebi to appear. Now, Giovanni took advantage of that opportunity and captured it, but how did he do it? What happened? There were still so many things that he didn't know. Unfortunately, Looker appeared to be in no mood for explanation as he was ordering that everyone needed to get out of here now and to safety. He then abruptly turned to Ash.

"Ash, the police are going full force in the radio tower! Are you sure there are no other hostages in there?" Looker asked.

"Well, we left my mom in an unexplored room…oh no," Ash muttered as fright came to his face.

If the police were going to be storming the radio tower, the Rockets would probably be running all over the place whether it be hiding or possibly fighting back. If that was the case, his mom was sure to be discovered. If she was, there was no telling what would happen to her.

"There isn't a moment to lose," Looker said as he took off along with Professor Oak and the radio tower workers.

Soon, only Ash, Serena, Brock, Misty, and the trio were left in the room, and they returned their Pokemon and Brock's Crobat. Serena and Misty went to lift Brock on their shoulders to carry him, but they were surprised when Jessie and James took Brock from them. The two then gave a nod to them.

"We'll take care of the twe-twe-Brock and make sure he gets to the ambulance. It's our fault he's like this anyway. You all should head to the radio tower," James told them.

If the situation wasn't so serious, the group would've laughed at how much James had struggled to call Brock by his real name. Instead they gave a grateful although still somewhat surprised look to the them.

"Thanks, guys. We knew you weren't bad deep down," Serena replied.

"Oh! Just go!" Jessie shouted.

The group then went to hurry after Looker, but they were stopped by Jessie calling out to them once more.

"One more thing," Jessie said and took a deep breath. "Stop Team Rocket."

"We will," Ash responded with a nod and a smile.

With that, they all took off after Looker, Professor Oak, and the other workers.

* * *

Police cars were swarming the radio tower by the time the group got back to it from the underground passage from the mall. Upon seeing the police, the Rocket members guarding the outside scattered. Some immediately threw their hands up in surrender while others scrambled inside the building while a few even ran for it. Of course, the police officers would catch up to them and immediately apprehend them. The radio tower had become a madhouse in such a short time. Now, that there were apparently no more hostages and Giovanni had danger of coming back, the police were free to choose whatever means necessary to capture all the Rockets.

Looker, Ash, Serena, and Misty were at the entrance door in seconds. They were hurrying past other cops, and some already were even carrying out Rocket members in cuffs. The police were scanning every bit of the radio tower and pointed their guns at anybody who looked suspicious. Looker and the rest of the group ran up to Officer Jenny who seemed to be commanding everyone.

"Looker!" Officer Jenny greeted with a salute.

"Officer Jenny, is there any word of Archer, Petrel, or Giovanni being found?" Looker questioned.

"No, sir! Not yet! The police have yet to scan the upper floors," Officer Jenny reported.

"Ash, where was your mother being kept?" Looker asked him.

"In a room on the fourth floor, across from the stairwell," Ash answered.

Looker pulled out his speaker and spoke into it. "I want an immediate search of the room across from the stairwell on the fourth floor! Search for a woman with brown hair in a ponytail! She is not a Rocket member! Make sure she is brought to safety!" he announced.

Despite the words of encouragement, Ash couldn't wait around for someone to come back. He had to see it for himself. Ash took off towards the stairs with Serena and Misty while Looker made an exasperated sigh but followed them anyway.

As Ash ran up the stairs, he passed by several more police officers with Rockets in cuffs. Looker wasn't kidding when he said to send the whole squadron of police officers to the Goldenrod Radio Tower. There could even be more police officers here than Rockets. That was always a good thing. Some Rockets were being calmly led out while a few aggressive ones were struggling and in danger of being tased if they kept it up.

Ash soon made it to the fourth floor of the stairs and already saw a couple of police officers coming out of the room. They were a bit startled at Ash's sudden appearance and the frantic look in his eyes.

"Was my mom in there?!" Ash cried.

Looker, Serena, and Misty were behind Ash in seconds. Upon seeing Looker, the police officer saluted and delivered his report.

"Looker, I'm sorry to say we didn't find the woman you mentioned in this room. We'll search the whole building for her," he said.

Ash almost felt his heart stop. If his mom wasn't in there, that meant someone had to have gotten to her. She clearly hadn't been captured to be put in the underground tunnel. If she wasn't down there, someone must've taken her somewhere else. The question was, who? Ash seriously hoped it wasn't who he was dreading.

"Please do," Looker nodded before he turned to Ash. "Ash, are you sure that your mother wouldn't have left this room for any reason? Is there anywhere else she might be?"

"I don't know!" Ash yelled out as he glanced around in panic as tears formed in his eyes.

Serena noticed the look in Ash's eyes and knew that was what he did when he was about to do something rash. His heart was always in the right place but his brain wasn't turned on at the moment. It always led him into danger, and he was like this over almost two years ago when Delia had been captured by Giovanni.

"Ash, we're all worried about Ms. Delia, too, but…," Serena tried to warn, but it fell on deaf ears as Ash took off.

"Wait, Ash!" Looker shouted after him.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu said as it followed Ash to get him to come back, too.

Ash didn't listen, though. He had no idea where he was going, but he had to keep moving. He wasn't going to stop until he got confirmation of where his mom was and that she was safe. Going down in the radio tower clearly wasn't an option so the only place to go was up.

Ash got to the elevator, and it opened as soon as he pushed the button. Ash and Pikachu rushed in, and Ash pressed the button to the roof of the radio tower. Just as it was closing, he saw Serena, Togetic, and Misty squeeze in. Looker tried to make it in, as well, but he was too big to fit through the small opening. Looker gave an aggravated growl as he pressed the up button again and was forced to wait for the next one to come. He just hoped he made it in time.

"Ash, you have no idea what you're getting into!" Misty chastised as the elevator started going up.

"You didn't have to come with me," Ash countered lowly.

"Of course we do! We care about you, but this crazy! You don't even know what's up there or if your mom is even on the roof at all!" Serena argued.

"I don't care! My mom could be in danger!" Ash yelled.

"That's my point! You care about your friends and family a lot which is great, but you always act so irrationally every time one of us is in danger, and that always leads to more trouble!" Serena screamed as her voice began to shake. "I-I just worry that one day everything won't turn out okay if you keep doing this."

"Pika! Toge!" Pikachu and Togetic agreed.

Ash said nothing in response. Instead he gave a huff and stared up at the elevator screen that indicated what floor they were on. Serena grit her teeth as she wanted to say a lot more to Ash, but he wasn't going to listen at this point. Once this was over…if it became over…Serena would make sure to continue this conversation.

Even though it was a short time, each second felt like an eternity to Ash due to how anxious he was. The elevator finally _dinged_ to show he had reached the roof. As soon as it opened, Ash rushed out without thinking and was greeted with the very last thing he wanted to see right now.

The first people he spotted were Archer and Petrel as they were closest to the elevator door. The next ones he spotted were Cassidy and Butch, and what he saw almost made him sick. Just like when he had charged into Giovanni's gym, they had a hold of Delia. After that, he saw Domino next to some strange machine, and Ash narrowed his eyes at who he saw last. Even though his back was to Ash, he immediately knew it was. It was none other than the evil Team Rocket leader, Giovanni. He had returned.

Ash was immediately grabbed by Archer, and when Misty and Serena exited the elevator, Serena was grabbed by Petrel, and Domino flipped over and was quick to apprehend Misty. Pikachu and Togetic looked ready to attack, but the looks of all the Rockets made them know that nobody was kidding around so they reserved their attacks…for now, anyway. That didn't stop Ash from struggling violently to try to get at Giovanni, though.

Giovanni finally turned around from the weird device and faced Ash. He was wearing the evil smirk on his face that Ash had grown to hate so much.

"Well, when I heard the elevator open, I was expecting to see the police. Instead, I see it is my arch nemesis, Ash Ketchum, and that's such a bigger treat," Giovanni said before his evil grin grew wider. "How are you, Ash? I trust you are well? Delia is doing just fine as you can see."

"Let her go!" Ash immediately screamed. "Let her go I said! I swear if you don't, I'll…"

"Ha! You'll what?" Giovanni sneered as he turned back around to the machine. "Just relax and enjoy the show you're about to see."

Giovanni then pressed a few buttons on the small device, and it began to light up to show it was ready. The group's eyes then widened when Giovanni revealed the Master Ball out of his coat. All of the present Rocket members' eyes sparkled at the magnificence of the scene in front of them. They looked as though they couldn't contain themselves with what they were about to see.

"I think you and your friends should consider yourselves lucky," Giovanni said to Ash, Serena, and Misty. "It isn't everyday one gets to meet the legendary Pokemon, Celebi."

"What do you plan to do with Celebi!? Jessie and James told us you were building a machine to go back in time!" Ash shouted.

At that, Delia gasped and looked at Giovanni like he was insane. A few of the Rocket members looked a little annoyed that their plan was ratted out. Giovanni, for his part, gave and Ash an amused look.

"Heh. So, those three told you my master plan? Such a disappointment," Giovanni said with a shake of his head.

"We don't care what you do! You won't succeed!" Ash yelled.

"Succeed? I've already won," Giovanni stated as he gave a menacing laugh. "Everything is set for the plan to work. All I need to do now is make it happen."

"Looker and the rest of the police should be up here any second! You won't make it in time!" Ash hollered as he tried to stall.

Unfortunately, Giovanni wasn't stupid and knew what Ash was trying to do. He immediately let Celebi out its Master Ball. Everyone stared up in awe at the legendary Pokemon as it glowed with such a brilliant light. It had its arms crossed across its small body and had its eyes closed. The group would've thought it to be a beautiful sight if it wasn't under Giovanni's control.

"Celebi! You have to get away!" Ash shouted.

"I won't listen to you!" Giovanni asserted before he turned to Celebi! Form a barrier around us, now! I can't have any disturbances while I prepare!"

At that, Celebi opened its eyes and created a powerful Safeguard over it and Giovanni. As Giovanni went to set the device, Ash began struggling against Archer as hard as he could but Archer shook him violently to offset his movements.

"Hold still, boy. You won't live for much longer, anyway, so you better save your strength," Archer growled.

"The police will be here any moment to stop you," Ash retorted. "You won't get a chance to hurt me or my friends. Your plan won't succeed."

"I think you have a misunderstanding about what I plan to do, Ash," Giovanni replied instead before he got a rather crazed look on his face. "You see, I plan to go back in time and completely erase you and your family's existence!"

"What?!" Ash, Serena, and Delia exclaimed.

"I've had a long time to think about what it was I've done wrong and how Team Rocket was thwarted the past year. I realized it was all because of you, Ash. You and your wretched father. If it hadn't been for you, Team Rocket would've taken over the Kanto region with ease. We could've even taken over the world by now, but no, you got in our way and foiled our plans. While I was in hiding to gather my thoughts, I wished I could do it all over again. That's where I remembered the tale of the legendary Pokemon, Celebi. I knew how it could travel through time. I also still had the Master Ball that was built. I then began to formulate my plan to use the radio waves from the Goldenrod Radio Tower to draw it out of hiding, and then I had Jessie, James, and Meowth build the machine created by our scientists to set everything in motion. Then I waited for the right moment when Team Rocket would take over the radio tower. My patience has now been rewarded," Giovanni explained.

"You're crazy!" Ash hollered.

"You can't do that!" Serena cried. "If you do, not only will Ash not exist, but you could drastically alter the present! This timeline won't exist anymore! We could possibly even all lose our memories!"

"That's exactly what I want, girl!" Giovanni shouted back. "I never want to remember the humiliating defeat Ash gave me or that he was even a person! I'll destroy him in the past before he or his family ever has a chance to get in my way!"

"Giovanni, please," Delia pleaded. "You can't mean that. Even I never thought you would go this far! Have you truly fallen so far into madness?"

"Shut up!" Cassidy snarled and socked Delia in the stomach. Ash was really starting to get sick of seeing Team Rocket do that to her.

"Hush, Delia. Maybe in the new future I create without Ash or Red, we could even be together again," Giovanni offered.

"I don't love you, anymore, Giovanni," Delia insisted as tears came to her eyes. "I love Red and Ash! I could never love someone so evil! That's why I left you in the first place! I had to save Silver from you!"

"You…what?"

Everybody turned to the elevator and expected to see Looker standing there, but it wasn't. Disheveled red hair was falling over the young man's face so no one could tell what he was thinking. One of his arms hung limply by his side as he used the other one to recall his Skarmory which had apparently flown him to the roof.

"Silver…," Delia trailed as she tried to compose herself.

Nobody said anything for a moment as they watched Silver. The young man simply stood there, and to Ash, Serena, and Misty, he still appeared to be just a as miserable as he was when they last saw him. Then, of all people, Giovanni spoke next.

"Ah, Silver…," Giovanni began. "It's been so long since I've last seen you. Look at how much you've grown."

Silver said nothing.

"What? You have nothing to say to your father?" Giovanni mocked. "I must say I've been wanting to see you…even though I've heard that you've been wanting to kill me. Tell me. Are you here to do just that?"

"Giovanni!" Delia shouted.

"I've been wondering the same thing myself," Silver finally muttered as his red hair continued to cover his face. "I've been consumed with nothing but hate and a desire to have revenge on you for a long time."

"Yes. Give in to your hate," Giovanni grinned evilly. "I still believe you would make a fine member of Team Rocket if you just accepted me."

"However, I recently realized how miserable I was because of that. I had no purpose in life. The only thing that even mattered to me was finding you and killing you," Silver continued as he ignored Giovanni's statement.

Nobody made any movements, not even the other Rockets. They were all curious to how this would play out. They also heard about all the killings that Silver had done down in the underground tunnel so they were still very weary of him.

"Well, you get your chance. Let out all your hate on me. Get it out of your system. Then join me," Giovanni said. If one didn't know better, they could almost hear sincerity in Giovanni's voice.

"I had a horrible childhood because of you," Silver uttered. "My friends shunned me. Nobody would come to see me. I was alone. That's why I hated you. I had a father who didn't love me, and I thought everyone else felt the same."

Giovanni now didn't have a response. He merely watched Silver curiously.

"I was wrong, though," Silver said as his voice became a little louder. "Even despite all that, I had someone who loved me through everything no matter what I did. I treated her horribly and tried so hard to expose her hate, too. However, she never did. That was because she truly loved me. She was the only person who ever showed me real love. Not even Red could compare."

"Oh, Silver," Delia whispered as tears came to her eyes.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Giovanni inquired as he narrowed his eyes.

Silver finally looked up, and he had a fire in his eyes that nobody had ever seen before. It wasn't the furious rage or ruthlessness that his eyes normally showed. There wasn't hostility. There was only pure determination. The fire burning in his eyes was as passionate as Ash would show when he was bent on accomplishing something.

"I'm going to protect my mother!" Silver shouted. "I'm going to stop you!"

* * *

 **Proton is finally dead! I had to make James be the one to kill him to really set on the burn due to how he was Proton's favorite person to abuse. By the way, he still wasn't the death I was speaking of this arc, though there have been at least two so far.**

 **The showdown of the arc is about to take place! Prepare for another wild ride next chapter...right after an interlude. This happened right before the final battle with Giovanni also and showed Mewtwo's awakening in the Kanto arc.**

 **It'll be Silver-focused and recap many things from his thoughts to his early life to his downfall to his ruthless revenge to losing the will to live to finally accepting of who he is and getting to where he is now. It'll be much shorter than the other chapters so it shouldn't take too long to come out. I'm estimating sometime next week.**

 **Until next time have a good one!**

 **Interlude: The Empty Shell**


	62. Interlude: The Empty Shell

**A/N: Well, here is a (somewhat) short interlude of all of Silver's thoughts and emotions while he was in the underground tunnel. I hope you all enjoy seeing all of these memories of his. I guess since this is an interlude, I'll reveal everyone's ages as of right now in case you're curious.**

 **Ash: 13**

 **Serena: 12**

 **Brock: 17**

 **Misty: 13**

 **Gary: 13**

 **Leaf: 12**

 **Silver: 24**

 **Delia: 42**

 **Red: 42**

 **Blue: 42**

 **Rose: 42**

 **Yellow: 39**

 **Gold: 39**

 **Crystal: 39**

 **Riley: 40**

 **Jessie: 25**

 **James: 25**

 **Giovanni: 43**

 **Professor Oak: 65**

 **Daisy: 21**

 **Tracey: 17**

 **Jimmy: 11**

 **Marina: 11**

 **Professor Elm: 36**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the characters' ages represented here.**

* * *

Interlude: The Empty Shell

Silver drug his feet along the halls of the underground tunnel. He hadn't said a word or even thought of anything since he left Ash and the rest of the group behind him. He was just aimlessly wandering around. He didn't know where this part of the tunnel led to, and he didn't really care, either. If it led to a dead end, then so be it. Silver didn't know if he would turn around or not at this point. He was completely lost, but it wasn't just in the sense that he didn't know where he was.

Silver didn't know anything. He didn't know what he was living for. He didn't know what he was doing with his life. He didn't know what the future had in store for him or if he even had a future. Nothing mattered to him anymore. He didn't care if he were dead or alive. He was more like a zombie than anything. He had hit rock bottom. He was just an empty shell, completely devoid of any emotion or purpose.

The red-haired young man continued on for another ten minutes down the hallway. He hadn't encountered anymore Rocket members since he left the group. Whether one considered that a good or a bad thing was anyone's guess. If a Rocket member saw him, they would probably attack him, take him prisoner, or even kill him. Whatever they did, Silver didn't care. He just wanted everything to end.

He finally came upon a dead end, and it was completely bare. There weren't even any type of storage boxes this deep in the tunnel. It was the perfect place for Silver to be right now. There weren't any distractions for him or anything to get in his way. He could just stand here or sit and do absolutely nothing.

Silver slumped against the wall and slid down until he was in a sitting position on the floor. He then gave a huge sigh. He really was tired of everything. He was so tired of living and just wanted it all to end. His very existence was a mistake. He shouldn't even be here. If it wasn't for him, the world would be a better place. Actually, scratch that. If it wasn't for him, there would be absolutely no change in the world. No one would miss him. No one would even care to try to remember him. The world would continue on, and he would be forgotten about forever. He was just a failure at life. He had no meaning.

 _"How did I get this way?_ " Silver thought to no one in particular. It was honestly the first thought he had in a while. _"Why did all of this have to happen?"_

Of course, he knew the answer. It was because his childhood had been so miserable. He didn't have any true friends ever since it was found out he was the son of Giovanni. He had a mother who was a liar and a father who was criminal. They both hated him and weren't even together anymore because of him. If he hadn't been born, none of this would've happened.

 _"You became like this because you chose to!"_

Those words that Ash spoke so forcefully to him still rang inside Silver's head. What did he know anyway? Ash had never been in Silver's shoes. Where did he get off trying to tell Silver how he should feel or that he was only miserable by his own choice? Ash had a perfect life so far. He knew nothing of the pain Silver had gone through.

 _"He had the life I should've had,"_ Silver thought.

Silver had many friends that he met in childhood, or so he thought. When they ostracized him, he grew to have contempt for his family. He couldn't wait to leave. That had prompted his leave of Delia and Red on very bad terms as soon as he was old enough to start his Pokemon journey. Had that even been productive?

Silver slowly took out the pokeball that contained his Feraligatr and stared at it. He didn't even want to stay in the Kanto region so he had instead decided to start his journey in Johto. Silver knew he couldn't officially go in and receive a starter Pokemon from Professor Elm, either. He would probably ask all sorts of questions about Silver's family which would make Silver uncomfortable. It then wouldn't be too long until his parents were phoned, and then he would be dragged back home. Thus, he had no choice but to steal one.

XXX

"So, this is Professor Elm's Pokemon Lab," _a ten year old Silver thought as he watched through the window._

 _Inside were two other trainers his age who were starting their own Pokemon journey. A very young Professor Elm had just presented the three Pokemon that would become any new trainer's starting Pokemon. Silver had literally been waiting for this all morning. If he planned on stealing a Pokemon, he at least had to know where they were being kept. He also had to wait for the other two trainers to pick their own starting Pokemon. He could take whatever was left. It wasn't ideal since he wouldn't formally get to choose his own starter, but Silver would make sure whatever he got would become the strongest. He wouldn't settle for anything less._

 _He saw one boy pick a Cyndaquil and a girl who picked a Chikorita. To Silver knowledge, no one else was coming in today to get a starter Pokemon so that would mean he would get Totodile. Perfect. That was the one Silver wanted in the first place. Now, he just needed a way to sneak in._

" _What's up, sport?"_

 _Silver jumped and turned abruptly at the voice behind him. He discovered a young man there sporting a cap and thick black hair with golden eyes. He had a somewhat cocky look to him that instantly made Silver dislike the man. He hated people who acted arrogant. It reminded him to much of the smirk Giovanni had the night he revealed to Silver that he was his father._

" _What?" Silver asked flatly. He was in no mood to be nice or talk to this man._

" _Nothing. Just saying hey. I just couldn't help but notice that you were looking in Professor Elm's lab. Were you planning to get your starter Pokemon today?" the man asked._

" _Maybe," Silver muttered._

" _Ha! I gotcha. I'm a stranger so you're weary to talk to me. I get that. In that case, the name's Gold. I've been a trainer for about fifteen years now," Gold introduced as he pointed at himself with his thumb and had a wide grin on his face._

" _Why are you talking to me?" Silver asked in aggravation._

" _Well, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were planning on breaking in to Professor Elm's lab with the way you were peeking through the window and clearly not wanting to be found," Gold said, despite the fact that he was still smiling._

 _Silver froze. Shoot. Did he really look that suspicious? If he was found out this early on, his Pokemon journey would end before it even began. Silver would be taken to the police who would find some way to identify him. He would then have a one way ticket back home. Silver couldn't let that happen. He began to sweat as he tried to think of something. This man sure was perceptive despite coming off as an idiot at first._

" _Umm…well…," Silver stuttered until he got angry and gave an outburst. "You can't make me do anything!"_

 _Gold stared at Silver with his eyebrows raised. It was then Silver realized that he was giving himself away too easily. With that, he glared heatedly at the young man in front of as if daring him to try to do anything. Instead, to his surprise, Gold chuckled._

" _Easy there, kid. I don't plan to report you though I do have to wonder why you prefer to steal a Pokemon rather than just walk in through the front door. It's not like Professor Elm is a scary guy," Gold stated._

" _None of your business," Silver snarled._

" _Well, keep at it, kid. Stealing a Pokemon is no way to start a Pokemon journey. You may come to regret it down the road. Just take the advice of a Pokemon veteran. If you start your journey honestly, the rest of your journey will turn out the same way," Gold informed him before his smile faded into a serious expression. "Just think about it, and make the right decision."_

 _With that, Gold turned around and walked off. Silver didn't reply and instead watched him go. Once Gold was out of sight, Silver turned to the ground and sighed. Did he really just want to steal a Pokemon like that? What if he was caught? Silver already realized he wasn't being as sneaky as he thought if this young man named Gold had already found him out. Could he really just walk in and get a Pokemon just like that as Gold said?  
_

 _How did Silver even know if Professor Elm would call Delia and Red? How did he even know if they would force him to come home even if they were called? They knew he was on a Pokemon journey, and despite the fact that he left on bad terms, they both knew this was the day he was going to start his journey, anyway. Silver then shook his head in anger. He couldn't believe that he was actually considering Gold's advice! What did he know? Nothing! He didn't need to obtain a Pokemon honorably to have a successful career!_

 _Silver saw how happy the trainers looked upon choosing their starter Pokemon and how they introduced themselves. The Pokemon seemed happy to join them. Silver frowned as he watched the exchange. He would have no such interest in having a relationship with his Pokemon. They were merely partners to help Silver accomplish his goal. He had no time to be friends with anyone. That was the only way he could become strong. Besides, becoming friends with someone or loving someone only meant he would end up getting hurt in the end...just like it did with his friends. If he never became friends with anyone, he would never feel that pain again._

 _He saw the trainers leave the room as well as Professor Elm, and then Silver made his move._

 _A few minutes later, Silver was running away from Professor Elm's lab as fast as he could. He had just obtained the Totodile illegally and needed to get out of here. As long as he did, nobody could figure out what he did. They wouldn't be able to prove that the Totodile he had with him was the stolen one! Everything would be okay!_

 _As Silver was running away from the lab, he caught sight of someone out the corner of his eye. Silver couldn't help but slow down to take a look. As he did, his eyes widened._

 _He saw the same man, Gold, from earlier watching him run, and he seemed to have a disappointed frown on his face. There was also a young woman with blue hair next to him, and she looked quite worried. Judging from their expressions, Silver could tell that they knew what he had just done. Did they see the whole thing? Silver's guilty expression didn't help anything. What were they going to do now?_

 _To his relief but confusion, they didn't move or call out to him. They just continued to stare at him. Unable to meet their gazes, Silver continued to run away. He had to get out of New Bark Town as fast as he could. If he could leave without anyone else seeing him, he was in the clear. His Pokemon journey was about to begin._

 _Meanwhile, Gold watched the boy until he was out of sight before he sighed. It seemed as though he hadn't reached the boy, after all. He was so young yet was already going down a dark path._

" _Is that the boy you mentioned, Gold?" the young woman asked._

" _Yeah. I can tell just by looking at him that he was Delia's son," Gold replied. "I've only seen him once when he was a lot younger, but there's no mistaking that red hair and his face."_

" _How do you think Delia and Red feel about this?" the woman questioned._

" _I don't know, Crys," Gold replied. "I wonder if they even know he's here at all."_

" _Even if he is their son, that doesn't change the fact that he just stole from Professor Elm. What are you going to do?" Crystal wondered._

 _Gold sighed before he responded. "The least I can do is tell Professor Elm what happened and explain who it was. I think I'll also phone Red and let him know I ran into Silver. Hopefully, they'll be okay with it and officially register him for the Johto League without him being there."_

 _"You want him to get away with this?" Crystal asked as she gave Gold a confused look._

 _"Of course not, but I can also tell that he's just someone who needs a break. I don't think forcing him back home will help any right now. Maybe he just needs time," Gold said before he added. "I just hope he turns out to be more like Delia than Giovanni."_

XXX

 _"Get up," Silver ordered his Totodile after it had been knocked down by a Raticate's Hyper Fang attack._

 _The Totodile shook as it hastily got to its feet. This was only its first battle, and it was already going against a Raticate. It was way out of its league, and it was losing pretty badly. It was already extremely injured, but its trainer wasn't giving it any mercy._

 _"I didn't choose you to be a weakling!" Silver shouted at it. "Keep battling!"_

 _"Dude, you shouldn't push your Totodile like that," the trainer with the Raticate said._

 _"Who asked you?!" Silver snarled at him. "This battle isn't over yet! Totodile, use Water Gun!"_

 _Despite the pain it was feeling, Totodile took a deep breath at shot out the stream of water from its mouth. The Raticate dodged it with ease and leaped high into the air. The other trainer sighed before he gave his finishing move._

 _"Use another Hyper Fang!" he commanded._

 _"Dodge it!" Silver hollered angrily._

 _However, Silver's Totodile was too tired to do so. The Raticate bit into Totoidle, and it cried out in pain before it was thrown from Raticate's mouth like a rag doll and skidded across the ground. Silver got a scary look on his face as he stared down at Totodile._

 _"Get…up…," he said dangerously. "Don't you dare quit. You want to start off your first battle as a loser?"_

 _Totodile grimaced at its trainer's harsh words. It didn't know how it got struck with a trainer like this, and honestly, it was quite scared. He was completely ruthless and cared nothing for Totodile's well-being. It didn't want to lose for fear of what its trainer would do to it if it lost now. It tried to find the strength to stand up, but it was unable to. Instead, it went limp as the last of its energy left it._

 _"Well, it looks like I win," the opposing trainer sighed as he returned his Raticate._

 _"It's not over!" Silver shouted._

 _"It is," the boy insisted. "Just look at your Totodile. It's completely knocked out. You're a beginning trainer, right? You should stick to battling a couple of wild Pokemon to give it the feel for battling before going against a trainer, and you also shouldn't treat your Totodile that way. If you do that, you'll never form a relationship with it and…"_

 _"Shut up!" Silver growled as soon as the word relationship was mentioned. "I have no intention of being friends with my Pokemon! That just make us weak!"_

 _"It doesn't. It helps your Pokemon grow," the boy said as he went over to Silver and held out his hand. "Don't you want your journey to be fun? My name's Travis. I've been a trainer for a few months now. Why don't we travel together? I'd be happy to show you how to start off your journey on the right foot."_

 _Silver stared at Travis' outstretched hand. This boy was offering to travel with him? Why? Silver hadn't exactly been nice to him so far. Furthermore, why did he seem to care? Did he actually want to be Silver's friend?_

 _No. Silver couldn't risk it. The second this boy knew who Silver was, he would leave him just like everyone else. So what if he seemed nice? All of Silver's other supposed friends seemed nice, too, until they shunned him._

 _"I don't want to," Silver growled. "You'll just end up betraying me like everyone else."_

 _"Betray you?" Travis asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"_

 _"None of your business," Silver uttered as he returned Totodile and took off running in the opposite direction of Travis, not even giving the boy a chance to call out to him._

 _Silver continued to run for a few more minutes until he was sure he had lost Travis. He then took a few breaths as he assessed the situation. He couldn't believe someone had the nerve to make that offer to him. How could he offer to travel with Silver when they didn't know each other? It aggravated Silver greatly. He was acting nice only because he didn't know him. If they got to know each other, they would just get into a fight at some point, and then Travis would leave him as soon as he knew he was Giovanni's son…just like everyone else._

 _Would he really, though? Truthfully, Silver didn't know Travis, either. Was it fair to assume that he was the same as all his other friends? Would he even have cared and realized Silver wasn't like that?_

 _Silver cursed as his expression grew angry. Of course he would. After all, who wants to be friends with the son of a criminal? No one! Who cares anyway? If Silver traveled alone, he could focus on training his Pokemon. Friends would only cause a distraction to him, anyway. That's right. It's better to be alone rather than have friends. That way there was no way he could end up being hurt again. He couldn't risk being close to anyone…_

XXX

 _"You suck! How could you lose again?!" Silver shouted at his Totodile for losing the second match._

 _Silver's Totodile cowered in fear from its trainer. It wanted to leave its trainer or try to defend itself from the beating it had just received. However, it was too injured and too weak to fight back. Therefore, it had no choice but to submit and endure its trainer's actions._

 _"There's no room on my team for losers! Don't you want to be the best!?" Silver asked pointedly._

 _Totodile shook in pain as it slowly nodded its head. Of course it wanted to be strong. However, it was taught by Professor Elm since it was young that a loving trainer and good strategy and friendship with its future trainer would help it achieve that goal. However, Silver was nothing like Totodile had imagined._

 _"Then you can't lose! You have to win at everything! I have what it takes to be a good trainer, but the question is if you have what it takes to be a great Pokemon! Do you!?" Silver hollered._

 _Again, Totodile slowly nodded its head._

 _"Then prove it! A strong Pokemon doesn't need friends and love to help it grow strong! That's complete Tauros crap! You get stronger by your own abilities and strength. Then you combine all that with strategy and a trainer who will work you to the bone to make sure you don't slack off and become weak!" Silver continued._

 _Totodile thought about the words Silver told it and wondered if it was even true. Silver's words were going against everything it had learned so far. It met Silver once it was let of its pokeball for the first time and immediately greeted him with a smile and happy cry. However, Silver's look instantly told Totodile that wasn't what it should've done. Silver immediately set it to work until he decided they should fight, and it's lost all of its matches so far._

 _Why was that? Was it losing because it had tried to be Silver's friend so far? Was it losing because it wasn't trying hard enough? Had it not worked hard and pushed itself to the limit? Totodile wanted to be strong, but so far it had been a loser just like Silver said. Totodile wondered if the results would be different it worked as hard as it could and showed its opponents no mercy? Would that really help it win more?_

 _"Hey! That's mine!" Silver roared._

 _Totodile looked to see what Silver was screaming at and discovered a Rattata digging through Silver's backpack a short distance away…probably to steal food. Totodile then flinched when Silver turned his angry eyes back to it._

 _"Destroy that thing. It's so pathetic it can't survive on its own and has to steal. That's the perfect example of something that's weak. Prove that your stronger and beat it to a pulp," Silver muttered as he narrowed his eyes. "Now, use Water Gun."_

 _Totodile nodded its head and used Water Gun. The Rattata turned in just time to see the Water Gun heading its way. It was sprayed with the water until it was pushed back and knocked against a tree. The Rattata then shook its head before it turned around to run away. However, Silver stepped in front of it to block its path._

 _"Going somewhere?" Silver growled. "I'll teach you to steal from me and prove to you the weakling you are."_

 _The Rattata then turned and saw the Totodile facing it, and it had a determined look on its face. Totodile wanted to prove it was strong by showing this Rattata just how weak it was. They had got this food on their own and didn't need someone to steal it. Where did Rattata get off?_

 _"Now, use Slash," Silver ordered._

 _Totodile leaped at Rattata as its claws glowed. Knowing that there was no escape, the Rattata leaped back at Totodile for a Tackle. The two Pokemon then collided, and Totodile grunted in pain slightly from the attack, it still swiped forward and raked across Rattata's body with its claws. The Rattata cried out in pain before it was knocked backwards and fell to the ground. Because it was a low level, it was already close to being knocked out. It looked up to see Totodile charging for it for another Slash attack._

 _Rattata didn't have time before it was again attacked by the Slash attack. It flew through the air once again and hit a tree where it slid down, defeated. It tiredly opened its eyes to see Silver giving it the coldest glare he could muster. His eyes were so uncaring and ruthless._

 _Totodile was soon by his side and looked at Silver expectantly like it believed Silver to throw the pokeball and capture it. Silver saw his Totodile staring at him and must've known what it was thinking judging by his next response._

 _"Why would I want to capture this piece of trash? It's just a weakling who has to steal from others to survive, and there's no room on my team for weaklings," Silver told it._

 _Totodile thought about Silver's words, and it hated to admit it, but Totodile thought Silver was right. Why would they want a weakling on their team as this Rattata clearly was._

 _"Now, don't show it any mercy, Totodile. That weakling tried to steal from us, and it needs to pay. "Use Slash one more time,' Silver said._

 _Totodile looked at Silver before it turned to the defeated Rattata. The rat Pokemon was breathing heavily and clearly in no more condition to fight. They could just leave it alone. Did they really have to go this far? Totodile was in some sort of conflict as it struggled._

 _"Do it!" Silver ordered._

 _Silver's shout was all the motivation Totodile needed to use the attack. It took a deep breath and went to use Slash again. Its claws glowed as it swiped upward which knocked Rattata high into the air. Totodile couldn't help but get a slight sense of satisfaction at that for teaching this Rattata a lesson. It then took it a step farther and used Water Gun while Rattata was still in the air._

 _The Water Gun sprayed the already knocked out Rattata, and it was blasted off high into the sky and over the trees. Who knows where it would land. The point was it was gone, and it would never come near them again. Silver then turned to his Totodile._

 _"That's good, Totodile," Silver praised for the first time. "We can't show our opponents any mercy. If we do, that only makes us weak because they can always stab us in the back later. Any opponent we beat is just a stepping stone that helps us be stronger so that's why won't care about anyone but ourselves. We'll work hard to be the best. We have no time to be friends as that will just distract us. Do you understand?"_

 _Totodile then realized this was the best course of action for it. Being nice and happy and trying to be friends with its trainer hadn't worked so far. It had shown that Rattata no mercy, and it felt stronger for the first time. It wanted to become the strongest, and its trainer's method seemed to work for it. Totodile couldn't wait for its next battle to really show Silver what it was made of. It nodded its head at Silver to show it was ready to be trained the right way this time._

XXX

Silver opened his eyes at the memory. He had taught all of his Pokemon the same way he taught Totodile. Did they…actually enjoy the way he trained them? Sure. They obeyed all of his orders and carried the same mindset as him. Still, he had to wonder if he ever considered their feelings. Well, of course he didn't. He only cared about himself, and the Pokemon felt the same. Now, however, that he didn't have a drive anymore, he might as well ask them.

He let out all seven of his Pokemon, even the former Honchkrow boss. His Feraligatr, Tyranitar, Shuckle, Skarmory, Tangrowth, and Sneasel all looked at him expectantly. However, their dark and determined looks vanished when they saw Silver's expression. They had never seen them like this before. They were completely confused. They became even more confused from his next question.

"Hey. I have to know something," Silver muttered. "How did you all feel about my training style? Did you enjoy it? Did you really think it was the best way to unlock your potential?"

His six Pokemon exchanged glances with each other while the Honchkrow boss gave a caw to show it didn't agree with Silver's methods. However, it quickly became quiet when it received a threatening look from his other Pokemon. It was still the low Pokemon on the totem pole. This talk was meaningless to his Pokemon. Upon seeing their looks, Silver looked back down.

"I see," he replied. "I guess it doesn't matter whether you enjoyed it or not. The point was you believed it to be true, and I made you all this way."

Rather than respond, however, Silver's Feraligatr stepped up and held its claw out to Silver as if to help him to his feet. It wasn't a show of compassion, however. It was more of an act that told Silver to get up or else. It was surprised when Silver didn't get up. Instead, he seemed to sink even lower.

"I just have no drive to train anymore. We've been traveling around for years together, now. We've won a couple of leagues but haven't done anything since then," Silver sighed.

His Pokemon then seemed to grow angry at that remark. Their trainer didn't have a drive to train them anymore? How were they supposed to become the strongest now? If they weren't going to go further, what was the purpose of staying with Silver? There wasn't. Even though he was their trainer, they held no sympathy for him. He was becoming the very thing he swore he would never become.

Feraligatr seemed to give out a low growl as it stepped forward and loomed over Silver as if giving him one last chance to get out this funk. If he didn't, Silver knew what the consequences were. Silver didn't respond but just sighed and looked back down. At that, Feraligatr narrowed its eyes as it readied its sharp claws.

Silver told all of his Pokemon a long time ago that showing mercy only made them weak, and he never wanted to see himself become a weakling. If he did…he told his Pokemon to kill him and then leave to pursue their own goals without remorse. That's the exact act Feraligatr was about to do. Their trainer had become useless to them so they would kill him and then go their own way.

"Go ahead and do it. I know what I told you," Silver mumbled. "It's not like anyone would care of miss me."

Feraligatr's claws seemed to glisten as it prepared to run Silver through. It didn't have the slightest look of regret or compassion in its eyes. Silver's other Pokemon watched as the deed was about to take place. All those years of training together and winning tournaments didn't matter to Silver's Pokemon now. They would just find someone better or go rogue.

Silver closed his eyes as he prepared his demise. So, this was how it all ended…a miserable end to his miserable existence. It was almost fitting. He was going to be killed by the very ones he forced his ideals on because they still believed what he did. At least, he could die and not have to worry about anything anymore. He prepared for what was probably going to be a few seconds of agony before everything was no more.

Then again, should it really be taking this long? Why was Feraligatr drawing this out? Silver couldn't help but open his eyes and see Feraligatr still had its claws raised and pointed at Silver. However, it was just standing there and not moving its arm. If Silver didn't know better, he'd say that Feraligatr was hesitating.

"Well?" Silver asked it. "Are you going to kill me or not?"

Feraligatr gave a snarl at Silver's remark. It then thrust its claws forward to finally kill Silver, and Silver flinched for just a moment. However, Feraligatr's claws stopped just short of Silver's stomach. Feraligatr grit its teeth as it fought he urge to keep going. It was hesitating again. Silver merely continued to watch it with an empty expression. Finally, after a while, Feraligatr roared in aggravation before its claw dropped to its side. It couldn't bring itself to kill Silver.

"So, you don't have the guts do it," Silver figured before he looked at his other Pokemon. "What about you guys?"

All the rest of Silver's Pokemon looked at each other as if waiting for someone else to step forward to kill Silver. They would stay and watch to make sure he was dead before they moved on, but the problem was that none of them were stepping up. Could they really not kill their trainer in cold blood like this? Were they showing…weakness? All of his Pokemon then lowered their heads in shame for not being able to carry out the order. Silver couldn't help but smirk at this.

"Heh. So, it all becomes clear," Silver said. "You guys actually do have some shred of care for me, after all."

That didn't mean his Pokemon were proud of it. They all looked disgusted with themselves that they had let this moment of compassion show in them. They were supposed to be ruthless Pokemon whose only care was to be the best, just like their trainer. They weren't supposed to show remorse for anything. Yet, here they were. Their trainer had openly admitted to not having the drive to live anymore, and they couldn't kill him. Maybe the long time they spent together with Silver really did mean something to them despite them never showing it before.

"Hmm…so someone cares about me, after all," Silver uttered. "Even so, that doesn't mean I would be missed by anyone, right? It's not like any person ever cared about me."

His Pokemon didn't respond.

XXX

 _A five year old Silver padded through the dark halls of his house at night. It was quite late, but he couldn't get back to sleep. He had just had a nightmare so he was scared. He soon reached his mom and dad's room before he opened the door and walked over to their bed. He saw his parents were already asleep and briefly wondered if they would be angry if he woke them up at this hour. After about ten seconds, he made up his mind and gently shook Delia._

 _There was a slight moan as Delia stirred slightly from being awoken. She then turned to stare at the source of the shaking, and Delia discovered it was Silver. The motion caused Red to shift slightly in the bed, but he was still asleep.  
_

" _What is it, sweetie?" Delia asked tiredly._

" _I had a bad dream. I can't sleep," Silver mumbled._

" _Oh? Well, come on. Let's get you back to bed," Delia said as scooted out of her own bed and took Silver by the hand._

" _But I could have a bad dream again," Silver protested._

" _Don't worry about anything scary. I'll stay with you until you're back asleep," Delia told him._

 _Delia then led Silver back to his own room and tucked him into bed. She then got his Pikachu stuffed animal and gave it to him before she lied down on the bed with him. Once she did, Delia began to stroke Silver's back with her fingers and began soothing him with a lullaby._

 _Silver instantly relaxed under his mother's touch. He sighed in contentment and began thinking pleasant thoughts. Just having Delia there with him was making feel better. She always was so nice to him. She was like a superhero who could make anything bad go away._

 _Silver could feel himself slowly drifting back to sleep, and he knew he wasn't going to have another nightmare. Just before he went back to sleep, he could feel Delia kiss him lightly on top of the forehead and whisper that she loved him._

XXX

" _Look what I made you!" Silver said in excitement as he got inside his house from Pokemon school._

" _What is it, Silver?" Delia questioned as she came down the stairs to their house._

" _Our class made things for our moms today since Mother's Day is this weekend!" Silver smiled. "I made you a card!"_

" _That's so nice, sweetie! Thank you!" Delia said gratefully as she took the card from him and looked it over._

 _Honestly, since Silver was only in first grade, it still looked rather crude, but it was the heart behind it that counted. The front had two stick figures where apparently one was Silver, and the other was Delia. They were holding hands and smiling underneath a sun with happy faces. Delia then opened the card to see there were several small hearts drawn across it with a short message there._

Happy Mother's Day to the best mom ever!

Love, Silver

 _Delia smiled as she read the message before she knelt down and gave a Silver a hug and a kiss. Silver laughed at that as Delia stood back up._

" _Thank you, Silver. I'll go hang this on the refrigerator, and I won't ever take it down," Delia told him. "I love you."_

 _She never did, either. At least…not until Silver tore it to pieces before he left on his Pokemon journey. Silver recalled Delia was devastated when he did that._

XXX

Those were just a couple of many moments when Silver could recall Delia showing that she loved him and cared for him. Were they really fake so she could conceal her hatred for him like everyone else? Silver didn't think so. Even after all the horrible things he did, she still tried to reach out for him. Why?

Silver then felt a drop on his wrist, and he turned to discover a single tear had escaped his eyes. He and his Pokemon stared in disbelief at what he just did. Was he actually shedding a tear for his mother? Did all those memories of her really do that to him? Silver couldn't recall ever doing such a thing since he started his Pokemon journey. He considered crying to be a form of weakness and someone that let their emotions get the best of them. Silver wanted nothing to do with such things.

Still, all those times Delia told him she loved and all that she ever did for him, he never did anything in return. She never really asked him to do anything, either.

XXX

" _Why do you love me, Mom?" a seven year old Silver asked one day as she was tucking him into bed._

 _Delia smiled and brushed some of his long red hair out of his eyes before she answered._

" _Because you're my son, but I don't mean that as in I have to love you," Delia replied before she added. "Do you know what unconditional love is, Silver?"_

" _No," Silver replied with a shake of his head._

" _It means that no matter what you do, I'll never stop loving you, and I'll always love you the same," Delia replied._

" _No matter what? Even if I didn't love you?" Silver asked._

" _Even if you didn't love me, I would still continue to love you. Nothing you do or say could ever change that," Delia said._

XXX

Silver finally found himself believing that about Delia that moment. All of those memories were from so long ago, but he still vividly remembered them. Even after Silver had found out that he was the son of Giovanni, Delia still continued to treat him exactly the same. She still told him she loved him. She still tried to do things for him, but he treated her so horribly. Even after all this time when he had seen for the first time in a while, she still tried to reach out to him. Silver could only come to one conclusion, and he knew he was stupid for not realizing it before. Even though he felt like the world had turned against him, one thing was consistent.

His mother cared about him.

It didn't stop there, however. She really did love him. She was showing him the unconditional love she promised him all those years ago. No matter what he did, even if he stopped loving her as he did, she still loved him. All the walls Silver had built around him for so many years finally collapsed, and his empty shell did something he hadn't done in a really long time.

He cried.

Tears came down his face continuously as he let out all of his pent-up emotions. Delia was the only person whom he believed to ever truly love him in his life, and he rejected her. He didn't deserve to have a mother like her after all he'd done to her. He did absolutely nothing for her, and none of that even mattered to her. She still showed she loved him after all this time.

Silver must've cried for a good five minutes as all of his Pokemon watched. They weren't sure how to take this. They never believed they would see the day when their trainer would show tears. He was like a completely different person. In fact, they wouldn't have believed this was really Silver if he wasn't right her in front of them.

Silver finally let the last of his tears fall and took a few heaving breaths. That was first time he did that in a while, and honestly, it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. He didn't feel weak after doing it. In fact, he felt a lot better. He didn't feel like an empty shell anymore. In fact, he felt a little stronger. He knew what he had to do now.

Delia was in danger, and Silver was going to save her. He knew Giovanni was coming, and Silver would be sure to meet him, but it wouldn't be so he could have revenge. It would be so he could protect his mother. Silver had done nothing for all this time. Well, it was now time for him to finally show that he cared…loved her, too. Silver stood up and looked at his Pokemon.

"I'm going to save my mother and stop Giovanni, my father" he declared. "What are you going to do?"

His Pokemon looked at each other as they tried to decide what to do. Should they follow their trainer in his quest to help someone? Would they abandon him and let him be on his own? It's just Silver seemed so different, they weren't sure.

"I need you," Silver said.

That also really surprised his Pokemon. Not once had he ever said that to him. Through all of his brutal training of them, he made it quite clear that they were only on his team because he believed them to be the best of their kind. If one of them screwed up, Silver could just replace them, and they knew that. He never said he needed them to do anything as he could simply replace them. Now, however, he didn't say he needed a general Feraligatr, or a Sneasel, a Shuckle, a Tangrowth, a Tyrantitar, or a Skarmory. No. He needed _them_ , specifically. They couldn't deny a request like that. They each looked at each other nodded before they took a step towards Silver to show they were with him.

Silver nodded his head back to them before he noticed something. Honchkrow had hung back and looked quite nervous. Was it even allowed to move? Silver had just given it the bare minimum to stay alive all this time. Silver made it quite clear several times that he would dispose of it as soon as its use ran out. Now that he knew where Giovanni was, would he kill it? Honchkrow almost fell over in disbelief when Silver spoke to it.

"Hey," he called out to it. "You're part of the team, too. Are you coming or not?"

Honchkrow gave a caw and flew over to Silver before it landed by his other Pokemon and bowed to the ground to show it would obey him. Silver almost rolled his eyes at the gesture because it was still acting like a coward, but that was only because Silver had beat it into submission so many times. It was probably still scared of him. Who could blame it? Nevertheless, Silver addressed it as well as his other Pokemon.

"Thank you," he told them. "Let's go."

With that, Silver turned and hurried back the way he came from. He saw the big picture that he should've seen so long ago. He wasn't about to make that mistake again. He was going to right a wrong that he had been doing for sixteen years. He was finally going to give back to his mother. He was going to stop Giovanni once and for all and save the only person who loved him. That's because Silver loved her, too.

* * *

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Giovanni inquired as he narrowed his eyes.

Silver finally looked up, and he had a fire in his eyes that nobody had ever seen before. It wasn't the furious rage or ruthlessness that his eyes normally showed. There wasn't hostility. There was only pure determination. The fire burning in his eyes was as passionate as Ash would show when he was bent on accomplishing something.

"I'm going to protect my mother!" Silver shouted. "I'm going to stop you!"

* * *

 **Alright. Now that you've read what caused Silver's change from an empty shell to someone who finally found a purpose in life, we'll now get back to the regular story.**

 **Now, the showdown and last chapter of the radio tower and Celebi arc is about to begin! I hope to have it done before March is over, but we'll see! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 62: Regret Nothing**


	63. Regret Nothing: Part One

**A/N: Surprise! As soon as I began writing this chapter and realized everything I had to cover, I knew this was going to be one huge chapter. Therefore, I found it best to split into two parts. On the bright side, that meant I got part one out to you very quickly! Seriously, I think two days is a record for me on an update for this story. The only bad news is that the conclusion will have to wait until the next one. Now, you may not see why this chapter is called "Regret Nothing" in Part One, but Part Two will make a lot more sense. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 62: Regret Nothing: Part One

Silver's declaration had shocked everyone on the roof. They all stared at Silver as he continued to stare at Giovanni with fire in his eyes. Still, despite all of the emotions going on the roof right now, nobody was more surprised than Giovanni or Delia.

Delia felt her heart grow that Silver seemed to have finally accepted her again as his mother. She took a shuddering breath as she closed her eyes and let his words echo in her head. Despite her gratefulness for the situation, both she and everyone else knew that everything wasn't over yet. There was still Giovanni and the other Rockets.

Giovanni, meanwhile, had a dark look on his face as he stared at Silver in disgust. His teeth were clenched and his fists were shaking. Giovanni lost his amused expression as soon as Silver said he would defeat him. He gave a growl to Silver before he spoke.

"So, you accept Delia as your mother, but you reject me as your father? What a disappointing son you are," Giovanni seethed.

"Not as much as a disappointing father you are," Silver retorted. "You only care about yourself, and for a while, I did, too. No more, though. That way of thinking only led me to be miserable. I can never accept you when you never cared about me!"

Giovanni lost his angry look and instead looked off to the side back to where Celebi was. The legendary Pokemon was still holding a forcefield around itself and Giovanni. He almost seemed to have a sense of regret in his next words.

"If you are not for me, you are against me, Silver. I shall destroy you along with Ash," he said.

"You'd kill our son?!" Delia exclaimed.

Giovanni didn't reply. Instead, he went back to setting up his machine. He had to finish this before Looker and the rest of the police came. Rather than seeming upset that Giovanni wanted to kill him, Silver seemed to smirk.

"In that case, I won't feel one bit of sadness about kicking your butt!" Silver said before he drew a pokeball. "Go, Sneasel!"

The sharp claw Pokemon was out of Silver's pokeball as fast as bullet, and it made a beeline straight for Giovanni. It moved so fast that no one had time to react. However, its claws rebounded off the barrier, and it bounced back before flipping and landing on the ground. Both it and Silver growled in frustration that Giovanni was protecting himself like that.

However, that also gave the other Rockets on the roof time to draw out their Pokemon. Cassidy threw out her Raticate, Butch let out a Primeape, and Archer released his Houndoom. Domino didn't have any Pokemon, but she was dangerous enough on her own with her black tulips. Petrel's Pokemon still hadn't recovered so while he was looking around, Serena took the opportunity to make her move.

She bit Petrel's finger which caused him to yell in pain and release his grip from her. Serena then called forth her Hitmonlee which skipped its usual meditation for battle and instead got into a fighting stance.

"Get Ash and Misty!" Serena told it.

Hitmonlee nodded and leaped into the air towards Archer. The man growled as his Houndoom jumped in front of Archer to protect him. Hitmonlee swung its leg at Houndoom for a High Jump Kick, but it leaped to the side and instead bit Hitmonlee's leg. The kicking Pokemon yelled in pain, but it didn't let that stop it. It focused its mind and used its arms to swing down on Houndoom's back for Brick Break. The dark Pokemon released its hold on Himonlee's leg, and Hitmonlee used its momentum to swing its legs and to kick Archer in the face.

The interim Rocket boss' head jerked to the side, and he gasped in pain as he released Ash. Archer then fell to his knees and was holding his neck in pain. If Hitmonlee had applied any more force, Archer's neck would've snapped, but Hitmonlee wasn't aiming to kill that time.

Now that chaos had broken loose, Ash, Pikachu, Silver, and Sneasel all charged at Cassidy and Butch as they still had a hold of Delia. Ash also released Quilava to help with the battling. Meanwhile, Hitmonlee was dueling with Archer's Houndoom, and Serena went for Misty who was apprehended by Domino.

The Rocket girl had no choice but to let go of Misty for now and leaped away. It wasn't before she took out a black tulip and hurled to Serena, though. The honey-haired girl shrieked in surprise and ducked as it sailed over her head and embedded itself on the floor of the roof top. Domino then flipped over to Giovanni to help him while Misty ran to Serena.

"Are you okay, Serena?" Misty asked her.

"I'm fine," Serena answered quickly. "Call out your Pokemon."

"Right," Misty nodded before one of her pokeballs opened, and Psyduck popped out.

"Psy aye aye!" it cried.

"Psyduck! Now is not the time!" Misty told it before she returned the sad duck Pokemon and released another one instead. "Go, Politoed!"

Meanwhile, both Sneasel and Pikachu were battling Cassidy's Raticate and Primeape. The four Pokemon battled while Ash and Silver went for their mom. Cassidy watched them in amusement and held Delia in front of her like a shield while Butch jumped up and held his fists out.

"Put 'em up, brats! I'll take both of you down!" he snarled.

"Take down this!" Silver shouted and swung his fist at Butch.

Butch went to dodge, but Silver was quicker. It bypassed Butch's arm and, and his fist smashed into Butch's nose. The green-haired man yelped and clutched his nose as blood started to pour from it. Ash then punched Butch in the stomach and the man keeled over. Cassidy growled in annoyance at her partner.

"Biff! You're so useless!" she shouted.

"It's Butch…," Butch mumbled in pain as he tried to clutch his stomach and nose at the same time.

Cassidy instead rolled her eyes and turned back to Ash and Silver who were now standing in front of her. She still had Delia up like a shield to make sure they couldn't attack her.

"Heh. I wonder what you brats plan on doing, now. Surely you wouldn't try to attack me when I have your precious mother," Cassidy sneered.

Both Ash and Silver tried to figure the best course of action, and they saw Delia's eyes go wide. That was when they noticed two dark shadows cast over them very fast as Delia cried out a warning.

"Silver, Ash! Look out!" she cried.

Ash and Silver turned around and saw a Persian and a Rhyperior descending on them. Persian had its forelegs and claws outstretched as it leaped and prepared to sink its claws into its victim. The gigantic Rhyperior was thrusting its head downward for a Horn Drill, ready to impale anyone in its way. They were clearly both aiming to kill.

The two brothers did their best to dodge, but they didn't completely. Ash managed to miss Persian from pouncing on him, but it was still able to turn and slash Ash's backside when it landed. Ash screamed in pain from the attack as Meowth's scratches back in the underground tunnel were nothing compared to this. Rhyperior's horn just missed Silver, but there were still many pieces of concrete that shot upwards when it hit the roof. One of them struck Silver in the head, and he appeared quite dazed as a trickle of blood was coming down from his hair. Ash then released his Bayleef, and Silver released Tyranitar.

"No! Ash! Silver!" Delia cried in worry before she began to struggle against Cassidy. "Let…me…go!"

"Stop…struggling, you…wench!" Cassidy growled as she did her best to hold on to Delia.

Delia would have none of it, though. She elbowed Cassidy in the stomach, and the blonde woman loosened her grip just enough for Delia to wiggle free. Delia then turned around and did something she hadn't done before. She punched Cassidy square in the face.

Cassidy grimaced and rubbed her sore cheek as she narrowed her eyes at Delia. "I'm going to make you wish you hadn't done that," she threatened.

"Try it! I'm not going to watch my sons get hurt like that! I have a responsibility to stop Giovanni, too!" Delia replied.

Cassidy then lunged at Delia and grabbed her by her throat. She then threw her off to the side, and Delia stumbled as she fought the urge not to fall. Cassidy then stepped forward and kneed Delia in the stomach. The woman gasped and clutched her stomach before Cassidy grabbed Delia by her hair and pulled upward to force Delia to look at her.

"You think that just because you were the boss' little slut so many years ago that you'll be treated differently?! Think again, sister!" Cassidy shouted before she thrush Delia backwards. "How I wish the boss had looked at me like that for a long time! Instead, he still holds onto the past to focus on you!"

"Wh-what?" Delia questioned as she was punched in the face by Cassidy.

"I meant what I said! The boss hasn't tried to find any other love in his life because he has a secret desire that you'll leave Red and come back to him! Because of that, I've never had a chance with him!" Cassidy revealed angrily.

"You're in love with Giovanni?" Delia gasped in shock as her eyes grew wide.

Cassidy didn't respond and instead picked up Delia and threw her again. This time, Delia fell backwards and actually stumbled over the roof of the radio tower. However, she managed to hang on at the edge. Cassidy was soon there and leered down at Delia.

"The boss is so focused on his mission that he isn't going to see what I'm about to do to you. I don't think he'll be too upset that you died, though. I'll be the one to help him get over it! Besides, in this new timeline, maybe he'll fall for me instead. I've been with the boss for ten years and have never betrayed him unlike you!" Cassidy snarled.

"I don't love Giovanni anymore!" Delia insisted.

That statement seemed to have no effect on Cassidy. The blonde woman had a crazed look on her face as she stared evilly down at Delia. For too long she had held her emotions inside until they burst out on the very person she wanted to take them out on. Now that Cassidy had come this far, she wasn't about to let this opportunity slip through her fingers.

"You're still in the way, you wench! I've kept my urge to kill you in check, but my patience has run out!" Cassidy shouted as she brought her boot up to stomp on Delia's fingers.

Delia closed her eyes as she prepared for it all to end. She thought of Ash and Silver. What would become of them? They were still so young but were in terrible condition to fight. Did they know what was about to happen to her? What would they do now? Delia was thinking about everyone but herself as she shed a tear.

However, she soon heard Cassidy scream, and she looked up to discover that Togetic out of everyone had latched on to Cassidy's face and was beating her with its stubby arms. Cassidy was yelling and clawing at Togetic as she tried to get it off. Delia then used this opportunity to try to pull herself up, and she was even more surprised when she saw Silver appear at the edge of the roof to help her up.

"Silver?" Delia questioned.

Silver didn't say anything until he had finished pulling her completely up. He was taking heavy breaths as he stared at Delia who stared back at him. He still had blood trickling form his head, and it made Delia look at him in worry.

"Are you okay?" Silver asked.

"I'm fine, but what about you?" Delia replied instead.

Silver didn't get to answer as they both heard a shout. They turned to see Cassidy had managed to pry Togetic off her face before she glared at it and hurled it on the ground. Togetic yelped once it hit the cemented roof, and then Casssidy turned her angry eyes to Delia. Cassidy still looked a little bit disoriented from having Togetic on her face.

Cassidy gave what sounded like a battle cry and charged at Delia with the intention to push her off the roof. Delia took a deep breath before she used her arms and her side to thrush forward. She was expecting Cassidy to stop in her tracks and fall over in pain. Instead, Cassidy had been moving so fast and was aiming to high so she instead ended up flipping over Delia.

Delia turned as she saw Cassidy topple off the edge of the roof and went to make a grab for her. Unfortunately, she missed and only managed to graze Cassidy's fingers. The blonde woman had a shocked look on her face as she began to fall. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Delia had no choice but to watch in sorrow as Cassidy screamed the whole way down the radio tower to her death.

Delia turned away from the scene and breathed heavily as she clutched her chest area. Togetic checked on her as Silver had already gone back to the battle at hand, but Delia didn't smile back to let her know she was okay. She was too busy thinking. Delia finally understood why Cassidy always seemed to harbor so much resentment towards her and was constantly calling her names and hitting her. It went beyond mere villainy. She secretly loved Giovanni.

"Cassidy!" Butch cried as he hastily crawled over to the edge of the roof and looked over it.

Pikachu and Sneasel had just finished putting a beating on Butch's Primeape and Cassidy's Raticate. Pikachu delivered and a nicely timed Iron Tail to Primeape's face, and Sneasel used Night Slash on Raticate. The two opposing Pokemon were sent flying and landed next to Butch. He looked at the fallen Pokemon before he looked at Pikachu and Sneasel and then at Delia.

"You killed her!" Butch screamed in rage as blood still flew from his broken nose. "This is all your fault!"

"Wait, Biff! I didn't…," Delia began, but Butch cut her off.

"It's Buuuuuutch!" he shouted at the top of his lungs as he ran at Delia.

Pikachu was quick to spot this and hastily launched a Thunderbolt in Butch's direction. The attack struck the man, and he yelled in pain as he was zapped. Pikachu continued to shock him until he saw the man fall unconscious. It and Sneasel then went to help out their teammates.

Bayleef and Quilava were busy battling Persian while Tyranitar was battling Rhyperior. The two behemoths had their arms locked around each other as they tried to get an advantage of the other. They both knew they couldn't use their more devastating attacks up here like Stone Edge or Earthquake otherwise it would send the roof and possibly the whole tower collapsing so they were instead forced to use just their brute strength.

Pikachu went to Ash who was still grimacing from his wounds. The boy was on his knees and chanced at a look at his yellow partner.

"Is…Mom safe?" Ash asked through gritted teeth. "I saw her and Cassidy fighting."

"Pika," Pikachu nodded.

"That's good," Ash breathed out in relief.

"Hey! We still have a battle to do," Silver said as he came over to Ash.

"I know. It's just hard to get up when I'm like this," Ash replied.

"I know you aren't about to sit this out after all you told me back in the tunnel!" Silver snarled as he picked up Ash by his shirt. "Giovanni still isn't defeated! You're seeing this through to the end!"

He then dropped Ash and went back to command his Pokemon. Ash winced at the pain he was in, but he knew Silver was right. The gash across his back hurt like heck, but Silver took a piece of concrete to his head, and he was still battling. Ash then took a deep breath as he forced himself to his feet.

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu asked in worry.

"I'll be fine, Pikachu," Ash panted before he was grabbed quickly from behind.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried before Hypno landed in front of it. It had now joined the fray.

Hypno leered at Pikachu in interest before it blasted a Psychic attack at the yellow rodent. Pikachu jumped out of the way and launched a Thunderbolt at Hypno. The psychic Pokemon seemed to smirk as it swung its pendulum around and created a forcefield around it. The Thunderbolt then bounced harmlessly off Hypno's Protect.

Serena's Hitmonlee continued to duel Archer's Houndoom. Despite the type advantage, Houndoom was still a formidable opponent for Hitmonlee. That was because its fire attacks were so dangerous. Every time Houndoom would use Flamethrower, Hitmonlee would have to make sure no one else was literally in the line of fire, in particular Serena. It's already had to bring her to safety twice now or forced to endure the attack.

The tired Hitmonlee got a running start and started tumbling across the ground swiftly as it prepared a Rolling Kick. Houndoom smirked and leaped above the Pokemon as it aimed another Flamethrower at Serena. Hitmonlee knew this was coming and thrust its leg backward rather than forward.

The attack struck Houndoom in its underside, and it growled in pain before collapsing to the ground. Houndoom was quick to jump to its feet, however. It turned and shot a Smog attack out of its mouth. Hitmonlee coughed and muttered in aggravation to itself as the cloud covered its line of sight. Now it wouldn't be able to tell who Houndoom was attacking now.

A Flamethrower that seemed to come from nowhere came through the Smog and crashed into Hitmonlee. The kicking Pokemon was pushed back by the attack and landed on the cement with a painful groan. It then heard a scream which it recognized as Serena's and jumped to its feet despite the pain.

Hitmonlee started running to where it last thought Serena was. It hoped it could get there in time. A couple of seconds later, it could see Serena was on the ground as Archer's Houndoom was opening its mouth for a Flamethrower. Hitmonlee's eyes widened as it didn't think it would make it in time. Despite this, it leaped in the air as it prepared a High Jump Kick.

Then, a jet of water came from the Smog to its left, and the Hydro Pump sprayed Houndoom right in its side, and it was blasted away from Serena. Misty and Politoed came running in and helped Serena to her feet. Serena and Hitmonlee smiled gratefully at them.

"Houndoom was so busy focused on you that it never saw Politoed and me coming!" Misty grinned.

"Thank you, Misty," Serena smiled before she turned back to Hitmonlee. "Finish off that Houndoom!"

Hitmonlee nodded and turned to the Houndoom who was slowly getting to its feet. It bared its teeth at Himonlee as it prepared another Flamethrower. Hitmonlee then began to concentrate as it reached in to draw out its power. Before Houndoom could use Flamethrower, Hitmonlee let out a burst of energy for a Reversal attack. The stored energy blasted through the air and knocked Houndoom off its feet. It then landed a short distance away from the still injured Archer, soundly defeated.

"Great job, Hitmonlee!" Serena smiled as she looked around to find Ash now.

"Is this who you're looking for?" a voice sneered.

Serena turned and discovered Domino had sneaked behind the weakened Ash and grabbed a hold of him. She had her arm around his throat as her free hand had a tulip pressed against neck. Domino must've been a lot stronger than she looked as Ash was unable to break free even though he was injured.

The battling had stopped now that Domino had Ash. All of Ash's Pokemon couldn't get around Persian, Rhyperior, and Hypno who were blocking the way. Besides, even if they did attack Giovanni's Pokemon, Ash would be dead before they had a chance to get him. Serena had seen what those tulips could do, and she knew it wouldn't take much effort for Domino to shove the stem through Ash's neck. If any of them moved, Domino would be quick to kill Ash.

"Well done, Domino," Giovanni praised from his barrier.

"Like wow. If I knew that this was all it took for you all to behave, I would've done this a long time ago," Domino smirked.

"Let him go," Serena uttered.

"You know I can't do that. Besides, your boyfriend looks pretty comfortable to me. Wouldn't you say?" Domino replied to rattle Serena's nerves.

Ash's back was pressed right up against Domino's chest area, but he wasn't about to say it felt good. Domino was attractive for sure, but that didn't change the fact that she was a Rocket. Serena knew this, too, so she didn't take the bait. Instead she placed her hands on her hips. Domino frowned at that.

"Hmm…I wonder what I can do to get a reaction out of you," Domino mused. "It would be great if you moved and I had a reason to stick this tulip in his neck."

"Don't hurt him!" Serena yelled

"Oh! That's it!" Domino said brightly as she raised her eyebrows. "Hurt him! You mean like this?"

Domino then used the stem of her tulip to cut across Ash's neck, and the raven-haired boy gasped in pain once she did that. Serena then saw a trickle of blood coming from his neck, and everyone took a step forward out of instinct, but they knew they couldn't do much else.

"Ash!" Delia cried as tears came to her eyes.

Serena almost went wild at that. She went to charge forward at Domino but Misty was quick to grab a hold of her. They all knew that the moment Serena got close to Ash, Domino would run him through. The blonde Rocket was just too quick for them to try to do anything to her. She would also sense if someone was trying to sneak up behind her, too. If an attack came her way, she may get hit, but she would be able to stab Ash first.

"Heehee! Wow! That's the reaction I was looking for!" Domino giggled.

"Just keep them like that for a moment longer. I'm almost done," Giovanni told her.

"Roger that!" Domino saluted and went back to smirking at Serena. "I wonder what it will be like once our boss goes back in time to erase your boyfriend's existence."

Serena said nothing but clenched her fists as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

"Tell me. What do you see in him anyway?" Domino asked as she played with Ash's hair. "His hair is such a mess, and I can tell that his manners are horrible. I certainly won't miss a guy like that."

"What do you know?!" Serena snarled.

"I just don't see why everybody seems to like him," Domino shrugged. "Unless of course they'll only miss him because he's the Chosen One. Yeah. We know all about that."

"It's because Ash is humble, sweet, and caring. Everything you aren't!" Serena declared as she felt a presence growing inside of her.

"Ooooh. That stings," Domino said in mock hurt. "Well, it doesn't matter. He'll be gone soon, anyway. Our boss will change the past, and Team Rocket will rule the world."

Serena began to look around as she tried to think of something she could do. It appeared everyone else was in the same dilemma. They couldn't have their Pokemon attack at all. Everyone was at a complete standstill about what to do. One would think that since Domino and Giovanni were the only Rockets left that they would be easy pickings, but Domino had the trump card of escape now that she had Ash just seconds away from death. Ash never would've let this happen under normal circumstances, but Persian's Slash was all that was needed for him to let his guard down. Serena really needed a miracle. She could still feel the build up inside of her.

"You know, maybe is too bad he'll be dead. If he were older, I would've loved to _educate_ him on a few things," Domino smirked. Ash was rapidly shaking his head at the suggestion even though it hurt to do so.

Delia was angry at Domino was talking about her son like that, but it was nothing compared to Serena. The honey-haired girl was taking heaving breaths as she tried not to lose it. How dare Domino say that!

"Oh? I take it you've never done so?" Domino taunted.

Serena turned red, and tears burned her eyes, but she refused to answer Domino's question. Domino was just trying to get a reaction from her. Serena knew that. However, it was still really hard for Serena to restrain herself from bashing this girl's face in. Despite that, the presence insider her grew stronger.

"Well, that's too bad," Domino said in fake sadness. "Are you not close enough to?"

"Shut up!" Ash suddenly hollered.

At that, Domino dug her stem in Ash's neck ever so slightly. Ash felt it pierce his skin, and he winced in pain.

Serena had enough of Domino. How dare this girl talk about Ash's and her relationship like that! Serena could feel the presence inside her start to reach its zenith, and she reached for it. Serena hadn't felt this in a long time as it refused to show itself again until now. Serena didn't know if it was because of fear for what would happen or not. The point was that Ash was in trouble, and they needed to stop Domino and Giovanni!

"Wait. What are you doing?" Domino asked in confusion once she saw Serena's eyes start to glow blue.

Domino then gave a cry when the tulip she was holding was torn away from her hand and went sailing off into the beyond. Domino then felt herself lifted off her feet, and she dropped Ash out of instinct. Domino then gave a terrified look to Serena.

"How the…? Are you doing this!?" she shrieked at Serena.

"That girl can use ESP?" Silver uttered in amazement.

"It's that girl again!" Giovanni snarled and turned to Rhyperior, Persian, and Hypno. "Destroy her now!"

The three Pokemon began charging for Serena, but that's when the other Pokemon jumped into the battle again. They were firing off attack as fast they could at Giovanni's Pokemon to keep them at bay. Meanwhile, Domino was hovering in the air from Serena's psychic abilities. She was writhing in frustration, but it was futile.

"Let me go, you little brat!" Domino screeched.

"Fine," was all Serena muttered.

She thrust her arms to the right, and Domino went sailing through the air. The blonde-haired Rocket kept going until she was slammed face first into the concrete wall next to the elevator. She then slumped to the ground, knocked out. Serena smiled in satisfaction that she got to bash the girl's face in, after all.

Serena then used that opportunity to run to Ash who was breathing heavily. He was in pretty bad shape. Serena knelt beside him and held him gently. She wanted to hug him, but that would've been a bad idea with how injured he was.

"Ash, I'm so glad you're okay!" Serena said.

"Well, mostly anyway," Ash admitted before his eyes grew wide. "Serena, that was your ESP again. Are you okay? It's not going out of control again, is it?"

"No. It actually isn't," Serena replied with a shake of her head. "It's gone now, but I had no trouble controlling it that time."

"That's amazing. So, I guess getting your memories back restored your ESP back to normal," Ash said.

"It seems like it," Serena responded. "It makes me wonder why my memories would subconsciously seal like that, though. What good could've come from it?"

"There isn't any point in worrying about it, now," Ash replied as he turned to Giovanni. "We have him to stop, and I think I know just how to get rid of that force field."

"Me, too," Serena replied and turned to Hitmonlee. "Use Brick Break!"

Hitmonlee dashed off towards Giovanni and leaped into the air. Hypno saw this and blasted a Psychic attack, but Hitmonlee nimbly dodged the attack. It then swung its arms down in an almost karate chop-like fashion. Hitmonlee then brought its hands down on the force field. There was a flash of light as it shattered on impact. Due to the amount of intense energy from the force field and it not being like a normal Barrier or Light Screen, Hitmonlee was blown backwards. It then landed a short distance away from Ash and Serena.

Giovanni looked around at all of his fallen or incapacitated Rocket members in anger. He then looked at his still remaining three Pokemon before back at the machine. He wasn't going to give up when he was this close.

"It's not over," Giovanni growled and turned to Persian, Rhyperior, and Hypno. "Crush them!"

"Hold it!" Looker suddenly shouted.

Everyone turned to Looker and saw he had just come on to the roof with Officer Jenny and some other police officers. They gave a quick look around, but they all had their guns pointed at Giovanni. They then noticed Celebi hovering a few feet above Giovanni. However, they had to save their amazement for later. Looker then pulled out his communication system and spoke into it, but he never took his eyes off Giovanni.

"We've found Giovanni. He's on the roof of the radio tower," he reported.

"Looker!" Ash cried. "Are we glad to see you!"

"My gosh, Ash," Looker frowned once he saw Ash. "You look terrible. We need to get you to a hospital immediately."

"Yeah. That sounds good," he smiled tiredly.

"Is everyone else okay?" Looker asked next as he scanned the room before he saw Silver.

Silver noticed the expression Looker was giving him and looked rather uncomfortable. He knew he would probably be serving time in jail for his crimes. Then again, he probably deserved it with as big of jerk as he's been ever since he left on his Pokemon journey. He's stolen Pokemon and killed others even if they were criminals. There was probably no escaping it.

"It's over, Giovanni," Looker told him as he turned back to the evil man. "Return your Pokemon, and put your hands on your head."

Giovanni clenched his teeth as he returned Persian, Rhyperior, and Hypno. He couldn't believe this. All that he worked for and planned for the past year had been all for naught. The worst part was it was once again foiled by Ash and his friends. However, it wasn't just him this time. Silver was part of it, too, his own son, and it made him very angry. Why did they always have to get in his way?! Giovanni was about to raise his hands in surrender until he heard a beeping next to him.

He turned his eyes to the source and discovered it was the device. Giovanni also saw that Celebi's power had reached its maximum, now. Giovanni's expression, however, remained neutral as he turned back to Looker.

"Right. I'll put my hands on my head," Giovanni said slowly as he raised them.

Ash noticed Celebi opening its eyes and waking up again as a blue light began to form in its hands. Oh no! Had it actually been enough time? They had to stop it fast!

"Look out!" Ash cried in warning as he ducked.

A burst of blue energy exploded from Celebi. Everyone had to shield themselves from the force except for Giovanni who was right in the center of it. He immediately dropped his raised arms before he pushed a button on the device, and a beam shot towards Celebi. The green, fairy-like Pokemon grimaced once that happened before its eyes glowed blue.

A strong wind began to blow as everyone began to yell from the force. Everyone was grimacing as it almost threatened to blow them away. Ash, Misty, and Serena clutched on to each other to add more weight. Ash saw Pikachu flying by and reached out to grab it before he pulled it in close. Looker strained himself over to Ash.

"What's going on?!" he shouted.

"It must be Celebi!" Ash replied before his eyes grew wide. Did Giovanni actually…

What sounded like a weird buzzing began to sound, and everyone gasped as nobody was prepared for what was happened next. A large fissure seemed to split into the air itself that was at least ten feet tall. It then began to widen as the pressure and wind intensified. All the while Giovanni had his arms spread out wide as he watched in glee. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

"Is that really…did he create a time portal?!" Misty cried.

Everyone on the roof was nothing short of astounded despite the direness of the situation. It was truly a wondrous thing. There was a massive hole that literally appeared in thin air. Inside the hole was nothing but blue energy and static. Giovanni then turned around and smiled evilly at everyone.

"Behold the true power of Celebi!" he announced before he looked pointedly at Ash. "Farewell, Ash Ketchum! We will not meet again!"

Everyone gave a shout as Giovanni actually jumped into the portal, and he was gone a second later. They all stared in astonishment. He had actually completed his mission. Ash couldn't let it end like this. He heard his mother scream, and they all turned to see Silver running to the portal, as well. His Tyranitar and Sneasel were just behind him. Was he actually going after Giovanni?! They got their answer when Silver and his Pokemon dove in the portal, and they were gone, too.

"No!" Delia cried as tears came.

Despite Ash's injuries and energy pulsating from the void, Ash stood up. Serena looked at him like he was crazy as she knew what he was about to do. Even so, had to stop Giovanni no matter what.

"No, Ash! You can't! You don't know what will happen!" Serena screamed.

"What I do know is if I don't do anything, the world will be destroyed!" Ash rebutted.

"Are you crazy, Ash?!" Misty couldn't help but ask.

"Maybe I am," Ash replied.

Ash knew he couldn't stand around and decide much longer as the portal was beginning to close. If he was going to go, he had to go now. He snapped his fingers as he prepared to do what was probably the craziest thing in his life so far, and that was saying something. Pikachu jumped on Ash's shoulder as it was prepared to follow Ash through thick and thin. Ash then returned his Bayleef and Quilava. With that, Ash took a deep breath and ran forward.

"Ash, no! I can't lose both of you!" he heard his mother shout.

Ash wanted to turn around to hug his mother. He wanted to say goodbye to Serena, to Misty, to Looker, to Professor Oak, to Gary, to Leaf, to Brock, to all his other friends that he's met. Ash didn't know if he would ever see them again the second he stepped into this portal. It was the only way, however. Ash ignored the desperate pleas he heard as everyone tried to call him back as he got closer.

He turned around to Looker coming after him in attempt to stop him, but Ash turned to see he was almost there. The portal was just about closed up. Ash closed his eyes just before he entered, and then he did. A second later, he was gone.

The portal closed up a few seconds later, and Ash, Silver, and Giovanni were now lost. Looker stopped in shock as his arms hung loosely by his side, not believing what happened. Serena stared horrified at the scene in front of her. She clutched her chest as she began take short breaths as she felt she may start to hyperventilate. Misty held her back for support as a couple of other police officers came over.

"Come on, Serena! Stay with us!" Misty pleaded.

Serena didn't listen, though. She had just lost Ash, and this time, she had no idea where he was or where he was going. Delia was on her hands and knees sobbing that she had just lost both of her sons. For a mother, that was like a nightmare come true. Looker walked over to her and knelt down next to Delia with a solemn look. There was nothing he could do to fix this.

Meanwhile, the other police officers filed around the roof and began to handcuff every remaining Rocket member. Archer felt the handcuffs put behind him and let out a chuckle.

"Heh. Go ahead and arrest us. It won't matter in the end. Our mission to bring back Team Rocket was a total success. Once our boss changes the past, all of this will be erased," he said darkly.

"We'll see about that," Officer Jenny replied as she took him away. "You and your fellow Rockets are never getting out of prison."

"Heh. Yeah. Whatever," Archer sneered.

Serena buried her face in her hands as she continued to cry. She couldn't take this. They had come so close, but in the end, she failed. Even with her ESP activating briefly, it wasn't enough. She wasn't even registering why it had appeared in the first place anymore.

Serena felt an embrace, and she looked up to see Delia had come over to hug Serena, and she had tears streaming down her eyes, too. Serena realized that the loss was just as impactful for Delia as it was for her. Serena accepted the embrace as she continued to cry hysterically. She didn't know how she was going to get through this. What was she going to do now?

* * *

Ash felt himself falling. He was falling through a seemingly endless void of blue static and electricity. He didn't know how long he had been falling, either. He didn't know if he would ever stop falling. Was he doomed to never get out of this place? It didn't seem like it at this rate.

Ash gave a grunt as his stomach suddenly hit something, and he stopped. He was thankful he landed on his stomach and not his back since the gash was still there. Ash blinked a few times to clear away his disorientation until he realized he was lying on grass. He turned and saw Pikachu was on the ground next to him, as well, and it looked equally dazed.

Ash slowly pushed himself to his knees as he stared at his surroundings. A clear blue sky was above his head, and he could hear a few Pidgey chirping in trees around him. He appeared to be in a field of some sort, but he had no idea where. One couldn't blame him, though. He did just seemingly fall through an endless portal. The peaceful scenery around him sure was a change from just a few seconds ago.

"Dude, are you okay?" a voice asked.

Ash's head jerked to his right, and he saw a boy around his age staring at him with a mix of worry and confusion. Upon closer inspection, Ash couldn't believe his eyes. The boy looked just like him save for a couple of differences. Ash wanted to say something, but his words were catching in his throat. He was staring straight at his dad, Red, from when he was a young teenager. Despite this, Red didn't seem to note the similarities between him and Ash. He seemed more concerned with Ash's condition.

"Hey. Are you okay? You look like you need to be in a hospital," Red said.

"Where am I?!" Ash suddenly blurted out.

Red looked startled by Ash's question and seemed a little hesitant to answer. Here was a boy that seemed to have appeared out of thin air. He was extremely injured, and he didn't know where he was. Needless to say, Red was quite concerned.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Red asked as he helped Ash to his feet.

"I'm fine!" Ash declared as he got over his astonishment. "Where am I?!"

"You're…just outside of Pallet Town," Red replied slowly.

" _I'm outside of Pallet Town,"_ Ash thought. _"I'm seeing my dad as a teenager. I really traveled through time."_

Ash was trying to wrap his head around the situation. He knew what he was doing when he jumped into the portal, but that fact that it actually happened was still incredible. He was looking around all over the place before he stumbled from his injuries. Red was there to catch him.

"Woah, there," Red said. "I don't know who you are or how you got here, but you need to be treated. The Viridian Hospital is still far away so I have no choice but to take you with me to Pallet Town. I'm sure Professor Oak has some good medical supplies."

"Professor Oak?" Ash questioned.

"Yeah. Professor Oak. You know…the famous Pokemon professor of the Kanto region?" Red questioned as he glanced at Pikachu. "Since you have a Pokemon and are obviously a trainer, you've heard of him, right?"

"Uhh…yeah," Ash muttered. He was still in a daze at what was happening.

"Heh. You're kind of a strange one," Red smiled. "All my friends say I'm the strange one of the group. Personally, I think it's Blue, though. The guy's a workaholic."

"Uh huh," Ash mumbled, not knowing what else to say. This was so weird.

"Oh yeah. You probably have no idea what I'm talking about," Red said with an apologetic smile before he held out his hand. "I'm Red. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Aaaa-Adam," Ash replied and took the handshake.

Something was telling Ash he shouldn't give his real name to Red. He didn't want to try to alter the past in any way. That included what his name might be. Thankfully, Red ignored his hesitation.

"Well, Adam, now that that's out of the way, let's get you some help. Can you walk on your own?" Red questioned.

"Yeah. I think so," Ash muttered.

"Let's go then. Pallet Town isn't far," Red stated and turned around to lead the way.

Ash and Pikachu both followed Red back to where Professor Oak's lab presumably was. Now that Ash was more aware of what was going on, he did recognize this area. Even so, that didn't make it any less strange of a situation. He was actually walking next to his dad who was around the same age as him, and he just traveled the past. That sort of thing doesn't happen every day.

Despite his interest of the situation, Ash knew he couldn't get sidetracked. Silver was here somewhere, and most importantly, so was Giovanni.

* * *

 **Part One has now concluded with Ash going to the past and meeting his Dad when he was 13. Remember that Red and Blue didn't begin their Pokemon journeys in this fic until they were 15 so they have no way to defend themselves with Pokemon at this time.**

 **I bet a lot of people didn't see Cassidy dying. The truth was that I was on the fence about her. I figured about halfway through Johto that I realized she had to answer for her crime of killing Cubone's mother. She still wasn't the death I was talking about. Dang. She's the third death so far this story. That means there is going to be at least four total. Will there be five in this story? Who knows?**

 **I'll be hard at work with Part Two to make it worth the wait. Until next time, have a good one! The conclusion is real next chapter!**

 **Chapter 63: Regret Nothing: Part Two**


	64. Regret Nothing: Part Two

**A/N:Happy Easter to all who celebrate it! Holy cow this chapter took a while to write. I sure hope it delivers. It is definitely the longest chapter so far in the Johto arc, and probably for the rest of it, too. I could've easily split this in half again and made a three parter, but I wouldn't do that to you guys. I know you are all dying to know how this ends so I present to you the finale of the climax. Please enjoy the chapter even if you can't read it in one sitting lol.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 63: Regret Nothing: Part Two

Ash entered Pallet Town with Red and was rather surprised how little it had changed from the past to his time. Familiar small shops and houses were in the same places as they used to. It was a testament to the quiet, rural community that Pallet Town really was. It didn't have the hustle and bustle of the cities that were continuously growing. Its population would remain rather stagnant, but the locals all preferred it that way.

"So, Adam, where are you from?" Red asked him.

Ash almost froze up at the question. Shoot. Where _should_ he say he's from? He certainly couldn't say he was from Pallet Town as everyone knew who each other in this town. That would immediately make Red suspicious of why he'd never heard of Ash before. The raven-haired boy wracked his brain as he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Cinnibar Island," Ash replied and mentally smacked himself.

Red turned and gave a questioning eyebrow at Ash. "Cinnibar Island? What are you doing all the way out here then?"

"Oh! Haha! I meant…that's where I was coming from!" Ash corrected himself. "I'm really from…Viridian City! I was heading back there from Cinnibar Island!"

Red seemed to find that more acceptable and nodded his head. Ash mentally breathed a sigh of relief and realized he would have to start fabricating a believable story. He obviously shouldn't be parading around the fact that he had just traveled from the future and was the son of the guy currently walking beside him. That story wouldn't fly with the people here.

"Here it is! Professor Oak's Lab!" Red announced once they got there.

Ash glanced around at the lab in front of him and noticed it appeared a bit smaller than it was in the future. There were a few parts that seemed to be missing which made Ash realize that Professor Oak had to expand his lab as he acquired more Pokemon to keep in his ranch. Still, Ash was actually rather interested to see what Professor Oak's lab looked like right now on the inside.

Red and Ash began walking up the pathway to the lab, but they didn't make it far. The door was thrown open, and a very miffed teen with huge spiky brown hair stepped out. Ash's eyes widened when he realized that it was Blue, Gary's future father. Ash shook his head to try to remain focused. Seeing all of the people he knew as adults the same age as him started to the throw him for a loop.

"Dang it, Red! I'm going to kick your butt!" Blue shouted.

"Why? What's wrong?" Red asked in confusion.

"Why'd you send that Rose Green girl here to sell me that fake Pokemon enhancement stuff!? She just conned me out of one thousand Pokedollars! That's more allowance than I get in a month!" Blue hollered.

 _"Leaf's mother,"_ Ash thought. _"I do remember Leaf telling me that Rose used to scam people a lot before she became friends with my dad and Blue."_

"Wait. That stuff didn't work?" Red questioned in surprise.

Blue gave a Red and incredulous look. "Of course it doesn't work! Didn't you try it before you sent her over to here to sell me the same thing?!"

"Eheheheheh! Nooooo…," Red answered nervously as he rubbed the back of neck. Ash couldn't help but notice how much that looked like him at the moment.

Blue ruffled his hair in frustration. "Grrrr…she got both of us," he muttered before he gave Red an angry look again. "Next time, why don't you try the product before recommending it other people!?"

"Maybe we'll catch her one day, and she'll give us our money back," Red shrugged hopefully.

Blue just snorted in annoyance before he turned to Ash as if just now realizing he was there. Once he saw the condition Ash was in, his angry look immediately turned more worried, but a little weary, as well.

"Woah. Who are you? What happened?" Blue asked.

"This is Adam. I found him just outside of Pallet Town on the ground. He needs some medical attention. Your dad has some supplies, right?" Red replied instead.

"Uhh…yeah," Blue uttered before he motioned with his hands. "Come on in."

Red and Ash followed Blue into the lab, and Ash looked around once they entered. Besides the fact that there were a lot of old fashioned equipment and computers in there, it still looked relatively the same. Ash couldn't imagine trying to use one of those things now. The computers were huge and seemed really complicated.

Ash was taken to the lobby and instructed to lie down on the couch. As soon as Ash sat down, he realized how good it felt to finally do so. After how much running and fighting and walking he'd done the past day, this felt really relaxing. He breathed a sigh of contentment which wasn't lost on Red and Blue.

"You look like you've been to heck and back," Red commented.

"Well…," Ash trailed as he didn't know how to answer that question.

"Whatever. I'm going to go get dad. He should be out the Pokemon ranch," Blue said and left the room in a hurry.

Ash was once again left alone with Red. The two of them stood there for a second not saying anything. Ash didn't like the silence, but what were supposed to talk about with your future dad when he was a young teenager? Ash was still stupefied by this fact. Fortunately, Red didn't seem to like the silence, either. He sat down on the opposite side of the couch from Ash.

"So, how long have you been a trainer?" Red asked Ash.

"Oh. Umm…almost three years," Ash replied.

"Ah…so you started your journey when you were just ten," Red nodded before he added. "So, what leagues have you competed in so far? Have you won any?"

"Well, I've competed in the Indigo League and the Orange League," Ash replied as he figured there was no harm in answering that. "I placed in the Top Four in the Indigo League, and I won the Orange League!"

At that, Red immediately got a confused look on his face as he peered at Ash suspiciously. Ash glanced around before his eyes settled back on Red. Why was Red looking at him like that? What did he say that was so wrong?

"You won the Orange League? They just had the first one ever a month ago. A kid named Drake won it and was crowned the champion, and he didn't even look like you," Red stated.

Ash began to sweat at that. That was right. The Orange League was barely thirty years old from Ash's timeline. Oh snap. He just really screwed up right there. How was he going to get out of this one? Pikachu also had an alarmed look on its face. Ash's throat was dry as he tried to think of something he could say to remedy the situation. Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Red's look was only growing more suspicious as he awaited Ash's answer.

"I was runner up," Ash replied quickly. "I competed in the championship, but I lost to Drake."

"But you just said you won it," Red countered.

"Well, it was like I won it. I got to compete in the championship so I felt like a winner," Ash responded.

He then gave Red a cheesy grin. Red didn't seem to fully believe Ash as he still had a suspicious look on his face. Ash knew that Red could tell there was something he wasn't being told. Thankfully, Red didn't get a chance to press the issue as Blue soon arrived back with Professor Oak. Once Red turned to look at them, Ash breathed a sigh of relief. That was way too close. Even so, Ash had a feeling that their conversation wasn't fully over yet.

The brown-haired Professor Oak saw Ash's condition and gasped. "Gracious, son! You look terrible! What happened to you!?"

"It's…a long story," Ash replied truthfully. He felt it was about as closest to the truth he's said since he came to the past.

"Well let's get you cleaned up," Professor Oak said and knelt down next to Ash with his medical kit. "I'm no human doctor, but I think I can still take care of these injuries. Let's start with your back. Lay down on your stomach, please."

Ash obeyed and got into a more comfortable position on his stomach as Professor Oak lifted his shirt. He could see Red and Blue grimace once they saw the full gash and realized how bad it must look. He then took a deep breath as he knew this was about to sting even worse than it already did. The cleaning up of the wound was always the worst part.

Professor Oak had a small bucket of soapy water next to him, and he dipped a rag in it before he began to clean it. Ash instantly hissed in pain as tears came to his eyes. He grit his teeth and clutched the pillow on the couch as hard as he could while Professor Oak was cleaning the blood off.

"I can't help but wonder what happened. It looks like a Persian got a hold of you," Professor Oak commented, not realizing that he was spot on.

While Professor Oak was still cleaning Ash, Blue used that opportunity to pull Red off to the side. He then checked to make sure Ash wasn't listening before he confessed his concern to Red. The spiky-haired boy crossed his arms.

"Aren't you suspicious of him?" Blue asked.

"What do you mean?" Red inquired.

"I mean don't you find this guy really strange? He turns up out of nowhere, and he has all of these injuries. I know there's something about him that he wants remain hidden," Blue said with a frown.

"Well, he did tell me something really strange," Red whispered. "He told me he won the Orange League and looked really nervous like he was caught in a lie when I told him Drake won it."

"That's my point. He's not telling us something, and why would he say he won the Orange League? You'd have to live under a rock to believe a lie like that," Blue insisted before he added. "I bet Adam isn't even his real name."

Red glanced at Ash before turned back to Blue. "I don't know. I just think he needs to catch a break, and he seems to have been through a lot. For some reason, I just feel like I can trust him."

"You're trusting someone you just met and who has clearly lied to you so far?" Blue questioned with raised eyebrows.

"Well, maybe there's a good reason he hasn't told us everything," Red shrugged. "At the very least, I don't think he's a troublemaker."

"Yet he's covered with gashes and scratches," Blue deadpanned before he stated the thing that was most suspicious to him. "Also, did you not notice the fact that he looks _just like you_."

"Okay. I admit it. That part has me weirded out," Red grimaced as he scratched his head.

"See? What is this guy hiding?" Blue pressed. "I've never met a stranger guy in my life."

"Look, if it helps, I'll keep an eye on him until I'm sure he isn't up to something weird, okay?" Ash said in attempt to solve the situation.

Blue uncrossed his arms and sighed. "Fine. Just let me know if something comes up."

Red nodded. "I will."

A yell of pain brought their attention back to Ash, and they saw that Professor Oak had just applied the disinfectant to the gash. Ash was wincing now and taking heavy breaths.

"Settle down, son. The worst is over. Just let me bandage you up now. Sit up, please," Professor Oak commanded.

Ash nodded his head and got off his stomach. Professor Oak then took out some bandages and began to wrap them around Ash's torso. It was a little uncomfortable to Ash, but it was nothing compared to when the wound was being cleaned. The bandages were soft if not a little itchy. That was fine with Ash. At least the gash wouldn't get infected now.

"There you go!" Professor Oak smiled as he drew his attention to the various smaller scratches around Ash's body. "I think these will be a lot easier to take care of."

"Thanks, Professor Oak," Ash replied gratefully.

"You're welcome, son," Professor Oak replied before he commented with a smile "So, you're a trainer, I see. You must not come from the Kanto region. I typically remember the trainers that walk through my doors to begin their journey."

Ash's stomach did flips once again. Shoot. He had already told Red that he was from Viridian City, and Professor Oak just said he doesn't remember Ash. The raven-haired boy could feel the stares from Red and Blue as they waited for him to answer. Professor Oak's seemingly innocent question turned out to be a huge problem for Ash. Keeping his identity hiding was _really_ not working out the way he wanted. Was his cover blown now? Did he have no choice but to confess? Would they call him a lunatic? Probably.

"Oh, I've been through here before," Ash replied. It wasn't a full lie. It's just he hadn't gained his starter Pokemon from Professor Oak _yet_.

"You have?" Professor Oak questioned.

"Sure. My starter Pokemon was…Charmander," Ash continued. That was a lie. "Sorry. I guess you just don't remember me."

"Hmm…I guess not. Maybe I'm not as young as I used to be," Professor Oak mused as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Ash turned to look at Blue and Red, and he could tell that didn't full believe him. He couldn't blame them, really. He had acted completely suspicious ever since Red first found him. Ash could only hope that the questions would stop coming so he could catch a break.

"Ahhh!" Ash yelped as Professor Oak sprayed disinfectant on the scratches across his neck. Okay. Not this sort of break.

The sound of a front door opening to Professor Oak's lab drew everyone's attention off Ash, thankfully. A few seconds later, three people entered the room. One was a brown-haired girl with two pigtails, and the others were a short girl with a large, blonde ponytail, and a boy with messy black hair just like Red. It didn't take Ash too long to realize they were his mom as a teenager, and Yellow and Riley who both looked around ten or eleven.

"Hey, Professor Oak! Can we play with the Pokemon?!" Yellow asked in excitement.

"Of course, Yellow!" Professor Oak smiled before he turned to Delia. "That's so nice of you to pick her up from Viridian City since she doesn't live around here."

"It's no problem!" Delia smiled back before she turned to Red. "It'd be nice if _someone_ watched their little brother more often, though."

Ash noticed that his dad seemed to form the hint of a blush on his face when Delia spoke to him. Red quickly tried to hide it, though, and turned his head to the side.

"Yeah, well…you know. I'm busy studying to be a great Pokemon trainer with Blue. We plan to win the Pokemon League so we're studying all we can. That's the same reason why none of you are trainers yet, right?" Red questioned.

"You know I have no interest in being a trainer, Red," Delia told him with her hands on her hips.

"Right. You're too interested in that Giovanni guy to have any other interests," Red said with a bit of disdain.

An audible gasp from Ash drew everyone's attention back to him. The raven-haired boy had gone wide-eyed, and he was staring at his future mother as if she were a ghost. Red and Blue had frowns on their faces while Riley and Yellow were just looking at him just as he was to them…a stranger who spoke out of turn. Ash ignored all their stares, however, and only focused on Delia who looked really uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"Umm…hello?" Delia said awkwardly.

"Who's this?" Riley asked Red. "And why does he look like you?"

Great. The line that nobody was wanting to mention had finally happened. Red scratched his head in uneasiness while Blue facepalmed. Thankfully, Professor Oak cleared his throat, though, before he addressed Riley and Yellow.

"Why don't you two go on outside and play?" he suggested.

"Yeah. Come on, Riley," Yellow urged as she grabbed the boy by the hand to pull him along.

"What did I say?" Riley questioned in confusion as he was dragged out of the room.

Once they were gone, Blue immediately turned back to Ash. The spike-haired boy sighed in annoyance before he spoke.

"Well, Riley let the Donphan in the room. We healed your injuries so I think you owe us an explanation. We know there's something you're not telling us, and we're also wondering why you look like Red. What are you hiding? We want the truth. _Now_ ," Blue said pointedly.

"Blue, you don't have to be so harsh with him," Professor Oak said sternly. "He's clearly been through a lot."

"But, Dad, this guy's been suspicious from the start. Red told me he just seemed to drop out of the sky! How many people do that?" Blue countered.

Ash knew this conversation was going to come quickly, and he mentally kicked himself. He had done a terrible job at concealing his identity. Now, he was trapped and had no way to escape. Ash knew he had to tell them something because they weren't going to let him just walk away now. Still, what could he say that didn't make him sound like a liar or a moron? Also, he couldn't tell them who he really was. Who knows what effect that might have on the future. Ash had come here to save the future, but he actually may be doing more harm than good if his cover is blown.

"We're waiting," Blue said impatiently.

"Hey. I have to be with Blue on this one, Adam," Red stepped in, though he didn't sound as aggravated. "I mean…I tried not to say anything, but now that Riley's mentioned it, we can't ignore it. I know people say they have a doppelganger everywhere in the world, but it's just too weird in your case."

Ash took a deep breath. He hoped they would go with this.

"Look, I'm really thankful for all of you guys for healing my injuries, but I can't tell you who I am. Just please trust me on this. There's a reason I can't. I'm sorry," Ash seemed to plead.

"You want us to trust you, a stranger?" Blue asked as he raised his eyebrows.

"Yes. I know I seem suspicious. I would be suspicious of me, too, if I were in your shoes, but at least trust me on this. I have no bad intentions for any of you. I promise I'm not going to harm you guys in any way," Ash continued before he added in his mind. _"In fact, I'm saving all of you."_

"I believe you," Red nodded.

"Are you serious?" Blue asked Red incredulously. "This is more about you than me, and you actually believe this guy?"

"I do," Red nodded seriously, and Ash could finally see the personality of his dad that he knew shine right there. "If he were here to harm us, he would've done so already. I admit there are things about him that are weird, but he isn't a bad person. I can just…sense it."

 _"Can he really feel my aura?"_ Ash wondered.

"I agree with Red," Professor Oak nodded. "He has not been malicious to us at all."

"Dad!" Blue protested.

"That's enough, Blue," Professor Oak told him. "Your suspicions are well-founded, but we'll believe him for now."

Blue furrowed his eyebrows before he crossed his arms and looked at Delia. The brown-haired girl merely shrugged as she had no idea about Ash and hadn't even really spoken to him yet. Whatever she said would be irrelevant. Finally, Blue rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine. Whatever," he muttered before he looked at Ash. "Just know that I'm watching you, and I'm not going to get buddy-buddy with you just yet."

"Thank you," Ash replied gratefully as he bowed to everyone as Pikachu seemed to exhale in relief, too. That's when a rumbling noise happened in the confines of Ash's stomach, and he blushed in embarrassment. It was then Ash realized he hadn't eaten at all since the meal in Goldenrod City before Professor Oak's talk show, and that felt like forever ago.

"Hmmhmm!" Delia giggled. "That sounds just like Red's stomach when he's hungry."

"Another similarity between them," Blue muttered, but it was clear he meant it in a more light-hearted way.

Another growl sounded throughout the room, and everyone turned to discover the source was Red this time. Red chuckled a little bit as he smiled at Ash.

"Yeah. I guess it does. I'm pretty hungry, too," Red stated.

"By any chance, would you like to stay for dinner before you go on your way?" Professor Oak asked Ash.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"No. Really. I couldn't trouble you guys any more than I already have," Ash replied as Pikachu fell over on its stomach before it glared at Ash.

"It's no trouble at all. Your stomach has already spoken for you," Professor Oak grinned.

"Well in that case, thank you very much!" Ash said happily as his hunger won over his politeness.

"Well, I'll go ahead and get dinner started then," Professor Oak informed as he checked his watch.

"Do you want me to help you? It's the least I could do," Ash offered.

"No thank you. You're a guest. You just stay here and recuperate from your injuries. You're free to see the lab while you wait," Professor Oak replied.

"Just don't leave our sight," Blue added as he followed Professor Oak before his eyes went wide, and he turned back to Red. "Hey! I still have to kick your butt for making me lose my allowance!"

"Shoot! I've gotta go! Bye, Delia! Later, Adam! See you at supper!" Red said hurriedly and dashed out of the room.

"You won't live long enough to see them at supper!" Blue hollered as he chased Red.

It was then that Ash was alone with Delia. The two stood there rather awkwardly as they faced each other. Delia had her hands behind her back as her eyes darted around the room. She was probably trying to find an excuse to leave. Ash couldn't blame her. He hadn't exactly made the best first impression to her with his reaction to Giovanni's name.

"Hey," Ash said as he tried to clear some of the tension. "Sorry about earlier."

"Do you know Giovanni?" Delia abruptly asked.

"Well...I guess you could say that," Ash muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck in nervousness as he saw there was no point to hide it. "I was just surprised when you mentioned his name."

"I see," Delia replied a little quietly.

As the awkwardness once again ensued, Ash realized he had to know something. What exactly was it that made Delia so attracted to Giovanni in the first place? He would never ask her in the present, but here when he presumably wasn't doing anything wrong, she probably wouldn't mind telling him. Besides, Ash was very curious what Giovanni was like before he was the leader of Team Rocket.

"So, Mo…Delia, about Giovanni, is he nice?" Ash questioned. "Do you like him?"

"Hmm?" Delia inquired as she looked at Ash. "I wouldn't exactly say he's nice. If anything, he's pretty quiet, and yes. I like him a lot. He's really smart."

Ash nodded his head as he wanted to ask exactly _why_ Delia was attracted to Giovanni. Why did they start dating in the first place, and furthermore, why exactly did they start Team Rocket? Ash knew that if he asked such questions, it would be pretty rude and nosy. He was still a stranger to Delia. That's why he was surprised when Delia continued.

"He saved my life once," she stated with a thoughtful look. "I was in route to Viridian City about a year ago, and I was attacked by a swarm of Spearow. Giovanni happened to be coming to visit Pallet Town to receive his starter Pokemon at the time. He had a pet Meowth with him, though, and it was able to drive off all the Spearow. He then treated my wounds and walked with me back to Pallet Town until we could make it to Professor Oak's lab."

"He…saved you?" Ash asked as his eyes widened. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Why is that so surprising?" Delia asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "You said you know Giovanni, but I bet I know him a lot better than you do. He's caring, and he really knows how to think big. He has great plans in the future to really make it on top in the world."

"Right. Sorry," Ash apologized.

"Red doesn't trust him, though. For some reason, he says that he just gets a really bad feeling around Giovanni, and he keeps warning me to stay away from him. He never even really gives Giovanni a fair chance. As a result, they don't like each other," Delia said with a frown.

Ash nodded his head. This actually explained a lot to him. He was told how Delia met Giovanni, and how he and Red started off. They never got along. Was Red actually able to sense the darkness that was in Giovanni's heart? Then again, according his mom, Giovanni saved her at one point and treated her wounds. The Giovanni that Ash knew couldn't care less about what happened to anyone if he wasn't involved. Delia said he was very caring, but he was also really smart.

Ash was about to start to put two and two together. Delia liked Giovanni because he saved her life, and he probably liked Delia because he realized a potential mate in helping him get to the top. It wasn't exactly the sweetest love story Ash had ever heard, but it was pretty safe to say that Delia didn't start off bad, but Giovanni didn't really, either. Where did everything go so wrong with them that they would create an organization like Team Rocket?

Delia suddenly got a confused look on her face. "Why am I even talking to you about this, anyway? I don't know you."

"Well, you brought it up," Ash shrugged as he held his hands up. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you. I'm sure you've already knew this from what Red said, but I'm Adam."

"Adam…," Delia mumbled as she gave Ash a hard stare. "I don't know why, but when I look at you, something doesn't feel right. It isn't bad, though. There's just something familiar about you, and I don't think it's because you look like Red."

"Who knows?" Ash shrugged again, trying to play dumb.

"Hmm…well, I'm going to go help Professor Oak with dinner," Delia replied as she hurriedly left.

Ash watched his future mother leave and sighed. He sat down on the couch as Pikachu went over and hopped on his lap. Ash began to scratch Pikachu behind his ears, and the yellow rodent began to coo.

"Boy, Pikachu, what a past," was all he could think of to say.

"Chuuuu," Pikachu agreed.

Outside, a red-haired young man was peeking through the window, and when he saw Ash, he grit his teeth. What was this idiot doing? He had actually followed him and Giovanni into the portal. Did he think this was a game of some kind? He wanted to go in there and kick Ash's butt for being here, but that would only complicate things. There was nothing he could do about it now, anyway.

With a snort, Silver stuffed his hands in his pockets and trudged away. He had to find Giovanni, and if his instincts were correct, he was definitely in Pallet Town somewhere.

* * *

Ash had just finished eating his supper, and despite the fact that he was a guest and in a strange time period, his appetite remain the same. Like Red, he practically inhaled his food as well as a few extra helpings. With as long as he had gone without eating, a meal had never tasted so good before. Pikachu was also happily licking a bottle of ketchup.

Ash, Red, Blue, Yellow, Riley, Delia, and Professor Oak were all gathered around table. Everyone was used to focusing on Red due to how much he ate, but now they had as much concern for Ash as he ate just like Red.

"My, you were really hungry. I'm glad I made plenty," Professor Oak commented.

"Thanks, Professor Oak! This was really good!" Ash replied as he swallowed his last bite.

The Professor Oak that Ash knew would never cook like this. He mainly stuck to health foods such as tofu, beets, and other weird things. In his prime time, Professor Oak proved to be quite the cook. It was almost on par with his mom's cooking. Ash was impressed.

"Yeah. Professor Oak really knows his way around the kitchen," Red agreed. "I almost love eating here as much as my own house!"

"Heh. Freeloader," Blue chuckled.

"Red sure is known for his appetite. I never thought I'd meet someone who has as much of one as he does, but Adam proved me wrong," Delia giggled.

"I think Red's eating is cute," Yellow giggled, as well, while Riley rolled his eyes. It was no secret that Yellow had a crush on Red when she was younger.

Ash smiled as he listened to everyone make playful banter with one another. It strongly reminded Ash of him, Serena, Leaf, and Gary when they would get together. There was a whole group of Pallet Town natives who were great friends with one another, and it passed along to the next generation with him. It sort of made Ash wonder if it would continue when he grows up one day.

"So, what are your plans now, Adam? Do you have a place to stay the night?" Red asked him.

"Well, no," Ash admitted with a smile.

"If you have nowhere to go, you can stay at my house tonight. Then we can figure out what to do from there," Red offered.

Ash was about to accept, but he stopped himself and widened his eyes. Wait. What was he doing? As interesting as it was to meet his mom, dad, and all of the other adults as teenagers, he had completely forgotten why he came to the past in the first place. He wasn't here to make friends with them. He had to save them from Giovanni! He can't spend the night! He shouldn't even be here in Pallet Town having dinner with them! The idea was to interact with them as least as possible! He totally screwed up! He has to find Giovanni now before it's too late.

Ash scooted the chair backwards and hastily stood up. The sudden action startled the rest of the group as they looked at him in confusion. Ash then quickly bowed to them and grabbed Pikachu while it was in the middle of slurping the ketchup. The rodent coughed and glared at Ash, but he ignored it. Pikachu knew better, too.

"Thanks for the offer, but I can't be here any longer!" Ash told them. "I have to go now!"

"Wait! What's the rush? Are you okay?" Red questioned.

"I'm fine! Thank you for everything you all have done for me! I won't forget it!" Ash said gratefully with another bow.

Then, before anybody else could say anything, Ash dashed from the kitchen and made a beeline for the door. He opened the door and stepped into the mild Pallet Town evening air before hurrying down the walkway. He continued running until he was at least half a mile from Professor Oak's lab. He then grabbed his chest and began to take heaving breaths. He hated to leave like that, but it was for the best.

"Piiiiikachu," Pikachu said.

"Yeah. I know, buddy, but we can't forget why we came here. We have to find Giovanni and get back to our own time. My mom and Serena are probably worried sick. I can't make them wait any longer," Ash replied as Pikachu nodded in understanding.

"It's about time you stopped goofing off," a cold voice said. "At least I've been here looking for Giovanni."

Ash jumped and turned to see Silver walking towards him with a frown on his face. Ash sweat dropped and gave a grimace to Silver. While Silver was here to save Delia and stop Giovanni, he and Ash still weren't on the best of terms.

"Sorry," Ash muttered,"But I had to come here, too. I couldn't let Giovanni get away."

"Then you should be looking for him," Silver replied before he noticed Ash's condition. "It seems they patched you up a little bit which is good."

"Yeah. Professor Oak bandaged me up and cleaned my gash," Ash responded before he noticed Silver. "Your earlier bruises haven't been treated, though."

"I'm fine. I'll worry about them later," Silver said quickly.

"Right," Ash replied. He knew better than to argue with Silver. "Anyway, do you have any leads on Giovanni?"

"He's somewhere in Pallet Town," Silver responded as he looked around. "He has to be. He came here to kill Red so your existence can be erased. He isn't one to get sidetracked unlike you. I'll give him one thing, though. Giovanni's really good at hiding."

Ash ignored the insult and thought about what Silver said. He was right. Giovanni was a master of going into hiding, but why would he hide now? Wouldn't he want to go after Red as quickly as possible? What was the hold up?

"I don't know," Ash shrugged. "Do you think we should split up and look for him?"

"Yeah," Silver nodded. "If one of us finds him, it's likely to cause a commotion so the other will know soon enough."

"I'll stay on this end of Pallet Town in that case," Ash told him.

"Whatever," Silver replied and turned the opposite direction to leave.

Ash knew that his conversation with Silver was over so he didn't call out to him. Instead, Ash turned and ran back the direction he had come from. He was careful to stay well away from Professor Oak's lab, though. He didn't want to risk Red or someone else finding him again. They would just ask questions which Ash didn't have time for. He wasted enough time as it was. He had to find Giovanni and quick before he strikes.

* * *

It was eleven at night, and Ash was extremely tired. He hadn't gotten decent rest since the plane landed in Goldenrod City. He had been awake for what was close to twenty four hours. It may not seem like much under normal circumstances, but when over half that time was trying to stop a criminal organization and getting beat up while doing so, that tended to take its toll on Ash.

The raven-haired boy's eyes drooped as he did his best not to fall asleep. He had to keep moving to find Giovanni. He couldn't even sit down to rest or else he would surely slip into slumber. If he fell asleep, he might never wake up again if Giovanni found him first. No. As couldn't rest until Giovanni was stopped and he was safe back in his own timeline.

"Chaaaaaaa…" Pikachu yawned.

"I know you're tired, Pikachu. Believe me. I am, too," Ash muttered.

"Chaaaaaaa…," Pikachu yawned again.

"Alright. I'll put you in my backpack so you can take a quick nap," Ash replied as he picked up the yellow rodent and placed it in.

Almost ten seconds, later, Ash heard the steady breathing of Pikachu which indicate it had already fallen asleep. Ash wished he could find a nice bed himself. He was starting to wonder if it was such a bad idea to take Red up on his offer to sleep at his house. It would've been so much better to search for Giovanni during the day, and Ash would've had a good night's sleep on top of it. Besides, Silver was somewhere right now, and Ash seriously doubted he was going to sleep somewhere.

Ash yawned again as he tried not to think about the coziness of a bed. He would be warm, snug, and comfortable. Stop! He would be unaware to the troubles around him as he dreamed. He would be defenseless…

Ash's eyes shot open. That was it! Giovanni would never try to attack during the day! He had to be waiting for everyone to fall asleep! If that was true, and since Giovanni knew where Red's house was, oh no!

Ash took off in a dead sprint towards Red's house which was accompanied by a few surprised shouts from Pikachu. Ash ignored his yellow partner, however. It would be awake soon enough. The raven-haired boy himself had lost all tiredness. He had to hurry and get to his dad's house, which was also the house Ash grew up in. He was still quite a bit away, though! He would need help. Ash cursed his luck. Of course he would never ask for Silver's Pokegear number to alert him. Ash only wished that Silver had realized the same thing he did.

As Ash approached Red's house, he saw a black shape coming towards him in the darkness at extreme speed. As it got closer, Ash could tell it was Giovanni's Persian, and it was about to attack!

"Pikachu!" Ash said, but he yellow rodent was one step ahead of him.

Pikachu had already leaped out of Ash's backpack to shoot forth a Thunderbolt. The Persian let out a hiss and sprang above the Thunderbolt at Pikachu. However, Pikachu was prepared for this and quickly charged up its tail and swung it around for Iron Tail as Persian swiped at it. A horrible clanging sound was made as sharp nails met metal.

Ash ducked and ran underneath the two as they reached their stalemate. Persian landed on the ground and turned around to let out an angry screech that Ash had gotten past it. Persian attempted to chase Ash, but its attention was drawn back to Pikachu when the yellow rodent let out another Thunderbolt.

Ash turned down the house's pathway, and his eyes widened when he saw two more black shapes in the darkness. One of them was extremely large, and it didn't take a genius to know that was Giovanni's Rhydon while the other was Giovanni himself.

"Giovanni!" Ash hollered.

The black thin shape turned around only briefly before it nodded to Rhyperior. The large shape then summoned an enormous rock for a Stone Edge and hurled it directly through a second story window. The window practically exploded on impact, and the stone was even large and powerful enough to take out some of the wall around the window. There was no doubt that was Red's bedroom.

"No!" Ash shouted and drew a pokeball. "Croconaw, I choose you!"

Croconaw was out in a flash and immediately sent out a Water Gun. The Rhyperior turned around and got directly in the path of the Water Gun before it began to spin its drill. As the Water Gun made contact with it, the water was battered away by the fast spinning of the drill. Rhyperior then seemed to smirk before it summoned another Stone Edge and threw it, this time at Ash and Croconaw.

"Heads up!" Ash hollered and leaped out of the way.

The rock crashed onto the dirt path and left quite a crater in the ground. As Ash and Croconaw stood back up, they saw that Rhyperior was already summoning another Stone Edge to throw at the house. Ash then sent out his next three Pokemon.

"Go, Quilava! Go, Bayleef! Go, Noctowl!" he hollered.

The three Pokemon then appeared and prepared to attack. Rhyperior then changed the direction of its Stone Edge and threw it at the opposing Pokemon again. They leaped out of the way as it once again made a large crater in the ground. Bayleef then used its Vine Whip and used it to tie up Rhyperior's arms so it could stop summoning Stone Edges.

Quilava then used Flamethrower while Noctowl used Psychic. Croconaw joined in and used Hydro Pump this time. Rather than seem afraid of the many attacks heading towards it, Rhyperior merely waited for the attacks to connect. Rhyperior then spun its drill to knock away the Hydro Pump, but it wasn't as successful and still ended up sprayed a little. The Flamethrower and Psychic soon hit the tied up Pokemon, but it didn't even flinch. In fact, Rhyperior began to chuckle like it had been tickled more than anything!

"What!?" Ash cried since his attacks were having hardly any effect. This Rhyperior had completely crushed Ash's remaining team when he first faced Giovanni, and it was just as terrifying the second time. He had only beat it because Pikachu was charged up with his aura and Serena's ESP. Were his Pokemon still no match for this thing?!

Ash then heard a yelp as Rhyperior used its hands to tug Bayleef over to it by its vines. It then swung Bayleef in an arc and slammed it on the ground where Bayleef let out a painful cry.

"Bayleef, watch ou! Use Magical Leaf!" Ash yelled.

Bayleef only managed to get out a few leaves before Rhyperior slammed its horn on Bayleef for a super effective Mega Horn. Bayleef immediately crumpled and was knocked out, and Rhyperior then used its hands to rip the vines from its arms now that there was no longer any resistance. It then went to use Horn Drill on Bayleef to run it through, but Ash recalled it just in time.

Croconaw let out an angry cry at Rhyperior for treating Bayleef that way and charged at it faster than one would expect. Rhyperior was briefly surprised at the Pokemon's boldness as Croconaw jumped up and landed on Rhyperior's back. Rhyperior then began to use its tree trunk arms to reach Croconaw as the Big Jaw Pokemon let loose a Hydro Pump.

This time, there was no way for Rhyperior to avoid it. The Pokemon roared in pain from the super effective attack, but it didn't do as much as it could due to Rhyperior's Solid Rock ability. Croconaw held on tight and went to use another Hydro Pump, but Rhyperior wasn't going to let that happen again. It fell backwards with Croconaw still on its back, and there was a booming sound as the large Pokemon hit the ground.

Rhyerior then got up, and everyone could see that poor Croconaw was practically flattened from the large weight of rock that was just on top of it. Rhyperior then went to use Hammer Arm on Croconaw, but Ash was quick to recall it, too.

Noctowl and Quilava then attempted to attack Rhyperior together again, but their attacks had little effect. Noctowl then flew at Rhyperior and attempted to use Hypnosis to put Rhyperior to sleep. However, the drill Pokemon swatted Noctowl right out of the air. It then shook its head of its slight grogginess and quickly used Rock Blast on Quilava who had tried to use Flame Wheel. Quilava was knocked out. Rhyperior then used Stone Edge on Noctowl which knocked it out, too.

"Quilava! Noctowl!" Ash cried as he returned them.

Ash couldn't believe this. He knew he and his Pokemon were extremely beat and hadn't had a proper rest since they started fighting the Rocket trio, but the power of this Rhyperior was still unbelievable. Ash began to take heaving breaths as he had no idea what to do. He felt so powerless without his Pokemon. The only Pokemon had left was Pikachu who was battling Persian, and there was no way Ash was going to send Phanpy against Rhyperior.

"Chaaaaaa!"

Ash whipped his head around and saw the small black shape of Pikachu flying through the air before it hit Red's fence and slumped down. There was then a low hiss that came from Persian as it stalked towards Pikachu like a predator about to kill its prey. Its excellent night vision plus Pikachu's extreme fatigue let Persian get the upper hand quite quickly.

"Leave Pikachu alone!" Ash hollered and went to run over, but he didn't get far.

Ash gagged as a tree-trunk like arm reached out and grabbed him by his throat. Rhyperior then lifted Ash off the ground as Ash hopelessly struggled in its mighty grip. Ash could then see a smirking Giovanni approach him.

"Well, Ash Ketchum, you were actually brave enough to come after me here. Your courage never ceases to amaze me…as well as your foolishness," Giovanni sneered. "You came here hoping to stop me, but you have failed miserably. I'm going to kill you, and I'm going to kill Red, too, if I haven't already."

Ash could do nothing but struggle. He began to gag again and foamed at the mouth as Rhyperior tightened its hand around Ash's throat even tighter. Giovanni smiled as he relished in Ash's suffering.

"It would be so easy to have Rhyperior crush your windpipe right now. The crunch of your neck bones shattering would please me to no end. However…"

Rhyperior then threw Ash like he was a rag doll, and Ash found himself flying through the air until his back hit the side of the house. The wind was immediately knocked out of Ash, and he painfully tried to scream as the gash on his back felt like it had been reopened even though it was bandaged now. Ash then slumped to the ground, and his mouth hung open as his eyes tried to roll back into the back of his head. He was only semi-conscious now.

"…I would much rather watch a house collapse on you," Giovanni finished. "Rhyperior, use Take Down, and completely destroy the house! Make sure no one lives!"

Ash's head lolled to the side as he could do to stop his impending doom. He was in no way capable of moving now. Even if he did, there was no way to stop the Take Down from demolishing the house. That would surely kill Red which would've made Ash's efforts futile. He was going to die either way.

Meanwhile, Pikachu was in a similar state as Persian continued to slowly prowl towards it with a vicious snarl. The cat Pokemon licked its lips as it savored the last moments of its prey's life. It was going to enjoy a nice meal very soon.

Rhyperior gave a roar and started running at Ash. It was coming in like a wrecking ball and was going to plow right through Ash and into the house which would surely cause it to collapse. Even if Ash survived Rhyperior running into him, he wasn't about to survive the entire house coming down on him. It was quite a hopeless situation.

Meanwhile, Giovanni was smiling gleefully. His arch nemesis was about to be killed once and for all, and he was going to get to watch it happen. Ash's broken state thrilled him. Let's see Ash's wretched father come in and save the day this time. There was nothing Ash could do. Of course, that didn't mean someone else couldn't do anything about it.

A black shape darted through the air and stopped to pick up Pikachu. It then darted away just before Persian pounced. Next, a blast of Hydro Pump shot through the air and into the charging Rhyperior. The behemoth Pokemon roared in pain from the attack and had to stop its advance.

"What?!" Giovanni cried as he turned around to see Silver running past him. No! This couldn't be! His chance to kill Ash was thwarted again!

Ash groggily looked up and barely registered Silver coming over. The red-haired man knelt next to Ash and not so gently shook him and tapped his face to get Ash to wake up.

"Hey! Wake up! Get your head in the game, or do you actually want to get killed?" Silver asked angrily.

"Nggh…Silver…," Ash moaned.

Silver cursed before he took a deep breath and punched Ash across the face. Ash's eyes shot open from the pain, and he put his hand to his face out of instinct. He rubbed the sore spot and glared at Silver.

"What was that for?!" Ash shouted.

"Shut up. Someone had to get your brain moving again. If I actually wanted to hurt you with that punch, I would have," Silver argued.

Silver's Sneasel then landed next to Ash and deposited Pikachu into Ash's lap. It then darted back to Giovanni's Persian to commence the duel. Being part dark-type, it thrived in the night and would make sure to punish that bad kitty. Meanwhile, Silver's Feraligatr had arrived and locked arms with Giovanni's Rhyperior. Silver's Pokemon were quite tired as well, but they weren't on the same level as Ash's had been.

"I take it all your Pokemon were defeated," Silver muttered as he helped Ash to his feet.

"Yeah," Ash admitted and wobbled slightly from his pain. "We haven't slept in forever. We were able to eat at Professor Oak's lab earlier, but we were only able to recover so much."

"Quit whining. Try not eating or sleeping for two days like I have," Silver frowned. "You're useless in this fight now. Go and save Red. I'll take care of Giovanni."

"Uh, right," Ash mumbled and turned to look at the damaged second story of the house.

Silver picked the lock for Ash, and the raven-haired boy stumbled in the house with Pikachu in his arms. He was greeted with blackness as it even darker in the house than it was outside. He could hear the battle commencing behind him. Ash was almost hoping Red and Riley weren't in the house and that they had just spent the night with Blue at Professor Oak's lab. With that, he slowly made his way around the house to look for his future dad and uncle.

Once Ash was gone, Silver turned to glared at Giovanni, and the evil man glared back.

"You would fight me?" Giovanni growled.

"That's right," Silver confirmed. "Your twisted dreams end here. It isn't Ash's duty to stop you. It's mine."

"Fine. So be it. I won't let anyone get in my way of achieving my goal…even you. Let's finish this," Giovanni uttered and released his Hypno.

Silver likewise released his Tyranitar, and the battle started.

Sneasel and Persian were almost a blur with how speedy they were. Each time one of the Pokemon would take a swipe at the other with their sharp claws, it would get countered with the claw of their opponent. After the third claw lock, Sneasel had enough and blew forth an Icy Wind. Because its claws were locked in, the Persian had no way to move. It grimaced at the cold wind distracted it long enough for Sneasel to Slash at it.

Rhyperior gave another monstrous roar as it picked up the still heavy Feraligatr. It then lifted the Pokemon high into the air above its head and began to bend the Pokemon in an effort to break its back. Feraligatr grit its teeth at the pressure, but it wasn't one to let something like that happen to it so easy. It grabbed one of Rhyperior's hands and bit down with an Ice Fang.

The Rhyperior growled in annoyance and slackened its hold on Feraligatr long enough to give it a chance to wiggle free. Feraligatr fell to the ground at Rhyperior's feet, but it had to move away quickly as a Hammer Arm was coming towards it fast. The Hammer Arm slammed into the ground which caused a slight shaking in the surrounding area.

Tyranitar was battling the Hypno. One would think that the Hypno would be completely outclassed in both power and typing, but it had a few tricks up its sleeve. It shot a quick Signal Beam towards the slower moving Tyranitar. The rock Pokemon stumbled backwards as Hypno tightened its focus before delivering a lethal Focus Punch right in Tyranitar's stomach. Tyranitar roared in pain and fell to the ground. Hypno then began to charge up for another Focus Punch, but Tyranitar blasted a Dark Pulse which knocked the Hypno backwards. Tyranitar then got to its feet to continue the fight.

"Hmm…its seems we're evenly matched," Giovanni mused. "It's only natural that my son would be as powerful as me."

"Don't call me you son, and I'll never call you Dad! You've never cared about me!" Silver yelled as he ran at Giovanni and tackled him.

* * *

Ash tried to ignore the noises of the battle going on outside as he stumbled around in the darkness of the house. He wanted to go back and help, but it was as Silver said, Ash was useless right now since his Pokemon were out of commission. Ash finally found the stair case and made his way up the stairs.

"Red. Are you up there? It's me, Adam!" Ash called.

"Adam?" a voice said faintly from upstairs.

Upon hearing the voice, Ash made his way up the stairs hurriedly but tripped a few times in his haste and struggled to stay upright. Once Ash made it upstairs, he could already tell it had taken some hefty damage. Pictures were knocked over in the halls, and the walls were cracked. Ash could see a small bit of moonlight coming from an open door. That was the room were the huge stone had landed.

"I'm coming!" Ash said as he went into the doorway. Once he got there, his eyes widened in panic.

Riley was in the destroyed room as he was kneeling down and trying to roll the massive stone off something. Unfortunately, that certain something was Red. The teen's upper body was sticking out, but his legs were completely trapped underneath the boulder. Giovanni had clearly made a direct hit with the Stone Edge which knocked Red out of his bed before it crushed the bed and then ultimately fell on him.

"Adam, help!" Riley said to him once Ash came in.

"Dad!" Ash yelled automatically, not realizing his slip up.

"Huh?" Riley asked in confusion as he gave Ash a weird look. Ultimately, he decided no to worry about it right now, though, as there were more pressing matters.

"Ughh," Red groaned in pain. from under the boulder and stared up at Ash. "Adam? What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to help get this boulder off you," Ash told him as he came over to Red and Riley.

"Get Professor Oak," Riley said. "I'll stay with my brother."

"There's no time with what's going on outside," Ash replied as he tried to figure out what to do.

"What's going on, Adam?" Red asked in pain. "Where did this boulder come from? Why do I hear all this fighting going on outside?"

"It's a really long story," Ash responded truthfully. "I'll explain later. All you need to know right now is that someone is trying to kill you, me, and possibly Riley, too. We need to get you guys to a safe place as soon as possible."

"Someone's trying to kill us?! Why?!" Riley cried. "What did we ever do to them?!"

"It isn't about what you've done yet. It's what you will do," Ash said after a pause.

"Adam, you aren't making any sense," Red told him.

"Ash," Ash said in the heat of the moment. "That's my real name…Ash. Not Adam."

"Ash?" Red questioned. "Then why did you tell us your name was Adam?"

"As I said, I'll explain later. Right now, we have to get you out of here," Ash replied.

"What do we do? There's no way the two of us can lift this boulder," Riley argued.

That's when it came to Ash. The two of them couldn't lift it, and all of Ash's Pokemon couldn't fight anymore except one, and it was pretty powerful in its own right despite being small. Ash took out his pokeball and released it.

"Phanpy, I choose you," Ash said.

The long nose Pokemon appeared and gave a happy cry before it looked around. It could sense the grim scene and realized that this clearly wasn't a time to play. It then cocked its head to the side as it stared at Ash.

"Hey, Phanpy. We need you to help us get this boulder off Red, Ash told it as he gestured to the teen.

"Phanpy!" the young Pokemon agreed as it went over to the boulder and pressed its head against it.

Ash and Riley then placed their hands on the boulder as Red braced himself for what was about to be an extremely uncomfortable experience. Ash then nodded to Riley and Phanpy.

"Okay. On three," Ash began. "One…two…three!"

Ash and Riley then grunted as they gave a mighty heave on the boulder with Phanpy grimacing at having its head pressed again. Thankfully, it was moving but ever so slowly. Red had his teeth clenched as he tried to keep from yelling out as the weight of the boulder was shifting with each passing second. They then finally got the boulder off his legs, and it rolled to the side. Everyone then gave an exhale that the ordeal was over.

"Can you stand?" Ash asked Red.

"Maybe," Red replied as he moved his leg only to yell in pain and freeze up. "Never mind. That felt like a broken leg."

"What do we do?" Riley asked Ash.

"We have to help him up. We can't stay here," Ash stated and nodded to Riley. "You go to Red's left, and I'll go to his right."

Riley nodded and did as told while Ash thanked Phanpy and returned it to its pokeball. He then shifted Pikachu to his right arm as he prepared to grab Red with his left. The two then bent down and half-pulled and half-dragged Red to his feet. Red winced in pain and slightly bent his right leg to keep it off the ground as he prepared to hop along.

"Okay. Let's go, slowly," Ash said as he and Riley took a step, followed by a hop from Red.

"Thanks, Ash. I don't know you, but you seem like an awesome dude," Red smiled.

Ash couldn't help but smile himself at Red's words. Delia was always telling Ash that he and his father were quite alike when he was younger. Even if Red wasn't Ash's dad, it was obvious they would've been great friends had they met. It made Ash wish the times he could hang out with his dad all the more special.

"Chuuuuuu!" Pikachu cried out in warning from Ash's arms.

Ash, Riley, and Red turned around just in time to see another large boulder coming at them.

* * *

"Yes!" Giovanni cried in delight as Rhyperior sent another Stone Edge into the house. "That surely had to have killed them!"

Silver let out a yell of frustration as Giovanni shoved Silver off of him with his new found determination. He wasn't about to let this moment go to waste.

Giovanni's Pokemon felt encouragement, as well. They began to fight much harder and more brutal than before. However, Silver's Pokemon could still be equally brutal.

Rhyperior had Feraligatr in a headlock and was continuously Mega Punching it in the stomach with its rock-hard fists. Feraligatr grabbed Rhyperior's arm and used Ice Fang once again. Rhyperior growled in pain and staggered backwards as Feraligtar weakly held its stomach to recover. It then swung its tail around for an Aqua Tail which knocked the Rhyperior away further. Feraligtar and Rhyperior then dropped to one knee.

Persian and Sneasel had locked claws again. Sneasel was getting ready to use Icy Wind again, but Persian beat the sharp claw Pokemon to it. The gem on its forehead glowed as Persian used Power Gem. Sneasel cried in pain as it was knocked backwards from the beam of light and landed on the ground. Persian was quick to pounce on it and pinned both of Sneasel's arms down. Persian then gave a hiss before it opened its mouth and lunged for Sneasel's neck.

However, Sneasel quickly used Ice Shard for priority. The chunk of ice smacked Persian between the eyes, and the cat Pokemon dizzily blinked its eyes as it tried to shake away the disorientation. Sneasel then used Quick Attack to dash out of Persian's loosened grip. It then appeared behind Persian before it used Hone Claws to raise its attack before using Slash. The cat Pokemon screeched in pain and was knocked into the air. Sneasel quickly appeared above Persian and used Faint Attack to deliver a nice sucker punch to Persian who wasn't expecting it. The cat Pokemon landed on the ground and gave a meow of pain before it went limp. The Rocket's faithful Persian pet had finally been defeated.

Tyranitar had just blasted Hypno with another Dark Pulse. The hypnosis Pokemon was knocked against Red's fence before it shakily stood up and used Disable so Tyranitar couldn't use that attack anymore. It then concentrated and shot out a Focus Blast. Tyranitar's eyes widened as it saw the attack coming fast. The armor Pokemon had no way to dodge and was blasted backwards which was quite a feat considering how large it was.

Tyranitar landed with a painful grunt and panted heavily. That attack was really close to taking it out. It then saw Hypno get in close and about to use Focus Blast again and prepare for the worst of it, but Sneasel appeared behind Hypno and used Faint Attack. Hypno stumbled forward and turned its attention to Sneasel to Focus Blast it instead. That gave Tyanitar just enough to time to sit up and use Crunch on Hypno. The psychic Pokemon then went down.

That only left one problem, Giovanni's Rhyperior. It gave a roar of aggravation at its fallen comrades before it stomped the ground hard and used Earthquake. The ground was shaken up tremendously as Silver and all of his Pokemon stumbled and tried to keep their balance. Rhyperior then used Rock Wrecker to hurl the enormous stone at Sneasel and Tyranitar. The Pokemon were struck by the attack and defeated, Sneasel from it being super effective and Tyranitar because it had been severely weakened by several previous super effective attacks.

As Feraligatr and Rhyperior once again went at it, Giovanni stared at the fight before he turned back to Silver.

"You might as well just give it up, boy. My Rhyperior doesn't lose easily. It's only lost once in its life, and guess who it lost to," Giovanni said.

"You're telling me that Ash actually beat you before?" Silver questioned with a raised eyebrow

"Yes. He and his little girlfriend used their powers to supercharge that yellow rat. Unfortunately, not even my Rhyperior can stand up to something like that," Giovanni replied before he added. "You wish you had his life, don't you?"

Silver clenched his fist at Giovanni's words. He had already admitted to Ash that he was jealous of Ash's life, but he had his own life now. He didn't care what Ash did.

"That's in the past," Silver said firmly.

"Is it?" Giovanni taunted. "You can see now why I hate losing to the Ketchum family so much. You are not one of them. That's why you don't have any powers like they do. You are of my blood. That's why should be working with me and not them."

"Like heck I'll join you!" Silver retorted.

Rhyperior used another Mega Punch at Feraligatr, and the ferocious Pokemon stumbled backwards. It was getting really tired and couldn't hold out much longer.

"If we work together, Silver, we can defeat the Ketchums and blot out their name forever. You said yourself that you were going to fight for Delia. With Red and Ash dead, she will be able to stay with us and not leave me for Red. With the new future, she will be with us, too. We will be our own family. You will have a mother and father like you always wanted," Giovanni offered. "You would never be forsaken."

Silver paused. If the Ketchums were gone, there really would be nothing to stop Giovanni. They would always be together as a family. Still…

"I-I shouldn't," Silver stuttered.

"Why not?" Giovanni inquired. "Is it because I'm evil? That's only a point of view. In my eyes, I only see power. You can have it, too, if you join me."

Silver just glared as he didn't have a suitable answer to it.

"You tell me you lived a miserable life because of me, but all I ever did was reveal the truth to you," Giovanni continued as he took a step towards Silver. "It was Red who lied to you the whole time by saying he was your father. Don't tell me that you wished to be kept in the dark your whole life. It would've been nothing more than a lie."

Silver clenched his fists, but he still didn't respond.

"Is that what you wanted your life to be, Silver?! A lie?!" Giovanni hollered.

Feraligatr stumbled backwards and fell to the ground as Rhyperior stomped over and loomed over Feraligatr. It then began to spin its horn as it prepared Horn Drill.

"Don't make me kill you, Silver," Giovanni uttered as he walked closer. "Your anger, hatred, and willingness to kill proves we are kindred spirits as we should be. Think about it. All your friends abandoned you once they knew who you were. I never would've done that had you just joined me. We would've accomplished many things by now had you stayed by my side."

Silver looked down as Giovanni's repulsive but true words started to sink in.

"Tell me, Silver, let's say you do stop me. What will you have to live for? You'll surely spend a long time in jail for all the murders of my fellow Rockets that you've done. I'm sure you've stolen a few Pokemon, too, in your life so we can't forget you'll be tried for Pokemon thievery, too."

"I did what I had to do," Silver muttered.

"That's not true," Giovanni pressed. "You did it because you're my son. Thievery and killing is what I do best, and that is clearly the life you chose. Don't you see? It's in your very nature to be just like me."

Meanwhile, Rhyperior began to lower down as it prepared to drill Feraligatr through. The big jaw Pokemon went to scoot back but found it blocked by fence. It was completely trapped. It used Water Gun on Rhyperior, but the spinning drill merely sprayed it all away, and Rhyperior continued to lower down like nothing happened.

"Ah, it looks like your Feraligatr is about to die," Giovanni noticed as he turned to look before he turned back to Silver and offered a hand to him. "I can make it stop, though. Silver, you were meant to be with me. You rejected me before, but everything can still be fixed by what we can accomplish now and in the future. We still have many years ahead of us to rule the world as father and son. It is our destiny!"

Silver's eyes darted back and forth between Giovanni's hand and the peril his Feraligatr was in. As much as he hated to admit it, Giovanni had a point. Silver didn't even know if Red and Ash were still alive in there, and even if they were, there was nothing Ash could do to stand in Giovanni's way with the state he was in. They were very close to losing. Then it would all be over.

Giovanni then surprised Silver when his eyes took on a soft look. It was a look anybody had rarely seen on the dark man. Were his eyes actually showing…sincerity?

"You can have the family you've always wanted. You, Delia, and me. Please, Silver. Take my hand. Join me," Giovanni said softly.

Rhyperior was close to drilling straight the through Feraligatr. There was still no sign of Ash and Red. Giovanni had his hand outstretched to Silver in the closest thing to compassion that he could muster. Silver took heaving breaths as he decided what to do. It would be so easy to make all his pain and all his heartache from the past go away if he accepted Giovanni's hand. He would never get a chance to hate his mother and be away from her for so long. She would be with him, too. There would be no punk brother named Ash to get on his nerves. Everything would be made right as it should be. With so much logic there was to accept Giovanni's offer, the answer was pretty clear.

"No," Silver uttered.

Giovanni's eyes widened as he couldn't believe what he just heard. "What did you say to me?" he asked.

"I said…NO!" Silver shouted as he lunged at Giovanni and punched him square in the face.

At that moment, Feraligatr grabbed Rhyperior by the face and stopped its spinning horn from getting any closer. Giovanni stumbled backwards as he held his face before he looked a Silver with pure ire.

"You would dare strike your own father?!" Giovanni hollered.

"You're not my father!" Silver hollered back as he tackled Giovanni again and began to punch him with almost each word. "I'll never…accept…you! You're a…horrible…despicable…monster!"

Feraligatar then began to push back and started shooting several Water Guns. All the water flying around forced Rhyperior back, Feraligatr sprang to its feet. It then used Aqua Tail and slammed the large tail into Rhyperior. It then used Scary Face to slow it down significantly. It then used Superpower. Feraligatr crossed its arms and slammed into Rhyperior with amazing power. Rhyperior roared in pain as it felt itself being pushed backwards across the dirt path.

"How can you choose them over not having a father?!" Giovanni cried out to Silver.

"I do have a father," Silver uttered as he brought his fist up and Feraligtr took another breath. "He was more of a father to me than you could ever be. Red Ketchum."

With that, Silver swung one final fist at Giovanni as Feraligatr shot out the most powerful Hydro Pump it could muster. The fist and water connected at the same time. The Rhyperior roared in pain again as it was struck at point black range as Giovanni's head jerked to the side. Rhyperior was pushed backwards as Feraligatr continued to shoot the water.

Finally, the attack ended, and Rhyperior was out in the street, knocked out. Giovanni's bruised and battered form was slowly turning his head back to Silver. Both he and Rhyperior were defeated.

"So, in the end, you chose the life that has forsaken you over the better life you could've had," Giovanni breathed slowly.

"I did, and I did it because it opens up a lot of possibilities for me. I can start anew, but it won't be with you," Silver said firmly.

Giovanni said nothing in response. He merely took a heaving breath before he slowly closed his eyes. Even he knew it was over. There were no evils words left to convey or any fiery speech to berate Silver or curse Ash and Red to the next generation and back. He was just done.

"Silver?"

Silver turned around and saw Ash, Red, and Riley stumbling out of the half-ruined house. Red was still in a limp, and Riley had a huge bruise on his forehead. Silver didn't think he would ever do it, but he gave a slight smile in Ash's direction. Ash even gave Silver one back.

"So, you survived that boulder, after all," Silver figured.

"Yeah, but barely. It just missed us," Ash informed. "It took out Red's bedroom wall as we were leaving, and part of the plaster got Riley in the head. We had to stop and make sure it wasn't anything serious before we came out. It looks like we came out just in time."

"Yeah," Silver agreed. "It looks like it's finally over."

"So, is that the guy who was trying to kill us? Who is he?" Red questioned.

Both Silver and Ash looked at each other. Should they really go through with telling Red and Riley the truth? If they did, they could seriously alter the events of the future. If they did, who knows what could happen? Before Ash could ponder too long, Silver spoke first.

"Well, Ash and I aren't from this timeline. We're from the future," Silver answered.

Both Red and Riley raised their eyebrows skeptically. Their look was understandable. Who on Earth would believe something as far-fetched as time travel?

"You're joking, right?" Red asked.

Ash sighed. "No. We're not. That's why I seem so out of place compared to the rest of you, and I can't seem to find a suitable story to explain everything."

"If you're from the future, why would someone be trying to kill us in the past, though?" Riley wondered.

"That man right there…is Giovanni," Silver relented.

"Giovanni? Wait, seriously?! You mean Delia's Giovanni?!" Red exclaimed as he did a double take at the defeated man.

"Yeah, and there's more," Ash replied. "I'm your son from the future."

Red blinked a couple of times as he was having a hard time believing all this. He looked like he needed to sit on the ground despite his broken leg. Riley rubbed the bruise on his head in confusion.

"Man. I must've hit my head harder than I thought," Riley mumbled.

"No. It's all true," Ash said seriously. "The Giovanni of the future is the head of a criminal organization called Team Rocket. He was trying to kill us because we stopped him a couple of years ago…err…in my time."

"Well, I guess that explains some things like why you look like me. So, if you're my future son, who's that?" Red asked as he pointed to Silver, to which the redhead merely grunted and turned away.

"That's Silver. He's…Giovanni and Delia's son," Ash mumbled.

"So, he was trying to stop his dad?" Riley inquired.

"Don't worry about it," Silver muttered in disdain. "That man is no father to me."

Red and Riley blinked a few more times, and nobody said anything for about thirty seconds. Red seemed to thinking about something before his eyes lit up.

"Wait! If Giovanni becomes some crazed maniac trying to kill me, then I have to warn Delia!" Red exclaimed.

"Dude, do you really think she's going to believe something like this?" Riley asked skeptically.

"Well, we have to warn her somehow! I can't let her be with a guy like that!" Red argued.

Ash's eyes lit up as he thought of something. Wait a minute. If Red told Delia what was taking place, and if she did somehow believe him, that would alter the present. She would leave Giovanni, and…Silver would never be born.

"You can't!" Ash suddenly stated as Red and Riley turned to look at him, startled.

"We can't what?" Riley questioned.

"You can't tell anyone about this, or the timeline in the present won't happen!" Ash insisted.

"That's good, though, isn't it?" Red questioned.

"No! It's isn't!" Ash replied with a shake of his head. "If you do, there's no telling what could happen. Not to mention, Silver won't ever be born since he's the son of Giovanni and my mom!"

Red looked down as he tried to decide what to do. Ash was beginning to wish Silver hadn't blurted out anything before they had a chance to think about it. Despite being about his existence, Silver merely remained quiet and stayed turned away. Knowing a few events of the future with the power to prevent certain things from happening was a huge burden to carry. Ash knew all to well since he knew that he would have to save the world from dying one day…whoever it may be from.

"How can you expect me to do something like that?" Red muttered.

"Because...you're my dad," Ash smiled as he clapped a hand on Red's shoulder. "I know you can handle anything."

Red still didn't look convinced. "Yeah…," he muttered.

Ash then turned and looked at Giovanni. The man had been oddly quiet so far. Ash got an angry look on his face as he went over to Giovanni.

"It's over, Giovanni," Ash began. "You killed people. You've stolen, hurt, and tried to control Pokemon. Worst of all, you've constantly put me, my friends, and my family in danger! Don't you have any remorse?"

Giovanni seemed to ponder Ash's question for a moment before looked Ash straight in the eye to show Ash he meant what he said. "I regret nothing I ever did in my life."

Ash's fists clenched as he wanted to yell out. Giovanni was truly evil and despicable to the very end. He even knew all that he had worked for and tried to accomplish had been for naught. It was all meaningless. Even after all that, he still didn't regret it?!

"I can't believe you! You aren't even sorry for anything you did!" Ash yelled.

"Of course not," Giovanni sneered.

Ash felt he couldn't even look at this horrible man anymore. He forcefully turned around. Jail was almost too good for this man. He needed to be in solitary confinement for the rest of his life. Death wouldn't do, though. He had to answer for his crimes.

"Hey. How do you we get back to our time?" Silver asked Giovanni. "We're done here. I'm sure not even you want to be trapped in the past forever."

Giovanni glared at Silver before he wordlessly pulled a small device out of his pocket and pressed a button. Ash, Silver, and Giovanni felt a familiar sensation start coming around as the wind began to blow once again. Red and Riley looked around in confusion as they wondered what was going on, and they gasped once they saw it.

Another huge portal was opening up in the air right in front of the group. Red and Riley stumbled backwards as they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"What? How the…" Red started before Ash stopped him.

"As I said, it's a long story," Ash said tiredly.

Silver hoisted up Giovanni and held on to him so he wouldn't get away. Giovanni silently returned all of his Pokemon as Silver returned his. Silver then nodded his head to Ash to tell him that it was now time to leave. Ash looked back and forth between Red, Riley, and Giovanni and Silver. Pikachu then hopped on his shoulder, and Ash held his hand out to Red.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Dad," Ash attempted to grin.

"Heh. Yeah. I still think this is some sort of dream," Red mumbled.

"I wish so, too," Riley grimaced when he turned and saw the state their house was in. "Our parents are going to kill us when they come back from visiting the Maples in Hoenn. There's no way they'll believe us."

"Crap," Red whispered and began to sweat. "I'm sure we'll think of something. Maybe Professor Oak can help and we'll find someway to fix the house up. We need him to drive us to the Viridian Hospital, anyway."

"Sorry," Ash winced.

"No. If anything, we should be thanking you. You did save us, after all," Red reasoned.

"Hey! We haven't got all day!" Silver called out impatiently.

"Right!" Ash nodded and hurried to the portal. Just before he went in, Red called out to him one last time.

"Hey! There's one thing you didn't tell me," Red started. "You said that you're my son, but you didn't tell who your mom was."

Ash smiled at his future father. "Heh. I'll let that one happen on its own. Trust me. You won't be disappointed."

Red smiled, too. "Well, if we have a son as cool as you, I think I can wait," Red said before he called out again. "You're secrets safe with us!"

Before Ash could respond and wonder why his dad was having a change of heart, Silver and Giovanni went into the portal, and yanked Ash in, too. Silver was so tired of waiting. Ash stumbled slightly before he went in, and then the portal was gone.

Red and Riley had been waving and slowly lowered their hands. Once they were gone, Red sighed and looked at his brother.

"Well, what now?" he asked.

"Beats me, but I wish Ash would've told me what my future was like," Riley frowned, and Red just rolled his eyes in response.

* * *

Ash felt like he was being punched in the face as they traveled through the portal. He also had the opposite sensation from when he was traveling to the past. Rather than falling, he felt like he was rising up. Despite all this, something wasn't right.

"What's going on?" Ash grimaced. "Why does it feel like we're being pulled back?"

It was then they could see a light at the end of the portal that had opened up. That was where the end supposedly was back to their timeline. However, just as quickly as it had opened, it began to close.

"No!" Ash cried.

They had to get the portal quickly. If they didn't and that exit closed, who knows what could happen? They may be doomed to wander in limbo for all eternity! They couldn't let that happen after they had just saved the past!

"Why's this happening?!" Silver shouted. "It wasn't like this before when we entered it the first time!"

"It's because Celebi had the portal opened up against its will," Giovanni answered. "When I pressed the button in the past, this time portal was opened up incorrectly as it had to be a makeshift one since Celebi was not present to control it. Therefore, this is an imperfect portal, and the combined weight of us is making it hard to take us all the way through."

"It's your fault then! Did you know this would happen?!" Silver yelled.

"Of course I did," Giovanni replied with narrowed eyes. "I can't say I was expecting my plan to fail or that you two would be coming back with me. It would be just fine if I were by myself."

"Grr…," Ash growled as he struggled to get farther through the portal. There was no way he was going to let it end here. He felt a push from behind as Silver tried ramming him forward.

"Try harder!" Silver yelled.

"I'm trying as hard as I can!" Ash rebutted.

"If you don't hurry up, we won't make it!" Silver shouted. Already the portal was half way closed.

"Chuuuu…," Pikachu squeaked.

Giovanni watched the boys struggle with an unreadable expression on his face. Put quite simply, he didn't care whether they made it out or not. Everything he had worked for was gone. All of his dreams and ambitions were completely destroyed. He would spend the rest of his life in a maximum security prison with no way to get out. No matter where he would go, he was trapped. Giovanni then spoke to Silver.

"Silver," Giovanni began. "Do you want to live?"

"What do you care?!" Silver spat.

"Hmph. Hateful to the end I see. It seems that if we hope to survive, one of us will have to…stay behind."

Silver eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that this is where I say goodbye to everything," Giovanni replied. "I have nothing to live for. If I let go, you and Ash may return safely."

"Don't you even think about taking the easy way out to avoid prison!" Silver yelled. "I won't let you! Why would you do this anyway!? You hate us!"

"You're wrong," Giovanni insisted, and Silver fell silent. "It's true that I hate Ash Ketchum, but I don't hate you. You are my son. Remember what I said before? I regret nothing I ever did in life. That includes being with Delia, and…having a son."

Silver felt his mouth slowly opening in complete shock. All this time, as evil as Giovanni was, he still wanted Silver, too. Silver grew up thinking he had parents who despised him, but that was the complete opposite. Even Giovanni had some care for Silver. He wasn't convincing Silver earlier to join him to add a powerful person to his ranks. He actually meant everything he said when he was making his proposal.

"You…cared?" Silver uttered.

Giovanni didn't answer directly. Instead he continued. "Allow me to do at least one thing as your father before I'm gone forever. I'll give my life so you can carry on with yours."

"Don't you dare!" Silver screamed as he held on to Giovanni. "You can't just say that and go!"

"Heh," Giovanni smirked. "This is the end. I regret…nothing. Good…bye."

With that, Giovanni flung his hand from Silver's grip. The redhead made a grab for him, but Giovanni was already out of his reach. Ash and Silver could do nothing but watch as Giovanni quickly floated away from them with a peaceful look on his face. He was soon absorbed into the static and electricity of the portal and disappeared from view. Ash and Silver stared in complete surprise. Giovanni was truly gone for good, and the last act of his life had been one of sacrifice for Silver. Giovanni was doomed to wander in limbo until he died. His Pokemon, too.

Now that it was just Ash and Silver, the two were able to go forward a lot easier. They had to hurry, too, as the portal was almost closed up! They held on to each other's hand as they forced themselves forward through the portal. They kept going even faster despite the pull backwards they were getting. Just a little more…

Ash felt himself collapse on concrete which prompted an grunt of pain from him. He soon felt someone land next to him, and he discovered it was Silver. Ash blinked a few times and saw it was still nighttime, but it wasn't in Pallet Town anymore. He was…

"Ash! Silver!"

Ash blearily sat up and looked around only to find he and Silver tightly embraced followed by sobbing and he heard a whoosh behind him which indicated the portal had closed. As Ash looked, he could see his mother, in her proper age, crying her eyes out. Ash was still in shock so he didn't hug her back just yet. He looked around and discovered he was back in Goldenrod City on the rooftop of the radio tower. They had made it. They had actually traveled from the past and back.

"I'm so glad you're both okay! I didn't know what I would've done if I lost you two!" Delia sobbed.

Ash finally went back to hugging his mother to let her know everything was fine. They stayed like that for a few moments before Ash felt someone pull away. Both he and Delia looked, and they saw Silver looking at Delia with an unreadable expression. Delia held her hand over her heart as she waited for Silver to speak.

Silver continued looking at Delia. This was the woman who loved him no matter what. She was the person who would do anything for him. In his earlier life, Silver would never think so, but now he knew there were those who cared about him, after all. He had accepted his mom first, and with the sacrifice Giovanni made so Silver could live, Silver had finally accepted him, too. In short, Silver was had finally accepted his identity. He was Silver, son of Delia and Giovanni.

"Mom," Silver began as his eyes began to form tears. Delia noticed that this was the first time he ever directly called her 'Mom' since reuniting with her.

"Silver?" Delia breathed.

"I promise I'll give you that second chance to be my mother…if I can have a second chance to be your son," Silver finished as the tears fully came out, now.

"Oh, Silver. I never stopped thinking of you as my son," Delia replied as she embraced him again.

Silver let out a choking sound as he finally embraced her back. It was a heartwarming moment for both of them. Silver was finally given the love that he wanted all along, and Delia had received the love of her long lost son. Ash couldn't help himself but smile at the scene. At first, he would never have thought this scene was possible, but here it was. Silver was saved. He was proof that even when someone hit rock bottom, they can still come back.

Ash turned around, and his face was immediately inside Serena's stomach as she hugged him tightly.

"Ash, I'm so glad you're back!" Serena cried as Togetic went over to the beat up Pikachu. "I…I…I didn't think I'd see you again! We were all so worried!"

"It's okay. I'm fine, Serena," Ash replied, though his voice was a little muffled since his face was still pressed against Serena's shirt.

"It's not okay! Ash, what were you thinking?!" Serena continued to weep as she pulled his face away from her to look at him.

Even though everything turned out okay in the end, Ash was starting to feel really bad for what he must've put his mom and Serena through. Going into that portal had probably been the craziest thing he'd ever done, and meeting his parents, relatives, and family friends in the past and stopping a madman for good had probably been the craziest adventure he's ever had. In short, this had been the craziest day of Ash's life. Even so…

"I'm sorry, Serena," Ash replied, and looked back to his mother who was still embracing Silver. "I'm sorry to both of you. I just…it's okay."

"Alright. Let the boy catch his breath," Looker said as he came over and offered a hand to help Ash to his feet.

Ash took the hand gratefully and stood up along with Serena. He wasn't as bad off when he first arrived in the past, but he still needed a hospital. He soon saw Misty coming over to him, and she gave him a quick hug.

"Welcome back, Ash," she said.

"Thanks, Mist," Ash replied tiredly.

"Does anyone see Giovanni anywhere?" Officer Jenny asked.

That's when everyone in the group remembered about him. They all took turns looking around before their eyes fell on Ash and Silver. The two brothers exchanged glances with each other. Silver didn't think he could find it in himself to answer so Ash did.

"Giovanni…sacrificed himself in the portal so we could make it back," Ash replied. "We managed to stop him, and…he…decided not to come with us. If he had stayed, we could've been trapped in the portal forever."

"Giovanni actually…sacrificed himself for you?" Delia gasped in surprise.

"He did it for me," Silver mumbled as Delia turned to look at him. "I never knew it, but even he…had always cared about me."

Ash stared somberly at Silver. Even a man as evil as Giovanni had a single redeeming quality about him. It seemed that all fathers cared for their sons. Ash was reminded of that over a year ago when he had been saved from Giovanni's gym by his dad.

"So, Giovanni is no more," Looker muttered thoughtfully.

"Does that mean…," Serena asked as she looked at Ash hopefully.

"Yeah. It does," Ash replied and breathed a sigh of relief. "It's finally over, for real this time."

Everyone then heard a slight coo from behind them. They turned and saw the fairy-like form of Celebi hovering in the air. It was free from the confines of Giovanni's device and no longer appeared in pain. In fact, it was smiling. It floated over to Ash, and the raven-haired boy could do nothing but stare.

Celebi then circled around Ash and showered him with fairy dust. It actually felt rather refreshing, and Ash realized that was Celebi's way of thanking him. It then gave one last twirl in the air before flew off very quickly and was out of sight before anyone could comprehend it.

Ash watched it go with a smile. He had no idea where Celebi was going right now, but where ever it was going, it was free as it should be. It was quite amazing that something so small could hold enough power to open up time portals. Ash had wanted Celebi to stay a little longer, but he knew that was an impossibility. Still, he and the others had gotten to experience Celebi's real power firsthand, and that was enough. Ash then silently wished the legendary Pokemon well. The mystery of Celebi and the GS ball was brought to a close.

* * *

Everyone was outside of the radio tower as several police hauled away carrying every last member of Team Rocket left. Ash could see Petrel and Archer as stiff as a board as their police car pulled away. There was no doubt they had been informed that Giovanni was gone forever and that their ultimate plan had failed. That would be the last thing they would hear before the rest of their life in jail.

"You can't do this to me!" Domino screamed as she was shoved into another police car. Her face had several band-aids on it from when her face hit the concrete wall from earlier, and her perfect spiral curls were all ruffled up. She was so young, barely eighteen, and she would be spending a large chunk of her younger years in jail, as well. She probably wouldn't receive a life sentence, but she would be well past her prime when she got out.

"In you go, Biff," said a police officer as a the teal-haired man went in a police car. Butch had tears streaming down his face…both at the loss of Cassidy and that no one could still get his name right.

"Please, can't someone just say my name right, just once?" Butch cried. "I am seriously changing my name if I ever get out of jail."

As the last of the police cars pulled away, the only one left was Looker and Officer Jenny. Officer Jenny was waiting by her own police car as she would drive the group to the hospital. Looker, on the other hand, had something different to do. He looked at the group containing Ash, Silver, Serena, Misty, Delia, and Professor Oak. With that, Looker took a deep breath and went over to Silver and gave him a serious look. Silver stared back.

"You know what I have to do, right?" Looker questioned as he took out handcuffs. "You may have helped stop Giovanni, but that doesn't erase your past crimes."

"Yeah," Silver muttered. "I figured this was coming."

"Looker…," Delia began.

"I'm sorry, Delia. The fact is Silver broke the law. Don't worry, though. He won't be in there forever," Looker replied before he let out a small smile. "Besides, the fact that he saved the future will have a huge help in lessening his sentence."

"It's okay," Silver told his mom. "This is just my chance to start over. When I'm out, we can…you know…be a family."

Delia's heart warmed when Silver said that. "Yes, Silver. I'd like that very much. Please come home to Pallet Town. I'll visit you as often as I can, and I'll be waiting when you return."

"Yeah," Silver replied quietly before he looked over at Ash. "Hey, you."

Ash looked up at Silver in surprise that he was actually addressing him at all. The two brothers stared at each other for a moment as Ash wondered what on Earth Silver wanted to say to him. After about ten seconds, Silver smirked and turned away.

"Heh. Do your best," he muttered.

Ash almost had to resist a smirk himself. Silver just couldn't admit that he had actually grown to like Ash at little. For the raven-haired boy, though, what Silver told him was enough. It was still a massive improvement from how they first started out when they hated each other's guts. Now, there might be some hope for them to form a brotherly bond, after all. It would take a long time, though.

"Yeah. You, too," Ash replied. "See you soon."

Looker then held his free hand out to Ash. "Well, Ash, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope we'll meet again someday."

"Thanks, Looker! You, too!" Ash grinned as he shook the man's hand.

"Delia, Professor Oak," Looker nodded in their direction and then at Serena and Misty. "You all take care, as well."

"We will, Looker," Professor Oak smiled with a wave.

Looker then handcuffed Silver and began to lead him away. "I'll let you all know where Silver is staying at as soon as I find out something."

"Okay. Thank you," Delia said.

As Looker led Silver away, the group continued to watch until Looker made it to his own car and placed Silver inside. He then got in himself before he turned on the ignition. With a final wave to the group, Looker pulled out and drove away. The group could see Silver turn around to watch them from the back window of the vehicle, and they watched back. They continued until the vehicle was out of sight. Once it was, they sighed.

"Well, everyone, that will do. I say we get you all to the hospital," Professor Oak stated.

Ash didn't think he'd ever be so glad to hear that word in his life. He would finally get rest, a shower, and real treatment. Now that the sun was finally starting to peak out as dawn approached, Ash realized just how long this whole ordeal took…probably eighteen hours for them before over twenty four hours for him because of the time spent in the past. The entire group was beat.

"Come on, Ash," Serena smiled as she took his hand. "Let's go."

Ash smiled back and happily obliged. On his way over, though, he felt his Pokegear beep. In confusion, he looked and discovered it was his dad calling. Ash's eyes lit up as he had so much to tell him. He looked at the group with pleading eyes if he could take the call before they left. Delia knew who it was after seeing Ash's eyes and nodded her head. She knew Red would be calling her soon, as well, so she would let Ash have his privacy.

Ash slipped away a short distance and answered the call. As soon, as he did, he could hear Red's voice.

"Hey, son," Red greeted. "I see it all worked out and you made it back to your real timeline."

Ash's eyes widened as he stared at the Pokegear for a brief moment before he put it back to his ear. "Hey, Dad. Yeah. Do you…actually remember everything in the past?"

"You mean where I met you when I was thirteen years old and forced to keep the secret after knowing what would happen. Yeah. I remember all that, Adam," Red said the last part somewhat mischievously.

Ash chuckled a bit at Red calling him that. So, it looked like the only part of history that had been rewritten was Red's memory. Apparently, everything still played out exactly as it should. Ash suddenly felt bad about his dad having to sit back and let everything play out as it should after knowing the truth.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Ash muttered and looked down. "You shouldn't have had to go through that."

"It was actually easier than you think," Red replied. "I knew that even if I did warn Delia to stay away from Giovanni and she believed me, that wouldn't have stopped Giovanni from creating Team Rocket. It may have erased Delia's involvement with it, but it would still happen. All that would really prevent was the birth of Silver."

"So, you did it to save Silver, too," Ash smiled. "That makes one more person who cares about him."

"Heh. Yeah," Red agreed. "Besides, I knew that everything was going to turn out alright in the end once I saw Giovanni was stopped back then. I could go without the huge mess that was in between everything, but I knew Giovanni would be stopped in the end. That's how I did it."

Ash smiled.

"I was just calling to let you know I'm proud of you. You saved the world again, Ash," Red told him.

"Yeah…," Ash muttered and felt silent.

It was true. Ash had saved the world from Team Rocket. They were forever gone, never to rise again. One would think that Ash would feel pretty good about himself after accomplishing such a feat. However, it only made him a little anxious. Red could sense Ash's discomfort.

"Are you worried about what the future will hold?" Red asked seriously, now.

"Yeah," Ash admitted. "Even though this was the second time I saved the world, this wasn't even what I'm supposed to save the world from. That's what Lugia told me, anyway. I keep being told of a true enemy. There's someone…or something else out there. I just have no idea what to expect."

"You won't do it alone," Red told him. "You have me, your mom, and all your friends. We'll be there with you until the end. Just try not to think about it, now. You'll only worry yourself. It's not supposed to happen for a long time. Just get some rest. You deserve it."

Ash felt a little bit better after hearing that. "Yeah. No matter who it is, I'll stop them."

Ash was about to respond before he saw something glowing in his backpack. In confusion, Ash reached into it and pulled out the object. His eyes widened when he saw it. He had completely forgotten about this. Words of what Suicune told him back in Ecruteak City were coming back to him. He was told that after he saved Johto from a disaster, this object would start glowing, the Rainbow Wing.

"Ash?" Red questioned once he noticed Ash's silence, but Ash didn't respond as he was too transfixed on the glowing Rainbow Wing. It would only mean one thing.

Ash had to meet with Ho-oh very soon.

* * *

 **Well, Giovanni was the major death mentioned at the start of the arc. Some of you believed it would be Silver, and I can see why. However, as much sense as it would make for his arc to end by him dying heroically, I ultimately wanted him to live so he can start over as one of the good guys...after he's out of jail.**

 **Whew. This was a hard chapter to write so I hope you all liked it. Now, the climax is passed, and it's time for Ash's eighth gym battle and Serena's third showcase. Then it will be the Silver Conference and the Master Class! The Johto arc is finally starting to wrap up! First, however, is the obligatory meeting with Ho-oh, and it has many things to tell Ash.**

 **The next chapter will be out later in April. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 64: The Curse**


	65. The Curse

**A/N: A couple of you were wondering so I'll just go ahead and confirm it. Yes. Giovanni is dead for good and not coming back. No Rainbow Rocket or anything like that.  
**

 **Also, I new poll is finally up! It's been ages since the last one! It has no impact on this story. I'm just curious who your favorite character is in the series. Try not to use the anime as bias. I just want to know your opinion on the series by itself.**

 **Anyway, Ho-oh explains it all. The great evil Ash has to face, and ultimately destroy is revealed. This may...affect some people in a negative way.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 64: The Curse

 _"Ash, what's that?" Serena asked as her eyes widened and pointed up at the sky._

 _Ash looked up, and his mouth opened in complete awe. What he saw was probably the most majestic bird he had ever seen in his life. It was large and glowed the seven colors of the rainbow. Each flap of its wings was regal and powerful. The Pokemon above them seemed to command nothing but respect. Ash and Serena had never seen anything like it before._

 _"There is no data. There are still Pokemon that are still Pokemon that have yet to be discovered," the Kanto pokedex suddenly said._

 _Ash and Serena continued to watch Ho-oh until it flew over a rainbow itself. It then flew into the horizon and disappeared from view. The two then looked at each other and smiled their biggest smile in a while. They couldn't believe they had seen a new Pokemon like that, and on their first day! They knew that this was the sign of extraordinary things to come on their journey. Whatever those things were, they could handle them as long as they were together. They always would be._

XXX

 _Everything changed. Ash seemed to be floating somehow. Around him were almost all the legendary Pokemon that he knew of. Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Suicune, Raikou, Entei, Lugia, and even Mew, Mewtwo, and Celebi were there. Strangely, though, Ho-oh was absent. Ash was in complete astonishment._

 _"What are you all doing here? Why am I here?" Ash asked in astonishment. His voice seemed to echo in the expanse of space he was in_

 _"You are the Chosen One, Ash Ketchum," Mewtwo answered._

 _"Ho-oh is coming and has much to tell you as the Chosen One," Suicune continued._

 _Ash looked around. If Ho-oh was going to talk to him about being the Chosen One, shouldn't Serena be here, too? Moltres told them itself that she was confirmed as one. They were the ones who would save the world from evil._

 _"Wait. Where's Serena? If Ho-oh's coming, we should go get her. We both saw it our first day, wouldn't it want to talk to her, too?" Ash questioned._

 _"This isn't for Serena to hear. She is a Chosen One, but not like you," Lugia replied in his mind, as well._

 _"Huh? What does that mean?" Ash wondered._

 _He then heard a loud cry, but it wasn't harmful to his ears. It sounded absolutely beautiful. Though faint at and faraway at first, huge and regal wings soon emerged in a bright light, and a large bird appeared that was none other than Ho-oh. It descended within the circle created by the legendary Pokemon._

XXX

Ash slowly opened his eyes from the dream. That was really weird. He had been dreaming about the day he and Serena first saw Ho-oh. He thought it had been a really special day for them both, and it had been. However, Ash also thought it meant something for the both of them. Why was it the legendary Pokemon always spoke of him saving the world and not Serena, just like with the dream he was having? His Rainbow Wing started glowing last night, and he thought Ho-oh would want to talk to both him and Serena. However, if he remembered Suicune's words and from the dream he was just having, was Serena not included in this? Why?

Ash blinked a few times as this Chosen One stuff was hurting his head. He just woke up, after all. He was in a hospital bed in a room at the Goldenrod Hospital. Ash groggily looked around his room and noticed the plain decorations around the room. He was covered with gauze pads from all the injuries he received. Ash went to sit up, but his whole body felt like dead weight. Man. Despite finally getting proper treatment, Ash still felt like garbage.

Instead of opting to sit up, Ash merely scanned the room with his eyes. That was when his gaze fell on the other occupant in the room. That's right. He had requested to share the same room with Brock. The Pokemon breeder had almost been sliced up by a Razor Leaf from Victreebel. Ash himself was cut up pretty badly, but most of them were relatively minor with the exception of the gash on his back courtesy of Giovanni's Persian. Ash would probably even see stitches on his back if he unwrapped the bandages.

Speaking of the gash, Ash brought his hands to his stomach and could feel a fresh set of bandages around his torso. That was no doubt because his wound had reopened at some point during the last fight with Giovanni. Brock, for his part, looked pretty similar to Ash with gauze pads and stitches over his body, but his cuts were deeper than Ash's cuts. The Pokemon breeder was okay now, but it still hurt Ash to see his older brother figure like this.

"Brock," Ash whispered to see if he was awake.

"Yeah?" Brock answered a little weakly which caused Ash to smile.

"I'm glad you're alright," Ash replied.

"Heh. You, too. So, it's over?" Brock questioned.

"Yeah. Team Rocket's gone for good," Ash said.

Ash heard Brock breathe an audible sigh of relief at that. This was the first time Brock was hearing about it. When Ash had come to the Viridian Hospital which was presumably yesterday, Brock was still unconscious. To learn that the group succeeded while he was absent must've been a huge weight off of his shoulders.

"What happened?" Brock asked.

"Heh. It's pretty crazy. You're in for quite a story. For one thing, Silver was the main reason Giovanni was stopped," Ash began with a slight smirk.

"What? You're kidding?!" Brock exclaimed as he sat up, only to wince in pain and lie back down.

Before Ash could begin to recount the events to Brock, the door to the hospital room opened a little bit. The two turned to see it was Delia Ketchum peeking into the room. When she saw the two awake, a wave of happiness washed over her face. Delia opened the door the rest of the way and walked in before she went over to Ash and Brock. She stood in between their beds so she could see them both. Though Ash was her son, she was still just as worried about Brock. She did allow him to stay at her house when he came back from Professor Ivy, after all.

"Oh. You two are awake. I'm so glad," Delia breathed.

"Hey, Mom," Ash smiled.

"Mrs. Ketchum," Brock nodded slightly.

"Are you two in any pain?" Delia asked.

"Well, a little bit, but I'm dizzier than anything," Ash replied and closed his eyes. "How long was I asleep?"

"We all actually just woke up," Delia replied with a slight giggle. "I think we slept for over twelve hours."

"Just twelve hours?" Ash moaned. He thought he had been asleep for days.

"Everyone was quite worried about you two. I'm so glad to see you both okay," Delia continued.

"Yeah," Ash muttered before he thought of something. "Wait. Where's Pikachu? Where are my other Pokemon? What about Brock's?"

"Don't worry. They're all at the Goldenrod Pokemon Center. Professor Oak took them there. Speaking of which, Professor Oak has something to tell you all about that," Delia replied.

"Okay," Ash said as he sat up. Thankfully, it didn't hurt as bad this time.

"Should you really try to be getting up right now?" Delia questioned with worry.

"I'm fine. Just a little sore," Ash responded as he stood up.

He wobbled slightly, but his mom was there to help steady his balance. Ash then turned over to Brock.

"What about you, Brocko? Do you want to try to get up?" he asked.

"I…guess I can try," Brock replied.

Delia and Ash then went over and helped Brock out of his bed. He took a little more effort to help up, and they had to hold on for a while. Brock finally nodded his head to them to let them know it was okay to let go. Once they did, Brock winced a little, but he was okay.

"Those cuts still sting a little bit, but I can walk," he assured them.

With that, the three went out of the room and into the hallway. They only had to walk a short distance to where the waiting room was. They saw Serena, Misty, Professor Oak, and Togetic all there. Serena and Togetic were the first to greet them followed by Professor Oak and Misty.

"How are you two feeling?" Professor Oak asked.

"Heh. Kind of lousy," Ash chuckled.

"Well, it's good to see you both back on your feet, especially you, Brock," Professor Oak nodded.

"Thanks. Good to be back up," Brock smiled.

"Thanks for getting all of our Pokemon down to the Pokemon Center, Professor Oak," Ash said appreciatively.

"Which reminds me," Professor Oak recalled and turned to Serena. "I've set up an appointment for you to see the Nurse Joy here about your Larvitar today. She is already acquainted with you, isn't she? I remember you telling me you've had an appointment with her before."

"Yeah. We saw her quite a while back about a few of our Pokemon," Ash replied.

"Well, she said she can see you around seven this evening," Professor Oak said as he checked his watch. "That's only a few hours from now."

It was already well into the afternoon since the group woke up. The incident with Team Rocket and the radio tower started the previous afternoon and lasted well into the night. They didn't make to the Goldenrod Hospital until around three in the morning, and they didn't get to go to sleep for another hour.

"I think we have time to eat before we go see her," Ash suggested.

"Yes. Let us all go," Professor Oak nodded. "I'm interested to hear what Nurse Joy has to say about Larvitar, as well."

Serena looked down, but she soon smiled to herself. Surely, Nurse Joy and Professor Oak would be able to come to some conclusion why Larvitar acted so strange around her. Larvitar had warmed up a little to everyone except her which was extremely strange since it was her Pokemon. One would think it would be the other way around. Was the problem really her, or was it something else?

"Hey, Serena. Are you worried what they'll say?" Ash asked.

Serena looked up to find Ash staring at her with a bit of concern. After a brief moment of consideration, she shook her head.

"No. If it's something I can improve about myself to form a bond with Larvitar, I'm all for it," Serena replied.

"That is a good attitude to have about this, Serena," Professor Oak nodded in approval. "I'm sure that you and Larvitar will be just fine."

"Thank you, Professor," Serena smiled. "You're right."

At least, she hoped so.

* * *

Brock and Ash had been discharged from the hospital after the nurses were able to deduce that their injuries were no longer serious, and they could walk around. They just needed to take it a little easy for a while. That meant no serious bouts of running or trying to stop a criminal organization from taking over the world. The last one, however, they shouldn't have to worry about anymore.

After they ate, they soon arrived at the Goldenrod Pokemon Center. Once they entered, the group was greeted by the familiar bespectacled Nurse Joy. To anyone except Brock, she was the only one that they would be able to tell apart from her other relatives. She gave them all a warm smile when she saw them.

"Well, hello there. It's nice to see you all again," she greeted.

"Hi, Nurse Joy. Thanks for taking care of our Pokemon again," Ash replied as they made their way to the front desk.

"It's my pleasure," she smiled. "All of your Pokemon are doing just fine, especially after bringing down that awful Team Rocket."

"Huh? You know about that?" Ash questioned.

"Of course. The whole city knows!" Joy confirmed before she turned to the back. "Anyway, let me go get your Pokemon for you."

Nurse Joy disappeared with her Blissey into the backroom to retrieve their Pokemon. As Ash looked around, he saw a few people, some kids and some adults, who were smiling at him or Professor Oak. Apparently, they recognized him as the one who fought Team Rocket. Was he famous or something, now? Ash was starting to get the feel for what Professor Oak went through.

"We had to shoo reporters away who were wanting to interview you while you were at hospital," Professor Oak said. "I had them keep their interviews strictly with me to protect you."

"Heh. Thanks, Professor," Ash smiled. "We know all those interviews can wear you out sometimes."

"It's no trouble, Ash. I'm used to them," Professor Oak said and waved his hand dismissively.

Nurse Joy then returned with their pokeballs and Pikachu. As soon as the yellow rodent saw Ash, it sprang from the table and leaped up to Ash before it nuzzled his cheek. Ash laughed and rubbed his partner's head. He was so happy that his best buddy was back to full health as well as his other Pokemon. They would all be doing okay.

"Are we still on for Serena's appointment this evening, Nurse Joy?" Professor Oak inquired.

"Yes. Let me prepare my office, and I'll be right with you," Nurse Joy replied as she checked her watch.

"Great! Thank you!" Serena said appreciatively.

Nurse Joy once more went into the backroom with Blissey. Once she did, Serena looked down at her pokeball containing Larvitar and gave it a light pat.

" _Don't worry, Larvitar. You and I will be just fine. I know Nurse Joy will be able to help us out. You'll see,"_ she thought.

There was no wiggle of acknowledgement from the pokeball, but Serena wasn't expecting there to be. Serena just hoped that Larvitar would at least _try_ to get to know her rather than avoid her the whole session. It did want to get to know its trainer, right?

There was a glow from Ash's backpack at that moment. The raven-haired boy put on an inquisitive look as he stared at the shining light coming through the small openings. It wasn't lost on the other people in the Pokemon Center as they turned to stare, as well. Ash didn't believe it would be a good idea to parade around that he had a Rainbow Wing in his backpack so he didn't take it out. He then met the curious looks of the rest of the group. The fact that the Rainbow Wing was glowing much more brightly than before only meant one thing. It was time, but why now?

"I…have to go," Ash muttered.

"Now? During Serena's session?" Misty questioned.

"Yeah," Ash said apologetically as he looked away.

Ash didn't want to meet their gazes, in particular Serena's look. She was supposed to be a part of this, too, wasn't she? Why would Ho-oh be asking them to come now of all times? Were they really supposed to just cancel their appointment with Nurse Joy? Ash could imagine it now about him asking if they could set the appointment up another time so he could meet with a legendary Pokemon.

Ash then remembered the dream he just had. He had been surrounded by all the legendary Pokemon who told him that only he should hear the words Ho-oh. It did not wish to meet with Serena. When Ash asked why and about her status as the Chosen One, they merely said it was because she was a different Chosen One. At the time, Ash thought it was just a dream, but he couldn't deny anything strange that's happened in the past.

Serena didn't save the world in the Orange Islands like Ash did. She merely supported him. Suicune or any other legendary Pokemon didn't speak with her like Suicune and Lugia, only Ash. Heck, if Moltres hadn't told Ash and Serena that they were Chosen Ones, Ash never would've thought she was one. The Chosen Ones were destined to save the world from a great evil, but Serena had done nothing of the sort so far. It just seemed so unfair to her. Was she truly not supposed to come with him to meet Ho-oh now? When he spoke with Suicune, it told him that Ho-oh only wanted to see him just like in the dream.

"Okay, Serena. I'm all set. I can see you anytime, now," Nurse Joy smiled as she came back, not realizing the uneasiness that was taking place.

"Um, Ash? I…," Serena began.

"I'm sorry, Serena. I can't stay," Ash mumbled. Could it be Ho-oh purposely chose this time so Serena couldn't follow him?

Ash was expecting Serena to be upset, but instead, she walked over and gave Ash a hug. Ash finally turned to look at his girlfriend, and she had gentle look on her face. There was no hurt or anger there, just understanding.

"It's okay, Ash. Really. If I'm not supposed to go, I'm not supposed to go. It's as simple as that," Serena stated.

"Still, I want you to come. It isn't fair to you," Ash said before he dropped his voice to a whisper. "How are we supposed to save the world if you're kept in the dark?"

"We'll find a way," Serena answered. "Besides, I'm sure you can tell me everything that was said when you come back, right?"

"I guess," Ash shrugged. That was, of course, unless Ho-oh forbade it.

"Well, then you better get going. I'll be fine, really. Besides, I'd much rather be here and learn about Larvitar," Serena reassured.

Ash looked at all of his friends and his mom, and they all looked concerned. Ash couldn't blame them. They all knew by now that he had gotten a Rainbow Wing and was meant to see Ho-oh. Despite that, it didn't mean they had to like it, particularly Delia.

"Please be safe, sweetie," Delia told him. "Do you know where to go?"

"No," Ash replied honestly. "I'm sure I'll be led to where, though. Hopefully, I won't be too late."

"Alright, Ash," Brock said. "We'll also let you know how the session went."

"Great. Thanks, you guys," Ash nodded before he turned to Pikachu. "Are you ready, buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu answered and hopped on Ash's shoulder. There was nothing anybody said about bringing along his Pokemon.

"You'll be fine, Ash," Serena said and pumped her fist to show enthusiasm. "You need to hurry up and go."

Ash took a deep breath and nodded. Serena was being positive about this so he should, too. If Serena said she would be fine, then Ash believed her. In his heart, Ash knew there was a good explanation for all of this. In due time, he was sure Serena would know everything and be ready. Serena was going to trust Ash and the legendary Pokemon so Ash would do the same. His look of discomfort then morphed into determination, as well.

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "I'll be back! See you all later! Good luck with Larvitar, Serena."

With that, Ash turned and hurried out of the Pokemon Center with Pikachu and the rest of his Pokemon in their respective pokeballs. Well, it was fast for him considering he still had a few injuries. A few people in the center looked confused as to what on Earth they had been talking about, but they ultimately shrugged and went back to minding their own business.

As Ash left, Serena's own determination dissolved, and she clenched her fist. Truthfully, she would be lying if she said that it didn't hurt at all that she wasn't being included. How was she supposed to be a Chosen One if she were kept in the dark about everything? It's not as if she was being selfish and took pride in such a title. She just didn't understand what was going on and why. Should she be concerned? A lot of weird stuff has been happening lately with her.

"Hey," Brock spoke up and placed a hand on Serena's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, Brock," Serena replied and turned to face him with a small smile. "Thank you."

"Let's carry on with your session, then," Professor Oak suggested. "I'm positive we'll get some answers."

That brightened Serena up a little bit, and she nodded her head. "Right. Let's go."

* * *

Ash wandered around Goldenrod City as he tried to figure out where to go. It was obvious to Ash that Ho-oh wouldn't be appearing to him in the middle of a bustling city so he would have to leave. The only problem was that there was more than one exit. One led to the north towards Ecruteak City, and the other one led to the south towards Ilex Forest and Azelea Town. Which way to go? He couldn't take it out and let it guide him when there were so many people around, though.

"Got any ideas, Pikachu?" Ash asked his yellow partner. "I can't duck in an alley way every ten to seconds peek at the Rainbow Wing, either, with as busy as Goldenrod City is."

"Pika!" Pikachu said brightly as it thought of something.

It then dove into Ash's backpack where the Rainbow Wing was. Ash just needed a second set of eyes to stay inside the backpack to guide him. Pikachu soon poked its head out of the backpack and pointed to the right which was the south side of the city.

"Great idea, Pikachu!" Ash smiled and went that direction.

It was a little difficult to explain exactly how the Rainbow Wing was guiding Ash since it wasn't talking or pointing in a direction, but Ash trusted that Pikachu knew what it was doing. He emerged outside the large city about fifteen minutes later and looked around. There were still several people roaming around with entering or exiting the city so it still wasn't safe to fully take out the Rainbow Wing.

Ash then looked up at the darkening evening sky and sighed. This would be about the time the group would start setting up camp for the night. Instead, he had to keep moving. Ash had no idea how far away Ho-oh was from here or if he would even make it back tonight. Regardless, Ash knew he was going to be traveling in pitch black. Luckily, he had his Pokemon to protect him from any nightly dangers.

Speaking of dangers, as Ash began moving again with Pikachu's direction, he realized it had already been almost twenty four hours since he was wandering around in the underground tunnel trying to find Professor Oak and the other workers. He had a final showdown with Silver down there as well as Jessie, James, and Meowth. Man. All of that had already been a full day. In just a couple of more hours, it would've been a full day since Ash saw Giovanni again on the roof. It was crazy when he thought about it. All of those tense moments that seemed to take forever were now in the past.

"Pika?" Pikachu questioned when it saw Ash drifting off.

"Huh? Oh. I'm still listening, Pikachu," Ash assured it.

Ash was soon far enough away from the city where people had become very scarce. Ash then used that opportunity to take the Rainbow Wing out of the bag so he could let it guide him. Pikachu climbed out of Ash's backpack and was soon back on his shoulder. About twenty minutes later, Ash saw the Rainbow Wing was leading him to a dark cave.

Ash turned around and could see Goldenrod City several miles behind him. He grimaced at how long the walk back would take, but Ho-oh was only going to appear in a place that didn't have any people. Clearly, that was this cave. That was unless he would pass through this cave only to wind up somewhere else and keep traveling. The Rainbow Wing wasn't exactly telling Ash how far he had to go.

Ash had half a mind to set up camp, but as he thought about it, he didn't believe Ho-oh would be asking Ash to come in the evening if it didn't believe Ash could make the trip back in the same night. Then again, Ho-oh was a legendary Pokemon, it's not like it had to play by Ash's schedule. It was quite the opposite, in fact.

"I say we keep traveling until we reach the end of this cave," Ash said to Pikachu. "If we come out, and we still don't see Ho-oh, let's just set up camp."

"Pika," Pikachu agreed.

The two entered the cave, and it immediately became even darker. Ash didn't have a flashlight, but he had a fire Pokemon.

"Quilava, I choose you," Ash said as he opened up the fire starter's pokeball.

Quilava appeared and immediately ignited its flames. Ash smiled at how far the Pokemon had come since he first caught it, but it wasn't time to think of that night. Guided by Quilava's fire, Ash continued on through the cave with Pikachu.

After they had been walking for about another twenty minutes, Ash couldn't help but think how empty this cave was. There wasn't a single Pokemon or deviation of the path in sight. It was just a straight line in a narrow tunnel. Surely, if this was a normal cave, Ash would've run into several Zubat or Geodude, but this clearly wasn't a normal cave. Come to think of it, has it always been here? Why did no Pokemon live here?

Ash then began to see a light off in the distance, and he sighed and check his Pokegear. It was already 8:30 in the evening. Had he really been walking for that long? Maybe it was time to set up camp, after all. Who knows how much longer he had to go? He would call Serena and the others to let them know where he was and that he was spending the night outside once he got out of this cave. Speaking of Serena, Ash hoped the appointment with Nurse Joy was going well and that they got some answers.

All of a sudden, Quilava came to a halt. Ash almost tripped over the Pokemon since he didn't notice it stop at first. He gave a questioning look at Quilava, and it seemed hesitant to go further.

"What's wrong, Quilava?" Ash asked it.

"Chuuu," Pikachu said somewhat nervously as Ash turned to it.

"What? You, too?" he questioned and received a nod from Pikachu.

Ash was about to ask why they were acting this way when a bright light shone from the opening in the distance. It illuminated the dark cave, and Ash could see very clearly now. The raven-haired boy had to squint from how bright it was, now. He then jumped in alarm when a deep and powerful voice spoke.

" _Come forth, Chosen One."_

Despite the command, Ash felt frozen to the spot like his Pokemon. Was that Ho-oh really calling out to him? Was the legendary bird at the end of this cave? Was that why there were no Pokemon around?

Pikachu then hopped off of Ash's shoulder and went to stand next to Quilava. To Ash, the message was pretty clear. He was supposed to go alone. Ho-oh apparently didn't even want his Pokemon with him. That was pretty mysterious. Whatever the reason, Ash knew he wasn't going to go anywhere unless he left his Pokemon here. He unclipped the remaining pokeballs from his belt before he released all his Pokemon.

Phanpy, Noctowl, Croconaw, and Bayleef all came out of their pokeballs and were beside Pikachu and Quilava. Ash gave a nod to them all to let them know he would be alright.

"It's okay. You guys stay here. Just having your support is good enough," he told them, and they all nodded in agreement.

Ash then turned around and began walking to the incredibly bright light. Phanpy went to go after Ash, but Pikachu placed a hand on Phanpy's back and shook its head to let the young Pokemon know to stay. Although a little confused, Phanpy understood. It could just sense the powerful presence like the others and wasn't supposed to go any further.

Now by himself, but with his Pokemon not far behind, Ash stepped out of the cave, and he now had to shield his eyes as the light got brighter. He had stepped into a clearing that was surrounded by a patch of trees so that not even a Caterpie could fit through. The cave was the only way here. The white light then began to shine golden, and Ash looked up and gasped.

Massive, regal wings came into view followed by a small rainbow. A colorful body was next followed by the majestic head. The large Pokemon continued to slow its descent until its talons touched the ground. It towered over Ash as it peered at him curiously while Ash could only stare in awe. He had seen this Pokemon before on the first day of his journey, but it was just as amazing, if not even more so, the second time. He had no idea what to say, but the being did.

" _Welcome, Chosen One,"_ Ho-oh boomed.

* * *

"How are you doing, Serena?" Nurse Joy asked kindly as she sat down in her chair.

Serena, Misty, Brock, Professor Oak, and Delia Ketchum were sitting in chairs opposite of Nurse Joy. Serena had Larvitar's pokeball at the ready but she didn't send it out yet. She would wait until Nurse Joy said so.

"I'm okay," Serena shrugged, though she wasn't feeling it.

"Will you please tell me what's wrong? What's the history of Larvitar?" Nurse Joy requested.

Serena took a deep breath before she answered. "I received an egg for winning the Battle Chateau a long time ago. I kept it at Professor Oak's lab for the majority of the time it was an egg. When it was about ready to hatch, Professor Oak transferred the egg to me. I took really good care of it the entire time, but ever since it hatched, it's been afraid of me. I don't know why."

"Is it afraid of anyone else?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Well, it still doesn't trust strangers, but it feels more at ease around Ash, Brock, and Misty, and the Pokemon since it first hatched. With me, though…" Serena trailed.

"It's still afraid," Nurse Joy finished.

"There was an incident with the evil Pokemon Hunter, Rico, while Larvitar was still an egg," Professor Oak cut in. "When Serena told me about Larvitar's behavior, I figured it was merely because of that incident, and if she and the others continued to show love and care towards it that Larvitar would become friendly to them. However, Serena tells me no such improvement has been made towards her and Larvitar."

"Hmm…," Nurse Joy mused as she wrote down notes on her clipboard.

Serena twiddled her thumbs and fidgeted a little as she waited for Nurse Joy to speak again. She didn't want to seem impatient. She was just desperate for a reason why Larvitar acted this way around her. The others could sense her discomfort, and Delia put a motherly hand on Serena to comfort her. Finally, after about a minute, Nurse Joy looked up from her clipboard.

"Serena, would you please let Larvitar out of its pokeball?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Serena replied and hesitantly opened it.

The beam shot from the pokeball, and the form of Larvitar materialized. It looked around in curiosity at the place it was in before it saw Nurse Joy approaching it. Upon seeing the stranger, Larvitar immediately clammed up and hid its face.

"Hello there, Larvitar," Nurse Joy said sweetly.

"Lar…," it mumbled quietly.

There's nothing to be afraid of," Nurse Joy continued to smile. "I'm not scary at all. See?"

Larvitar cracked one of its eyes open to peek at Nurse Joy. Now that Larvitar thought about it, she did seem like a kind person. She spoke so gently to it, and Larvitar felt safe around her presence. She's clearly had many years of taking care of Pokemon.

"May I hold you?" Nurse Joy requested as she reached for it.

"Wait, Nurse Joy. You shouldn't…," Serena began as she expected Larvitar to give a huge outburst like the last time someone grabbed it without its consent.

She was surprised, however, when Nurse Joy gently placed its hand on Larvitar and rubbed it head. Though Larvitar flinched at first, it soon relaxed at Nurse Joy's soft touch and even managed to smile. Nurse Joy then picked up Larvitar and began to rub its head. Larvitar even snuggled a little into Nurse Joy. Serena remembered Calem had been able to do the same thing when he first met Larvitar.

"There. There. See? Everything's okay," Nurse Joy smiled before she looked at the others. Now, that Larvitar was comfortable, it was time for the test.

"Misty, would you come over and try to pet Larvitar, please?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Oh? Sure," Misty replied as she went over.

Larvitar saw Misty coming over and stared a little nervously at her, but it didn't use Harden and turn away. Misty gave it the happiest smile she could and reached her hand to Larvitar. The rock Pokemon watched her hand until Misty slowly rested it on Larvitar. She then began to rub its head.

"Lar…," Larvitar smiled at how good it felt.

"You're such a cutie!" Misty grinned.

Once Misty was through, Nurse Joy called Delia next, and she was followed by Professor Oak and then Brock. Despite the Pokemon breeder scaring Larvitar with his faces a while back, the rock Pokemon still let Brock touch it. Nurse Joy must have some sort magical touch as Larvitar hasn't hidden away from anyone yet.

"You see everyone? Larvitar is scared of the world, but it just needs a little bit of love from its trainer and friends," Nurse Joy smiled as she turned to Serena. "Now, it's your turn, Serena."

Serena nodded and stood up before she walked to Larvitar. She gave her Pokemon the sincerest smile she could. Larvitar watched her every move as Serena reached her hand out to pet it. Everyone then frowned when Larvitar turned its head away and hardened up when Serena was just inches from placing her hand on it.

"It's okay, Larvitar. I promise I won't hurt you," Serena said kindly.

Rather than listen to Serena, Larvitar instead tried to bury itself deeper in Nurse Joy's side and began shivering. At that, tears began to burn Serena's eyes. Why was Larvitar acting like this around her? It just let everyone else pet it. Why not her?!

"Serena, I know it hurts, but please try not be upset as that only upset Larvitar, as well," Professor Oak warned.

"I can't help it, Professor," Serena said as her voice shook. "What's wrong with me? Larvitar's problem isn't with everyone. It's just me, and I have no idea why!"

"Nurse Joy, do you know of anything that could be causing Larvitar's aversion to Serena?" Delia questioned.

"I'm thinking," Nurse Joy muttered, but the way she said it didn't convince the group she had an answer. She then adjusted her glasses before she spoke again. "Newborn Pokemon are different from other Pokemon. They are able to see into a person's soul and determine if that person is trusting or not. If the Pokemon believes in any way that the person will harm them, they shy away."

"Ash's Phanpy is a newborn Pokemon. It gets along with everyone fine," Brock pointed out.

"It's probably more extreme with Larvitar given the difficult circumstances so close to its birth. Some Pokemon are born with a shyer nature compared to others. Phanpy are always playful and energetic while Larvitar are generally quieter and reserved," Nurse Joy explained.

"I would never hurt Larvitar, though!" Serena exclaimed.

"I didn't say that," Nurse Joy replied calmly as she held her hand up to keep Serena from shouting. "As much as I hate to say it, there's something about you the Larvitar doesn't like, and we need to find out what that is."

"How will we do that?" Professor Oak asked.

Nurse Joy adjusted her glasses once again. "Serena, I know my request may seem personal, but this is important. I need you to tell me everything about yourself. Leave no secrets."

Serena then looked down. Nurse Joy really wanted her to say everything about herself? Was that including her ESP, as well? Everyone else in the room knew about it so it wasn't like she was revealing it to several people. Still, was her ESP causing Larvitar to shy away from her? That couldn't be everything because if that was the case, then Larvitar would be afraid of Ash, too, because he used aura. Besides, she uses her ESP for good, doesn't she? Well, that is if she didn't count time she almost caused the Olivine City performance hall to collapse.

"Serena, it's okay. I think you should. Remember, this is to help you and Larvitar," Professor Oak encouraged.

At Professor Oak's words, Serena nodded her head and turned to Nurse Joy. She then began to say as many things as she could recall and didn't leave out anything.

* * *

Ash was still in awe as he watched Ho-oh. He still hadn't answered the legendary bird. He was just so transfixed on the majesty of it so up close. It was just like the time he saw Lugia. Only with Ho-oh, it felt more personal because he saw it on the first day of his journey.

 _"I have much tell you. My intention was to wait, but the evil in the world may happen sooner than expected so you need to be prepared,"_ Ho-oh said.

"Shouldn't Serena be here, then?" Ash couldn't help but ask. In retrospect, Ash thought it was a pretty strange first thing to ever say to Ho-oh.

" _No. Only you, Ash Ketchum,"_ Ho-oh replied.

"So, you know my name?" Ash asked again.

" _Yes. I have watched your family a long time so we could keep track of the Chosen One's lineage who would save the world,"_ Ho-oh answered. _"It was no chance encounter when you and Serena saw me the first day of your journey. I purposely sought you two out so I would know who you were and what you looked like."_

Ash looked down. He figured as much. The sighting of Ho-oh on his first day was indeed purely intentional from Ho-oh. He then looked up at Ho-oh.

"The Chosen One's Lineage. The Ketchum family?" Ash questioned.

 _"Yes. Sir Aaron Ketchum's descendant shall be the Chosen One who shall save the world from a great evil,"_ Ho-oh said.

Wait. Something didn't add up here. If only Sir Aaron's descendant was supposed to be a Chosen One, were did Serena fit in? If she was a descendant of Sir Aaron, surely the legendary Pokemon would let her know, or she would have aura, as well. Somebody in her family would tell her, but none of that was the case. She only had ESP. Ash was beginning to get a little confused. Serena herself was told she was a Chosen One like Ash! What's going on? How could she even be a Chosen One?

Ho-oh must've know what Ash was thinking with what it said next. _"It seems you are confused with your role and what evil you need to destroy. Allow me to tell you a story of Sir Aaron you haven't heard before."_

Ash looked up and gave his full attention to Ho-oh. So, the great evil he was supposed to destroy and his role as the Chosen One traced back to Sir Aaron? Ash had no clue of how anyone could be more evil than Giovanni and want to destroy the world, but apparently there was, and he was about to get his answer. Ho-oh took Ash's silence as a cue to begin.

 _"Your ancestor, Sir Aaron, lived over a thousand years ago and was a great hero in his time. He saved countless lives, and his generosity and kindness were known the world over. He was in service to a great king named AZ,"_ Ho-oh began.

 _"AZ? That was his name?"_ Ash thought. _"Was it an acronym?"_

Ash had known that Sir Aaron was in service to royalty, but he never actually knew the name of the king he served. It was quite a strange name for a king unless of course it wasn't his real name. Ash then went back to listening to Ho-oh.

 _"Sir Aaron and AZ were not just a master and servant, but they were also best friends and trusted each other with their lives. There were no secrets between them, and they could never see themselves at odds with each other,"_ Ho-oh continued before it took on a more somber tone. _"In their time, a massive war broke out. Many people and Pokemon were killed. King AZ and Sir Aaron fought side by side as they tried to bring an end to the war. It looked like the war would be quelled in a short time. However, the king had a Pokemon he loved dearly, a Floette."_

Ash cocked his head at the name of the Pokemon. That was a Pokemon he had no idea about so it was probably native to a different region. Ash chose to disregard what the Pokemon was actually like and continued to listen.

 _"The Floette was King AZ's only friend besides Sir Aaron. Despite the king's generous nature, and how he greatly cared for his people, he had no other friends,"_ Ho-oh spoke.

Ash frowned as he pitied the king a little bit. He appeared to be an exceptional king who put his people first, but the only friends he had in his life were Sir Aaron and a Floette. That was rather sad.

"So, what happened?" Ash asked.

 _"The king's Pokemon, Floette, was killed in the war, and he was overcome with grief. It was then he made the fateful decision to end the war at any cost necessary,"_ Ho-oh explained.

"What did he do?" Ash wondered.

 _"Driven by his despair, King AZ's heart fell into darkness, and he constructed a weapon to end the war on both sides, even his own. Sir Aaron, however, did not support the king in this decision and implored the king to reconsider his actions. This led to a heated argument between the two, and sadly, the two ended their friendship,"_ Ho-oh said before he continued. _"The king fell into even further darkness because of this. He had lost his two most important friends in life, and he then decided to not only end the war but wipe out humanity, as well. He was angry with the world as he could see no good in it and wanted to create a new one."_

Ash gasped. The good king had actually tried to destroy the world?! How could someone be consumed by darkness so much that they would actually do something like that? There had to be a driving force behind it like aura, but AZ wasn't an aura user.

 _"AZ was not an aura user, but he was a skilled user of ESP,"_ Ho-oh answered as if he could read Ash's mind again. _"He was corrupted by the ESP and became a broken man whose only goal was vengeance against the world for the loss of his two friends…even though one was by his own doing. When the king attempted to use the weapon to destroy the world, Sir Aaron appeared and begged his former friend to stop his madness and go back to how he used to be. King AZ would not listen, however, and proceeded to use the weapon. It stopped the war as it intended, but at the cost of many lives."_

Ash hung his head. He was hoping to hear that Sir Aaron had stopped AZ and that the war would end a different way. Ash could only imagine the death toll to end a great war like that.

 _"King AZ then was going to use the weapon on the rest of humanity to wipe it out so he could create a new one. Sir Aaron, however, could not let that happen. He knew that King AZ was no longer the friend he knew, and he had to be stopped by force. They had a duel to the death. Their battle was very intense. It was former friends who could never hate each other in a fight with each other for the future of humanity! They even used their powers in their fight. It was aura versus ESP!"_ Ho-oh said.

Ash's mouth hung open. So, this was the true story of his ancestor, Sir Aaron. He had heard many stories from his father or from books about the many things Sir Aaron did. Ash even read how Sir Aaron had saved the world from a mad man, but he was saving it from his former friend, a ancient king.

 _"In the end, it was Sir Aaron who won. He had no choice but to kill his friend, the king, in order to save the world,"_ Ho-oh said sorrowfully. _"King AZ, however, was not one to give up his ambition so easily. In his dying breath, he placed a curse on himself and Sir Aaron."_

"A curse?" Ash questioned in confusion.

 _"Yes. Despite his death, King AZ was still bent on destroying humanity. Though driven mad, his determination was still intact, and he decided to achieve his goal by any means necessary. If he could not be the one to destroy the world, he would pass his sin on to his descendants. When the time was right, his descendant would be the one to carry out the task. Sir Aaron could not let that happen and vowed to protect the world through his descendant. The curse has been passed along through generations until the descendants of King AZ and Sir Aaron would fight once again and end the ancient battle between them once and for all. Only one of their descendants will live while the other will have to die, and the curse will be lifted,"_ Ho-oh finished.

Ash looked down as Ho-oh finished the tragic story. He was starting to put the pieces together. Now, Ash understood the great evil he would have to stop the world from. The burden had fallen on him as Sir Aaron's descendant. He would have to fight King AZ's descendant to stop him from destroying the world and finishing his ancestor's task. This was the evil that was spoken of by all the legendary Pokemon he's met. That wasn't all. Ash knew there would be an inevitable clash between them as they both couldn't live. One of them would have to die to end the curse. The only problem was that Ash had no idea who it was, and there was still one thing that didn't fit in with this story.

"Wait. What's Serena's role, then?" Ash questioned. "I know you won't tell her, but will you at least tell me? If she's a Chosen One, too, she's going to help me stop King AZ's descendant, right? Also, how is she even a Chosen One if she isn't a descendant of Sir Aaron? It makes no sense! Also, who is King AZ's descendant? You have to know who it is!"

 _"Chosen One, you know who the descendant is,"_ Ho-oh insisted.

Ash shook his head a Ho-oh. How was he supposed to know who King AZ's descendant was if they'd never met? Last time he checked, he hadn't met a crazy mad man bent on destroying the world. Okay. Maybe Giovanni fit that description a little, but his ultimate ambition had only been to rule the world, not destroy it. Also, with Giovanni now gone for good, Ash seriously doubted he was King AZ's descendant. Who else could it be?

Wait. Ash has had dreams before of a malicious burly figure who was cloaked in shadow. He always spoke of how the world was dying, and he would give a laugh that sent chills down Ash's spine. Was he the great evil? If he was, that would add up. The only problem was Ash still didn't know who it was. Despite how cruel and evil this person was, Ash would still find out who it was and stop it.

"I've had dreams about this guy who keeps laughing about the world dying. Something tells me you know who I'm talking about. Is he it? He has to be," Ash stated.

 _"No, Chosen One. The figure you speak of is the instigator who will set into motion the events that will lead to your fight with King AZ's descendant,"_ Ho-oh answered.

"Then tell me who it is!" Ash pleaded. "If I have to save the world, I have to know who I'm saving it from! No matter who it is, I'll stop them, and so will Serena!"

 _"Chosen One, you are looking into Serena's role in this the wrong way,"_ Ho-oh said, and if Ash didn't know better, he could detect a trace of sadness in the legendary bird's voice. _"You and Serena are the Chosen Ones, not the Chosen Two. You and Serena are not chosen to accomplish the same thing. You have different roles as the Chosen Ones. There is a Chosen One, Sir Aaron's descendant, who is destined to save the world, and a Chosen One, King AZ's descendant…destined to destroy it."_

Ash could've sworn he felt his pupils shrink when Ho-oh said that. No. Please. Anything but that. Please don't confirm what he's thinking right now.

 _"Ash,"_ Ho-oh began, using his name for the first time. _"The descendant of AZ and the great evil you must ultimately face to stop from destroying the world…is Serena."_

Ash felt like he had been punched in the face when Ho-oh said that. The raven-haired boy stumbled backwards and felt quite dizzy all of a sudden. No. That was impossible. Serena couldn't be the great evil that he had been warned about. He couldn't fight her, much less kill her. There was some sort of mistake. It was just a sick joke…even coming from a legendary Pokemon.

 _"I'm sorry. I know this comes as a shock, Chosen One. We all know of your relationship with Serena. It was never in the curse that the two of you would become friends. However, you must get a hold of yourself,"_ Ho-oh stated.

 _"How can you expect me, too?" Ash asked as trembled violently. "You're…saying…I have to stop Serena from destroying the world! She would never do that! She would never try to harm me, either! How can you say that?!"_

Ash was in denial, now, and he knew it. So much of him wanted to believe this was all some sort of sick joke, but Ho-oh's sorrowful but serious face said it all. Ash covered his face with his hands before he fell to the ground and let out an agonizing scream.

 _"The time is not yet, Chosen One. However, it is not far off, either. This was not supposed to happen for a long time. However, something we did not expect happened when Serena's memories awakened. That also opened the door for darkness to enter her heart. Her memories were supposed to be locked away, but now, she will slowly begin to realize her role as the Chosen One who will destroy the world,"_ Ho-oh revealed.

"Giovanni," Ash murmured. "He was the one who started this and sped up the process when he captured Serena in Tohjo Falls and tried to wipe her memory. They were forced open and awakened to soon for her to control properly."

 _"That is correct,"_ Ho-oh confirmed.

"I…I can't do it," Ash said in hoarse whisper. "I…can't."

 _"You must do it, Ash. If you choose to do nothing, when the time is right, Serena will kill you and then proceed to destroy the world,"_ Ho-oh sighed.

All the memories of before came rushing back to Ash. He was told by Lugia how Serena would become his greatest enemy if he wasn't careful. Serena had told him of strange visions shown to her by the Unown that made her uneasy. He had seen her powers up close when the performance hall collapsed. Was that really just the beginning of what Serena could do now that her memories are awakened?

Ash then found a glimmer of hope in this. Ho-oh said itself that some unforeseen circumstances have caused the curse to be thrown off balance a little. For one, he and Serena were never meant to wind up in a relationship. Furthermore, Giovanni was never supposed to forcefully try to tamper with Serena's memories. If these things were possible, then saving her was, too.

"Even if this is Serena's destiny!" Ash shouted as he pointed a finger at Ho-oh. "Who's to I can't change it!?"

 _"I admire your resolve, Chosen One," Ho-oh frowned. "However…"_

"I don't care!" Ash interrupted. "I'll never let Serena do that! She'll never go down that path! I'll make sure of it!"

Ho-oh stared at Ash's determined and serious expression. It was times like this when Sir Aaron showed within the boy. He had a look that believed that anything was possible, and he wasn't going to think otherwise. Ho-oh now knew why Ash was the Chosen One of Sir Aaron's descendants to save the world. He was so like him.

 _"Very well, Chosen One. We shall leave her fate in your hands. Just remember what will happen if you choose to do nothing. She will kill you as well as destroy the world,"_ Ho-oh revealed as he began to flap his wings to take flight.

"Don't worry," Ash uttered. "I will."

 _"Be safe, Chosen One,"_ Ho-oh told him. _"Farewell. May fortune find favor with you and your endeavors."_

With that, Ho-oh let out a cry and took off from the ground. Just like when it was descending, Ho-oh was just as majestic as it was leaving. It was even leaving behind a beautiful rainbow. Ash wasn't paying attention to any of these things, though. He only had one thought on his mind right now and that was to save Serena by any means necessary. Ho-oh said that this wasn't going to happen yet, but it will before Ash knew it. He would need to be prepared. He _will_ be prepared.

Even so, the thought of Serena being the evil he needed to save the world from wasn't any less painful. His brave face crumpled once Ho-oh was out of sight, and Ash began to weep as he slowly walked back into the cave where his Pokemon awaited him. How was he going to explain this to anybody, especially to Serena? How could he?

* * *

It was late at night, almost midnight, in the Goldenrod Pokemon Center, and Serena had been the one to volunteer to stay up and wait for Ash. There was a short message sent to their Pokegears that he was alright and on his way back to the Pokemon Center. That relaxed them enough to where they could sleep. Everyone was still extremely tired, after all.

Serena didn't do anything as she waited for Ash, though, except stare at Larvitar's pokeball. After explaining everything about herself to Nurse Joy, the nurse was baffled why Larvitar would treat Serena this way, even if she did have ESP. The only thing the nurse could conclude was that there was something inside of Serena that was scaring Larvitar. No one could figure out what it was, though. The fact that Serena didn't know what it was meant that there was nothing she could do about it at the time, and that really hurt.

"What am I going to have to do with you, Larvitar? Can I even be your trainer if you're scared of me? Why won't you open up to me?" Serena whimpered.

The doors to the Pokemon Center opened, and Serena saw Ash come in with Pikachu. This would've brightened her up, but she could already see something was wrong. The brim of his hat was covering Ash's eyes, and his face was red as if he had been crying. Pikachu was patting the boy's shoulder, but the look on Pikachu's face told Serena that it didn't know the situation, either.

"Ash, what's wrong?" Serena questioned as she forgot about her own problem and rushed over to him.

Ash looked up to her, and his eyes were rather puffy and red, which alarmed Serena. She placed her hand over her heart in worry. What could've happened to him?

"Serena…," Ash mumbled.

"Ash, what is it? I'm here for you," Serena told him in worry.

She was then surprised when she was wrapped in a tight embrace by Ash, and he buried his face in her shoulder. Not used to this sort of behavior from Ash, Serena slowly wrapped her hands around Ash. There was no more sobbing from Ash as it looked like he did that enough on the way back here. Still, Serena could only wonder what could've happened.

"Ash, please talk to me," she said.

"Serena, do you love me?" Ash suddenly asked.

"What? Of course I do, Ash. You know that," Serena answered.

"And you'll never let anything come between us, right?" Ash asked again.

"No, Ash. I won't. Remember what I said to you in the snow cave a long time ago. I'll always be here for you, and I'll always be on your side. That's a promise," Serena soothed as she continued to embrace him.

Ash paused before he answered. "I believe you, okay?"

Serena was going to tell Ash about Larvitar, but that could wait. He was clearly more in need for her right now than she was for him. Serena released him from the embrace and led him by the hand over to the lobby couch. She then sat down and gently pulled Ash down with her. She then drew him in close to where Ash's head was on her shoulders.

"You're always letting me rest my head on your shoulders. Why don't you rest your head on mine for a change?" Serena offered.

"Thank you, Serena," Ash whispered.

"Will you tell me what Ho-oh said to you?" Serena requested.

Serena could fill Ash bristle at that. So, that's what this was about. There was clearly something Ho-oh said to Ash that distressed him greatly. She had no idea what the legendary bird could've said that would make him feel this way, though. Normally, whenever a legendary Pokemon talked to Ash about his role as the Chosen One, he took it rather well.

"I…I can't," Ash choked. "I just can't, especially to you."

Serena gave Ash a worried look. They normally told each other everything now, but Ash was hiding something from her, and she knew it. However, she also knew that it was best not to press the issue, especially if he was this distraught.

"I believe you," Ash said again. "We'll always be together, and nothing will ever come between us."

However, if Serena didn't know any better, it sounded like Ash was trying to convince himself of that instead of her.

* * *

 **The big reveal! How many of you saw this coming? I dropped a lot of hints in the recent chapters of Serena being the true enemy Ash has to face: Serena's desire that Silver was killed when pushed too far, Larvitar's aversion of her due to the darkness that's been released in her heart from regaining her memories, Palermo's sudden hesitation around Serena, Serena's images of her killing Ash in the Ruins of Alph, and of course, Lugia warning Ash of Serena being his greatest enemy. It makes sense, though. I purposely called Ash and Serena the Chosen Ones all throughout the series but not the Chosen Two. They are both Chosen Ones, but with different goals. This will begin Serena's gradual and slow but sure descent into evil. What will Ash try to do to stop it? How does this affect Serena's relationship with others, and how are the Hoenn and Sinnoh arcs going to play out before leading up to the final arc? What's going to be done about Larvitar since it refuses to get close to her?! How will Yellow train Serena to use ESP properly?!  
**

 **AZ's story is changed a little for this fic, I know. He isn't going to appear as a hulking nine feet tall old guy in this fic, either. He's dead. With that said, with Sir Aaron's story being so different as well as being Ash's ancestor, "Lucario and the Mystery of Mew" is going to be a LOT different from canon when I eventually get to it.**

 **We now leave this arc to return to the regular story. Serena's third showcase is next followed by Ash's gym battle with Clair! The Johto arc has about ten to twelve chapters left, if that. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 65: The Key to Success**


	66. The Key to Success

**A/N: Back to the regular story! Here is Serena's third and final princess key! I hope you all enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or the characters**

* * *

Chapter 65: The Key to Success

Ash moaned in his sleep as he rolled over in the Pokemon Center bed. He had only been asleep for about an hour, and it was already early morning. The group had an early flight for Blackthorn City so even though the sunlight was just beginning to peek in, Ash knew he had to get up. That wasn't the reason for his lack of sleep, however. It was a combination of different things.

Ash was up all night thinking about what Ho-oh had told him about Serena being the great evil he would eventually have to defeat. Ash was also worried that if he fell asleep he would have a nightmare about him killing Serena or vice-versa. That tended to happen to him a lot when something traumatic happened in his life. His mind was still a mess. Eventually, however, Ash's fatigue won out and he managed to drift off but not long enough to have an actual dream.

"Good morning, Ash!"

Ash slowly opened his eyes and rubbed the crust from them to discover Serena standing there with a big smile on her face and holding a tray. Though her bright smile and voice would tell the average person that Serena wasn't tired in the least, Ash knew better. He knew Serena was up just as late as he was, and the dark circles under Serena's eyes told Ash that she didn't get a lot sleep, either. Yet, here she was in Ash's room.

"Everyone else is already up, but you looked like you could use some breakfast in bed," Serena told him as she set the tray down on his lap. "So, I went to the cafeteria to get a plate and asked Brock for the key to your room. I was hoping…we could also talk a little bit."

Ash yawned and adjusted his position so the tray could fit more comfortably on the bed. He then noticed Pikachu and Togetic weren't in the room, either. They must have left with Brock earlier. It was strange. The only time Ash wasn't awake last night would be when everyone managed to leave the room without him noticing. They must have all sensed how tired Ash was if they didn't wake him, as well. Ash checked the clock next to him and saw it was only 5:30 in the morning. Darn early flight times.

"Thanks, Serena," Ash finally mumbled and inspected his plate which consisted of an apple, scrambled eggs, two biscuits, and a large glass of Goldenrod's famous Miltank milk.

Serena sat down at the foot of Ash's bed as she watched him dig in. At least he still had his appetite after last night. Serena looked off to the side and sighed once Ash was about halfway done. Now was as bad a time as any to bring it up. Ash spoke first, though.

"What did you want to talk about" Ash asked as he placed a forkful of eggs in his mouth.

"It's about Larvitar," Serena said.

"That's right. You had the session with Nurse Joy last night. How'd it go?" Ash wondered.

"Terrible," Serena muttered.

Ash swallowed his next bite and looked at Serena in concern. Just like he did last night, she had quite a distressed look on her face, and Ash frowned. So, it seemed like he wasn't the only one who had a bad night. Truthfully, Ash and Serena were both sure that Ash had it worse. Even so, Ash still wanted to be here for Serena.

"Nurse Joy wasn't able to figure anything out?" Ash questioned. "That's weird."

"Worse than that," Serena replied. "She said that there has to be something in me that Larvitar doesn't like."

At that, Ash froze. All of the terrible things Ho-oh was telling him last night came flooding back to him again. There was something inside Serena that Larvitar was able to sense? Was it really the darkness in her heart? Was it there already? Ash began to shiver at the thought and shut his eyes tight.

"Ash!" Serena cried in alarm as she saw him start to get upset again.

She quickly went over and pushed the tray out of the way before she gave Ash a comforting hug. Instead of making him feel better, Serena felt Ash flinch, and she quickly withdrew from him and stared. Ash seemed to have realized what he did and gave a sorrowful look to Serena.

"I'm…I'm sorry," Ash mumbled as he berated himself. _"What's wrong with me? This is Serena, my girlfriend. There's no one else in the world I'd rather be hugged by than her! How could I flinch?! Is what Ho-oh said really getting to me like that?"_

"It's…okay," Serena responded. Her eyes expressed hurt for a moment before they went back to normal.

Ash thought it best to get back to the topic at hand. "Anyway, you said that Nurse Joy wasn't able to figure out Larvitar's problem around you. That's not all you wanted to talk about, though, was it?"

"No," Serena admitted as she sat down on Ash's bed again. "I was thinking last night…about Lavitar…and about you."

It was just as Ash thought. Serena was sleep deprived, too, but she had still taken the time to bring Ash breakfast in bed because she was more concerned about him. Ash realized he was being ridiculous. There was no way Serena could have any darkness in her heart when she was so sweet and caring. She's been his girlfriend for almost two years, now, and while she has been prone to emotional outbursts, especially early on, she's really matured over time. She never once expressed anything that suggested there was darkness in her heart.

" _That's because it started when her memories were unlocked in Olivine City."_

Ash pushed the annoying voice out of his head and instead pulled off his covers before he scooted over next to Serena and put his arm around her. Despite the fact that Ash was bare-chested, it didn't make either of them feel awkward anymore like when they first started their journey. They were dating and just naturally felt comfortable around each other…as far as bodies touching, that is.

"So, what did you want to say?" Ash asked again.

"I was thinking…of giving Larvitar to you," Serena finally said.

"What? Why would you want to do that? Larvitar is your Pokemon. You earned it. Larvitar is the perfect testament to you winning the Battle Chateau. You can't mean that," Ash said in surprise.

"What else am I supposed to do?" Serena questioned as her voice shook a little. "Larvitar's terrified of me, and I have no idea why. How am I even going to train it when it can't even stand to be near me? You, on the other hand, get along with Larvitar just as well as anyone else. Besides, Larvitar seems like a Pokemon that would be better on the battlefield rather than a showcase…especially when it eventually evolves. You're the best person for it."

Ash frowned as he knew the reason why Larvitar was afraid of Serena, and he hated himself for not having the courage to tell her. She really did deserve to know, but how could Ash live himself if telling her their origins may be the very thing that would push Serena into darkness? It could really go either way. It could save her or destroy her, and Ash had no idea which one was the correct choice. He was stuck.

That being said, Serena was suffering, as well. She can't even get her own Pokemon to warm up to her because of the supposed darkness in her heart. Though her other Pokemon are fine, they've been with Serena a lot longer and knew her before the Olivine City incident. There was no doubt her Pokemon could feel the darkness, too, but they probably brushed it off as a fluke, even Charla. It was now Ash realized that truth of him and Serena destined to fight one day was going to greatly affect them both.

"So…," Serena trailed as she unhooked what was undoubtedly Larvitar's pokeball and held it out to Ash. "Will you take Larvitar for me, please? I want it to have a good life and a trainer who can bond with it. That's not me."

Ash glanced at Larvitar's pokeball before he looked at Serena's earnest expression. She really was actually willing to just give away Larvitar like that. Did she really think there was no hope left? Ash wasn't going to let that happen. He slowly reached out his hand for Lavitar's pokeball, but he didn't take it. Instead, he used his hands to gently close Serena's fist around Larvitar's pokeball, and he then guided her hand to where it and Larvitar's pokeball were touching her heart.

"No," Ash replied before he continued in the sincerest voice he could. "I know you feel like Larvitar's given up on you, but that doesn't mean you should ever give up on it. Remember what I always used to say? Never give up until the end. Even if Nurse Joy couldn't discover the reason why Larvitar avoids you, that still doesn't mean there's a way. I want you to keep at it, Serena, because I know you're stronger than this. This is just another obstacle in our Pokemon journey, and there hasn't been a single thing we haven't been able to overcome. This is no different. So, don't give up Larvitar. I know we'll find something, and if we don't, we'll keep searching until we do."

Serena looked at the pokeball held against her heart as she let Ash's words sink in. He was right. Both she and Ash have been through a lot of improbable things in their life. Even when overcoming the obstacle seemed impossible like stopping Mewtwo or taking down Team Rocket, they were still able to make it through. If they could make it through all those things, they could make it through this, as well! Serena just had to keep believing there was a solution to all of this.

"Thank you, Ash," Serena replied as clipped back on Larvitar's pokeball and leaned in to him. "Thank you so much. I was about to make a huge mistake."

"I won't take Larvtiar from you," Ash repeated. "I'll still help in any way I can, though."

Ash leaned into Serena, and they soon just held each other in their arms for a moment. They knew Ash would need to get dressed soon so they could meet everyone out in the lobby to catch their flights, but that could wait. They were content to just stay in each other's arms for as long as possible.

"Heh," Ash chuckled humorlessly. "I guess we're both kind of messed up after last night."

"Yes. We are," Serena agreed. _"Still, what won't he tell me?"_

* * *

The group was now at the airport ready to say goodbye to Delia and Professor Oak. The two adults were taking a plane back to Viridian City while the rest of the group was taking a plane to Blackthorn City. They had been together for a few days now so it was sort of strange to say goodbye to them. They had met under great conditions, and so much had happened recently. Now, it was all behind them.

"Oh, Ash. I just want you know I'm really proud of you! I'll be sure to come and see you when you're competing in the Silver Conference," Delia told him.

"You make it sound like you know I'll get my last badge," Ash smiled.

"Of course I know that. I have every confidence you'll earn it, and I'll even go as far as to say I know you'll win the Silver Conference," Delia continued and placed her hands on her hips.

After hearing his mom give him a confidence boost like that, Ash smiled back and nodded his head. She was right. He was going to the Johto League and earn first place. He wasn't going to settle for anything less this time!

"You got it, Mom! I'll be bringing home that first place trophy!" Ash grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

"That's great, but I'm still satisfied if you just bring yourself back. You're the real prize," Delia said.

"Thanks, Mom," Ash replied as they hugged.

"Serena, I apologize for this. It seems we weren't able to get to the bottom of your Larvitar's fear. I have no idea what it could be," Professor Oak said worriedly.

"I'll be fine, Professor," Serena replied as she briefly glanced at Ash. "Ash and I talked about it this morning, and we've agreed we'll find a way together."

"Hmmhmm! That's why you two go so well together," Delia smiled as she hugged Serena. "Take care, Serena. I wish you luck in your last showcase and the tournament. You know Grace will be watching for you, too."

"Thank you, Mrs. Ketchum," Serena said as she hugged her back.

"Now, Brock and Misty, what are your plans?" Delia inquired as she looked at the two.

"Well, after Ash competes in the Silver Conference, I'll be heading back to the Orange Islands to train to be a Water Pokemon Guardian, and there's…someone waiting for me there, too," Misty responded as she blushed at the last part.

"I guess I'll continue on with my breeding career," Brock shrugged. If the group didn't know better, however, they could've sworn he sounded unsure about it.

"Brock?" Ash questioned.

"What's up, Ash?" Brock asked casually as he turned to look at him.

"Umm…nothing. Never mind," Ash replied.

The group then decided to shrug off Brock's strange tone. The group then gave one final wave to each other and a hug with Ash and Delia before they went their separate ways. As they walked to their terminal, Ash realized just how close he was to competing for his eight badge. The leader was supposed to be Clair, a trainer of dragon-types who studied under Lance himself. She would no doubt be his toughest opponent yet so he would have to choose his team very carefully.

Speaking of choosing teams, Serena still had yet to choose her own team for her showcase which was in two days. Ash turned to Serena who in turn looked him.

"So, Serena, any idea of who you using for this performance?" Ash questioned.

"Hmm…not really," Serena replied and gave a nervous chuckle. "I guess I haven't really thought about it since we've had so much happen between my last showcase and now."

"I know what you mean. I have no idea who I'm going to use against Clair," Ash agreed.

"Well, that's understandable," Brock nodded. "It won't hurt to be prepared, though. We're going to busy today and tomorrow as we get ready for everything."

"I can't wait until we can finally relax," Misty said with a stretch. "This lack of sleep lately is getting to me."

"Well, the flight to Blackthorn City is about an hour and a half," Ash shrugged. "Who's up for sleeping on the plane?"

"I am!" Serena, Brock, and Misty all said.

* * *

The group stepped out of the airport, and the first thing they noticed was a beautiful city surrounded by mountains. The second thing they noticed was that it was a bit chilly here compared to the rest of Johto. It made sense since they were up in the higher altitudes, and they also heard of an ice cave right next to the city. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to change into slightly warmer clothing when they got to the Pokemon Center.

As they made their way there, the group realized they were finally back to their normal routine. They would enter a city, look for the Pokemon Center, and go from there. It was a bit of a repetitive schedule, but after all the craziness the group had gone through recently, a routine was just what they needed.

Thankfully, the Pokemon Center wasn't very far from the airport so the group didn't have to walk outside in the cool weather for long. They entered a moderate-sized Pokemon Center with a fair amount of people in it. This Pokemon Center and the traffic wasn't too big and wasn't too small. With as normal as everything was, one wouldn't think that this city would house Serena's attempt at her last princess key and Ash's attempt at his last badge.

Ash, Brock, and Misty went up to the local Nurse Joy to get a room while Serena walked over to the video phone. She had slept a little bit on the plane and was able to gather her thoughts enough to know who she wanted to use for this showcase. She was going to use Fennekin and Nidorina. The poison pin Pokemon needed a veteran to help it out for this one, and Fennekin was the perfect choice.

Serena dialed the number for Oak's lab, and instead of Professor Oak, it was Tracey who answered the phone. Serena then cringed a little when she saw how disheveled he looked. Apparently, he had a hard time while Professor Oak was away. If Team Rocket hadn't intervened in their plans, the professor would've been back a long time ago.

"Oh. Hey there, Serena," Tracey gasped.

"You look terrible, Tracey," Serena commented. The honey-haired girl realized she was a pot calling the kettle black. She didn't look so great either with the dark circles under her eyes. Thankfully, Tracey was nice enough not to give a retort. Instead, he gave a nervous smile.

"Well, yeah. The Pokemon have been getting anxious. Even with Daisy here to help, it sti…aaaaahhh!" Tracey yelled as a huge blob tackled him which was none other than Ash's Muk.

"Muuuuuuuuk!" it said affectionately.

There were a bunch of indistinguishable muffled sounds coming from Tracey as he tried to fight off the sludge Pokemon. It was clear that since Professor Oak had been away, Muk found a new person to hug instead. Serena wondered if she would have an opportunity to trade Pokemon at this rate until Daisy came into view, thankfully.

"Hi there, Serena. It's been pretty chaotic here, as you can see," she greeted.

"Yeah. It looks like it," Serena muttered. "I guess Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum haven't made it back yet?"

"Not yet, but we recently got a call from them from the Viridian City airport. They had just landed and were going to be coming back shortly," Daisy replied before she turned to Tracey who was still being smothered by Muk. "I don't think it can be soon enough for Tracey."

The rest of the group then made their way over with Serena and smiled when they saw Daisy. The young woman gave a smile back and a friendly wave in greeting. Tracey tried to say hi, but it was too hard due to the weight of the purple blob. The group sweat dropped at Tracey's difficulty. He wasn't used to Muk's hugs like Professor Oak was.

"Anyway, I'm really glad to see you're all okay. Tracey and I were really worried when we heard you all were caught up with Team Rocket again," Daisy commented, and her look softened. "But they're gone for good now, aren't they?"

"Yeah. They are," Ash smiled. "It was actually Silver who did the most in the final battle with Giovanni."

"Silver…," Daisy trailed as she put a thoughtful look on her face. "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Is he okay? Grandpa didn't mention him being involved when he called Tracey and me."

"Yeah. He's fine," Ash nodded before he frowned. "He was arrested, though. Even though he stopped Team Rocket, Looker couldn't look past all of his previous crimes. Even so…I think Silver finally made his peace with his life. He made up with Mom, and I don't think he hates my guts, anymore. Mom promised to visit him as often as she could once Looker lets her know where Silver will be kept."

"I see," Daisy muttered. "I suppose I'll visit him, too, though I bet he doesn't remember me."

"I'm sure he does," Ash smiled. "Besides, he'll be glad if anyone visited him whether he remembers you or not."

"You're right," Daisy nodded. "I'm really glad you all called us to let us know you're okay, but I don't think that was the only reason."

"It wasn't," Serena admitted. "I need to trade some of my Pokemon out for my showcase tomorrow."

"Of course!" Daisy said brightly. "Who would you like?"

"Well, I'm thinking of…Fennekin and Nidorina," Serena replied.

"Certainly! I'll get them and…oh!" Daisy gasped as someone unexpected hopped on the desk in front of her.

"Jigglypuff!" Serena's Jigglypuff said angrily.

"Oh! Jigglypuff!" Serena said in surprise.

Jigglypuff gave another cry and got really close to the screen to where Daisy was completely blocked from view. Soon, all they could see was a pink puffball with a face.

"Jiggly! Jigglypuff!" Jigglypuff cried again.

"I think Jigglypuff wants to be in your showcase, Serena," Daisy said from behind it.

"Jigglypuff in a showcase?" Serena said thoughtfully as she was full aware of the Pokemon's antics.

Though it appeared to be cute and sweet, Jigglypuff had a ferocious temper. It was prone to violent mood swings and wasn't afraid to break its cute façade to show its incredible strength. Though Jigglypuff definitely had the talent and voice to be in a showcase, Serena always imagined it as more of a battler than a performer. Apparently, Jigglypuff disagreed.

"Jiggly!" it screamed.

"Umm…well…," Serena said nervously as she rubbed her head. "I was already going to use Nidorina and Fennekin. I can use you in the next one and…"

"Jigglypuff!" it replied and shook its head furiously.

"I don't think Jigglypuff is going to take no for an answer," Brock spoke up.

"But…who am I going to trade out for it," Serena frowned. "I haven't seen Nidorina in forever, and Fennekin needs to be in this performance."

"If I can make a suggestion, Serena," Daisy said as she tried to move Jigglypuff away from the screen. "I think Nidorina is quite content here as it gets to eat all the food it wants. I know you miss it, and it misses you, too, but you haven't used Jigglypuff in a while, either. Maybe you can use Nidorina in your next showcase."

"That sounds like a good idea," Ash told Serena.

"Hmmm…," Serena mused as she closed her eyes before she opened them. "Alright, Jigglypuff. You're in!"

"Jiggly! Jiggly! Jigglypuff!" Jigglypuff cheered as it jumped for joy.

"Yes. I'm excited about working with you again, too, Jigglypuff," Serena giggled.

"I'll get them ready then," Daisy nodded as she stepped away from the video phone and Jigglypuff hopped off the desk. About a minute later, Daisy returned and had two pokeballs with her.

"Well, here they are, Serena. So, who are you sending back?" Daisy inquired.

"I'll be sending back Hitmonlee and Bellossom," Serena replied. She decided to keep Larvitar for now, due to what Ash said.

"Got it!" Daisy smiled as she placed the two pokeballs on the transporter as Serena did likewise.

Daisy then pressed a button on the video phone, and the transfer started. The pokeballs were zapped up into the transporter, and a few seconds later, they appeared on their opposite ends. Daisy and Serena then showed each other the pokeballs.

"All here, Serena," Daisy smiled.

"Same here!" Serena nodded.

"How about you, Ash?" Daisy asked. "Did you want to swap out any Pokemon for your upcoming gym match. I hear it's your last one."

"Well, maybe later. I'm still thinking," Ash admitted.

"I'm sure Grandpa will be more than happy to do that once he gets back," Daisy replied before her face lit up. "Oh! That's right! Gary called me today about you!"

"Gary?" Ash questioned as his eyes showed interest. "What did he say?"

"He said something along that lines of…," Daisy began before she did a funny mimic of Gary's voice. "What's that crazy Ash thinking by facing Team Rocket like that?! When I see him next, I'm going to whop him upside the head for doing something so dangerous! I can't have my rival putting himself in harm's way like that unless I'm with him!"

"He…said that?" Ash grimaced.

"He did!" Daisy giggled, now back to her regular voice. "He also said that despite all of that, he's very proud to call himself your rival, and he looks forward to seeing you at the Pokemon League."

Ash smiled slightly at that. He was looking forward to seeing Gary again, too. They hadn't seen each other since him and Leaf helped pull Ash out of his slump from losing to Silver. That felt like it had been forever ago. Speaking of Gary, Ash had to know something.

"Hey, Daisy," Ash started. "Does Gary…already have all eight of his badges?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Daisy replied with a wink. "No matter what I told you, it would affect how you perform in your final gym match with Clair. I want you to battle to your full potential without worrying about how my brother's doing. If he wanted you to know how he's doing, he'd call you himself, or better yet, you can always call him."

"I…guess that makes sense," Ash replied before he smiled. "I'll have to call him and tell him I got all eight of my badges once I win!"

"That's the spirit!" Daisy nodded. "I'm sure Gary would love to hear it!"

"Daisy!" Tracy suddenly screamed as he finally got his head out from underneath Muk. "Are you going to help me or not!? I'm drowning in sludge over here!"

"Oops! Sorry, Tracy!" Daisy squeaked and hastily turned back to the group who also chuckled nervously. They completely forgot about the Pokemon watcher's predicament. "Bye, guys! Take care!"

"You, too!" the group hurriedly replied, and the monitor was shut off.

"Well!" Serena smiled brightly as she stood up and faced the group. "Let's get our jackets on and go train!"

Ash, Brock, and Misty agreed and went to head towards the door, but two familiar people stepped out of the hallway of the Pokemon Center and in the lobby. One was a black-haired boy with a huge tuft of hair sticking out from under his backwards hat, and another was a sky blue-haired girl in pigtails. The two stopped when they saw the group, and the group did the same. After a few seconds of staring, they all broke into huge smiles. It was Jimmy and Marina.

"Heeeey!" Jimmy greeted as he ran over to the group, followed by Marina.

"Hey, you guys!" Ash smiled as he and the rest of the group closed the gap.

Serena, Marina, and Misty hugged while Jimmy, Brock, and Ash clapped hands with each other.

"Well, this a pleasant surprise! What are you two doing here?" Serena asked.

"Jimmy's here to get his eighth badge, and I'm here to compete in the showcase for my third princess key!" Marina beamed.

"No kidding! That's exactly what we're here for!" Ash said.

"Then it's natural that we bumped into each other!" Jimmy nodded as he put his arm around Ash. "This way we can all watch each other achieve greatness!"

"And stardom!" Marina added as she struck a pose.

"I hear you!" Ash nodded.

"Marina and I were on our way out to train for the upcoming showcase and gym battle! Let's all train together and catch up!" Jimmy suggested.

"That sounds great!" Ash smiled.

"So, Marina," Serena began excitedly "What kind of cool things have you done in your showcases?!"

"Only the best, darling!" Marina smiled and showed Serena a magazine. "I was featured on the cover of last month's Poketch magazine for my win in Goldenrod City!"

"That's so cool!" Serena exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh!" both girls cried.

Jimmy sidled up to Ash and got a somewhat amused look on his face. "Man. Marina only gets like this when it comes to her showcases or when she's around Serena. I guess it's because she isn't traveling with any other girls."

"Heh. Same with Serena. She doesn't really get the opportunity to travel with girls," Ash replied.

"Ahem!" Misty coughed as she grabbed Ash by his ear and pulled on it. "Hello? I'm a girl, Ash Ketchum."

"Ah…well…I guess what I meant to say is there aren't any other girly girls in our group…eeeoowww!" Ash cried as that only made Misty pull harder.

"Hey, Ash. I think you better just quit before you get even more behind in this," Brock grimaced. He remembered all too well the times Misty would pull on his ear when he used to hit on pretty girls.

"Okay! I'm sorry, Misty!" Ash shouted, and Misty finally released him. Man. Those were painful.

* * *

The group was now out in the Blackthorn City park. It was definitely the most scenic park they've been to so far. They were in a wide, open space with the mountains all around them. The sights made it a great place for one to feel good and enjoy a good bout of training which is what Serena and Marina were doing at the moment.

Marina had out her Sunflora and Misdreavus while Serena was using Fennekin and Jigglypuff. Marina already appeared to be one step ahead of Serena because she had a chance to start training for this showcase. Serena, on the other hand, had been in a different city fighting a crime organization. She was at a clear disadvantage compared to the other contestants so she would need to think of something quickly. It wasn't an easy task, however, when you had two prideful Pokemon who were fighting rather than working together.

"Jigglypuff!" Jigglypuff shouted.

"Fenn! Fennekin!" Fennekin shouted back.

"Come on, you two. Please stop arguing otherwise it won't get us anywhere," Serena pleaded.

Fennekin and Jigglypuff didn't appear to be listening to Serena. In fact, things looked like they were going to get worse. Jigglypuff walked over to Fennekin and gave it a swift kick in the bottom. The fox Pokemon gave a yelp and glared heatedly at Jigglypuff. It then began to fire off an Ember which struck Jigglypuff right in the face. The puffball Pokemon blinked before its eyes filled with rage for Fennekin blackening its beautiful face. Jigglypuff lunged at Fennekin while Fennekin did the same. Soon, both Pokemon were in an all out…girl Pokemon fight, complete with biting and slapping.

"Oh no! Stop! You have to stop!" Serena cried as she went over to try to break them up.

Ash, Brock, and Misty ran over to help while Jimmy and Marina stood dumbfounded. Marina glanced at Misdreavus and nodded her head to it. Misdreavus nodded back and floated over to the two squabbling Pokemon and began to use Hypnosis. The hypnotic waves struck Jigglypuff and Fennekin who began to fill the effects. The fight died down significantly which made it easier for the rest of the group to separate them. Misdreavus then stopped so it wouldn't put them to sleep completely.

"Great job, Little Miss!" Marina smiled.

Serena sighed and frowned at Fennekin and Jigglypuff who were still rather groggy. This certainly wasn't going to be easy. Regardless, she still gave a grateful smile to Marina.

"Thank you, Marina," she said.

"No problem!" Marina replied cheerily before her look softened to a more worried one. "Jigglypuff and Fennekin have never been on a team before, have they?"

"No, and I'm starting to think this wasn't a good idea," Serena replied with a glance back to them. "I didn't really consider their personalities clashing like this. They're both too prideful for their own good. Normally, this isn't an issue when they're by themselves, but if you put them together, this apparently happens."

"Do you even know of ways you can use them together?" Brock questioned.

"I was thinking of using the heat from Fennekin to help float Jigglypuff into the air, sort of like a hot air balloon, and we can go from there. I'm worried to try that now, though, as I think Fennekin would purposely burn Jigglypuff," Serena sighed again.

"That sounds like a good idea. Why don't you give it a try?" Ash suggested.

"Well," Serena said thoughtfully as she looked back to her two Pokemon. They were still glaring at each other but at least weren't shouting or slapping anymore," Jigglypuff, I need you to inflate yourself and jump into the air. Fennekin, use a gentle Flamethrower at Jigglypuff, but control it to where you don't hit it."

Both Pokemon finally stopped glaring at each other before they turned to Serena and nodded their heads. Jigglypuff leaped into the air and opened its mouth for Fennekin to blow into. Fennekin gave a short breath and blew towards Jigglypuff. It then stopped the Flamethrower just before connecting. The puffball Pokemon then began to suck in the hot air generated by the Flamethrower and started to float around the area, all the while doing a few poses. They weren't perfect, but it was a start.

"That's it! Just keep it up! Now, instead of Flamethrower, try it with Fire Spin!" Serena smiled.

Fennekin then morphed its Flamethrower into a perfect spiral. Having been in performances before, it was a veteran at that. Jigglypuff, not so much. It began float through the rings of fire while still using the heat brought on by Fennekin. Serena and the others sighed with relief that they may be able to work together, after all.

"That's great, you two!" Serena encouraged as she thought of a way she could insert herself into the performance.

However, the goodness couldn't last forever, Jigglypuff took a wrong turn in the flames and ended up burning and blackening its face again. Jigglypuff gave a shriek of horror at the marring of its face before it quickly floated down to Fennekin and slapped the fox Pokemon in the face. Fennekin choked on its fire at the sudden halt of its attack before the two Pokemon lunged at each other and were fighting again.

"Oh no! Not again!" Serena cried.

"Little Miss! Use Hypnosis again!" Marina said frantically.

Serena, on the other hand, had enough. She grew red in the face and clenched her teeth as her fists began to shake. Ash noticed this and grew worried as he sensed a huge outburst coming. He was about to try to gently calm Serena, but she spoke first.

"IF YOU TWO DON'T GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE! STOP FIGHTING!" Serena screamed at the top of her lungs.

She was so loud that the surrounding group cringed, and several people around them turned to look in shock. Serena was probably heard all through out the park and even outside of it. Everyone was frozen in shock and afraid to move, but that went double for Jigglypuff and Fennekin. The two had stopped fighting just as Serena said, but they were shaking.

"Umm…Serena?" Ash questioned, but what Serena said next surprised him even more than the outburst.

Serena placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at the two Pokemon. "That's better. Now, are you two going to behave, or will there have to be consequences?" she threatened.

"Consequences?" Brock asked in a confused tone.

"Serena, what are you talking about?" Marina questioned, as well.

Before anyone could query about it further, Serena blinked and shook her head. That was weird. The honey-haired girl looked around at everyone staring at her instead of the Pokemon who were previously fighting. The girl's face then turned red again, but not from anger. What had just come over her? She's been upset with her Pokemon before, but she would never think to threaten them. Serena saw the scared and hurt looks of Fennekin and Jigglypuff, and Serena placed her hand over her heart and knelt down next to them.

"Fennekin, Jigglypuff, I'm so sorry," Serena whispered as she embraced them.

The group stared at the scene with confused looks on their faces. This was sort of like when Ash had lost it a couple of times. This was also different, however. Ash would only get scary in a dangerous situation or when someone he cared about was harmed. Serena, on the other hand, just felt like pure malice with threatening her Pokemon for not getting along in a performance practice. Jimmy leaned over to Ash and whispered in his ear.

"Dude, does Serena have a dark side?" he asked.

Ash didn't answer. Ash hoped he was wrong, but Jimmy was probably right on the mark without realizing it. The raven-haired boy felt his chest constrict a little bit when Serena said those things, but he had relaxed slightly since Serena seemed back to normal. What if this happened again? Should he really be weary around Serena as Ho-oh said? No. This was just a fluke.

"If you guys don't mind, I think it would be better if I took Jigglypuff and Fennekin and went to train alone. I think all the people around are making them nervous," Serena said.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Ash asked, hoping she would say yes.

"No, but thank you, Ash. I'll be okay on my own. Really," Serena replied, but it was clear she was pretty embarrassed.

"Well, at least take Togetic with you," Ash suggested as Togetic flew up to Serena, though a little more hesitantly than usual.

"Of course it can!" Serena smiled brightly.

Serena then spun on her heel and walked purposely away from the group and everyone else. Jigglypuff, Fennekin, and Togetic were right behind her. Serena tried to ignore the stares of everyone as she passed by. The best thing to do would pretend like nothing was wrong. If she did, everyone would most likely forget about her little spell just now, which is what she wanted.

Serena was well away from everyone else by the time she stopped walking. She then turned to her Pokemon who nervously looked up at her. Serena then sat down in the grass and motioned for Fennekin and Jigglypuff to come into her lap. The Pokemon obliged, but they didn't do it very eagerly. Togetic sat by Serena's side. Once she made sure they were comfortable, Serena decided to try a different approach to get this to work.

"Well, you two, I guess it's pretty clear we all have some issues to work out," Serena started with a light smile, and Fennekin and Jigglypuff nodded in agreement. "However, that doesn't mean we still can't work together and win this. Remember our dream? It's to be the best performers in all of Johto!"

Fennekin and Jigglypuff smiled as they remembered their dreams. Jigglypuff had wanted to be a star ever since Serena met it. The puffball Pokemon got to be elegant in the Battle Chateau, but now it was really getting a chance to show its talents. Fennekin was a natural born performer so it would settle for nothing less than being a Johto Queen.

"However, with all that comes teamwork. Even if we don't see eye to eye on everything, we still have to work together. Our goal is to show our best, but we also can't be the whole show," Serena continued, which prompted confused looks from the two Pokemon. "I mean we can't hog the spotlight so much that we take away from the others we're performing with. We all need to be equal in showing ourselves off. Fennekin, not all performances can be built around you, and Jigglypuff, you can't be at the center stage of everything. A lesson I can teach myself is to not come up with all the ideas and let you all have input, as well. It's all about teamwork! I know we're off to a bad start, but we can still do this!"

At that, Jigglypuff and Fennekin smiled wide. The two feuding Pokemon then turned and looked at each other. Well, it appeared they had two choices. They could continue fighting and being selfish and get nowhere, or they could get along and share the spotlight with each other. It seemed they made a decision as they shook stubby arm and paw with each other. Serena smiled. It appeared talking with them was a lot more effective then screaming at them or threatening them.

"That's the spirit!" Serena cheered as she jumped to her feet as Togetic did a twirl of happiness. "Let's show everyone what we're made of!"

* * *

"Ladies and gentleman! Our Blackthorn Pokemon Showcase is about to get underway! Please sit back as I guide you through a wonderful show with our lovely ladies!" Monsieur Louis announced and spread his arms wide.

It was the next day, and Ash, Brock, Misty, and Jimmy were all in the audience as they eagerly awaited for Serena and Marina. The two had worked very hard for their performance today. Well, they knew Marina had, in any case. They had no idea about Serena. She didn't return to the Pokemon Center until well into the evening. When Ash had asked if everything was okay, Serena had smiled and told Ash that everything was good to go. Ash was anxious to see what Serena could've come up with in such a short time.

In truth, he was actually more anxious if Serena would be okay. Everyone else seemed to brush it off by now, but Ash hadn't forgotten about the way Serena acted when she screamed at Fennekin and Jigglypuff yesterday. He wanted to talk to her about it when she returned to the Pokemon Center, but he feared if he did that, she would be distracted from this performance. Ash wasn't going to let this slide, but he had to think of a good time to bring it up.

"I hope you guys don't mind me rooting for Marina here," Jimmy said with grin.

"Not as long as you don't mind us rooting for Serena!" Ash grinned back.

"The theme for this Pokemon Showcase will be…a Pokemon Quiz!" Monsieur Louis proclaimed.

Three booths that looked like something out of a game show came up from the stage behind Louis. Behind the booths were three of the performers dressed up in what appeared to be an academic uniform. It was quite a change from the elegance and showiness that the group was used to seeing. They then smiled when they saw Serena was in the middle booth. She was one of the first ones!

"Not only does an aspiring Johto Queen need to be beautiful, but she must also be intelligent. Beauty and intellect are both necessary. The lovely lady who correctly answers three questions will move on to the free style performance!" Monsieur Louis explained.

"Serena's going to do awesome at this! She's really smart!" Ash said enthusiastically.

"Maybe, but there has to be more to this quiz than what's been said so far. I see Serena has Jigglypuff with her, but Louis hasn't explained what the Pokemon are for yet," Brock reasoned.

"Although it will be the girl who answers the question, it will be her Pokemon who will give her the opportunity to answer. On my right, you see a pile of boulders. The Pokemon's task is to break the boulder by any means necessary and find the jewel embedded with in it. The Pokemon must then rush back to its trainer and hand them the jewel. Whoever gets there first will answer the question! Performer and Pokemon will work together to dominate the stage!" Monsieur Louis stated.

"So, they're breaking boulders. This should be good," Ash commented.

The raven-haired boy also noticed how relaxed Serena looked. Whatever she did yesterday on her own must have worked because Jigglypuff seemed confident, as well. Well, if Serena felt good about her training, or lack of training, yesterday, then Ash would feel good, too!

"You've got this, Serena!" Ash yelled.

"Alright, my friends, it is now time to start the first round with Lyla, Serena, and Kayla! Quiz Time! S'il vous plait!" Louis announced and snapped his fingers.

Jigglypuff got ready as it stood at the starting line with the two other Pokemon, a Geodude, and a Natu. Serena and the other girls stared at the large screen behind them as they awaited the first question. Louis then cleared his throat before he spoke.

"There are many types of Pokemon found in this world. About one hundred fifty were found to be native to the Kanto region. How many were found native to our Johto region? Go!" Monsieur Louis said.

With that, the Pokemon took off. They didn't move particularly fast, but they were definitely trying their hardest. Jigglypuff narrowed its eyes as it wasn't about to be beaten. While it rushed to its boulder, Serena closed her eyes and thought about the question. This one was pretty tough. It would be quite easy to guess wrong on it.

"Isn't it one hundred?" Misty asked Brock from the audience.

"Yeah. The Johto Pokedex only went up to two hundred fifty when it was added to our Kanto pokedexes. Now that Ash and Serena have the national dex, it's harder to tell," Brock replied.

"This question would be easy for Marina because all she would have to do is check her Johto dex. It's the only one we've had so far," Jimmy smiled.

"So, I take it Marina is good at this stuff, too?" Ash asked.

"Of course! Marina may act like all she thinks about is stardom, but thanks to Ms. Crystal, she can be quite a bookworm, too!" Jimmy replied.

Jigglypuff was almost at the boulder. It smiled and was about to shock the world by showing it was the epitome of power and beauty. Jigglypuff leaped into the air and brought its stubby arm down on the boulder for a viscous Pound attack. The audience, even Louis and the other contestants, gasped in surprise when over the half the boulder was completely smashed to pieces!

"Oh la vache!" Louis cried.

 _"That's Jigglypuff for you,"_ Serena thought in amusement.

Jigglypuff quickly found one of the gems lying on the ground before it scooped the item up and hurried back to Serena. There was no other Pokemon in the running. In fact, the other Pokemon were so far behind that Geodude had just finished breaking the boulder while Natu was still using its Psychic waves when Jigglypuff crossed the finish line. Jigglypuff proudly handed the gem to Serena while her booth lit up to show she was first, but it was pretty obvious.

"Serena gets to answer the question! So, Serena, what is your answer?" Monsieur Louis inquired.

Serena had been thinking about that answer the whole time. She tried to recall the amount of Pokemon that would be added if Professor Oak had just used the Johto version. She knew of many more Pokemon in the world, but how many were just limited to Johto? Serena saw she only had five seconds left to answer so she gave it.

"One hundred!" Serena replied.

"Correct!" Louis cried in delight as Serena's booth _dinged_ to show she was right.

"We got one!" Serena smiled as she picked up Jigglpuff and twirled it around before she set it back down. She and Jigglypuff needed to just get two more.

It didn't turn out to be too difficult. Jigglypuff was first by a long shot each time as none of the other Pokemon could match its Machamp-like strength. Serena was also prepared for any question that Monsieur Louis had. It wasn't long before Serena had all three answers, and Monsieur Louis pointed his staff at Serena.

"And Performer Serena will move on to the freestyle performance! She has proven to have intellect and beauty! We can surely expect great things from her in the second half! She may even use the gems that were given to her if she wishes!" Monsieur Louis said as the audience erupted into cheers.

"We did it! Great job, Jigglypuff!" Serena smiled before she saw what it was doing. "Jigglypuff?"

The puffball Pokemon was staring into the audience as its eyes shined with happiness. It had dreamed of this moment its entire life, to be on stage and be cheered on by a large audience. They adored it! They didn't fall asleep to its singing! They really loved it. Jigglypuff didn't want this moment to end.

"Hmmhmm! See, Jigglypuff? It's all about teamwork. As long as we do that, we'll succeed every time!" Serena told it as she picked it up. "We haven't won yet, though. We still have to do that performance we worked so hard on yesterday."

"Jiggly!" Jigglypuff nodded.

Meanwhile, in the audience, the group was applauding while Pikachu and Togetic had grabbed hands and cheered. Larvitar wasn't really feeling it and just watched. It knew Serena had considered giving it away to Ash, but Larvitar wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. On one hand, it would be away from Serena's presence more, but to Larvitar, she was still the first human it ever saw. Why couldn't it bring itself to like her? It was scared of her, but moments like this made it wonder why.

"Come on! Cheer, Larvitar!" Ash grinned.

"Lar…," Larvitar muttered and instead looked away.

"Hmm…still no good," Brock frowned.

"What's with that Larvitar?" Jimmy questioned.

"Well, it's a long story. Serena and Larvitar just can't seem to get along for some reason," Brock sighed.

 _"Yeah. Some reason,"_ Ash thought.

"That's weird! Serena's great, Larvitar!" Jimmy encouraged, but all Larvitar did was harden itself. "Oh! Heheh. I guess I came on too strong."

"Don't take offense to it. Larvitar just isn't comfortable around strangers…or Serena," Brock added the last part somberly.

Jimmy nodded his head and went back to watching the performance. Serena and the others had already exited the stage, and his eyes lit up when saw Marina rise up out of the stage next. He placed his hands firmly in his lap as his attention was now focused solely on her.

"We shall now move on to the next round! The lovely ladies in our quiz show this time will be Tara, Marina, and Sherrie! Just like with the girls before, their Pokemon will need to break the boulders to my right and find the jewels hidden within. They will need to bring the jewel back to their trainer. Whoever gets there first may answer the question!" Louis narrated.

"This is like so cool! We've got this, don't we, Croconaw?" Marina beamed.

"Naw!" Croconaw nodded.

"The second round shall begin now! S'il vous plait!" Louis said and snapped his fingers once again. "Our first question is…name both final evolutions of the Oddish line. Go!"

"Come on, Marina!" Jimmy immediately shouted and waved his hands around wildly.

It was almost as if Marina and Croconaw could feel Jimmy's encouragement. The big jaw Pokemon got a head start as it sped towards the boulders. Its rivals were a Poliwhirl and a Sandslash. Both Pokemon made it to the boulders around the same time and began to attempt to break them open. Unlike with Jigglypuff before them, they had to put in a little more work to break them.

"Who will be first to break the boulders?" Louis commented.

The Sandslash was the first to break its boulder and made a beeline back to its trainer. Croconaw was next and found the jewel before it hurried back to Marina. The Poliwhirl was still whacking away at the boulder.

Sandslash was a couple of seconds ahead and looked like it would reach Tara first, but its sharp claws somehow lost its grip on the gem, and it fell to the floor. Sandslash scrambled to pick it up which gave Croconaw enough time to pass it and get to Marina first.

"Way to go, darling!" Marina smiled as she took the gem from Croconaw before she thought to herself. _"Still, we caught a lucky break on that one."_

"Will you please answer the question, Marina?" Louis asked.

"Of course! The answer is…Vileplume and Bellossom!" Marina smiled, and her booth lit up with a ding.

"Correct!" Louis cried. "Marina has answered one question and has two more. The other ladies can still catch up, however."

"See, Marina knows plenty," Jimmy smiled. "When we were younger, she always tried to get me to read with her, but I always turned her down. Dad and I were too busy doing other things. We're the type who loves being active. I just can't sit still long enough to read."

Louis then went on the with next question, and this time, the Sandslash didn't drop the gem and made it to its trainer first. Tara then answered the question correctly and got the answer right. The next questions would then proceed and alternate between each trainer getting an answer. Thankfully, though, Marina came out on top. It wasn't a blowout like it had been with Serena and Jigglypuff, but a win was a win.

"Marina shall be the next lady to move to the freestyle performance!" Louis stated as he and the audience clapped.

"OMG! We did it, Croconaw!" Marina smiled and hugged it.

"Naw!" it agreed happily.

"Let's go on and do the most dazzling performance, ever!" Marina added.

"You rock and you rule, Marina!" Jimmy cheered and gave a thumbs up.

"Yeah. Now, Marina and Serena are actually going to be competing each other," Ash agreed.

"I'm super pumped for this!" Jimmy stated.

Meanwhile, Marina was making her way off the stage, and she was met by Serena. The two girls gave each other a hug and congratulated each other on their victory.

"That was so cool, Marina!" Serena praised.

"Thanks! We didn't have as much of a rock out as you and Jigglypuff did, though," Marina replied.

"Well, my Jigglypuff is just full of surprises," Serena chuckled as she looked down at it.

"Jiggly!" Jigglpuff smiled.

"So, I guess since we're both moving on, that means we'll be competing against each other," Marina figured.

"Yeah," Serena responded with a sad smile. "Both of us are competing for our third princess key, but only one of us will get it and move on to the Master Class."

"I wish you luck, Serena, but I'm still going to be trying my hardest to win," Marina told her.

"Me, too!" Serena agreed as they gave each other another hug. It was good when they could have a friendly rivalry.

The rest of the rounds came and went with some being closer than others. At last, all six rounds had been completed, and the six finalists were chosen to do the freestyle performance. Once the last performers left the stage, Louis nodded his head and outstretched his staff to the audience.

"We have now seen how intelligent these performers are. We shall now see their grace and elegance with the freestyle performance! As a reminder, here are the ladies who are proceeding. We will then randomly shuffle them to see who shall dazzle us first! Afterwards, we will take a fifteen minute break!" Louis said.

The large screen then showed the pictures of the six girls moving on to the finals, along with Serena and Marina. The pictures were then scattered and disappeared before they reappeared once again. They showed Marina was going first and Serena was going fifth.

Marina saw this from the waiting room and took a deep breath. She was changed out of her robes and was now in her performance dress. Her Misdreavus and Sunflora both gave cries of encouragement. They had worked with her on this performance for a long time and believe they were the best. Serena came and stood next to her and offered her friend a smile.

"Are you nervous about going first?" Serena questioned.

"Not in the least, sweetie pie!" Marina responded with a shake of her head. "We'll totally rock the socks off the whole audience!"

"Marina, we're ready for you to leave. Please make your way to stage so you're ready when the break is over," the hostess said.

"GTG, Serena! We'll talk when I get back!" Marina waved before she hurried out of the room.

Serena smiled after her friend and looked down at Jigglypuff and Fennekin. They seemed to be doing just fine and weren't showing any dislike for each other. They all knew that this was going to be the toughest part for them to win, especially since just yesterday Fennekin and Jigglypuff were at each other's throats, and Serena had lost her temper with them. It seemed they had all put that behind them, though, and were ready to move forward.

Meanwhile, Marina rose to the stage and gave a curtsy to the audience as she prepared to do what was hopefully her best performance yet. She knew it would have to be if she wanted to win. The third princess key was almost in her grasp, and this had been her dream ever since she first found out about showcases.

"The lovely Marina shall now amaze us all with her performance. Please enjoy the show! You may begin when ready!" Louis stated.

"Thank you!" Marina smiled as Sunflora and Misdreavus got in place.

After a few seconds, Marina was ready. She spread her arms wide as Misdreavus used Power Gem. A beautiful, bright, light was emitted from the beads around Misdreavus' neck, and it spread across the room. Misdreavus was able to control it to where it wasn't bright enough to make the audience squint, which must've taken practice.

"Okay! Absorb that light, Sunflora!" Marina said.

Sunflora nodded and began to Absorb the vast amount of light that was being emitted from the Power Gem. The audience gave a few murmurs of approval as the light was sucked up before they gasped in awe as Sunflora lit up the whole room with its shining, bright, face. The audience then began to applaud, but Marina wasn't done yet.

"Use Seed Bomb, Sunflora!" Marina continued.

Still with its shining face, Sunflora looked up and shot out several seeds which caused an explosion that made it seem like fireworks. The audience smiled even more at that. Marina then struck a pose as Misdreavus and Sunflora began to dance underneath the fireworks. After about fifteen seconds, the fireworks stopped, and Marina spread her arms wide as Misdreavus and Sunflora came back to their starting position.

"And…finished!" Marina cried as the audience cheered.

"Man, that was quite a performance from Marina, huh, Jimmy?" Ash commented as he turned to his friend.

"Yeah. Marina was amazing," Jimmy breathed.

Jimmy didn't seem to have heard Ash's comment, however, despite the response. His mouth was gaped open, and his gaze was solely transfixed on Marina, and his face was as red as a tomato. He was taking long deep breaths and appeared to be mesmerized.

"I thought you didn't like this sort of thing," Misty said with a sly grin.

"Yeah. Marina was amazing," Jimmy muttered in awe again, not paying attention to Misty, either.

"Earth to Jimmy!" Ash said as he waved his hand in front of Jimmy's face.

"Yeah. Marina was amazing," Jimmy repeated.

"He'll come back once Marina leaves the stage. We should just leave him be," Brock shrugged.

Marina smiled and waved to the audience. She hoped Jimmy had seen her performance. He always told her how disinterested he was in this sort of thing and only watched her for support. He would never comment on how she did or how great she looked. Marina hoped he noticed her this time as she thought it was her best yet. Unknown to her, how right she was.

* * *

Serena made her way onto the stage after a few words of encouragement from Marina. The honey-haired girl each gave a nod her Pokemon who nodded back. Serena then smiled when she saw Jigglypuff and Fennekin nod to each other, as well. She was happy they had finally set aside their differences and decided to work together this time. Serena just secretly hoped they would stay this way during the performance. This performance didn't just come from Serena, but Jigglypuff and Fennekin, as well. Their teamwork would be the key to their success.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We are now at our fifth freestyle performance! Everyone welcome…Serena!" Louis introduced and went off to the side of the stage.

Serena rose from the stage, and she and her Pokemon did a curtsy for the audience as the lights dimmed. She and her Pokemon then got into position and waited for the applause of the audience to stop before she began. The spotlight shined on top of Serena, and she started.

"Dazzling Gleam, Jigglypuff!" Serena told it.

Jigglypuff looked upward before it glowed, and a sparkling bright light was emitted from it which made the area around Serena sparkle. Jigglypuff then landed as it prepared for its real onstage debut. Jigglypuff began to sing while Fennekin and Serena danced, but it wasn't the lullaby that everyone was used to. Its time in Professor Oak's lab had let Jigglypuff develop its voice to where it could sing other things other than a lullaby.

The puffball Pokemon still remembered how it would get so angry and draw on people's faces when they would fall asleep during its performance. However, it finally got a lesson on what the real reason was and worked hard since then. Now, it could sing in front of a real audience without the fear of them going to sleep. Of course, if they did now, Jigglypuff would still make sure to draw on their faces.

"That sounds so pretty and soothing," Misty commented as she listened.

"Yeah. Jigglypuff sure has come a long way since Serena caught it," Ash agreed.

"Well, I think Jigglypuff always sounded great, it's just the only thing it knew how to sing was a lullaby," Brock said.

Though Jigglypuff had its eyes closed while singing, it couldn't resist cracking one eye open to see how the audience was holding out. It smiled inwardly that they all seemed transfixed on it and relaxed, but not in the sleepy way.

"You're doing great," Serena whispered as she passed it while she danced.

It was then time for Serena move on to the next part. As Jigglypuff was still singing, it leaped into the air, and Fennekin blew a light Flamethrower to make Jigglypuff float into the air while it sang. As Jigglypuff rose higher, Fennekin used Light Screen, and a large wall with the colors of the rainbow appeared around Serena, Fennekin, and Jigglypuff. It really made them look as they were in a magical performance. Jigglypuff then slowly floated down to the stage floor, and they all struck a pose.

"Ta-da! We're done!" Serena exclaimed, and the audience erupted into cheers.

"Man. That was awesome! Serena and her Pokemon put all that together in one day!" Ash said as he clapped.

"Her efforts really paid off right here!" Brock agreed.

Larvitar peeked over the podium and saw Serena, Fennekin, and Jigglypuff posing proudly as they let the audience cheer. If Larvitar was honest with itself, it did think Serena looked quite nice right now. Maybe it should tell her what a great job she did later. Still, the thought made Larvitar shudder. Hopefully, it could.

* * *

After the last girl went, Monsieur Louis had all the girls line up on the stage. He then spread his arms out again as he addressed the crowd. Serena and Marina stood next to each other and smiled. Though they were friends, they still really needed to win this to enter the Master Class. It was a little nerve wracking for both of them.

"You have all seen the magnificence of these six ladies today. The question now is who you thought was best. The fate of the princess key is in your hands! Please cast your vote on the ballot in front of your seat!" Louis instructed.

Everyone then cast their vote with Jimmy going for Marina and the group voting for Serena. As the votes were done, an image of all the girls appeared on the screen as the numbers began to tally up. Both Serena and Marina anxiously awaited as the numbers continued to climb. They finally stopped for one girl, and then another, and then another, and then another so only Serena and Marina were left. The two girls then stopped at around the same time, and everyone had to squint to see who had the higher number. Even Louis was surprised by how close it was.

"Wow! By one vote…Serena!" he announced.

 _"One vote?"_ Serena thought to herself.

"Congratulations, Serena!" Marina cheered as she ran over and hugged her friend.

"Yeah…," Serena muttered.

For some reason, the fact that she won by one vote didn't sit right with Serena. It had never been this close before, but that wasn't what bothered her. Serena was sure that she got a vote from Brock, Misty, and Ash, but what if they weren't here today? Heck, what if just one of them wasn't. It would've been a tie. If two of them weren't there, she would've lost. That made Serena wonder if she really did the best out of all the girls today or if Marina as better. She truly hoped Brock, Misty, and Ash voted for her because they thought she was the best out of all of them.

"Serena, come forth and claim your princess key!" Louis said as he outstretched his staff to her.

Serena did as told and took the key before she placed it inside and forced a smile. Louis nodded to Serena before he turned back to the crowd.

"From my understanding, this is Serena's third princess key which makes her eligible to enter the Master Class tournament in a few weeks on July 22!" Louis exclaimed.

"July 22?" Serena repeated. That was her thirteenth birthday!

"Let's celebrate with Serena, everyone!" Monsieur Louis proclaimed as everyone joined in the clapping.

"That was kind of a close one, but Serena's going to get to go to the Master Class, after all, and it's on her birthday!" Misty smiled. "I hope Marina won't take it too hard."

"She seems to be doing okay," Jimmy shrugged. "Besides, she knows I'm not interested in this stuff anyway."

"Oh please," Ash chuckled. "You were smitten when Marina was performing."

"Well…yeah," Jimmy admitted with a blush.

"Still, is it just me, or does Serena not seem excited?" Brock noted.

The group looked, and sure enough, even though Serena was smiling and waving to the crowd, they've been around her long enough to know when it's not genuine. Something was definitely bothering her which they would ask about later. For now, they would let Serena have her moment.

* * *

It was nighttime now, and Ash, Brock, Jimmy, and Misty were outside in the park talking about all the day's events. Serena and Marina had walked off somewhere else. Pikachu, Togetic, and Larvitar were sitting off to the side. Now that the Pokemon showcase was over, it was time for Ash and Jimmy to get their eighth badge.

"Man. I'm super stoked for this! Our eighth gym badge!" Jimmy grinned.

"Yep! I know just who I'm going to use against her dragon Pokemon, now!" Ash grinned.

"Who is it?" Misty questioned.

"Well for one of them, let's just say I made a phone call to Liza in Charificic Valley, and the other is a friend I've been wanting to fight with in a gym battle for a long time," Ash smiled.

"What Pokemon are they?" Jimmy questioned.

"You'll just have to see, but I think Brock and Misty know the two Pokemon I'm referring to," Ash said with a wink towards the two.

"Well, I'm going to use Typholosion and Ampharos," Jimmy revealed with a shrug.

"We'll get those badges for sure, and then it's off to the Johto League!" Ash encouraged.

"You bet!" Jimmy agreed.

Larvitar was getting tired of hearing everyone talk and wanted to go off on its own. It stood up and began to walk off, but it heard Pikachu calling out to it.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu questioned.

"Lar," Larvitar replied quietly and continued walking.

Pikachu and Togetic seemed to find the answer acceptable as Larvitar promised it wouldn't go far. It just wanted to be by itself for a little bit. That was still a common theme for it. Larvitar went through the bushes on the other end and started to walk for a bit. It soon heard more voices and froze when it recognized one or them to be Serena's voice.

Serena and Marina were on a bench in front of Larvitar, but they didn't appear to notice it. That was good. Larvitar dove back into the bushes and was about to run off, but when it overheard their conversation, it was rather curious. Larvitar then listened from within the bushes.

For Serena and Marina's part, they were each contemplating the day's events in which was the last one before the Master Class in about six weeks on Serena's thirteenth birthday. Of course, since Serena won the last one, that meant Marina wasn't in it. Despite that, the bluenette appeared to be taking it well.

"So, Serena, I've been wondering, do you know what it means to be a Johto Queen? You're going to be in the Master Class, after all," Marina asked.

Serena thought about Marina's question. Ever since Palermo had said that there was something Serena lacked, the honey-haired girl had been pondering what it was. It was clearly a lot more than having fun and loving what you do which is what Serena originally said to Palermo. Serena had trained with her Pokemon so hard to find the answer, and she thinks that after today, she might've found her answer.

"I think it's about teamwork," Serena answered. "I think that if I keep working together with my friends and others, I can be the Kalos Queen. It's all about working together because we can accomplish anything like that, just like today. Jigglypuff and Fennekin weren't able to work together at first, but as soon as we showed teamwork, we came on top!"

"That's a good answer," Marina smiled.

"What about you? What do you think?" Serena asked

"Me?" Marina asked before she looked up at the moon above them. "I think it's all about giving."

"Giving?" Serena questioned.

"That's right. I always have my Pokemon and Jimmy supporting me, but it shouldn't be like that. Maybe that's why I lost," Marina replied. "I realized something, though. To be an effective queen, you have to put others before yourself. People have made me smile so I want to give back to them. I want to be able to make people smile, give advice, and encourage them. I just want to be a giving person. Now, that means I have to work really hard from now on!"

Serena stared at Marina in surprise. That was actually a really great answer, and Serena knew it was better than the one she gave. Palermo had mentioned that Serena relied on others too much and not enough on herself. Was this what Palermo really meant about Serena was lacking? Marina truly wanted to be a Johto Queen so she could strive to be a much better and giving person…just like Aria.

Serena was reminded of the time she met Aria in the Orange Islands. The girl had spent the afternoon hanging out with her but was secretly giving her advice along the way and even gave Serena her Fennekin. Aria always encouraged others and gave advice, and that was the kind of person Serena wanted to be. Because of Marina, she finally realized what it took to be a successful queen. This had to be what Palermo was talking about!

"I think you will make an amazing Johto Queen one day," Serena said and lowered her head a little. "You should've won today."

"Oh no! I still lost to you. I think you were better than me," Marina insisted.

"No. That's not true. I believe…you really know what you're doing because of the answer you gave. I actually just learned something very important from you," Serena replied. "I want to be a giving person, as well. I want to be able to care about my Pokemon and not rely on them to do everything for me. I want to be the most caring person I can and extend that to my Pokemon and to others, as well!"

Larvitar heard the words Serena spoke and sighed. The rock Pokemon was conflicted with itself. On one hand, Serena seemed like a very sweet girl who did her best to get close to it, and she genuinely seemed to care for Larvitar. However, Larvitar just couldn't shake the feeling that something felt wrong when it came to Serena. Why couldn't it figure it out? Larvitar wondered if it should really just forget about the strange feeling it gets around Serena and try to like her. She was its trainer, after all, and it really did want to get to know her. Larvitar shook a little bit as it made a resolve to do its best to ignore how afraid it was of Serena and get along with her. With that, Larvitar slunk back into the bushes and made its way back to the group.

"Well, I'm going to go off and do a little thinking. Are you going back to the group?" Serena questioned.

Truthfully, she was starting to wonder if she really belonged in the Master Class. Though she learned a lot from Marina, she didn't figure it out on her own. It's as Palermo said, there was something she lacked, and there was still the hesitation the woman had around her at their last meeting. Serena had to do this on her own.

"Me? I think I'll stick around for just a little bit longer!" Marina smiled.

"Well, okay. I'll see you soon," Serena waved.

"You, too, sweetie pie!" Marina waved back.

Marina waited until Serena was out of sight. The bluenette then let her guard down as a few tears streamed down her face before she began to cry openly. She had put on a tough front with everyone, but the truth was it did hurt a lot that she wasn't going to get to go to the Master Class. This had been her dream, and while Marina was happy for Serena, she couldn't help but wish it was the other way around. She wanted this so much.

"Marina! Why are you crying?!" a voice exclaimed.

Marina jumped and looked up to find Jimmy running to her. Marina hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at Jimmy, but it was clearly forced.

"Hey there, Jimmy! What's up?" she asked brightly.

"I came looking for you when I saw Serena walk by without you," Jimmy replied.

"Oh, don't mind little old me! I'm doing just peachy and admiring the view!" Marina said.

"No, you're not! You were crying, Marina. Why? Tell me what's wrong," Jimmy pressed.

Marina began to shake as she did her best to hold in the tears. She never wanted to cry in front of Jimmy. She'd shown anger to him several times, but he had never seen her so vulnerable, and this really wasn't what she wanted. What will he think now that he's seen her like this?

Marina then gasped when Jimmy sat down on the bench next to her and gave her a hug. Marina turned crimson at that gesture as she turned to give Jimmy an inquisitive look. This was the first time he had ever willingly given her a hug and not made it awkward. It felt warm and inviting.

"Is it because you lost the chance to go to the Master Class?" Jimmy asked.

Marina couldn't take it anymore and buried her face in Jimmy's shoulder. "Yes! I wanted it so much, Jimmy! Now, I can't do it!"

"It's okay, Marina. I'm really sorry," Jimmy soothed.

Marina almost choked out a laugh. "You're aren't disappointed, Jimmy. You're always telling me how bored you are when I talk about my singing or my Pokemon Showcases. You have no interest in the stuff I do!"

"That isn't true!" Jimmy insisted which caused Marina to look at Jimmy in surprise. "I just say that stuff because I don't want you do know how I feel. In fact, every time I see you on that performance stage, I think you look…beautiful."

Marina soon found herself blushing harder, but it wasn't from embarrassment. "You…really think so?" she asked.

"Yes! I mean…well…you look okay, I guess," Jimmy corrected as he reverted to his usual personality. "What I'm trying to say is, even if you didn't win, you're still a Master Class performer in my eyes! You'll make a wonderful queen one day! I know it because…you're always so kind and sweet…and pretty…"

Jimmy then blushed himself and looked away as he thought Marina was going to slap him for saying such stuff about her. However, Jimmy knew he couldn't go back so he would just resign to his fate. He'd close his eyes then accept the slap and then just play it off as a joke and that he wasn't serious.

However, Marina did none of those things. Instead, she leaned over and gave Jimmy a light kiss on the cheek. Jimmy hastily opened his eyes and turned to Marina who was giving him a very tender look.

"Thank you so much, Jimmy," Marina said thankfully.

"Well, uh…heheheh," Jimmy replied stupidly before he saw how Marina's eyes seemed to sparkle. Dang. She really did look pretty right now, even if she had been crying just a moment ago.

"Jimmy…," Marina breathed as she unknowingly felt herself leaning closer.

"Marina…," Jimmy breathed, as well.

Unable to hold it back, the two finally leaned in for a real kiss. It wasn't like the last one in Violet City, either, when Marina had punched Jimmy in the face. Even since then, Jimmy had been really afraid to do anything like that. However, he now realized she hated it because the timing for that one was way off. Here, it felt so right, and they were doing it because they both wanted to. At last, they broke away.

"So…yeah," Jimmy muttered.

"Yeah…," Marina replied and looked away, as well.

"I guess this means we like each other?" Jimmy guessed.

"I guess so. My heart's all a flutter," Marina answered. "What do you think we should do about it?"

"Well, we could forget it happened," Jimmy shrugged.

"What?!" Marina screeched.

"Just kidding! Just kidding!" Jimmy waved his hands defensively before he cleared his throat. "Marina, do you want to…you know…be my girlfriend?"

Marina huffed and crossed her arms. Leave it to this idiot to kill the moment like that. She had always pictured the time when she and Jimmy would get together to be so romantic. Here, he has to go and say something stupid like that, though. Boys! Even so, Marina would be lying to herself if she chose not to accept it. Jimmy clearly didn't know how to be romantic, but she supposed she could teach him that along the way.

"Yes. I do. I'd love to be your girlfriend," Marina sighed before she looked at Jimmy and gave him a mischievous look. "We have to tell everyone, now! Let's start with your dad! We can tell him about the kiss and everything!"

"What? Wait! We don't have to that!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"Of course we do, darling! We're now a couple! Let's go!" Marina cheered as she jumped off her seat and hurried back to the Pokemon Center.

"Oh shoot! Don't tell my dad! At least let me be the one to tell him!" Jimmy called after her.

"You got it!" Marina smiled. "You'll be the one to tell him! Just think of it as revenge for killing the moment!"

"No! I meant…can't we wait?! Aw, man!" Jimmy sighed as he chased after her. What a way for him to end the night right before his eighth gym battle!

* * *

 **The eigth gym battle is next! I'll try my hardest to make it the best one of the Johto series so I hope it will deliver. Afterwards is a small break and then the Master Class tournament on Serena's thirteenth birthday! What a way to celebrate it! That could be a good or a bad thing.**

 **Speaking of the Master Class, Serena seems to have doubts about whether she should be in it or not. Whatever the reason, she'll need to snap out of it if she hopes to succeed. After all that is the Silver Conference (Finally!)**

 **Serena's little freak out spells will be few and far between like Ash's, but that one part in this chapter was a friendly reminder that it's there when she's pushed too far. Also, how will Ash confront her about this when he's so conflicted?**

 **See you all next chapter, and until then, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 66: Double Dragon**


	67. Double Dragon

**A/N: Sorry for wait. I had some things come up, and I also needed extra time on this chapter to make it as great as I could. I worked hard on it so I hope it delivers. The chapter also contains some foreshadowing for the Hoenn saga. I hope you all enjoy the gym battle and the twist I put on it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon**

* * *

Chapter 66: Double Dragon

Ash stood outside in the Blackthorn City park in the early morning with Pikachu on his shoulder. It was just after 8 A.M., but last night was the best sleep Ash and the rest of the gang had in a while since they went to bed early. Ash wasn't outside in the park this early to train, however. He was just waiting on an old friend to arrive. The rest of the group was with him. Though Brock, Serena, and Misty knew who was coming, Jimmy and Marina had no clue.

"When was it supposed to get here?" Serena asked eagerly.

"Anytime, now," Ash smiled as he looked around in the sky. "I can't wait to see how much stronger it is."

"You want to give us a hint on who it is?" Jimmy deadpanned. "Is it a Pokemon we've met before?"

"Sure is!" Ash replied before he decided to change to subject. "So, how'd telling your folks go about you two being a couple?"

"That was so embarrassing! Dad wouldn't stop teasing me," Jimmy groaned. "I know he was just kidding and that he was happy, but still…"

"Well, my mom was very supportive," Marina said and placed her hands on her hips. "Lyra told me that it was about time! I agree!"

"It sounds like one of you is more excited about it than the other," Misty smiled playfully.

"Don't get me wrong! I'm really happy to be with Marina, now! It's just…the whole world doesn't have to know," Jimmy muttered the last part.

"Of course they do! Now that we're together, we'll be the most fabulous duo, ever! We'll rock out anyone who stands in our way and do all sorts of things together!" Marina insisted as she grabbed Jimmy's arm.

Jimmy looked away and tried to imagine what that would look like. Did that mean he would have to start taking long walks by the beach with Marina, sharing a single milkshake with two straws, or even…no…say kissy goo-goo romance stuff to her?! Hopefully not the last one. Maybe Jimmy should try to take some lessons from Ash. He and Serena have been together long enough for Ash to know a thing or two. It would just be another of many things Jimmy could learn from Ash…just like his dad learned from Ash's dad. Like fathers likes sons.

Before Jimmy could ponder on this further, he heard an excited cry from Ash as he pointed up in the sky. Jimmy looked up, but he couldn't quite tell what it was as it was still just a black speck.

"It's here!" Ash shouted as he cupped his hands and called up to it! "Hey, there! Down here!"

The speck seemed to have heard Ash as it soon gave a mighty swoop downward and made a beeline straight for Ash. As the figure grew closer and began to take shape, everyone could see that it was none other than Ash's Charizard!

"What's up, Charizard?!" Ash hollered. "How have you been!"

The group heard an excited roar from Charizard as it got closer. Ash's huge smile then turned to a look of panic as an…err…friendly Flamethrower was heading straight for him! Ash dove out of the way and landed on the ground a short distance away. The raven-haired boy just managed to get up and collect himself when he was tackled to the ground by the fire dragon Pokemon.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled in excitement again as Charizard smothered him with an affectionate hug. "Yeah! I'm really glad to see you, too!"

The rest of the group watched as they were happy to see Charizard, too. Even though Charizard hadn't stood up yet, they could already tell it's grown a little bit since they left it in Charicific Valley.

"Man. I can already tell you're stronger with the power of that Flamethrower! You almost got me!" Ash laughed as Charizard finally stood up to allow Ash off the ground. "How've you been?"

Charizard flexed its arms and struck a few poses to show how much stronger it's become. It had heard how this was Ash's last gym badge, and that the gym leader used dragon Pokemon. Charizard wanted to help in anyway it could and test out its new power.

"Pika! Toge!" Pikachu and Togetic greeted Charizard and gave a V shape with their fingers. Well, it was just more of a stubby wave for Togetic. Charizard gave them both a thumbs up in return.

"It's so good to see you again, Charizard," Serena smiled as she gave it a hug which Charizard returned. "I'll have to call up Charla while you're here. Charla's really missed you."

Charizard's face heated up a little more than usual at the mention of its girlfriend. Yeah. Long distance relationships were hard to do sometimes. However, that just made it more rewarding when you did see your significant other. It was really looking forward to seeing Charla. However, Charizard knew that something else came first.

"You ready to win the final badge, Charizard?" Ash asked as he held out his fist. Charizard nodded, and the two fist bumped. "I'll show you who else I'm using. Come on out!"

The beam shot from the pokeball, and the beam materialized until it became the form of Aerodactyl! The prehistoric Pokemon gave a stretch of its wings before it looked at Charizard, and the fire dragon stared back. The two Pokemon had once fought in a heated battle against the other when Aerodactyl went crazy on Cinnabar Island. However, that fight also proved to the two that they were worthy opponents, and now, they got to fight on the same team.

Charizard held out its claw to Aerodactyl, and Aerodactyl lowered its wing-like arms, and two Pokemon gave a firm handshake and looked each other square in the eye. Charizard wasn't with Ash when Aerodactyl was returned to him, but Charizard could already tell the prehistoric Pokemon was good to go. As a test of their resolve, Charizard roared at Aerodactyl, and Aerodactyl screeched at Charizard. Afterwards, the two smiled at each other. There was mutual respect between them.

"Well, I think they're both super pumped for this gym battle," Brock noted.

"Yeah. I bet they'll be best friends before long," Serena agreed.

"You bet! With Charizard and Aerodactyl, there's no way I can lose!" Ash cheered. "Let's do it, guys!"

Charizard, Aerodactyl, and Ash all then leaped into the air with their fists high.

* * *

Ash and Jimmy were running towards the Blackthorn Gym as fast as they could. It had only been moments since Ash, Aerodactyl, and Charizard had greeted each other, but they already couldn't wait. Despite being in better shape than most due to their constant walking, the rest of the group was starting to lag behind.

"Slow down, Ash!" Misty called.

"Totally!" Marina added.

"No can do, you two!" Ash called back. "Jimmy and I have been waiting for this battle a while!"

"Marina and I weren't this excited about our last princess key!" Serena rebutted.

"Well, who's fault is that?" Jimmy asked this time, to which Serena and Marina frowned.

Ash and Jimmy were also excited to see what this gym looked like. The gym leader, Clair, trained dragon types so they could only imagine the theme of this gym. Maybe it was a towering gym with dragon statues around it. Maybe it looked like a castle with a moat to fit the theme of dragons and fairy tales. Maybe it…

"Here it is!" Brock announced as he read from the guidebook while running.

…was just the plainest gym the group had ever seen in their lives. That was actually saying a lot.

"This is it?" Ash asked as he and Jimmy stopped, soon followed by the rest of the group.

"Well, according to the guidebook," Brock replied.

Put quite simply, the group was very underwhelmed. The gym looked just like a normal office building. Was it even really big enough to host a gym battle? Furthermore, if Clair trained dragon types, the matches were probably quite intense. How could she use them to their fullest extent without destroying this place? There was a lake behind the gym with a huge cave on the other side of the lake, but that was about it. Well, whatever.

"I guess a gym's a gym," Ash shrugged.

"Maybe you have the battle outside," Serena suggested as they made their way towards the single door, as opposed to the usual set of double doors at the gym.

"I don't see a battlefield anywhere," Jimmy pointed out as he scouted the area.

"Major bummer. I loved seeing all the creative designs some of the gyms had," Marina frowned.

The group soon reached the door and had to enter one at a time. Once they were in, the inside looked even plainer than the outside. It was a small room with a few chairs lined up against the wall and a few other single doors on the other side. They all seemed to lead to some sort of office area, but nowhere in here did anything scream 'gym'. Besides the chairs, a lone desk was in the center of the room, and an elderly man was behind the desk. He looked to be even older than Pryce, and he was asleep!

Pikachu and Togetic both let out a yawn which sort of discouraged Ash and Jimmy a little bit. Great. If even their Pokemon were bored and unmotivated, it would seriously affect their battling capabilities. This was on the track to be the most boring gym in history.

"I have never been less excited about a gym battle in my life," Ash muttered as they watched old man sleep. "Is Clair even here? Who is this guy?"

"Hey, Brock. You are sure this is the gym, right?" Jimmy asked, just to be sure.

"Positive," Brock answered as he showed the guidebook to the group. Sure enough, the map said this was the place.

"Well, we might as well wake him up," Serena suggested as she went over to the old man. "Excuse me, sir."

"Huh? Who? What?" the old man asked and blinked awake. He blearily looked around the room and saw the group in front of him. "Who might you youngsters be?"

"Um…I'm Ash and that's Jimmy. We're here to request a gym battle with Clair?" Ash said as more of a question than anything.

"I'm sorry. Clair isn't here at the moment," the old man answered.

The group sighed. All the earlier energy and excitement the group had was now sucked out of them. They could either make the long trek back to the Pokemon Center and wait for Clair to return, or they could stay here with the elderly man and wait. Both weren't appealing options. They now understood why the old man was sleeping. It was so boring here! There wasn't even a magazine rack!

"I can take you to Clair, though," the old man continued.

The group turned and looked at the old man. No longer half-asleep, he now had a smile on his face. He reached into a drawer behind his desk and pulled out a key. The grabbed his cane which was leaning against the wall. Now that he was standing up, the group could see how short this elderly man was. He barely reached Ash's chest.

"Follow me," he told them.

The group exchanged glances with each other before they shrugged and followed the elderly man. He went out the door, albeit a little slowly, and the group followed him. He then locked the door and continued on along the building. The group soon found themselves walking around the edge of the building and discovered a dock behind it. Next to the dock was…a power boat?

"Okay. That's the most exciting thing I've seen so far," Jimmy whispered, and the group nodded in agreement.

"Are we actually getting on the boat?" Ash asked.

"We are, and I'm driving it," the old man responded.

The group couldn't help but look at each other again. This old man was going to be driving a power boat to wherever Clair was? Okaaaaay.

Everyone soon walked down the dock, and they got in the boat. It was actually big enough to fit them all. The man untied the boat and got on himself. They soon made themselves comfortable, and the elderly man used the key he got from the desk and started the ignition. He then turned back and faced the group

"You kids better hold on. This boat can really move," he told them.

The group couldn't help but doubt the man's words. Even if this boat could go fast, it was probably nothing they hadn't been in before. Besides, this guy probably preferred things nice and slow. Nevertheless, they nodded. With that, the old man turned back around.

"Let's crank this baby into high gear!" he suddenly shouted and pressed on the pedal.

The boat then shot off at high speed, and everyone actually fell over from surprise. Pikachu and Togetic fell face first on the floor while the humans tried to find something to hold on to. Apparently, the old man wasn't kidding when he told them to hold on. This was probably the fastest boat they had ever ridden in their life.

Ash soon lost his balance and fell over, and he was followed by Serena who fell on top of him. The two chuckled at each other's predicament before they were soon joined by Jimmy, Marina, Brock, and Misty. The six kids where now in a knot and trying their best to untangle themselves.

"Stop! I'm going to be sick!" Misty suddenly hollered.

"Eh?! Give it a kick? You got it, lass!" the old man responded.

"No! Not that! Slow down!" Misty screamed.

"If I do that, we'll never get there!" the man responded.

The group could do nothing but endure as the crazy old coot sped across the water faster than any Pokemon could travel in the water. Was this even safe? The old man clearly thought it was. Just who was he, anyway?

After a few minutes, the boat finally began to slow down, and the group finally managed to get out of the knot they had become. They dizzily looked around discovered that the old man was taking them to the huge cave they saw behind the gym earlier.

The boat then slowed even more and came to a stop. They had arrived at another dock that led to the cave entrance. The old man shut off the ignition and turned back to the group. He looked no worse for the wear while the kids could still feel their heads spinning. Pikachu and Togetic lay passed out on the boat floor. The old man let out a light chuckle.

"I told you all to hang on," the old man said and got off the boat.

"Thanks for the warning," Ash muttered as he and the others stumbled after him.

It was hard to tell from so far away, but now that they were right in front of it, the group could now see how large and vast the cave in front of them was. It must've stretched on for miles! Two guards also stood at the lone entrance to the cave, and unlike they elderly man, they looked rather large and imposing. The group couldn't help but feel a little intimidated upon seeing the men. However, once they saw the old man, the guards stepped aside and bowed.

"Welcome, Master," they said respectfully.

"Master?" the group all asked at once.

At that, the old man turned to face them. "Yes. Allow me to introduce myself. This is Dragon's Den, and I am the leader of the Dragon Tamer Clan. You may call me Kaburagi. The gym leader you seek, Clair, is my granddaughter."

The group stood dumbfounded. They really didn't see that one coming. This eccentric old man who was sleeping when they first found him and loved thrill rides on boats was the leader of a clan?! The group wasn't sure how to react to that. Should they all bow, as well, and apologize? After all, they hadn't been exactly friendly to this man.

"Ho ho ho! You seem surprised," Kaburagi noted in amusement as he leaned on his staff.

"Well…," Ash trailed.

"Never mind that, now," Kaburagi interrupted and cleared his throat to a more business tone. "Now then, I understand that a couple of you wish to challenge Clair to a gym match."

"Yes, sir," Ash nodded and pointed to him and Jimmy. "Jimmy and me."

"Very well," the old man nodded. "Do note that my granddaughter is not easy to defeat. I must first test you to make sure you are worthy to face her. If you aren't able to pass the test, you will never be able to defeat her."

"A test?" Jimmy questioned this time.

"That is correct," Kaburagi confirmed. "However, it will not be here. You shall take the test inside the Dragon's Den."

"So, we actually go in there?" Ash wondered as they surveyed the outside of the cave.

"Of course," Kaburagi nodded. "Do note, however, that the dragon Pokemon inside this den are very sacred to my people. You may not harm or try to capture any Pokemon that is in this cave. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," the group nodded.

With that, Kaburagi turned back around and started walking again with the group following him. They passed by the two guards who respectfully bowed the entire time they were passing them, and as soon as the group was in the den, the guards moved back into place.

Once the group was in, they soon discovered it wasn't dark in this cave at all. Several torches lined the cave wall, and it followed a straight path. With the way the fire crackled in the torches and the strange sounds inside, it gave the Dragon Den a very mysterious vibe. It was rather interesting.

The group continued to walk for a few minutes until the cave opened up into a massive room with a large lake in the middle. They were amazed by what the saw. Several Pokemon littered the room as they all carried about their activities. All of them were dragon Pokemon of some sort. There were several Dratini who were playing in the water. There were Dragonair resting, and there were even two Dragonite who were sparring each other!

Not only that, there were also several other people in here who wore capes who were training their Pokemon. Upon seeing them, the group was highly reminded of Lance. Did he ever come here? The group wouldn't doubt it. As they continued to look around, something caught their eye. They noticed a large pokeball symbol with a line through it. That could only mean one thing.

"Wait. Will Jimmy and I actually have our gym match here in the Dragon's Den?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Should you pass the test, that is correct," Kaburagi replied.

The group smiled. That was so cool! They would actually have a gym match here in a dragon Pokemon's home! They took back everything they said about being underwhelmed and bored! This was bound to be the most exciting gym match yet! Ash and Jimmy were getting fired up all over again.

As the group passed by, all the trainers would stop what they were doing and bow to their Master. Even some of the Pokemon stopped what they were doing as some show of respect.

"So, are all of these people part of the dragon clan?" Serena questioned.

"Yes. You see, we are actually descendants of the ancient Draconid race. We live in harmony with dragon Pokemon and train with them. Most of the dragon trainers you see around the world are part of our race and has trained here, including Clair and Lance of the Kanto Elite Four," Kaburagi explained.

"So, Lance trained here?" Ash asked in interest.

"Oh, yes, and he still does visit on occasion," Kaburagi replied. "I take it you are acquainted with him?"

"Yeah. We met him during the Pokemon League," Ash smiled. "You see, I had an Aerodactyl that I had a hard time training, and Lance helped me train it during that time. We also met him again when he came to stop Team Rocket in Mahogany Town."

"Wow. You've met him? We didn't know that," Jimmy said.

"Ah, you must be Ash Ketchum, then. Lance has told me about you," Kaburagi said.

At that, Ash, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped, and the others bumped in to him. Kaburagi must have noticed the hold up and turned to the face the group.

"Lance told you about me?" Ash questioned.

"Indeed. He mentioned of an interesting boy whom he felt a lot of potential in to be a great trainer. He said he could sense great things to come from you. If you are who Lance claims you are, then I believe you will have no trouble to pass my test," Kaburagi said.

"Dang, Ash. Getting some praise from an Elite Four is quite something," Jimmy said.

"Yeah," Ash muttered as he was slightly embarrassed from receiving such compliments from Lance.

"So, you mentioned you all are descendants of an ancient tribe. I'd actually like to hear about them," Brock spoke in interest.

"Ah, yes. You see, the Draconid tribe is originally from the Hoenn region, and they lived in a mountain known as Meteor Falls and worshiped Rayquaza. The population of them today is very few with only two known actual members of the race. One is an acquaintance of mine who still lives in Meteor Falls, and the other is her granddaughter. However, her whereabouts are unknown so I am unsure if she is even alive. The rest of us migrated to the Johto region and found the Dragon's Den. We decided to make this a sacred place for dragon Pokemon. Though we are not pure, every trainer you see in here, including Lance and Clair, have at least some Draconid blood in them," Kaburagi said.

"A Rayquaza?" Ash questioned as he and Serena checked it out in their national dexes. Jimmy and Marina were unable to pull it up on their own due to only having the Johto dex. They would have to actually encounter it.

An image of a powerful, snaking, green dragon appeared. It held a commanding presence and appeared to be quite large. The image projected it as giving a mighty roar to show its strength. Wow. People actually worshiped this thing?

"Yes. The story of Rayquaza is a very interesting one, indeed. Perhaps if given the chance, you all should read about it one day," Kaburagi stated.

"So, the Draconids that are supposedly still alive, are they just trying to live out their lives or something?" Serena questioned.

"Hmm…well…the legend says that they are supposedly existing to save the world from an impending disaster soon to come," Kaburagi said thoughtfully.

"A disaster?" everyone in the group questioned.

This suddenly got ominous all of a sudden. A tribe whose sole purpose in the modern world was to prevent a disaster from happening? What kind of disaster was it? What could possibly be worse than a crazy guy trying to corrupt the past with a legendary Pokemon? The group almost shuddered at that.

"Grandpa, are you telling visitors your stories again?" a voice called out.

The group turned, and they saw a young woman, also wearing a cape, approach them. The woman had pale blue hair that was tied in a flowing ponytail. She had piercing blue eyes, but they showed no hostility. If anything, they showed slight annoyance right now.

"Well, they did ask," Kaburagi shrugged.

The woman then made it the group and folded her arms. "Please forgive my grandfather if he scared you. My name is Clair," the woman introduced.

"Hahahaha! As I said, this is only a legend. I only know of this due to my heritage, and even I am not sure if it is real. The full-blooded Draconid tribe may just be hanging out. Please do not trouble yourselves with it," Kaburagi smiled.

The group relaxed considerably upon hearing that. Even if it wasn't true, it was still rather interesting and would make a great story. A nearly extinct race dedicated to saving humanity. The group then pushed those thoughts away from their head before they focused on the woman in front of them.

"So, you're Clair?" Ash questioned.

"Oh? Yes, I am," Clair replied after she blinked a couple of times.

"These two young men are here to challenge you to gym match, Clair," Kaburagi stated as he referred to Ash and Jimmy.

"I'm Ash from Pallet Town!" Ash introduced.

"And I'm Jimmy from New Bark Town!" Jimmy added with a thumbs up.

"Ah, I see. Nice to meet all of you," Clair nodded as she turned to group. "Please don't be offended by my grandfather's test. You see, I only wish to battle strong and worthy trainers who are recognized. If they don't pass, they can never hope to be good enough to be in the Johto League."

The group nodded their heads as they figured that made sense. They were about to continue on when they heard what sounded like pattering. They turned around and saw a small shape running straight for them, more specifically straight to Ash. The raven-haired boy leaned back in surprise.

"What the…?" Ash started before he was headbutted right in the stomach by creature. "Ow…that wasn't nice."

"Ash?!" Serena cried in alarm and went to help Ash up as he had collapsed to the ground.

After she helped him to his feet, they stared at the Pokemon who had socked Ash. It was a bipedal blue, dragon-like Pokemon with gray ridges on its head. Ash was still too busy clutching his stomach in pain so Serena took our her national dex to scan it.

"Bagon, the rock head Pokemon. Although it is small, this Pokemon is very strong. It launches headbutts with its iron-like skull," the national dex said.

"Well, that makes sense," Ash gasped.

The Bagon snickered mischievously at Ash's predicament before it ran off. The group watched it go with confused looks on their faces before they turned to Clair and Kaburagi. At that, the two sighed.

"I'm sorry about that Bagon. It was brought over from Meteor Falls a few weeks ago by one of the trainers here. It was having a hard time there so we brought it here hoping it could have a better life with other dragon-types. Unfortunately, that Bagon is about as mischievous as it gets. It hasn't settled at all here and just enjoys headbutting everything in sight, including other Pokemon," Clair explained.

"And me," Ash muttered.

"Well, enough about that. I'm sure you are all anxious to take my test. Please follow me," Kaburagi interjected.

"I'll stay behind and take care of a few things. I have no doubt you'll pass the trial," Clair smiled.

Ash and Jimmy smiled at the vote of confidence from the gym leader. With that, the group continued walking once more. They soon came upon what looked like a small home built into the cave. Once they were at the door, Kaburagi turned back to them.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you all of you must stay out here while the test is given. One of you may enter at a time. Who would like to go first?" Kaburagi inquired.

"Why don't you go ahead, Jimmy?" Marina suggested.

"Why should I go first?" Jimmy questioned.

"Because I want you to give it your best. If Ash goes first, you'll feel as though you have to live up to that expectation and get nervous," Marina replied.

"You…you don't have to say that out loud!" Jimmy cried. "Well, whatever. Fine. I'll go first then."

"Very well," Kaburagi nodded. "Follow me."

Jimmy and Kaburagi then went in the house. As they did, Ash appeared thoughtful. So, Jimmy felt the same way about Ash as Ash felt about Gary. Though they are both equal rivals, Ash always felt he had to live up to Gary's expectation. Jimmy knew that Ash was better than him so he believed he had to have something to prove to Ash. However, Ash considered Jimmy a friend and didn't believe he had to show for anything.

"Jimmy may not show it, but he's under a lot of pressure," Marina spoke up.

"How so?" Serena asked.

"He just feels he has such a reputation to live up to with a rival like Ash and with his father being the Champion of Johto," Marina shrugged.

"Gold's the champion?!" everyone exclaimed at once.

"Uh…yeah…heheheh. Did Jimmy and I never mention that?" Marina asked with a sweat drop.

"No!" they all shouted again.

"Well, it may have just slipped our minds. It wasn't like we were hiding it," Marina shrugged before she looked down. "It's just not something Jimmy likes to talk about often."

Once the shock of this revelation settled, the group sort of felt pity for Jimmy. He was in the same position as Gary whose father was also a region champion. The attitudes of how they took it were completely different, though.

Gary used to believe himself to the best at everything and constantly bragged and looked down on others. He never felt the need to prove himself early on, and only after he got huge helping of humble pie after losing to Paul did his arrogance mellow out.

Jimmy, on the other hand, was nervous and put on a front but was actually worried about not living up to his father's reputation. Gary had a posse of cheerleaders and announced his presence everywhere he went. Jimmy did none of those things. Though the group was sure that almost the whole region knew who Jimmy was because of his dad, they didn't try to interview him or talk about expectations they had for him. Come to think of it, Gold didn't do any of that stuff, either. He must not like the fame that comes with his position.

"Please don't tell Jimmy I said that," Marina pleaded. "I probably wasn't even supposed to. Just know that we weren't hiding that Gold was the champion. If Jimmy wanted you all to know, he would've said so himself. We just never brought it up."

After a couple of moments, Jimmy came out of the home, and everyone looked at him expectantly. He then flashed them all a smile and a thumbs up.

"I'm in!" he stated.

"That's so fabuloso, darling!" Marina squealed and hugged him.

"Marina!" Jimmy complained. "I haven't won the badge, yet! Wait until that happens!"

"I'm just happy you have the chance!" Marina rebutted.

"Trust me, Jimmy. You'll learn to appreciate her affection," Ash said as he and Serena smiled at each other.

"I guess," Jimmy muttered before he changed the subject. "Oh! Mr. Kaburagi said you can go in at any moment."

"Thanks," Ash nodded and made his way to the door before he asked the old man. "Can Pikachu come, too?"

"I'm sorry. This test is for you alone," Kaburagi answered, and Pikachu's ears hung

Ash turned back and smiled at the yellow rodent. "I'll be fine, Pikachu. It's all good."

"Good luck, Ash," Serena told him as he went in.

Ash stepped into the house and gave a quick look around. It was kept rather neat for being built into a cave wall and consisted of one room. There was a tiny kitchen-like area with a table and two chairs in the middle of the room. Off to the side was a bed. Seeing the bed prompted Ash to his next question.

"So, is this your house?" Ash asked.

"Yes. It is. As the master of Dragon's Den, I constantly watch over the dragon's here. I was only at the office building today because Clair was busy in here," the man answered before he gestured to one of the chairs in front of the table. "Please have a seat."

Ash sat down on one end of the table while Kaburagi sat down on the other end. The elderly man then folded his hands and seemed to look at Ash in an appraising manner. Ash began to feel slightly uncomfortable under the man's stare before he spoke up again.

"Ash, I am going to ask you a series of questions about your relationship with Pokemon. Tell me the absolute truth. I will also be able to sense if you're lying," Kaburagi said seriously.

"Umm…okay," Ash replied as he thought about what the questions were.

"Let us begin, then," Kaburagi declared and stared into Ash's eyes. "What are Pokemon to you?"

"Hmm…," Ash mused.

What were Pokemon to him? As in what he thought about them? Well, they were really amazing creatures. That was for sure, but something was telling Ash that wasn't the type of answer Kaburagi was searching for. He must be talking about the type of relationship Ash has with all his Pokemon. Ash began to think of all of the Pokemon he owned. As he thought of them all, each one brought a smile to his face. They were always there for each other and cared for each other greatly. Just like…

"Friends," Ash answered. "Pokemon are my friends."

"Ah…I see," Kaburagi said neutrally, and Ash couldn't tell if he approved Ash's answer or not. Maybe that was on purpose. "My next question is…what does it take to win a Pokemon battle, and why?"

Well, that led Ash to think back to both his wins and losses of the past. When he won, it would be due to the awesome teamwork, strategy, and bond he had with his Pokemon. That didn't mean that his losses were any different. Whether he won or lost, he and his Pokemon would always give it one hundred percent.

"Great teamwork, strategy, and the bond with your Pokemon," Ash replied. "If you and your Pokemon aren't in sync with each other, you won't be able to work together and form strategies. I've faced some pretty tough opponents in the past, and I could never have won by simply calling out attacks to my Pokemon. It was because of all the training and teamwork we did."

"I see," Kaburagi stated again. "My final question is…is there such thing as a weak Pokemon?"

Oh. This was a tricky one alright. Ash knew he would have to choose his words _very_ carefully here. Ash could see Kaburagi's eyes baring into his own. Though they possessed a gentleness, there was also a bout of sternness to his eyes. Ash knew that if there was one question most people would get wrong, it was this one. Ash cleared his throat as he gave his answer.

"No…or at least, not in a sense," Ash replied.

"Please continue," Kaburagi urged.

"Well, I mean…there are Pokemon that just aren't as naturally strong as others. Pokemon like Magikarp, Weedle, and Caterpie come to mind. However, that doesn't mean that battles with them are impossible. I would know because I used to own a Caterpie. Serena and I were also taking care of a Togepi that couldn't battle. What I'm trying to say is that just because some Pokemon aren't as strong as others, that doesn't mean they can't be treated as your partners and friends just like all your other Pokemon. Even if a Pokemon doesn't become strong, it can still be trained to the best of its ability," Ash elaborated.

"Well, based off the answers you gave, I think I've figured out what kind of person you are," Kaburagi said and looked Ash straight in the eyes. "You pass. You may battle Clair."

Ash's eyes widened before a big smile stretched across his face. He actually answered all the questions correctly. As Ash replayed all of his questions and answers in his mind, Ash couldn't help but think if anyone had ever failed this test, or if he knew anyone that wouldn't pass…especially the last question. An image of Paul floated into Ash's mind, and the raven-haired boy had to suppress a grimace. How would Paul answer the questions the dragon elder asked? Would he even pass? Ash realized he hadn't seen or heard from the disgruntled boy since the Kanto League. Ash almost was wondering where Paul was right now, and how he was doing, or if he even changed his ways.

"I see that you care very deeply for Pokemon, Ash," Kaburagi continued. "You make a fine Pokemon trainer. We may leave, now."

Ash stood up from the chair and went towards the door with Kaburagi following him. Ash then opened and stepped out and was immediately greeted by his friends. They all stared at him expectantly like they had with Jimmy just moments before.

"I'm good to go!" Ash smiled.

"That's great, Ash! Was the test tough?" Serena questioned.

"Well, they required me to think a little bit, but I think anyone who loves Pokemon like all of us would've passed," Ash replied.

"Pika!" Pikachu commented in approval.

"Well, I suppose you both are ready to battle Clair," Kaburagi figured to Ash and Jimmy.

"Yes, sir!" they both replied.

"Very well. Please follow me. I'm sure Clair is eager from a good battle from you both," the old man said.

As the group followed Kaburagi, they once more heard the sound of small feet running towards them. They glanced wildly around and discovered it was the same Bagon as before. It bypassed the rest of the group before it headbutted Ash in the stomach once again. Ash gasped in pain and keeled over. Pikachu jumped protectively in front of Ash, but the Bagon just snickered before it scurried off again.

"Are you alright, Ash?" Serena grimaced again.

"No…," Ash croaked. "That really hurts. Why do some Pokemon hate me?"

"I don't think that Bagon hates you," Kaburagi observed. "If anything, I think it finds you interesting, otherwise it wouldn't be paying attention to you at all."

"Why? What did I do?" Ash wondered as Serena helped him to his feet.

"Nothing special, but Pokemon can always sense a trainer's spirit. Though there isn't a way to tell what it is, there is something about you that Bagon likes," Kaburagi replied.

"Gee, I'm honored," Ash muttered sarcastically.

They soon reached Clair who was watching some of the Dratini playing in the water. She heard the footsteps of the group and turned to face them with a smile.

"How did it go?" she asked Ash and Jimmy.

"It went great! We both passed!" Jimmy answered.

"Yes. They passed quite well, I might add," Kaburagi approved. "They also seemed to give an emphasis that teamwork is very important."

"Is that right?" Clair questioned as she faced Ash and Jimmy.

"You bet! We can accomplish anything when we work as a team!" Ash smiled.

"Hmm…perhaps you'd like to prove that to me," Clair mused.

"What do you mean?" Ash wondered.

"Human bonds with Pokemon are important for winning battles, but human relationships with other humans are just as important. If you two truly believe that, then would you like to participate in a double battle with me for your eighth badges?" Clair inquired.

"Wait. Ash and Jimmy battling together against you?" Marina asked.

"That's right," Clair smiled.

Ash and Jimmy exchanged glances with each other. That was something they didn't see coming. Truthfully, Ash and Jimmy had never battled together or even battled each other before. They had seen the other in small trainer battles, but this was on a whole other level.

"That sounds fun! I say you go for it!" Serena encouraged.

"I'd really like to see that, too. It's been a while since I've seen two people battle together," Brock smiled.

"Remember what you said? Teamwork can accomplish anything?" Misty reminded.

"Pika? Toge?" Pikachu and Togetic said curiously as they wondered what the two would say.

After all the encouragement from their friends, Ash and Jimmy couldn't say no. There was no way they could back down for a challenge like that otherwise they would just be eating their own words. Their faces broke out into a wide grin before they clapped their hands together. The two then turned to Clair to confirm their answer.

"You got it!" they both replied.

* * *

Everyone was standing in the large center room of the Dragon's Den. The large lake was in the middle of it. Most of the dragon trainers were with Brock, Misty, Serena, and Marina off to the side. The Pokemon were all peeking out through different crevices in the cave. Kaburagi was acting as a judge. On one side of the lake were Ash and Jimmy, and on the other side was Clair, the Blackthorn City gym leader. Everyone waited in eagerness for the battle to begin.

"Since this is all about a double battle, I will use four of my Pokemon, and each of you will use two. Does that sound acceptable?" Clair questioned.

"Fine by us!" both Jimmy and Ash answered.

"Hmmhmm! If they're as much in sync with battle as they are with their words, then they shouldn't have any trouble," Serena commented.

Kaburagi cleared his throat before he yelled out the battle conditions. "This is a gym match between the gym leader, Clair, and in a rare show against two challengers, Jimmy and Ash! However, the typical rules still remain the same. The challengers may switch out Pokemon anytime they wish while the gym leader may not! There is no time limit. Two Rising Badges are at stake!"

"Hey. I have a question," Jimmy suddenly called out to Clair, which got her attention. "If only one of our Pokemon is left standing while all of our partner's Pokemon are knocked out, what happens then?"

"Well, what do you think?" Clair asked with a smile. "You both are to show me how great teamwork is for the Rising Badge. If all of your partner's Pokemon are knocked out, but you still win the gym match, did you work well together enough to prevent that from happening?"

It didn't take a genius to know that Clair meant that Jimmy and Ash wouldn't receive a Rising Badge that way. Both of them had to at least have one Pokemon remaining at the end of the battle. This was definitely going to be a long and arduous battle. Despite this, Ash and Jimmy nodded their heads to show they agreed.

"Very well. The challengers may choose their first Pokemon!" Kaburagi called out.

"Alright! Let's do it, Charizard! Show everyone what that training in Charcific Valley has done for you!" Ash yelled and threw his pokeball forward.

The fire dragon Pokemon appeared from the pokeball with a roar. It stamped the ground and turned to Ash to give him and Pikachu a thumbs up. It was good to battle with them again and would be sure not to disappoint.

"Ampharos, you're up!" Jimmy said and threw his own pokeball forward.

The final evolution of Mareep appeared and let out a cry. Charizard took a look at its opponent in interest. So, they would be working together to try to take out the gym leader's Pokemon. In the past, Charizard would've had a difficult time with this as it tried to do things alone. Now, things were different.

"A Charizard and an Ampharos, huh? In that case, I choose Kingdra and Gyarados!" Clair shouted and threw two of her pokeballs forward.

The two Pokemon appeared in the center pool and both let out a cry. As they did, a realization suddenly hit Ash, Jimmy, and the rest of the group. Kingdra and Gyarados both belonged to the same trainer and have probably worked together several times in the past. Charizard and Ampharos had no prior experience with each other. That would make the match much more difficult.

"Well, you ready for this, Jimmy?" Ash asked and reached out his hand for Jimmy to shake.

"Yeah. I am," Jimmy replied and took the handshake.

"Come on, Jimmy! You can do it!" Marina suddenly screamed, which caused everyone around her to jump.

"Marina, don't do that! You just broke my concentration!" Jimmy complained.

"I can't help it! I'm just super pumped for your battle!" Marina argued.

"Nnggh…," Jimmy mumbled and blushed in embarrassment before he turned away.

Serena placed her hand on Marina's shoulder and gave it a slight rub. Jimmy and Marina were still new to this dating thing. Marina would have to realize she shouldn't feel the need to scream support at every situation.

"Well, anyway, are we ready to begin?" Kaburagi asked.

"I am!" Ash confirmed.

"So am I!" Jimmy agreed.

"I'm ready!" Clair finished, and all the Pokemon got in position.

"In that case, the match begins now!" Kaburagi declared.

"Alright, then. Kingdra and Gyarados, use Hydro Pump!" Clair ordered.

"Dodge it!" Jimmy and Ash and both commanded.

The two Pokemon shot out their respective blasts of water, and it went straight towards the two Pokemon. Ampharos jumped to the side while Charizard took to the air. The Hydro Pumps soared harmlessly by them, and Ash and Jimmy went on the offensive.

"Use Flamethrower!" Ash yelled.

Charizard then blew forth the hot flame to the waiting Gyarados and Kingdra. The two Pokemon watched the flame, and all they did was scoot back slightly and watched the flame fizzle out as soon as it hit the water. Even if the attack did hit them, they knew it wouldn't be effective.

"Ash, you should know that those fire attacks won't work on Gyarados and Kingdra," Clair said disapprovingly.

"Charizard wasn't trying to hit them," Ash smiled.

It was then that everyone saw an eruption of steam come up from the pool due to the fire making contact. It was rather misty which made it hard for Kingdra and Gyarados to see it through it. Thankfully, they hadn't moved which gave Jimmy the perfect opportunity.

"Use Thunderbolt, Ampharos!" he said.

"Use Slash!" Ash yelled.

Kingdra and Gyarados had no idea where the attacks were coming from until it was too late. They saw the Thunderbolt come from the right, and it struck Gyarados who roared in pain from the attack. Kingdra then looked around frantically until it was struck from behind by Charizard's sharp claws. The dragon Pokemon was pushed underwater by the attack while Gyarados followed it to recuperate from the super effective attack.

"Great job, Jimmy!" Ash praised with a thumbs up.

"You too, Ash!" Jimmy replied and returned the gesture.

"Hmm…that wasn't bad, but we won't fall for that again!" Clair stated and outstretched her hand. "Let's beat them at their own game! Kingdra, use Smokescreen in the pool!"

Nobody actually saw Kingdra use the attack, but they could see the pool getting a dark murky black. A few bits of black smoke were also rising from the pool. It made the two Pokemon impossible to see while they were underwater. Clair wasn't worried about the smoke as Kingdra and Gyarados' lungs were strong enough to take it for a while. She just needed them underwater enough times to beat Ash and Jimmy.

"Hydro Pump!" she yelled next.

A blast of water came out from the murky depths straight towards Charizard. The surprise of the attack caused the fire dragon Pokemon unable to dodge so it had to use a quick Flamethrower to counter the attack. While it succeeded in weakening the attack, the Hydro Pump still won out easily, and the attack struck Charizard. It roared in pain from the super effective attack. Meanwhile, Ampharos looked around and cried out in surprise when Gyarados burst out of the black pool right in front of it.

"Signal Beam!" Jimmy cried since it didn't requite a charge like Thunderbolt.

Ampharos shot out the colorful beam from the jewel on its head. The attack struck Gyarados in the center of its long body, and it grimaced from the attack. The atrocious Pokemons still was able to use the powerful water attack straight down at Ampharos. The Pokemon was blasted off its feet and into the air. However, Charizard was able to fly in and catch Ampharos despite still recovering from the earlier attack.

"Great job, Charizard!" Ash called out, until he and Jimmy gasped.

Gyarados reached out and grabbed both Charizard and Ampharos with its large, serpent-like body. The two Pokemon struggled as it then began to drag them both in to the water.

"I'll fix that!" Jimmy declared. "Ampharos, use Thunder…"

"Wait!" Ash cried. "If Ampharos uses Thunderbolt, Charizard will be hit, too!"

"Nngh," Jimmy grimaced, but he knew Ash was right.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower at Gyarados' face!" Ash yelled instead.

Despite being trapped, Charizard looked up and blew the fire right at Gyarados. The attack struck, and Gyarados closed its eyes and looked away from the discomfort. It then loosened its body just enough to where Charizard could break free. It then grabbed onto Ampharos and flew away, but they weren't expecting Kingdra to leap out of the pool at high speed. They turned around just in time to see a Hyper Beam heading straight for them.

Charizard threw Ampharos away from it so it wouldn't get hit, as well. Ampharos crashed ungracefully on the ground, but it was better than being hit by Hyper Beam. Charizard cried in pain as it took the full force of the attack. Kingdra then retreated back into the pool and used another Smokescreen to cover itself. That's when Gyarados grabbed onto Charizard again and quickly brought it down into the water.

"No! Charizard!" Ash cried.

"Jimmy! Try to think of someway to help!" Marina yelled in worry.

"I know!" Jimmy yelled back. "I just…need to think!"

Jimmy knew he wouldn't have long, though. He couldn't risk Ampharos doing an attack because it would most definitely hit Charizard which would be detrimental to their teamwork. However, if he did nothing, things would be very bad for Charizard. He knew if Gyarados would just release its hold on Charizard, the fire dragon Pokemon could be free. Jimmy then clenched his fists as the most important thing right now was getting Charizard out of the water.

"Use Confuse Ray in the water, Ampharos!" he yelled.

"You'll confuse, Charizard, too," Ash told him.

"I know that, but we just need it out of the water. Ampharos will take care of the rest," Jimmy assured him.

Ampharos ran to the edge of the black pool and went to dip its head in, but it was surprised by Kingdra popping its head out of the pool right in front of it.

"Dragon Pulse!" Clair ordered.

Ampharos was blasted right in the face from the attack, and it flew backwards and landed a short distance away. It struggled to get up, but that attack really hurt since it was so close range.

"Come on, Ampharos! You can do it!" Jimmy encouraged.

"Use Dragon Pulse again!" Clair hollered.

Once more, Kingdra used the attack, and Ampharos used a Signal Beam to try to cancel the attack, but Kingdra was stronger. Ampharos was stuck again and blasted off its feet and landed near Jimmy and Ash.

"Ampharos, can you stand?!" Jimmy cried.

"Charizard, come on! Get out of the pool!" Ash yelled.

"Oh, if Ampharos can't help Charizard out of the pool, they'll both be in trouble," Serena muttered.

"I have faith in Jimmy and Ampharos! He didn't get his previous seven badges for nothing!" Marina countered.

Meanwhile, Ampharos was still having a very hard time standing. It finally managed to push itself to its feet, but Clair was ready again.

"Use Hyper Beam this time, and make sure it stays down!" Clair ordered.

Kingdra took a breath and launched forward the Hyper Beam. At least the attack was expected so Ampharos had more time to prepare.

"Run towards Kingdra and use Thunderbolt to counter that Hyper Beam!" Jimmy shouted.

Ampharos charged forward and shot out the electricity. The two attacks collided which created an explosion. Ampharos then jumped into the air through the smoke towards Kingdra. The dragon Pokemon narrowed its eyes.

"Use Thunder Punch!" Jimmy hollered.

"Kingdra, Dragon Pulse again!" Clair hollered.

However, Kingdra still had to rest for a second due to just using Hyper Beam. Ampharos came through and punched an electrified fist right in Kingdra's face. The dragon Pokemon stumbled in the water, and Ampharos backflipped to the edge of the lake. It landed rather hard, though, due to the amount of damage it had taken. While Kingdra was recovering, Jimmy took the chance.

"Use Confuse Ray!" he yelled again.

Ampharos immediately dipped its head in the black pool and used its jewel to shine a glowing pink light throughout the pool. Clair gasped while Ash and Jimmy smiled. It was true that Charizard would get confused, too, but Jimmy was prepared for when Charizard came out.

A few seconds later, Charizard wildly came out of the pool and was going all over the place. It was soon followed by Gyarados who was also thrashing around. Jimmy then pointed his finger at Ampharos as it prepared. Charizard then saw Ampharos and went to fly forward to attack it, but Ampharos leaped up and slapped Charizard in the face with its stubby arms.

"Nothing makes someone come to their senses like a good slap," Jimmy said while he and Ash smiled.

Charizard blinked a couple of times before it shook its head and regained its senses. It and Ampharos then turned on Gyarados and Kingdra who were still confused. They were going all over the place.

"Try to fight it!" Clair encouraged.

Well, Jimmy could get them back to their senses, but it wasn't going to be as gentle as Charizard's He pointed his finger forward as he called his next attack.

"Use Thunderbolt in the water!" he shouted.

Ampharos ran to the lake and stuck its arms into the water before it used a powerful Thunderbolt. The electricity ran through the water, and Gyarados and Kingdra got the shock of their lives. It was a lot more effective for Gyarados than Kingdra, however. While Gyarados was reeling in pain. Charizard scooped up the dazed Kingdra and went high into the den.

"Use Seismic Toss!" Ash yelled.

Charizard then began to spin quickly in circles as it gathered momentum. Meanwhile, Gyarados recovered and glared up at Charizard.

"Stop it with Hyper Beam, Gyarados!" Clair commanded.

"Watch out, Charizard!" Ash warned.

"Use Thunderbolt, Ampharos!" Jimmy yelled.

Gyarados shot out the Hyper Beam at Charizard before it took the electric attack and cried in pain once more. Charizard noticed the Hyper Beam coming towards it and decided to do Seismic Toss a different way. Rather than throw Kindgra into the ground, Charizard instead threw Kingdra right into the incoming Hyper Beam. It then quickly flew away as the Hyper Beam crashed right into Kingdra. Clair gasped while Ash and Jimmy cheered as Kingdra cried out in pain. The dragon Pokemon then began to fall back into the lake, but Ash would make sure it wouldn't have a gentle landing.

"Use Dragon Claw!" Ash yelled.

The heavily damaged Kingdra cracked its eyes open before they widened when it saw Charizard's glowing claws heading straight for it. Kingdra could do nothing as Charizard slammed its claws into it, and Kingdra went hurdling downwards where it crashed into the water which sent up a big splash. Charizard shielded itself from the water and flew over to where Ampharos was and landed beside it.

Kingdra slowly floated up to the water's surface and was defeated. Meanwhile, Gyarados succumbed to all the super effective Thunderbolts and fainted, as well.

"Gyarados and Kingdra are unable to battle!" Kaburagi declared and waved his hands in Ash and Jimmy's direction.

Clair returned her two Pokemon and gave the pokeballs a smile. "Well done, my friends. You both fought very hard and well. Take a nice rest."

"Way to go, guys!" Ash and Jimmy yelled to their Pokemon

Both Ampharos and Charizard turned to nod their heads to Ash and Jimmy before they collapsed. Charizard fell to one knee and started breathing heavily while Ampharos fell forward on its face, but it wasn't knocked out yet. Ash and Jimmy gave sympathetic looks to them as both of their Pokemon took heavy damage from that battle. They would have to switch out.

"Poor Charizard and Ampharos," Serena frowned.

"Hey, at least they won," Misty shrugged.

"Still, Ash and Jimmy are going to need to do a lot better if they hope to beat Clair," Brock said.

"What do you mean?" Serena asked.

"They did pretty well on teamwork, but it could've been better. Something tells me that Clair's next two Pokemon are going to be her most powerful. They can't let one Pokemon be in danger like Charizard was for that long again," Brock explained.

"Do you think Aerodactyl and Typlosion can do it?" Marina asked this time.

"Well, it will all depend on their teamwork," Brock repeated.

Ash and Jimmy returned their respective Pokemon and thanked them for the battle before they called out their next Pokemon. Ash was a little more nervous than Jimmy as this was Aerodactyl's first real gym battle. It had fought before, but it had lost control. This was a big moment for them both. Even so, Ash threw the pokeball forward.

"Go, Aerodactyl!" he yelled.

"Let's do it, Typlosion!" Jimmy hollered and threw forward his own pokeball.

Aerodactyl came out with a cry and flew around to stretch its wings before it landed next to Typlosion. The prehistoric Pokemon then looked at its comrade before it did its uncharacteristic smile. Even though Aerodactyl was a little nervous like Ash, it still trusted its trainer.

"Your Aerodactyl isn't how I'd expect one to act," Jimmy stated.

"Yep! My Aerodactyl is just a really friendly Pokemon!" Ash smiled.

"Aeeero!" Aerodactyl cried happily in agreement.

Clair smiled at the scene before her face grew serious. "Well, you two have shown you can help each other out in tough circumstances, but one of the Pokemon I'm sending out is the first Pokemon I ever owned, and the other was a gift from Drake of the Elite Four in Hoenn. We won't lose easily."

"Drake?" Ash questioned.

"That's right. I think I remember hearing one of the Elite Four in Hoenn used dragon-types like Lance," Jimmy remembered. "I wonder what Pokemon it is."

"Dragonair and Salamence, come out!" Clair called.

Dragonair appeared first and landed in the lake like Kingdra and Gyarados had before it. While the group was familiar with Dragonair, they certainly weren't familiar with the next. The Pokemon that was apparently Salamence flew out of the pokeball with a roar and began to fly around the Dragon's Den. It seemed to exude a lot of power.

"That's a Salamence?" Ash questioned as he and Serena scanned it.

"Salamence, the dragon Pokemon. Salamence can become uncontrollable when enraged and can scorch fields and mountains. Its cellular structure changed upon evolving, and it grew wings," the machines stated.

"That's right. I think Salamence are the final form of Bagon like the one we saw earlier," Brock realized. "They're supposed to be as powerful as a Dragonite."

Ash and Jimmy were actually in awe of the powerful-looking Pokemon. It soon stopped flying around before it landed on the other side of the lake in front of Clair while Dragonair remained in the lake. Ash, Jimmy, and their Pokemon got ready while Clair and her Pokemon did the same.

"The match will resume, now! Begin!" Kaburagi declared.

"Let's start off things powerful with an Eruption, Typhlosion!" Jimmy called.

"Use Iron Head on Salamence, Aerodactyl!" Ash yelled.

Typhlosion gave a roar as the flame on its back soared to massive levels before balls of lava started to shoot from its back like an explosion. Aerodactyl gave a roar and dove towards the Salamence at breakneck speed. It was fast enough to hit, but Aerodactyl also had to be mindful of the Eruption since the lava was going all over the place. Dragonair dove into the water to avoid the Eruption while Salamence had ample to time to fly out of its reach and away from Aerodactyl.

"Sorry about that. I guess I should've had Typhlosion aim that Eruption better," Jimmy said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. It's an easy mistake," Ash assured.

"An Eruption from Typhlosion to start things off. A powerful move, but also predictable," Clair commented. "I want to change this up and do something unexpected. You'll find my Pokemon are full of surprises. Dragonair, use Twister, and Salamence, use Tailwind and then Dragon Breath on the Twister!"

Dragonair began to spin very fast in the water, and soon the water took the form of a waterspout. Salamence then took a deep breath and began to blow a hot wind into the cyclone which only made it spin faster. It then used its wings to push the cyclone forward straight to Aerodactyl and Typlosion.

"Watch out!" both Ash and Jimmy warned.

The two Pokemon each attempted to dive out of the way. Aerodactyl was quick enough, but Typhlosion was less fortunate. It was sucked up into the fast Twister and was in for the ride of its life.

"Aerodactyl, use Agility and then use Iron Head on Dragonair! Stop that Twister!" Ash commanded.

Aerodactyl gave a cry and dove towards Dragonair, but Salamence appeared in front of it and intercepted the prehistoric Pokemon just as quickly. The two Pokemon then grappled with each other in the air while Dragonair continued to control the Twister from below.

"Iron Head!" Ash yelled.

"Hydro Pump!" Clair smirked.

"Salamence can learn Hydro Pump?" Ash questioned.

Aerodactyl gave another cry and rammed its hard head into Salamence. The dragon Pokemon grimaced before it opened its mouth and shot forward the powerful stream of water. Aerodactyl screeched in pain from the super effective attack and was propelled backwards until it hit the cave wall.

"Aerodactyl!" Ash cried in worry.

"Dragon Pulse!" Clair shouted.

Salamence shot out the shockwave to Aerodactyl, but the prehistoric Pokemon managed to peel itself from the cave wall and fly away before the attack connected. The Dragon Pulse still hit the wall which caused a small blast of rocks to fall from it and rain onto the battlefield from below. Meanwhile, Dragonair figured Typhlosion had enough of the Twister, and it dissipated the attack but not before attempting to throw Typhlosion out into the water.

"Use Agility and save it Aerodactyl!" Ash called.

Aerodactyl dove forward again and managed to catch Typhlosion with its feet and tried to steer it away from the water, but now they had Salamence to deal with. Stimulated by the Tailwind, Salamence was hot on their trail.

"Use Dragon Rush!" Clair shouted.

The Salamence roared and got an extra boost of speed before it dove towards Aerodactyl. The prehistoric Pokemon saw this and flew upwards just in time, and Salamence soared underneath it. However, it was quick to turn around and attempted another Dragon Rush. As fast as Aerodactyl was, the fact that it was carrying around Typhlosion in its claws and with Salamence's speed boosted by the Tailwind, its agility was less impressive.

"I see what Clair's doing. She's trying to keep Aerodactyl and Typlosion above the lake so they can't land," Brock figured. "Her plan is to wear out Aerodactyl enough to where it'll fall in the lake and take Typhlosion with it. If that happens, they'll be in a bad position."

"Can't they do anything, though?" Serena questioned.

"Well, they'll have to figure out a way to deal with that Salamence…together," Brock shrugged.

Meanwhile, Clair's Salamence went in for another Dragon Rush. Aerodactyl barely dodged it but was forced to turn back to the center of the lake. The prehistoric Pokemon began to grimace and sweat as Typhlosion was getting to be a little heavy.

"Swift, Typhlosion!" Jimmy hollered.

Typhosion shot out the star-shaped bits of energy to Salamence, and they struck it in the center. While the dragon Pokemon grimaced, the attack just wasn't powerful enough to slow it down. Jimmy then decided on something more powerful.

"Focus Blast!" he shouted.

"Wait!" Ash cried in alarm.

Typhlosion did indeed concentrate for a brief moment before it blasted out the powerful force of energy. However, the intensity of the attack caused Aerodactyl to be thrown off balance. In an effort to keep hold of Typhlosion, Aerodactyl had to dig its claws deeper in Typhlosion which caused the volcano Pokemon to wince. The attack was able to get Salamence away from them, but the trade off was Aerodactyl had dropped significantly in altitude which was exactly what Clair wanted.

"Dragon Rage!" she yelled to her two Pokemon.

"Look out!" the two boys cried.

Salamence appeared on one side of the duo while Dragonair was on the other side from below. The both took a deep breath before they shot forward the blue flames. Aerodactyl tried to get away, but it was still reeling from the disruption by the Focus Blast. The two Dragon Rages struck the Pokemon, and they cried in pain.

Aerodactyl screeched and threw Typlosion from its grip, and the volcano Pokemon went soaring through the air and hit the cave floor below. Meanwhile, Aerodactyl began to plummet right into the lake.

"Get ready for an Aqua Tail, Dragonair!" Clair hollered.

"Try to pull up, Aerodactyl!" Ash hollered.

However, Aerdoactyl continued to fall while Dragonair readied its tail to give Aerodactyl a watery smash to complete its descent in the water. Aerodactyl would be unlikely to endure such a brutal attack like that. Ash continued to call out to it.

"Come on, Aerodactyl! I know you can hear me!" Ash hollered.

Aerodactyl could indeed hear its trainer's pleas, but it was hard to recover from two potent attacks hitting it directly like that. Aerodactyl grit its teeth as it tried to right itself, but its wings were working against it rather than for it. Aerodactyl hated to let Ash down like this in their first real battle together.

"You can do it!" Ash encouraged.

Aerodactyl was almost within range to be struck by Dragonair's Aqua Tail. Aerodactyl grit its teeth harder. It had to do this for Ash. The Pokemon gave a screech and managed to turn just as Dragonair swung its tail. While the attack missed and Aerodactyl got away, it wasn't a clean getaway. Aerodactyl more or less managed to glide away rather than fly and ended up staying in the air until it reached the edge of the lake and hit the ground.

"Aerodactyl, are you alright!" Ash called.

"Typhlosion, how are you holding up?" Jimmy asked.

The two Pokemon managed to stand up, but it was clear they were pretty tired. However, Salamence and Dragonair still appeared to have plenty of fight left in them. Ash and Jimmy frowned as they tried to figure out what to do.

"Man, Ash. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be," Jimmy muttered.

"Yeah. While we manage to help each other in tough situations, we aren't really working together and aren't in sync like Dragonair and Salamence," Ash agreed.

"All the attacks they use compliment the other so well. Meanwhile, the attacks I used were doing more harm than good like that Focus Blast," Jimmy said.

"We're better than this, though," Ash stated. "We said that we can accomplish anything through teamwork so we need to prove it. Let's work together, Jimmy. We can still win this."

"You got it, Ash!" Jimmy nodded.

"You guys ready to work as a team?!" Ash cried to their Pokemon, and he received a cry from each in confirmation.

"I admire your resolve, but I think it's too late, now," Clair said.

"We'll see about that!" Ash smirked. "Jimmy and I are friends so we'll be able to tell each other what we want to do unlike before!"

"Then show me!" Clair stated. "Salamence, Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!"

Both Pokemon took a deep breath and blew forth the line of blue flames straight at Aerodactyl and Typhlosion. Ash and Jimmy both turned their hats backwards.

"Typhlosion, jump on Aerodactyl's back!" Jimmy commanded

"Give it a lift, Aerodactyl," Ash said.

Typhlosion swiftly leaped onto Aerodactyl, and the prehistoric Pokemon took flight out of harm's way. It was a lot easier for Aerodactyl to move around with Typhlosion on its back rather than in its claws. As the two Pokemon took to the air, the Dragon Rages followed them.

"Spin while using Dragon Rage!" Clair ordered

Aerodactyl and Typhlosion saw the two Dragon Rages coming in fast. Salamence and Dragonair then began to twirl in the air, and the blue flames began to spiral around Aerodactyl and Typhlosion which effectively trapped them. However, Ash and Jimmy had a plan to get out this time.

"Dragon Rush, Salamence!" Clair yelled

"Ancient Power!" Ash hollered.

Aerodactyl let out a cry as rocks formed around it and began to swirl before they stopped right in front of Typhlosion. Salamence was closing in fast so Jimmy acted quickly.

"Focus Blast!" Jimmy hollered.

To keep from throwing Aerodactyl off balance again, Typhlosion leaped jumped into the air and launched its Focus Blast at the stones in front of it. The massive blast of energy struck the large rocks, and they completely shattered into dozens of sharp, jagged rocks, and they went flying straight towards Salamence.

Salamence was rather surprised by this and tried to slow down to avoid the attack, but the rocks beat it. Salamence cried out in pain as it was pelted by the dozens of spiked rocks. Dragonair saw this, and Clair commanded it to help its teammate.

"Use Hyper Beam, Dragonair!" she yelled.

Dragonair stopped using Dragon Rage which freed its two opponents from being trapped. Dragonair then shot out the powerful beam. Clair was expecting Aerodactyl to dodge the attack and fly away so her Salamence would have time to recover, but Ash and Jimmy did no such thing. Instead, they smiled

"Use Hyper Beam, too, Aerodactyl!" Ash yelled.

"Use Flamethrower, Typhlosion!" Jimmy added.

The two Pokemon launched their attacks straight at Dragonair's incoming Hyper Beam. The Flamethrower then merged with Aerodactyl's Hyper Beam which created quite a lethal attack. The combined attack met with Dragonair's Hyper Beam and easily overpowered it. Dragonair's eyes widened, and Clair gasped when they saw the combined attack break through the Hyper Beam and quickly strike Dragonair. The Pokemon was blasted out of the water briefly before it fell back in which created quite a few waves.

"Oh, Dragonair," Clair muttered sadly.

"Nice going, Ash!" Jimmy smiled.

"You, too, Jimmy!" Ash returned and looked back to Aerodactyl! "Use Ancient Power again!"

Aerodactyl cried loudly and summoned the boulders once again and began to hurl them into the lake after Dragonair. Typholosion then leaped off of Aerodactyl again and began hopping on the large boulders towards the lake where Dragonair was.

"Use Dragon Breath!" Clair yelled.

"Flamethrower, Typholosion!" Jimmy told it.

Both Pokemon launched their respective attacks, but for Dragonair, it was a little harder to focus because it was trying to dodge Ancient Power, as well. It then saw that Tyhplosion's Flamethrower was beginning to win out in the battle, and it dove underwater for safety since it knew Typlosion couldn't follow it. However, Jimmy wasn't worried.

"Focus Blast the lake!" Jimmy shouted.

Tyhlosion jumped off another boulder and concentrated briefly before it shot the enormous blast in the water. As soon as the Focus Blast hit, the water from the lake erupted into air, and which left quite a dry spot right where Dragonair was. With nowhere to go, Dragonair was a sitting Psyduck.

"One more Focus Blast!" Jimmy shouted.

"Hyper Beam!" Clair yelled.

Both Pokemon shot out their attacks again. Clair's eyes widened when she saw Typlosion's Focus Blast push past the Hyper Beam. It then continued until it struck Dragonair, and the dragon Pokemon was blasted into the air again. As the water from the lake continued to rain back in, Aerodactyl was swift to come in and catch Tyhplosion before it could fall. Meanwhile, Dragonair slowly floated to the top of the filling lake and was soundly knocked out.

"Alright!" both Ash and Jimmy cheered before they gasped.

Quick as a bullet, Salamence came in and snatched Typhlosion right from on top of Aerodactyl. Salamence carried Typhlosion quite a distance away before it hurled the Pokemon to the lake.

"Save it, Aerodactyl!" Ash cried.

"Draco Meteor!" Clair hollered.

Ash had never heard of that move, but he didn't like the sound of it. Salamence rose high into air and shot a beam of light in it which exploded into several comet like objects that began to rain down towards Aerodactyl and Typlosion. Aerodactyl managed to catch Typlosion, but the two Pokemon were struck by one of the comets and cried out in pain from the powerful attack. Ash and Jimmy then gasped again when they saw Aerodactyl close its eyes and began to fall to the lake.

"No, Aerodactyl! Try to pull up!" Ash yelled.

"You two let your guard down after you defeated Dragonair. That was a grave mistake. Draco Meteor is one of the most powerful Dragon-type attacks," Clair told them.

"Come on, Aerodactyl! Pull up just like last time!" Ash yelled.

"Help it wake, Typhlosion!" Jimmy shouted, but Typlosion didn't appear to be conscious either.

Both Pokemon continued to fall until they hit the lake which caused quite a splash. Ash and Jimmy shielded themselves from the droplets of water that were sprayed in their direction before they looked to see any sign of their Pokemon. However, all they saw was a defeated Dragonair, a lake, and Salamence hovering victoriously over the lake.

"No, not when we were this close," Jimmy grimaced.

"They have to make it. They have to," Ash said.

Everyone waited around to see if either Aerodactyl or Typlosion would come up from the water, but they didn't. Ash and Jimmy both grit their teeth and hung their heads while the group sighed in sadness and disappointment. Kaburagi then nodded his head and went to raise his hands to signal the end of the match.

"Wait!" Ash suddenly shouted.

Bubbles began to emerge from the lake. They started out few but soon grew in number and a large black shape began to take form in the water. Everyone watched curiously until they all yelped in surprise as Aerodactyl burst out of the water with a cry, and it was still carrying Typhlosion!

"Impossible!" Clair cried.

"Way to go, guys!" Ash and Jimmy both hollered.

Salamence, meanwhile, couldn't believe its eyes, either. However, using such a powerful attack like Draco Meteor tired it out. That was meant to be the finishing blow, but Aerodactyl and Typhlosion made it through somehow. However, it had to keep going.

"Dragon Rush!" Clair hollered.

"Iron Head!" Ash yelled.

Salamence gave a cry and charged forward. Aerodactyl charged forward, as well, but it felt a new power within it and decided to use that move instead. The two Pokemon collided and grappled only briefly before Salamence shouted in pain and was knocked away. It kept going until it slammed into the cave wall.

"What was that?" Ash wondered and pulled out his pokedex on Aerodactyl.

"Giga Impact, one of Aerodactyl's most powerful attacks," the helpful machine informed.

"That's so cool! You learned a new attack, Aerodactyl!" Ash cheered.

"Aeroooooo!" Aerodactyl cried happily.

"Hmmm…Hydro Pump!" Clair yelled.

Salamence jerked itself from the wall and shot out the huge blast of water. Aerodactyl did a loop to avoid it and flew towards Salamence again. The dragon Pokemon launched another Hydro Pump, and like they did with Dragonair before them, Jimmy and Ash combined their attacks.

"Focus Blast!" Jimmy yelled.

"Hyper Beam!" Ash yelled.

The two attacks easily broke through the Hydro Pump and crashed into Salamence. The dragon Pokmeon shouted in pain and was propelled right back into the cave wall. Ash lowered his head and put on a resolute expression. He knew this would make Aerodactyl extremely tired after using Hyper Beam, but he believed in it.

"I know you're tired, Aerodactyl, but use Giga Impact one last time!" Ash hollered.

Aerodactyl was sweating, and it grit its teeth, but Aerodactyl knew Ash would never ask it to do anything it couldn't do. Aerodactyl gave a cry and charged straight towards Salamence with all its might. Clair's eyes widened as Salamence plucked itself into the wall before it was rammed right back into it by the charging Aerodactyl. Typholosion even added a Flamethrower to the mix which created an explosion and rained down more rocks from the cave wall.

Aeroactyl the glided down to the ground and landed unceremoniously on its stomach. Typhlosion rolled off of it onto the ground. Nevertheless, the two Pokemon managed to stand, though they were clearly exhausted. Meanwhile, Salamence fell from the wall and continued falling until it hit the ground. Everyone's eyes widened as they all waited in anticipation for Salamence to get up for about fifteen seconds. However, it never did. Salamence was out cold. That meant one thing.

Kubaragi raised his hands. "Both of Clair's Pokemon, Dragonair and Salamence, are unable to battle! The winners are Ash and Jimmy!"

Everyone was in shock for moment with nobody speaking. Finally, it registered to Ash and Jimmy what happened, and their faces broke out into wide grins. They just defeated the gym leader, Clair, and they did it together. The two then made a beeline straight to their tired but waiting Pokemon.

"You guys did it!" Ash cheered as they reached them.

Jimmy tackled his Typhlosion in a big hug while the reverse held true for Ash. Aerodactyl tackled him instead and began to lick Ash with its slimy tongue. It was very pleased that it was able to win its first true battle for Ash.

"You're the best, Aerodactyl!" Ash laughed as he and Jimmy were soon joined by Pikachu and everyone else.

Marina pulled Jimmy off of Typhlosion before she gave him a big hug. "You did fabulous, darling! I'm soooooooo proud of you!"

"Heh. Thanks, Marina," Jimmy blushed, still not used to this kind of affection from his new girlfriend.

Ash wasn't shy about it, however, and gladly accepted Serena's embrace and quick kiss on the cheek. Pikachu and Togetic soon hugged Ash, as well, and Brock and Misty joined in soon afterward.

"I have to admit you guys had me worried for a little bit," Misty stated.

"Nope! Jimmy and I knew what we needed to win this, and we came through, Misty," Ash replied and looked at Jimmy.

"Yeah! You rock and you rule!" Jimmy said and gave a thumbs up to Ash which he returned.

Meanwhile, Clair sighed and returned her two Pokemon and thanked them for a job well done. She then walked over to the group with Kaburagi next to her. Once she reached them, they stopped their celebration and looked at her.

"Well, you two really showed me. You clearly weren't making up what you told my grandfather in his test. You two really did work well as a team. These two Rising Badges rightfully belong to you both. Wear them with pride as you earned them," Clair said.

She then presented two black badges in the shape of a dragon's face. Ash and Jimmy then took their respective badges and stared at them. It had been a hard and arduous journey, but they had finally gotten all eight badges. For Jimmy, this was a big accomplishment as this was the first time he did it and could enter the Silver Conference. Jimmy felt tears come to his eyes before he wiped them with his sleeve.

"I'm going to do my dad proud in the Silver Conference. I can't wait to show him this. I'll become champion just like him," Jimmy said before he froze and realized his slip up. "Uh…yeah."

"It's okay, Jimmy. They already know," Marina assured.

"How did you guys know my dad was the champion? Did you hear about it on your journey?" Jimmy wondered.

"Actually…," Marina started with a sheepish expression. "I might've…already mentioned it to them."

"Marina…," Jimmy moaned before he looked apologetically at the group. "I'm sorry I never told you guys. It just isn't something I like to bring up."

"It's okay, Jimmy. At least you're more reserved about it than a certain someone else we know," Serena smiled as she gave a knowing look at the rest of the group to which they nodded. They were each thinking of how Gary Oak used to be.

"Thanks, guys," Jimmy smiled.

Ash, for his part, couldn't contain his excitement about the badge any longer. He hadn't done this in a while, but it was appropriate here. Ash struck a pose and held out the badge in front of him.

"Yes! I got…the Rising Badge!" Ash cheered as the rest of the group smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Pika!" Pikachu joined in.

"Aeeeroooo!" Aerodactyl finished.

It was then group heard the sound of pattering again. Ash sweat dropped and glanced around as he tried to find the little menace. He knew it was here somewhere but he couldn't find it. Unable to locate the source, Ash did the only logical thing and covered his stomach.

"Heads up!" Brock exclaimed.

"Ugh!" Ash grunted as he was hit from behind this time.

The raven-haired boy fell to the ground in pain before he glared at the snickering Bagon. Ash pushed himself off from the ground and went to chase it, but Bagon had already run off.

"Yeah! You better keep running!" Ash shouted before is tone dropped. "Why me?"

* * *

It was already late in the afternoon when the group made it outside the Dragon's Den with Clair and Kaburagi. They were too tired to do any more traveling and would just stay at the Blackthorn City Pokemon Center again tonight. Afterwards, they would head out.

"Man. There's still a little over a month left before the Silver Conference. I can't wait to be back in New Bark Town and sleep in my own bed," Jimmy murmured.

"Me, too. The softness of my own sheets and pillow," Marina smiled.

"Speaking of which, where are you guys going to stay the next month?" Jimmy wondered.

The group paused as they thought about it. That was a good question. During the Indigo League, they simply just stayed in Pallet Town. That was quite a long distance away for them to travel all the way back to Kanto and then back to Johto for the Silver Conference.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to find a nearby Pokemon Center," Ash shrugged.

"That won't do!" Jimmy stated and pumped his fists. "If that's that case, you all will just have to stay in New Bark Town with Marina and me! We'd love to have you!"

"Totally! That's a fantastic idea, Jimmy!" Marina smiled and clapped her hands

"Thanks a lot, but is it really okay? We don't want to intrude," Serena muttered.

"It's no trouble at all! You'll be our guests, and we know our parents wouldn't mind, either!" Jimmy grinned. "We'll train and have a lot of fun together every day! It'll be great! What do you say?"

The group looked at each other as they decided what to do. Staying in New Bark Town with Jimmy and Marina did sound like a great idea. They were friends with the two, and it certainly beat staying at a Pokemon Center or traveling back to Pallet Town. The choice was clear.

"You got it, Jimmy! Thanks for the offer! We'll do it!" Ash smiled.

"Awesome!" Jimmy nodded. "We'll head out to New Bark Town first thing in the morning!"

"Sounds like a plan," Ash nodded as he and Jimmy clapped hands.

"I'm so excited for this! We can go over techniques for Pokemon showcases and everything!" Marina told Misty and Serena.

"I'm really looking forward to it, too!" Serena replied.

"Well, since that's settled, I need to get you kids back over the lake," Kaburagi said as he made his way over to the boat with his cane. He then turned back and gave a sly look. "You kids know to hang on this time, right?"

"Yes," they muttered and grimaced at the old man's crazy driving antics.

"I wish you all well," Clair nodded. "May you both succeed at the Pokemon League. It was great to meet all of you."

"You, too, Clair!" they all answered.

With that, the group got on the boat, and Kaburagi started it up. The group took a deep breath and prepared themselves before Kaburagi floored the pedal, and the boat took off. Though they were more prepared this time, they still lurched from the sudden change in speed. Clair watched the boat speed away with a smile on her face before one of the dragon trainers came running out of the Dragon's Den looking quite out of breath.

"What's wrong?" Clair asked as she turned to the man.

"That…Bagon. We can't find it anywhere," the man panted.

Clair raised her eyebrows in alarm. Where could that Pokemon have gone to? She doubted it would sneak outside of Dragon's Den unless it had a good reason. Besides, the only way back was though the lake, and Bagon couldn't swim. Wait…

Clair quickly turned back to where the group was speeding away in the boat, and she spotted a blue shape attached to the back of the boat. Her well-trained eye quickly realized it was actually Bagon who was clinging to the back of the boat with a mischievous look its face. It was powerful so Clair wasn't worried about Bagon falling off. Still. Clair was about to call Kaburagi to come back, but she soon stopped herself.

The point of bringing Bagon from Metoer Falls was so it could find a better life. It had been paying a lot of attention to Ash so was that what Bagon was looking floor? Could that boy be the answer to tame the impish Pokemon? Clair soon sighed as she watched the boat and snickering Pokemon get further and further away. She certainly hoped so.

* * *

 **Well, that wraps up the last badge. The Master Class and Silver Conference are finally coming soon! Then once this arc is over, Hoenn can finally begin! I'm still hoping to have it done before 2018 ends. I've already been on this story 4 years. Once Johto ends, I'll be about halfway done with the series. Maybe that means I can finish it in 4 years. Maybe I'll finish it by the time your kids graduate college!**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support! I don't know if I'll have the next chapter out before June or not, but it should't take almost a month like this chapter did. Until next time, I hope you all have a good one!**

 **Chapter 67: A Strong Soul and a Strong Mind**


	68. A Strong Soul and a Strong Mind

**A/N: And now begins the short break before the Master Class and Silver Conference. Not all battles and performances will be shown when I get to those, only the important ones. It's sort of like with the Indigo League. Some of Ash's battles were skipped. That keeps my head from exploding from writing to many consecutive battle chapters and also keeps the fic from being longer than it really is.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Ash and Serena get their first lessons this chapter**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 67: A Strong Soul and a Strong Mind

It was the early morning hours, around 7:30 A.M., in Blackthorn City at the Pokemon Center, and the group was ready to say goodbye once again to a good friend. Charizard stood on one side with a frown as the group stood on the other. Though they knew that Charizard was going back to the Charicific Valley, that didn't mean they weren't sad about it. Ash thought he would have an easier time letting his Charizard go a second time, but it hardly was. Part of him was tempted to ask Charizard to stay with him, but that would be selfish.

Meanwhile, the mischievous Bagon was peeking around the corner of the Pokemon Center with an unreadable expression on its face. As soon as it spotted Ash, it had wanted to run and headbutt him again, but something was telling it to just quietly watch this scene from behind, and so it did.

Ash walked up closer to his Charizard and sighed. "Well, I guess you're about to take off again."

The fire dragon frowned but nodded in response. Ash was about to reply until the group heard a pained growl come from another member. Serena's Charla standing the next closest to Charizard, and it was just as sad as Ash to see Charizard go. After Ash and Jimmy's gym battle, Serena had transferred over her Charla so the two could spend some time together. The two Charizard were outside until well after midnight. Sometimes, Ash and Serena would see them flying around in the moonlight. Other times, they couldn't find the two Charizard at all. Who knows what they were doing then?

Ash's Charizard went over and grasped Charla's hands in its own. It then muttered a few soft roars and licked Charla on the cheek. Tears came to Charla's eyes before the two wrapped each other in a gentle embrace. The group found it ironic that two Charizard knew how to be more romantic than they did sometimes.

Charizard released Charla and gave a thumbs up to everyone else, including Togetic and Pikachu. It then shook hands with its new friend, Aerodactyl. Charizard then surprised Ash when it picked him up for a hug. With that, Charizard turned away from the group to take flight. It then gave a mighty flap of its wings and took the sky. The group then all raised their hands in a wave.

"Take care of yourself, Charizard!" Misty said.

"Train hard!" Brock added.

"You're one cool Pokemon, dude!" Jimmy shouted. "Thanks for battling with Ampharos!"

"Fabuloso!" Marina beamed.

"We'll see you again! Don't make Charla wait too long!" Serena called.

"Make sure you come back even stronger! See you, buddy!" Ash yelled.

"Pika! Togetic!" Pikachu and Togetic called out, and Aerodactyl gave a happy cry after them.

Charla took a few steps forward and inwardly struggled. Part of it wanted to go with Charizard, but it still knew its place was with Serena and not the Charicific Valley. It then sighed and joined the group in its waving, though with tears in its eyes.

Charizard gave a mighty roar and took off at high speed to the southwest. The group continued waving until Charizard was no more than a dot in the sky, and then it was gone. The group then lowered their hands and turned to each other.

"Well, I guess we need to go ahead and get an early start for New Bark Town," Jimmy figured.

"Yeah. About how far away is it?" Serena questioned.

"I'd say it'll take a us about four days to reach then end of the mountain range, and then another two days to New Bark Town. We should be there in just under a week," Marina replied in thought.

"We'll be roughing it! The mountain path down to New Bark Town is pretty steep," Jimmy informed them. "We'll have to watch out for wild Geodude!"

"I see now why some people choose to go Cherrygrove City rather than Blackthorn City first," Misty muttered.

"It isn't that bad, Misty! We'll be just fine!" Marina chirped. "Let's hit the road! Jimmy and I have already told our parents that you all were coming so it's no trouble at all!"

With that, the group began to head south to New Bark Town. As they left, Pikachu perked up its ears and sharply turned around as it felt like they were being watched. The group stopped at Pikachu's odd behavior and turned inquisitively at the yellow rodent.

"What's up, Pikachu?" Ash asked it.

Pikachu glanced around for any sign of the presence it felt. However, it didn't detect any hostility so it just shook its head at Ash to imply it was nothing. The group continued to walk, and about fifteen seconds later, Bagon came out from behind the Pokemon Center. That was pretty close. It would have to hang back quite a bit unless it were to be discovered by that Pikachu. It was already suspicious. Still, Bagon had to headbutt something to relieve its frustration, and that Ash kid was the perfect target. Bagon then quietly followed them from a distance.

* * *

It had already been a few days since the group had left Blackthorn City, and they were almost through the mountain path. The trip was rather uneventful, but the group preferred it that way at the moment. It was nice to just simply relax a little bit and enjoy the other's company.

Ash's Pokegear rang while the group was stopped to eat lunch, and he looked at it in curiosity. He was expecting it to be someone like Gary or Leaf, or even his dad. However, it was actually Riley. Ash's eyes lit up and he answered the call.

"Uncle Riley?" Ash questioned, which made the others in the group look up in interest.

"Hey, Ash," Riley greeted.

"I haven't spoken with you in a really long time. What have you been doing?" Ash wondered.

"Well, I've been here and there with Yellow," Riley answered.

"Ms. Yellow?" Ash questioned. "You sure have been spending a lot of time with her."

Ash heard his uncle give a slight cough at Ash's remark which made Ash smirk. Was Riley actually getting flustered about spending time with Yellow? Was there something going on between them now?

"It…it's not like that!" Riley insisted. "We've been together strictly for business."

"What kind of business?" Ash asked.

"We both know that you and Serena have been wanting to get your first few lessons in on your aura and ESP training," Riley replied.

Ash's eyes widened. "Wait. Really?!"

"Yeah. You're thirteen now, and Serena will be shortly, too. We figured since you two have collected your badges and princess keys, this would be a good time to start since the Silver Conference and Master Class aren't anytime soon," Riley said.

Ash couldn't believe his ears. He had been waiting for this opportunity forever. Ever since he learned of his aura, Ash had been wishing to use it properly. He would finally receive his first lessons on aura, and Serena would finally do the same with her ESP. Wait…

Ash fell silent. Serena would be learning how to use her ESP. Was that really a good thing, though? If she learned how to control it properly, would that make her more dangerous? Then again, would be less likely to lose her mind? Ash gave a glance at his girlfriend who was smiling at him as she watched him talk with Riley.

This was so difficult. Ash wanted to tell Serena everything, but he kept holding back. Even if this did make Serena more aware of the situation, how would it affect their relationship? Would Serena distance herself from everyone to keep them safe? No. Ash didn't want that. However, these lessons were going to be made to help them, not hurt them. Should Ash tell Serena before they started the lessons so she could be prepared? He didn't know.

"Ash? Are you okay?" Riley asked once Ash didn't answer. "I'd thought you'd be shouting and jumping for joy."

"Oh. Sorry, Riley," Ash replied once he was snapped out of his thoughts. "Don't get me wrong. I'm really excited."

"Then what's wrong? I can tell when something is bothering you," Riley said.

Ash stood up and nodded to his friends to let them know he was going a away for a bit to speak with Riley in private. They nodded back in understanding, and Ash walked a short distance down a trail to where he was sure he was out of earshot of them.

Bagon was nearby and headbutting a large boulder in aggravation until it spotted Ash coming. It gave a mildly annoyed growl and ran away to hide. When Ash was close enough, it would surprise him and headbutt him right in the stomach. It hadn't done that since the Dragon's Den and was getting rather anxious to do so. It had plenty of opportunities to take them, but that Pikachu was always quick to sense it.

Ash came into view and sat down on a log with a sigh. Bagon smirked and was about to leap out of the bushes and charge at Ash, but it stopped again once it saw the boy's expression. He looked quite upset which told Bagon it wasn't the best time to kick him while he was down. Bagon quietly watched instead.

"I was wondering Riley…during our lessons, does that make Serena and I less prone to…losing control?" Ash questioned.

"Of course it does, Ash. That's the purpose," Riley said.

"What I mean is…I'm just wondering if these lessons help suppress any…," Ash took a deep breath. "…darkness."

"Darkness?" Riley questioned and suddenly sounded concerned. "What do you mean?"

"Well…," Ash started, but fell silent.

Riley spoke again, however. "Are you referring to the times you lost control of your aura and felt the presence of your dark aura, Ash?"

"You know about that?" Ash questioned.

"Of course. Red told me," Riley revealed.

Ash didn't respond. Well, Riley wasn't quite correct with his assumption about the darkness Ash was speaking about. Even so, maybe it could work this way, too. It was basically the same thing. Ash didn't know if he was wrong in telling Riley about Serena or not, but he would feel a lot better about Serena's training depending on Riley's response.

"Ash, these lessons will definitely let you get a better control of when and when not to use them," Riley replied. "Those times of that you meant were only because your aura was trying to take control of you. That's why Red and I decided to go ahead and teach you now rather than wait until you're older. As Red told you, there are two sides of aura fighting for dominance is you. With these lessons, you won't have to worry about the dark aura ever winning."

"Is it the same for ESP?" Ash suddenly blurted out.

There was a pause. "Are you concerned for Serena?" Riley inquired.

Well, he did it. Ash indirectly revealed he was more concerned about Serena than himself. That was sure to raise Riley's suspicions. Still, with what Riley told him, it made Ash wonder if Serena had a conflict of good ESP or dark ESP in her. Was it the same as aura? Could Serena choose which one to accept? She would always choose good, wouldn't she?

"That's…a better question for Yellow," Riley sighed. "I don't think they're quite the same thing."

"Oh," Ash muttered. He supposed he would have to find a private time with Yellow to voice his concerns.

"I will say this, however," Riley spoke up which grabbed Ash's attention again. "The complete mastery of aura and ESP requires a strong soul and a strong mind, respectively. As long as you and Serena have those, you won't go wrong."

Ash smiled. So, what Riley was saying was that as long as he and Serena maintained control of themselves, they'll always remain on the right path. They know who they are and who their friends are. They know what's right and what's wrong. They won't be bogged down by depression or thinking they aren't strong enough to give the darkness a foothold. They would be just fine.

"Thanks, Riley. That actually helps," Ash smiled.

"I'm glad it does," Riley replied with a chuckle. "So, no more of these depressing thoughts. Red and I both believe in you, and Yellow believes in Serena. You two have nothing to worry about."

 _"Would he say the same if he knew the truth about Serena's destiny?"_ Ash wondered before he pushed the annoying thought away. "Yeah. You're right."

"Speaking of which, we need to schedule a time. Where will you guys be staying at?" Riley inquired.

"We'll be in New Bark Town," Ash replied. "We're staying with a few friends we met on the journey, Jimmy and Marina."

"Wait. They wouldn't happen to be Gold and Crystal's children, would they?" Riley asked.

"They are. So, I take it you know them, too?" Ash figured.

"I do, and so does Yellow. I haven't seen Gold and Crystal in years so it would be nice to see them again," Riley said. "If it's alright with them, Yellow and I can come see you in a week. Will that work?"

"That'll work great!" Ash grinned. "I'm really looking forward to seeing you and starting this!"

"Me, too!" Riley responded. "Well, I've got to go and let Yellow know. We'll see you soon!"

"See you soon!" Ash replied brightly and hung up the Pokegear with a smile on his face.

Now that he had a talk with Riley, Ash was feeling much better. Serena had a strong mind and would always put her friends and family first. Ash knew there was no way any of that stuff could ever persuade her to use her ESP for evil. She was just a naturally good person. Ash breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe his fears about Serena were groundless. If that were true, there would be no reason to tell Serena. That would only worry her.

 _"If you choose to do nothing, she will kill you."_

"Ash?"

Before Ash could contemplate on that last thought, he heard Serena call out to him. He turned and saw her approaching him and smiled. He then stood up to greet her which Serena took as a sign that it was okay to speak with him since he was off the phone with Riley.

"Hey, Serena. Guess what?" Ash grinned.

"What?" Serena asked as she reached him.

"Riley called to tell us that he and Yellow are coming to see us in about a week to start our training with aura and ESP!" Ash revealed.

"Really? That's great!" Serena smiled and clasped her hands. "Once we do that, we can finally use them to do some good in the world."

"You bet," Ash replied enthusiastically.

 _"See? She wants to use her powers for good. There's nothing to worry about. Everything will be just fine,"_ Ash told himself.

* * *

The group arrived in New Bark Town a few days later. As soon as they saw it off in the distance, it was actually Jimmy and Marina who took off in a run this time. The rest of the group smiled at their enthusiasm and was quick to follow after them. They knew all too well the joy of finally returning to their home after a long trip.

"Man, oh, man! I'm so excited! I can't wait to get to my room and plop down on my Snorlax pillow!" Jimmy shouted.

"I can't wait to see my family!" Marina stated.

"Well, I want to see my folks, too, of course!" Jimmy insisted.

"We're heading to your house, aren't we, Jimmy?" Ash called after him.

"Yeah. Everyone is meeting us there!" Jimmy shouted back.

Jimmy's house soon came into view, and Jimmy gave an excited shout once it did. The black-haired boy didn't stop running until he reached the door. He didn't even wait for the others before he wrenched his door open and hurried in. Marina was close behind him and went through the open door while making sure to leave it open for the others. The rest of the group soon reached Jimmy's house, but they knocked on the open door for politeness before they went in, too.

Once they were in, they could see Jimmy and Marina wrapped in a big hug by their respective parents and Lyra which made them smile. Gold then brought Jimmy under his arm before he gave they boy a good noogie. Jimmy swatted his dad's hand away but was still laughing.

"Hey! Cut it out, Dad!" Jimmy said.

"What else am I supposed to do for my son who just won eight badges, got himself a girlfriend, and is on his way to winning the Silver Conference?" Gold grinned.

"Dad!" Jimmy complained.

Everyone then looked up and noticed the group standing there. Surprisingly, it wasn't Jimmy, Marina, Gold, or Crystal who greeted them first. It was Lyra.

"Hi!" Lyra chirped as she ran forward and jumped into Ash's arms.

Ash stumbled slightly from the sudden weight in his arms. Thankfully, he managed to stay standing.

"Woah. Uh…hi, Lyra. How are you?" Ash asked in a slightly dazed tone.

"I'm good, Ash! So, are you and Selena still dating?" Lyra asked and clasped her hands.

"It's Serena," mumbled Serena from behind Ash. The younger girl still couldn't get her name right.

"Well, uh, yeah. We are. We're doing great!" Ash replied.

"Lyra, leave them alone about things that don't concern you," Crystal scolded as she and the others made their way over to the group. "It's so nice to see you all again. We can't thank you all enough for what you've done for Jimmy and Marina on their travels."

"It's no problem! We really enjoyed it," Ash replied as he set Lyra down so he could shake Crystal's hand.

"Yeah. When I got to battle alongside Ash for our eighth gym battle, I felt as though I was with a real pro!" Jimmy smiled.

"Heh. I wouldn't go that far," Ash said modestly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Whatever. You still showed them the ropes. Thanks, Ash!" Gold said and shook Ash's hand.

"Well, I mean I couldn't have shown him too much considering you're the Johto Champion, sir," Ash replied.

"Ha! You don't have to be formal with me! Just Gold is fine!" Gold replied.

"Well, I mean since you're the Johto Champion, shouldn't I give you some respect?" Ash questioned.

Jimmy and Marina suddenly looked uncomfortable. Serena gave a slight cough to show Ash he might've put his foot in his mouth a little too much. In case, he'd forgotten, this wasn't a subject Jimmy liked to be brought up very often.

"Well, if you insist, I suppose you can call Mr. Gold Sir, and bow every time you see me," Gold replied.

"Don't tease him, Gold," Crystal frowned.

"Hey, he asked," Gold shrugged.

"Really, just call him Gold. He doesn't like to talk about his status as the Johto Champion," Crystal told the group.

Ash sort of wondered why that was. Blue wasn't one to talk about it, either, and was rather secretive. However, people always tried to talk to him everywhere he went. Gold seemed to go about in the open, and no one bothered him. Also, Gold seemed like the type of person who would bask in the attention of others. Yet, he was rather modest about it.

"Anyway, I suppose you all must be tired after your journey back. Lyra and I prepared some refreshments for all of you to celebrate," Crystal said.

"Great! Thanks, Ms. Crystal!" Jimmy smiled and turned to the group. "You'll join us, right?"

"You bet!" Ash smiled and gave Jimmy a thumbs up.

"Waaaaaaaaaait! I'm here, too!" a voice suddenly shouted.

The group turned hastily around and spotted another boy with light brown hair and a huge cowlick dashing down the driveway. It only took a second for everyone to recognize the boy as Vincent. Unlike the rest of the group, when Vincent made it to the door, he panted heavily and appeared extremely tired and sweaty. Once he caught his breath, he looked up at everyone, in particular at Jimmy and Marina.

"Hello, Vincent," Crystal said pleasantly despite the boy's disheveled appearance.

"Yuck! You're all sweaty," Lyra grimaced while making a face.

"Hi…everyone! It's good…to see you all…again!" Vincent panted and ignored Lyra's comment. "When I heard that you all were here again, I had to rush back and say hi!"

"What's up, dude?" Jimmy asked despite a slight annoyance in his tone.

"Well, I just got all my eight badges to qualify for the Silver Conference," Vincent replied and proudly showed everyone his eight badges.

"Whoop dee doo. So did I," Jimmy responded and showed Vincent his eight badges, as well.

"Don't be mean to him, Jimmy," Marina scolded and went over to Vincent, but she didn't hug him as he was sweaty. "I think that's super cool! Congratulations!"

"Marina, my sweet," Vincent said dramatically and got down on one knee. "I went on this Pokemon journey and trained as hard as I could with my Pokemon. I traveled across raging oceans and thick forests in my trek. I have now come back to you with the hope that you will see me for the magnificent person I am and be my girlfriend!"

"Oh, Vincent," Marina chuckled nervously and sweat dropped. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm already Jimmy's girlfriend."

There was silence for a while as Vincent blinked a few times to process what Marina just told him. Then he gave a loud cry and placed both hands over his heart like he had been stabbed.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!" he shouted.

"It's true, Vincent. Marina and I are together," Jimmy claimed and wrapped his arm around Marina's neck, which she leaned in to.

"Di-did this just happen?! Did everyone else know?!" Vincent cried.

"Well, we've been going out for about a week, Vincent," Marina giggled.

"And everyone here knew," Jimmy finished.

"Why am I the last to know?" Vincent sniffed as tears streamed down his face. "I've lost the game of love."

"Oh, don't feel bad, Vincent. I still consider you a dear friend!" Marina smiled and patted Vincent on the back. She then shook off some of the sweat on her hand.

"Nothing can replace the hole in my heart, now!" Vincent moaned.

"Dude, there are other girls out there," Jimmy frowned.

"Easy for you to say," Vincent replied and pointed his finger straight at Jimmy. "Listen here, Jimmy! If you're going to date Marina, you better treat her right! If you don't, you'll have answer to me!"

"Aw! That's so sweet of you, Vincent!" Marina gushed.

"Yeah. Will do," Jimmy deadpanned.

"Enough of this soap opera," Gold coughed. "Vincent, would you like join us for refreshments, too?"

"Yes, sir! Thank you!" Vincent said brightly.

"Well, he forgot about that fast," Misty muttered.

With that, the group went into Gold's kitchen for some snacks. They had only been back for a few minutes, but already there had been a lot of eventfulness. They could only imagine what the rest of their stay here would be like.

* * *

The next few days weren't spent for training like the group had originally planned. They were too busy having fun and playing with their Pokemon. The Master Class and Silver Conference were still a while away so they had plenty of time. However, they also knew they couldn't slack off too much. If they did that they would come to regret it later on.

That was why the days of their training and learning would start today. It was the day that Riley and Yellow would be coming to New Bark Town to give Ash and Serena their first lessons. While they were away, the rest of the group would take that time to train. Well, Brock would spend time with Gold to learn more about breeding and hatching Pokemon while Misty would be with Crystal to learn more about her water Pokemon knowledge. It was funny how Brock and Misty spent more time with the adults rather than Jimmy, Marina, and Vincent.

Ash was eagerly awaiting the knock on Gold's door which would signal the arrival of Riley and Yellow. Everyone was in Jimmy's room right now, and Ash was looking out the window for any sign of them. With him watching, the knock on the door would be unnecessary as Ash would rush out to greet them right away.

"Calm down, Ash. They won't get here any faster by you doing that. You've been staring out the window the past thirty minutes," Misty told him.

"I know. I've just been waiting so long for this! It's so exciting!" Ash grinned.

"Man. Lessons in aura and ESP. You and Serena sure are lucky," Jimmy commented as he lay on his huge Snorlax pillow.

"Trust me. Some of it is really cool, but things like this can prove to have more than its fair share of troubles, too," Serena replied.

 _"You can say that again,"_ Ash, Brock, and Misty thought at once.

"Still, I wonder what it would be like. So, can you bend spoons with your mind and make objects float?" Marina asked Serena curiously.

"Hmmhmm! I don't think I've done anything like that yet," Serena giggled. "Maybe I'll learn how to do it today, though!"

"I hope that's all you learn," Ash mumbled more to himself than anyone else. However, he said it louder than he meant to.

"What do you mean Ash?" Serena wondered as she and the others stared at him in curiosity.

Ash realized he was being paranoid again. This really needed to stop. He was comforted by Riley's words of a strong mind and a strong soul would keep him and Serena on the right path. Serena would also have a great teacher in Yellow, and she would surely be able to sense if something was wrong.

"Heh. I meant stuff like that is pretty basic. You wouldn't want to overdo things on your first lesson," Ash lied.

"Hmm…I guess not," Serena muttered thoughtfully.

Before the group could ponder on that further, Ash gave an excited shout. He just saw the unmistakable big blue hat and cape that belonged to his uncle and the huge yellow ponytail that was none other than Yellow's.

"They're here!" he exclaimed and dashed out of Jimmy's room.

Ash was full of excitement as he ran down the stairs in Jimmy's house and wrenched open the door before Riley and Yellow had chance to knock. They were only halfway up the walkway. Ash ran until he collided with his uncle who lurched from the impact.

"Woah! Settle down, Ash! It's good to see you, too!" Riley said.

"I haven't seen you in over a year so I can be excited!" Ash smiled.

"Yeah. Not since the Whirl Islands," Riley agreed.

"What have you been doing the past year?" Ash asked him.

"Well, as I told you before, I've been traveling. I've also been talking with Yellow," Riley replied and gestured to the blonde woman beside him.

"Hello, Ash. It's good to see you again," Yellow said.

"You, too, Ms. Yellow," Ash replied and gave her a quick hug and turned back to Riley. "So, are Serena and I going to start training now?"

"Hahaha! Yellow and I just got here! Give us a chance to catch our breath!" Riley laughed.

"Oh. Heheheh. Sorry," Ash chuckled nervously.

It was then everyone else came out of the house. Serena was in front and Gold was bringing up the rear. Serena, Misty, and Brock greeted the two adults with either a hug or a handshake. Yellow looked somewhat startled when Serena hugged her, but Serena brushed it off. Jimmy and Marina were looking at Riley and Yellow as if they were some sort of idols.

"Long time, no see!" Gold smiled as he went forward to shake their hands. "How are my two favorite seniors doing?"

"Seniors?" Riley questioned. "We're barely older than you."

"Well, you've still been on a Pokemon journey longer than me. How's Red been doing?" Gold asked and crossed his arms.

"He's in the Kalos region, right now," Riley acknowledged. "He's doing…you know…"

"Say no more," Gold replied and waved his hand. "I get the guy can't ever discuss what he does."

Ash felt a little bit better as he wasn't the only one in the dark who knew what Red was doing. He did remember Red telling him that Riley and Blue were the only ones who knew. He wouldn't be surprised if Yellow or Rose knew, either.

"I don't believe I've met you two before," Riley addressed Jimmy and Marina. "I'm Riley Ketchum. How do you do?"

"Glad to meet you, sir!" Jimmy said enthusiastically as he shook Riley's hand.

"That's my son, if you couldn't tell," Gold smirked.

"I have no doubt. He looks just like you," Riley smiled and turned to Marina. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be Crystal's daughter with how much you look like her."

"I totally am, and I really like your cape!" Marina gushed as she ran over and started fiddling with it.

"Uhhh…," Riley uttered as he watched the young girl inspect it.

"Sorry about that," Jimmy grimaced. "Marina has a…thing for capes."

"Maybe you should stop wearing that in public so you blend in more," Yellow giggled.

"Hmm…," Riley muttered.

"I love it! It makes you seem like some sort of superhero!" Marina exclaimed.

"Hahahaha! Thank you, but I assure you I'm not a superhero!" Riley laughed.

"Hey! You guys must be tired. Would you like anything to drink?" Gold offered.

"Ice cold water would be great," Riley smiled gratefully and then looked at Ash. "We can head out afterwards. Is that okay with you?"

"Sounds good!" Ash smiled.

With that, the group began to head inside the house, but there was brief snag. Riley stumbled for a moment as there was a force that was pulling back on his cape. The man turned around and saw Marina still had a hold of it.

"Um…excuse me," Riley said as politely as he could.

"Oh! Sorry!" Marina replied and blushed in embarrassment. She then quickly hurried ahead until she was walking alongside Jimmy.

* * *

"So, you all are planning on going to the Master Class and Silver Conference together," Riley figured as he took a sip of water.

The group was all seated in Gold's living room, right now. Crystal and Lyra had also just come over to join them and see Riley and Yellow again. Of course, there wasn't enough room on the sofas or chairs for everyone so a few people sat on the floor, namely Ash, Misty, Brock, Lyra, and Jimmy. Lyra sat closest to Ash and Jimmy, but they didn't pay her any mind.

"That's right," Ash replied. "Gold and Ms. Crystal said they would drive us to Mt. Silver themselves so it'll save us a lot of walking."

"That's very nice of you all," Yellow smiled.

"Well, we figure our kids have had enough traveling for one year. Besides, I have to be there to watch, and Crys wants to come, too," Gold shrugged.

"Are you coming, Uncle Riley?" Ash asked.

"Sorry, Ash. I won't be there. I wish I could. I'll make sure to keep track of you on TV, though," Riley frowned before he continued. "I've been called to another assignment."

"Oh," Ash sighed a slightly disappointed tone. "I suppose you can't tell me what it is."

"Well, this isn't top secret or anything," Riley replied. "I'm going to the Hoenn Region. There have been a lot of instances lately of thievery from the Devon Corporation."

"What's the Devon Corporation?" Ash questioned.

"It's the one of the largest distributors of Pokemon goods in the world," Riley answered. "It even rivals the Silph Company."

"Why won't the police investigate this?" Crystal asked this time.

"They are, but these crimes aren't being committed by normal thieves," Riley sighed. "There is no clear connection with the items being stolen. There's also reason to believe that more than one group is involved with the thievery. Whether they work together or not, nobody knows yet."

"It sounds like this Devon Corporation has a bit of a security problem," Misty frowned.

"Some of the thieves are disguised as Devon employees which make it easy to steal from," Yellow interjected.

 _"Just like with the Silph Company and Radio Tower,"_ the group thought.

"Right. They want me to be in Rustboro City where the Devon Corporation is so I can use my aura to try to make a connection with everything stolen and find out who the thieves might be," Riley stated.

"Cool! So, aura can be used to find the bad guys?" Jimmy questioned.

"Well, not exactly, but I can sense what's in a person's heart and be able to tell which of the employees have malicious intent and which ones don't," Riley responded.

"So, that means you should have this wrapped up pretty quickly, right?" Ash asked.

"That's the hope," Riley said. "I just won't be able to make it back in time for the Silver Conference."

"The government sure keeps you busy," Gold commented as he took a swig of soda.

"Yeah," Riley chuckled. "I'll have Yellow with me, though, so it's all good."

"Ms. Yellow's going, too?" Serena asked.

"I am. Riley does all this stuff by himself so he could use a friend with him. He's the only one actually getting paid for this, though," Yellow smiled.

Ash almost had to suppress a smirk at his uncle. Heh. Here Riley was trying to deny that there was anything going on between him and Yellow. Yet he's taking Yellow with him where her ESP probably won't even be necessary to help solve this case. She was just going as a _friend_. Yeah. Okay, Riley.

"Will you and Ms. Yellow still have time to train me and Serena with that going on?" Ash questioned.

"Of course, Ash. Riley and I don't plan on being gone that long. There are many lessons in store for you and Serena," Yellow replied.

"Yeah," Riley agreed. "Learning how to use aura and ESP takes a lot more than just one lesson. It took your dad and I a couple of years to master it, and we were older than you and Serena are when we started. Even today, we don't have all the secrets of aura unlocked. It's just a continuous process."

Ash smiled. That was good, then. Riley was still going to make plenty of time to see him for aura training. The fact that this was going to be quite a long process meant it was all the more time to spend with his uncle.

"Well, if it's alright with everyone, I think I'll head out now since it's the afternoon," Riley stated and stood up from the couch."

"I'll be leaving, as well," Yellow added and turned to Serena and Ash. "Are you two coming with us?"

"Yes!" the two answered eagerly.

"Will you all be staying for dinner?" Crystal asked as the four made their way to the door.

"You're all too kind," Riley replied with a tip of his blue hat.

"Nonsense! Crys may not look like it, but she's a great cook!" Gold smirked.

"Thank you, Gold...wait. What do you mean by I don't _look_ like it?!" Crystal asked heatedly and placed her hands on her hips.

"There they go again," Jimmy sighed.

"We'd love to have you, Mr. Riley and Ms. Yellow. Just keep it in mind. You better leave before in case they start arguing again, though," Marina chuckled nervously.

"We have to play peacemaker," Lyra added.

"Well, okay," Riley said in an unsure tone as he and Yellow left. Ash and Serena, however, hung back.

"What are you all going to do?" Ash asked the rest of the group.

"Well, you know me, Ash. I can't get enough knowledge from Gold about Pokemon breeding," Brock smiled.

"And Crystal's water Pokemon knowledge has me hooked," Misty added.

"We'll probably just hang out with them," Jimmy shrugged.

"Okay, then. We'll see you all later," Serena smiled with a wave.

"You, too!" everyone else called back except Gold and Crystal.

Ash and Serena shut the door behind them with wide smiles on their faces. Pikachu and Togetic followed them. It was finally time to start their lessons. As they walked out, the two noticed Yellow whispering something to Riley. Once she saw Ash and Serena, she immediately stopped and waved at them.

Serena and Ash gave each other a strange look. What was Yellow saying to Riley? They couldn't help but think it had something to do with Serena from the way Yellow was looking at Serena once she stopped talking.

"Come on, you Slowpokes! Let's go!" Riley called.

Ash and Serena gave one more glance before they shrugged. They joined Riley and Yellow as they took them to their respective places to start everything.

* * *

Ash, Riley, and Pikachu were out in the field by New Bark Town. There was no one else in the area so they weren't worried about being disturbed. Ash looked around as Riley merely stood in front of him with his arms crossed. Ash gave a puzzled look to his uncle who merely said nothing. Finally, Ash couldn't take it anymore and let out a sigh.

"So…," Ash began.

"Ash," Riley began. "Do you sense anything unusual?"

Ash once more looked back at his uncle. What did he mean by that? They were out in the middle of an open field. It was just him, Riley, and Pikachu, right?

"No," Ash replied. "Am I supposed to?"

"You tell me," Riley said.

Ash frowned as he looked around. Okay. Riley clearly wanted Ash to use his aura to sense something. The only problem was Ash had no idea what it was supposed to be. Riley could see his nephew struggling so he let out a light chuckle.

"It seems you could use a hint," Riley figured. "Are we the only ones here?"

Okay. So, this was what Riley was implying. Now that Ash thought about it, he always knew of an unseen presence around Riley. He would feel it sometimes, but he would never see it. Ash closed his eyes and concentrated. If he could reach within and find that power like before, he might be able to pinpoint exactly where…

"Too slow!" Riley suddenly said.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried.

There was a whoosh, and a furry pawed hand wrapped itself around Ash's throat. Ash gave a startled gasp and writhed away from the surprise grab. Ash was panting and turned to see his uncle give a hearty laugh. Ash then looked and saw a Pokemon he had never seen before in front of him. The Pokemon wasn't laughing, but Ash could see an amused smirk on its face.

"First thing's first to use your aura, Ash," Riley informed between his laughs. "Always assess your situation and use your senses to check your surroundings. That way you won't ever be caught by a surprise attack like that."

"That was hardly fair," Ash frowned. "How was I supposed to know?"

"It was all in good fun, Ash," Riley replied once he stopped laughing, but he was still smiling. "I wasn't expecting you to find Lucario. That would've been remarkable on your first try. It's always been a master of blending into the environment and remaining unseen.

"Lucario. Is that what this Pokemon is?" Ash inquired.

 _"Yes,"_ the Lucario replied.

"Woah!" Ash cried as he fell on the ground in surprise again. "That Pokemon can talk?"

Ash had heard Pokemon talk before like Team Rocket's Meowth or the Slowking on the Orange Islands. Some of the legendary Pokemon and Mewtwo were able to speak through their mind, as well. This was still quite unexpected, though.

"Well, not technically," Riley responded. "It's using its aura to project the human speech through its mind audibly."

"Piiiiika?" Pikachu said as it inspected to Pokemon. The Lucario then knelt down one knee and nodded to the yellow rodent. Pikachu then gave it a V-shape with its fingers to show it thought the Pokemon was pretty okay.

"Hmm…Lucario," Ash muttered as he had finally gotten over his shock enough to pull out his national dex to scan it.

"Lucario, the aura Pokemon. No creature is invisible to a Lucario because it can sense their auras. It is able to read others' thoughts and movements," the machine informed.

"That's true for aura in people, as well," Riley added. "When you learn to properly use your aura, you'll be able to sense everyone and everything around you."

"Now that you mention it," Ash brought up. "The last few times I saw you, I have sensed that something else was there, but I didn't know what it was. That Lucario was it, right?"

"Hey. That's right," Riley said with as smile. "You didn't sense it this time, but I'm still surprised you were able to notice Lucario was there in the past. This Lucario is my aura partner. Anywhere I am, it's there, too."

"Thought so," Ash said.

"It seems you aren't as stealthy as you thought if my nephew noticed you before," Riley said to Lucario.

 _"It appears I must redouble my efforts,"_ Lucario projected.

"So, Lucario was there with you in the Orange Islands, too?" Ash inquired.

"Yes, but we weren't together. We were investigating separate islands at the time to cover more ground, but Lucario will be going with me to Hoenn," Riley responded.

"So, do all aura users have a partner Pokemon like you do?" Ash questioned. "Will I get one in the future?"

Riley rubbed his chin as he thought about it. "Well, I guess you could say there is a Pokemon each aura user chooses to be their most trust companion. When they do, they form an unbreakable bond that allows them to communicate with each other at any given time with aura. With me, it's Lucario. With Red, it's his Dragonite, and with you, it wouldn't surprise me if that ended up being your Pikachu when you're ready."

Ash looked at Pikachu, and the yellow rodent looked back with big smiles on their faces. So, if what Riley said was true, that meant they would be able to communicate back and forth inside their minds through the use of Ash's aura. Though Ash could already understand the gist of what Pikachu was saying most of the time, it would be really cool to actually fully comprehend it. It would be just like a regular conversation.

"That's so awesome!" Ash exclaimed and pumped his fists.

"You'll really be able to communicate with all your Pokemon," Riley continued. "Only with your chosen Pokemon, however, will you have your aura bond."

Ash smiled, but then he thought of something. An aura bond. An inseparable bond that very few people or Pokemon are able to obtain. Ash was reminded of what Lance told him back at the Lake of Rage a while back. He spoke of a bond that was so strong that a Pokemon may even take on part of its trainer's appearance. Ash was amazed, but he also didn't know if it was quite possible because reported accounts of it had been so rare. Could he only reach that potential with an aura bond to his Pokemon?

"With that, let's start," Riley began. "As I said, to master aura, it takes a strong soul. Do you have a strong soul, Ash?"

"Yes," Ash nodded.

"I can't hear you!" Riley hollered.

Ash almost suppressed a laugh at Riley's antics before he gave a shout. "Yes!"

"Then the first thing you need to know is how to start it," Riley stated.

"Start it?" Ash questioned.

"That's right," Riley nodded. "As an aura user, there will be instances when you have to use it a lot, but the most basic of them all is how to activate it at will."

"So, what do I have to do?" Ash wondered.

"Think back to all the times you have had to use your aura in the past," Riley told him. "When did it ever work for you?"

Ash rubbed his head as he tried to think. His aura usually seemed to save him when he or his friends were in a time of danger. Things would be at their worst, and then his aura would bail them all out…most of the time, anyway.

"It works when I'm in danger," Ash said. "So, do I have to be in danger to activate it?"

"No, of course not," Riley responded with a shake of his head. "Think of what you're feeling doing those times. Since aura is based on your soul, that means it activates when you are experiencing a great emotion, whether it be fear, anxiety, happiness, or bravery. You need to find one thought that makes you feel that way. I always choose something happy, if it's all the same to you."

Ash gave a light chuckle and nodded his head. He supposed that made perfect sense. So, all Ash had to do was reach inside his soul and try to find a thought that would let him experience a great emotion. His instant thought came to Serena. He imagined her being with him. They were on a date and having no care in the world. They were on a beach, and Serena was in her swimsuit, a bikini. Ash leaned over and kissed Serena. She kissed him back and pressed her body against him. They ran their hands through each other's hair and moaned…

"Ash, you're drooling," Riley uttered.

Ash snapped his eyes open as the daydream left him and wiped his mouth his arm. Sure enough, there was drool on it. Ash blushed in embarrassment while Pikachu began laughing its head off. It was rolling on the ground as if it couldn't contain itself. Ash glared at the yellow rodent, but even Riley and Lucario seemed to be on the verge of laughter.

"I don't think you quite got the idea," Riley said while he rubbed his forehead.

"Well, you told me to think of something that that would cause a great emotion to turn my aura on," Ash protested.

"Well, not _that_ kind of emotion if you know what I mean," Riley sighed. "Try again."

Still a bit embarrassed, Ash nodded. Okay. So, the first one didn't work out the way he thought it would. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He thought of Serena again, only this time, they weren't on a date and doing suggestive things to each other. Serena was smiling at him as the wind blew through her hair. It wasn't a fantasy version of Serena. It was just Serena being herself. Ash walked over to her and put her in a gentle embrace which she returned.

As they hugged, Ash only had one thought in his mind. He wanted to protect Serena. He wanted to be strong enough to save her from anything, including herself. Ho-oh told him that Serena was the evil he had to destroy, but Ash wasn't going to let that happen. He was going to do all he could to prevent it. He was going to protect Serena.

Ash began to feel warm as a soothing sensation washed over him. The raven-haired boy began to feel at ease as he felt more powerful then before. Ash smiled as he could feel his aura activate.

"There you go, Ash," Riley nodded.

Ash opened his eyes in excitement, and he saw that he had a blue glow around him. He had successfully activated it! Then his smile faded to a frown as the blue glow dissipated. The soothing sensation left him, and he was back to normal.

"And it's gone just as quickly," Riley muttered before he added. "It's okay, though. That's a good start. You just have to learn how to maintain that emotion that you just felt when you activated it. Since you've got the general idea, I want to see you maintain it for a full minute."

Ash nodded his head. He then began to think of the same thought as before. He tried to think of Serena, and how he wanted to protect her. He also began to imagine his other friends. He thought of Brock, Misty, Gary, Leaf, Jimmy, Marina, and Tracy. He thought of his mom. He didn't want to be someone who would fail. He wanted to be strong enough to protect them all. That wasn't all. He knew he could do it, as well.

Ash then felt the warm sensation come over him again, and this time it happened a lot faster. Ash tried not to get overly excited this time. He tried to remain focused. He already knew his aura was activated again, but he had to hold it. He continued to think of his friends and family and about what it meant to be there for him. Riley then spoke again after what seemed like an eternity.

"And…time," Riley declared.

Ash opened his eyes, and the aura left him once again. Ash looked up at Riley and saw that he and Lucario were smiling at him.

"Well done, Ash," Riley nodded.

 _"I agree,"_ Lucario added.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled.

"Just remember to hold those emotions the entire time you are using it. Though it seems difficult right now, it will soon be like a second nature to you. You'll be able to activate your aura at will within no time," Riley smiled.

"Thanks, Uncle Riley," Ash replied gratefully.

"Now, the next thing I want to you to learn is how to use it for balance," Riley nodded.

"Balance? Like what?" Ash questioned.

"I'll show you," Riley responded.

Riley and Lucario then began to glow a light blue before they got down on their hands and knees before they pushed up into a handstand. Ash raised his eyebrow as he wondered what they were doing before he gasped once Riley and Lucario pushed themselves up on their fingers and held it there. Riley and Lucario were supporting their whole body upside down with just a finger! The two continued to hold themselves like that for about ten more seconds before they lowered themselves gently before they was back on their hands and knees. They then stood up and stopped glowing.

"Now, you try," Riley told him.

"Uhhhh…," Ash muttered.

"It isn't as hard as it looks," Riley smiled. "That's why it's part of your first lesson. Just reach in your soul and try to find the aura, and then use it to help right yourself."

"Okay. I'll try," Ash replied and got down on his hands and knees, as well.

Ash then took a deep breath and tried to reach in him to find his aura. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate as Riley, Lucario, and patiently waited for him to start. Ash tried to think of all the instances he could when his aura kicked in. He tried to think of the same thoughts as before that made him activate his aura. He felt the warm sensation go over him, and he pushed himself off the ground into a handstand…and promptly fell over.

"Ow!" Ash cried as he hit the ground.

Ash grimaced in pain as Riley walked over and held a hand out to him. Ash accepted it, and Riley pulled him to his feet. Ash then brushed the dust of his clothes and looked back up to Riley.

"It's okay, Ash. No one ever gets it right the first time. The key is maintain that thought process the whole time, but you also have to focus on what you're doing. Just stay firmly rooted in the idea that you can balance on your finger," Riley told him.

"Alright. I'll do it," Ash nodded.

"Pihihihi," Pikachu snickered. It was looking forward to watching Ash fall flat on his face again.

"Actually, Pikachu, you should begin your lessons, too, if you want to be Ash's partner in this. Lucario will be your personal trainer," Riley said and crossed his arms.

"Pi?" Pikachu asked.

 _"That's correct. You will be doing the same exercises as Ash, only without your aura. Be prepared. I am a very strict teacher,"_ Lucario seemed to smirk as it leered over Pikachu.

Pikachu sweat dropped. Maybe it was laughing at Ash a little too soon.

* * *

Serena and Yellow were in the New Bark Town Park eating ice cream from a cup. They were in a more public place than Ash or Riley, but they were far away enough from the crowd so no one would see what they were doing. Togetic was with them, too. Serena smiled as she ate the treat. It had a been a while since she had a dessert like this, but Yellow was kind enough to buy them some, and then she claimed they would use it for Serena's first lesson later.

"So, what's the purpose of the ice cream?" Serena questioned.

"Nothing, really," Yellow smiled. "I just figured we could use something good and cold before we begin. We're actually going to be using the spoons and the cup."

"Spoon bending?" Serena guessed in amusement. "That sounds like something I would see on a TV show."

"Mmmhmm! As cliché as that sounds, that's exactly what we'll be doing. You see, spoon bending and levitating light objects like this cup are among the most basic practices of telekinesis," Yellow explained. "Once you do that, you can move on to harder things."

"Like what?" Serena asked.

"Just about anything you want. You can even communicate with Pokemon. The common saying is you can do anything you set your mind to, but it's especially true when it comes to ESP," Yellow replied.

The two continued to eat their ice cream and made small talk until they were done. Once they finished, Yellow set the spoon and cup down on the bench they were sitting on, and Serena did the same, and they stood up and faced the bench. Yellow did a quick look to make sure no else was looking before she got a serious expression on her face.

A couple of seconds later, both Yellow's cup and the spoon were surrounded by a small purple glow, and the two objects seemed to be effortlessly lifted into the air by unseen forces. Yellow didn't stop there, however. She began to twist the spoon into several knots rather than just simply bend it. She then wadded up the cup into a ball with her mind before she used her telekinesis to toss the items into the nearest trashcan.

"Wow," Serena muttered.

"Oh. That was easy," Yellow giggled. "It's the large stuff or several objects at once that's a little hard."

"How long does this usually take?" Serena inquired.

"It actually takes a few years to full master it," Yellow replied in thought. "That being said, it varies from person to person. I understand you've already been able to use it a few times in the past."

"I have," Serena confirmed. "But it was just completely by chance. I have no idea how I activated it."

"Well, to master telekinesis, you have to have a strong mind," Yellow told her. "You have to be determined, and your mind has to be completely focused. If it isn't, you won't be able to use ESP at all, whether you have the gift or not. It's all about concentration."

Yellow then walked over and picked up Serena's spoon and handed it to her. The blonde-haired woman then nodded her head.

"Okay, Serena. I need you to concentrate. Focus all your efforts on this one spoon. This doesn't activate the same way aura does, because it's all in your mind," Yellow said.

Serena nodded back and held the spoon up to her face. The honey-haired girl squinted her eyes as she looked at the spoon. Her eyes bore into it as she tried to focus on bending it. Come on, she could do this.

Apparently, the spoon was thinking otherwise. Serena began to grit her teeth as she continued to stare at the spoon. Her eyes bore into it, but the offending object held firm. Serena's face then began to turn red, and she began to sweat. Who knew concentrating like this would take so much effort? Serena began groaning as she struggled to bend the spoon, but nothing happened. Finally, Serena gave up and began to pant.

"Dumb spoon," she muttered.

"Heeheehee! It's okay, Serena. This isn't something you can just get. You may have unknowingly been able to use it in the past, but it's different when you actually try to use it," Yellow informed her. "Take a minute to rest and ease your mind. Then try again."

After a short break, Serena held the spoon in front of her again. The young girl took a deep breath as she prepared her mind again. She wasn't going to fail this time. This evil spoon was going to bend whether it wanted to or not. Like before, Serena put all of her mind's effort into the spoon. Once that didn't work, she tried it from different angles. Still nothing.

Serena then kept trying. After several more attempts, Serena sighed.

"Still no good," she frowned.

"Why don't try something different then?" Yellow suggested. "See if you can lift that cup. It's the same basic concept. Just focus all of your mind on lifting the cup."

Serena nodded before she set the spoon down and instead focused on the cup. Okay. Maybe lifting things would be a little bit different. After all, she was able to levitate herself and Mareep at once. This would certainly be easier. Of course, the only difference now is that she is actually _trying_ to levitate something.

Just like with the spoon, however, the cup refused to move. Serena started staring at the cup so intently that she could've developed an eye strain. She was starting to get a little frustrated. She could do this! She could! Serena gave a yell at the cup in order move it.

It must've worked, but not in the way Serena wanted. The cup flew off the bench and went straight towards Serena and hit her square in the forehead. Serena gasped from the sudden impact and grabbed her forehead. She then glared at the cup as it fell to the ground and rolled a short distance before stopping.

"Well, you did move it that time," Yellow shrugged.

"This is harder than I thought," Serena groaned as she sat down on the bench.

"Don't feel bad, Serena. This takes a lot of practice. As I said, it can take years to fully master it, and there's still new stuff you can learn all the time. I still learn new things," Yellow encouraged and sat down next to her. Togetic flew into Serena's lap and settled there before it gave an encouraging cry.

"So, do you really think I'll be able to control my ESP then?" Serena questioned.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Yellow asked.

"Well, you know…," Serena trailed as she rubbed Togetic's head.

Yellow then understood what Serena was talking about and gave her a comforting smile. She then reached over and grabbed the girl's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.

"Don't worry about what happened back in Olivine City, Serena. That's over and done with. Even though you lost control of your ESP there, it's settled since then. Your emotions and memories have sorted themselves out since then so you're back to how you were before," Yellow said kindly.

The truth was that Yellow did believe that. However, there was also something strange about Serena that Yellow had never realized before. She noticed it first when Serena had hugged her earlier, and she noticed it again when Serena was trying to use her telekinesis. There was just something really off deep inside Serena, and it made Yellow very uneasy. Was all of this new? How come she never noticed it before? Serena was such sweet girl so why was Yellow thinking this?

Yellow would be sure to express her concerns to Riley. She mentioned it earlier to him before they left, but she would be sure to give Riley a detailed explanation after today.

" _I don't think this will affect your training at all, but why I feel this way? Serena, what is going on with you since that Olivine City incident?"_ Yellow trailed in her thoughts.

The pony-tailed woman then smiled to keep Serena from getting suspicious. It was nothing Yellow wanted to point out to Serena yet for fear of worrying the girl. She wanted to talk it over with Riley and have a few more interactions with Serena to decide the best course of action on how to handle this.

"Are you ready to try again?" Yellow questioned.

"Yeah. I think so," Serena replied.

"Remember to have a strong mind and focus," Yellow reminded.

Serena then stood up, and Togetic flew out of her lap to eagerly watch if she could pull it off this time. The young girl was about to try, but she and Yellow noticed someone running towards them. As the person got closer, they could see it was Lyra. Lyra then stopped and didn't look like she was out of breath at all. Serena had to admire the younger girl's energy.

"Hi, Lyra. What's up?" Serena asked her.

"Mom wanted me to let you both know that dinner will be in about an hour so make sure you're back before then!" Lyra said excitedly.

"Okay. We will. Thank you," Yellow replied with a small smile this time.

"See you guys, later!" Lyra said before she ran off and called over her shoulder. "Let's play afterwards, Selena!"

"No, Lyra! It's Serena!" Serena called after the girl, but she was probably already out of earshot.

Serena then let out an annoyed sigh. _"Now I know how Biff must've felt,"_ she thought.

* * *

Far away, in a high security prison in Kanto, a certain green-haired man sneezed.

* * *

 **That wraps up Ash and Serena's first lessons. It seems Yellow has now noticed Serena's darkness. Unlike Ash, she isn't going to keep quiet about it. She won't tell Serena yet, but there will come a time when she will after she figures out how to handle it. That is unless Ash beats her to it.  
**

 **Bagon is still around, too, in New Bark Town. There was just no need to mention it the second half of the chapter.**

 **The next chapter will out later in June! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 68: Larvitar Breaks its Shell**


	69. Larvitar Breaks its Shell

**A/N: Man. I turned 30 this past week, and it made me realize how long I've been working on this series. I started when I was 26. How time flies.**

 **Not much else to say except...enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 68: Larvitar Breaks its Shell

Serena, Marina, and Lyra were outside in the New Bark Town public park. They had been in the town for just under two weeks now, and it was almost the halfway point on their stay here. With only two weeks left before the Master Class, they had all finally stopped playing and were taking their training seriously. That's exactly what they were doing, now.

After a couple of Pokemon swaps from Professor Oak's lab, Serena had Fennekin, Smeargle, Nidorina, Larvitar, who was off to the side, and so were…Fearow and Scyther. While the first three Pokemon were engrossed in discussion with Serena about what they could do for the upcoming Master Class, Fearow and Scyther just stood off to the side rather uninterested.

Larvitar was off the side for a different reason. Even though it had made a resolve to fight its fear of Serena, it still had an aversion to her that it didn't understand. It had tried multiple times to go up to her on its own, and while it did, Larvitar's fear would eventually take over, and it would shy away. Larvitar could tell this hurt Serena's feelings, and it hated to upset her, but it just couldn't shake that ugly feeling no matter how hard it tried.

Larvitar turned to the side and saw Fearow and Scyther. Even though they had indifferent expressions on their faces, they were still rather intimidating. Fearow had its sharp beak, and Scyther had its sharp sickles. The two could tell Larvitar was watching them, and they turned to give a suspicious look to it. With their vicious and irritable natures, Fearow and Scyther didn't warm up to just anyone, even if it was just a Larvitar. Once it saw their looks, Larvitar got a scared look on its face and hardened up.

"You two aren't causing trouble for Larvitar, are you?" Serena questioned as came over to them with her hands on her hips.

Before they could answer, the group saw Ash and Jimmy coming in from a morning jog with Gold. The man had been making Ash and Jimmy do a run with him every morning the past week to whip them in shape for Pokemon training the rest of the day. With the constant traveling Ash and Jimmy already did, the jogs weren't too strenuous, but it did give them a good workout. Pikachu and Togetic had joined them today, but it was easy for Togetic since it just flew.

"Hi, guys! How was your run?" Lyra asked brightly.

"Exhausting," Jimmy muttered.

"But I feel good and ready to train!" Ash added.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed and made a few jabs with its tiny fists.

Fearow and Scyther noticed Ash and gave the boy the evil eye. Ash grimaced and waved to them in a gesture of good will. The two Pokemon were about to retaliate, but an evil eye directed their way courtesy of Serena made them snort in defeat and not attack. However, as soon as Serena turned away Scyther glared at Ash and used its bladed arms to make a cutting motion across its throat with Fearow nodding eagerly. Ash gulped. Those two sure could hold a grudge. What was Serena thinking by bringing both Scyther _and_ Fearow with her?

"So, how has your practice been today?" Ash asked and did his best to avoid even glancing at Fearow and Scyther.

"It's been great! The Master Class allows the performers to use a full team of six! That means we can come up with the best thing ever!" Serena smiled.

"They let you use six? I didn't know that," Ash replied.

"Neither did we until today! We read it in the paper! Aria will be there and wants a good idea of what all of the princess' teams are like. It'll be fabuloso!" Marina beamed.

"So, are these guys the six you are going to use?" Gold questioned.

"Yep!" Serena replied.

"Hmm…," mused Gold as he inspected the annoyed Fearow and Scyther. "Those two look less than thrilled to do this. Are you sure you should use them?"

"Oh, they'll be fine once they give it a chance," Serena responded sweetly.

It may have sounded sweet, but Scyther and Fearow could detect the slightest hint of a threat in her voice which made them sweat drop. Serena's wrath was the only thing they were scared of. They'd rather do a Pokemon Showcase any day than face any repercussions from their trainer. Granted, she had never hurt them before and never would, but she had their respect.

"Anyway, it isn't them I'm worried about," Serena added and gestured to Larvitar.

"Still not any better, huh?" Ash asked sympathetically.

"No. I wish Larvitar would give me a chance. From what you tell me, it enjoys the showcases when it watches me. I think it would be really good, but…you know…," Serena trailed.

Larvitar sighed once it heard Serena's words. Serena had told it that she would've loved to use it in her Master Class performance, and it wanted to. However, how could they work together when Larvitar was afraid to be near Serena? It wanted to get close with her, but it was too scared. No more, though. Larvitar's fists shook as it got a resolute expression and walked towards Serena.

"Larvitar?" Serena questioned as she and others watched when Larvitar got to her.

"Lar!" Larvitar said as happily as it could and held its arms out to Serena.

Serena's eyes shined happily at the gesture. "Oh, thank you, Larvitar!" she said and wrapped her arms around it for a hug.

It seemed like Larvitar would finally accept Serena, and everyone and their Pokemon smiled, even Fearow and Scyther. However, about three seconds later, they saw Larvitar's face tense up, and it turned away from Serena before it hardened itself. Serena's overjoyed expression soon turned one of sadness, and she backed away from it.

"I'm sorry," Ash said quietly as a voice screamed in his mind. _"Just tell her why!"_

"It's not your fault," Serena replied and cast her eyes downward. "I know the problem is me."

"Serena…," Ash trailed and went over to her. "We'll get it worked out. You'll see."

The melancholy atmosphere of the area changed abruptly. Everyone heard the sound of small feet pattering towards them at high speed which immediately put them on alert. Pikachu perked its ears up and turned swiftly around only to find Bagon already leaping over it. The tiny dragon Pokemon continued going through the air, and Ash turned just in time to have Bagon headbutt him in the stomach.

Ash grunted in pain and fell over as the Bagon landed and snickered. It then leaped out of the way as it dodged an Iron Tail from Pikachu. Bagon then gave a troll face at Ash and Pikachu before it gasped in surprise as stubby arms wrapped around it. Bagon turned and discovered Togetic was the culpit. Togetic then gave Bagon a troll face of its own. Oh no! A fairy-type!

"Good job, Togetic," Ash praised as he got up from the ground and glared at Bagon. "You won't get away this time!"

Bagon looked around and saw it was surrounded. Great. It would have to battle its way out of this. Knowing that it couldn't run anymore, Togetic let go of Bagon, and the dragon Pokemon got in a battle stance as did Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu leaped into the air and shot a ray of electric bolts down towards Bagon. Bagon narrowed its eyes and leaped out of the way before it shot an Ember at Pikachu. The yellow rodent easily batted away the small flame bits with its tail which caused Bagon to growl in annoyance. The difference in experience between the two Pokemon was quite obvious. Bagon would have to change its tactics.

Bagon then charged forward at Pikachu hand slammed into it for a headbutt. Pikachu grunted in pain and was pushed back. However, Pikachu grabbed hold of Bagon while it was still pressed inside Pikachu's stomach. Now they had it.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled again.

Pikachu charged up its cheeks and unleashed the attack on the trouble-making Pokemon. It felt oddly satisfying. Bagon cried out in pain before it fell to the ground and coughed out a bit of smoke. It then appeared to collapse in exhaustion, and Ash took that as his cue. He turned his hat backwards and took out an empty pokeball.

"You're mine, Bagon!" Ash yelled and threw the pokeball. "Pokeball, go!"

Everyone looked on in anxiousness as the pokeball soared closer to Bagon. However, at the last second, Bagon smirked and opened it eyes. It then sprang forward and headbutted the pokeball back at Ash. Ash was so surprised that he didn't catch the pokeball in time, and it hit him in the face. Everyone then gasped as their attention shifted to Ash.

Bagon snickered and used that opportunity to make its getaway. It then gave a mighty leap over to Ash and rear-kicked the back of the head to give itself an extra push. Ash felt his eyes could've popped out of his head in comedic fashion as Bagon did that. Ash face planted on the ground as Bagon used the momentum to get quite a distance away from the group before it landed on the ground. It then snickered one last time before it sprinted off as fast as its short legs would take it.

"Ash!" Serena cried as she and others went over to see if he was alright.

"I've been violated," Ash mumbled, and everyone chuckled nervously. That at least proved he wasn't injured too seriously.

"Man. Tough break, dude," Jimmy sighed.

"Nngg…," Ash grumbled. Ever since Riley and Yellow left, that Bagon had come by to attack Ash every other day.

The only ones who weren't over there to see if Ash was okay were Fearow and Scyther. The two Pokemon were laughing or squawking at Ash's predicament. That Bagon had done what they could not! They liked that Pokemon! However, a scary face from Serena immediately silenced them.

* * *

It was now the afternoon, and the group hadn't seen anymore of that troublesome Bagon. That was a good thing as it allowed Ash, Serena, and Jimmy to get in some good practice and training. Now, that it was after lunch, the group had all their Pokemon playing at Professor Elm's lab. The only exceptions were Pikachu, Togetic, and Larvitar. The group was going to spend the rest of the day relaxing. What better way to relax than be couch potatoes?

"Come on!" Jimmy shouted at the TV.

Ash, Jimmy, Gold, Brock, Pikachu, and Togetic were all gathered around the TV as they watched the Pokemon match take place. It was a rare match between the Elite Four members of Johto. Right now, it was Will and Palmer duking it out. This type of match up only happened once a year right before the Pokemon League of that region. All of the local Elite Four members would battle each other to have a good warm up before they would ultimately face the victor of that Pokemon League.

Palmer was using a Rhyperior, and Will was using his Xatu. For Ash, it was actually rather nice to see a Rhyperior that wasn't being used for malicious purposes like with Giovanni. Though the hulking Pokemon towered in size and strength compared to Xatu, these were also Elite Four members the group was watching so anything could happen. The battle had gone on for several minutes now, and the two Pokemon had proven to be quite formidable foes to each other.

"Use Stone Edge!" Palmer cried.

"I think not," Will responded as his eyes seemed to gleam under his strange mask. "Xatu, use Psychic!"

Xatu's eyes glowed, and before Rhyperior could summon the large stones, a blue light surrounded it, and it was lifted up into the air. This was rather new to Ash and Jimmy. Most of the time, when a Pokemon used a Psychic attack, it was blast of psychic energy. Here, Xatu was actually using it to control Rhyperior. That was pretty good. Rhyperior continued to writhe in pain as the psychic powers were starting to take its toll on it.

"Hahaha! Your Rhyperior's brute strength is no match for the power of the mind, Palmer," Will smirked.

"You think so?" Palmer asked with a smirk of his own.

Rhyperior gave a roar and managed to break free of the psychic energy before it hurled the Stone Edge at Xatu. The attack crashed into the psychic bird, and it fell to the ground in a heap. It had been defeated.

"Ah, Xatu," Will muttered as his mask peeled off slightly.

"Xatu is unable to battle! The winner is Rhyperior!" the judge cried.

"Quite a match, Will! I always love facing you!" Palmer shouted.

The two Elite Four members then walked towards each other and shook hands for a good battle, though Palmer shook Will's hand a little too eagerly. When they broke, Palmer strolled off while Will slowly walked away while massaging his aching hand.

"We shall now have the match between Karen and Koga!" the announcer shouted as the remaining two Johto Elite Four members made their way onto the battlefield.

"Koga seems to still be doing well since he was accepted," Brock noted.

"Yeah. When I win the Silver Conference, I can't wait to see how much stronger he is than when I battled him before," Ash said.

"Not gonna happen," Jimmy smirked. "That Pokemon League trophy has my name on it."

"We'll just have to see, right?" Ash asked as their attention went back to the battle.

Karen and Koga then walked up to each other. Rather than shake hands, Koga bowed while Karen simply closed her eyes and nodded her head. These two Elite Four members were different than Palmer or Will as they had an air of mysteriousness around them. Koga was like that because he was a ninja while Karen seemed like someone who was hard to figure out with how she carried herself.

"Shouldn't you be there, too, Gold?" Crystal asked as she came into the living room with other girls.

"Hey! No one said you could barge into my house! We're having some quality male-bonding time!" Gold rebutted.

"We came to watch the battles with you!" Marina said brightly as she went over and sat next to Jimmy.

"Umm…weren't you all out doing other…girly things?" Ash asked for lack of a better description.

"Nope! We think these Elite Four battles are pretty good, too, and wanted to watch them with you!" Misty replied as she sat down on a nearby chair.

"Now, we can _all_ spend some bonding time!" Serena finished as she sat next to Ash.

"Dang it," Gold grumbled. "It was supposed to just be the guys this afternoon."

"As the Johto Champion, it's your responsibility to be there to support the Elite Four," Crystal said and folded her arms.

"Responsibility nothing!" Gold replied as he stuffed a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

"What do think they all would say if I told them you were here being lazy?" Crystal asked with a seemingly thoughtful expression.

"Ugh! Fine! You can stay! Just shut up!" Gold cried in exasperation.

"Hmmhmm! You don't have to worry about that! It's always you and Jimmy who shout at the TV," Crystal countered with a smile.

"Well, it could be worse," Ash shrugged as Serena leaned on his shoulder, and he put his arm around her.

Jimmy and Marina saw the gesture from Ash and Serena and tried to follow suit. Serena winked at the two, and Marina took that as cue to rest her head on Jimmy's shoulder. Jimmy blushed furiously when she did that and looked quite nervous, but so did Marina. Ash and Serena couldn't help but look on in amusement. They remembered they once were extremely nervous around each other about doing romantic things at first.

"Marina, if you keep doing this, I'll be too distracted to watch the battle," Jimmy whispered.

Marina gave a huff before she retracted her head and crossed her arms in annoyance. Jimmy chuckled nervously and instead tried to put his arm around her in compensation. Marina just shrugged off his shoulder and purposely faced forward to the TV and away from Jimmy. Jimmy looked towards Ash and Serena for help, but they just shook their heads as if saying he had to do this on his own.

As the match started between Karen's Umbreon and Koga's Venomoth, Lyra quickly got bored as she wasn't that in to watching Pokemon battles. Her high energy didn't allow her to sit still long enough.

"Mom, I'm bored. I'm going outside to play with Khoury," she said.

"Okay, Lyra. Have fun. Be back before supper," Crystal told her.

Pikachu and Togetic liked the idea of playing as well and went to follow Lyra. Ash and Serena didn't mind as they knew the two Pokemon could take care of themselves and Lyra okay. Lyra then went over to Serena.

"Hey, Selena. Do you think Larvitar would want to play, too?" she asked.

Serena sighed as she didn't even try to correct Lyra this time. It was getting to be pretty hopeless. Instead, Serena shuffled through her pokeballs until she found Larvitar's one and opened it up to reveal the rock skin Pokemon.

Larvitar looked around at all the people and got a slightly nervous look on its face. It soon relaxed when Pikachu and Togetic came and took it by the arms.

"Hey, Larvitar. Do you want to go play with Lyra and the others? That sounds like fun!" Serena said.

Larvitar stared at Pikachu, Togetic, and Lyra's hopeful expressions. Well, it wasn't too sure about his Lyra girl as she was too excitable for it. On the other hand, Larvitar knew it could trust Pikachu and Togetic. With that, it nodded its head.

"That's great!" Serena said happily and turned to Lyra. "Here. Take Larvitar's pokeball, too, in case you need it."

"Awesome! We'll be back later! Thanks, Selena!" Lyra called with a wave as she and the other Pokemon left the house.

Serena rolled her eyes and turned back to the TV screen with an annoyed look on her face. The others chuckled nervously at Serena's predicament.

"Sorry about that, Serena. I guess Lyra's so hyper she doesn't pay attention to what you tell her," Crystal said apologetically.

"At least it's pretty close," Misty tried.

"Alright, _Milly_ ," Serena shot back.

Misty turned beet red as Marina and Crystal giggled. Gold, meanwhile, had an even more annoyed look than Serena as he tried to watch the Pokemon battle.

"I thought these girls said they would stay quiet," he grumbled under his breath.

* * *

Lyra, Khoury, Pikachu, Togetic, and Larvitar were all gathered outside in the New Bark Town Park. Lyra placed her hands on her hips to look around at everyone. It was her turn to decide what game they should play. Actually, it was always her turn as Khoury never really spoke up about what he wanted to do.

"Alright! Let's play hide and seek!" Lyra suggested.

"Okay, but who should be _it_ first?" Khoury asked as he adjusted his glasses.

"You, of course!" Lyra stated.

"What? Why do I have to go first?" Khoury protested.

"Because I said so," Lyra said with a girlish smile.

Khoury frowned but resigned to his fate. This was nothing new for him as Lyra overruled anything he said or did. It was very clear who the leader was of the two.

"Fine…," he sighed

"Great! So, turn around and count to sixty!" Lyra said.

"Yeah. Yeah," Khoury replied and did so.

"Come on. Let's go!" Lyra whispered to the Pokemon once Khoury started to count.

Lyra and the Pokemon then rushed off deeper into the park as they tried to find a suitable place to hide. Larvitar was a little confused by the concept of this game as it had never played hide and seek before. So, the purpose was to hide and not try to be found? What if they got lost? Wouldn't they want to be found? Why try to avoid getting seen by someone?

"There's a good place!" Lyra said as she pointed to a row of bushes by the river.

They then ran over to the bushes and squatted down behind them so they wouldn't be seen. Pikachu and Togetic smiled while Larvitar looked on in curiosity. This was turning out to be a rather strange yet intriguing game for it.

A couple of minutes later, Lyra peeked around and the bushes and quickly withdrew her head and turned to the others. She then placed her finger over her mouth to indicate them to not say anything.

"Khoury's coming. We have to be quiet," she told them.

Larvitar tilted its head in curiosity as it looked through a gap in the bushes and indeed saw the bespectacled boy looking for them. Why did Lyra tell them to keep quiet? They were lost and should call out to Khoury, right? No. That wasn't the idea of this game. They weren't supposed to be found. Larvitar then saw Khoury look in their direction, and it shrunk back so it couldn't be seen again.

That was strange. Larvitar was wondering why it just did that. Then again, the idea of hiding and not being seen gave it an odd sense of satisfaction. It was actually pretty fun. It then scooted closer to Lyra and the other Pokemon and huddled down with them, too. Lyra, Pikachu, and Togetic smiled when it did that. It seemed like Larvitar is getting into the game, after all.

"Ah hah! Found you!" Khoury said as he peeked around the bushes.

"You have to catch us, first!" Lyra replied as she hastily got up and took off running with the other Pokemon.

The chase was on as everyone scattered away from Khoury. He looked around as he decided who to give chase to and chose Larvitar. As he darted after it, Larvitar saw the boy coming with a determined smile on his face, and it picked up speed. As Larvitar was being chased, it began to have even more fun. It had a desire to outrun Khoury, and it wasn't because it was afraid of him. It was so it could avoid being it. Larvitar even started laughing as it ran.

"I'm going to get you!" Khoury called out to Larvitar as he chased it.

Larvitar could see that Khoury was gaining on it, so it knew it had to lose him fast. Larvitar saw a fallen tree limb that was hanging above the river and knew that would be a perfect place to get away. It climbed the rotted part of the tree until it was running along the huge limb and reached the end of it. Khoury stopped once he saw Larvitar do that and got a worried expression on his face. He wasn't about to chase Larvitar onto that limb.

"Hey! I don't think you should do that!" Khoury called.

"Lar!" Larvitar replied happily as it bounced up and down.

Larvitar didn't want to come down. It was having too much fun. Besides, Larvitar knew that if it came down, Khoury would be able to catch it. Nope. It was fine right here until Khoury caught someone else.

"No! Really! You should come down! That isn't safe!" Khoury tried again.

By now, Lyra, Togetic, and Pikachu had joined Khoury. They had temporarily put the game on hold until Lavitar was safe. Knowing that Larvitar wouldn't listen to Khoury, Pikachu and Togetic tried to call out to it.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu cried.

"Toge!" Togetic added.

Larvitar cocked its head to the side as their words reached it. Why were they worried? It was just playing the game to not get caught. Then again…Larvitar looked down and could see the river below the limb, and its happy expression immediately turned to one of fear. They were right. Larvitar began to shiver as it now started to get too afraid to move now that it realized the danger.

"Pika!" Pikachu tried to encourage.

"Lar!" it cried out.

Unfortunately, with Larvitar being a lot heavier than it looked combined with the rotting state of the limb, the limb could no longer support the weight. Larvitar screamed as the limb snapped, and everyone gasped as they thought Larvitar was going to fall into the river. However, it managed to grab a small piece of the limb that was jutting out with one its arms.

"Lar!" it cried for help again.

"Oh no! That limb won't hold for long! What do we do?!" Lyra asked.

"I've got it! Serena gave us Larvitar's pokeball! Let's return it!" Khoury suggested.

"Good idea!" Lyra agreed.

Khoury then got Larvitar's pokeball as he fumbled around with it. His panicky mode was making his fingers not cooperate with what his brain knew needed to be done. However, that also made him accidentally have the pokeball slip from his fingers…right into the river. Lyra, Pikachu, and Togetic all stood dumbfounded as they watched the unfortunate instant take place. The pokeball sank quickly and was soon out of sight as it got washed down the river.

"Khoury, you blockhead!" Lyra shouted.

"I-it was an a-a-accident!" Khoury cried.

"Whatever! Wait here and make sure nothing happens! We have to get the others!" Lyra said frantically as she took off running with Pikachu and Togetic.

"R-right!" Khoury agreed, still rather shaken up.

As the others disappeared from sight, Khoury turned around and watched helplessly as Larvitar dangled about ten feet over the river. It was yelling out cries of help to Khoury, and the boy really wanted to go help it, but there was nothing he could do. There was no way he could get to the part where Larvitar was without the branch snapping completely. Even if he could, Larvitar was too heavy for him to rescue.

"Don't worry! They're getting help! You'll be safe soon!" Khoury tried in an attempt to keep Larvitar calm. He just hoped they could get here in time.

* * *

Lyra, Pikachu, and Togetic burst through the door to Gold's home and hastily rushed into the living room. Everyone turned in alarm when they saw their panicked expressions, and Crystal was the first to stand up.

"Sweetie, what's wrong? Where are Khoury and Larvitar?" she asked.

"That's the thing! Larvitar's in trouble! Khoury's watching it! We have to hurry!" Lyra said urgently.

"What happened?!" Serena cried as she stood up, too.

"I'll tell you on the way! We have to go now!" Lyra cried with the Pokemon agreeing.

"We're on it! Let's go!" Gold said as everyone hurried out the door.

* * *

The group soon made it over to the river where Khoury was. Thankfully, Larvitar was still hanging on, though barely. As soon as they saw Larvitar's predicament, Gold took out his Pokegear and dialed Professor Elm's number.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to drop Larvitar's pokeball in the river!" Khoury cried between tears.

"It's okay, Khoury. We know you didn't," Crystal soothed as she gave the boy a hug. Gold then got on the phone with Professor Elm.

"Professor Elm! It's an emergency! Get our Pokemon over here to the park river as soon as you can!" Gold ordered and hung up.

"We don't know how long Professor Elm will take! Isn't there something else we can do?" Serena tried.

"Like what? None of us have our Pokemon with us. They're all at Elm's lab," Gold replied.

"There has to be something. We can't just let Larvitar hang there," Ash said and scrunched up his face in thought.

Serena wasn't going to wait around for help to arrive, however. She knew Gold and Crystal were just finding the safest solution, but the problem was they had no idea how much time Larvitar had. That limb that Larvitar was dangling from was pretty flimsy and wouldn't hold forever. If it were to snap, there would be no way Larvitar would survive the fall into the river. It would literally sink like a stone and drown.

"Brock, Jimmy, Ash, hold that branch steady. I'm going to get Larvitar," she stated.

"What? Serena, you can't do that! We don't know if that branch will support both you and Larvitar," Brock countered.

"I don't care!" Serena replied.

"Please, Serena. We know you're worried, but we can't let you do anything rash and have you put in danger, too," Crystal tried to reason.

"I know, but I'm not going to take the chance of waiting," Serena said as she made her way to the branch.

"Wait! If one of us has to go, let it be me!" Gold called after her.

"No! Larvitar's my Pokemon so it's my responsibility. Besides, we need to put the least amount of weight on the log as possible!" Serena rebutted.

Gold grit his teeth, but he knew Serena was right. He couldn't keep her by force as that wouldn't be right so Gold could do nothing but watch as Serena got on the branch. Brock, Jimmy, and Ash held the branch while the girls and Khoury stayed behind.

Serena climbed up the rotted part until she was on top of the branch. The girl then took a deep breath before she began to slowly crawl across the log towards Larvitar. She knew this was dangerous, but Larvitar was her Pokemon. She knew Ash would do the exact same thing if any of his Pokemon were in this predicament. How his rashness had rubbed off on her since they started traveling together.

Everyone wanted to be in Serena's place right now so she wouldn't have to. However, what she said made sense about light weight, and Serena was the lightest of them with the exception of Jimmy, Marina, Lyra, and Khoury. There was no way they were going to send the younger kids to go, though. They had no choice but let Serena do this and pray nothing happened.

Gold got on his Pokegear again. "Professor Elm, hurry up! Serena's already put herself in danger! We can't wait!" he shouted.

"I'm already on my way with the pokeballs! I can't go any faster!" Professor Elm said frantically from the other side.

"Try to!" Gold ordered and hung up again.

Serena continued to inch her way across the log as carefully as she could. Larvitar saw her coming and grit its teeth. It gave a call of distress out to her.

"I'm almost there! Just hang on, Larvitar!" Serena told it.

Serena soon reached within arm's distance of Larvitar. She then wrapped one arm around the limb and stretched out her other just in front of Larvitar. She knew Larvitar was going to be quite heavy for its size, but she was prepared.

"Grab my hand, Larvitar! I'll pull you to safety!" Serena said.

Larvitar took one of its stubby arms and went to reach for Serena. However, it soon got the scary feeling in the pit of its stomach again, and it retracted its hand. Larvitar's face then teared up, and it turned away from Serena.

"Please Larvitar! Take my hand! I'm here to help you! Don't be afraid of me!" Serena called frantically.

Larvitar continued to shiver as it refused to look at Serena. The truth was Larvitar was angry with itself. Here it was in a life-threatening situation, and even then it couldn't stand thought of Serena touching it. She just exhibited a really scary feeling deep in her soul, and that made it too afraid to even accept her help.

"Lar…," it muttered fearfully.

"This can't be happening! Not now! Larvitar is too afraid to let Serena help it," Brock said through gritted teeth.

"Can't you see?! I'm trying to help you! Please take my hand!" Serena pleaded.

"Larvitar, just take her hand!" Ash yelled as everyone else joined in to encourage Larvitar to do it.

"Trust me!" Serena implored.

Everyone then gasped as they saw the limb begin to bend over due to the combined weight on it, and then they heard a small snap. There wasn't a lot of time left. Serena noticed it herself and winced as she turned back to Larvitar.

"There isn't much time left before we fall! Please! I'm trying to save you!" Serena cried.

"Serena, you have to get off that log before it snaps!" Ash warned.

"I'm not leaving without Larvitar!" Serena said resolutely before she addressed Larvitar again. "I don't care even if you ever touch me again after this as long as your safe! I care about you, Larvitar! I just want you to be well and live a good life! Just please take my hand this once! Please!"

Larvitar cracked its eyes open and could see the worried expression on Serena's face. Her hand was outstretched towards it well with in its reach. All Larvitar had to do was just let go with one of its arms and reach back, and she could pull it to safety. Then everything would be okay.

Seeing Serena plead like this did make Larvitar feel bad. She really did want to save it, but it was letting its dumb fear get in the way. Larvitar knew the resolution it made to try to get close to her would be meaningless if it couldn't even let her save its life. Even so, it was strange. If Serena was this scary person that Larvitar made her out to be, why was she trying so hard to save it that she was putting her life in danger? It didn't make sense.

The only thing Larvitar could come up with was that she couldn't be a bad person. She genuinely wanted to care for it and love it just like any trainer would for their Pokemon. She was one of the first things it saw when it hatched, after all. Larvitar wasn't naïve enough to think Serena was its real mother, but it did know that she was special. Larvitar could feel its fear as it sensed what was inside Serena, but it wasn't going to let that bother it anymore! It was tired of being afraid of Serena, and it was tired of seeing her hurt because of it!

Larvitar got a determined look on its face. It finally pushed aside its fear and reached towards Serena. The girl's eyes brightened up considerably once it did that, as did everyone else. Larvitar was actually trusting Serena!

"Thank you, Larvitar! That's it! Just a little more!" Serena encouraged as Larvitar continued to get its arm closer to her.

Finally, Larvitar managed to grab onto Serena. It was almost a metaphor once that happened. There was a huge gap separating the two, but the connecting of their hands bridged the gap that was between them. Serena had to resist the urge to sniff and wipe her eyes that Larvitar finally agreed to accept her help. She then began to pull back as she prepared to bring Larvitar over to her.

That's when the branch snapped all the way.

"No!" Ash screamed as Serena and Larvitar both plunged into the rushing river.

Ash then let go of the log and made a mad dash to jump in the river, but he was quickly caught by Brock and Jimmy.

"Don't dude! You'll be swept away, too!" Jimmy shouted.

"Not even an experienced Pokemon trainer can fight that river! We need our Pokemon!" Brock told him.

"Serena!" Ash yelled anyway.

"Dang it, Elm! Where are you?!" Gold screamed angrily and turned around to tear through the park to find him.

"This is all our fault!" Lyra sobbed as she and Khoury began to cry.

"No! I promise you it's not!" Crystal tried to soothe, but there was just too big of mess right now to really do anything. Serena and Larvitar were being swept away. Ash, Jimmy, and Brock were running along the edge of the river after them. Lyra and Khoury were crying, and Gold had run off to find Professor Elm. Crystal had no idea what to do and felt completely helpless.

Meanwhile, Serena's head was constantly going above and below the water. She was spluttering water as she tried her best to keep afloat. It wouldn't have been too hard to swim to the edge of the shoreline if she was by herself. However, the problem was that Larvitar was weighing her down heavily. She was using every ounce of her arm strength to try to lift Larivitar above the water, but she simply wasn't strong enough. Serena was worried that Larvitar would end up drowning if she couldn't pull it up fast enough.

"Here! Grab on!" Ash hollered as he, Jimmy, and Brock outstretched a long limb for her.

Serena swiped at the limb and managed to graze it, but the current quickly pulled her out of its reach. The boys continued to chase Serena down steam and made several attempts to get the branch to her, but she missed every time due to the huge weight that was Larvitar pulling her down. If there was a time her ESP would start working, now would be a great time.

"Oh, no," Brock muttered as he saw what was coming up.

Ash, Jimmy, and Serena didn't like the sound of that. They had seen it a million times on movies and read it in books. They didn't think it could actually be real, though. They all looked in the direction Brock was looking and saw it for themselves. A waterfall was looming not too far ahead of them.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ash shouted.

"That's the waterfall that eventually leads to Tohjo Falls!" Jimmy informed them.

"Come on, Serena! You can grab it!" Ash pleaded desperately as they outstretched the limb again.

Once again, Serena made a futile attempt to catch hold of the limb. The force and weight on her was just too much, and she was starting to wear out. If something didn't happen fast, she would fall under the water, too, and then she and Larvitar would be in really big trouble.

"I-I can't," Serena coughed.

The waterfall began to loom ever closer. Though it was still some distance away, it would also come up very quickly as the current grew stronger. Serena puffed out her cheeks as she went under herself. She had to find a way to push Larvitar above the water even if it mean sacrificing her own air. Larvitar was her Pokemon, and she wasn't about to let it drown.

"Got 'em!" Gold hollered as he appeared with Professor Elm.

Misty was still nearby, and she hastily grabbed her pokeballs from Professor Elm. She then took a quick look to see which ones she wanted.

"Starmie, Politoed, Corsola, I choose you!" Misty shouted.

The three Pokemon appeared from their respective pokeballs and took off at breakneck speed through the water to catch up to Serena. However, another Pokemon decided to pop out, too.

"Psy aye aye!" Psyduck cried as it went into the water, too.

Unfortunately, Psyduck couldn't swim, either, and it began to be carried away by the river. It flapped its arms wildly in an almost comical fashion as it was swept away.

"Psyduck! This is no time to be a hero when you can't swim yourself!" Misty hollered as she returned it.

The water Pokemon continued to swim as fast as they could. Even so, Serena's eyes began to droop as exhaustion overtook her, and who knows how long Larvitar was in the water for? Still, she had to stay afloat. Serena heaved with all the might in her arm, and Larvitar was brought up. Larvitar was coughing up water and spluttering as it flailed wildly.

"Hang on just a little longer. I won't let you go," Serena said tiredly. That's when she lost consciousness and went under.

Even though it was in trouble, Larvitar was still surprised at Serena's words and actions. She was actually sacrificing her own safety for it. Even though they were being swept away by the river, she still hadn't let go of it even though she could've done so easily to save herself. They were only in this situation because it had been too scared go take her hand, but she still was making sure it was okay over herself.

Larvitar felt its heart grow for its trainer at the thought. It had no idea what that strange feeling it got around her was, but it had to be completely groundless. All of the other people it knew and even her Pokemon didn't feel that way around her. Larvitar knew it was completely by itself with those thoughts. The other Pokemon were around Serena and touched her all the time, and they were okay. Why should it be any different? For the first time since it's been with Serena, it felt true worry for her as it saw her go underwater.

"Lar!" it called out in distress.

Thankfully, Politoed, Starmie, and Corsola reached them at that point. However, they had to work quickly because the waterfall was coming up really fast. Starmie went underwater and got underneath Serena to push her towards the surface. Once her head was above water, Corsola and Politoed then grabbed hold of them and began to make their way towards the riverbank.

Ash, Brock, and Jimmy had their hands outstretched and grabbed hold of Serena and Larvitar before pulling them onto the dry land. By that time, the rest of the group was making their way over to them, as well. Brock then happened to spot a pokeball that was caught on a piece of debris in the middle of the river. It could be none other than Larvitar's pokeball. Politoed saw it, too, and was quick to retrieve it and brought it on shore, too. Misty thanked her Pokemon before she returned them as everyone went to check up on Serena and Larvitar.

Serena was still unconscious as everyone was around her, but surprisingly, the closest one to Serena was Larvitar. It was shaking her gently in worry as it tried to wake her up. After a couple of seconds, Serena gave a small groan and slowly opened her eyes. She first noticed everyone around her before she noticed Larvitar. One it saw her awake, Larvitar gave a genuine smile.

"Are you…okay, Larvitar?" she asked.

Larvitar quickly nodded its head to show that it was, but it was more concerned about Serena. It reached out and took her hand in worry, and that action surprised everyone. With the exception of when it just grabbed her hand while hanging from the branch, that was first time Larvitar touched Serena on its own free will.

"Thank you, Larvitar. I'm so glad you're alright," she whispered.

"We're sorry! Please forgive us! We're sorry!" Lyra quickly apologized.

"We shouldn't have let it go to the river!" Khoury added.

"No. It's okay. Really," Serena reassured them. "We're all okay in the end."

"You aren't hurt anywhere, are you?" Crystal asked.

"I think I might have a couple of scratches from when the limb broke, but I'm okay," Serena replied before she turned to Larvitar. "Larvitar, thank you for trusting me."

Larvitar looked back at its trainer's sincere expression and couldn't help but smile itself. It had let her help it, and she was able to lead it back to safety and make sure it was taken care of. She really did care for it. Larvitar then made the decision to finally put aside its uneasiness around Serena and trust her completely. Though the feeling still remained, Larvitar would ignore it, now. It then gave Serena a small hug to show her everything was okay between them.

"Oh, Larvitar," Serena said as she sat up and hugged it back. "I know that you still have that feeling around me, and have no idea what it is. Just know that I'll never hurt you, and I'll always take care of you."

Larvitar nodded its head show it believed Serena. The rest of the group smiled at the heartwarming scene. It seemed like Serena was finally able to speak to Larvitar's heart. She didn't do it through words, however. She did it through actions. She had finally earned Larvitar's affection.

"Also," Serena added as they broke the hug. "I'd really like it if you participated in the Master Class with me. I bet when we work together with the others, we'll be able to come up with some great ideas. We'll really impress the audience."

At that, the group saw Larvitar tense up a little bit. They all got nervous looks on their faces as they figured maybe Larvitar wasn't completely healed, after all. Serena then got an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry. I guess we're moving too fast. One step at a time, right?" Serena figured.

However, Larvitar's tense expression soon turned to one of joyfulness. It gave a happy cry and smiled brightly. Yes. It would love to help Serena and perform in the Master Class with her. Serena smiled back as she clasped her hands. Serena then had the need to wipe her eyes. She was just so happy Larvitar was allowing her to be close to it, now.

"I think you and I will make a great team, Larvitar," she told it.

"Lar!" it agreed.

"I'm really happy for you, Serena," Ash told her as he gave her a hug. "See? What did I say? Never give up until the end. I knew you'd be able to reach Larvitar. You never gave up on it. That shows the mark that you are a really strong trainer."

"Thank you to much, Ash," Serena replied as she returned the hug.

"So, what kind of things are you going to do with Larvitar, Serena?" Lyra asked.

"Well, I'm thinking of maybe…," Serena began before she paused and looked at Lyra incredulously. "You actually got my name right."

"Huh? Wasn't it always Serena?" Lyra asked with a confused expression.

"Then why did you…you know what? Never mind," Serena replied with a sigh. Maybe she should just leave well enough alone. Lyra finally got her name right, after all. That made two victories for Serena today. Needless to say, she was very happy.

As Ash watched the scene take place, he began to wonder how Larvitar planned to ignore the darkness it undoubtedly felt in Serena. Surely, it was still there, and Ash knew it. His consciousness was bothering him more and more each day he went by without telling Serena, though. Even after reassurance through his uncle that Yellow's training would steer Serena in the right direction, it wasn't fair that she was kept in the dark.

The two had promised each other before that there would be no more secrets between them. That had only led to fights in the past, and Ash knew that if Serena found out that Ash knew without telling her, that would only lead to another fight. There was no difference here. It caused him pain, but Ash knew he shouldn't keep it from Serena.

He wasn't going to do it, now, though. Serena was too busy preparing for her Master Class, and he didn't want to do anything to disrupt her training. Ash didn't know when, but he was going to make the resolve to tell Serena everything. He just hoped it was the right move, and that he wasn't too late.

* * *

 **Serena's finally gotten Larvitar's trust, and Ash has decided to tell Serena about her ultimate fate in the worst case scenario.**

 **Next up is the Master Class followed by the Johto League! The finale is finally approaching after two years! The next chapter will probably be up early in July as I'll be gone on a trip the next week and won't have any time to write. As always, thanks for all the reviews and support. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 69: The Master Class Performances  
**


	70. The Master Class Performances

**A/N: Happy July 4th to those who celebrate it!**

 **We're finally here at the Master Class. Then it's finally the Silver Conference. I hope you all enjoy the coming chapters!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 69: The Master Class Performances

"Wooooow," Serena uttered in awe as she stepped out of Crystal's car along with the other girls.

The boys were in equal awe as they got out of Gold's vehicle. Everyone had just arrived at Mt. Silver. They were there for Serena's Master Class Tournament and Ash and Jimmy's participation in the Silver Conference. What stood before them was a huge castle with several stores lined up along an already busy street. The Master Class didn't start until tomorrow, but it was still packed here.

"I'm actually going to be competing inside there," Serena said as she took in the view of the castle.

"That's amazing," Misty agreed.

"It'll make you feel like a real princess," Marina added.

As the girls viewed the castle, Ash and Jimmy looked off to the side and could see a huge stadium with several smaller ones in the distance. There was no doubt that would be where the Silver Conference would take place.

"Check it out," Ash said.

"Check it out indeed, Ashy boy! That's the best look you'll get from it since you have to pass the preliminaries. I doubt you can do it," an arrogant voice remarked behind him.

Ash froze when he heard that voice. It couldn't be. He slowly turned around to discover none other than Gary Oak standing there with his arms folded and a cocky smile. However, the smirk morphed into a genuine smile as Gary gave a nod to Ash.

"Good to see you again, Ash," Gary said.

"Gary!" Ash exclaimed as he ran over to him.

The two rivals turned friends gave a high five to each other before they did a firm handshake. The others had noticed Gary, too, and hurried over to see him.

"Hi, Gary!" Serena chirped as she gave a him a hug.

"What's up, Serena?" Gary asked as he returned the hug. "I take it you're here for the Master Class?"

"I am!" Serena replied. "It's so good to see you!"

Gary smiled back before he shook hands with Brock and Misty. "Hey, you two. Are you keeping Ashy-boy here and Serena out of trouble?"

"Well, we try to anyway!" Brock laughed.

"They're a little hard to control, though," Misty said playfully.

As the reunion took place, Jimmy and Marina stood behind somewhat awkwardly. They had heard of Gary Oak from Ash and Serena but had never met him. As Jimmy watched Gary, he realized they were the same in that they were both the sons of region champions. Jimmy already knew that Gary wore his title with pride, and it showed already despite this being Jimmy's first meeting with Gary.

"Oh! Come on over and meet Gary!" Serena called. "He's one of our friends from Pallet Town!"

Jimmy and Marina went over stood before Gary. The spiky-haired boy nodded and held his hand out to them.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Gary Oak. I take it that you two are Jimmy and Marina," he introduced.

"Yeah. That's us," Jimmy replied as he shook Gary's hand.

"Fabulous to meet you!" Marina beamed.

"I'm Lyra!" Lyra said enthusiastically as she shook Gary's hand. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Wait. What? Uhh…umm…," Gary said nervously.

It wasn't very often that Gary Oak could get flustered. The young girl, Lyra, had obtained a feat that neither Ash or Serena had been able to do ever since they knew Gary. Thankfully, Crystal was there to come to the rescue.

"Lyra, that isn't the first thing to ask somebody after you meet them," Crystal scolded before she sighed. "Honestly."

"Hmm…the son of Blue," Gold mused.

"Oh, hi," Gary said to Gold and Crystal. "Ash and Serena have been staying with you all, right?"

"That's right. It's wonderful to meet you, Gary," Crystal said as she shook his hand. "We've heard about you from Blue but never got to meet you."

"Same here," Gary replied.

"So, what are you doing here, anyway, Gary? The Silver Conference doesn't start for another week," Ash wondered.

"In case you've forgotten, Ash, Serena's my friend, too. Leaf and I came to watch her showcase and celebrate her birthday," Gary replied.

"Leaf's here, too?" Serena questioned.

"Yeah. She should be over there by one of the food stalls," Gary said with jerk of his head to indicate the direction. "It was her idea to come, but I agreed of course."

"Another friend of Ash and you?" Marina asked Serena.

"Yeah. We've known her just as long as Gary," Serena said.

As if on cue, a slender girl with long chestnut-colored hair approached them. In her each of her hands was a stick of cotton candy. As soon as she saw the group, a big smile stretched across her face.

"If I would've known Gary and I would meet you this soon, I would've bought cotton candy for all of you!" Leaf commented. "Hi, guys!"

"Leaf!" Serena exclaimed as she went up and hugged her friend.

Leaf almost dropped the cotton candy, but she managed to hang on and hug Serena back. "Happy early birthday, Serena. I haven't seen you and Ash in too long."

"It has," Serena agreed as she released Leaf.

Leaf handed the cotton candy to Gary so she could free her hands up before she ran over and embraced Ash. "It's good to see, too, Ash."

"Likewise, Leaf," Ash smiled before he whispered in ear. "Any luck with Gary?"

"No," Leaf whispered back.

"What are you two whispering about? I thought you were with Serena, Ash," Lyra said innocently.

Ash and Leaf jumped back from each other and blushed in embarrassment as Crystal had to scold her daughter once again. Leave it to Lyra to make things really awkward.

"Ahem, anyway, now that we're all here, let's check out some places they have here. I hear there's this really cool store that has a lot of Pokemon merchandise," Serena brought up.

"I'm down for that," Jimmy stated as everyone else agreed.

As they left, Crystal and Gold watched them go with amused expressions on their faces.

"Don't they remind you of us when we would gather for things like this with our friends?" Crystal asked. "I feel nostalgic."

"No," Gold replied flatly.

"Wh-what?" Crystal asked, somewhat offended.

"They have it better," Gold elaborated and smiled.

* * *

The group had spent the rest of the day having fun and catching up with one another. Now, it was the morning of the next day and time for Serena to compete in the Master Class for a chance to become the first ever Johto Queen. However, it was also a special day for a different reason. It was Serena's thirteenth birthday.

Serena hummed to herself as she looked in the mirror and styled her hair in preparation for the performance. She would add the finishing touches and go all out once she got to the showcase, but she still didn't want her hair looking like a Rattata's nest.

Serena could already tell this was going to be one of the best days of her life. She was now officially a teenager, and all of her friends were here to celebrate this achievement with her. As Serena finished her hair and gathered her backpack to go to the performance hall, she realized there was only one thing missing from this to make everything perfect.

She wished her mother was here.

Serena had called Grace last night to tell her about her upcoming Master Class performance. Grace was very quick to warmly wish her daughter the best of luck and a happy birthday. While that was sweet, it wasn't the same as having her here. Serena knew that Grace supported her in everything she did, but she couldn't help but wonder if Grace wished Serena had been a Rhyhorn Racer instead. Then again, that was silly.

Serena opened the door to her room which led out to the Pokemon Center lobby. The others were probably already out there. Leaf, Misty, and Marina were staying in the same room, but they left early and said they had to get something. Serena had no doubt it had to do with her birthday, but she wondered what it could be. As she stepped out into the lobby, Serena got her answer. Her eyes were wide with shock, and her mouth hung open.

Her mother, Grace, was standing there with her arms crossed and a warm smile on her face. It wasn't just her, either. Delia Ketchum and Rose Green were there, too! All the rest of her friends stood around the three adults as they smiled at Serena's reaction. Serena continued to stand in surprise for about ten more seconds before her brain registered what was going on. Serena's eyes teared up, and she ran to her mother.

"Mom!" Serena cried as she embraced her. "You actually came!'

"Of course, I did, sweetheart. I wouldn't miss your thirteenth birthday or your Master Class competition for the world," Grace replied.

"We were really excited, too, and thought we would join her," Delia added.

"This is definitely a special time, and we couldn't miss it, either," Rose said with a wink.

"Thank you all so much for coming. This means a lot," Serena said as she wiped her eyes. Now, everything was perfect. This truly was going to be the best birthday she ever had.

"You'll do wonderful, Serena. I'll feel like the luckiest mother on Earth when I have a queen for a daughter. That would make me the queen mother," Grace joked.

"Mom, I haven't won it yet," Serena giggled before she remembered something. "Oh! There's someone I want you to meet. You haven't met it, yet. Come out, Larvitar!"

Serena released Larvitar from its pokeball, and the rock Pokemon gave a yawn as it was still a little early. Serena then picked it up, though with a bit of trouble, without Larvitar flinching. In fact, Larvitar looked quiet cozy in Serena's arms. Ever since the two had become friends a couple of weeks ago, they had grown closer and closer until Larvitar trusted Serena just as much as her other Pokemon. Serena then presented it to Grace.

"Larvitar, this is _my_ mother. I want you to say hi," she introduced.

"Well, hello there," Grace greeted as she pet Larvitar on the head.

"Lar!" Larvitar said happily and seemed to like the attention. It was a stark contrast from how Larvitar started off, especially since Grace was still technically a stranger to it.

Serena continued to smile wide as Larvitar got acquainted with her mother. Serena didn't know of anything that could add to an already great birthday.

"Well, hello there!" a voice simpered from behind Serena.

Serena was wrong. The honey-haired girl froze and spun around to her favorite frenemy, Miette, standing there with an extra sweet, yet mischievous, smile on her face.

"M-Miette!?" Serena cried.

"The one and only!" Miette answered before she winked at Serena. "I take it you're here to compete in the Master Class. I am, too!"

"Oh, you must be another friend of Serena's. It's very nice to meet you," Grace said as she went over and shook hands with Miette.

"Oh yes! We're the best of friends!" Miette laughed as she returned the handshake.

"Umm…heheheh…right," Serena muttered.

In all seriousness, Serena and Miette didn't really dislike each other. They had a really rocky start back in Saffron City with Miette thinking Serena was all talk and just a big showoff. However, once Miette had eaten her own words when Serena beat her, her attitude changed considerably. Now, the two had a friendly rivalry going on, but it was still filled with teasing, especially on Miette's part.

"So, Ash, has Serena been good to you?" Miette asked playfully as she sauntered up to him.

"Hi, Miette. Yeah. We couldn't be happier," Ash chuckled nervously with a sweat drop.

"Well, I expect you to root for Serena if we go up against each other, but you'll still cheer me on, won't you?" Miette asked with a wink.

"Heh. Sure. Of course, I will!" Ash replied.

Miette giggled before she gave Serena another mischievous look. Serena just rolled her eyes at Miette's antics. Serena knew the bluenette wasn't seriously trying steal Ash from her. That was just how Miette was. Serena was used to it by now.

"Oh! If I'm not mistaken, someone here has a birthday, too," Miette added as she grinned at Serena.

"Oh? How did you know?" Serena wondered. She didn't recall ever giving her birthday to Miette.

"I always keep track of my friends' birthdays, including yours. So, happy birthday!" Miette said before she added. "Naturally, I expect you to know mine, too."

"Umm…well…," Serena muttered as she fidgeted nervously. She had no idea when Miette's birthday was.

"Oh, I'm hurt, Serena!" Miette said with mock sadness and held her hands over her heart. "I guess I'll just have to get even by trying my hardest to beat you to become Johto Queen."

"That's fine by me!" Serena nodded as the two finally shook hands. "We'll both give performances the audience will never forget."

"You got that right!" Miette agreed.

"It's so wonderful that Serena has such great friends and rivals," Grace said emotionally as she dabbed her wet eyes.

"Your daughter does just fine," Rose whispered.

"Well, I'd say everyone truly is here now for your birthday, Serena," Brock figured.

"We'll make it one you won't forget!" Misty said.

"We've already made the plans so you don't worry about a thing!" Gary added.

"It'll a be a blast!" Leaf finished.

"That sounds great!" Serena replied with a smile before she turned back to Miette. "You know, you're…welcome to come, too, if you like."

"I'd love to!" Miette exclaimed as she hugged Serena around the neck. "There! Now, we're even!"

Serena now felt inspired to try her best since Miette was competing. It wasn't going to be easy, but she would succeed. It was her dream to be the very first Johto Queen. It was really going to be her time to shine. Serena was going to prove that she deserved that title and that her win against Marina wasn't just a fluke. She had learned so much after talking with Marina and Palermo about what it meant to be a Johto Queen. Now, she had to show for it.

"By the way," Miette added as she pulled Serena in close. "My birthday is December 10. Don't forget it."

"Haha! I won't," Serena laughed.

* * *

Serena was now in the dressing room with all the other girls who were competing in the Master Class. There were only about sixteen of them, including her. As they all styled themselves to look their best, including Miette, Serena knew they had the same ambition she did. They had each made the achievement of getting three princess keys. They were a cut above every competition she had been in so far. However difficult the win may be, Serena would prove she was the best.

"Thank you, Fennekin," Serena said she took a brush Fennekin held out to her with its mouth.

Serena then finished brushing her hair and took a good look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a beaded headband with a pink bow on her head. She also wore turquoise clip-on earrings. She then had on a red and pink dress with white short sleeves and a large red bow embedded on the chest area. To complete her look, Serena had on black pantyhose and red flats.

"I think this is the best I've looked yet. What do you think, Fennekin?" Serena asked it.

"Fenn!" Fennekin cried happily in agreement.

"Let's see what the others think," Serena suggested as she sent out the other Pokemon she would be using in this showcase.

Smeargle, Nidorina, Larvitar, Scyther, and Fearow all came out of their pokeballs and stood next to Fennekin. Serena then did a small twirl for them before she gave them a big smile and a wink.

"How do I look?" she asked them.

Fennekin, Nidorina, Larvitar, and Smeargle all voiced their approval of Serena's look. Scyther and Fearow, on the other hand, had flushed beet red before they turned away. They were supposed to be tough and stubborn Pokemon who wouldn't get all mushy over a cute girl like Serena. Serena, however, giggled at Fearow and Scyther before she went over and stood in front of them again.

"No need to be shy. You can say I look nice, too," Serena said playfully.

Fearow and Scyther continued to purposely look away from Serena and refused to acknowledge her. However, they still kept stealing glances at her. Even they couldn't deny she looked beautiful right now. Fearow sighed and gave in before it turned to Serena with and shyly nodded its head at Serena. Scyther looked like it had been betrayed once Fearow did that. However, it, too, fell victim to Serena's charms, and it gave a small murmur of approval, also.

"Aw! Thank you!" Serena said sweetly as she hugged the two Pokemon, which caused them to feel even more embarrassed.

"Wow! You look great, Serena!" Miette said brightly as she came over.

"Thanks, Miette! You, too!" Serena replied as she inspected Miette's outfit.

However, before the two girls could get involved in any more discussion, a woman on staff came in the changing room and bowed to the girls.

"Hello. I'm sure you are all busy getting ready. However, there's someone here who would like to talk to all of you, first," she said.

All the girls stopped what they were doing as they awaited who the woman was referring to. They soon heard the clanking of high heels approaching the door and could tell the person walked with an air of superiority and confidence. As the woman revealed herself at the entrance, Serena's eyes went wide at who it was. It was Palermo!

The rest of the girls, including Miette, all seemed to have stars in their eyes as they watched Palermo stop with a calm yet stern look on her face. They were actually going to hear from one of the greats! They couldn't believe it! Serena, for her part, didn't have stars in her eyes. Just surprise. Her last meeting with Palermo was still fresh in her mind. The woman wasn't unfriendly to her, but she was very pointed in what she told Serena, and there was also the fact that she suddenly looked very disturbed about Serena and left without an explanation. That exchange caused Serena to have mixed feelings. In fact, she didn't know how she felt about Palermo right now.

"I want to congratulate you all on making it this far," Palermo started in a cool voice before she folded her arms. "However, only one of you will become a Johto Queen. For those of you who don't win, use this as a learning experience. Think about what it is you lack and what you can improve upon. About what it means to be a Johto Queen. I hope you all are prepared to answer that should you win, as well. If you aren't, then you should think about what it is you're doing with your life. Just because you've earned three princess keys doesn't mean you have what it takes."

Once Palermo finished speaking, a lot of the girls' expressions changed from excitement to confusion, and some even worry. Palermo wasn't exactly giving them a confidence boost like they were expecting. It was tough advice that made them think. Some of them had thoughtful expressions on their faces as if they seemed to be thinking about what Palermo had asked them. Upon seeing their looks, Serena could tell that Palermo took it as such. The older woman then frowned and gave a sigh.

"Well, at least be thinking about it during your performances. I won't wish you luck because if you're truly fit to be Johto Queen, you won't need it. Just remember that Aria and I will be watching and judging your every movement," Palermo finished before she turned and exited the room. As she left, Serena could've sworn Palermo give a brief glance at her, but it may have just been her imagination.

Once Palermo was gone, the atmosphere in the room had changed dramatically from how it was just a couple of minutes ago. What had been excitement and eagerness had changed to hesitance and nervousness. Some of the girls who had looked happy before had slumped down at their dressing stations with glum looks on their faces, and others were fidgeting like they had no idea what to do.

"Well, that…wasn't what I expected," Miette laughed nervously to Serena.

Serena furrowed her eyebrows and placed her hands on her hips. Why would Palermo do something like that? All of these girls had worked so hard to get to be where they are. They all believed they had the right to be Johto Queen, and then Palermo came in and made them question if they should even be here. That was kind of mean. Serena was finding it hard to respect Palermo when she acted like that. Was she really a queen at one point? She was nothing like Aria.

* * *

The dark performance room was suddenly lit up as spotlights started dancing across the room. Everyone in the audience looked around in wonder as they eagerly awaited the start of the showcase. The spotlights finally rested on the center stage in front of a large majestic set of double doors. The voice of Monsieur Louis then filled the room as the doors opened.

"Bonjour, Pokemon Lovers! It is I, Monsieur Louis! We are now at the moment you have been waiting for, the Master Class Showcase held here at Mt. Silver!" Louis announced as he stepped out of the doors.

"Yes! Serena will be great!" Ash said as he and the rest of the audience broke into applause.

"I can't wait to see what Serena will do. I've always watched her performances on TV, but I can only imagine how great it is here. I'm so happy to be here," Grace said.

"Your daughter has really come a long way. I remember when she still had a rebellious streak in her," Delia stated with a giggle.

"Still, now I believe she really belongs as the first ever Johto Queen," Grace replied.

Fireworks then went off in the room as the audience gasped in awe at how pretty they were. Several of the spotlights then shifted from Louis to a set of sixteen doors all lined up against the wall.

"Prepare to meet our beautiful and talented performers! Each of these ladies have worked hard and earned all three princess keys! As such, they deserve our full attention as they amaze you with their many talents!" Louis continued.

Serena stood inside one of the doors as she took a deep breath. She held her three princess keys close to her heart as she thought about what each one meant to her.

 _"My first key, which symbolized the start of my dream becoming a reality. I wasn't sure if I had what it took, but this was able to show they just maybe I can do this,"_ Serena thought before she moved on to her second and third key. _"My second key. After a disaster, I began to doubt myself as I completely destroyed a contest hall and only had a limited number of chances left. However, I was able to overcome the obstacles and win again. Finally, my third princess key. It was my very last chance to try to enter the Master Class. I faced some very tough competition and barely won. I wasn't even sure of what a Johto Queen was supposed to be until I spoke to Marina. I wondered for a while after that if I even deserved to be here. I have to win today to prove to myself and everyone that I deserve to be Johto Queen."_

"Now, everyone! Feast your eyes on our performers! They will use their princess keys to open the doors to their futures!" Monsieur Louis exclaimed as he spread his arms wide.

Serena then placed one key in each of the keyholes. Each time she did that, part of the door would light up. Once she was done, the door lit up completely and dinged before it slowly opened. The bright lights from the stage illuminated Serena's face as she stepped onto the stage along with the fourteen other girls, including Miette. Serena couldn't help but smile as the audience erupted into cheers all around her. She also knew that somewhere up there was her mom, Ash, and all of her other friends. They were all here for her.

"It is also my pleasure to introduce you to our very special guest. She is a former queen of Kalos and has launched the career of many performers! Give a warm welcome to Palermo! She has agreed to take on the role of our special judge!" Louis announced.

 _"Palermo…,"_ Serena thought to herself as she looked up at the older woman high above them on a balcony. She would be judging them, too. Serena wasn't able to determine if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Thank you. I very much look forward to observing everyone's wonderful performances today. I hope all your performances go well," Palermo said as she stood up and bowed to everyone.

Palermo wishing each of the girls a good performance was rather new to Serena. That was quite a different speech from what she just told them in the waiting room. Palermo wasn't the type of person to say something nice in front of an audience just to save her image. Serena knew by now that Palermo truly spoke what she thought. If she wished them well and said she was looking forward to their performances, then she must have really meant it, right? Palermo was just getting harder to figure out for Serena by the minute.

"Thank you, Palermo!" Monsier Louis said with a bow before he turned back to the set of double doors that he came out of. "Now, everyone, I would like to you all to give an equally enthusiastic welcome to the current Kalos Queen. She has traveled far and abroad to spread performances all across the world with Johto being one of her first! Please give your applause to Aria!"

There were quite a few gasps of awe and surprise that came from the performing girls at that bit of news. They already knew that Palermo was here, but so was Aria? Sure enough, the double doors opened once more, and Aria stepped out in all of her glory. Serena's mouth was open as she watched the girl gracefully walk down the steps with a warm smile on her face.

"Dang! Aria looks fine," Jimmy commented from the audience with a captivated look on his face.

"Ahem!" Marina coughed and fixed Jimmy with a glare.

"Well, you look super fine, too! I can still say when a girl looks pretty, right?" Jimmy asked.

"Yes, but you can't drool over them," Marina replied in annoyance.

"Look at them go," Gold smirked to Crystal.

Ash couldn't help but notice that the crowd has been their loudest yet since Aria entered. She truly was the definition of a Kalos Queen who was loved by all. Ash wanted the same for Serena, too, but how does that conflict with the darkness that he was told about by Ho-oh?

"Hey, Ash. You look spaced out? Is everything okay?" Leaf asked from beside him.

"Yeah. I'm good, Leaf," Ash replied.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for Aria's beauty, too, Ash. Serena would get jealous," Gary joked.

"Hahahaha," Ash laughed sarcastically. "Have you fallen for Aria? Leaf would get jealous."

"Down, Ash," Leaf said as she and Gary both blushed. They both knew they liked each other. It was just a matter of who confessed first like with Jimmy and Marina.

Aria continued down the steps before she reached the end of the stage. Once she did, she gave a curtsy to the audience.

"Thank you, all! I'm very pleased to be here!" Aria announced before she turned and smiled to the performers behind her. "And thank you, as well. I really makes me happy to be here sharing the stage with you! I can't wait to see which of you become the first Johto Queen and my partner to spread Pokemon showcases around the world! Please do your best!"

"Partner?" Serena questioned as she wondered what Aria meant before her eyes widened. Serena could've sworn she saw Aria give a brief glance and smile in her direction. Surely Aria recognized her as she was the one whom she gave her Fennekin to. Then again, Serena figured it may have just been her imagination.

"To everyone here in person, and everyone watching on television, I hope you enjoy the show," Aria said kindly before she gave a final curtsy.

"Lovely words, Aria!" Louis complimented before he turned back to the audience. "Now, let me explain the rules. There will be no theme here! Each of our lovely ladies will compete in a freestyle performance! They will use one Pokemon in the quarterfinals, three Pokemon in the semifinals, and should they make it to the finals, they will use a full team of six Pokemon! The winner will be crowned our Johto Queen!"

The screen behind the stage then turned on and showed a tournament bracket. It started off as sixteen brackets before it moved on to four, and then two, before the top spot reserved for the winner. The performers had to win three rounds to be crowned.

"So, they get to do whatever they want," Ash confirmed.

"Right! I can't wait to see what Serena does since she has free reign to do anything," Brock agreed.

"I especially can't wait to see little Larvitar. It'll be so adorable!" Misty giggled.

"Everyone, s'il vous plait!" Louis called out and snapped his fingers to signify the beginning. "Everyone except our first competitors, kindly make your way to the waiting room until it is your turn."

An image of four girls then appeared on the screen with Serena being one of them. Upon seeing her picture, Serena opened and closed her fists a few times to get ready. There would be no moment for rest here. She was going to have to give everything she had right off the bat. She could do this.

"Good luck, Serena," Miette whispered as she passed by her.

"Thanks," Serena whispered back.

Once all the performers except the competing girls left, Louis nodded his head. Aria then walked to the back of the stage so she could observe all of the performances. Once more, Serena thought she saw Aria give her a quick glance from the corner of her eye.

"For the first round, there will be only one Pokemon used by each performer. They will perform individually and then simultaneously to see who will capture the audience's heart the most!" Louis explained.

Serena knew she was really going to need to stand out in order to win this. Each of these girls were just as good, if not better, than she was. They all had three princess keys. In order to get past this, Serena figured a veteran at performances was what she needed. That opted out Larvitar, Fearow, Scyther, and Nidorina. She would need either Fennekin or Smeargle.

"Ladies, please choose the Pokemon who you will perform with!" Louis said.

"Okay! Fennekin, I choose you!" Serena shouted and released the fox Pokemon.

Fennekin seemed pleased with Serena's choice and looked around the audience in awe. It had worked so hard with its trainer to make it this far and wanted the title of Johto Queen just as much as Serena. Fennekin then noticed Aria off to the side of the stage, and its eyes shined with happiness that its old trainer was going to be watching. That inspired Fennekin to work extra hard.

"Now, the four performers who shall dazzle you with their beauty first are Serena, Leigh Anne, Francesca, and Lily!" Louis declared before he turned to the girls. "Are you all ready?"

 _"This is it,"_ Serena thought to herself before she nodded along with the other girls.

"In that case, begin!" Louis shouted with a wave of his staff.

"Okay, Fennekin! Use Light Screen and then Fire Spin!" Serena yelled.

Fennekin leaped into the air before its eyes glowed and a beautiful wall of multi-colored light surrounded them. It then took a deep breath and released a spiral of flames around them. Fennekin then landed on the ground as it and Serena began to dance. The swirl of flames from Fire Spin was reflecting well off of the Light Screen which gave an extra nice glow to their choreography. It was as if they were dancing in a ring of fire with a rainbow background.

"That's it, Serena! Go for broke!" Grace cheered.

The spotlight soon shifted from Serena to the next girl which gave her a break. Serena quickly wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead as those flames could get pretty hot. Fennekin then looked up to her and sat down as if asking how she was holding up.

"I'm okay, Fennekin. We're doing great," Serena encouraged. "We can't rest now, though. We'll soon be performing at the same time with the other girls. We have to make sure the audience stays focused on us, though."

"Fenn!" Fennekin agreed.

It wasn't long before the simultaneous performances came up. Serena had a chance to rest and she was good to go once again.

"Fennekin, use Ember, and then use Psybeam!" Serena commanded.

Fennekin looked upward and shot several bits of small embers from its mouth. It then shot out several multi-colored beams of light and struck each of the embers with it. The fire particles then exploded into fiery sparkles and rained down around Serena and Fennekin. Serena then did a curtsy for the audience as the other girls wrapped up their performances, as well.

"It is now time to cast your votes! Please choose the button corresponding to the girl you wish to vote for. Those at home may do so using the app on their Pokegear. S'il vous plait!" Louis instructed with a snap of his fingers.

"Serena!" Ash yelled as he punched the button next to her image.

 _"You can do it, my daughter,"_ Grace thought as she, Delia, and Rose voted.

Once everyone was done, the girls' images appeared behind them and began to tally up. One girl stopped relatively quickly while the others were getting quite a few votes. Serena clenched her fists and said a silent prayer that she could get past this round. Those other girls were pretty good. One by one the girls' votes quit until it was between Serena and one other girl. Serena's eyes then lit up in happiness as she saw the second to last girl stop before she did.

"We have our winner. The girl moving on to the semifinals is…Serena!" Louis declared.

The audience erupted into cheers as Serena hugged her Fennekin. She made it past the first round! Just coming this far almost made the whole thing worth it. She was going to be competing against only three other girls now. She truly had a shot!

"We did it, Fennekin!" Serena cried.

"Fenn!" Fennekin replied joyfully.

Out of the corner of her eye, Serena spotted Aria watching it all with a small smile on her face. Serena was tempted to look at Aria to see if the smile was directed at her, but she opted against it. She knew Aria was to remain impartial in all of this. Even so, Serena was a student that Aria chose to launch her performance career. She was sure that gave Aria at least a little bit of satisfaction.

The only question was how Palermo felt about it.

* * *

The other rounds of the performance went by, as well. Serena had noticed that each of the girls who competed performed exceedingly well. Serena could only imagine the heartbreak of the girls who lost. However, there could only be one winner for each round. Miette herself was the winner of the round she was in. After the first round, Louis announced a fifteen minute break before the start of the semifinals.

"Well, we're one step closer," Miette commented as she crossed her arms and leaned against a wall in the waiting room.

"Right. I wouldn't expect us to get any less," Serena agreed.

"In that case, if we don't compete against each other in the semifinals, let's make sure to meet in the final round," Miette suggested.

"Definitely, but I'm going to be giving it everything I've got! I won't go down easily!" Serena told her.

"Me, either!" Miette nodded.

With that, Serena politely excused herself. She then made her way out of the waiting room and down the hallway to the restroom. Fennekin's constant embers and flames made her rather hot, and she wanted to splash some cold water on her face to cool her down. The last thing she wanted to do was start sweating during her showcase.

As Serena rounded the corner to the bathroom, she quickly stopped as she almost bumped into none other than Palermo. The older woman regarded Serena with her typical stern gaze as Serena matched it. Serena didn't want to show any sign of weakness in front of Palermo despite her mixed feelings about her.

"Hello there, dear," Palermo greeted, though there was no smile to match the supposed friendliness.

"Hello, Ms. Palermo," Serena replied.

"How did you feel about your last performance?" Palermo questioned as she crossed her arms.

 _"I think the better question is how_ you _felt about it,"_ Serena thought.

This was like Palermo, though. The woman never gave her feelings regarding what she thought of a performance. Rather, she always turned it around and instead let the respective girl be their own judge. Serena couldn't help but wonder why Palermo did that. If she liked or didn't like something, couldn't she just say so? Nevertheless, Serena responded.

"I think I did a fantastic job! My Fennekin and I have been practicing that routine for weeks!" Serena answered confidently.

"So, you don't see any room for improvement?" Palermo asked a follow up.

That question caught Serena off guard. How was she supposed to answer that? Was it a trick question? If she answered no, that could easily be taken as a sign of extreme arrogance. If she answered yes, that may tell Palermo that Serena wasn't trying her absolute best just now. Serena wracked her brain on what to say as she now felt extremely uncomfortable.

"I think…that was the best I could've performed at this time," Serena replied. Hopefully, that was acceptable as it met it in the middle of yes and no.

"Very well. I shall continue to observe you in the semifinals," Palermo said as she moved past Serena and continued down the hallway.

Serena watched Palermo go and temporarily forgot why she was in the hallway in the first place. The brief meetings she's had with Palermo always left a huge impact on her, good or bad. Though Serena was thankful that Palermo didn't seem in a hurry to get away from her like last time, Serena still had no idea what Palermo thought about her. Just what did she sense in Serena after listing her good qualities? Serena knew Palermo wouldn't tell her even if she asked, but it still bothered her.

"Five minutes until the start of the semifinals!" a voice sounded over an intercom.

Serena gasped and hurried to the bathroom so she could finish wiping her face. Ultimately, it didn't matter what Palermo thought. Serena was going to try her absolute hardest whether Palermo approved or not.

* * *

"Thank you for your patience, Pokemon lovers! We hope you have enjoyed the splendid shows by our lovely ladies so far. We shall now start the semi-finals!" Louis exclaimed dramatically as the audience cheered.

The image of the four remaining girls, including Serena and Miette, appeared on the screen and randomly shuffled their pictures until the matches were set. Serena was facing off against a dark-haired girl while Miette had her own opponent. Upon seeing the matches, both Miette and Serena turned to each other from the waiting room.

"Well, it looks like we dodged another bullet there, Serena. This just means that our ultimate showdown will have to be in the finals. Don't you go losing the semifinals, now," Miette smirked.

"I don't plan to! That goes the same for you!" Serena replied.

"Excuse me, Miette. You're up first. Would you kindly please follow me the stage?" an administrator asked.

"I'm up! Catch you on the win!" Miette stated as she hurried out of the hall.

 _"She feels so confident,"_ Serena noted to herself.

Serena watched the performances of Miette and her opponent, Cindy, from the TV screen in the waiting room. They both did absolutely amazing. Miette used her Jumpluff, Wigglytuff, and Farfetch'd. Her performance involved a dance where she rode and danced on her inflated Wigglytuff as it floated around the room as Jumpluff and Farfetch'd sparkled as they danced around them. What made the performance stand out was how in sync they were. It was choreographed so well.

 _"I hope my performance can go that well. Nidorina will be fine, and I'm sure Scyther won't cause unneeded trouble. I'm just worried for Larvitar,"_ Serena thought.

The votes were then cast between Miette and Cindy. They both scored high marks, but Miette came out on top. She gave a leap of happiness into the air and hugged each of her Pokemon as she waved to the crowd. That confirmed to Serena that Miette was going to be her opponent should she win. They might have their showdown, after all.

"We shall now have our second match up against Serena and Emily! If both ladies will kindly make their way to the stage, we will begin!" Louis announced from the TV.

"Well, here I go," Serena said to herself as she left the room.

As she walked, she passed by a still smiling Miette. The blue-haired girl rubbed Serena's shoulder as she passed her by as a sign of well wishes to her.

"Break a leg," Miette replied with a wink.

"Heheheh. I certainly hope not," Serena giggled. "And congratulations by the way."

"Thank you so much," Miette replied with a smile. "You better win this as there's no other person I'd rather face in the finals."

"Same here," Serena nodded as they parted ways.

Serena made her way through the halls and was soon on stage. Like last time, she was in front of her largest audience yet. Aria was off to the side of the stage once again, and Serena was sure that Palermo was up in the balcony about to scrutinize her every move. Serena pushed that thought aside and instead focused on the audience in front of her. Her challenger beside her did likewise.

"Ladies, please choose the three Pokemon you will be using for this performance. Should you win, you will use all six in the finals," Monsieur Louis told them.

"Okay then! Nidorina, Larvitar, Scyther, I choose you!" Serena called as she released their Pokemon.

There was a different set of emotions from each of Serena's Pokemon when they came out of the pokeball. Nidorina looked excited and ready to go. Larvitar looked a little nervous, and it was hard to figure out Scyther's emotion with its expressionless face. Serena noticed Larvitar and knelt down next to it before she placed her hand on its head. The spotlight then went to the other girl as she chose a Hoppip, a Vaporeon, and a Smoochum.

"Hey, Larvitar. Do you think you're up to it? I won't make you do this if you don't want to," Serena told it.

Larvitar looked up to Serena and sighed. Well, the truth was that it wanted to do this and win something for Serena. It just had natural stage fright given its shy nature. Serena then pulled Larvitar in a hug.

"It's natural to be scared given your first time on stage, but just remember that you're not alone. You have me and Nidorina with you. Even Scyther won't let you down," Serena said.

Nidorina hopped over to Larvitar and nodded its head. Scyther, however, remained put. When Serena looked up and frowned at it, the bladed bug Pokemon grimaced and inclined its head to Larvitar as an acknowledgement. Serena took that as a sign that she had nothing to worry about with Scyther, either.

"See? We're all her for you," Serena said. "So, let's get out there and make the best performance yet!"

Larvitar looked around at the faces of Nidorina and Serena, but it tried to avoid Scyther's scary face. Even thought it didn't look at the bug Pokemon, Larvitar knew that it still had support from everyone. It could do this. They had practiced for the past couple of weeks on this routine. They weren't going to fail on account of it. Larvitar smiled and pumped its tiny fists.

"Lar!" it shouted happily.

"That's the spirit! Let's do it!" Serena cheered as she stood back up. It was at that time the semifinals were ready to begin.

"Best of luck to you, Serena and Emily! S'il vous plait!" Louis shouted and snapped his fingers to begin the performance.

"Okay, Larvitar. Whip up a Sandstorm!" Serena shouted as she picked up Larvitar and tossed it into the air, though with some difficulty.

Larvitar began to twirl through the air as it spun up an impressive, but not violent or dangerous, Sandstorm. It then began to control the movements of it until it resembled a tornado.

"Now, Nidorina, use Ice Beam and then Poison Sting!" Serena said next.

Nidorina craned its neck upward and launched an Ice Beam which was followed by Poison Sting. The two attacks merged together until they exploded around which created a shower of sparkles around the group. Serena then saw Sandstorm getting closer to her, and she braced herself as well as her Pokemon

"Get ready, here it comes!" Serena warned before she, Larvitar, and Nidorina were carried up into the cyclone.

There was a noticeable gasp from the audience when that happened as they thought there had been some sort of mishap. However, it soon became quite clear that it was intentional. Serena twirled as she spiraled up inside the Sandstorm while Larvitar and Nidorina danced as they spun around her. She looked just like a magical ballerina in that state. It was soon time for the finale.

"Now, Scyther, use Razor Wind!" Serena ordered next.

Scyther began to beat its wings at a high speed in order to whip up the Razor Wind. It then aimed it carefully at the sand cyclone before it thrust the bladed wind into the cyclone. The sand cyclone then burst outward, and the crowd was expecting Serena and her Pokemon to fall to the ground, but they didn't. Instead, Serena was hovering in the air and was supported by the Razor Wind that was now racing around her and her Pokemon. Serena then gently floated back down to the ground and struck another pose once she landed. A couple of seconds later, Emily finished her routine, as well. In fact, the crowd's applause was so large, it was hard to tell who was better.

Serena panted a little as that routine took a while to get right, but she quickly turned it into a laugh. She and her Pokemon were able to overcome it and performed exceptionally well. She and Emily, as well as their Pokemon, all waved to the crowd happily after their performances. Well, everyone except Scyther waved. It was being a little more reserved and just stood there. However, even Scyther had to admit it enjoyed itself a little bit.

"Just like before, you all have seen beauty and talent at its best. Please cast your votes on who think should move on to the finals with Miette!" Louis called out.

"Serena's got this. It would be so cool if she were to compete in the final round," Leaf stated as she cast her vote.

"It would be even cooler if she won," Ash rebutted with a smile.

"I believe in you, Serena. You have what it takes," Grace said as she voted.

Everyone then cast their votes, and the numbers started to tally up. Part of Serena wanted to shut her eyes and not look as she thought it would be some sort of curse if she did. However, she stayed strong as she clasped her hands and said a silent prayer. She was only this round and another away from reaching her dream. There was no way she could fail, now. At last, the votes were finished.

"And the performer moving on to the final round is…Serena!" Louis declared.

Serena stood silently for a moment before the realization of what Louis said hit her. Serena's face broke out into a large grin as she hugged all of her Pokemon.

"We did it! We can go on to the final round! We're just one step away!" she told them.

Scyther merely smirked though it wasn't too obvious. Larvitar happily accepted Serena's embrace. When it first hatched, it had no idea that it would be in this type of position. It could never imagine itself performing in front of so many people. It probably would've died of fright. Something like this was a testament to how far it had come since it hatched.

Nidorina accepted the hug, but then its stomach growled. A performance like that worked up an appetite.

"Don't worry, Nidorina," Serena laughed. "I'll make sure you have a large meal after this!"

"That wraps up today's competitions! Please join us once again tomorrow as Miette and Serena compete for everyone's heart to become Johto Queen!" Louis announced as the crowd cheered louder.

"Woohoo! Go, Serena!" Leaf cheered.

Jimmy and Marina clasped each other's hands while Misty jumped up and down while Gary and Brock applauded quietly in their seats. Grace had a few tears streaming down her eyes as Delia and Rose tried to calm her down. Ash was among the most excited. He was starting to think about all the things Serena could do once she became Johto Queen.

People would look up to her. They would go to her for advice, and she would be great at giving it. She would show love to everyone and work on making the world a better place…and not destroy it.

Ash paused. He stared into Serena's cheerful face as she waved at the crowd in front of her. It just didn't make any sense at all. If she becomes the Johto Queen, it would almost be an oxymoron if she was destined to destroy the world at one point. No Johto Queen would ever want to do that. Furthermore, would that title even protect Serena? Would she be able to fight the curse and overcome her duty? It was so confusing.

The worst part was Serena had no idea, but no more. Ash determined he was going tell Serena tonight after all the festivities. He didn't know how this would have an affect on her showcase tomorrow, but she had to know.

* * *

It was late in the evening, and everyone was gathered at a few picnic tables to celebrate Serena's birthday and her entrance into the finals for the Master Class. Almost everyone Serena could want was there. The only person missing was Yellow whom Serena wished could come, but she was with Riley. Nevertheless, Serena was having a great time. The had visited all the open stores and tried all the great food. There was even a massage booth. Now, it was time to open Serena's presents.

"Open ours first!" Jimmy, Marina, and Lyra said as the same time as they showed their present to Serena.

"Oh, okay," Serena replied as she took the small present from them.

Serena tore apart the wrapping paper and opened the cardboard box underneath it. What she saw in there made her tilt her head in interest. It was an odd-looking flute with a pokeball in the center of it and a pamphlet next to. Serena picked it up and inspected it.

"It's a Pokeflute," she stated.

"That's totally right!" Marina confirmed. "We figured since you're going to be a Johto Queen, you could play some totally rocked out tunes with that for everyone!"

"I don't think a Pokeflute would accomplish a _rocked out tune_ ," Crystal corrected. "However, we included a guidebook in the box so you can learn how to play music on it. I'm sure your fans would love to hear the beautiful melodies you can come up with."

"We have to hear you play at some point, too, since we got it for you!" Jimmy said with a thumbs up.

"Heehee! Even if I don't become Johto Queen, I would love to play this for people. Thank you so much, guys," Serena said gratefully.

Serena then noticed a medium-sized box dangle in front of her face, and she noticed Leaf was hovering it over her head with a smile. Serena giggled as she took the present from Leaf.

"Alright, Leaf. I'll open yours next," she said as she began to unwrap it and let out a gasp once she did. "Oh, wow."

Inside of the box was a purse, but it wasn't just any purse. It was purse that had a small, separate picture of all her current Pokemon imprinted on it. Serena smiled when she saw that Leaf had even managed to get a picture of Cubone on there. Leaf must've been making this for a long time if Cubone was on here, too. Serena then laughed when she saw the grumpy faces of Scyther and Fearow. Apparently, they didn't like their pictures taken. Of course, Hitmonlee was meditating, and Jigglypuff had a marker in its hand as a makeshift microphone. Mareep's wool was even beginning to finally grow back in this photo.

"Thank you so much, Leaf. I love it," Serena said.

"Well, you're a teenager now so you need a proper purse," Leaf insisted before she jerked her head in Gary's direction. "I created it and took all the pictures, but Gary paid for the expenses."

"Humph…you weren't supposed to say that," Gary mumbled.

"Don't be modest, Gary. This gift was from both of us so you should take some credit, too," Leaf told him.

"Really. Thank you, Gary. You and Leaf," Serena said as she gave a Gary a hug.

"Well, you're welcome, Serena. Happy birthday," Gary replied as he accepted the hug.

Serena then went on to Misty and Brock's present. It was somewhat larger present, and Serena opened it eagerly. Serena smiled in happiness when she saw what it was.

"Brock and I both pitched in for this," Misty said.

"This is quite a makeup kit, Misty," Serena commented.

"Of course," Misty replied. "You're going to need to look your best all the time so this make up kit is one of a kind and has all sorts of tools and colors for you to use."

Serena then noticed there was a small picture of her and Misty with their arms around the other taped on the mirror. They looked slightly younger so it was probably taken all the way back when they were in the Kanto region. Serena then looked up at Misty.

"Yeah. I added that there, too. You see, we aren't going to be traveling around together much longer. I'll be heading off the Orange Islands after Ash finishes the Johto League. I just want you to have something to remember me by. We were the only girls in our group so we had a lot of fun times," Misty said somewhat shyly.

"This means a lot, Misty. Thank you so much," Serena stated as she gave Misty a hug. "I'll always remember these times, and thank you, too, Brock."

"Anytime, Serena," Brock nodded. "You can use that as you get ready for your performance tomorrow."

"She might even be able to rival me," Miette joked.

It was then Serena moved on to her mom's present. It was a neatly wrapped small box, and Serena opened it, and her eyes lit up and shimmered with how beautiful the objects inside were.

"Oh, Mom. These earrings are gorgeous," Serena said she lifted them up to take a closer look. They weren't even clip-ons.

"Yes. Now that you're thirteen, I think it's about time you had your ears pierced. They actually have a nice jewelry store here. I'm going to take you there tomorrow before your showcase so we can get that done. You'll be able to wear them for your showcase tomorrow. You'll look beautiful," Grace replied.

"Thank you so much, Mom," Serena said as she hugged Grace.

"You're welcome, Sweetie," Grace replied as she returned the hug. "Serena, I just want you to know that I'm proud of you and the young woman you're becoming. We had trouble in the past, but don't think for moment that I don't support you or any decision you make in your life. Whatever you do, I'm behind you all the way."

"Mom…," Serena trailed as her eyes teared up.

Last was Ash's present of course. Like Grace's present, it was also really small. Everyone eagerly awaited to see what he got her. Misty couldn't wait to see Serena's reaction because she already knew what it was. Ash had asked Misty to wrap the small box because he wasn't a good present wrapper. Serena opened up and smiled warmly at it.

"It's a ring," Serena commented as she lifted it out.

It was quite lovely, too. It had her July birthstone, which was a ruby, embedded in the center of it, and it sparkled so bright. It went so well with the rest of the outfit she was wearing at her performances, and it just looked great in general.

"Nice engagement ring," Gary joked as he and the others laughed except Ash and Serena who blushed.

"Well…ah…umm…it's not. I just thought it looked really nice, and…," Ash trailed nervously. "I hope you like it."

"Don't be silly, Ash. Of course I love it," Serena said and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek. "You always give me such great gifts. Will you put it on my finger?"

"Oh…heheheh…okay," Ash replied.

"Get down on one knee, now," Gary said quietly until he was elbowed by Leaf which made him be quiet. He still couldn't resist teasing Ash sometimes.

"How did he afford that?" Rose wondered quietly.

"I helped him out with it," Delia whispered so only Rose and Grace heard.

Ash took Serena's hand into his own and slowly slid the ring on her left ring finger. It was a perfect fit. Serena held it up in front of her face so she could get a better look at it.

"It looks so great. Thank you, Ash," Serena smiled before she addressed everyone. "Thank you all for being here during my birthday. It really means a lot. This has really been the most special birthday I've ever had. Even my Mom, Ms. Rose, Ms. Delia, and Gary and Leaf are here, even you Miette. Thank you all."

"I'm sorry I didn't get you a gift. I hope just the fact that I'm here for you is okay," Miette spoke up, sounding apologetic.

"We're glad we were able to make it happen for you, Serena," Ash said. _"I just hope it remains that way after tonight."_

* * *

Ash and Serena were sitting on the steps that led up to the Pokemon Center they were staying at. It was almost 10:30 and quite late so they would need to be getting to bed soon. However, they wanted to stay up just a little longer and be in each other's company. Serena had her head resting on Ash as they stared up at the moon. They had been that way for about twenty minutes without saying anything to each other until Serena broke it.

"Of course, no birthday is complete without some time alone with my boyfriend," Serena said contently as she snuggled closer to Ash. "I also love your ring. I'll make sure to wear it every day."

"Definitely," Ash agreed. "I'm glad you said this was your best birthday yet, and I thought Cinnabar Island was hard to top. Let's hope next year is even better for you."

Though he sounded cheerful, Serena knew Ash well enough to know when something was bothering him. In fact, he seemed to be in some sort of discomfort ever since he came back from seeing Ho-oh a while back, especially when he was around her. Serena always chose to ignore it as Ash would tell her when he was ready, but it still secretly worried her. She still wanted to remind him of one thing.

"Hey, Ash. We'll always be together, right?" she asked.

"Of course," Ash replied, but Serena noticed only a slight hesitation.

"What? You don't think so?" Serena asked playfully as she lifted her head from his shoulder.

Ash looked down to the ground, and that worried Serena. Something was telling her that it wasn't Ash believed they wouldn't always be together, just not in the way they would like. Serena tilted her head curiously at Ash.

"Ash, you know that if there's something bothering you, you can talk to me. I'll listen. We made a promise to always tell each other everything no matter what," Serena reminded him.

"I don't want to ruin your birthday," Ash muttered. Great. He was losing his nerve again.

"That tells me that this is serious," Serena replied and placed her hands on her hips. "I'd much rather have you tell me what's bothering you so I can help rather than seeing you clearly sad about something. That would be what really ruins my birthday."

That did it for Ash. His fists shook as he prepared himself. He made a resolve to do this and tell Serena everything Ho-oh told him. He couldn't back down now. Serena already admitted that she could tell Ash's slight hesitation around her ever since Ho-oh so he couldn't hide it anymore. She needed to know now. He put it off long enough. Ash turned to Serena's beautiful yet concerned face. She may act like she's prepared for anything, but he didn't see how she could be prepared for this. Just please don't let this hurt them.

"Serena," Ash began as he took a deep breath. "There's something important I have to tell you."

* * *

 **Cliffhanger! How will Serena act?**

 **The finale of the Master Class is next. The next chapter will out sometime later in July. Thanks for all the reviews and support. Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 70: Serena's Wish**


	71. Serena's Wish

**A/N: Here is the chapter you guys wanted after the evil cliffhanger. I tried to finish it quickly, though, so you wouldn't have to wait too long. It contains Serena's reaction as well as the conclusion to the Master Class.**

 **Someone mentioned in the review that Serena's Master Class performances should receive the same treatment as the Pokemon League chapters and get about four or five. However, that's extremely hard to do given how performances are set up. Even the anime couldn't extend it past two episodes. It would have a lot of unnecessary filler, otherwise.**

 **Also, it's extremely hard to write long, drawn out performances for the same reason. I'm sorry if they don't appear dazzling and engaging or boring, but Pokemon Performances are all about imagery, and you can only go so far when you are writing about it so please try not to be too harsh on them.**

 **Please enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 70: Serena's Wish

Aria brushed her hair as she got ready for bed. Gone were the hairclips or style she normally did when she was dressed up. Now, she just simply let it down where it could be free. Aria's Braixen was beside her and was brushing its fluffy tail.

"We saw so many great performances today, didn't we, Braixen? All of the girls who competed were amazing to watch, even the ones who unfortunately didn't win," Aria said.

"Braixen," Braixen agreed.

"Seeing all of them work so hard really brings me back to when we were competing for the title of Kalos Queen. We made our wish come true, and now we get to do the same for other girls. It's why I love doing what I do so much," Aria continued with a smile.

Aria set down her brush and fluffed her hair slightly before she gave a small yawn. Her Braixen gave a yawn as it was pretty tired, too. Aria went to the hotel closet and brought out her pajamas to change. However, before she could do so, there was a knock at her door.

Aria turned her head at the unexpected sound. She had no idea who that could be. She doubted it was any of her fans as she didn't remember revealing where she as staying on Mt. Silver or especially what room she was in. Even if she did tell them, they surely wouldn't be coming here this late just to get an autograph. Still, even if they were, Aria would happily oblige. That's just the type of person she was. However, as Aria opened the door, she discovered it wasn't a fan.

"Oh? Ms. Palermo?" Aria questioned in curiosity. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hello, Aria, dear," Palermo greeted. "I do hope this isn't too late, but I wanted to make sure we had privacy. I need to talk to you."

"Of course. Come right on in," Aria replied brightly and moved aside for Palermo to pass. She was a little confused, though.

Palermo entered the room and made herself comfortable on a chair at a small table while Aria sat on the chair opposite of her. Aria's Braixen settled down before it let itself in Aria's pokeball to rest for the night. After making sure they were alone, Palermo addressed Aria.

"I wanted to talk to you about that girl, Serena," Palermo said, getting straight to the point.

"Serena?" Aria repeated.

"That's correct," Palermo confirmed. "I want to know why you chose her. Why did you give her a Fennekin and steer her on a path to be a Pokemon Performer?"

"I was doing what I believed was right," Aria replied. "When I became Kalos Queen over a year ago, I vowed to show the world Pokemon Performing so it wasn't just limited to the Kalos Region. I wanted to make other girls' dreams happen just like they did for me. I sensed a lot of potential in Serena when I met her. She stood out to me among the rest. She was someone I believed could overcome any type of opposition and come out on top."

"I see," Palermo nodded.

"Do you not think she's capable?" Aria questioned, a little sadly.

"I don't know what to think of her, honestly," Palermo sighed and crossed her arms. "I've met her a couple of times myself. At first, she didn't seem all that impressive to me. That's changed, though. She has a good heart and cares deeply for others. There's no mistake about that. She also seems a lot more confident in herself, and I can also tell she has a better idea of what it means to a queen now."

"Yet?" Aria inquired.

"There's something holding her back from reaching her true potential," Palermo said bluntly. "It's strange. Not even I can place my finger on what it is."

"Really?" Aria asked curiously. "You've been able to pinpoint a person's character very well the entire time I've known you, Ms. Palermo. What's different about Serena?"

"That's why I don't know what to think of her. There's something there that holds her back. I've sensed it every time I talk to her. I'm not even sure if she's aware of it. However, if she doesn't recognize this weakness and get rid of it, she will never reach her full potential as a queen whether she wins tomorrow or not," Palermo stated.

"Oh," Aria said as she looked down to the floor. "Do you think she doesn't deserve to win?"

"I didn't say that," Palermo corrected. "I'm just concerned about her. The world of Pokemon Performing and a Queen can be very stressful and demanding as you and I know all too well. I just wish for her to be up to the task."

"Well, I think she can handle it!" Aria insisted and gave a bright smile. "We had a great turnout of girls to be the first queen of Johto, and they've all be amazing! The girl competing against Serena, Miette, is also really great! I have no doubt they can be a better queen than me! It makes me sad that we can only choose one, really."

"Hmmhmm. You're so optimistic, Aria," Palermo chuckled slightly before she looked off to the side almost longingly. "I remember when I was just like you so long ago."

"Then is Serena really a cause for your concern?" Aria asked. "I mean…even if she does have that thing holding her back that you mentioned, isn't part of being a queen overcoming that obstacle no matter what it is? If she can, that proves just how strong she really is! I said I picked her because I believe she can overcome any obstacle, and I still believe that!"

"Well, I just hope you're right. As I said, what I sense with her is unlike anything I've felt before. However, you still seem confident in her abilities so I will trust your judgment," Palermo said as she stood up and walked to the window before she looked down. "Oh? This is interesting."

"What is it?" Aria wondered as she followed Palermo to window and noticed the same thing. "Teehee! What a coincidence."

Far below their fifth story hotel window, they saw Serena out in the park next to the hotel. She wasn't alone, either. She was with that boy she traveled around with. They also seemed to be having a serious discussion.

"Hmm…she and that boy appear quite close. Ash, I believe his name was," Palermo mused.

"Heehee! Well, we shouldn't snoop on their alone time," Aria giggled as she drew the curtains and shut the blinds to the window.

* * *

Ash clenched his fists as he prepared himself to tell Serena. He had just told her that he had something important to tell her, but he had no idea where to begin. How do you even start off by telling someone you love that they're going to kill you in the future? There wasn't a good way to do this at all. Serena appeared to be all ears, but that didn't make this any easier. Ash decided instead to start with the most general thing he could.

"It's about what Ho-oh told me when I spoke to it," Ash finally said.

Serena got a saddened look on her face when Ash told her that. She still remembered that night when he came back to the Pokemon Center and looked like a nervous wreck. She didn't think she had ever seen Ash so upset in his life. He had also asked strange questions to her about if she really loved him and wanted confirmation by saying he believed her. What could Ho-oh have said to him?

"It told me some really interesting things," Ash began. "It told me more about my ancestor, Sir Aaron, and his greatest foe. It was a king named AZ."

"Go on," Serena encouraged gently.

"The two fought in a battle to the death. King AZ was bitter at the world and wanted to destroy it because he only saw pain. Sir Aaron was fighting him to protect the world," Ash continued. "Sir Aaron won."

"That's a good thing, though. Isn't it?" Serena asked.

"At the time, yes, but Ho-oh told me of a curse between Sir Aaron and AZ," Ash replied.

Serena nodded her head in what she thought was understanding. She already knew Ash was a descendant of Sir Aaron. If a curse affected his ancestor, it probably affected him, too. Still, could the curse be so great that it left Ash in such a broken state afterward?

"King AZ placed a curse on himself and his descendants, as well as Sir Aaron and his descendants in his dying breath," Ash said somberly. "The curse states that since King AZ couldn't destroy the world that his chosen descendant will do it instead. Likewise, Sir Aaron's descendant will be the chosen one to protect it. That's when I found out the evil that I've talked to you guys about. My greatest enemy. It's King AZ's descendant."

Ash started tearing up as Ho-oh's words came back to haunt him. He began to take deep breaths to try to compose himself, but it was extremely hard to do. It hurt Serena to see Ash like this. He was digging up a very bad memory that caused him pain. The only thing Serena could do was provide support. However, she also didn't want to make Ash do something that distressed him like this.

"It's okay, Ash. You don't have to go any further. That curse is a huge burden no one should bear. If you're not ready to share it with me, that's okay," Serena tried.

"It isn't that. It's about who Ho-oh told me King AZ's descendant is," Ash stated as he shook.

"Is it someone we know?" Serena gasped.

"Yes," Ash replied as he braced himself and shut his eyes tight. "It's you."

At that, Ash fell to his knees and started to cry. He had been bottling this up for so long, and it had finally taken its toll on him. As much as his resolve was to tell Serena what happened and prepare himself for it, nothing could take away the pain that came with it.

Serena, for her part, had a whirl of thoughts going through her head. It took her a little bit to actually process what Ash had told her. When she finally did, Serena was horrified, to say the least. She was the descendant of an ancient, evil, king bent on destroying humanity? What's more? Ho-oh told Ash that she was the chosen descendant to destroy the world, and she and Ash were enemies?

As the realization hit her, Serena tried to piece together as much of it as she could. Is King AZ's line where she got her psychic powers from? If that was true, since her father had ESP, that would mean that he was a descendant of AZ, as well. Did he know of his lineage? Did he know of the curse? Did he know Serena was the one who was supposed to destroy the world?

"There's more," Ash choked. "The only way to stop the curse is one of us has to kill each other!"

"Wh-what?" Serena questioned.

"I swore to Ho-oh that I would save you, but I don't how!" Ash cried. "I couldn't ever think about hurting you, Serena! How can I fulfill my destiny of saving the world if it means fighting you?!"

Now that he had said it, Ash had no idea what would happen. What would Serena do? How would she react? Would she leave him? Would she be devastated beyond belief? Would she be thinking of it just as much as he did? Would it burden her? Did he just totally destroy their relationship beyond repair? He had no idea what to expect.

"I'm sorry," Ash whimpered. "I'm sorry." He didn't even know what he was apologizing for. He just had no idea what to say now.

Serena had her hand over her heart as she watched Ash break down. So, this was what Ash was so upset about. All this time, Ash believed he was ready to face whatever was thrown at him, but it was her all along. Serena took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself, but tears ended up steaming down her eyes in the end.

So, that was her destiny in life. It wasn't to become a Johto Queen and live a happy life with Ash and work on making the world a better place. It was just the opposite. If what Ho-oh said was true, she would end up trying to destroy the world. How was that possible, though? Serena could never imagine doing so. Would she be doing it against her will? There was so many things that Serena wanted answers for, but she knew Ash couldn't provide them. If he could, he would've already done so.

Serena didn't understand. She had such a good life and so many good friends in both people and Pokemon. She loved them all. She had a great mentor in Yellow and a great mother in Grace. How could she go off on a path of darkness like that when she saw the beauty in life and wanted to be a part of it? She was nothing like AZ from what Ash told her about him.

The only answer that Serena could come up with was that she couldn't. There was no way she would ever do something like that. If she were free to make her own choice in this matter, then she would make sure she always follows the right path.

Ash continued to grit his teeth as he tried to stop the tears going down his face. He soon heard footsteps coming towards him and didn't know what to expect. He then felt a pair of arms embrace his head tenderly. Serena had one arm drawn gently around the back of his head while her other hand stroked the top of it. Ash opened his eyes at the sign of affection and forced himself to look up at Serena.

"S-Serena?" Ash questioned.

"You've been shouldering this burden by yourself all these weeks," Serena soothed gently. "Nobody should have to bear what you did."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just couldn't bring myself to," Ash coughed out.

"It's okay, Ash. I'm not mad at you. I just want to let you know that I'm here for you, and that we're in this together," Serena said as she continued to stroke Ash's head.

"Wait. What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"You told me that my destiny was to fight you and destroy the world, but I'm telling you that I'll never do such a thing. I love you and the world around me too much to do that. I meant what I told you in the snow cave that time. I'm always going to be here with you, and I'll always be on your side. Nothing will change that. What you tell me won't change that. Ho-oh won't change that. Not even some curse that says our destiny will change that," Serena insisted.

Ash gasped at Serena's words. He thought he was going to be the one who would have to comfort her after this, but it was the complete opposite. Ash realized he had been so stricken with grief at what Ho-oh told him that he forgot something so obvious.

It just wasn't in Serena's character to do that. She was so full of life and love for others. That didn't exactly fit the bill of someone who would one day destroy the world. Ho-oh said itself that there were things in the curse that weren't foretold. For instance, he and Serena were never supposed to become close like this. There was a flaw in the curse. When and where that happened, Ash wasn't sure, and he didn't care right now. With Serena's words, does that mean that their foretold destiny had already been averted? Was Serena really saved, now? Had they beaten the curse?

"Serena, thank you," Ash whispered as he shook again. This time, it wasn't from pain, but sheer relief and joy.

Ash placed his hand on Serena's hand that was touching his cheek and held it there for a while. Serena then stopped stroking Ash's head and got down her knees, as well, so she was eye level with him. They then grabbed each other's hands and stared each other straight in the eye.

"This doesn't change the fact that we're always here for each other, no matter what. I don't care what Ho-oh told you or what my past is. The only thing that matters is the present. Even if I am King AZ's descendant, we'll find a way to make this work, and we'll do it together. You won't have anything to worry about Ash. You won't be doing this alone. I'll be here with you every step of the way," Serena said tenderly.

Ash knew right then and there that his fears were unfounded. He had never met someone like Serena, and he didn't think he ever would. It really was the right decision to tell her, after all. He couldn't have asked for a better girlfriend than her. Now, that he had gotten this burden off his chest, he could truly rest easy now. He didn't have to be worried about this anymore. About that thing that said if he chose do nothing, Serena would kill him? That thought can stuff it. He already did something. He told Serena all about it and chose to trust her. That was enough.

"It's a promise then," Ash nodded. "This proves we can really talk to each other about anything, no matter what. That's because we'll always be together, and we'll always have each other for support."

"That's right, Ash," Serena said.

Ash then felt a love for Serena he had never felt before, and Serena felt the same for Ash. They both leaned in and gave each other the most passionate kiss they could muster. The first kiss they had in the Kanto Stadium was meaningful with what it represented, but this one meant more to Ash and Serena than any other kiss they had done before. The promise they just made to each other was filled with nothing but absolute love.

Ash and Serena finally broke contact with each other before they wrapped each other up in a loving embrace. Rather than this be a moment of sorrow and pain like Ash was expecting, it was one of comfort, joy, and bliss. Neither Ash or Serena ever wanted this moment to end. They would be content to stay like this for all eternity.

"Serena, I love you," Ash whispered.

"I love you, too, Ash," Serena whispered back.

* * *

Serena stood at the backstage of the performance hall as she waited for Louis to make his announcement of her entrance. She had her hand over her heart as she waited, but it wasn't because she was trying to calm her nerves. In fact, she wasn't nervous at all. She felt confident. She was confident she finally had what it took to be the first Johto Queen, and should she win, she was going to prove it!

It was actually thanks to her talk with Ash. Now that she knew the origin of her bouts of anger and her ESP going out of control, she could successfully move past it and make sure to never go that route. She had so many friends, and they were all here today to show their support for her. They believed in her, but most importantly, Serena believed in herself.

" _I'm not scared of what the future holds,"_ Serena thought to herself. _"I have so many people here for support. I'll always stay on the right path, and attaining Johto Queen will help me achieve that."_

All six of Serena's chosen Pokemon stood by her as they waited, too. Fennekin, Smeargle, Nidorina, Larvitar, Scyther, and Fearow all believed they could win, as well. They each had their own respective thoughts going through their mind.

Scyther and Fearow were more low key about it than the others, and they certainly didn't want to be a _queen._ Still, Scyther's prideful nature only accepted the best so it wasn't about to lose, and Fearow's lonely nature would get squashed by receiving acceptance from others.

Fennekin had dreamed of this moment ever since Aria introduced it to Pokemon showcases. Though it really hit it off with Serena when they first met, and it willingly became her Pokemon, Fennekin initially though it could only achieve the title of a queen with Aria. However, this moment proves that it was wrong. Fennekin was determined more than ever to win this, for both Aria, Serena, and itself.

Nidorina was thinking along different lines than the others. It wanted to win, sure, but not for recognition or honor. Nidorina imagined that all the different kinds of food and the amount they could get that might come with Johto Queen. They could have gourmet feasts whenever they wanted. Nidorina almost drooled at the thought, but it forced its taste buds to stay in check. It would try its hardest here.

Smeargle had practiced all year for what it was going to do. It had painted some impressive art during its time at Professor Oak's lab, but this was going to be on a much grander scale. It was going to pour its heart and soul into the painting. It had dreamed of the world to know its wonderful works of art, and it was finally going to get that opportunity. It wouldn't let it go to waste.

Lastly, was Larvitar. The young Pokemon had nothing to fear right now. It had Serena, Fennekin, Nidorina, and Smeargle to help it through the performance. Though Scyther and Fearow were more distant, they were going to make sure it did everything perfectly, too. Before Larvitar had been to scared, but it had practiced its hardest for these contests to not only prove to Serena and her Pokemon how much its grown, but also to itself.

"Bonjour! Thank you for waiting patiently, Pokemon lovers! We have now arrived at the moment you have been waiting for where the title of Johto Queen is on the line! Two lovely ladies will be competing against each other in what is sure to be a display of elegance and beauty! They will use a full team of six Pokemon! Let's wish them both well and give a huge applause for our two finalists, Miette and Serena!" Louis announced.

"That's our cue. Are you all ready to make our dreams come true?" Serena asked and turned to all of her Pokemon.

Upon receiving a determined nod, Serena made her way down the staircase with Miette descending the opposite one. As Serena made her way down the staircase, she could see Palermo in the highest balcony. If Serena didn't know better, she would've sworn Palermo was looking at her rather intently. Regardless if she was or not, Serena wasn't worried. She was going to prove to everyone she deserved Johto Queen.

"You go, Serena!" Ash called out and actually stood up from his seat.

"You seem to be in a really good mood, Ash," Leaf commented from next to him.

"You bet! I haven't felt this good in forever!" Ash replied with a smile.

"So, did something happen between you and Serena, last night?" Gary smirked. "You two were gone for a long time."

"Yeah. Serena and I had a great time! We had a nice, long talk, and I'm feeling really good! I'm ready for her to be a Johto Queen!" Ash said as he grinned from ear to ear.

Gary and Leaf exchanged glances with each other. That was all they did was talk? That must've been one heck of a conversation to make Ash this happy. Then again, Serena did seem awfully happy today, too. They then looked at Pikachu and Togetic to see if they had any insight on what caused their great moods, but the two Pokemon just shrugged their shoulders. Unable to come up with anything, Gary and Leaf shrugged their own shoulders. Ash and Serena were happy, and that's all that mattered.

"Everyone, that's my daughter!" the group heard Grace shout.

The woman was seated between Crystal, Rose, and Delia as she waved and pointed at Serena. The three other women chuckled at Grace announcing to everyone that she was Serena's mother. Delia couldn't say too much about Grace, though. She was sure she would be cheering just as hard for Ash when he competes in the Silver Conference, soon.

"Come on, Serena! Please do a good job! Please win!" Marina prayed as she clasped her hands. "I can't bear to look!"

"She hasn't even started yet," Jimmy deadpanned from beside her. "If you're going to close your eyes, at least wait until we vote."

Serena and Miette were soon down the steps on the stage. They walked towards the edge of the stage and both did a curtsy in front the audience. Serena briefly glanced over to Miette's team to check out what kind of Pokemon she had with her. She had a Wigglytuff, Jumpluff, Marill, Yanma, Sunflora, and a Smoochum.

Miette noticed her looking and turned to face her and gave a small smile. "Well, the moment of truth," she said.

"Yeah. I know we're competing against each other, but I still hope you give a great performance," Serena replied.

"You, too," Miette agreed before she faced the audience again.

"Aria, do you have anything you would like to say to these ladies before we begin?" Louis asked.

Serena and Miette then saw Aria coming out from the side of the stage. She walked with confidence as she walked over to them. She then stopped in front of them and gave a curtsy before she spoke.

"I'm so proud of both of you for coming this far!" Aria said brightly. "You both look so beautiful right now, and I know each of you would be a great Johto Queen! I wish you the best of luck!"

With that, Aria turned around to curtsy to the crowd before she walked back over to the side of the stage. Once she did, Louis nodded.

"Thank you for those kind words, Aria! Our two ladies should be inspired more than ever now to work their hardest! Now, please turn your attention to the screen as we randomly decide who will go first," Louis stated.

An image of Serena and Miette soon appeared on the large screen above the stage. It then began to randomly shuffle their pictures until only one came up. It turned out Miette would be going first. With that, she nodded and turned to Serena.

"Well, looks like I'll be going first," Miette commented.

"Yes. Good luck," Serena replied as she walked off the side to watch.

"The lovely Miette shall now dazzle the world with her performance! The wait is over! Miette, you may begin when ready! S'il vous plait!" Louis exclaimed and snapped his fingers.

Miette stood still with her eyes closed for only a second as if she was praying. She then opened them and began her performance.

"Okay! Sunfora, use Petal Dance, and Jumpluff, use Cotton Spore!" she cried.

Sunflora and Jumpluff both looked up towards the ceiling. Sunflora let out a flurry of beautiful flower petals while Jumpluff let out bouts of cotton. The floated elegantly above the stage as the audience watched to see what Miette had in mind. Smoochum jumped into Miette's arms, and she gave it a hug before she tossed it into the air.

"Use Psychic!" she told it.

Smoochum's eyes glowed before it began to swirl together the mixture of Cotton Spore and Petal Dance. The audience then tilted their heads in curiosity as it wasn't long before they began to take shape. Miette, however, wasn't even close to being done.

"Use Bubble Beam, Marill!" Miette cried. "And Wigglytuff, use Sing!"

Marill shot out a stream of bubbles from its mouth that floated around the stage and out to the audience. The audience smiled in wonder as the bubbles floated around them. Some even tried to reach out and pop the bubbles. Even Pikachu and Togetic laughed as they swatted at the bubbles around them. All this happened while Wigglytuff was delivering a pleasant melody for them to listen to.

"Miette's doing a really good job so far. I wonder what her Smoochum is trying to make," Brock wondered as he crossed his arms.

"I'm not sure, but I can already tell she practiced really hard," Misty said. "I'm impressed her Sunflora was able to use Petal Dance without confusing itself. That must've taken a lot of training to get right."

"Serena really is against her toughest opponent," Leaf said worriedly.

"It's all good, Leaf!" Ash told her with a thumbs up. "Serena will do just as amazing!"

By then, Smoochum was just about done, and the audience gasped in awe as the petals began to take the shape of a person. It was then clear the person it looked like was Miette! Smoochum just made a portrait of Miette made entirely out of petals and cotton. It looked really good, too!

"Now, altogether! Smoochum, use Heart Stamp! Sunflora, use Sunny Day! Jumpluff, use Bullet Seed on the bubbles!" Miette cried.

Smoochum winked at the audience before it blew a kiss as several pink hearts came from its lips. Sunflora's face glowed before the stage was illuminated in a bright sunlight. It wasn't harsh, however, it just gave an extra nice shine on Miette, her Pokemon, and the Miette petal portrait. Jumpluff then shot out several bullets that popped all the remaining bubbles until hearts and sparkles were raining down on Miette and all of her Pokemon. It was then time for the finale.

"Wigglytuff, use Disarming Voice!" she said.

Wigglytuff turned to the petal portrait and gave a loud, but not painful cry to it. The sound waves burst apart the delicate image, and the cotton and petals exploded outward towards Miette and her Pokemon. They were briefly covered by the onslaught before it fell around them to reveal Miette and all of her Pokemon in a pose.

"And…finished!" Miette cried with smile.

The audience erupted into applause at that. Some even stood up from their seats. Miette panted a little as she watched but she waved and did a curtsy for the audience. She had just tried her absolute hardest, and her Pokemon did their absolute best. She hoped it was enough.

"You all did amazing!" Miette said happily as she hugged her Pokemon.

Serena herself couldn't help but applaud at the Miette's performance. That was rather exceptional, especially the portrait. Serena hoped she would be able to beat that. Her Smeagle would be doing something similar, but not quite. Despite going after Miette, she still wasn't nervous. She was going to do her absolute best, too.

"Now, you have seen the talented Miette give her very best! Let us now view Serena's!" Monsieur Louis said and extended his hand to Serena.

"Here we go, everyone. Let's do it," Serena whispered to them and made her way to the center stage.

As Miette went off to the side and Serena entered, all eyes were now fixed on her. They were all here to see her give her best, and she would. She had worked so hard for this moment, and it was all going to pay off right now. She wasn't going to hold back at all. This would be the best performance she could possibly do. Serena stood in the center stage and focused on the audience in front of her with a determined expression.

 _"This performance will represent everything my Pokemon and I have worked towards. Our hearts went into this for practice, and we're ready. We can do it!"_ Serena thought.

"And now, Serena, you may begin your performance!" Louis cried.

"Alright Fennekin, use Light Screen!" Serena said.

A massive multi-colored wall of light appeared behind Serena and her Pokemon. She then nodded to Smeargle.

"It's time, Smeargle! Show them what you can do!" she told it. "Fearow, help it out!

Smeargle nodded eagerly and leaped onto Fearow. The beak Pokemon then began to fly around the various parts of the Light Screen as Smeargle began to paint its heart out. When it was finished with that section, Fearow would fly it over to a different part of the Light Screen, and Smeargle would then paint there.

"It's a painting. I know Smeargle would've been psyched for this. It's wanted to do this ever since Serena caught it at the Ruins of Alph," Ash commented.

"That Smeargle is so cute! I didn't know she had one!" Leaf gushed.

"Yeah. Smeargle's a little more reclusive compared to some of her more outgoing Pokemon. It prefers to work on its paintings alone and stayed at Professor Oak's lab so it could practice its work. Now, it's ready to show everyone how awesome it is and what it can do," Ash explained.

"Now, use Ice Beam!" Serena told Nidorina.

Nidorina then shot out the beam of ice as it exploded in the center of the room and rained down a series of glittering pieces of ice. The audience smiled as it fell around them and the stage. Serena then began to dance with Scyther, Larvitar, Fennekin, and Nidorina while Smeargle and Fearow worked on the painting.

Meanwhile, Palermo watched Serena with interest from the balcony. She didn't know why, but Serena seemed different than when she last saw her. She just exuded an air of peace and tranquility with herself that she didn't have before. That feeling of uneasiness Palermo had around Serena wasn't there anymore. Had she overcome it?

 _"She definitely is an interesting girl. Maybe Aria was right about her, after all,"_ Palermo thought.

By then, Smeargle was just about done. Serena couldn't see it since her back was turned to it, but she knew Smeargle was doing an excellent job. She could tell just by the audience's reaction. She continued to dance as Smeagle gave the finishing touches. Once it was done, it hopped off of Fearow and fell down to the stage as it began to dance, too.

The audience was quite impressed. The Miette portrait was wonderful, but so was this painting. It was a painting of Serena and all of her Pokemon she was using in this performance, and it was really top notch, too. The details were incredible. Serena still wasn't done yet.

"Okay, Scyther, now use Slash!" she yelled.

Scyther then flew up and began to cut up the edges of the Light Screen that weren't used. It made the painting look all the better. Once it was done, the painting now had the colors of the rainbow coming out from the sides. Serena and her Pokemon then continued to dance until the Light Screen and painting faded after a little bit. They then struck a pose.

"I'm…finished!" Serena cried.

The crowd roared in applause for Serena with some standing up just like they did for Miette. The group was among those who were standing. Still, no one was cheering as loud as Grace and Ash.

"That was awesome, Serena!" Ash shouted, though he was sure she couldn't hear him.

"That's my daughter!" Grace said again to the people around her.

"That was so wonderful, wasn't it, Jimmy!?" Marina squealed as she hugged him.

"Too tight, Marina!" Jimmy gasped.

"That really was a fine performance," Brock noted.

"It sure was!" Misty agreed.

Gary and Leaf both hugged each other before they realized what they were doing. They then gave a slight cough and stepped away from each other. Ash smirked at them as Pikachu and Togetic cheered on for Serena next to him.

"Thank you, Serena!" Louis said as she came back to the center stage and addressed the audience. "Now, the moment of truth has arrived, fans! Which of these lovely ladies will be our very first Johto Queen? Will it be Miette or Serena? The choice is up to you, the audience. Before you vote, let's hear it one more time for both Miette and Serena who put on such wonderful performances!"

The crowd erupted into cheers once more as Miette and Serena stood in the center. They both didn't looked worried, but there was a bit of anxiousness in their eyes. They both gave such great performances that it was hard to tell whose exactly was better. It could really go either way.

"Well, whether I win or lose, I couldn't have asked for a better rival, Serena. You did really well," Miette complimented.

"So did you, Miette. No matter who wins, let's be happy for the other one," Serena agreed.

"It's a deal," Miette replied with a nod.

"Now, everyone, cast your votes with the corresponding screen in front of you. Those at home, don't forget to cast your votes, as well!" Louis said.

The audience began casting their votes. Both Serena and Miette could hear the various beeps as each person made their choice. It was also interesting to see that even Aria and Palermo voted, as well. The girls were somewhat curious who they voted for, but it would be really rude to ask. At last everyone made their vote, and they began to tally on the screen behind them.

As Serena watched the numbers go up on the screen, she was surprised just from the sheer number of votes there were in total. Both she and Miette's votes were already up in the ten thousands. How many people were actually watching this on TV?!

"It really was like were performing in front of the whole Johto region," Serena muttered in awe.

"Yeah," Miette replied.

Grace clasped her hands together as she said a silent prayer for her daughter. She really hoped Serena could do this. She had finally found what she truly wanted to do with her life after not being sure beforehand. This was her daughter's dream, and she deserved to have it.

"Nervous, Grace?" Rose asked with a small smile.

"You have no idea," Grace responded.

"Come on, Serena," Ash whispered as he and the rest of the group anxiously awaited the results.

Even Palermo and Aria were showing some amount of interest. It was like the numbers wouldn't stop. Serena and Miette already had over fifty thousand votes each. The screen then went dark as the votes finally finished.

"We now have our winner that has been decided by the audience," Louis said quietly to build up suspense. "The lovely lady who won by a small margin and our first ever Johto Queen is…Serena!"

The screen then lit up with Serena's image on the screen. There was a brief period of silence before a deafening roar of applause and shouts came from the audience. Some people even had to cover their ears because it was so loud.

"Congratulations, Serena!" Louis shouted to her.

Serena stood there in absolute shock. She just won. She actually won. She just became the Johto Queen. All of her hard work had finally paid off. Everything that happened so far led up to this moment, mishaps and all. At first, Serena thought she didn't have a chance in the world after the disaster in Olivine City. There was also Palermo's uneasiness around her and her so called destiny to end up destroying the world. She just beat all those odds and actually did it.

"Fenn! Fenn!" Fennekin cried and tugged on Serena's dress to snap her out of it.

"Oh. Oh!" Serena cried as she picked up Fennekin and gave it a big hug. She and her Pokemon then all gathered for one huge group hug, except for Scyther. It stood on the outside and just gave everyone the softest pat on the back it could due to its blades.

"Thank you so much! You all were amazing!" Serena told them.

"Ahhhh…," Grace muttered as she actually fainted. Rose was there to catch her, and she and Delia waved their hands in front of her face to try to wake her up.

"As a parent, I know Grace couldn't be prouder," Delia said with a smile.

"Does this mean we'll have drag her out of here if she doesn't wake up in time?" Rose joked.

"She did it, Gary!" Leaf screamed and jumped into his arms.

"Easy, Leaf!" Gary cried as he tried not to drop her.

"C'mere, Jimmy!" Marina shouted before she pulled him close and kissed him on the lips.

"Uhhh…," Jimmy uttered, somewhat in a daze.

Gold and Crystal watched with amused smiles on their faces. "Gold, why can't we get along like that?" Crystal asked him.

"Eww. I don't want to kiss you," Gold replied and made a gagging face.

"I didn't mean it like that, idiot!" Crystal shouted.

"That's why we can't get along! You always call me names!" Gold countered.

"Ugh. Whatever. Let's just be happy for Serena," Crystal sighed as the two them joined in the applause, as well.

Pikachu and Togetic held each other's hands as they danced, and both Brock and Misty hooted and hollered for their friend. Ash was the only one who wasn't applauding. He was just too happy to even think about doing that. He just had a large grin that threatened to swallow his whole face. He was so proud of Serena right now. She really was amazing. He had the best girlfriend on the whole planet.

"Congratulations, Serena," Miette said as she walked up to her and smirked. "You did really well. I'm really…happy…for you."

Miette's façade then broke down as tears started to stream down her face. She had wanted this title just as badly as Serena did. Serena's heart hurt a little for her friend as she patted her on the back and embraced Miette.

"Thank you so much, Miette. Really," Serena replied and let go.

"You're the only person I can accept losing to," Miette continued as she dried her tears. "I'll just try harder so you better watch out. I'll be coming after your title before long!"

"I really look forward to it, then," Serena replied.

"Our current reigning Kalos Queen, Aria, shall now have the honor of placing the tiara on the new Johto Queen!" Louis announced.

Serena then looked and saw Aria walking towards her with a beautiful tiara in her hand. Miette stepped away so Serena could have her moment. Once Aria reached her, she gave Serena a warm smile.

"It's my great honor to put this tiara on your head, Serena. Congratulations!" Aria told her.

"Thank you so much, Aria," Serena said gratefully.

"See? I was right to steer you in this direction, after all," Aria whispered with a smile.

"Hmmhmm! Yeah. You were. Thank you so much for believing in me, Aria," Serena said.

"Don't thank me, Serena. This was only possible because you believed in yourself," Aria replied.

Serena thought back to her long journey to get this far. She had so many ups and downs and doubts about whether she could really do this. Here she was, though. She had some help from others, but the most important part was in the end, she believed in herself just as Aria said.

"You're right," Serena agreed.

"Make sure you come to the back of the stage after this is over. Palermo and I have some things we'd like to tell you," Aria stated before she stepped away from Serena.

"Oh. Okay," Serena replied as she wondered what it was.

"This concludes our Master Class tournament! Until the next time when we gather around this incredible and lovely stage, au revoir!" Louis announced as the crowd continued to cheer, regardless.

* * *

Serena waited in one of the changing rooms for Aria and Palermo. She had a golden trophy next to her on the couch as she watched her Pokemon. It turns out they got something to wear, as well. Fennekin and Nidorina both admired each other's tiaras. Smeargle stood proudly with the small crown placed on its forehead. Larvitar and Fearow looked somewhat awkward at this recognition with their crowns while Scyther casually spun the crown around on one of its blades. It refused to wear something like this. The fame was sort of nice. Scyther could do without all the accessories that go with it, though.

Serena soon heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Upon hearing the noises, all of Serena's Pokemon snapped their attention to the doorway, and Scyther hastily put the crown back on its head.

Both Aria and Palermo showed up a few seconds later. Aria gave Serena and her Pokemon a smile before she went over and sat next to Serena on the couch. Palermo merely nodded to Serena before she came over and leaned against the edge of the couch with her arms folded. Serena decided to let them speak first and waited for what they had to say.

"Once again, congratulations, Serena," Aria said.

"Thank you!" Serena replied.

Palermo, however, continued to say nothing. Serena wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to take that. Palermo didn't appear mad, just expressionless. She was so hard to figure out.

"Both Palermo and I were wanting to know what you plan to do now that you're a Johto Queen. What's your goal? What is it you really want to do with this?" Aria requested politely.

"What I want," Serena repeated to herself as her Pokemon gathered around her. "You know, for a long time, I wondered that myself. I enjoyed doing them and always had fun, but I couldn't help but wonder what the point of it was. I knew I was working towards becoming Johto Queen, but I had no idea what that entailed. I even had others ask me that. I could never find a suitable answer, though. I didn't want to win just to win so I had to do a little bit of soul searching."

"And did you find your answer?" Palermo spoke for the first time. "What is your wish?"

"My wish," Serena started before she gave her answer. "The title of Queen isn't about me. It's about others. I learned that from watching Aria and speaking with other performers. I used to be on the receiving end of a lot things. Even when I won the Battle Chateau in Kanto, it was only thanks to the help of others, but now, I want to give back to everyone. It's about giving. I want to make others happy.

Both Palermo and Aria seemed to smile at that. "Go on," Palermo encouraged.

"I wish to give people strength, make them smile, give good advice…maybe even tough love. I want to make others' dreams come true, too, just like Aria did for me," Serena finished. "I'm ready to go out and show others all that I've learned!"

"Well, what do you think of that, Palermo?" Aria asked with a smile.

"Hmm," Palermo mused and even let out a smile herself before she faced Serena. "That was a good answer. It seems you've realized your own weaknesses, but you turned it into a strength. It's okay to rely on others as you told me at first, but don't forget that it's really about giving."

"Right," Serena agreed.

"It seems I may have misjudged you," Palermo stated thoughtfully. "When I first met you back in Mahogany Town, I realized you had potential, but there was something holding you back."

"Umm…Ms. Palermo," Serena requested and looked somewhat uncomfortable. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you suddenly get really uncomfortable around me that day?"

"Hmmm?" Palermo asked, somewhat surprised and widened her eyes. However, she kept her cool. "I wouldn't worry about it, dear. Something tells me you already know the answer to that yourself. Regardless, I can tell you are full of life and love. Whatever was there is too consumed by your good traits to harbor any worry from me, now."

Serena thought about Palermo's words. Ever since last night when she talked with Ash, she did have a pretty good idea. Had Palermo referred to the darkness that was inside of her? Could she sense what Serena's destiny was supposed to be? That had worried Serena at the time, but now, even Palermo was satisfied. That must truly mean that Serena had avoided everything, after all, and squashed that dark premonition. She was Johto Queen, now, and as Queen, she would continue to do good for others.

"In that case, Serena, I need your help," Aria said and grabbed both of her hands gently.

"Of course. What can I do?" Serena asked.

"As fellow Queens, it's our job to go out and make other's dreams come true just like you said," Aria stated. "We need to spread the joy to others who we feel have potential, too. We need to travel to other regions and find a girl…or boy…who we can teach and lead them on the right path. That's why I was visiting the Johto region and Orange Islands. I wanted to spread Pokemon Performances and even contests to other places outside of Kalos. Now, we can work as a team."

"Oh? So, it looks like I'm going to travel?" Serena guessed.

"That's right!" Aria said brightly. "Of course, since you're Johto Queen, you will still have to stop by this region sometimes. The Master Class is held every two years. After a two year period, someone will compete against you for the title of Johto Queen. You'll need to be here for that to defend your title."

"Oh! Of course! I can do that!" Serena said brightly.

It made sense. Serena realized she may not be Johto Queen forever. Other girls, like Miette and Marina, had ambitions just like she did. In fact, Serena wouldn't be surprised if she ended up facing them again in two year's time for the title of Johto Queen again. She would have to do all she could in that time frame

"In the meantime, we'll need to to to the other regions, and do our best to encourage others," Aria nodded.

"But…what regions do we go to?" Serena asked.

"We'll have to split the work," Aria said with a wink. "I'm a huge travel buff if you couldn't tell so I want to go to the regions quite a long way away. I'd prefer to visit the Unova and Alola regions if it's all the same to you. That would leave Hoenn and Sinnoh for you. If you want to swap any, I'd be glad to. It wouldn't be fair if only I chose the regions!"

"No, of course not! Hoenn and Sinnoh would be perfect!" Serena replied with a shake of her head. "I…just hope it's okay with Ash and Brock."

"Oh? Are those your traveling partners?" Palermo asked before she added. "If I'm not mistaken, you and Ash are pretty close."

"Yeah. We are. He's my boyfriend," Serena said with a blush. "We've always done things together, and we've made a promise to always be together. I hope he'll be okay going to those regions, too."

"Adjustments can be arranged!" Aria giggled. "If he chooses to go somewhere else, just let me know! I would never want to separate you two!"

"Oh, really?!" Serena asked hopefully.

"Of course!" Aria replied and smiled. "Remember, even though you're a queen just like me now doesn't mean I can't help your dream come true, and if that means being with your man, then I'm all for it!"

Serena and Aria then shared a good laugh together as Palermo chuckled to herself. They were so young and truly loved others. It really took the older woman back to her younger days. It seemed she had nothing to worry about with these two, after all.

Serena then looked over and saw her mother, Grace, standing at the doorstep with her hand over her heart. Serena could tell from her expression that she heard just about the entire conversation. Aria and Palermo also looked at Grace and smiled.

"I take it you are her mother? It's nice to meet you, madam. I'm Palermo," Palermo introduced and walked over to Grace and outstretched her hand.

"Oh. It's lovely to meet you, too," Grace replied and took the handshake. "I'm Grace."

"You have a quite a daughter," Palermo said and turned back to glance at Serena. "You must be so proud."

"Yes. I really am. This isn't only the happiest moment for Serena's life, but mine, as well," Grace said.

"Mom…," Serena trailed as she went over and hugged her. "I'll make the same promise I to you that I did to Ash, Aria, and Ms. Palermo. I'll be the best Johto Queen ever!"

"I know you will, Serena. I have every faith you can do it," Grace said as she hugged her back and stroked her daughter's hair.

"Well, it's best I got going, now," Aria said and stood up before she bowed to Grace. "It was great to meet you, ma'am, but I have to get a good start off to the other regions."

"You're leaving already?" Serena asked somewhat sadly.

"I am," Aria replied with an apologetic smile. "As you'll soon learn, a Queen's duty never rests."

"Yeah. I suppose it doesn't," Serena muttered.

"Hey! It isn't like this is goodbye!" Aria chirped. "As fellow Queens, remember that we're going to see each other again, and when we do, we should totally hang out! I'd even like to compete in our own mock performance together!"

Serena smiled and nodded her head. "You got it! I'd love to!"

"Sounds good, then!" Aria responded and gave a quick hug to Serena. "Bye then! See you again!"

"Take care, Aria," Palermo said.

"Thank you, Ms. Palermo. I always enjoy the chance to see you!" Aria said before as she went to leave the room.

However, she stopped. Aria then hurried back over to Serena and went to pull something out of her purse. Serena stared curiously as she wondered what Aria was getting. What Aria pulled out was a a pair of glasses. Serena gave Aria a questioning look as Aria gave them to her.

"What are these for?" Serena wondered.

"Trust me," Aria giggled. "Now that you're a queen, you'll have to watch out for the paparazzi sometimes. Those glasses will really come in handy as a disguise!"

Serena couldn't help but laugh again at that. It was so true! When she first met Aria, the girl was disguised with a different hairstyle and glasses just like these. Serena thought it would be rather amusing that she may be treated as a celebrity by some people, now. It made Serena happy that she could converse with Aria like this. Not just as a fellow Queen, but as a friend, too.

* * *

"Hey, everyone!" Serena called as she hurried to them along with Grace.

The group was waiting for Serena by the entrance to the performance castle. They all waved to her in greeting as they saw Serena come, but they noticed something different about her. She was actually wearing the glasses Aria got her!

"Wow. Nifty glasses, Serena. Where did you get them?" Marina wondered.

"Aria gave them to me!" Serena replied with a smile. "How do they look? I think they make me look smart!"

"Yeah. You do look smarter," Ash agreed.

"Gee, Ash. That makes it sound like you thought Serena looked dumb before," Leaf pointed out with a roll of her eyes.

"Well…uhh…of course I didn't mean it like that," Ash replied in embarrassment as everyone laughed.

"It's okay, Ash. I know what you meant," Serena said and gave him a hug. "I won't wear these all the time. I just wanted to try them out."

"So, what was it that Aria and Palermo wanted to say?" Misty asked as everyone listened.

"They asked me what it meant to be a Johto Queen, and I told them that it was about making other's dreams come true. That was my wish. Aria and I are going to travel to different regions and do just that. We'll need to find someone to inspire and give that push…sort of take them as our pupil," Serena replied.

"Oh? What regions are you going to?" Ash asked.

"Well, if it's okay with the rest of you, I have Hoenn and Sinnoh, but if that's not possible, I can…"

"It's okay with me!" Ash said with a smile and thumbs up. "I was wanting to visit those regions myself next, too!"

"Leaf wouldn't leave me alone about going to Hoenn and Sinnoh," Gary smirked. "So, it looks like we'll be in those regions, too."

"Count me in!" Brock added.

"I won't be there, but if I was, you can bet you would have my support," Misty said.

"Before all of that, though," Ash began as he faced Jimmy and Gary. "We have a Silver Conference to compete in."

Gary and Jimmy then got serious expressions on their faces. "That's right," Gary confirmed.

"Only a week away," Jimmy added.

"Well, I doubt I'll be I'll be able to find someone here so soon," Serena brought up. "So, I'll just start doing what I can do now as a Johto Queen, and that's to cheer you all on!"

"Sounds good!" Ash nodded and winked. "It's so cool. I have a queen for a girlfriend."

"Oh, Ash," Serena giggled and blushed a little bit before she leaned in whispered in his ear. "Thank you for believing in me and trusting me about…you know."

"I was right to," Ash whispered back.

"That's better! Serena should be the one you whisper to!" Lyra encouraged.

"You bet, Lyra!" Ash replied.

The group was then about to head back before they heard something. It sounded like pattering. No. It couldn't be. Ash narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, Bagon, this time I'll…aaack!" Ash gasped as Bagon appeared out of nowhere and headbutted him in the stomach again. It then smirked and ran off.

"That does it! I don't know how you got here, but I'm not letting you get away!" Ash shouted as he quickly got up and turned to Pikachu. "Let's get it!"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

With that, Ash and Pikachu tore after the trouble-making Bagon as fast as they could. As she watched him go, Serena couldn't help but giggle to herself. Well, it looks like her first act as Queen wouldn't be to encourage Ash at the Silver Conference, after all. Instead, she would be encouraging him to take care of that Bagon!

* * *

 **Hmm...I wonder who Serena's pupils will be in Hoenn and Sinnoh. Besides the obvious two, I have a couple of others in mind. Remember that Aria said both performances AND contests. Serena will have a compete in battles and contests and performances occasionally, too, so that way she doesn't get rusty.**

 **I'm curious. Were you all expecting Serena to win, or Miette, or some divine intervention where neither of them won. Let me know in a PM.**

 **Just to be clear, Ash knows he can curb stomp that Bagon if he really wants to. However, he doesn't really get the chance since Bagon always seems to appear when he least expects it. Ash isn't the type of guy to just send out his most powerful Pokemon to completely wreck a trouble making, low-level, Bagon. That's something Silver would do, or used to do.**

 **The beginning of the Silver Conference is next! Just so you know, only the important ones will be shown. Otherwise, I have to write tons of long battles back to back, and that's pretty tiring.**

 **Also, more of Bagon's and Ash's disputes will be explored in the Silver Conference arc, including Bagon's motivations. Stay tuned as the final arc begins next chapter! Until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter Seventy-One: The Silver Conference Preliminaries  
**


	72. The Silver Conference Preliminaries

**A/N: I finally got this chapter out! I've been sooooo busy! I should still be done with the Johto Arc before 2018 ends. Please enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 71: The Silver Conference Preliminaries

The group had been at Mt. Silver for a week now. Serena's Pokemon Showcase had come on gone with Serena being crowned the first ever Johto Queen. Serena had made her dream come true. She now had a mission to inspire others and make their dreams come true, as well, whether it be leading them to be the best Pokemon Performer or Pokemon Coordinator they could be. It didn't just limit itself to things that were Pokemon related, however. It was about helping others in general.

That would come in a little bit as the group hadn't left Mt. Silver yet. They were there for a different reason, now. It was time for the Silver Conference to begin. Despite the week-long break between the Pokemon Master Class and the Silver Conference, the stores and hotels of Mt. Silver still remained open as a lot of tourists and trainers were there for both reasons. That left plenty of time for the group to relax,

However, the period of the relaxation the group had was all over. The Silver Conference was just a day away, and the group was ready for it. They were currently standing in a very large meeting room that was packed with other people. The officials for the League had made everyone who was participating in the Silver Conference this year to come by as they had a very important announcement to give. Ash, Gary, and Jimmy naturally came, as well as Serena, Leaf, Brock, Misty, and Marina.

As the group looked around, they were completely amazed by the sheer amount of people here. Surely, they couldn't all be here just to compete. Even if one were to divide the number of people in half, there would still be an excess amount. There were much more people here than at the Indigo Pokemon League.

"Wow. There has to be over four hundred people in here," Ash muttered.

"The Indigo League was nothing like this," Serena commented.

"We're competing against all of these people," Jimmy mumbled.

"Well, the way I look at it, that just means all the more people for us to beat! Eh, you two?" Gary asked and nudged Ash with his elbow.

"Well, at least one of you is confident," Misty said.

"I didn't say I wasn't confident. I'm just blown away by how many people there are. How are they going to fit so many matches in the stadium? With this many participants, the Silver Conference could last over two weeks," Ash pointed out.

"Hmm…they say that this is the largest number of trainers the Silver Conference has ever had in a given year, and it's by a long shot, too," Brock noted.

"I guess a lot of people were just as busy as we were," Jimmy shrugged.

"So, what do you all think this big announcement they have to give is about?" Leaf asked.

"Who knows? After everyone registered, the officials all asked us to stay here. I don't think it's just to welcome us," Brock reasoned. "They do that at the opening ceremony tomorrow night."

The room suddenly became quite as the group saw a familiar short man with a long white beard walk up to a podium that overlooked the crowd. Ash, Serena, Brock, Misty, Gary ,and Leaf immediately recognized the man as Mr. Goodshow, the president of the Pokemon League. Ash still remembered his previous meetings with the man back in the Indigo League. He was heavily reprimanded by Mr. Goodshow after his Aerodactyl had gone out of control and put several people and Pokemon in danger. The man had seemed to forgive Ash by the end of the Pokemon League, however, so they were all good now.

As Ash remembered the incident, it made him think of something. Ash really wanted to use Aerodactyl in this league, too. It would be beneficial to get permission from Mr. Goodshow and make sure he was okay to use it. Ash would have to look for him sometime after this meeting was over. Despite being a short man, Mr. Goodshow wasn't particularly had to find at this event. He was usually out and about greeting the trainers around the stores during break times.

Mr. Goodshow cleared his throat before addressing the crowd in a microphone. "Greetings all trainers and friends! For those of you who don't know who I am, I'm Mr. Goodshow, the president of the Pokemon League Corporation. I run all the leagues from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and even Unova, and Kalos!"

A few murmurs came from the crowd at that. This man was apparently head honcho over everything that had to do with the Pokemon League. Jimmy and Marina had heard of the man from their parents, but they had never seen him in person.

"He looks like Santa Claus," Jimmy whispered to Marina which caused her to giggle. Ash couldn't help but smile as that was his first impression of Mr. Goodshow, too.

Mr. Goodshow's face then went from a jolly expression to a more serious one. "As you all know, we have a very large number of participants this year, far more than we ever had. Thus, we had to make a few adjustments to the way the rules will work. We will need to have preliminary rounds."

There were a few more murmurs from the crowd as they all looked up in a questioning manner at Mr. Goodshow. Preliminary rounds? What did that mean? They never had anything like that before. Mr. Goodshow seemed to read their thoughts as he let out a sigh.

"I know you all worked very hard to get where you all are. Unfortunately, with the number of participants over two hundred this year, there is no way for us to fit all of the necessary battles in the stadium. Therefore, we will have all of the trainers go through a screening process. We will have them battle in small battlefields just outside the Silver Conference grounds. They will use one Pokemon each and compete in a series of three battles with different trainers. The ones who come out on top will all advance and be able to participate in the semifinals of the Silver Conference. The ones who don't make, however, will be out of the tournament. There will only be forty-eight after the screening process," Mr. Goodshow informed them.

"Only forty-eight?!" someone in the crowd shouted.

"Not all of us will get to battle in the stadium?" someone else shouted.

"My parents came all the way here from Hoenn! They didn't do that just to see me possibly only battle in a makeshift caged field!" another person yelled.

"Man. That's brutal. Only forty-eight," Ash grimaced.

"I've heard of preliminaries before when leagues have more people than usual, but they've always still been able to battle in the stadiums. There really is more people than this league can handle if they made a rule like this," Brock said thoughtfully.

"Settle down, everyone," an Officer Jenny by Mr. Goodshow commanded through the microphone as more people began to voice their disapproval.

"This sucks!" someone screamed. "I got these eight badges to battle in the stadium, not some crappy battlefield that I can find anywhere!"

"That's enough!" Mr. Goodshow ordered through the microphone.

Everyone grew quiet again as Mr. Goodshow's angry voice rang throughout the room. For all of his jokes and strange appearance, Mr. Goodshow could be quite the authoritative figure when he needed to be as Ash knew all too well. Now that the room was more in order, Mr. Goodshow lost his angry look and went to a more neutral expression.

"I understand this is very upsetting to all of you, and I apologize for that. That's why we're trying to give everyone as fair a shot as possible for the trainers to make it to the stadium with three battles instead of single elimination. If anything, this should make you more determined than ever to give nothing less than your best right off the bat!" Mr. Goodshow said. "I'm sorry, but this is final. The preliminaries will start tomorrow instead of today to give you all time to prepare. The times for each trainer's match will be posted on the bulletin boards later will also receive an announcement when your battle is about to begin. Are there any questions?"

Everyone exchanged glances with each other to see if there were any. Despite their dislike of the situation, Mr. Goodshow explained everything quite well and made it clear that there was no room for arguments. If he decisioned something like this, they couldn't really go against him. Upon seeing no one spoke up, Mr. Goodshow nodded his head.

"Very well then. You're all dismissed," he said. "Everyone, go out there and give it your all!"

Such a word of encouragement from the Pokemon League President would normally fire everyone up, but all that came this time were a few groans of disappointment as everyone began to file out of the hall. Many people were still voicing their disapproval but nowhere near the intensity of the first time.

"So, we have to come out on top in a one on one battle to even get into the stadium," Jimmy said with a frown.

"Come on, Jimmy! You'll rock their socks off! I know you'll make it!" Marina tried to encourage.

"Yeah. You, me, and Ash all have what it takes to go far. We'll make it for sure!" Gary added.

"I hate to bring this up, but what if one of us has to face the other in the preliminaries?" Ash wondered.

The group fell silent at that. None of them had a suitable answer.

* * *

It was now the day of the screening process, and the group was now walking through the various stalls Mt. Silver had set up. Lyra had opted to join them this time while the adults did their own thing. Crystal, Delia, Grace, and Rose were off a spa somewhere which Lyra wasn't interested in yet. Gold, meanwhile, was finally deciding to be responsible and help set up Silver Conference preliminaries as the reigning champion.

They had stopped by a stall to get a few snacks before all the matches started. As they walked along, they happened to spot Mr. Goodshow by one of the stalls. He was laughing in his normal jovial manner as he handed out balloons to several younger children. Lyra beamed at this and made a beeline straight for him. The older kids shrugged and figured they might as well say hi to him. Ash still had to ask Mr. Goodshow about Aerodactyl, after all.

"Well, hello there, little lady!" Mr. Goodshow greeted despite the fact that Lyra was the same height as him. "Would you like a balloon?"

"Yes, please!" Lyra answered with a big smile.

Mr. Goodshow nodded his head and gave Lyra a balloon, and then he noticed the group approach him, in particular Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty. He gave a big smile behind his large white beard.

"Well, I'll be! If it isn't you guys!" he stated.

"Hi, Mr. Goodshow," Ash greeted back.

"I take the fact that you're here means you'll be competing in the Silver Conference, huh, Ash?" Mr. Goodshow figured.

"That's right," Ash nodded. "We're all really looking forward to it."

"Well, at least there are a few of you that do," Mr. Goodshow sighed as he stroked his beard with his free hand. "I've received a lot of backlash from my announcement yesterday. It was a decision also supported by the Elite Four and the Champion.

Jimmy looked down to the ground at that statement. His outgoing dad even approved of this decision. If he did, then there probably was really no other option for them to take. Marina rubbed his back, but Jimmy shook his head to let Marina know he was fine. He knew his dad enough to know that as Johto Champion, he still had to make tough decisions sometimes. Mr. Goodshow noticed Jimmy and gave an apologetic smile. Apparently, he knew that Jimmy was Gold's son.

As the group looked around, they noticed a lot of trainers still appeared cheerful given the circumstances. However, there were still a good number who looked quite downtrodden. The news of not everyone getting to compete in the main stadium was really affecting the morale.

"So, there was really no way around it, huh?" Ash asked.

"Couldn't we just have extra days for the competition due to all the trainers?" Serena wondered.

"We're already having to do that to make room for the preliminaries," Mr. Goodshow replied. "Unfortunately, as president of the Pokemon League Corporation, I'm a very busy man and always am in meetings or traveling to host other competitions around the world. If I'm even a few days behind schedule, that throws entire leagues into chaos. For the sake of other Pokemon Leagues around the globe, I had to find the fastest solution possible. That was to do a screening process."

"Wow. You travel that much? Are you ever a home?" Misty questioned.

"Well, I'm home all winter and early spring so I get to be indoors by a cozy fire with my lovely wife! Hahahahaha!" Mr. Goodshow answered with a hearty laugh.

The group couldn't help but smile a little bit. So, it turned out Mr. Goodshow was actually married. They could only imagine what being married to a man as busy as him must be like. She must have the patience and love of a saint.

Everyone was glad the mood had lightened somewhat so Ash figured now was a good a time as any to ask. However, as he got ready to ask his question, his voice caught in his throat, and he fell silent. The image of an incredibly angry Mr. Goodshow and two Officer Jennys that day kept coming back to haunt him.

His friends all nodded him in support to urge Ash to go on. Mr. Goodshow noticed the silent gestures of everyone and looked at Ash expectantly.

"Is there something you needed to ask me?" he questioned.

"Well, yes," Ash admitted and rubbed the back of his head.

"Ask away, my boy," Mr. Goodshow encouraged.

"I was wondering…," Ash began. "You remember what happened with my Aerodactyl, right?"

"Water under the bridge, my boy!" Mr. Goodshow waved off. "It won't affect your stay here, at all!"

"That isn't what I meant," Ash responded and took a deep breath. "My dad, Red, has been training Aerodactyl for a really long time to get it over its problem. I'm sure Lance had helped, too. A few months ago, my dad gave it back to me. I've used it in a couple of battles before, and it's done really well. It's like the incident at the Pokemon League never happened. It's come a really long way, and I want to try to use all of my Pokemon while I'm here. That's why I was hoping…you would permit me to use Aerodactyl here."

"Ah…I see," Mr. Goodshow said and lost his smile to be replaced with a more serious expression.

"I've seen it myself. As a Pokemon Breeder, I can tell that Aerodactyl has none of the primal instincts it once had," Brock stepped in.

"Ash has taught me the ropes of being a Pokemon trainer. I trust him, and I know his Aerodactyl is good to go! My Pokemon battled together with it at Clair's gym," Jimmy added.

"I actually would like to have a chance to see a prehistoric Pokemon in battle," Gary said. "It wouldn't do if my pal, Ash, couldn't use it."

"Aerodactyl loves Ash and all the other Pokemon. How can a Pokemon like that be bad?" Leaf asked.

"I'm only a specialist in water-type Pokemon, but as a future Pokemon Guardian, I wouldn't say Aerodactyl was fine if I didn't mean it," Misty said.

"It's fabulous!" Marina shouted.

"Please, Mr. Goodshow?" Serena pleaded and clasped her hands.

"Wow. Thanks, guys," Ash muttered in surprise as he looked around at all of his friends supporting him before he looked back to Mr. Goodshow.

"Woah. Slow down!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed, and the group fell silent. "So I can say…yes!"

"I-I can?" Ash asked in surprise.

"Hahaha! Of course you can!" Mr. Goodshow laughed. "How can I say no to all of these reasons? I trust their judgement, but above all, I trust your judgement, Ash. I know you wouldn't be asking me this unless you really believed Aerodactyl has changed."

"Wow. Thank you so much, Mr. Goodshow!" Ash replied gratefully.

"You bet!" Mr. Goodshow nodded. "That means you better go in there and show everyone how a real trainer does a league, and that goes for all of you, as well."

"Right!" Jimmy and Gary agreed.

Ash grinned and looked down at Aerodactyl's pokeball. Although he couldn't see Aerodactyl's expression himself, he was sure the prehistoric Pokemon was doing its uncharacteristic smile in its pokeball. Ash could even have sworn he saw the pokeball wiggle a little bit. Aerodactyl was clearly just as happy about it as Ash was.

"Will Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and Salvador Smith from Cherrygrove City please report to the Battle Court A?" a voice said over a nearby intercom.

"Oh, man! I got to go! I'm one of the first ones!" Ash exclaimed before he turned on his heels and took off running. He didn't even have time to enjoy his snack. Gary and Jimmy were quick to follow him as they had no doubt their names would be called soon, too. The rest said a quick goodbye to Mr. Goodshow before they hurried after the others.

* * *

Ash stood in one of the caged battle areas while another boy around his age stood on the other side. They each stared at each other with fierce determination as they prepared for the battle. Ash knew that all of his matches from now on would be a step above the ones he's had so far in the Johto region. Every single person he was going to face had the skills to beat all eight gym leaders. There was absolutely no room for error.

"Will Gary Oak from Pallet Town and Kayla Stroud from Olivine City please report to the Battle Court C for your match?" another voice said over the intercom.

"Man!" Gary said. "I was hoping I could watch Ash battle. I haven't seen him battle in a while."

"We'll let you know how it goes," Serena replied as Gary walked off. Leaf seemed to be in some sort of conflict as she looked back and forth between Ash and Gary. She wanted to watch both. Ultimately, she followed after Gary.

"I'll watch Gary battle so he'll have some support," Leaf told them before she shouted over to Ash. "Knock him dead!"

"Heh. Thanks," Ash muttered as Leaf hurried off.

"You can do it, Ash!" Misty yelled.

"There's no way you'll lose!" Marina added.

"You'll win for sure!" Lyra shouted.

"We believe in you!" Serena finished.

"Dude, do you have some sort of harem going on?" the boy known as Salvador asked in amusement.

"What's a harem?" Ash asked in confusion as Marina and Misty slunk back in embarrassment, and Lyra giggled. Ash looked at them with his eyebrows raised in questioning while Serena shook her head.

"Heh. Nothing," Salvador muttered before the judge spoke up.

"The screening match between Ash and Salvador will now begin. The board will now randomly select who will choose their Pokemon first," the judge announced.

An image of Ash and Salvador's faces then appeared on the board, and a light began flashing back and forth from their images. After a few seconds, it landed on Ash. Despite the small disadvantage, Ash wasn't worried. Instead, he turned his hat back and looked at Pikachu.

"Want to start off the first match in the Silver Conference, Pikachu?" he asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.

"You got it! Go, Pikachu!" Ash yelled and pointed forward for emphasis.

"In that case, I'll start off with one of my most trusted Pokemon. Furret, go!" Salvador declared and threw his pokeball forward to reveal it.

As Furret popped out of its pokeball, Ash remembered the time he faced one in Whitney's gym. It had proved to be a really tough opponent with how diverse and nimble it was. Ash could only imagine how tough this one was going to be. While Furret didn't necessarily look strong, it was proof that looks were deceiving.

"Furret is one tough opponent. It's good Ash is using a fast Pokemon like Pikachu to help counter it a little bit," Brock commented.

"Pikachu can handle it, no problem, though," Serena replied.

"Ready and go!" the judge yelled.

"Use Double Team, Furret!" Salvador commanded.

Before Ash or Pikachu could even blink, there were already about a dozen copies of Furret that were swarming the field. They all then started to run around which disoriented Pikachu even further. It was having a hard time focusing due to how fast Furret and its copies were.

"No problem, Pikachu! Just use Thunderbolt across the whole field!" Ash told it.

Pikachu shook its head to clear its mind and unleashed a massive Thunderbolt.

"Use Dig!" Salvador said

Furret and all of its copies quickly burrowed into the ground and avoided the Thunderbolt. Only one hole was formed so that proved to Ash and Pikachu which Furret was the real one. However, they didn't have much time to rest as Furret came up from the ground right underneath Pikachu almost immediately and knocked it high into the air. Furret then jumped into the air after it.

"Now, use Swift!" Salvador yelled.

Furret shot out the glowing star-shaped beams of energy which struck Pikachu and knocked it to the ground. Pikachu was quick to get up, but Furret was already back in the hole. Pikachu didn't have time to move before Furret came up from the ground again and knocked Pikachu into the air. It then used Swift again, and Pikachu fell to the ground again. Furett was already in the hole again by the time Pikachu got up.

"Use Agility so it can't do that again!" Ash told Pikachu.

"Use your Quick Attack, Furret!" Salvador yelled.

Furret burst from the ground and took off after Pikachu. Ash wasn't going to let Pikachu be chased like that, though. It would give Furret an unnecessary advantage.

"Jump into the air, and use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu back flipped into the air as Furret ran underneath it. Pikachu the launched the Thunderbolt straight at Furret.

"Use Double Team!" Salvador said again.

Furret immediately split into several images of itself, and the Thunderbolt only ended up hitting one of the copies. There were now at least a dozen Furret who were dashing around the field at breakneck speed. Pikachu landed on the ground and sweat dropped at the confusing scene.

"Man. I'm not even the one battling, and I even feel dizzy watching that Furret," Jimmy commented.

"Furret aren't strong as far as hitting hard. They rely a lot on their speed to confuse their opponent. Ash needs to think of someway to slow it down like he did with Whitney's Furret," Brock said.

"Pikachu can use Nuzzle to paralyze it," Serena suggested.

"That would work," Brock agreed. "I'm sure Ash knows it, too. It's just a matter of actually catching it. Furret's so fast it always gets away."

Furret was soon back underground, and Pikachu used Agility to get away. However, Furret had a surprise this time and appeared right in front of Pikachu instead of underneath it. Pikachu skidded to a halt just in time, but Furret wasn't done.

"Use Body Slam!" Salvador called.

Furret's slender but powerful body landed right on Pikachu. The yellow rodent cried out in pain from the attack. While Furret was on top of it, Salvador decided to throw in something a little extra to Pikachu.

"Use Mud Slap!" he yelled.

Furret gave a quick slap of the dirt, and it was flung straight into Pikachu's face.

"Chaaaa!" Pikachu cried as Furret got off it. Pikachu then began to frantically get the dirt out of its eyes. It didn't have much time, though, as it was soon hit in the stomach from a Headbutt.

"Pikachu! Hang in there!" Ash encouraged as it was knocked backwards. There was no way he was going to lose when he hadn't even had a chance to battle in the stadium. There had to be someway to stop that Furret. He knew paralyzing it was the only choice, but that was easier said than done.

"Use Dig again, Furret!" Salvador shouted, and Furret was back in the ground in a flash.

Ash knew that no matter what he did, Furret would find someway to catch up with Pikachu. It was too quick. Even if Pikachu would leap into the air before Furret came out of the ground. It would just attack Pikachu before Pikachu could land a shot. Wait. Maybe he should let it hit Pikachu.

"Pikachu, jump into the air!" Ash yelled.

"After it, Furret!" Salvador shouted. "Use Headbutt!"

As Pikachu leaped into the air, it narrowly avoided being hit by Furret who came up a second later. However, that didn't deter Furret. It leaped after Pikachu as it prepared the crash into it. Pikachu wouldn't be able to move out of the way to dodge, and if it used Thunderbolt, Furret would just use Double Team. However, it could still do something.

"Iron Tail!" Ash hollered.

Pikachu's tail glowed white as it turned its tail around just as Furret hit it with Headbutt. However, the Furret just ended up crashing into the Iron Tail. Everyone around heard a _ping_ when that happened and cringed. They knew that had to hurt. Furret fell back down to the ground with its eyes spinning at the hard hit. Ash knew this was his only chance as Salvador and Furret wouldn't fall for that again.

"Use Nuzzle!" he shouted.

Pikachu landed on top of Furret and began to rub its cheeks against it. Furret began to yelp in pain as it struggled to break free, but the Nuzzle did its job. Pikachu hopped away from Furret, and the long bodied Pokemon grimaced as it had become paralyzed.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pikachu dashed forward. There was no way Furret could move out of the way now.

"This isn't over yet!" Salvador insisted. "Sucker Punch!"

As Pikachu prepared to smack into Furret, it was instead met with a smack of it own by Furret's tiny arms. Pikachu was knocked backwards as it held its face in pain.

"My Furret's full of tricks," Salvador said. "Just because you paralyzed it doesn't mean we'll go down that easily."

"Then let's try Thunderbolt!" Ash said. "Pikachu doesn't have to get close for that."

"That won't work, either!" Salvador smirked. "Sucker Punch."

As Pikachu prepared its electric attack, Furret seemed to appear out of nowhere and smashed its small fists into Pikachu's face again. Pikachu fell to the ground again and struggled to get up. How could Furret still move like that even though it was paralyzed?!

"Now use Swift!" Salvador commanded.

The star-shaped beams of energy came from Furret and struck Pikachu. The yellow rodent was pushed back even further as it landed by Ash's feet.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried in worry.

"Come on, Ash! You can't lose now! Not after you showed me how to be a trainer!" Jimmy yelled as he clutched the cage and pressed his face against it.

"Jimmy, you aren't helping!" Marina hissed.

Pikachu had about all it could take, and Ash grimaced. Was there really no way to beat this Furret? He thought he had it in the bag once Furret's speed was gone, but now it's using Sucker Punch to counter everything Pikachu did. While Sucker Punch didn't necessarily stop Pikachu from attacking, Pikachu was too tired after taking a lot of hits to still attack.

"Hang in there, Pikachu," Ash said as Pikachu managed to stand up.

Pikachu was getting pretty tired and couldn't take too much more. As they looked at Furret, it simply stood there and waited for Pikachu's next move. Though the paralysis was affecting it, Furret didn't show it. Ash sighed as he tried to think. The only time Pikachu was really effective was when it was on top of Furret. Furret was completely helpless then. Wait. That was it. There was no way Furret could use Sucker Punch if Pikachu was on top of it because its arms were too short!

"Use Agility, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu took a deep breath and began to dart across the field. Furret wasn't really able to go after it this time and instead watched as Pikachu ran in circles around it. Furret was now on the receiving end of getting dazed as it tried to focus.

"Use Swift to slow it down!" Salvador shouted.

"You have to endure it, Pikachu! I know you can!" Ash encouraged.

As Furret launched the never miss attack, Pikachu grimaced it prepared to take the attack. It had to in order to beat Furret. The star-shaped beams hit it, and Pikachu shut its eyes as it continued to be struck by the move. However, the attack soon ended, and Pikachu opened its eyes and didn't lose a bit of its speed.

"Great job, Pikachu!" Ash praised. "Now, leap onto Furret!"

Pikachu didn't jump high in the air this time otherwise Furret could plan a counter attack. Instead, it just jumped straight at Furret and quickly landed on its back. Furret appeared surprised as it then tried to shake Pikachu off. However, its struggles weren't very strong due to the paralysis. Now, it was time to really let Furret have it.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Furret was unable to use Sucker Punch since Pikachu was on top of it this time. Pikachu charged up its cheeks and gave it the biggest Thunderbolt it could muster. The electricity soon spread all over the field. Furret cried in pain as Salvador shielded his eyes from the brightness.

"That was a Thunderbolt from a Pikachu? Wow!" Salvador said in amazement.

Pikachu then finished the attack as Furret wobbled slightly and appeared to have taken a lot of damage like Pikachu. Ash knew it was now time to finish this.

"Use Iron Tail!" he told it.

Pikachu charged up its tail and slammed it down on top of Furret. The force of the Iron Tail pushed Furret into the ground as a load of dust was kicked up into the air. As the dust settled, it revealed a Furret-shaped hole in the ground. Pikachu soon tiredly climbed out of the hole and panted, and to Ash's great surprise, so did Furret. However, Furret gave a cough and soon fell to the ground and fainted while Pikachu still stood. The judge then raised his flags.

"Furret is unable to battle! Pikachu is the winner!" he declared.

"Way to go, Pikachu!" Ash cheered as he went over to it.

Jimmy released the breath he had been holding and began to pant. "That…was close," he said.

"That's the Pokemon League for you," Brock shrugged. "Everyone here is a tough trainer. Ash won't have any easy victories here. That goes for you, too, so you really need to give it your all."

"Nngh…," Jimmy grimaced as he looked down at the ground.

"It's alright, Jimmy. You're just as good, if not better, than any trainer here. You'll be just fine," Marina tried to tell him.

"Yeah…," Jimmy mumbled.

Meanwhile, Salvador sighed and took out his pokeball before he returned Furret. "Take a good rest, Furret. You battled hard. I'm proud of you," he told it before he looked to Ash.

"Hey. That was a pretty tough battle," Ash said.

"Yeah. It was," Salvador agreed before he looked to the ground. "One more defeat, and I'm out for good. I don't even know if I'll make it now even if I win my next two matches."

Ash frowned, but he couldn't help but agree with Salvador. Trainers had been battling all year for this moment. To not even get a chance to battle in the main stadium would be really crushing. Ash could only imagine how Salvador felt.

"I'm sorry," Ash said.

"Don't be," Salvador replied and shook his head. "We all want to win. I can just try to win the next two and hope its enough to get in the top forty-eight. See you around."

"You, too," Ash responded as Salvador left the cage and walked off. Pikachu then ran up on Ash's shoulder and decided to rest there after the hard fought match. Ash smiled and scratched it behind the ears as his friends approached.

"Great battle, Ash!" Misty said with a smile.

"That was really close. You had me worried," Serena said.

"Man. If even you had this much trouble, I can only imagine how much I'll have," Jimmy muttered.

"Don't say that, Jimmy. You'll do just fine," Ash encouraged.

Jimmy merely nodded his head as everyone looked at him in confusion. This wasn't like him to be so unenthusiastic. What could be wrong?

"Jimmy, are you okay?" Marina asked him.

"Yeah. I'll be fine," Jimmy replied, but his tone said otherwise.

"Hey. Do you guys want to try to find Gary and Leaf? We may be able to catch the tail end of Gary's battle," Serena suggested.

"No need!" a voice said behind them.

The group turned and saw Gary and Leaf approach them. Gary was spinning one of his pokeballs on his finger with a smile on his face. The group could tell just from his actions that it meant he won his first match.

"Hey, Gary. How'd it go?" Ash asked anyway.

"It went just great," Gary replied with a smile. "It was my Nidoking against that girl's Ninetales. A pretty good match, but I came out on top. It was a piece of cake."

"Way to go, Gary!" Serena told him.

"Don't let him fool you," Leaf whispered to Serena. "He actually almost lost."

"Ahem! The point is I won," Gary said to Leaf pointedly. "Anyway, how did you do, Ash?"

"I won, too!" Ash replied and gave Gary a thumbs up.

"Glad to hear it!" Gary responded with nod. "Our battles are only getting to get tougher from here on out so we better give it our all!"

"Great," Jimmy mumbled.

Everyone looked at Jimmy again in confusion. "Jimmy, are you sure you're okay?" Marina asked.

"Yeah," Jimmy mumbled again.

"Will Jimmy Kenta of New Bark Town and Kyle Watters of Cianwood City please report the Battle Court F?" requested the familiar voice on the intercom.

"You're up, Jimmy!" Marina said in excitement.

Jimmy looked up from the ground and tried to put on the most confident look he could. It looked quite forced, though.

"Alright. Let's go then!" he declared and marched away with the others following.

"I'm worried about Jimmy. I hope he isn't getting nervous. That's the last thing he needs," Marina sighed.

"It's natural for everyone to feel a little bit of nervousness. I'm sure once he starts winning some battles, he'll be fine," Serena said in an attempt to cheer her up.

The group soon approached Jimmy's designated battle court, and they saw a familiar face. It was a boy with light brown hair with a huge cowlick. His Meganium had just Body Slammed a worn out Electabuzz, and they boy jumped around in excitement that he was winning.

"Oh! It's Vincent!" Marina cried.

Vincent must've heard Marina's voice as his eyes widened, and he turned to the group. Upon seeing them, he began to wave excitedly to them, specifically Marina.

"Hey, Marina! Hey, everyone!" he greeted enthusiastically.

"Eyes on the match!" Jimmy and Marina shouted at him.

"Oh! Right!" Vincent cried as he turned around to see that the opposing Electabuzz was starting to get up, and his Meganium was looking at Vincent like he was crazy. "Finish the match with Razor Leaf!"

Vincent's Meganium nodded and fired the Razor Leaf at the Electabuzz. It yelled in pain from the attack before it fell over to the ground, defeated. The judge then raised his flags.

"Electabuzz is unable to battle! The winner is Vincent!" the judge said and pointed the flag in Vincent's direction.

"Yeah! That's showing 'em, Meganium! Wait to go!" Vincent cheered. With that, he didn't waste any time in making a beeline towards the group. Once he reached them, he grabbed Marina's hand and kissed it. His Meganium chuckled in embarrassment but came over, too.

"Marina, my sweet. It's been too long. That week you weren't in New Bark Town for the Master Class was far too long. I'm only glad we have the chance to see each other," Vincent said dramatically.

"You know, Marina has a _boyfriend_ , now," Jimmy uttered as he put his arm around Marina.

"Yeah! Hands off!" Lyra added.

"I can still be happy to see her, right?" Vincent grimaced and let go of Marina's hand. "Even if she does have a boyfriend, that doesn't mean I can't try to win her from you, Jimmy."

"Yeah. Good luck with that," Jimmy deadpanned.

"It's okay, Vincent! I still want to be friends with you," Marina beamed.

"Ah, friends. That's the worst word you can hear when you want to be with someone. Being friend-zoned is the worst!" Vincent cried and held his hand over his heart.

"Are you done, yet?" Jimmy asked with a sigh.

"Yeah! I'm good, now!" Vincent replied and brightened up again. "So, how are all you guys? Won any matches?"

"Yeah. I just won my first one," Ash stated.

"Me, too," Gary added.

"I'm actually fixing to have my first on this field. That's why we came over," Jimmy finished.

"Well, I just won my first one so I'm off to a great start! I'll just keep winning until I win the Johto League and Marina, as well!" Vincent declared and appeared to have fire in his eyes.

"Well, someone's confident," Jimmy muttered.

"Of course. Why shouldn't I be? Surely, you feel the same way," Vincent said with a confused look.

"Yeah. Yeah," Jimmy waved off and walked on to the field. The group stared after him with a frown, and Vincent turned to the group with a puzzled expression.

"What's eating him? It couldn't have been something I said," Vincent asked.

"It's not you, sweetie-pie. Jimmy just seems to be nervous. I hope he'll feel better after this match," Marina replied.

"Well, he better be!" Vincent responded. "There will no satisfaction in battling Jimmy if he's bummed out."

"The match between Jimmy and Kyle will now begin. The board will randomly select who will choose their Pokemon first," the judge said.

An image of Kyle and Jimmy appeared on the screen and randomly flashed back and forth until it landed on Jimmy. The black-haired boy seemed to go through his mind about who to go with before he took out a pokeball and threw it.

"Go, Yanma!" he shouted.

A Pokemon that resembled a dragonfly appeared from the pokeball and beat its wings really quickly back and forth. Jimmy took a deep breath and nodded to it.

"Ready to win, Yanma?" he asked, though his voice clearly didn't have confidence.

Yanma looked back to Jimmy in confusion, but it nodded its head anyway. Meanwhile, a tall boy known as Kyle decided to choose his Pokemon. He picked it from his belt and tossed it forward.

"Go, Mantine!" he yelled.

A Pokemon that looked like a blue stingray with a greyish-white underbelly appeared. Ash and Serena took their national dexes out in interest as they had never seen this Pokemon before.

"Mantine, the kite Pokemon. If it builds up enough speed swimming, it can fly up to 300 feet out of the water," the national dexes informed.

"Hmm…this Mantine actually seems like a good match up against Jimmy's Yanma," Brock mentioned.

"That's okay, Jimmy! You go get it!" Marina encouraged.

"Yanma versus Mantine. Begin!" the judge declared.

"Okay, Yanma. Use Air Slash!" Jimmy shouted.

"Use your Air Slash, as well!" Kyle shouted.

Yanma flapped its wings while Mantine flapped its fins until blades of air shot out of them. They bypassed each other, and Yanma was hit and knocked back to the ground while Mantine seemed to absorb the hit and appear no worse for the wear.

"Good job, Mantine. Now use Water Pulse," Kyle said.

"Dodge it, and use Double Team!" Jimmy commanded.

Yanma was quick to get up due to its speed and quickly used Double Team and flew away from the orb of water. It then began to fly around the Mantine in an effort to confuse it. It seemed to have worked as Mantine was having a hard time keeping up with Yanma and was just floating there.

"Great, Yanma! Use Quick Attack!" Jimmy shouted.

The copies of Yanma vanished and it sped towards the Mantine and slammed into it. Mantine made a slight grimace, but the attack seemed to do relatively little damage. Like the Air Slash before it, Yanma seemed to sink in slightly to Mantine, and its body absorbed the attack.

"Wing Attack," Kyle said.

Mantine gave a slap of its fins and knocked Yanma backwards. Yanma shook its head to clear itself from the effective attack, but it could still fight. Jimmy frowned as he tried to think of something.

"That Mantine's body is like a sponge," Brock noted. "It's absorbed a lot of Jimmy's attacks, and they aren't doing enough damage. He'll have to change his strategy."

"Hmm…what would my dad or Ash do in this situation?" Jimmy asked himself. "Since Mantine seems to keep absorbing my attacks, they would find a way to lower its defenses. I've got it. Use Screech, Yanma!"

Yanma emitted a horrible Screech from its mouth that caused Mantine to cry out at the noise. Its body couldn't absorb noise like that!

"Now, use Uproar!" Jimmy shouted.

Yanma went from a Screech and emitted loud sound waves from its body that flew over and stuck Mantine continuously. The Mantine looked quite uncomfortable with all the noise going on. That's when Jimmy tried again.

"Use Quick Attack, now, Yanma!" he shouted.

Yanma quickly flew forward and slammed into Mantine once more. This time, it seemed to do a little more damage. However, Mantine quickly recovered and used its long fins to wrap around Yanma and trap it. Yanma began to struggle as Jimmy gave his next command.

"Get out of there, Yanma! Use Screech!" Jimmy hollered.

"Use Water Pulse!" Kyle countered.

Yanma once more initiated the terrible noise which caused Mantine to wince once again. However, it managed to hang on and form the orb of water in its mouth. It then shot the attack at point-blank range in Yanma's face, and the clear wing Pokemon was knocked backwards and on the ground. It was now bruised pretty badly.

"It's okay, Yanma. Try to get up!" Jimmy encouraged.

"Use Air Slash!" Kyle yelled.

Just as Yanma managed to take flight once again, it was struck with the blades of air which sent it to the ground again. Yanma grimaced as it tried to get up, but it was having difficulty doing so.

"Come on, Yanma!" Jimmy tried.

"Let's finish this with another Air Slash, Mantine!" Kyle told it.

Jimmy took a deep breath. He was afraid of this. He was going to lose his first match and not have a chance to participate properly during the Silver Conference. All of these competitors were so tough. Even Ash and Gary almost lost, and they had a lot more experience than him. What chance did he have to win if even they were struggling? His dad was the Champion, and he was about to disappoint him by losing his very first match in the preliminaries.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Jimmy muttered and shut his eyes.

"Jimmy, wake up! Look at Yanma!" Marina shouted.

Jimmy wondered what on Earth Marina was referring to as he opened his eyes. Time must've slowed down as the Air Slash still hadn't reached his Yanma and defeated it. However, his Yanma had managed to take flight and dart away. Its eyes then glowed, and it summoned sharp rocks from seemingly nowhere. They then surrounded the surprised Mantine and began to pelt it where it cried out in pain. Jimmy stood there in surprise.

"Yanma, did you just learn Ancient Power?" Jimmy asked as he stared up and Yanma and widened his eyes. "Woah."

Yanma began to glow a shining white. It's body and wings grew a lot grew a lot bigger and seemed to form plates on its back. When it finished glowing, Yanma had evolved into Yanmega! It was a large dark green Pokemon that also resembled a dragonfly with large red eyes and two small fangs next to its mouth. It then buzzed around at its new evolution.

"Woah," Jimmy uttered again. "You evolved."

"Jimmy!" Marina cried. "Yanma evolved for you to win the match! Don't just stand there! Do something!"

"Uh…right!" Jimmy muttered. "Yanmega, use Air Slash."

Yanmega beat its powerful wings and quickly shot out an Air Slash at Mantine. Mantine's body seemed to absorb the hit a lot less this time, and it cried out in pain. These attacks were clearly more powerful than Yanma's.

"Slow it down with Bubble Beam!" Kyle yelled.

"Use Air Slash to pop those bubbles and go in for a Quick Attack!" Jimmy shouted.

Mantine began to pour a plethora of bubbles from its mouth, but the blades of air cut right through them. Yanmega then sped forward and crashed into Mantine. Yanmega then did another surprise when its slashed at Mantine, and the kite Pokemon was knocked to the ground.

"Did it just learn Night Slash, too?" Jimmy asked himself before he shook his head. "Finish this with Ancient Power!"

Yanma once again summoned a plethora of rocks and threw them at the downed Mantine. The Mantine managed to get up, but it couldn't away in time and was knocked back down by the mysterious rocks as they continued to pummel it. Finally, the attack stopped, and Mantine eyes were swirling as it was buried under the rocks. The judge raised his flags.

"Mantine is unable to battle! The winners are Jimmy and Yanmega!" he declared.

"Aw, man. Ha….good try, Mantine. Thanks," Kyle muttered and walked off the field without another word.

Yanmega happily flew to Jimmy and buzzed around him to show off its new evolution to him. Jimmy smiled slightly and rubbed it.

"That's awesome, Yanma…err…Yanmega. Way to go," he said.

"That was great, Jimmy!" Marina cried and ran onto the battlefield to hug him.

She wrapped her arms around him for the victory and was surprised when he didn't return it. Marina released Jimmy from the hug and looked at him questioningly.

"What's wrong, Jimmy? Aren't you happy you won?" she asked.

"Yeah. I am," Jimmy answered somewhat distantly. "It's just…I almost lost. It was really close for a moment."

"League matches are like that," Brock reasoned and crossed his arms.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "All of the trainers here are really tough and trying their best. That's why we have to keep giving our best, too. We'll have a lot of close matches no matter what we do."

"It isn't that simple," Jimmy replied with a shake of his head. "Had my Yanmega not evolved when it did, I would've lost. It was just a matter of lucky timing that I won."

The group seemed surprised at this statement. Even Yamega did. The newly evolved dragonfly Pokemon seemed to look upset and hung its head down. Upon seeing Yanmega's reaction, Jimmy quickly shook its head at Yanmega.

"No, Yanmega. You're fine. I wasn't blaming you at all. You did amazing," Jimmy encouraged before he hung his own head. "It's just me. I was barely good enough to win."

"Now, where's this coming from, Jimmy?" Marina asked and placed her hands on her hips. "You're a great trainer! How else would you have made it here to the Pokemon League?"

"I suppose I was good enough to get here, but I don't think I'm good enough to win," Jimmy finally said.

"Wait just a minute here!" Vincent stepped in and got in Jimmy's face. "You've been my rival for Marina for as long as I've known you. Then you got her and became a Pokemon trainer. I'm not about to let you put yourself down like that after all the stuff you've beat me at before. I think I'm good enough to win the Pokemon League, and if I do, you better think that, as well! I didn't lose Marina to someone who thinks they aren't good enough!

"Get out of my face, Vincent," Jimmy warned.

Vincent glared at Jimmy who glared right back at him. The group watched rather nervously and wondered if they were about to start fighting. Brock, Ash, and Gary were about to pull the two other boys apart before Vincent gave a snort and turned away. Jimmy then sighed and took a deep breath before he addressed everyone.

"Look, I'm sorry I acted like that just now. I'm sorry to you, too, Vincent," he apologized. "I'm just…this tournament is a lot harder than I thought it would be. You know how my dad's the champion here, and it just makes me afraid that I won't live up to his expectations."

"That's crazy talk, Jimmy. Your dad will be proud of you no matter how you do," Marina said.

"Yeah. Don't feel pressured that you absoulutely have to win the championship here," Ash added. "Sure. It would be great for whoever won, but we also should all have fun here. Gary and I didn't win the Indigo League, but we still had fun."

Gary went along with what Ash, but he didn't want to correct him. In case Ash had forgotten, Gary left the league after he lost because he believed he was pathetic. He did a bit of soul searching for a year as he thought back to all the expectations he had. He didn't want Jimmy to fall in the same trap.

"Look, take it from someone who's like you," Gary said. "My dad is the champion of Kanto. I felt I had a lot to live up to, also. However, I believe that's just silly now. Don't get me wrong. I'm still here to win, but I'm mainly here to have fun with my friends and have some great battles."

Jimmy seemed to feel a bit better after what Gary said. He then looked to his Yanmega who still seemed saddened at Jimmy's pity party. The black-haired boy gave a slight chuckle as he rubbed Yanmega's head again.

"Well, if I win, it would be because of my great Pokemon," he said.

The group sighed but didn't press the issue further. It wasn't the response they were hoping for, but at least Jimmy as feeling better. They just hoped he could get a few more wins under his belt to boost his confidence a little more. Maybe then he would be a bit better.

* * *

The rest of the preliminary battles came and went. Ash, Gary, and Jimmy had won all three of their matches and would most definitely be moving on to the top forty-eight. Each match was closer than the last and really gave the group an idea of the steep competition they were facing, in particular for Jimmy.

It was the opening ceremony night, and most people were heading to the stadium or already there. Jimmy, however, was sitting on one of the park benches. He knew everyone else was waiting on him there, and he would make sure to join them before the ceremony started. However, he just wanted some time to think.

What happened to his enthusiasm the past couple of months? He was so pumped for this moment ever since he started his journey a little over a year ago. Now that it was here, he didn't feel any of that. All he felt was overwhelmed. This competition was harder than he ever imagined, and while Jimmy knew he made it past the preliminaries, it was because he barely won the matches, especially the first one. He knew it was just going to get harder from here on out.

It didn't really help matters that his dad was the champion. That just put even more pressure on Jimmy. He was having a difficult time as it was in this league. What if he wasn't good enough and ended up choking in his very next match. A champion dad having a son that only made it in the top forty-eight didn't seem right with Jimmy. He had a strive to be just like his dad one day and overtake his spot as the Johto Champion. Jimmy didn't see how that was possible at the rate he was going.

"Arghh…this stinks!" Jimmy suddenly shouted.

"Tell me about it. All of those trainers have been battling nonstop all day and probably didn't even shower before tonight," a joking voice said behind him.

Jimmy's eyes widened and turned around to see his dad, Gold, standing there behind the bench with a smirk on his face. Jimmy blinked a couple of times as he certainly wasn't expecting him to be here. He figured Gold would already be at the stadium to give his speech.

"Dad, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the stadium?" Jimmy asked.

"Eh…I'm just passing the time. Who says I have to show up early?" Gold scoffed.

"Ms. Crystal will find a way to get on to you," Jimmy tried.

"Super Serious Girl nagging me? So, what else is new?" Gold rebutted before his smirk disappeared. "Now, I'd like to ask what _you_ are doing here by yourself."

"Eh…I'm just passing the time. Who says I have to show up early?" Jimmy replied, mimicking Gold.

"Hahaha! That won't work, Jimmy. Try again. I know you, and I know that you'd rather be with your friends than out here by yourself. What's up?" Gold asked.

Jimmy looked down at the ground. Truth be told, he didn't feel comfortable telling his dad the real reason he was out here. However, he knew he couldn't lie, either. Gold had a knack of knowing if his son was telling the truth or not, as most dads did.

"Dad…," Jimmy began. "I'm…this competition is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"And you've done great so far!" Gold replied with a smile of approval. "I'm really proud of you for making it past the preliminaries! Now, you just need to keep on doing what you've been doing, and you'll be the winner of the league in no time!"

"That's what I'm worried about," Jimmy muttered. "I'm worried I'm not good enough to win."

"Huh? Where the heck is this coming from?" Gold asked in confusion as he took a seat next to Jimmy. "Come on, son. Let's talk."

"I'm just really feeling the pressure. I barely won those three battles," Jimmy replied.

"Well, this is the Pokemon League, Jimmy. Of course it isn't going to be easy," Gold said.

"It's still a lot harder than I thought. Even Ash and Gary had a tough time, and I know it's just going to get harder from here on out. I'm worried I'll wind up losing."

"So?" Gold asked with a shrug.

"Wait. What do you mean _so_?" Jimmy asked somewhat angrily.

"Why are you so obsessed with winning? I mean…it's great that you have a drive and want to win, but you seem to be going about it the wrong way. What's really bothering you, Jimmy?" Gold asked seriously this time.

Jimmy frowned and looked back to the ground before he sighed. It seemed he had been boxed into a corner and had no choice but to tell the truth.

"I feel I really have to win because…I'm your son," Jimmy finally said. "You're the champion of the Johto region, and I know that you expect a lot out of me, and so does everyone else. You probably even expect me to be the champion one day, and that's great and all, but I don't think I'm good enough. I'm worried I won't win, and that I won't be good enough to you, and that you'll be disappointed."

There. He said it. Jimmy was expecting some sort of pep talk from Gold to make him feel better or tell him to try his best and he would win. Even if Gold told him that, Jimmy knew it wouldn't make him feel better. His dad didn't know how he felt. He wasn't son the of a region champion who had to live up to his dad's expectations. Instead, Gold said something Jimmy didn't expect.

"Jimmy, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say in my life, and that's saying a lot," Gold stated.

"Huh?!" Jimmy exclaimed as he looked at Gold in surprise.

Gold had an annoyed expression on his face as he frowned at Jimmy. Nonetheless, the continued.

"Why the heck would you think I wouldn't be proud of you? You made it into the Pokemon League. That alone is enough to be proud of you. Even if you didn't make it here, I would still be proud of you," Gold said.

"But you're the champion. Don't you want me to be a champion, too?" Jimmy asked.

"Of course I do! I think it would be great if you surpassed me and became the champion! However, that isn't a requirement for me to be proud of you," Gold replied.

"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked.

"Wow. That's two stupid things you've said tonight. You're on a roll, Jimmy," Gold said sarcastically before his face got serious again. "Jimmy, you're my son. I'm proud of you no matter how you do. Don't ever think for a second that you won't live up to my expectations. The only thing I need you to do is try your best at whatever you do. As long as I know that, you haven't disappointed me in the slightest."

"Even if I don't win the Johto League?" Jimmy questioned.

"Even if you don't win the Johto League as long as you tried your best," Gold confirmed before he added. "That being said, don't go losing now just because I said it's okay if you do. I still want you to win that trophy."

"Oh. Eheheheh. Right," Jimmy chuckled.

"Still, even if you lose that next round," Gold added and got serious again. "I'll be proud for a son who got in the top forty eight out of over two hundred, and to sound like a broken record, you could've already been out and not made it to the top forty eight, and I'd still be proud because I know you tried your best."

"Dad…," Jimmy trailed.

"I know that being my son isn't easy sometimes," Gold sighed. "Even I don't like my title half the time. It's too much work, and you know how much I hate work."

"Heh. Yeah," Jimmy agreed.

"It probably does give you some unneeded pressure like this," Gold continued before he looked at Jimmy in the eye. "Even so, I don't have a bar of standards set for you, Jimmy. Just try your best, and have fun at whatever you do. Enjoy life, even the ups and downs like losing every now and then. That's all I want out of you, Jimmy. Just as long as you do that, I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad," Jimmy said with a smile and leaned over to give him a side hug.

"You bet, son," Gold replied and returned the side hug before he looked at his Pokegear. "With that, I think we better head on over to the stadium, now. Otherwise, we really will be late."

"Right. Let's go!" Jimmy agreed and jumped up from his seat before he and his dad hurried to the stadium.

* * *

Jimmy made it inside the stadium just as the ceremony was beginning. He saw the runner of the torch go up the steps before he lit the large cup. A huge flame was born inside of it which signified the true start of the tournament.

There was a roar of applause that was almost deafening due to the number of people present in the stands. Jimmy squeezed his way through the competitors until he found Ash and Gary. Upon seeing him, the two smiled at him.

"Hey, Jimmy. We were wondering where you were," Ash greeted.

"I'm good, now, for real this time," Jimmy said. "I'm also sorry for acting the way I did earlier. I spoke with my dad, and I'm feeling a lot better."

"I'm glad," Gary responded. "I know how you felt since I'm the son of a champion, too."

"Yeah. All I have to do is try my best, and I'm good to go," Jimmy replied.

Meanwhile, in the stands, Marina, Crystal and Lyra saw Jimmy had joined Ash and Gary. They couldn't really see his expression from where they were at, but they could tell he was a lot more cheerful than he had been.

"Jimmy seems to be feeling better," Crystal noted.

"Good. He was gloomy all day," Lyra said with a frown.

"I think he finally realized he doesn't have anything to worry about," Marina added.

It was then Mr. Goodshow appeared at the top of the stadium where the flame was along with the Elite Four of the Johto region and Gold. Jimmy chuckled slightly to himself as he could only imagine the looks on their faces when they saw Gold barely made it on time. Mr. Goodshow then walked over to the microphone and spoke into it.

"Spirited Pokemon trainers! Now that you have the sacred flame watching over you, battle with dignity and honor so you don't regret a single moment of your time here!" Mr. Goodshow declared before he added. "For our friends who did not make it this far, we will make sure your efforts were not in vain. Each of you will receive an honorary ribbon as proof you competed."

There were a few nods from the audience at that. That was at least some compensation since the number of trainers had been reduced drastically from over two hundred to just forty-eight. They would get something.

"I will now turn the mike over to our reigning champion, Gold!" Mr. Goodshow announced.

Gold walked up the microphone before he cleared his throat. "Hey, all you Pokemon trainers! I expect some amazing battles out there from all of you! I didn't come all the way out here to watch crap, and you guys are anything but that! Give nothing less than your best if you want to stand a chance against the Elite Four and me! Now, go out there and kick butt!"

Crystal let out a sigh from the stands. "Can't Gold just give a traditional speech?" she asked.

"Well, he seems to have the battlers really pumped," Rose pointed out from beside Crystal.

"Ash looksso excited down there," Delia commented as she wiped her eyes from next to Rose. Indeed, Ash was among those with Jimmy and Gary who were pumping their fists.

"We both have kids to be proud of right now, Delia. Ash will do great," Grace said.

Serena clasped her hands and did a silent prayer. Ash would surely have his big moment here just like she did at the Master Class. He had gotten so much stronger since the Indigo League and even the Orange Islands. She knew he could do it.

"Praying for Ash's success?" Leaf asked from beside Serena.

"Yes. I am," Serena admitted. "That being said, I'm rooting for Gary and Jimmy, too."

"Well, it'll definitely be one heck of a tournament," Brock agreed and crossed his arms.

"We'll be on the edge of our seats the whole time," Misty added.

Fireworks then went off in the sky as part of the opening ceremony. Ash, Gary, and Jimmy watched from the ground while the rest watched from the stands. Ash's eyes sparkled as he watched the fireworks before he turned and grinned at Pikachu who grinned back. He had a really good feeling about this tournament. Even though Ash knew he was going to be facing some very hard competition, and it's been difficult so far, he was going to do great. He would make his dream as a Pokemon Master get closer in his reach, and he was determined for it to start here.

* * *

 **The official start of the tournament is next! It will play out similar to how the anime did. A group of three trainers will compete against each other, and the winner of the three will move on. Then, after that, it's six on six battles. I'll use as many Pokemon of Ash as I can during this time.**

 **Things are heating up now. Ash, Gary, and Jimmy are moving on, and Ash still has to find a way to deal with the mischievous Bagon who's still skulking about.**

 **The next chapter should be out before August. I'l try to not have the wait be so long this time. Thanks for all the reviews and support, and until next time have a good one.**

 **Chapter 72: A Hot Start**


	73. A Hot Start

**A/N: Please enjoy the chapter for the first official battle of the Johto League.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

Chapter 72: A Hot Start

"The official start of the league. I can't wait to see who my opponents are!" Ash said eagerly as he and the others waited in the large meeting hall.

"You and me both!" Jimmy agreed.

The two boys were side by side as they stared anxiously at the screen for the names to appear. Gary, meanwhile, was being a little more laid back and simply stood behind them with his arms crossed. He wasn't concerned about who his opponents were. His plan was to simply beat them so it didn't matter…even if he ended up facing Ash and Jimmy this early.

At last, the names appeared on the large screen, and a picture of all forty-eight competitors appeared next to the names. They then began to randomly shuffle around the screen until they broke apart into groups of three. Jimmy looked at his opponents who appeared to be a boy and a girl he didn't know. He then pumped his fists.

"Sounds good! I'm totally going all in for this!" he exclaimed.

Gary saw his two opponents who were both boys that he didn't know. He gave a smirk to Ash and Jimmy.

"Well, it looks like you two dodged a bullet. Just try not to lose here," he told them.

"The same goes to you!" Ash replied to Gary as he searched his own name.

He finally found himself in the last division and raised his eyebrows in interest. One of his opponents was none other than Vincent Jackson. Despite how eccentric the boy could be, Ash knew he was going to be a tough opponent. He then saw the last person in the group who was a pig-tailed girl that looked somewhat familiar. Ash squinted his eyes at the girl before his eyes widened.

It was Macy! She was the precocious little girl who tried to steal him from Serena and felt no shame at doing so. She had even gone so far as to insult Serena constantly. Ash felt himself tense up slightly at the memory before he relaxed. Once Ash was able to get Macy's head out of the clouds, she had proven to be a good friend. She had apologized to Serena and made sure the medicine was safely delivered to Jasmine while the group toured the Whirl Islands. So, she had made it here to the Pokemon League, too.

"Aha!" a high-pitched voice exclaimed behind Ash, right on cue.

Ash turned around to see Macy standing there with her hands on her hips. Macy had a confident look in her eyes before she pointed her index finger at Ash.

"Long time, no see, Ash! You're as cute as ever! As happy as I am to see you, I won't hold anything back! My passion to win this tournament burns brighter than any flame on my fire Pokemon! You better be ready!" she declared.

"Ha! You bet I am!" Ash returned and chose to ignore the part about him being _cute._ He then pumped his fists at Macy, and the two stared heatedly at each other.

"Don't forget me!" Vincent interjected as he got in between the two.

"Hey, Vincent," Jimmy muttered.

"Out of the way, boy! I'm not as concerned with you as I am about Ash!" Macy said before she looked at him. "Oh. I remember you! You were from the Pokemon Center, also!"

"Darn straight, I was," Vincent replied and turned to Ash. "Look, Ash, I know you're a stronger trainer than me, but don't think that means I won't try my hardest to beat you! I have to win that trophy, and Marina will finally notice how great I am!"

Jimmy gave a slight cough at that.

"Well, I know you both will provide me with some intense battles tomorrow," Ash told them. "I look forward to it."

"Why wait?" Macy asked with a determined smile. "I say we all have a battle with each other right now! I haven't seen you or Vincent in a while so I want to know how much stronger each of you got so I know what I'm up against! Let's go!"

"Right behind you!" Vincent stated.

Ash was about to go with them, but he was held back by Gary. Ash turned to look at the spiky-haired boy, and Gary then shook his head at Ash.

"Cool down for a second, Ash," Gary said. "Don't go getting into unnecessary battles right before the tournament begins. Save all your strength for the ones that count."

Gary then loosened his grip on Ash, and the raven-haired boy nodded his head. As then turned to Vincent and Macy.

"Actually, I'm good for right now. You'll all get a taste of what I can do later," Ash decided.

"Suit yourself," Macy said with a shrug before she turned to Vincent. "What about you?"

"I'm totally in! Let's go battle!" Vincent yelled.

With that, the two dashed out of the meeting hall to commence their impromptu battle. Ash, Jimmy, and Gary watched them go before they let out a sigh. Jimmy then patted Ash on the back. Ash's first opponents were feisty to say the least.

"Well, Ash, it looks like you got a quite a handful for your first opponents," Jimmy commented.

"Yeah," Ash agreed as they went to leave the meeting hall themselves.

They soon arrived outside where the rest of the group was waiting for them. Serena, Misty, and Brock looked like they were staring after something before they and the others approached the group.

"Hey, Ash. If I'm not mistaken, I think I just saw Macy run by here with Vincent," Serena commented.

"Heh. Yeah. Would you believe Macy is one of the first people I face here?" Ash chuckled.

"Hmmhmm. She sure caused her fair share of trouble in the past," Misty giggled.

"Still, she proved to be just fine in the end," Brock finished.

"So, what's the story with this Macy girl?" Leaf asked. "You guys have me curious."

"We were on our way to Olivine City, and we ended up across a dangerous group of Murkrow who were led by Honchkrow. They had a habit of stealing people's valuables and even Pokemon. Macy was one of those victims. My friends and I were able to save Macy's Pokemon and stop the group of Murkrow. Macy…kind of fell head over heels for me," Ash explained and rubbed the back of his head.

"That's putting it mildly," Serena said with a roll of her eyes. "She kept following us around trying to do whatever it took to be Ash's girlfriend. Only when he had enough and told her to stop it did Macy finally quit. She was okay after that."

"Boy, Ash. Is there any girl you can't have fall for you?" Gary smirked. "That girl even still said you were cute."

"I still think he is!" Lyra piped up.

"You hear that, Ashy-boy?" Gary continued to tease and put his arm around Ash. "If for some reason things don't work out with Serena, at least you have two girls to fall back on!"

"Please stop, Gary," both Ash and Serena muttered at the same time.

"Yeah. Yeah," Gary agreed and released Ash. "Well, I'm going to take the rest of the day off so I can get some information on my upcoming opponents. I suggest you and Jimmy do the same."

"Oh man. I didn't even think of that," Jimmy said.

"Jimmy! That's a must! You have to study your opponents so you can choose the best Pokemon for each match!" Marina scolded.

"I know that! It just…didn't occur to me," Jimmy finished lamely.

"So, should we just meet back up for dinner?" Leaf suggested.

"I'm down for that!" Ash replied with a grin.

The group was about to head their separate ways when they heard the obligatory sound of pattering. Ash and Pikachu immediately snapped to attention and frantically looked around for the mischievous Bagon. Ash had been humiliated by this Bagon enough and had trained himself to always be on alert. He would make sure to get this time. The only problem was…he couldn't find it. He couldn't even hear the pattering anymore.

"Alright, you little troublemaker! Where are you?!" Ash demanded. "I'm ready this time!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and shot a Thunderbolt upward.

Ash looked in the direction of Pikachu's Thunderbolt just in time for a powerful pair of feet to crash right on top of his face. Ash fell over as Bagon jumped off his face and over the others. In then ran away as usual.

"This is getting old," Ash mumbled from the ground. He was going to capture that Bagon if it was the last thing he ever did.

* * *

Ash was on the computer in his hotel room with Pikachu perched on his shoulder. He was looking over Macy's team, and true to her word, she did indeed have a whole lot of fire Pokemon. It would be a no-brainer to use nothing but water Pokemon. Wartortle, Kingdra, Lapras, and Croconaw would be more than enough to take care of the job. However, that made it seem too simple. Macy made it into the Pokemon League for a reason. She probably had a way to counter a lot of the weaknesses fire Pokemon had. Macy may even expect Ash to bring a whole team of water Pokemon, and that may be exactly what she wants.

"Hmm…" Ash mused as he tried to figure out what to do.

"How's it going?" Brock questioned as he came up and stood next to Ash.

"Figuring out who to take for this match is tough," Ash answered. "I want to bring a lot of my water Pokemon to face Macy, but there's this voice inside of me saying that it isn't a good idea."

"Mind if I have a look?" Brock asked.

"Uhhh...sure. Go ahead," Ash replied and got up from the chair.

Brock sat down and began to scroll through Macy's team of Pokemon, even the ones she had in storage at the moment. Ash widened his eyes as he didn't think one could do that. As he and Brock looked through the Pokemon, it did indeed seem to have mostly fire-types. Ash wouldn't be surprised if Macy owned every fire-type in existence. However, as Brock approached the end, something caught their attention.

"That's interesting," Brock commented as he zoomed in for a closer look

The Pokemon sort of looked like an Electabuzz, but it was a lot bigger and had two tails instead of one. Ash pulled out his national dex to scan it.

"Electivire, the thunderbolt Pokemon, and the evolved form of Electabuzz. It can emit over 20,000 volts of electricity by rubbing its two tails together," the machine said.

"Woah. That sounds pretty tough," Ash commented. "I don't really have any ground Pokemon except for Phanpy, but it hasn't been trained enough to really take on these levels of Pokemon."

"Yeah. That Electivire does complicate things," Brock agreed as he turned to look at Ash. "You have anything else you could use? Maybe Bayleef or Ivysaur? They would be good against an electric-type."

"Yeah, but it leaves them weak to Macy's other fire-type Pokemon," Ash replied.

He then lowered his head as he began to think. Ash went through all the Pokemon in his head as he began to think through all of his Pokemon that might be strong against Electivire without being weak to fire Pokemon. Nothing really stood out to him. He could always go with one of his strong, neutral Pokemon. He didn't have to have a type advantage over all of Macy's Pokemon. Ash's eyes then lit up. He just thought of the perfect Pokemon.

"I take it you figured something out?" Brock guessed.

"You bet, Brock," Ash replied with a smile and thumbs up. "I'll be just fine."

* * *

It was the next day, and Ash was…fired up…about his upcoming battle. His match was the first out of all of his friends. He stood on one end of the battlefield with Pikachu by his side. The two were both staring at Macy across the field. She was tossing one of her pokeballs up and down in her hand and also wore a confident smile. Apparently, she had no qualms about her extreme weakness to water Pokemon except for the Electivire. Ash had no doubt she would use it here.

"Let's make things interesting, Ash!" Macy called from across the field.

"Interesting? How?" Ash wondered.

"Well…," Macy began as she put her finger to her chin in thought. "If I win, you have to go on a date with me!"

"What?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Heeheehee! Just kidding!" Macy giggled.

Ash shook his head and tried to push the thought out of his mind. He realized Macy was just trying to psyche him out so he would be distracted during the battle. Ash took a deep breath. He had faced enough people to remember to keep his mind solely fixed on the battle. He wouldn't fall for something like this.

The rest of the group watched from the stands in anticipation for the match to start. Delia was especially excited. She sat between Grace, Crystal, and Rose as she held her hands close to her heart. He hadn't even started the match yet, but she was already on the edge of her seat and would sniff and dab her eyes occasionally.

"Everything okay, Delia?" Grace asked.

"I'm just so proud of my son!" Delia cried out.

"Save your tears for when he wins, otherwise you won't be able to cheer when it counts," Rose said with a smile.

Serena, Misty, and Leaf all sat next to each other in the stands, too. Serena and Misty were both thankful Leaf had matured enough to not stand up in her seat and scream Ash's name like she did in the past. Her standing up would obstruct the view of the people behind her which would cause some annoyance. However, Leaf still had her fists balled up in excitement and ready to cheer on Ash like there was no tomorrow. Brock and Gary sat in front of the girls. Both boys had their arms crossed and were there just to enjoy the battle.

Jimmy and Marina were next to each other, and Lyra was next to them. Jimmy had his fist under his chin as he focused entirely on the battlefield. He was going to learn as much about Ash's battle strategy as he could. Then, if they ever wound up facing each other, Jimmy would know what to expect.

Up at the very top of the stadium, in their own private box, sat the Elite Four of the Johto Region, Will, Karen, Palmer, and Koga. They sat in there along with Gold and Mr. Goodshow. They all knew Ash was Red's son and looked forward to how he would battle. Koga had already battled him back in Kanto and knew the boy's strength.

"You know, Ash taught my boy Jimmy the ropes of being a trainer," Gold spoke up as he lounged in his seat with his feet kicked up.

"Oh? Why wasn't _you_ who did that, Mr. Champion?" Karen asked with a narrow of her eyes.

"I was busy with my own stuff," Gold replied with a shrug. "I swear you're as bad as Crystal sometimes."

"Now that I think about it, you weren't there during our battles before the Pokemon League, either," Will said.

"And you were almost late for the opening ceremony," Koga added.

"Huh? I didn't notice. I was to into all of the excitement!" Palmer commented.

"What the…why are you all ganging up on me?! Anyway, I watched all your battles on TV!" Gold rebutted before he looked pointedly at Karen. "And spending quality time with Jimmy while doing so!"

Karen's eyes flashed, but she said nothing and turned around to watch the upcoming battle. Nevertheless, Gold felt a shiver down his spine. The woman really creeped him out sometimes. Being a trainer of dark-types really suited her.

"Alright. Settle down, everyone," Mr. Goodshow said before he chuckled to himself, and everyone turned their eyes back to the battlefield. Out of all the Elite Four groups in the world, the ones in the Johto Region seemed to argue the most. That was probably mostly due to Gold, but they were all strange in their own way. However, that made them unique, too. Still, their knowledge and wisdom when it came to Pokemon and advice knew no bounds when it really counted.

"Welcome, Pokemon fans, to an exciting battle here in the main stadium! We have Macy from Mahogany Town and Ash from Pallet Town all the way in the Kanto Region. We will now have our computer randomly decide who will choose their Pokemon first!" the announcer said over an intercom.

The lights then flashed back and forth between Macy and Ash before it landed on Macy. The pigtailed-girl then smiled and brought up a pokeball.

"Heads up, Ash! I won't go easy!" Macy yelled before she threw forward her pokeball. "Go, Magcargo!"

The pokeball opened, and a snail-like Pokemon that seemed to be made of lava and had a large shell appeared. Ash opened his pokedex to check out the new Pokemon.

"Magcargo, the lava Pokemon and the evolved form of Slugma. Magcargo's body temperature reaches a total of 18,000 F. Flames constantly sprout from the gaps in its shells," the national dex said.

"A fire-type. I thought so," Ash mused as he brought up his own pokeball and threw it. He made a lot of switches to Professor Oak the previous night. "Kingler, I choose you!"

Kingler appeared from the pokeball and clicked its large pincers in anticipation. Magcargo lazily stood there and didn't give much of an expression. It didn't take a genius to realize that Magcargo was a really slow Pokemon. Ash would make sure to take advantage of that.

"And our first match up will be between Magcargo and Kingler! Let the exciting battle commence!" the announcer cried.

The judge then raised his flags. "Magcargo versus Kingler. Begin!"

"Alright, Kingler! Start things off with a Bubble Beam!" Ash hollered.

Kingler opened its larger claw and shot out the many bubbles towards Magcargo who simply stood there while Macy smirked. Ash, however, didn't pay too much attention to that. With Magcargo being a dual rock and fire-type Pokemon, Ash believed this to be an easy win. Just a couple of water attacks will take it out.

Ash, Pikachu, and Kingler then gasped when they saw the bubbles completely dissolve before hitting Magcargo. The lava Pokemon then gave a yawn and almost looked as if it was taunting Ash and Kingler.

"Wow! That Magcargo was completely unaffected by what should've been a devastating attack!" the announcer cried.

"What? What happened?" Ash asked more to himself than Kingler.

"Magcargo, use Amnesia!" Macy hollered.

Magcargo looked upward and got a glazed look on its eyes before its body glowed. Ash grimaced. Magcargo just increased its special defense and somehow was completely unaffected by Bubble Beam. That already put him in a bad spot. Despite his surprise at how quickly this battle was turning in Macy's favor, Ash decided it was time to go all out. He had to take her seriously.

"Kingler! Mud Shot!" Ash hollered.

Kingler sped forward and scooped up a blob of mud with its claws and hurled it towards Magcargo. Once again, the Pokemon was too slow to dodge. Unlike the Bubble Beam, this attack hit its mark. Magcargo gave a cry as it was smacked in the face with mud and tried to wipe it off. It didn't do as much damage as Ash would've liked thanks to the Amnesia. Still, it at least told Ash that Magcargo wasn't invincible. Ash then remembered something his national dex said about Magcargo and decided to do a test while Magcargo was distracted.

"Kingler, Bubble Beam!" Ash yelled.

Kingler then shot out the large array of bubbles again, and just like before, they dissolved before reaching Magcargo. By then, Magcargo had recovered, and Macy was ready to go on the offensive.

"My turn, now!" Macy declared. "Magcargo, use Lava Plume!"

An eruption of flames shot up around the field before they engulfed Kingler. The pincer Pokemon yelled in pain. Despite not being very effective, being covered in flames still didn't feel too great.

"Kingler, break out of there and use Vice Grip!" Ash yelled.

Kingler then leaped out of the flames with its giant pincer outstretched. It grabbed hold of Magcargo and lifted it high into the air. Kingler winced slightly due to how hot Magcargo was, but that didn't deter it or Ash.

"Now, use Slam!" Ash yelled.

Kingler then began to slam Magcargo hard on the ground continuously. However, Magcargo's great defenses didn't seem to be doing too much damage.

"You'll have to do better than that, Ash!" Macy smirked.

"Then try this!" Ash hollered. "Kingler, use Crabhammer!"

Kingler released a slightly dazed Magcargo before it engulfed its large pincer in water and swung with all its might. The pincer crashed into Magcargo as it let out a cry of pain and went sailing backwards several yards before it skidded to a stop.

"That's the way to do it, Kingler!" Ash cheered as Kingler clicked its pincers.

"Hey, Brock. What is it with those Bubble Beams not affecting Magcargo. Shouldn't it be weak to water attacks?" Serena questioned.

"I think it has to do with Magcargo's body temperature," Brock thought. "Magcargo is one of the hottest Pokemon so a lot of water attacks will just dissolve and turn to steam because they can't handle the heat."

"Ash must've figured that out and told Kingler to use Crabhammer instead," Misty realized.

"Right, and it was really effective this time," Brock replied with a smile.

"Ooooh. That was lame," Macy huffed as Magcargo got up. "You've figured out its secret! Magcargo, return!"

"And Macy is going to substitute her Magcargo for a different one. Which one will she choose?!" the announcer commented.

"Bring it on, Macy! I'm ready for whatever you have for me," Ash said.

"Oh yeah? In that case, go Electivire!" Macy yelled and threw her pokeball forward.

 _"I knew she would bring this along,_ " Ash thought to himself.

Electivire then appeared and crackled blue electricity between its antennas. Ash knew this was going to be a tough fight, regardless. Electabuzz was powerful enough so its evolved form would only be more so. Nevertheless, Ash came prepared.

"Kingler, return!" Ash called out and returned Kingler to its pokeball. It was now time to bring out his best counter. "Go, Tauros!"

Tauros came out of its pokeball with a loud moo and stomped the ground. Ash smiled to himself that Tauros looked ready to go. Ash knew he had no powerful ground Pokemon to go against Electivire. However, he knew his Tauros could use some ground-type attacks, and it was also was strong enough to match Electivire's power.

"So, Macy doesn't have just fire Pokemon," Serena figured.

"That's right," Brock said with a nod. "We discovered Macy had this Electivire to counter any water-types. So, we figured it would be wise to find a counter. Phanpy isn't strong enough yet so Tauros was the next best option."

"And both trainers have substituted their Pokemon for another! Let's see how things go from here!" the announcer said.

"A Tauros, huh?" Macy scoffed. "Not bad, but it isn't enough to take out Electivire!"

"We'll see about that," Ash said. "Tauros, use Fissure!"

Tauros gave a loud moo before it stomped the ground and shot a beam of light from its hooves straight towards Electivire. More agile than it looked, Electivire leaped out of the way and began to charge up its tails as it knew what Macy wanted.

"Use Iron Tail, Electivire!" Macy cried.

"Dodge it, Tauros!" Ash yelled.

Electivire charged up its tails and brought them down with all its might. Tauros moved out of the way, and Electivire's twin tails smashed into the ground which kicked up a lot of dust and grass.

"Horn Attack!" Ash yelled.

"Thunder Punch!" Macy shouted.

Tauros charged through all the dust towards Electivire and saw it was already charging its fist. Tauros rammed into Electivire with horns which caused the thunderbolt Pokemon to gasp in pain. Tauros then lifted Electivire into the air its horns. Electivire struggled to break free, but its Thunder Punch was finished charging, and it slugged Tauros across the face. Tauros gave a cry of pain and threw Electivire from its horns. Elecitivire landed on its stomach while Tauros stumbled backwards.

"Tauros, hurry and use Earthquake!" Ash yelled.

Tauros shook its head to recover from the Thunder Punch and stomped the ground as hard as it could with its hooves. The whole battle field shook and rumbled. Electivire was unable to find its balance due to all the shaking and kept falling over every time it tried to stand up.

"Nggh…," Macy grimaced.

"Great job, Tauros! Now, use Take Down!" Ash yelled.

Tauros gave a loud moo and charged towards Electivire.

"Use Thunder!" Macy yelled.

Even though it had trouble standing up, Electivire still crackled blue electricity between its antennaes and shot it towards Tauros. The bull-like Pokemon moved to the side to avoid the attack before it crashed into Electivire. The thunderbolt Pokemon was sent flying once again and landed on its back this time where it gave a groan of pain.

"Awesome, Tauros!" Ash encouraged as Tauros gave a moo. "Use another Earthquake!"

"This isn't working! Return, Electivire," Macy said and recalled Electivire before Tauros could use the attack. She then took out her other pokeball. "Let's take the field again, Magcargo!"

Magcargo reappeared from its pokeball and gave another yawn to match its slow nature. Ash nodded his head as he knew Magcargo had already taken heavy damage due to the Crabhammer.

"You still up to battle, Tauros?" he asked and received a moo of agreement.

"We'll see about that!" Macy yelled and pointed forward. "Magcargo, use Lava Plume!"

As fast as Tauros was, it was hard to dodge the attack when the whole area went up in flames. Tauros cried out in pain as it got caught up in the flames. Despite that, Ash, knew it could power through it.

"It's okay, Tauros! Use Fissure!" Ash yelled.

Despite that it continued to get burned, Tauros gave a loud moo and stamped the ground as a Fissure of light came from its hooves. Magcargo eyes widened as it saw the attack coming and was too slow to dodge it. It was struck by the Fissure attack and went sailing into the air where it landed at Macy's feet, defeated. It was a one-hit knock out.

"Oh, no! Magcargo!" Macy cried.

"Magcargo is unable to battle!" the judge declared.

"Magcargo is out for the day! That devastating Fissure attack does the trick!" the announcer commented.

"Ash was smart to leave Tauros in instead of switching to one of his water-types," Brock noted. "He knew that because Magcargo's body temperature was so hot, it would dissolve a lot of weaker water-type attacks with the exception of Kingler's Crabhammer. That Amnesia didn't help, either. To avoid that, he had Tauros use Fissure to quickly deal with it since Magcargo would be too slow to dodge."

"That's Ash for you!" Leaf said as she cheered.

"So, what do you think he'll do, now, Brock?" Serena wondered.

"Beats me. We'll just have to see," Brock replied with a shrug.

"Return, Magcargo!" Macy said before she looked at her pokeball. "You were great, Magcargo. Take a nice rest. Now, Rapidash, I choose you!"

The horse-like Pokemon came out of the pokeball and gave a loud neigh. Ash smiled and went to return his Tauros until Macy stopped him.

"What's the matter, Ash? You don't think your Tauros can take on my Rapidash so you have to use a water Pokemon to deal with it?" Macy taunted.

"Grrr…," Ash growled. He didn't want to be called out like that.

"Don't fall for the bait, Ash. Just recall Tauros, and use a fresh water-Pokemon," Brock uttered as the rest watched in anticipation.

"Fine then! Tauros is strong enough to take it out, aren't we?!" Ash cried and received a moo of agreement from Tauros.

The group couldn't help but frown at that. Despite having matured a lot since he started his Kanto journey, and even thinking of great strategies like with Magcargo, Ash could still be stubborn sometimes. It was still far too easy to get under his skin, and that clouded his better judgement. If Rapidash managed to knock out Tauros, Ash would be in serious trouble with that Electivire.

"And Ash has decided to leave in Tauros. Let's see how everything plays out," the announcer commented.

"Alright, Rapidash, use Agility and then Take Down!" Macy called.

Rapidash took off at lightning speed and was before Tauros within a second before it rammed into it. Tauros gave a moo of surprise and was knocked to the ground. It stood back up, but Macy was already at it again.

"Flame Charge!" Macy hollered.

Rapidash got even more speed as it cloaked itself in fire and charged towards Tauros again.

"Use Earthquake!" Ash yelled.

Tauros stomped on the ground once again as hard as it could. Rapidash stumbled from the shaking which slowed it down considerably.

"Now, use Horn Attack!" Ash yelled.

"Use your Megahorn!" Macy countered.

Both Pokemon ran to the other and collided with their heads. Both Pokemon grimaced and began to push at the other in attempt to force the other back.

"Zen Headbutt!" Ash commanded.

Tauros focused its power before it unlocked its horns from Rapidash's horn and gave a viscous headbutt to it. Rapidash neighed in pain and stumbled back, quite shaken up.

"Let's go for another Earthquake, Tauros, and then Take Down!" Ash hollered while Rapidash had flinched.

The field shook considerably again as Tauros stomped the ground, and Rapidash struggled to maintain its balance. Tauros took advantage of this and charged forward before it crashed into Rapidash. The horse-like Pokemon was knocked through the air and onto the ground.

"Rapidash is just getting started!" Macy insisted. "Use Agility, and then Flare Blitz!"

"Use Earthquake!" Ash called out.

Rapidash took off at breakneck speed as Tauros stood on its hind legs in order to stomp the ground again. However, Rapidash moved so fast that Tauros didn't have time to use the attack. Rapidash engulfed its body in flames and hit Tauros with all its might. Tauros gave a moo of surprise and pain from the very powerful attack and went sailing through the air and landed in a heap on the ground.

"Tauros!" Ash cried. He then sighed with relief when Tauros managed to stand up, but it had taken a lot of damage so far.

"Inferno!" Macy yelled.

"Dodge it! Use Zen Headbutt!" Ash yelled.

Tauros tiredly leaped out of the way as the flames shot up from the ground, and it charged towards Rapidash. Rapidash got ready and braced itself as it awaited Macy's command.

"Use Flame Charge!" she hollered.

Rapidash cloaked itself in flames once again and charged towards Tauros. The two Pokemon collided with each other, and both Pokemon grimaced from the pain of the attacks. Macy wasn't going to let Tauros get the upper hand this time, though.

"Quick, Rapidash, use Stomp!" she ordered.

Rapidash released itself from pushing against Tauros before it reared back and stomped its hard hooves on Tauros' face. Tauros thought its skull could've shattered from the force of the impact. It gave a moo of pain and stumbled back as it tried to recover from the surprise attack.

"Now use Fire Spin!" Macy called.

Rapidash blew for a ring of fire that spiraled up around Tauros. Ash watched in worry as Tauros was surrounded by the flames with no way to escape. It was no doubt taking even more damage in there. Macy smiled and placed her hands on her hips as Rapidash continued to blow the flames from its mouth until there was a fire tornado.

"I hope Ash likes his Tauros extra crispy because that's how it's going to look if he doesn't do something!" the announcer commented.

"Tauros!" Ash yelled.

Macy then gasped as Tauros jumped through the fire tornado. It was covered in burn marks and really tired but it had managed to get out. Ash was proud of his Tauros but knew it couldn't take much more. Rapidash then halted the move and awaited Macy's next move.

"That Tauros is tired, Rapidash! Take it out with Agility and a Flare Blitz!" Macy hollered.

Rapidash gave a neigh to pump itself up and sped towards Tauros. Ash knew his Tauros wouldn't have time to use Earthquake this time to throw Rapidash off balance so he ordered its most powerful attack to take it head on. He had to match power with power.

"Giga Impact!" Ash hollered.

Tauros gave a moo and charged towards the fire-cloaked Rapidash. As the two Pokemon crashed into each other, there was a flash of light from the raw power of the attacks followed by an explosion. Both Ash and Macy shielded their eyes as their Pokemon for blown backwards from the force. Each of their Pokemon landed on opposite sides of the field and crumpled to the ground.

"Tauros! Are you okay?" Ash asked.

"Do something, Rapidash!" Macy said in worry.

However, neither Pokemon moved. The judge raised his flags for the decision.

"Both Tauros and Rapidash are unable to battle!" he stated.

"Wow! It's a double knockout, folks!" the announcer cried in excitement.

Ash sighed and returned his Tauros as Macy did likewise with Rapidash. Ash then smiled at the pokeball. "You did amazing, Tauros. Take a good rest."

Ash then realized that Macy still had her Electivire. He only had water Pokemon left. That put him at a disadvantage. Ash knew he should've switched out Tauros when Rapidash came out, and that would've put him in good shape against Electivire. However, that was in the past now, and he couldn't correct his mistake. Ash wasn't going to get upset about it, though. He took a deep breath. The only thing he could do was go forward.

"Kingler, I choose you!" he yelled.

"Let's go, Electivire!" Macy called.

Both Pokemon appeared from their pokeballs. They were ready to face off. The judge looked to make sure both Pokemon were ready before he raised his flags so they could start.

"Alright, Electivire! Let's make short work of that Kingler! Use Thunder!" she told it.

"Dodge it, and use Bubble Beam!" Ash yelled.

Electivire growled and shot out the massive bolt of electricity from its antennae. Kingler leaped out of the way before it opened its pincers and unleashed the Bubble Beam. The bubbles rushed forward and popped against Electivire who growled with each successive hit.

"Great Kingler! Use Crabhammer!" Ash called.

"It's getting close! Use Thunder Punch!" Macy told it.

Kingler rushed forward and swung its claw around and smacked Electivire in the stomach as Electivire went tos swing its fist. Electivire gasped in pain as the wind was knocked out of it. It had no choice but to cancel the Thunder Punch.

"Great! Use another Crabhammer!" Ash told it.

"Not this time! Shock Wave!" Macy hollered.

Quick as lightning, Electivire unleashed the attack just before Kingler could use Crabammer. Kingler grimaced in pain as the never miss attack took place. Macy then smirked. She had it now.

"Use Thunder!" she yelled.

"Try to get away!" Ash called.

Kingler was still reeling from the super effective Shock Wave before it was hit by an even more powerful electric attack. Kingler was blasted backwards as it was engulfed in electricity before it landed near Ash. It gave a cough before it went limp.

"Kingler is unable to battle!" the judge declared.

"Ash's Kingler has been taken out by Macy's Electivire. Both opponents are now down to their last Pokemon!" the announcer said.

"Kingler, return!" Ash commanded before he looked at it. "Thanks, Kingler. You did great."

Ash took a deep breath to calm himself again. Electivire has already taken a lot damage from Tauros and Kingler. However, with his last Pokemon, it may not last long given how quickly Electivire had taken out Kingler. Nonetheless, Ash knew he had to believe in his Pokemon. He turned his hat backwards. He could still win this.

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu asked.

"It's okay, Pikachu," Ash replied before he threw forth his last Pokemon. "Wartortle, I choose you!"

Wartortle popped out of the pokeball and landed on the ground. It then saw its opponent was an Electivire, but Wartortle didn't let that deter it. For emphasis, Wartortle smiled and put on its sunglasses. Ash couldn't help but smile himself. At least Wartortle wasn't worried. Even so, it could use a fair warning.

"Be careful, Wartortle! Don't let those electric attacks get to you!" he told it.

"War!" Wartortle replied and gave a thumbs up to Ash.

"Alright! Let's win it, then!" Ash said and pumped his fists along with Pikachu.

"Do you think Wartortle has a chance, Brock?" Misty asked in worry.

"Of course it does," Brock replied. "However, Ash has to know the difference in strength between Electivire and Wartortle. He'll also have to do his best to avoid any electric attacks. Wartortle's received a lot of training for in its speed since it's been part of Ash's team, but it can still only move so fast."

Serena clasped her hands. While it didn't automatically mean Ash was out of the tournament if he lost this match, it would still put him in a bad spot. She knew Wartortle was one of Ash's most experienced Pokemon in regards to how long its been with him, but she still hoped it was enough to beat Electivire.

"Sorry, Ash, but this battle has turned in my favor, now, and I don't intend to squander it," Macy said before she issued her first command. "Electivire, use Thunder!"

"Water Gun, Wartortle!" Ash countered.

Wartortle quickly sucked in and blew a stream of water at Electivire before it even had chance to charge its attack. Electivire was pushed back in surprise at how lightning fast that Water Gun was. Ash smiled. Wartortle's experience in using its attacks quickly should help.

"Let's go in for a Skull Bash, now, Wartortle!" Ash yelled.

The top of Wartortle's head glowed as it went sailing towards Electivire quite quickly. It crashed right into Electivire's stomach which caused the thunderbolt Pokemon to yell in pain.

"Use Thunder Punch!" Macy hollered.

"Iron Defense!" Ash sad.

Before Wartortle could get away, Electivire swung an electrified fist at Wartortle. However, Wartortle quickly hid in its shell and hardened itself just before it was hit. The attack connected and Wartortle went sailing through the air until it hit one of the stadium walls. Ash looked in worry until he sighed in relief when Wartortle came out of its shell. It looked a bit dazed from hitting the wall but overall not too bad. That Iron Defense really helped.

"Use Thunder while its dazed!" Macy shouted.

"Use Rapid Spin to get away!" Ash yelled.

As Electivire shot out the powerful Thunder attack. Wartortle got in its shell before it began surfing along the ground to avoid the attack. Electivire gave an aggravated huff as it shot out constant Thunders, but it was missing each time due to how quickly Wartortle was surfing along the ground.

"Grr…this isn't getting us anywhere! Use Shock Wave, Electivire! That'll hit!" Macy yelled.

"Heads up, Wartortle!" Ash yelled.

Electivire gave a yell before it sent a shockwave along the ground that homed in on Wartortle. The turtle Pokemon could sense the attack coming so it stayed in its shell and braced itself. The attack struck and Wartortle grimaced as it felt its shell getting shocked. Though it provided some protection, it didn't perfectly keep it from feeling the effects.

"Wartortle!" Ash cried.

"War…," Wartortle muttered as it came out of its shell again.

"Good job. Use Water Gun again!" Ash shouted.

"Not this time. Use Iron Tail!" Macy hollered

Wartortle shot out the Water Gun, but this time Electivire took action in time and charged up its twin tails and smashed it into the stream of water which created a lot of steam and protected it.

"What?" Ash questioned.

"Use Iron Tail again!" Macy shouted.

Electivire was suddenly right in front of Wartortle, and Wartortle gave a gasp of pain as Electivire slammed its tails right in the center of its shell. Wartortle went sailing backwards and landed right on its back. It then began to struggle to get up, but its shell made it extra hard.

"Ladies and gentleman, Ash's Wartortle is in extra trouble if it can't get up!" the announcer commented.

"We've got it right where we want it! Time to win!" Macy smirked. "Electivire, use Thunder!"

"It isn't helpless!" Ash insisted. "Use Hydro Pump!"

Wartortle nodded and withdrew into its shell before it began spinning quickly inside of its shell. Jets of water began to shoot out as it sped away from the lethal attack towards Electivire. The electricity went over Wartortle, and it slammed its shell into Electivire while all the while shooting streams of water from the opening on its shell. Electivire cried out in pain as it was pushed back by the force. It then opened its eyes and got a serious expression.

"Way to power through!" Macy cheered. "Grab hold of that Wartortle!"

Electivire reached over and caught Wartortle in its shell before it got away and leered down at it.

"Watch out, Wartortle!" Ash cried in worry at how quickly the tides of changed.

"Thunder!" Macy yelled.

Wartortle yelled in pain as the powerful electric attack hit it. Ash and everyone else in the group gasped as they believed this to be it for the match. It would be extremely hard for Wartortle to make it through this attack.

Ash watched in worry as he saw Wartortle get the shock of its life. He balled up his fists. He was planning on making it all the way through this tournament. He couldn't lose just yet. He knew he made a mistake by keeping Tauros in, but he was determined to correct it by still coming out on top. He knew Wartortle could do it.

"Come on, Wartortle! Listen!" Ash yelled.

"Just keep shocking it until it's over, Electivire! There's nothing it can do," Macy encouraged

Wartortle didn't appear to hear Ash as Electivire continued with the assault. It's sunglasses then completely shattered. Wartortle could feel itself getting weaker and weaker with each successive shock. It soon felt itself getting groggy as its consciousness began to fade. Those shocks were too much of it.

"Come on, Wartortle! I know you can push past it!" Ash hollered.

Wartortle closed its eyes and slumped down in Electivire's grip. Electivire thought it had fainted and ceased the attack, but Wartortle abruptly opened its eyes which caused Macy and Electivire to gasp.

"What?! Use Thunder again, Electivire!" Macy shouted.

"That was awesome, Wartortle! I knew you could do it! Hydro Pump!" Ash hollered.

Wartortle hid in shell again and began spinning quickly in Electivire's hands. The thunderbolt Pokemon was having difficulty keeping its grip and tried to hold on, but Wartortle soon broke free and blasted Electivire with Hydro Pump right in its chest at point blank range. Electivire cried out in pain as it was knocked onto the ground, and Wartortle soared high into the air above it.

"Use Thunder!" Macy cried.

"Dodge it, and finish with Skull Bash!" Ash yelled.

Wartortle's head glowed again as it came down full speed to Electivire. Electivire shot the Thunder upwards while it was still on its back, but Wartortle went underneath it. Wartortle kept going until it slammed right into Electivire's stomach. Electivire gave a cough at the strength of the attack as Wartortle hopped off it before it landed on the ground.

Electivire grimaced and coughed a little more before it went limp. It had taken too much damage to go on. Macy opened her mouth in surprise as the judge waited for a few seconds to see if Electivire would get up. Upon seeing that it wasn't going to move, the judge waved his flag in Wartortle's direction.

"Electivire is unable to battle!" he declared.

"And the winner is Ash from Pallet Town! What a comeback from both sides, but Ash came out on top! He has taken control of our H division!" the announcer cried.

Serena and Leaf gave a high five to each other as Gary, Brock, Misty, Jimmy, Marina, and Lyra rooted along with the crowd. Togetic twirled in happiness. Rose, Crystal, and Grace looked over to Delia and nodded their heads to her to let her know it was okay to cry now. Delia obliged and burst into tears at her son's victory. He was such a hard battler just like his father, Red. If only he was here, too, like with the Indigo League.

"So, what did you guys think?" Gold asked the Johto Elite Four. He casually had his hands behind his head.

"He did okay," Will said with a shrug.

"The young one has indeed gotten stronger since I last faced him, but I don't think he could be beat me, now," Koga answered.

"The battle was at least exciting," Palmer replied.

"He could've won a lot easier. He'll never beat us at this state," Karen answered.

"Geez. Lighten up, you guys. That's all you have to say?" Gold said with a frown. "You're all more like the Elite Bore!"

"Hey! I'm not a bore!" Palmer complained as the rest of the Elite Four glared daggers at Gold.

Ash and Pikachu ran over to his Wartortle, and Ash picked it up joyfully. He then saw Wartortle's beat up expression before he chuckled and set it down.

"Sorry about that, Wartortle. Even so, that was a really awesome battle. You, and Tauros and Kingler, too, did amazing. Way to start off our path to win the Johto League," Ash told it with a thumbs up.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Waaaar…," Wartortle uttered tiredly with a thumbs up of its own. That battle took a lot out of it.

Macy, meanwhile, sighed and went over before she knelt down next to her beaten Electivire. She then smiled and returned it.

"Thank you, Electivire. You battled really hard. Take a good rest," she said.

Macy then looked up and saw Ash congratulating his Wartortle. She then stood up and walked over to him.

"Great battle, Ash! I haven't been that fired up in a while! You're were great opponent! You were every bit the man I thought you were! Cute and smart! Yes, sir!" Macy said with a grin.

Macy still had her microphone on when she said that so the whole stadium ended up hearing it. A few people smiled while some even laughed. Serena looked on in annoyance while the others gave nervous looks to Serena. Even though Macy had stopped trying to win Ash's heart, she was still too forward with how she felt about him.

"Wait. Does my son have two girlfriends? That simply won't do!" Delia said disapprovingly and placed her hands on her hips.

"Calm down, Mrs. Ketchum. It's just how Macy is. Ash only has eyes for Serena," Brock assured.

Ash sweat dropped at the audience's reaction before he looked at Macy. "Eheheheheh. Thanks, Macy," he said.

Ash then gasped as Wartortle collapsed to the ground. It then began to sweat profusely and looked as if it were in pain. Macy also looked on with worry as Wartortle groaned as Ash put it in a sitting position.

"Hey, Wartortle. What's wrong? Was it the battle?" Ash asked.

Wartortle shook its head as it continued to sweat. Wartortle then took a deep breath, and Ash and Pikachu gasped when it started to glow a shining white.

Everyone in the stadium looked on in interest as Wartortle grew larger, and two cannons began to sprout from its shell. Ash's jaw dropped open as Wartortle continued to get bigger and stood up. When it finished glowing, in its place stood a Blastoise! It must've been its tough fight against Electivire. It had been a Wartortle for quite a while.

"Woah. You evolved," Ash said in shock as the audience around him applauded.

"What an event, folks! Few things are more exciting than seeing a Pokemon evolve here during a tournament! Congratulations to Ash and his new Pokemon!" the announcer cheered.

"That's so cool, Ash!" Macy exclaimed.

"Yeah," Ash muttered before he recovered from his shock and smiled wide at Blastoise. "That's great, Blastoise! Congratulations!"

Ash leaped at Blastoise and gave it a hug. Blastoise laughed and hugged Ash back, excited with its own evolution. Now that it was a sexy Blastoise, all the ladies at Oak's lab would come running for it. Blastoise knew it would have a get a new set of sunglasses now, but it could go without them for a while. It and Croconaw could now have some killer dance moves together. Blastoise pointed its cannons to the sky and let out a victory Hydro Pump for itself as the audience cheered around it.

Ash smiled as Blastoise celebrated. His first victory had just earned him three points, and he was officially ahead of everyone now in the division. Depending on how Macy and Vincent did against each other, Ash knew he could very well move onto the semifinals in no time. Now, Ash was fueled to win his next battle and every battle after that. He was definitely going to win that trophy this time!

* * *

 **That's a wrap for the first battle, and many more to come after that. Here's hoping I don't get burned out writing so many successive ones. That's why I said I'll only do important ones so a couple will be skipped. There's only about five chapters left for this fic!**

 **The next chapter will probably be out in early September. If it comes out earlier, then awesome. Thanks for all the reviews and support, and until next time, have a good one!**

 **Chapter 73: Vincent's Plan of Love  
**


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